| 2. My father Matthias was not only eminent on account of his nobility, but had a higher commendation on account of his righteousness and was in great reputation in Jerusalem, the greatest city we have. I was myself brought up with my brother, whose name was Matthias, for he was my full brother, by both father and mother; and I made mighty proficiency in the improvements of my learning and appeared to have both a great memory and understanding. Moreover, when I was a child and about fourteen years of age, I was commended by all for the love I had of learning; on which account the high priests and principal men of the city came frequently to me together, in order to know my opinion about the accurate understanding of points of the law. and when I was about sixteen years old, I had a mind to make trial of the several sects that were among us. These sects are three: The first is that of the Pharisees, the second that Sadducees and the third that of the Essenes, as we have frequently told you. I thought that by this means I might choose the best, if I were once acquainted with them all; so I contented myself with hard fare and underwent great difficulties and went through them all. Nor did I content myself with these tests only; but when I was informed of a man named Banus, who lived in the desert and used no other clothing than grew upon trees and had no other food than what grew of its own accord and bathed himself in cold water frequently, both by night and by day, in order to preserve his chastity, I imitated him in those things and continued with him three years. So when I had accomplished my desires, I returned back to the city, being now nineteen years old and began to conduct myself according to the rules of the sect of the Pharisees, which is akin to the sect of the Stoics, as the Greeks call them. | |