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However, the governors of Tiberias took care to have their
city secured with walls, and commanded their inhabitants to take
their arms. They also sent for a great many soldiers from John,
to assist them against me, if there should be occasion for them.
Now John was at Gischala. Jonathan, therefore, and those that
were with him, when they were departed from Tiberias, and as soon
as they were come to Dabaritta, a village that lay in the utmost
parts of Galilee, in the great plain, they, about midnight, fell
among the guards I had set, who both commanded them to lay aside
their weapons, and kept them in bonds upon the place, as I had
charged them to do. This news was written to me by Levi, who had
the command of that guard committed to him by me. Hereupon I said
nothing of it for two days; and, pretending to know nothing about
it, I sent a message to the people of Tiberias, and advised them
to lay their arms aside, and to dismiss their men, that they
might go home. But, supposing that Jonathan, and those that were
with him, were already arrived at Jerusalem, they made
reproachful answers to me; yet was I not terrified thereby, but
contrived another stratagem against them, for I did not think it
agreeable with piety to kindle the fire of war against the
citizens. As I was desirous to draw those men away from Tiberias,
I chose out ten thousand of the best of my armed men, and divided
them into three bodies, and ordered them to go privately, and lie
still as an ambush, in the villages. I also led a thousand into
another village, which lay indeed in the mountains, as did the
others, but only four furlongs distant from Tiberias; and gave
orders, that when they saw my signal, they should come down
immediately, while I myself lay with my soldiers in the sight of
every body. Hereupon the people of Tiberias, at the sight of me,
came running out of the city perpetually, and abused me greatly.
Nay, their madness was come to that height, that they made a
decent bier for me, and, standing about it, they mourned over me
in the way of jest and sport; and I could not but be myself in a
pleasant humor upon the sight of this madness of theirs.
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