will be grateful to you, for having saved us;
for I am their only son.

"Whom are they to thank for our rescue?"

"I am Joseph, the son of Matthias, to whom the Jews have intrusted
the governorship of this province."

"Josephus!" John exclaimed, in a tone of surprise and reverence.

"So men call me," Josephus replied, with a smile.

It was, indeed, the governor. Flavius Josephus, as the Romans
afterwards called him, came of a noble Jewish family--his father,
Matthias, belonging to the highest of the twenty-four classes into
which the sacerdotal families were divided. Matthias was eminent
for his attainments, and piety; and had been one of the leading men
in Jerusalem. From his youth, Josephus had carefully prepared
himself for public life, mastering the doctrines of the three
leading sects among the Jews--the Pharisees, Sadducees, and
Essenes--and having spent three years in the desert, with Banus the
Ascetic. The fact that, at only twenty-six years of age, he had
gone as the leader of a deputation to Rome, on behalf of some
priests sent there by Felix, shows that he was early looked upon as
a conspicuous person among the Jews; and he was but thirty when he
was intrusted with the important position of Governor of Galilee.

Contrary to the custom of the times, he had sought to make no gain
from his position. He accepted neither presents, nor bribes; but
devoted himself entirely to ameliorating the condition of the
people, and in repressing the turbulence of the lower classes of
the great towns; and of the robber chieftains who, like John of
Gischala, took advantage of the relaxation of authority, caused by
the successful rising against the Romans, to plunder and tyrannize
over the people.

The expression of the face of Josephus was lofty and, at the same
time, gentle. His temper was singularly equable and, whatever the
circumstances, he never gave way to anger, but kept his passions
well under control. His address was soft and winning, and he had
the art of attracting respect and friendship from all who came in
contact with him. Poppaea, the wife of Nero, had received him with
much favor and, bravely as he fought against them, Vespasian and
Titus were, afterwards, as much attached to him as were the Jews of
Galilee. There can be no doubt that, had he been otherwise placed
than as one of a people on the verge of destruction, Josephus would
have been one of the great figures of history.

John had been accustomed