he would return to life. Then the King commanded
that his head should be cut off, and he died, having said previously
to the monarch that the latter should not lack in his life the most
grievous torments.

Seven years before the incident quoted above, the Israelites had serious
troubles on account of a son of Belial who called himself the Messiah,
so that the tetrarch and the princes were justly incensed against the
Jews, to such an extent, indeed, that they sent to the latter to inquire
whether they desired the reign of the Messiah. The name of this accursed
troubler was David El-David, _alias_ Alroy, who hailed from the city
of Omadia, where were gathered about a thousand rich, honest, happy and
decently-living families, whose tabernacle was the principal resort
of those that dwelt in the neighbourhood of the river Sabbathion; and
around them were gathered more than a hundred minor tabernacles.

This city was on the border of the region of Media, and the dialect
used there was the Targum. Thence to the region of Golan is a journey
of fifty days. It is under the rule of Persia, to which it pays a
heavy tribute every fifteen years, and one golden talent in addition.
Moreover, this man David El-David was educated under the Prince of the
Chaldean captivity, in the care of the eminent Scholiarch, in the city
of Bagdad, who was preeminently wise in the Talmud and in all foreign
sciences, as well as in all books of divination, magic, and Chaldean
lore; This David El-David, out of the boldness and arrogance of his
heart, lifted his hand against the ruling powers, and collected those
Jews who dwelt in the neighbourhood of Mount Chophtan, seducing them to
follow him into battle against all the neighbouring peoples. He showed
them signs-of what value they knew not: there were men, indeed, who
supported him on account of his magic art and of certain things to be
done; others said that his great power came from the hand of God. Those
who flocked to him called him the Messiah, lauding and extolling him.

In another epoch of Persian history a certain Jew arose, calling himself
the Messiah, and prospered greatly. A large part of the Israelitish
population believed in him. But when the King indeed heard of all this
pretender's power, and that he proposed to join battle with him, he sent
to the Jews who lived thereabouts and notified them that unless they
deserted this man, and came oui; from all association with him, they
certainly