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[280]
And truly, while Cestius Gallus was president of the province of
Syria, nobody durst do so much as send an embassage to him against Florus;
but when he was come to Jerusalem, upon the approach of the feast of unleavened
bread, the people came about him not fewer in number than three millions
1 these
besought him to commiserate the calamities of their nation, and cried out
upon Florus as the bane of their country. But as he was present, and stood
by Cestius, he laughed at their words. However, Cestius, when he had quieted
the multitude, and had assured them that he would take care that Florus
should hereafter treat them in a more gentle manner, returned to Antioch.
Florus also conducted him as far as Cesarea, and deluded him, though he
had at that very time the purpose of showing his anger at the nation, and
procuring a war upon them, by which means alone it was that he supposed
he might conceal his enormities; for he expected that if the peace continued,
he should have the Jews for his accusers before Caesar; but that if he
could procure them to make a revolt, he should divert their laying lesser
crimes to his charge, by a misery that was so much greater; he therefore
did every day augment their calamities, in order to induce them to a rebellion.
1 Here we may note, that three millions of the Jews were present at the passover, A.D. 65; which confirms what Josephus elsewhere informs us of, that at a passover a little later they counted two hundred and fifty-six thousand five hundred paschal lambs, which, at twelve to each lamb, which is no immoderate calculation, come to three millions and seventy-eight thousand. See B. VI. ch. 9. sect. 3.
Flavius Josephus. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by. William Whiston, A.M. Auburn and Buffalo. John E. Beardsley. 1895.
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