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When I had written thus, and given the letter to be carried
by the soldier, I sent along with him thirty of the Galileans of
the best characters, and gave them instructions to salute those
ambassadors, but to say nothing else to them. I also gave orders
to as many of those armed men, whom I esteemed most faithful to
me, to go along with the others, every one with him whom he was
to guard, lest some conversation might pass between those whom I
sent and those who were with Jonathan. So those men went [to
Jonathan]. But when Jonathan and his partners had failed in this
their first attempt, they sent me another letter, the contents
whereof were as follows: "Jonathan, and those with him, to
Josephus, send greeting. We require thee to come to us to the
village Gabaroth, on the third day, without any armed men, that
we may hear what thou hast to lay to the charge of John [of
Gischala]." When they had written this letter, they saluted the
Galileans whom I sent, and came to Japha, which was the largest
village of all Galilee, and encompassed with very strong walls,
and had a great number of inhabitants in it. There the multitude
of men, with their wives and children, met them, and exclaimed
loudly against them; and desired them to be gone, and not to envy
them the advantage of an excellent commander. With these clamors
Jonathan and his partners were greatly provoked, although they
durst not show their anger openly; so they made them no answer,
but went to other villages. But still the same clamors met them
from all the people, who said, "Nobody should persuade them to
have any other commander besides Josephus." So Jonathan and his
partners went away from them without success, and came to
Sepphoris, the greatest city of all Galilee. Now the men of that
city, who inclined to the Romans in their sentiments, met them
indeed, but neither praised nor reproached me and when they were
gone down from Sepphoris to Asochis, the people of that place
made a clamor against them, as those of Japha had done; whereupon
they were able to contain themselves no longer, but ordered the
armed men that were with them to beat those that made the clamor
with their clubs. And when they came to Gabara, John met them
with three thousand armed men; but, as I understood by their
letter that they had resolved to fight against me, I arose from
Chabolo, with three thousand armed men also; but left in my camp
one of my fastest friends, and came to Jotapata, as desirous to
be near them, the distance being no more than forty furlongs.
Whence I wrote thus to them: "If you are very desirous that I
should come to you, you know there are two hundred and forty
cities and villages in Galilee; I will come to any of them which
you please, excepting Gaburn and Gischala; the one of which is
John's native city, and the other in confederacy and friendship
with him."
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