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[585]
NOW as Josephus was thus engaged in the administration of the affairs
of Galilee, there arose a treacherous person, a man of Gischala, the son
of Levi, "whose name was John. His character was that of a very cunning
and very knavish person, beyond the ordinary rate of the other men of eminence
there, and for wicked practices he had not his fellow any where. Poor he
was at first, and for a long time his wants were a hinderance to him in
his wicked designs. He was a ready liar, and yet very sharp in gaining
credit to his fictions: he thought it a point of virtue to delude people,
and would delude even such as were the dearest to him. He was a hypocritical
pretender to humanity, but where he had hopes of gain, he spared not the
shedding of blood: his desires were ever carried to great things, and he
encouraged his hopes from those mean wicked tricks which he was the author
of. He had a peculiar knack at thieving; but in some time he got certain
companions in his impudent practices; at first they were but few, but as
he proceeded on in his evil course, they became still more and more numerous.
He took care that none of his partners should be easily caught in their
rogueries, but chose such out of the rest as had the strongest constitutions
of body, and the greatest courage of soul, together with great skill in
martial affairs; as he got together a band of four hundred men, who came
principally out of the country of Tyre, and were vagabonds that had run
away from its villages; and by the means of these he laid waste all Galilee,
and irritated a considerable number, who were in great expectation of a
war then suddenly to arise among them.
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