ates. Now Ananus did not think fit to make
any attack against the holy gates, although the other threw their stones
and darts at them from above. He also deemed it unlawful to introduce
the multitude into that court before they were purified; he therefore
chose out of them all by lot six thousand armed men, and placed them as
guards in the cloisters; so there was a succession of such guards
one after another, and every one was forced to attend in his course;
although many of the chief of the city were dismissed by those that then
took on them the government, upon their hiring some of the poorer sort,
and sending them to keep the guard in their stead.

13. Now it was John who, as we told you, ran away from Gischala, and was
the occasion of all these being destroyed. He was a man of great craft,
and bore about him in his soul a strong passion after tyranny, and at
a distance was the adviser in these actions; and indeed at this time he
pretended to be of the people's opinion, and went all about with Ananus
when he consulted the great men every day, and in the night time also
when he went round the watch; but he divulged their secrets to the
zealots, and every thing that the people deliberated about was by his
means known to their enemies, even before it had been well agreed upon
by themselves. And by way of contrivance how he might not be brought
into suspicion, he cultivated the greatest friendship possible with
Ananus, and with the chief of the people; yet did this overdoing of his
turn against him, for he flattered them so extravagantly, that he was
but the more suspected; and his constant attendance every where, even
when he was not invited to be present, made him strongly suspected of
betraying their secrets to the enemy; for they plainly perceived
that they understood all the resolutions taken against them at their
consultations. Nor was there any one whom they had so much reason to
suspect of that discovery as this John; yet was it not easy to get quit
of him, so potent was he grown by his wicked practices. He was also
supported by many of those eminent men, who were to be consulted upon
all considerable affairs; it was therefore thought reasonable to oblige
him to give them assurance of his good-will upon oath; accordingly John
took such an oath readily, that he would be on the people's side, and
would not betray any of their counsels or practices to their enemies,
and would assist them in overthrowing those that at