were made by the
Sicarii that were at Masada. Thus they received Simon at their borders,
where they fought him, and continued the battle all that day; and the
dispute lay whether they had conquered him, or been conquered by him. So
he went back to Nain, as did the Idumeans return home. Nor was it long
ere Simon came violently again upon their country; when he pitched his
camp at a certain village called Thecoe, and sent Eleazar, one of his
companions, to those that kept garrison at Herodium, and in order to
persuade them to surrender that fortress to him. The garrison received
this man readily, while they knew nothing of what he came about; but as
soon as he talked of the surrender of the place, they fell upon him with
their drawn swords, till he found that he had no place for flight, when
he threw himself down from the wall into the valley beneath; so he died
immediately: but the Idumeans, who were already much afraid of Simon's
power, thought fit to take a view of the enemy's army before they
hazarded a battle with them.

6. Now there was one of their commanders named Jacob, who offered to
serve them readily upon that occasion, but had it in his mind to betray
them. He went therefore from the village Alurus, wherein the army of the
Idumeans were gotten together, and came to Simon, and at the very first
he agreed to betray his country to him, and took assurances upon oath
from him that he should always have him in esteem, and then promised him
that he would assist him in subduing all Idumea under him; upon which
account he was feasted after an obliging manner by Simon, and elevated
by his mighty promises; and when he was returned to his own men, he at
first belied the army of Simon, and said it was manifold more in number
than what it was; after which, he dexterously persuaded the commanders,
and by degrees the whole multitude, to receive Simon, and to surrender
the whole government up to him without fighting. And as he was doing
this, he invited Simon by his messengers, and promised him to disperse
the Idumeans, which he performed also; for as soon as their army was
nigh them, he first of all got upon his horse, and fled, together with
those whom he had corrupted; hereupon a terror fell upon the whole
multitude; and before it came to a close fight, they broke their ranks,
and every one retired to his own home.

7. Thus did Simon unexpectedly march into Idumea, without bloodshed, and
made a sudden attack upon the cit