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I was now about the thirtieth year of my age; in which time
of life it is a hard thing for any one to escape the calumnies of
the envious, although he restrain himself from fulfilling any
unlawful desires, especially where a person is in great
authority. Yet did I preserve every woman free from injuries; and
as to what presents were offered me, I despised them, as not
standing in need of them. Nor indeed would I take those tithes,
which were due to me as a priest, from those that brought them.
Yet do I confess, that I took part of the spoils of those Syrians
which inhabited the cities that adjoined to us, when I had
conquered them, and that I sent them to my kindred at Jerusalem;
although, when I twice took Sepphoris by force, and Tiberias four
times, and Gadara once, and when I had subdued and taken John,
who often laid treacherous snares for me, I did not punish [with
death] either him or any of the people forenamed, as the progress
of this discourse will show. And on this account, I suppose, it
was that God, who is never unacquainted with those that do
as they ought to do, delivered me still out of the hands of these
my enemies, and afterwards preserved me when I fell into those
many dangers which I shall relate hereafter.
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