Gods Three Arrows, Section 24
§. 24. Of the extremity of famine in the laſt fiege of Ieruſalem.
BEcauſe reference is often made to the hiſtory of Flavius Ioſephus of the warres of the Iewes concerning the extremity of famine in the laſt ſiege at Ieruſalem, by the Romanes in the dayes of Veſpaſian the Emperour, I think it meet in the end of this Treatiſe diſtinctly to relate the ſaid hiſtory ſo farre as it concerneth the famine.
The famine of the City, and the deſperation of the Ioſeph de Bello Iud. lib. 6 cap. 11. Houſes broken up and ſearched for corne.theeves both increaſed alike, every day more and more; ſo that now there was no more corne found. Wherefore the ſeditious perſons brake into the houſes, and ſearched every corner for to find corne; and if after their ſearch they found any, then they did beat the owners for denying it at the firſt; and if they found none, they tortured the houſholders, as having more cunningly hidden it: And whoſoever was yet ſtrong of body and well liking, him they preſently killed; for hereby they deemed him to have ſtore of food, or els he ſhould not have been in ſo good plight of body as he was. And they that were pined with famine, were by theſe barbarous ſeditious people ſlaine, who eſteemed it no offence to kill them, who would ſhortly after die, though they were left alive. Many, both rich, and poore, ſecretly exchanged all that they had for one buſhell of corne, and All exchanged for bread.preſently ſhutting themſelves in the ſecreteſt roome of their houſes, ſome of them did eate the corne as it was unground: others made bread thereof, as neceſſity and feare required. No man in the whole city ſate downe to eate his meate on a table, but greedily taking it, not boiled from the fire, they (even raw as it was) did eare it. Moſt miſerable was this manner of living, and a ſpectacle which none without teares was able to behold; for the ſtrongeſt ſtill got the moſt, and the weakeſt bewaild their miſery: for now famine was the greateſt calamity they endured. And nothing doth arme men more then ſhame: for during this famine no reverence Food ſnatched out of one anothers mouths.was had towards any man: for wives tooke the meat even out of their husbands mouthes, and children from their parents, and mothers even from their infants, which was the moſt lamentable thing of all. No body had now any compaſſion, neither did they ſpare their deareſt infants, but ſuffered them to periſh even in their armes, taking from them the very drops of life. Yet could they not eate thus in ſuch ſecrecy, but preſently ſome came to take away from them that whereon they fed. For if in any place they ſaw any doore ſhut, preſently hereupon they conjectured that they in the houſe were eating meat, and forthwith breaking downe the doores, they came in; and taking them by the throat, they tooke the meat out of their mouthes already chewed, and ready to be ſwallowed downe. The old men were driven away, and not permitted to keepe and defend Cruelty uſed to get food.their food from being taken from them: the women were drawne up and downe by the haire of the head, for that they hid betweene their hands ſome part of their meat, and would not forgoe it. No pitie was now remaining, neither to old age, nor infancy, but they tooke young babes eating, their mouth full of meat, and not permitting it to be taken out of their mouthes, and threw them againſt the ground. Now if any one had prevented theſe theeves, and eaten their meat before they could come at them, then they were more cruell; and the other ſo much more tyrannouſly handled, as having committed ſome greater offence againſt them. They alſo deviſed moſt barbarous and cruell torments to extort food from others: for they thruſt ſticks or ſuch like into the cavity of mens yards, and ſharpe thorny rods into their fundaments: and it is abominable to heare what the people endured to make them confeſſe one loafe of bread, or one handfull of corne which they had hidden.
The reſtraint of liberty to paſſe in and out of the City Ibid. cap. 14.tooke from the Iewes all hope of ſafety, and the famine now increaſing, conſumed whole houſholds and families, and the houſes were full of dead women and infants: and the Multitudes die of famine.ſtreets filled with the dead bodies of old men: And the young men ſwollen like dead mens ſhadowes, walked in the market place, and fell downe dead where it happened. And now the multitude of dead bodies was ſo great, that they which were alive could not bury them, neither cared they for burying them, being now uncertaine what ſhould betide themſelves. And many endeavouring to bury others, fell downe themſelves dead upon them as they were burying them. And many being yet alive, went unto their graves, and there died. Yet for all this calamity was there no weeping nor lamentation, for famine overcame all affections. And they who were yet living, without teares beheld thoſe, who being dead, were now at reſt before them. There was no noiſe heard within the Citie, and the ſtill night found all full of dead bodies: and which was moſt miſerable of all, the theeves at night came and tooke away that which covered the dead bodies nakedneſſe, and went laughing away, and in their bodies they proved their ſwords, and upon pleaſure onelyonly thruſt many through yet breathing. Yet if any have deſired them to kill him, or to lend him a ſword to kill himſelfe, that ſo he might eſcape Death deſired by the famished.the famine, they denied him.
