ght, I shall not hereafter deny
to be according to my own sentiments. I have married, as thou sayest
rightly, a strange woman, and thou hearest what I do from myself as from
one that is free, for truly I did not intend to conceal myself. I also
own that I sacrificed to those gods to whom you do not think it fit to
sacrifice; and I think it right to come at truth by inquiring of many
people, and not like one that lives under tyranny, to suffer the whole
hope of my life to depend upon one man; nor shall any one find cause to
rejoice who declares himself to have more authority over my actions than
myself."

12. Now when Zimri had said these things, about what he and some others
had wickedly done, the people held their peace, both out of fear of what
might come upon them, and because they saw that their legislator was not
willing to bring his insolence before the public any further, or openly
to contend with him; for he avoided that, lest many should imitate the
impudence of his language, and thereby disturb the multitude. Upon
this the assembly was dissolved. However, the mischievous attempt had
proceeded further, if Zimri had not been first slain, which came to pass
on the following occasion:--Phineas, a man in other respects better
than the rest of the young men, and also one that surpassed his
contemporaries in the dignity of his father, [for he was the son of
Eleazar the high priest, and the grandson of [Aaron] Moses's brother,]
who was greatly troubled at what was done by Zimri, he resolved in
earnest to inflict punishment on him, before his unworthy behavior
should grow stronger by impunity, and in order to prevent this
transgression from proceeding further, which would happen if the
ringleaders were not punished. He was of so great magnanimity, both in
strength of mind and body, that when he undertook any very dangerous
attempt, he did not leave it off till he overcame it, and got an entire
victory. So he came into Zimri's tent, and slew him with his javelin,
and with it he slew Cozbi also, Upon which all those young men that
had a regard to virtue, and aimed to do a glorious action, imitated
Phineas's boldness, and slew those that were found to be guilty of the
same crime with Zimri. Accordingly many of those that had transgressed
perished by the magnanimous valor of these young men; and the rest all
perished by a plague, which distemper God himself inflicted upon them;
so that all those their kindred, who, instead