the wars of the jews-第39章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ean　mountains；　and　on　the　west　by　the　ocean。　Now　although　these　Gauls　have　such　obstacles　before　them　to　prevent　any　attack　upon　them；　and　have　no　fewer　than　three　hundred　and　five　nations　among　them；　nay　have；　as　one　may　say；　the　fountains　of　domestic　happiness　within　themselves；　and　send　out　plentiful　streams　of　happiness　over　almost　the　whole　world；　these　bear　to　be　tributary　to　the　Romans；　and　derive　their　prosperous　condition　from　them；　and　they　undergo　this；　not　because　they　are　of　effeminate　minds；　or　because　they　are　of　an　ignoble　stock；　as　having　borne　a　war　of　eighty　years　in　order　to　preserve　their　liberty；　but　by　reason　of　the　great　regard　they　have　to　the　power　of　the　Romans；　and　their　good　fortune；　which　is　of　greater　efficacy　than　their　arms。　These　Gauls；　therefore；　are　kept　in　servitude　by　twelve　hundred　soldiers；　which　are　hardly　so　many　as　are　their　cities；　nor　hath　the　gold　dug　out　of　the　mines　of　Spain　been　sufficient　for　the　support　of　a　war　to　preserve　their　liberty；　nor　could　their　vast　distance　from　the　Romans　by　land　and　by　sea　do　it；　nor　could　the　martial　tribes　of　the　Lusitanians　and　Spaniards　escape；　no　more　could　the　ocean；　with　its　tide；　which　yet　was　terrible　to　the　ancient　inhabitants。　Nay；　the　Romans　have　extended　their　arms　beyond　the　pillars　of　Hercules；　and　have　walked　among　the　clouds；　upon　the　Pyrenean　mountains；　and　have　subdued　these　nations。　And　one　legion　is　a　sufficient　guard　for　these　people；　although　they　were　so　hard　to　be　conquered；　and　at　a　distance　so　remote　from　Rome。　Who　is　there　among　you　that　hath　not　heard　of　the　great　number　of　the　Germans？　You　have；　to　be　sure；　yourselves　seen　them　to　be　strong　and　tall；　and　that　frequently；　since　the　Romans　have　them　among　their　captives　every　where；　yet　these　Germans；　who　dwell　in　an　immense　country；　who　have　minds　greater　than　their　bodies；　and　a　soul　that　despises　death；　and　who　are　in　rage　more　fierce　than　wild　beasts；　have　the　Rhine　for　the　boundary　of　their　enterprises；　and　are　tamed　by　eight　Roman　legions。　Such　of　them　as　were　taken　captive　became　their　servants；　and　the　rest　of　the　entire　nation　were　obliged　to　save　themselves　by　flight。　Do　you　also；　who　depend　on　the　walls　of　Jerusalem；　consider　what　a　wall　the　Britons　had；　for　the　Romans　sailed　away　to　them；　an　subdued　them　while　they　were　encompassed　by　the　ocean；　and　inhabited　an　island　that　is　not　less　than　the　＇continent　of　this＇　habitable　earth；　and　four　legions　are　a　sufficient　guard　to　so　large　all　island　And　why　should　I　speak　much　more　about　this　matter；　while　the　Parthians；　that　most　warlike　body　of　men；　and　lords　of　so　many　nations；　and　encompassed　with　such　mighty　forces；　send　hostages　to　the　Romans？　whereby　you　may　see；　if　you　please；　even　in　Italy；　the　noblest　nation　of　the　East；　under　the　notion　of　peace；　submitting　to　serve　them。　Now　when　almost　all　people　under　the　sun　submit　to　the　Roman　arms；　will　you　be　the　only　people　that　make　war　against　them？　and　this　without　regarding　the　fate　of　the　Carthaginians；　who；　in　the　midst　of　their　brags　of　the　great　Hannibal；　and　the　nobility　of　their　Phoenician　original；　fell　by　the　hand　of　Scipio。　Nor　indeed　have　the　Cyrenians；　derived　from　the　Lacedemonians；　nor　the　Marmaridite；　a　nation　extended　as　far　as　the　regions　uninhabitable　for　want　of　water；　nor　have　the　Syrtes；　a　place　terrible　to　such　as　barely　hear　it　described；　the　Nasamons　and　Moors；　and　the　immense　multitude　of　the　Numidians；　been　able　to　put　a　stop　to　the　Roman　valor。　And　as　for　the　third　part　of　the　habitable　earth；　＇Akica；＇　whose　nations　are　so　many　that　it　is　not　easy　to　number　them；　and　which　is　bounded　by　the　Atlantic　Sea　and　the　pillars　of　Hercules；　and　feeds　an　innumerable　multitude　of　Ethiopians；　as　far　as　the　Red　Sea；　these　have　the　Romans　subdued　entirely。　