What need I recount every particular miſerie? Mannaeus the ſonne of Lazarus flying to Titus out of the gate, Ibid. cap. 6.that was committed unto his cuſtody, and yeelding himſelf unto him, recounted unto Titus, that from the time that the Romans army was placed neare the City, from the foureteenth day of Aprill, unto the firſt of Iuly, were carried out Multitude die of famine.of that gate he kept, a hundred, fifteene thouſand, and foureſcore dead bodies; yet was not he the keeper of the gate, but being appointed to pay for the burying of the dead at the charges of the City, was forced to number the dead bodies. For others were buried by their parents, and this was their buriall, to caſt them out of the City, and there let them lie. And certaine noble men flying unto Titus after him, reported that there were dead in all the City ſix hundred thouſand poore folks which were caſt out of the gates, and the others that died were innumerable: and that when ſo many died that they were not able to burie them, that then they gathered their bodies together in the greateſt houſes adjoyning, and there ſhut them up. And that a buſhell of corne was ſold for a talent, which is ſix hundred crownes: and that after the City was compaſſed with a wall that now they could not go out to gather any more herbs, many were driven to that neceſſity, that they raked ſinkes and privies to finde old dung of oxen to eate; Dung eaten.and ſo the dung that was loathſome to behold, was their meate.
An infinite multitude periſhed within the City thorow Ibid lib. 7. cap. 7, 8. Food violently ſnatched awayfamine, ſo that they could not be numbered: for in every place where any ſhew or ſigne of food was, preſently aroſe a battell, and the deareſt friends of all now fought one with another, to take the food from other poore ſoules, neither did they believe them that were now a dying for famine, but the theeves ſearched them, whom they ſaw yeelding up the ghoſt, thinking that they dying for famine, had hid about them ſome food, but they were deceived of their hope, being like mad dogs, greedy of meate, and fell againſt the doores like drunken men, ſearching the ſelf-ſame houſes twice or thrice together in deſperation, and for very penury they eate whatſoever they light upon, gathering ſuch things Things loathed eaten.to eat, as the moſt filthy living creatures in the world would have loathed. In briefe, they did eate their girdles and ſhoes, and the skins that covered their ſhields, ſo that a little of old hay was ſold for foure Attiques. But what need is it to ſhew the ſharpneſſe of this famine by things that want life? I will recount an act never heard of, neither amongſt the Greekes, nor any other barbarous people, horrible to be rehearſed, and incredible, ſo that I would willingly omit this calamity, leaſt poſterity ſhould thinke I lie, had I not many witneſſes hereof, and perhaps ſhould incurre reprehenſion, not fully recounting all accidents of them that are dead.
A certaine woman named Mary, dwelling beyond Iordane, A mother kils and eates her owne child.the daughter of Eleazar of the towne of Vitezokia, which ſignifieth the houſe of Hyſope, deſcended of noble and rich parentage, flying with the reſt unto Ieruſalem, was there with them beſieged. Her other goods the tyrants had taken from her, which ſhe had brought from beyond the river into the City, and whatſoever being hid, eſcaped their hands, the theeves daily came into her houſe, and tooke it away, whereat the woman greatly moved, curſed them, and with hard ſpeeches animated them the more againſt her, yet no man either for anger or compaſſion would kill her, but ſuffered her to live to get them meate, but now could ſhe get no more, and famine invaded her with rage and anger more then danger. Wherefore by rage and neceſſity ſhe was compelled to do that which nature abhorred, and taking her ſonne unto whom ſhe then gave ſucke, O miſerable child (quoth ſhe) in warre, famine, and ſedition, for which of theſe ſhall I keepe thee? If thou continue amongſt the Romans, thou ſhalt be made a ſlave, yet famine will prevent bondage; or elſe ſedition worſe then them both. Be therefore meate for me, a terrour unto the ſeditious, a tragicall ſtory to be ſpoken of by poſterity, and that which is onelyonly yet heard of amongſt the calamities of the Iewes. Having thus ſpoken, ſhe ſlue her ſonne, and did ſeeth the one halfe of him, and did eate it, the reſt ſhe reſerved covered. Preſently came the ſeditious, ſmelling the ſent of that execrable meat, threatning preſently to kill her, except ſhe forthwith brought ſome of that unto them which ſhe had prepared. Then ſhe anſwered that ſhe had reſerved a good portion thereof for them, and preſently uncovered that part of her ſonne which ſhe had left uneaten; at which ſight they trembled, and a horrour fell upon them. But the woman ſaid, this is truly my ſonne, and my doing, eat you of it, for I my ſelfe have eaten thereof. Be not more effeminate then a woman, nor more mercifull then a mother. If Religion make you refuſe this my ſacrifice, I have already eaten of it, and will eate the reſt. Then the ſeditious departed, hereat onelyonly trembling, and ſcarcely permitting this meate to the mother. Preſently the report of this hainous crime was bruited all about the City, and every man having before his eyes this excerable fact, trembled as though himſelfe had done it. And now all that were vexed with this famine, Chryſ. adverſ. vitup. vitae monaſt. l. 1. Euſeb. Hiſt. Eccleſ. l. 3. c. 6. Niceph. Hiſt. Eccleſ. l 3 c 7.haſtned their owne deaths, and he was accounted happy that died before he felt this famine.
This hiſtory of a mothers eating her own child, is related alſo by Chryſoſtome, Euſebius, Nicephorus, and other ancients.