hands as I received it, and fell a talking with my guests about
other matters. But a few hours afterwards, I got up, and when I
had dismissed the rest to go to their beds, I bid only four of my
intimate friends to stay, and ordered my servant to get some wine
ready. I also opened the letter so, that nobody could perceive
it; and understanding thereby presently the purportú of the
writing, I sealed it up again, and appeared as if I had not yet
read it, but only held it in my hands. I ordered twenty drachmae
should be given the soldier for the charges of his journey; and
when he took the money, and said that he thanked me for it, I
perceived that he loved money, and that he was to be caught
chiefly by that means; and I said to him," If thou wilt but drink
with us, thou shalt have a drachma for every glass thou
drinkest." So he gladly embraced this proposal, and drank a great
deal of wine, in order to get the more money, and was so drunk,
that at last he could not keep the secrets he was intrusted with,
but discovered them without my putting questions to him, viz.
That a treacherous design was contrived against me, and that I
was doomed to die by those that sent him. When I heard this, I
wrote back this answer: "Josephus to Jonathan, and those that are
with him, sendeth greeting. Upon the information that you are
come in health into Galilee, I rejoice, and this especially
because I can now resign the care of public affairs here into
your hands, and return into my native country, which is what I
have desired to do a great while; and I confess I ought not only
to come to you as far as Xaloth, but farther, and this without
your commands. But I desire you to excuse me, because I cannot do
it now, since I watch the motions of Placidus, who hath a mind to
go up into Galilee; and this I do here at Chabolo. Do you
therefore, on the receipt of this epistle, come hither to me.