The famous and memorable works of Josephus ... / Faithfully translated out of the Latin, and French, by Thomas Lodge, Doctor in Physick.

Josephus

Date:: [1640]

Credit: The famous and memorable works of Josephus ... / Faithfully translated out of the Latin, and French, by Thomas Lodge, Doctor in Physick. Source: Wellcome Collection.

194/866 page 178

$bc d CAA) The ycer-of the world, 2920, before Chrifis - Nativity, 104.41 LAV Sad $.9,9. The flight and overthrow of Abfalons artüle, à vU. 9, ad 1$. Joab killeth Abfalon. $.17,15. Abfalons marble pillar. T.5, b ad 22, Chufai fent to certifie vi&ory. 2. SAM, 18. JOSEPHUS, affections, to the intent tha a : fing to do or endure any thing, fo that Abfalon might not be deprived, or expofed to his fa- thers punifhmentand difpleafure for his infolent attempt. Befides that, they held it anin- dignitie for them, that being fo great in numberas they were, they fhould be furmountéd by fuch a hanfull of people as followed Joab : deeming it to be an utter diferace unto them; that being fo many thoufands of them inarms,they fhould be difcomfited by Davids followers.” But Load and his nien being more skilful and trained in feats of arms then the reft,difcom- fitedand brake Abfalons army : 10 that they fled thorow woodsand fteep places: Davids foul- diers perfuing after them, took fome,and flew other fome ; fo that both in flight and fight, a great number of them were put to the {word: for there fell that day abouttwenty thoufand abfolute beauty, and high ftature : he fearing tobe furprized by his enemies,mounted upon his royall mule; and fled in great hafte. Andforthat by fwift motion of his body, his locks wereicattered abroad, his bufh of haire was intangled inathick and branchietree, where he hung aftera ftrange manner, and his mule ranne onward with great Íwiftneffe, as if fhe had as yet borne her Mafter on her back: but he hanging by the haire amidft the branches, fud- denly fellinto his enemies hands. This whena certain fouldier perceived, he brou ght news thereofunto Joab,who promifed him to give him fifty ficles, ifhe would kill him. | The fouldier anfwered, thatif he would give him two thoufand , he would not commit fach à murther on the fonne of his Soveraigne , the rather for thatin the prefence of them all, David had requefted them to fpare him. Hereupon Toab commanded him to fhew him the place where he had feen Abfalon hang: whono fooner difcovered him, but thrufting a Javelin to his heart, he flew him. That done, Ioabs Efquires arrounding the tree, took him down ; and cafting him into 3 deep and obfcure pit, they overwhelmed him with ftones: fo that in appearance it feemed tobe atombe, or fome great, high, and ftately monument. Af- ter this, when /o4b had founded the retreat, he withdrew his fouldiers from purfuite, fuppo- fing it to bean inriaturall thing for one countreyman to flefh himfelfe upon another. Abfaloz had erected in the royall valley two furlangs diftant from Jerufalem a Marble pillar, which he had intituled by the name of 4b/alons Hand ; faying, that when his children fhould be dead, his name fliould remaine in that pillar. Now He hadthree fons, and a daughter which phew, and had by him a fonne called 45/4, who fucceeded his father in the kingdome: of whom we will peak more conveniently in his place. (05:99 AP. The happy fate of Davin being reftored unto his Kingdome. ^ ER Free that 45/alon was flaine, all the people returned privately to their owne houfes: but Achimaas the fonne of the high Prieft sadoc drew neer unto Ioab,re- uiring hislicence to repaire unto David, andtocertifie him of the victory, the Generall deny him, telling him that it was not convenient that he,who be- fore-times was wont to bring joyfull news, {hould now certifie the King of his fonnes death. He therefore commanded him to ftay,and calling Chnfai to his prefence, he gave him com- miflion to certifie the King of that which he had feen. Achimaas xequefted him the fecond time that he would fuffer him to goe, promifing him that he would make no mention but of the vi&tóty ; and that astouching 40/4lons death, he would not utter any thing : whereupon he dimiffed him alfo, who choofing the fhorter way (which he onely knew) outftripped Chufai. Now as David fate in the gate ofthe Citie (expecting fome meffenger that might certifie him of the füeceffe of the battell) one of the Sentinels perceiving Achimaas, that came running haftily, and unable to difcover whoit was, told David that he faw a meffen- gercomming towards him: who anfwered that it was fome one that brought joyfull newes. ‘Anon after. he told him that a certain other meflenger followed: To whom Davidan- fwered likewife, that it was one that brought glad tidings. And whenthe watchman percei- ved that it was Achimaas, Sadoc the high Priefts fonne, and that he was neer at hand; he ran &rft of all and certified David ; who was very glad thereof, faying, that he brought fome good and defired newes as touching the event of the battell: and no fooner had the King fpoken the word, but Achimaas éntred and humbled himfelfe upon his face before David,to whom he reported that his armie had the victory. Being afterwards demanded what was n become AE E] M ( mor dep inal eds go pu et funi there foul | Diti BE mist men WM call; dow V turn Vous$