the wars of the jews-第66章

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re　these　holy　gates；　and　to　spend　our　very　lives；　if　not　for　the　sake　of　our　children　and　wives；　yet　for　God's　sake；　and　for　the　sake　of　his　sanctuary。　I　will　assist　you　both　with　my　counsel　and　with　my　hand；　nor　shall　any　sagacity　of　ours　be　wanting　for　your　support；　nor　shall　you　see　that　I　will　be　sparing　of　my　body　neither。〃　　　　　　11。　By　these　motives　Ananus　encouraged　the　multitude　to　go　against　the　zealots；　although　he　knew　how　difficult　it　would　be　to　disperse　them；　because　of　their　multitude；　and　their　youth；　and　the　courage　of　their　souls；　but　chiefly　because　of　their　consciousness　of　what　they　had　done；　since　they　would　not　yield；　as　not　so　much　as　hoping　for　pardon　at　the　last　for　those　their　enormities。　However；　Ananus　resolved　to　undergo　whatever　sufferings　might　come　upon　him；　rather　than　　　overlook　things；　now　they　were　in　such　great　confusion。　So　the　multitude　cried　out　to　him；　to　lead　them　on　against　those　whom　he　had　described　in　his　exhortation　to　them；　and　every　one　of　them　was　most　readily　disposed　to　run　any　hazard　　　whatsoever　on　that　account。　　　　　　12。　Now　while　Ananus　was　choosing　out　his　men；　and　putting　those　that　were　proper　for　his　purpose　in　array　for　fighting；　the　zealots　got　information　of　his　undertaking；　（for　there　were　some　who　went　to　them；　and　told　them　all　that　the　　　people　were　doing；）　and　were　irritated　at　it；　and　leaping　out　of　the　temple　in　crowds；　and　by　parties；　spared　none　whom　they　met　with。　Upon　this　Ananus　got　the　populace　together　on　the　sudden；　who　were　more　numerous　indeed　than　the　　　zealots；　but　inferior　to　them　in　arms；　because　they　had　not　been　regularly　put　into　array　for　fighting；　but　the　alacrity　that　every　body　showed　supplied　all　their　defects　on　both　sides；　the　citizens　taking　up　so　great　a　passion　as　was　stronger　than　arms；　and　deriving　a　degree　of　courage　from　the　temple　more　forcible　than　any　multitude　whatsoever；　and　indeed　these　citizens　thought　it　was　not　possible　for　them　to　dwell　in　the　city；　unless　they　could　cut　off　the　robbers　that　were　in　it。　The　zealots　also　thought　that　unless　they　prevailed；　there　would　be　no　punishment　so　bad　but　it　would　be　inflicted　on　them。　So　their　conflicts　were　conducted　by　their　passions；　and　at　the　first　they　only　cast　stones　at　each　other　in　the　city；　and　before　the　temple；　and　threw　their　javelins　at　a　distance；　but　when　either　of　them　were　too　hard　for　the　other；　they　made　use　of　their　swords；　and　great　slaughter　was　made　on　both　sides；　and　a　great　number　were　wounded。　As　for　the　dead　　　bodies　of　the　people；　their　relations　carried　them　out　to　their　own　houses；　but　when　any　of　the　zealots　were　wounded；　he　went　up　into　the　temple；　and　defiled　that　sacred　floor　with　his　blood；　insomuch　that　one　may　say　it　was　their　blood　alone　that　polluted　our　sanctuary。　Now　in　these　conflicts　the　　　robbers　always　sallied　out　of　the　temple；　and　were　too　hard　for　their　enemies；　but　the　populace　grew　very　angry；　and　became　more　and　more　numerous；　and　reproached　those　that　gave　back；　and　those　behind　would　not　afford　room　to　those　that　were　going　off；　but　forced　them　on　again；　till　at　length　they　made　their　whole　body　to　turn　against　their　adversaries；　and　the　robbers　could　no　longer　oppose　them；　but　were　　　forced　gradually　to　retire　into　the　temple；　when　Ananus　and　his　party　fell　into　it　at　the　same　time　together　with　them。　（7）　This　horribly　affrighted　the　robbers；　because　it　deprived　them　of　the　first　court；　so　they　fled　into　the　inner　court　　　immediately；　and　shut　the　gates。　Now　Ananus　did　not　think　fit　to　make　any　attack　against　the　holy　gates；　although　the　other　threw　their　stones　and　darts　at　them　from　above。　