s to sell ourselves to the Romans, while it was in our power not to
have revolted from them at the first, or when we had once revolted, to
have returned under their dominion again, and this while the neighboring
countries were not yet laid waste? whereas it is not an easy thing to
be reconciled to the Romans, if we were desirous of it, now they have
subdued Galilee, and are thereby become proud and insolent; and to
endeavor to please them at the time when they are so near us, would
bring such a reproach upon us as were worse than death. As for myself,
indeed, I should have preferred peace with them before death; but now we
have once made war upon them, and fought with them, I prefer death, with
reputation, before living in captivity under them. But further, whether
do they pretend that we, who are the rulers of the people, have sent
thus privately to the Romans, or hath it been done by the common
suffrages of the people? If it be ourselves only that have done it, let
them name those friends of ours that have been sent, as our servants, to
manage this treachery. Hath any one been caught as he went out on this
errand, or seized upon as he came back? Are they in possession of our
letters? How could we be concealed from such a vast number of our fellow
citizens, among whom we are conversant every hour, while what is done
privately in the country is, it seems, known by the zealots, who are but
few in number, and under confinement also, and are not able to come out
of the temple into the city. Is this the first time that they are become
sensible how they ought to be punished for their insolent actions? For
while these men were free from the fear they are now under, there was
no suspicion raised that any of us were traitors. But if they lay
this charge against the people, this must have been done at a public
consultation, and not one of the people must have dissented from the
rest of the assembly; in which case the public fame of this matter would
have come to you sooner than any particular indication. But how could
that be? Must there not then have been ambassadors sent to confirm
the agreements? And let them tell us who this ambassador was that was
ordained for that purpose. But this is no other than a pretense of such
men as are loath to die, and are laboring to escape those punishments
that hang over them; for if fate had determined that this city was to be
betrayed into its enemies' hands, no other than these men that accuse