pressed
them; for, said I, it is not possible for me to lead more than one
party. This advice of mine greatly pleased the multitude; so they
compelled them to go forth to the war. But their designs were put into
very much disorder, because they had not done what they had designed
to do, on account of my stratagem, which was opposite to their
undertakings.

56. Now there was one whose name was Ananias [a wicked man he was, and
very mischievous]; he proposed that a general religious fast [23] should
be appointed the next day for all the people, and gave order that at the
same hour they should come to the same place, without any weapons, to
make it manifest before God, that while they obtained his assistance,
they thought all these weapons useless. This he said, not out of piety,
but that they might catch me and my friends unarmed. Now, I was hereupon
forced to comply, lest I should appear to despise a proposal that tended
to piety. As soon, therefore, as we were gone home, Jonathan and his
colleagues wrote to John to come to them in the morning, and desiring
him to come with as many soldiers as he possibly could, for that they
should then be able easily to get me into their hands, and to do all
they desired to do. When John had received this letter, he resolved to
comply with it. As for myself, on the next day, I ordered two of
the guards of my body, whom I esteemed the most courageous and most
faithful, to hide daggers under their garments, and to go along with me,
that we might defend ourselves, if any attack should be made upon us by
our enemies. I also myself took my breastplate, and girded on my sword,
so that it might be, as far as it was possible, concealed, and came into
the Proseucha.

57. Now Jesus, who was the ruler, commanded that they should exclude all
that came with me, for he kept the door himself, and suffered none but
his friends to go in. And while we were engaged in the duties of
the day, and had betaken ourselves to our prayers, Jesus got up, and
inquired of me what was become of the vessels that were taken out of the
king's palace, when it was burnt down [and] of that uncoined silver; and
in whose possession they now were? This he said, in order to drive away
time till John should come. I said that Capellus, and the ten principal
men of Tiberias, had them all; and I told him that they might ask them
whether I told a lie or not. And when they said they had them, he asked
me, What is become of those