ltitude already
assembled in the Proseucha; but on what account they were gotten
together, those that were assembled did not know. But when Jonathan and
his colleagues saw me there unexpectedly, they were in disorder; after
which they raised a report of their own contrivance, that Roman horsemen
were seen at a place called Union, in the borders of Galilee, thirty
furlongs distant from the city. Upon which report, Jonathan and his
colleagues cunningly exhorted me not to neglect this matter, nor to
suffer the land to be spoiled by the enemy. And this they said with a
design to remove me out of the city, under the pretense of the want of
extraordinary assistance, while they might dispose the city to be my
enemy.

55. As for myself, although I knew of their design, yet did I comply
with what they proposed, lest the people of Tiberias should have
occasion to suppose that I was not careful of their security. I
therefore went out; but, when I was at the place, I found not the least
footsteps of any enemy, so I returned as fast as ever I could, and found
the whole council assembled, and the body of the people gotten together,
and Jonathan and his colleagues bringing vehement accusations against
me, as one who had no concern to ease them of the burdens of war, and
as one that lived luxuriously. And as they were discoursing thus, they
produced four letters, as written to them from some people that lived
at the borders of Galilee, imploring that they would come to their
assistance, for that there was an army of Romans, both horsemen and
footmen, who would come and lay waste the country on the third day;
they desired them also to make haste, and not to overlook them. When the
people of Tiberias heard this, they thought they spake truth, and made a
clamor against me, and said I ought not to sit still, but to go away to
the assistance of their countrymen. Hereupon I said [for I understood
the meaning of Jonathan and his colleagues] that I was ready to comply
with what they proposed, and without delay to march to the war which
they spake of, yet did I advise them, at the same time, that since
these letters declared that the Romans would make their assault in four
several places, they should part their forces into five bodies, and make
Jonathan and his colleagues generals of each body of them, because it
was fit for brave men, not only to give counsel, but to take the place
of leaders, and assist their countrymen when such a necessity