He　also　deemed　it　unlawful　to　introduce　the　multitude　into　that　court　before　they　were　purified；　he　therefore　chose　out　of　them　all　by　lot　six　thousand　armed　men；　and　placed　them　as　guards　in　the　cloisters；　so　there　was　a　succession　of　such　guards　one　after　another；　and　every　one　was　forced　to　attend　in　his　course；　although　many　of　the　chief　of　the　city　were　dismissed　by　those　that　then　took　on　them　the　government；　upon　their　hiring　some　of　the　poorer　sort；　and　sending　them　to　keep　the　guard　in　their　stead。　　　　　　13。　Now　it　was　John　who；　as　we　told　you；　ran　away　from　　　Gischala；　and　was　the　occasion　of　all　these　being　destroyed。　He　was　a　man　of　great　craft；　and　bore　about　him　in　his　soul　a　strong　passion　after　tyranny；　and　at　a　distance　was　the　adviser　in　these　actions；　and　indeed　at　this　time　he　pretended　to　be　of　the　people's　opinion；　and　went　all　about　with　Ananus　　　when　he　consulted　the　great　men　every　day；　and　in　the　night　time　also　when　he　went　round　the　watch；　but　he　divulged　　　their　secrets　to　the　zealots；　and　every　thing　that　the　people　deliberated　about　was　by　his　means　known　to　their　enemies；　even　before　it　had　been　well　agreed　upon　by　themselves。　And　by　way　of　contrivance　how　he　might　not　be　brought　into　　　suspicion；　he　cultivated　the　greatest　friendship　possible　with　Ananus；　and　with　the　chief　of　the　people；　yet　did　this　　　overdoing　of　his　turn　against　him；　for　he　flattered　them　so　extravagantly；　that　he　was　but　the　more　suspected；　and　his　constant　attendance　every　where；　even　when　he　was　not　　　invited　to　be　present；　made　him　strongly　suspected　of　　　betraying　their　secrets　to　the　enemy；　for　they　plainly　　　perceived　that　they　understood　all　the　resolutions　taken　against　them　at　their　consultations。　Nor　was　there　any　one　whom　they　had　so　much　reason　to　suspect　of　that　discovery　as　this　John；　yet　was　it　not　easy　to　get　quit　of　him；　so　potent　was　he　grown　by　his　wicked　practices。　He　was　also　supported　by　many　of　those　eminent　men；　who　were　to　be　consulted　　　upon　all　considerable　affairs；　it　was　therefore　thought　　　reasonable　to　oblige　him　to　give　them　assurance　of　his　good…will　upon　oath；　accordingly　John　took　such　an　oath　readily；　that　he　would　be　on　the　people's　side；　and　would　not　betray　any　of　their　counsels　or　practices　to　their　enemies；　and　would　assist　them　in　overthrowing　those　that　attacked　them；　and　that　both　by　his　hand　and　his　advice。　So　Ananus　and　his　party　believed　his　oath；　and　did　now　receive　him　to　their　　　consultations　without　further　suspicion；　nay；　so　far　did　they　believe　him；　that　they　sent　him　as　their　ambassador　into　the　temple　to　the　zealots；　with　proposals　of　accommodation；　for　they　were　very　desirous　to　avoid　the　pollution　of　the　temple　as　much　as　they　possibly　could；　and　that　no　one　of　their　nation　should　be　slain　therein。　　　　　　14。　But　now　this　John；　as　if　his　oath　had　been　made　to　the　zealots；　and　for　confirmation　of　his　good…will　to　them；　and　not　against　them；　went　into　the　temple；　and　stood　in　the　midst　of　them；　and　spake　as　follows：　That　he　had　run　many　hazards　o；　their　accounts；　and　in　order　to　let　them　know　of　every　thing　that　was　secretly　contrived　against　them　by　　　Ananus　and　his　party；　but　that　both　he　and　they　should　be　cast　into　the　most　imminent　danger；　unless　some　providential　assistance　were　afforded　them；　for　that　Ananus　made　no　　　longer　delay；　but　had　prevailed　with　the　people　to　send　　　ambassadors　to　Vespasian；　to　invite　him　to　come　presently　and　take　the　city；　and　that　he　had　appointed　a　fast　for　the　next　day　against　them；　that　they　might　obtain　admission　into　the　temple　on　a　religious　account；　or　gain　it　by　force；　and　fight　with　them　there；　that　he　did　not　see　how　long　they　could　either　endure　a　siege；　or　how　they　could　fight　against　so　many　enemies。　