the wars of the jews-第74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！


erable　number　of　her　attendants；　　　whereupon　they　came　back　to　the　city　rejoicing；　as　if　they　had　taken　Simon　himself　captive；　and　were　in　present　　　expectation　that　he　would　lay　down　his　arms；　and　make　　　supplication　to　them　for　his　wife；　but　instead　of　indulging　any　merciful　affection；　he　grew　very　angry　at　them　for　seizing　his　beloved　wife；　so　he　came　to　the　wall　of　Jerusalem；　and；　like　wild　beasts　when　they　are　wounded；　and　cannot　overtake　　　those　that　wounded　them；　he　vented　his　spleen　upon　all　　　persons　that　he　met　with。　Accordingly；　he　caught　all　those　that　were　come　out　of　the　city　gates；　either　to　gather　herbs　or　sticks；　who　were　unarmed　and　in　years；　he　then　tormented　them　and　destroyed　them；　out　of　the　immense　rage　he　was　　　in；　and　was　almost　ready　to　taste　the　very　flesh　of　their　dead　bodies。　He　also　cut　off　the　hands　of　a　great　many；　and　sent　them　into　the　city　to　astonish　his　enemies；　and　in　order　to　make　the　people　fall　into　a　sedition；　and　desert　those　that　had　been　the　authors　of　his　wife's　seizure。　He　also　enjoined　them　to　tell　the　people　that　Simon　swore　by　the　God　of　the　universe；　who　sees　all　things；　that　unless　they　will　restore　him　his　wife；　he　will　break　down　their　wall；　and　inflict　the　like　punishment　upon　all　the　citizens；　without　sparing　any　age；　and　without　making　any　distinction　between　the　guilty　and　the　innocent。　These　threatenings　so　greatly　affrighted；　not　the　people　only；　but　the　zealots　themselves　also；　that　they　sent　his　wife　back　to　him；　when　he　became　a　little　milder；　and　left　off　his　perpetual　blood…shedding。　　　　　　9。　But　now　sedition　and　civil　war　prevailed；　not　only　over　Judea；　but　in　Italy　also；　for　now　Galba　was　slain　in　the　midst　of　the　Roman　market…place；　then　was　Otho　made　emperor；　　　and　fought　against　Vitellius；　who　set　up　for　emperor　also；　for　the　legions　in　Germany　had　chosen　him。　But　when　he　gave　　　battle　to　Valens　and　Cecinna；　who　were　Vitellius's　generals；　at　Betriacum；　in　Gaul；　Otho　gained　the　advantage　on　the　first　day；　but　on　the　second　day　Vitellius's　soldiers　had　the　victory；　and　after　much　slaughter　Otho　slew　himself；　when　he　had　　　heard　of　this　defeat　at　Brixia；　and　after　he　had　managed　the　public　affairs　three　months　and　two　days。　（18）　Otho's　army　also　came　over　to　Vitellius's　generals；　and　he　came　himself　down　to　Rome　with　his　army。　But　in　the　mean　time　　　Vespasian　removed　from　Cesarea；　on　the　fifth　day　of　the　　　month　Deasius；　＇Sivan；＇　and　marched　against　those　places　of　Judea　which　were　not　yet　overthrown。　So　he　went　up　to　the　mountainous　country；　and　took　those　two　toparchies　that　　　were　called　the　Gophnitick　and　Acrabattene　toparchies。　After　which　he　took　Bethel　and　Ephraim；　two　small　cities；　and　　　when　he　had　put　garrisons　into　them；　he　rode　as　far　as　　　Jerusalem；　in　which　march　he　took　many　prisoners；　and　many　captives；　but　Cerealis；　one　of　his　commanders；　took　a　body　of　horsemen　and　footmen；　and　laid　waste　that　part　of　Idumea　which　was　called　the　Upper　Idumea；　and　attacked　Caphethra；　which　pretended　to　be　a　small　city；　and　took　it　at　the　first　onset；　and　burnt　it　down。　