The irony of Josephus\' Masada story

[Jona Lendering]

I just read this article on the use of irony in Josephus' account of the fall of Masada. The author, Mark Andrew Brighton, makes several interesting points.

[Narukami]

Interesting article indeed.

Thanks for the link.

:wink:

Narukami

[Timotheus]

Interesting article, though I find some points I have issue within it.

I do agree with the authors idea that Josephus sacrificed 38 lives to escape, is rather dishonest. A more accurate statement was that he saved 2 lives. His 39 companions were bent on a mass suicide of all of them. Josephus did not share this belief and did what he could. The fact that he had to wait until only one other person was alive to finally convince him living was better certainly does not make him a murderer, it just makes hima failed savior.

What I do not see is a more basic interpretation of the statements made by Josephus. He could call the Judean rebels brave and cowardly for a very simple reason. Suicide at least today is considered a sin. Assuming that this belief has an ancient source for the Jews then every single Jew who commited suicide instead of surrender for torture was both a coward and very brave. They are a coward because they let their fear of Roman torture push them to quick suicide. But at the same time by commiting suicide are not these Jewish warriors condemning their eternal souls to torture? Maybe Jewish afterlife is different and suicide does not give you a one way ticket to Hell but if it does then you have a pretty straightforward explanation for why he said what he did.