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[503]
And now there arose another war at Jerusalem. There was a son of
Giora, one Simon, by birth of Gerasa, a young man, not so cunning indeed
as John [of Gisehala], who had already seized upon the city, but superior
in strength of body and courage; on which account, when he had been driven
away from that Acrabattene toparchy, which he once had, by Ananus the high
priest, he came to those robbers who had seized upon Masada. At the first
they suspected him, and only permitted him to come with the women he brought
with him into the lower part of the fortress, while they dwelt in the upper
part of it themselves. However, his manner so well agreed with theirs,
and he seemed so trusty a man, that he went out with them, and ravaged
and destroyed the country with them about Masada; yet when he persuaded
them to undertake greater things, he could not prevail with them so to
do; for as they were accustomed to dwell in that citadel, they were afraid
of going far from that which was their hiding-place; but he affecting to
tyrannize, and being fond of greatness, when he had heard of the death
of Ananus, he left them, and went into the mountainous part of the country.
So he proclaimed liberty to those in slavery, and a reward to those already
free, and got together a set of wicked men from all quarters.
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