He　also　attacked　Caphatabira；　and　laid　siege　to　it；　for　it　had　a　very　strong　wall；　and　when　he　expected　to　spend　a　long　time　in　that　siege；　those　that　were　within　opened　their　gates　on　the　sudden；　and　came　to　beg　pardon；　and　surrendered　themselves　up　to　him。　When　　　Cerealis　had　conquered　them；　he　went　to　Hebron；　another　　　very　ancient　city。　I　have　told　you　already　that　this　city　is　situated　in　a　mountainous　country　not　far　off　Jerusalem；　and　when　he　had　broken　into　the　city　by　force；　what　multitude　and　young　men　were　left　therein　he　slew；　and　burnt　down　the　city；　so　that　as　now　all　the　places　were　taken；　excepting　Herodlum；　and　Masada；　and　Macherus；　which　were　in　the　　　possession　of　the　robbers；　so　Jerusalem　was　what　the　Romans　at　present　aimed　at。　　　　　　10。　And　now；　as　soon　as　Simon　had　set　his　wife　free；　and　recovered　her　from　the　zealots；　he　returned　back　to　the　　　remainders　of　Idumea；　and　driving　the　nation　all　before　him　from　all　quarters；　he　compelled　a　great　number　of　them　to　retire　to　Jerusalem；　he　followed　them　himself　also　to　the　city；　and　encompassed　the　wall　all　round　again；　and　when　he　　　lighted　upon　any　laborers　that　were　coming　thither　out　of　the　country；　he　slew　them。　Now　this　Simon；　who　was　without　the　wall；　was　a　greater　terror　to　the　people　than　the　Romans　themselves；　as　were　the　zealots　who　were　within　it　more　　　heavy　upon　them　than　both　of　the　other；　and　during　this　time　did　the　mischievous　contrivances　and　courage　＇of　John＇　　　corrupt　the　body　of　the　Galileans；　for　these　Galileans　had　advanced　this　John；　and　made　him　very　potent；　who　made　　　them　suitable　requital　from　the　authority　he　had　obtained　by　their　means；　for　he　permitted　them　to　do　all　things　that　any　of　them　desired　to　do；　while　their　inclination　to　plunder　was　insatiable；　as　was　their　zeal　in　searching　the　houses　of　the　rich；　and　for　the　murdering　of　the　men；　and　abusing　of　the　women；　it　was　sport　to　them。　They　also　devoured　what　spoils　they　had　taken；　together　with　their　blood；　and　indulged　　　themselves　in　feminine　wantonness；　without　any　disturbance；　till　they　were　satiated　therewith；　while　they　decked　their　hair；　and　put　on　women's　garments；　and　were　besmeared　over　with　ointments；　and　that　they　might　appear　very　comely；　they　had　paints　under　their　eyes；　and　imitated　not　only　the　ornaments；　but　also　the　lusts　of　women；　and　were　guilty　of　such　　　intolerable　uncleanness；　that　they　invented　unlawful　pleasures　of　that　sort。　And　thus　did　they　roll　themselves　up　and　down　the　city；　as　in　a　brothel…house；　and　defiled　it　entirely　with　their　impure　actions；　nay；　while　their　faces　looked　like　the　faces　of　women；　they　killed　with　their　right　hands；　and　when　their　gait　was　effeminate；　they　presently　attacked　men；　and　became　warriors；　and　drew　their　swords　from　under　their　　　finely　dyed　cloaks；　and　ran　every　body　through　whom　they　alighted　upon。　However；　Simon　waited　for　such　as　ran　away　from　John；　and　was　the　more　bloody　of　the　two；　and　he　who　had　escaped　the　tyrant　within　the　wall　was　destroyed　by　the　other　that　lay　before　the　gates；　so　that　all　attempts　of　flying　and　deserting　to　the　Romans　were　cut　off；　as　to　those　that　had　a　mind　so　to　do。　　　　　　11。　