charge, That they should part with it to nobody else but to
myself. From thence I and my fellow legates went to Gichala, to
John, as desirous to know his intentions, and soon saw that he
was for innovations, and had a mind to the principality; for he
desired me to give him authority to carry off that corn which
belonged to Caesar, and lay in the villages of Upper Galilee; and
he pretended that he would expend what it came to in building the
walls of his own city. But when I perceived what he endeavored
at, and what he had in his mind, I said I would not permit him so
to do; for that I thought either to keep it for the Romans or for
myself, now I was intrusted with the public affairs there by the
people of Jerusalem. But, when he was not able to prevail with
me, he betook himself to my fellow legates; for they had no
sagacity in providing for futurity, and were very ready to take
bribes. So he corrupted them with money to decree, That all that
corn which was within his province should be delivered to him;
while I, who was but one, was outvoted by two, and held my
tongue. Then did John introduce another cunning contrivance of
his; for he said that those Jews who inhabited Cesarea Philippi,
and were shut up by the order of the king's deputy there, had
sent to him to desire him, that, since they had no oil that was
pure for their use, he would provide a sufficient quantity of
such oil for them, lest they should be forced to make use of oil
that came from the Greeks, and thereby transgress their own laws.
Now this was said by John, not out of his regard to religion, but
out of his most flagrant desire of gain; for he knew that two
sextaries were sold with them of Caesarea for one drachma, but
that at Gischala fourscore sextaxies were sold for four
sextaries. So he gave order that all the oil which was there
should be carried away, as having my permission for so doing;