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[469]
It will deserve our relation what befell Simon; he was the son of
one Saul, a man of reputation among the Jews. This man was distinguished
from the rest by the strength of his body, and the boldness of his conduct,
although he abused them both to the mischieving of his countrymen; for
he came every day and slew a great many of the Jews of Scythopolis, and
he frequently put them to flight, and became himself alone the cause of
his army's conquering. But a just punishment overtook him for the murders
he had committed upon those of the same nation with him; for when the people
of Scythopolis threw their darts at them in the grove, he drew his sword,
but did not attack any of the enemy; for he saw that he could do nothing
against such a multitude; but he cried out after a very moving manner,
and said, "O you people of Scythopolis, I deservedly suffer for what
I have done with relation to you, when I gave you such security of my fidelity
to you, by slaying so many of those that were related to me. Wherefore
we very justly experience the perfidiousness of foreigners, while we acted
after a most wicked manner against our own nation. I will therefore die,
polluted wretch as I am, by nine own hands; for it is not fit I should
die by the hand of our enemies; and let the same action be to me both a
punishment for my great crimes, and a testimony of my courage to my commendation,
that so no one of our enemies may have it to brag of, that he it was that
slew me, and no one may insult upon me as I fall." Now when he had
said this, he looked round about him upon his family with eyes of commiseration
and of rage (that family consisted of a wife and children, and his aged
parents); so, in the first place, he caught his father by his grey hairs,
and ran his sword through him, and after him he did the same to his mother,
who willingly received it; and after them he did the like to his wife and
children, every one almost offering themselves to his sword, as desirous
to prevent being slain by their enemies; so when he had gone over all his
family, he stood upon their bodies to be seen by all, and stretching out
his right hand, that his action might be observed by all, he sheathed his
entire sword into his own bowels. This young man was to be pitied, on account
of the strength of his body and the courage of his soul; but since he had
assured foreigners of his fidelity [against his own countrymen], he suffered
deservedly.
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