" As I was myself going to the Red Sea, there followed us a man, whose name was Mosollam; he was one of the Jewish horseman who conducted us; he was a person of great courage, of a strong body, and by all allowed to be the most skillful archer that was either among the Greeks or the barbarians. Now this man, as people were in great numbers passing along the road, and a certain diviner was observing an omen by a bird, and requiring them all to stand still, inquired what they stayed for. Hereupon the diviner showed him the bird from thus he took his omen, and told him that if the bird stayed where he was, they ought all to stand still; but that if he got up, and flew backward, they must retire again. Mosollam made no reply, but drew his bow, and shot at the bird, and hit him and killed him; and as the diviner and some others were very angry, and wished imprecations upon him, he answered them thus: "Why are you so mad as to take this most unhappy bird unto your hands? For how can this bird give us any true information concerning our march, who could not forsee how to save himself? For had he been able to foreknow what was future, he would not have come to this place, but would have been afraid lest Mosollam the Jew should shoot at him, and kill him."
-Josephus
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