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[527]
ACCORDINGLY Simon would not suffer Matthias, by whose means he got
possession of the city, to go off without torment. This Matthias was the
son of Boethus, and was one of the high priests, one that had been very
faithful to the people, and in great esteem with them; he, when the multitude
were distressed by the zealots, among whom John was numbered, persuaded
the people to admit this Simon to come in to assist them, while he had
made no terms with him, nor expected any thing that was evil from him.
But when Simon was come in, and had gotten the city under his power, he
esteemed him that had advised them to admit him as his enemy equally with
the rest, as looking upon that advice as a piece of his simplicity only;
so he had him then brought before him, and condemned to die for being on
the side of the Romans, without giving him leave to make his defense. He
condemned also his three sons to die with him; for as to the fourth, he
prevented him by running away to Titus before. And when he begged for this,
that he might be slain before his sons, and that as a favor, on account
that he had procured the gates of the city to be opened to him, he gave
order that he should be slain the last of them all; so he was not slain
till he had seen his sons slain before his eyes, and that by being produced
over against the Romans; for such a charge had Simon given to Artanus,
the son of Bamadus, who was the most barbarous of all his guards. He also
jested upon him, and told him that he might now see whether those to whom
he intended to go over would send him any succors or not; but still he
forbade their dead bodies should be buried. After the slaughter of these,
a certain priest, Ananias, the son of Masambalus, a person of eminency,
as also Aristens, the scribe of the sanhedrim, and born at Emmaus, and
with them fifteen men of figure among the people, were slain. They also
kept Josephus's father in prison, and made public proclamation, that no
citizen whosoever should either speak to him himself, or go into his company
among others, for fear he should betray them. They also slew such as joined
in lamenting these men, without any further examination.
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