ButtheJewspossessedverypowerfuladvocatesinthepalace，andevenintheheartofthetyrant；hiswifeandmistress，thebeautifulPoppaea，andafavoriteplayeroftheraceofAbraham，whohadalreadyemployedtheirintercessioninbehalfoftheobnoxiouspeople。^40Intheirroomitwasnecessarytooffersomeothervictims，anditmighteasilybesuggestedthat，althoughthegenuinefollowersofMoseswereinnocentofthefireofRome，therehadarisenamongthemanewandpernicioussectofGalilaeans，whichwascapableofthemosthorridcrimes。UndertheappellationofGalilaeans，twodistinctionsofmenwereconfounded，themostoppositetoeachotherintheirmannersandprinciples；thediscipleswhohadembracedthefaithofJesusofNazareth，^41andthezealotswhohadfollowedthestandardofJudastheGaulonite。^42Theformerwerethefriends，thelatterweretheenemies，ofhumankind；andtheonlyresemblancebetweenthemconsistedinthesameinflexibleconstancy，which，inthedefenceoftheircause，renderedtheminsensibleofdeathandtortures。ThefollowersofJudas，whoimpelledtheircountrymenintorebellion，weresoonburiedundertheruinsofJerusalem；whilstthoseofJesus，knownbythemorecelebratednameofChristians，diffusedthemselvesovertheRomanempire。HownaturalwasitforTacitus，inthetimeofHadrian，toappropriatetotheChristianstheguiltandthesufferings，whichhemight，withfargreatertruthandjustice，haveattributedtoasectwhoseodiousmemorywasalmostextinguished!4。Whateveropinionmaybeentertainedofthisconjecture，foritisnomorethanaconjecture，itisevidentthattheeffect，aswellasthecause，ofNero\'spersecution，wasconfinedtothewallsofRome，^43^!thatthereligioustenetsoftheGalilaeansorChristians，werenevermadeasubjectofpunishment，orevenofinquiry；andthat，astheideaoftheirsufferingswasforalongtimeconnectedwiththeideaofcrueltyandinjustice，themoderationofsucceedingprincesinclinedthemtospareasect，oppressedbyatyrant，whoseragehadbeenusuallydirectedagainstvirtueandinnocence。
[Footnote35:Sueton。inNerone，c。16。Theepithetofmalefica，whichsomesagaciouscommentatorshavetranslatedmagical，isconsideredbythemorerationalMosheimasonlysynonymoustotheexitiabilisofTacitus。]
[Footnote36:ThepassageconcerningJesusChrist，whichwasinsertedintothetextofJosephus，betweenthetimeofOrigenandthatofEusebius，mayfurnishanexampleofnovulgarforgery。Theaccomplishmentoftheprophecies，thevirtues，miracles，andresurrectionofJesus，aredistinctlyrelated。
JosephusacknowledgesthathewastheMessiah，andhesitateswhetherheshouldcallhimaman。Ifanydoubtcanstillremainconcerningthiscelebratedpassage，thereadermayexaminethepointedobjectionsofLeFevre，Havercamp。Joseph。tom。ii。p。
267—273，thelaboredanswersofDaubuz，p。187—232，andthemasterlyreplyBibliothequeAncienneetModerne，tom。vii。p。