And　besides　the　annual　fruits　of　the　earth；　which　maintain　the　multitude　of　the　Romans　for　eight　months　in　the　year；　this；　over　and　above；　pays　all　sorts　of　tribute；　and　affords　revenues　suitable　to　the　necessities　of　the　government。　Nor　do　they；　like　you；　esteem　such　injunctions　a　disgrace　to　them；　although　they　have　but　one　Roman　legion　that　abides　among　them。　And　indeed　what　occasion　is　there　for　showing　you　the　power　of　the　Romans　over　remote　countries；　when　it　is　so　easy　to　learn　it　from　Egypt；　in　your　neighborhood？　This　country　is　extended　as　far　as　the　Ethiopians；　and　Arabia　the　Happy；　and　borders　upon　India；　it　hath　seven　millions　five　hundred　thousand　men；　besides　the　inhabitants　of　Alexandria；　as　may　be　learned　from　the　revenue　of　the　poll　tax；　yet　it　is　not　ashamed　to　submit　to　the　Roman　government；　although　it　hath　Alexandria　as　a　grand　temptation　to　a　revolt；　by　reason　it　is　so　full　of　people　and　of　riches；　and　is　besides　exceeding　large；　its　length　being　thirty　furlongs；　and　its　breadth　no　less　than　ten；　and　it　pays　more　tribute　to　the　Romans　in　one　month　than　you　do　in　a　year；　nay；　besides　what　it　pays　in　money；　it　sends　corn　to　Rome　that　supports　it　for　four　months　＇in　the　year＇：　it　is　also　walled　round　on　all　sides；　either　by　almost　impassable　deserts；　or　seas　that　have　no　havens；　or　by　rivers；　or　by　lakes；　yet　have　none　of　these　things　been　found　too　strong　for　the　Roman　good　fortune；　however；　two　legions　that　lie　in　that　city　are　a　bridle　both　for　the　remoter　parts　of　Egypt；　and　for　the　parts　inhabited　by　the　more　noble　Macedonians。　Where　then　are　those　people　whom　you　are　to　have　for　your　auxiliaries？　Must　they　come　from　the　parts　of　the　world　that　are　uninhabited？　for　all　that　are　in　the　habitable　earth　are　＇under　the＇　Romans。　Unless　any　of　you　extend　his　hopes　as　far　as　beyond　the　Euphrates；　and　suppose　that　those　of　your　own　nation　that　dwell　in　Adiabene　will　come　to　your　assistance；　but　certainly　these　will　not　embarrass　themselves　with　an　unjustifiable　war；　nor；　if　they　should　follow　such　ill　advice；　will　the　Parthians　permit　them　so　to　do；　for　it　is　their　concern　to　maintain　the　truce　that　is　between　them　and　the　Romans；　and　they　will　be　supposed　to　break　the　covenants　between　them；　if　any　under　their　government　march　against　the　Romans。　What　remains；　therefore；　is　this；　that　you　have　recourse　to　Divine　assistance；　but　this　is　already　on　the　side　of　the　Romans；　for　it　is　impossible　that　so　vast　an　empire　should　be　settled　without　God's　providence。　Reflect　upon　it；　how　impossible　it　is　for　your　zealous　observations　of　your　religious　customs　to　be　here　preserved；　which　are　hard　to　be　observed　even　when　you　fight　with　those　whom　you　are　able　to　conquer；　and　how　can　you　then　most　of　all　hope　for　God's　assistance；　when；　by　being　forced　to　transgress　his　law；　you　will　make　him　turn　his　face　from　you？　and　if　you　do　observe　the　custom　of　the　sabbath　days；　and　will　not　be　revealed　on　to　do　any　thing　thereon；　you　will　easily　be　taken；　as　were　your　forefathers　by　Pompey；　who　was　the　busiest　in　his　siege　on　those　days　on　which　the　besieged　rested。　But　if　in　time　of　war　you　transgress　the　law　of　your　country；　I　cannot　tell　on　whose　account　you　will　afterward　go　to　war；　for　your　concern　is　but　one；　that　you　do　nothing　against　any　of　your　forefathers；　and　how　will　you　call　upon　God　to　assist　you；　when　you　are　voluntarily　transgressing　against　his　religion？　Now　all　men　that　go　to　war　do　it　either　as　depending　on　Divine　or　on　human　assistance；　but　since　your　going　to　war　will　cut　off　both　those　assistances；　those　that　are　for　going　to　war　choose　evident　destruction。　What　hinders　you　from　slaying　your　children　and　wives　with　your　own　hands；　and　burning　this　most　excellent　native　city　of　yours？　