He　added　further；　that　it　was　by　the　　　providence　of　God　he　was　himself　sent　as　an　ambassador　to　them　for　an　accommodation；　for　that　Artanus　did　therefore　offer　them　such　proposals；　that　he　might　come　upon　them　　　when　they　were　unarmed；　that　they　ought　to　choose　one　of　these　two　methods；　either　to　intercede　with　those　that　　　guarded　them；　to　save　their　lives；　or　to　provide　some　foreign　assistance　for　themselves；　that　if　they　fostered　themselves　with　the　hopes　of　pardon；　in　case　they　were　subdued；　they　had　forgotten　what　desperate　things　they　had　done；　or　could　suppose；　that　as　soon　as　the　actors　repented；　those　that　had　suffered　by　them　must　be　presently　reconciled　to　them；　while　those　that　have　done　injuries；　though　they　pretend　to　repent　of　them；　are　frequently　hated　by　the　others　for　that　sort　of　repentance；　and　that　the　sufferers；　when　they　get　the　power　into　their　hands；　are　usually　still　more　severe　upon　the　actors；　that　the　friends　and　kindred　of　those　that　had　been　destroyed　would　always　be　laying　plots　against　them；　and　that　a　large　body　of　people　were　very　angry　on　account　of　their　gross　breaches　of　their　laws；　and　＇illegal＇　judicatures；　insomuch　that　although　some　part　might　commiserate　them；　those　would　be　quite　overborne　by　the　majority。　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　4。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Idumeans　Being　Sent　For　By　The　Zealots；　Came　Immediately　To　Jerusalem；　And　When　They　Were　Excluded　Out　Of　The　City；　They　Lay　All　Night　There。　Jesus　One　Of　The　High　Priests　Makes　A　Speech　To　Them；　And　Simon　The　Idumean　Makes　A　Reply　To　It。　　　　　　　　　　　　1。　Now；　by　this　crafty　speech；　John　made　the　zealots　afraid；　yet　durst　he　not　directly　name　what　foreign　assistance　he　meant；　but　in　a　covert　way　only　intimated　at　the　Idumeans。　But　now；　that　he　might　particularly　irritate　the　leaders　of　the　zealots；　he　calumniated　Ananus；　that　he　was　about　a　piece　of　barbarity；　and　did　in　a　special　manner　threaten　them。　These　leaders　were　Eleazar；　the　son　of　Simon；　who　seemed　the　　　most　plausible　man　of　them　all；　both　in　considering　what　was　fit　to　be　done；　and　in　the　execution　of　what　he　had　　　determined　upon；　and　Zacharias；　the　son　of　Phalek；　both　of　whom　derived　their　families　from　the　priests。　Now　when　　　these　two　men　had　heard；　not　only　the　common　threatenings　which　belonged　to　them　all；　but　those　peculiarly　leveled　against　themselves；　and　besides；　how　Artanus　and　his　party；　in　order　to　secure　their　own　dominion；　had　invited　the　　　Romans　to　come　to　them；　for　that　also　was　part　of　John's　lie；　they　hesitated　a　great　while　what　they　should　do；　considering　the　shortness　of　the　time　by　which　they　were　straitened；　because　the　people　were　prepared　to　attack　them　very　soon；　and　because　the　suddenness　of　the　plot　laid　against　them　had　almost　cut　off　all　their　hopes　of　getting　any　foreign　　　assistance；　for　they　might　be　under　the　height　of　their　　　afflictions　before　any　of　their　confederates　could　be　informed　of　it。　However；　it　was　resolved　to　call　in　the　Idumeans；　so　they　wrote　a　short　letter　to　this　effect：　That　Ananus　had　imposed　on　the　people；　and　was　betraying　their　metropolis　to　the　Romans；　that　they　themselves　had　revolted　from　the　rest；　and　were　in　custody　in　the　temple；　on　account　of　the　　　preservation　of　their　liberty；　that　there　was　but　a　small　time　left　wherein　they　might　hope　for　their　deliverance；　and　that　unless　they　would　come　immediately　to　their　assistance；　they　should　themselves　be　soon　in　the　power　of　Artanus；　and　the　city　would　be　in　the　power　of　the　Romans。　They　also　charged　the　messengers　to　tell　many　more　circumstances　to　the　rulers　of　the　Idumeans。　Now　there　were　two　active　men　proposed　　　for　the　carrying　this　message；　and　such　as　were　able　to　speak；　and　to　persuade　them　that　things　were　in　this　posture；　and；　what　was　a　qualification　still　more　necessary　than　the　former；　they　were　very　swift　of　foot；　for　they　knew　well　enough　that　these　would　immediately　com