he manner forementioned, he came to Cesarea, having
resolved to set his forces in order at that place, before he began the
war. Nay, indeed, while he was assisting his father at Alexandria, in
settling that government which had been newly conferred upon them by
God, it so happened that the sedition at Jerusalem was revived, and
parted into three factions, and that one faction fought against the
other; which partition in such evil cases may be said to be a good
thing, and the effect of Divine justice. Now as to the attack the
zealots made upon the people, and which I esteem the beginning of the
city's destruction, it hath been already explained after an accurate
manner; as also whence it arose, and to how great a mischief it was
increased. But for the present sedition, one should not mistake if he
called it a sedition begotten by another sedition, and to be like a
wild beast grown mad, which, for want of food from abroad, fell now upon
eating its own flesh.

2. For Eleazar, the son of Simon, who made the first separation of the
zealots from the people, and made them retire into the temple, appeared
very angry at John's insolent attempts, which he made everyday upon the
people; for this man never left off murdering; but the truth was, that
he could not bear to submit to a tyrant who set up after him. So he
being desirous of gaining the entire power and dominion to himself,
revolted from John, and took to his assistance Judas the son of
Chelcias, and Simon the son of Ezron, who were among the men of greatest
power. There was also with him Hezekiah, the son of Chobar, a person of
eminence. Each of these were followed by a great many of the zealots;
these seized upon the inner court of the temple [1] and laid their arms
upon the holy gates, and over the holy fronts of that court. And because
they had plenty of provisions, they were of good courage, for there
was a great abundance of what was consecrated to sacred uses, and they
scrupled not the making use of them; yet were they afraid, on account of
their small number; and when they had laid up their arms there, they did
not stir from the place they were in. Now as to John, what advantage
he had above Eleazar in the multitude of his followers, the like
disadvantage he had in the situation he was in, since he had his enemies
over his head; and as he could not make any assault upon them without
some terror, so was his anger too great to let them be at rest; nay,
although he su