for　by　this　mad　prank　you　will；　however；　escape　the　reproach　of　being　beaten。　But　it　were　best；　O　my　friends；　it　were　best；　while　the　vessel　is　still　in　the　haven；　to　foresee　the　impending　storm；　and　not　to　set　sail　out　of　the　port　into　the　middle　of　the　hurricanes；　for　we　justly　pity　those　who　fall　into　great　misfortunes　without　fore…seeing　them；　but　for　him　who　rushes　into　manifest　ruin；　he　gains　reproaches　＇instead　of　commiseration＇。　But　certainly　no　one　can　imagine　that　you　can　enter　into　a　war　as　by　agreement；　or　that　when　the　Romans　have　got　you　under　their　power；　they　will　use　you　with　moderation；　or　will　not　rather；　for　an　example　to　other　nations；　burn　your　holy　city；　and　utterly　destroy　your　whole　nation；　for　those　of　you　who　shall　survive　the　war　will　not　be　able　to　find　a　place　whither　to　flee；　since　all　men　have　the　Romans　for　their　lords　already；　or　are　afraid　they　shall　have　hereafter。　Nay；　indeed；　the　danger　concerns　not　those　Jews　that　dwell　here　only；　but　those　of　them　which　dwell　in　other　cities　also；　for　there　is　no　people　upon　the　habitable　earth　which　have　not　some　portion　of　you　among　them；　whom　your　enemies　will　slay；　in　case　you　go　to　war；　and　on　that　account　also；　and　so　every　city　which　hath　Jews　in　it　will　be　filled　with　slaughter　for　the　sake　of　a　few　men；　and　they　who　slay　them　will　be　pardoned；　but　if　that　slaughter　be　not　made　by　them；　consider　how　wicked　a　thing　it　is　to　take　arms　against　those　that　are　so　kind　to　you。　Have　pity；　therefore；　if　not　on　your　children　and　wives；　yet　upon　this　your　metropolis；　and　its　sacred　walls；　spare　the　temple；　and　preserve　the　holy　house；　with　its　holy　furniture；　for　yourselves；　for　if　the　Romans　get　you　under　their　power；　they　will　no　longer　abstain　from　them；　when　their　former　abstinence　shall　have　been　so　ungratefully　requited。　I　call　to　witness　your　sanctuary；　and　the　holy　angels　of　God；　and　this　country　common　to　us　all；　that　I　have　not　kept　back　any　thing　that　is　for　your　preservation；　and　if　you　will　follow　that　advice　which　you　ought　to　do；　you　will　have　that　peace　which　will　be　common　to　you　and　to　me；　but　if　you　indulge　four　passions；　you　will　run　those　hazards　which　I　shall　be　free　from。〃

5。　When　Agrippa　had　spoken　thus；　both　he　and　his　sister　wept；　and　by　their　tears　repressed　a　great　deal　of　the　violence　of　the　people；　but　still　they　cried　out；　that　they　would　not　fight　against　the　Romans；　but　against　Florus；　on　account　of　what　they　had　suffered　by　his　means。　To　which　Agrippa　replied；　that　what　they　had　already　done　was　like　such　as　make　war　against　the　Romans；　〃for　you　have　not　paid　the　tribute　which　is　due　to　Caesar　（25）　and　you　have　cut　off　the　cloisters　＇of　the　temple＇　from　joining　to　the　tower　Antonia。　You　will　therefore　prevent　any　occasion　of　revolt　if　you　will　but　join　these　together　again；　and　if　you　will　but　pay　your　tribute；　for　the　citadel　does　not　now　belong　to　Florus；　nor　are　you　to　pay　the　tribute　money　to　Florus。〃

CHAPTER　17。

How　The　War　Of　The　Jews　With　The　Romans　Began；　And　Concerning　Manahem。

1。　This　advice　the　people　hearkened　to；　and　went　up　into　the　temple　with　the　king　and　Bernice；　and　began　to　rebuild　the　cloisters；　the　rulers　also　and　senators　divided　themselves　into　the　villages；　and　collected　the　tributes；　and　soon　got　together　forty　talents；　which　was　the　sum　that　was　deficient。　And　thus　did　Agrippa　then　put　a　stop　to　that　war　which　was　threatened。　Moreover；　he　attempted　to　persuade　the　multitude　to　obey　Florus；　until　Caesar　should　send　one　to　succeed　him；　but　they　were　hereby　more　provoked；　and　cast　reproaches　upon　the　king；　and　got　him　excluded　out　of　the　city；　nay；　some　of　the　seditious　had　the　impudence　to　throw　stones　at　him。　So　when　the　king　saw　that　the　violence　of　those　that　were　for　innovat