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The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
The Antiquities of the Jews
Written by Flavius Josephus
Translated by William Whiston
Book Two
Chapter 4
Concerning The Signal Chastity Of Joseph.
1. Now Potiphar, an Egyptian, who was chief cook to king
Pharaoh, bought Joseph of the merchants, who sold him to him. He
had him in the greatest honor, and taught him the learning that
became a free man, and gave him leave to make use of a diet
better than
was allotted to slaves. He intrusted also the care of his house
to him. So he enjoyed these advantages, yet did not he leave
that
virtue which he had before, upon such a change of his condition;
but he demonstrated that wisdom was able to govern the uneasy
passions of life, in such as have it in reality, and do not only
put it on for a show, under a present state of prosperity.
2. For when his master's wife was fallen in love with him, both
on account of his beauty of body, and his dexterous management
of
affairs; and supposed, that if she should make it known to him,
she could easily persuade him to come and lie with her, and that
he would look upon it as a piece of happy fortune that his
mistress should entreat him, as regarding that state of slavery
he was in, and not his moral character, which continued after
his condition was changed. So she made known her naughty
inclinations, and spake to him about lying with her. However, he
rejected her entreaties, not thinking it agreeable to religion
to
yield so far to her, as to do what would tend to the affront and
injury of him that purchased him, and had vouchsafed him so
great
honors. He, on the contrary, exhorted her to govern that
passion; and laid before her the impossibility of her obtaining
her
desires, which he thought might be conquered, if she had no hope
of succeeding; and he said, that as to himself, he would endure
any thing whatever before he would be persuaded to it; for
although it was fit for a slave, as he was, to do nothing
contrary to his mistress, he might well be excused in a case
where the contradiction was to such sort of commands only. But
this opposition of Joseph, when she did not expect it, made her
still more violent in her love to him; and as she was sorely
beset with this naughty passion, so she resolved to compass her
design by a second attempt.
3. When, therefore, there was a public festival coming on, in
which it was the custom for women to come to the public
solemnity; she pretended to her husband that she was sick, as
contriving an opportunity for solitude and leisure, that she
might entreat Joseph again. Which opportunity being obtained,
she used more kind words to him than before; and said that it
had
been good for him to have yielded to her first solicitation, and
to have given her no repulse, both because of the reverence he
ought to bear to her dignity who solicited him, and because of
the vehemence of her passion, by which she was forced though she
were his mistress to condescend beneath her dignity; but that he
may now, by taking more prudent advice, wipe off the imputation
of his former folly; for whether it were that he expected the
repetition of her solicitations she had now made, and that with
greater earnestness than before, for that she had pretended
sickness on this very account, and had preferred his
conversation
before the festival and its solemnity; or whether he opposed her
former discourses, as not believing she could be in earnest; she
now gave him sufficient security, by thus repeating her
application, that she meant not in the least by fraud to impose
upon him; and assured him, that if he complied with her
affections, he might expect the enjoyment of the advantages he
already had; and if he were submissive to her, he should have
still greater advantages; but that he must look for revenge and
hatred from her, in case he rejected her desires, and preferred
the reputation of chastity before his mistress; for that he
would
gain nothing by such procedure, because she would then become
his accuser, and would falsely pretend to her husband, that he
had
attempted her chastity; and that Potiphar would hearken to her
words rather than to his, let his be ever so agreeable to the
truth.
4. When the woman had said thus, and even with tears in her
eyes, neither did pity dissuade Joseph from his chastity, nor
did fear
compel him to a compliance with her; but he opposed her
solicitations, and did not yield to her threatenings, and was
afraid to do an ill thing, and chose to undergo the sharpest
punishment rather than to enjoy his present advantages, by doing
what his own conscience knew would justly deserve that he should
die for it. He also put her in mind that she was a married
woman,
and that she ought to cohabit with her husband only; and desired
her to suffer these considerations to have more weight with her
than the short pleasure of lustful dalliance, which would bring
her to repentance afterwards, would cause trouble to her, and
yet
would not amend what had been done amiss. He also suggested to
her the fear she would be in lest they should be caught; and
that
the advantage of concealment was uncertain, and that only while
the wickedness was not known [would there be any quiet for
them];
but that she might have the enjoyment of her husband's company
without any danger. And he told her, that in the company of her
husband she might have great boldness from a good conscience,
both before God and before men. Nay, that she would act better
like his mistress, and make use of her authority over him better
while she persisted in her chastity, than when they were both
ashamed for what wickedness they had been guilty of; and that it
is much better to a life, well and known to have been so, than
upon the hopes of the concealment of evil practices.
5. Joseph, by saying this, and more, tried to restrain the
violent passion of the woman, and to reduce her affections
within
the rules of reason; but she grew more ungovernable and earnest
in the matter; and since she despaired of persuading him, she
laid her hands upon him, and had a mind to force him. But as
soon as Joseph had got away from her anger, leaving also his
garment
with her, for he left that to her, and leaped out of her
chamber, she was greatly afraid lest he should discover her
lewdness to
her husband, and greatly troubled at the affront he had offered
her; so she resolved to be beforehand with him, and to accuse
Joseph falsely to Potiphar, and by that means to revenge herself
on him for his pride and contempt of her; and she thought it a
wise thing in itself, and also becoming a woman, thus to prevent
his accusation. Accordingly she sat sorrowful and in confusion,
framing herself so hypocritically and angrily, that the sorrow,
which was really for her being disappointed of her lust, might
appear to be for the attempt upon her chastity; so that when her
husband came home, and was disturbed at the sight of her and
inquired what was the cause of the disorder she was in, she
began to accuse Joseph: and, "O husband," said she, "mayst thou
not
live a day longer if thou dost not punish the wicked slave who
has desired to defile thy bed; who has neither minded who he was
when he came to our house, so as to behave himself with modesty;
nor has he been mindful of what favors he had received from thy
bounty (as he must be an ungrateful man indeed, unless he, in
every respect, carry himself in a manner agreeable to us): this
man, I say, laid a private design to abuse thy wife, and this at
the time of a festival, observing when thou wouldst be absent.
So
that it now is clear that his modesty, as it appeared to be
formerly, was only because of the restraint he was in out of
fear
of thee, but that he was not really of a good disposition. This
has been occasioned by his being advanced to honor beyond what
he
deserved, and what he hoped for; insomuch that he concluded,
that he who was deemed fit to be trusted with thy estate and the
government of thy family, and was preferred above thy eldest
servants, might be allowed to touch thy wife also." Thus when
she
had ended her discourse, she showed him his garment, as if he
then left it with her when he attempted to force her. But
Potiphar not being able to disbelieve what his wife's tears
showed, and what his wife said, and what he saw himself, and
being seduced by his love to his wife, did not set himself about
the examination of the truth; but taking it for granted that his
wife was a modest woman, and condemning Joseph as a wicked man,
he threw him into the malefactors' prison; and had a still
higher
opinion of his wife, and bare her witness that she was a woman
of a becoming modesty and chastity.
Continue on to
Book
Two,
Chapter 5,
The Antiquities of the Jews
by
Flavius Josephus
Return to
The Antiquities of the Jews - Table of Contents
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