Yet　did　the　army　that　was　under　John　raise　a　sedition　against　him；　and　all　the　Idumeans　separated　themselves　from　the　tyrant；　and　attempted　to　destroy　him；　and　this　out　of　their　envy　at　his　power；　and　hatred　of　his　cruelty；　so　they　got　together；　and　slew　many　of　the　zealots；　and　drove　the　rest　before　them　into　that　royal　palace　that　was　built　by　Grapte；　who　was　a　relation　of　Izates；　the　king　of　Adiabene；　the　　　Idumeans　fell　in　with　them；　and　drove　the　zealots　out　thence　into　the　temple；　and　betook　themselves　to　plunder　John's　effects；　for　both　he　himself　was　in　that　palace；　and　therein　had　he　laid　up　the　spoils　he　had　acquired　by　his　tyranny。　In　the　mean　time；　the　multitude　of　those　zealots　that　were　　　dispersed　over　the　city　ran　together　to　the　temple　unto　those　that　fled　thither；　and　John　prepared　to　bring　them　down　　　against　the　people　and　the　Idumeans；　who　were　not　so　much　afraid　of　being　attacked　by　them　（because　they　were　　　themselves　better　soldiers　than　they）　as　at　their　madness；　lest　they　should　privately　sally　out　of　the　temple　and　get　among　them；　and　not　only　destroy　them；　but　set　the　city　on　fire　also。　So　they　assembled　themselves　together；　and　the　high　priests　with　them；　and　took　counsel　after　what　manner　they　should　avoid　their　assault。　Now　it　was　God　who　turned　their　　　opinions　to　the　worst　advice；　and　thence　they　devised　such　a　remedy　to　get　themselves　free　as　was　worse　than　the　disease　itself。　Accordingly；　in　order　to　overthrow　John；　they　　　determined　to　admit　Simon；　and　earnestly　to　desire　the　　　introduction　of　a　second　tyrant　into　the　city；　which　resolution　they　brought　to　perfection；　and　sent　Matthias；　the　high　priest；　to　beseech　this　Simon　to　come　ill　to　them；　of　whom　they　had　so　often　been　afraid。　Those　also　that　had　fled　from　the　　　zealots　in　Jerusalem　joined　in　this　request　to　him；　out　of　the　desire　they　had　of　preserving　their　houses　and　their　effects。　Accordingly　he；　in　an　arrogant　manner；　granted　them　his　　　lordly　protection；　and　came　into　the　city；　in　order　to　deliver　it　from　the　zealots。　The　people　also　made　joyful　acclamations　to　him；　as　their　savior　and　their　preserver；　but　when　he　was　come　in；　with　his　army；　he　took　care　to　secure　his　own　　　authority；　and　looked　upon　those　that　had　invited　him　in　to　be　no　less　his　enemies　than　those　against　whom　the　invitation　was　intended。　　　　　　12。　And　thus　did　Simon　get　possession　of　Jerusalem；　in　the　third　year　of　the　war；　in　the　month　Xanthicus　＇Nisan＇；　　　whereupon　John；　with　his　multitude　of　zealots；　as　being　both　prohibited　from　coming　out　of　the　temple；　and　having　lost　their　power　in　the　city；　（for　Simon　and　his　party　had　　　plundered　them　of　what　they　had；）　were　in　despair　of　　　deliverance。　Simon　also　made　an　assault　upon　the　temple；　with　the　assistance　of　the　people；　while　the　others　stood　upon　the　cloisters　and　the　battlements；　and　defended　themselves　from　their　assaults。　However；　a　considerable　number　of　　　Simon's　party　fell；　and　many　were　carried　off　wounded；　for　the　zealots　threw　their　darts　easily　from　a　superior　place；　and　seldom　failed　of　hitting　their　enemies；　but　having　the　　　advantage　of　situation；　and　having　withal　erected　four　very　large　towers　aforehand；　that　their　darts　might　come　from　higher　places；　one　at　the　north…east　corner　of　the　court；　one　above　the　Xystus；　the　third　at　another　corner　over　against　the　lower　city；　and　the　last　was　erected　above　the　top　of　the　Pastophoria；　where　one　of　the　priests　stood　of　course；　and　gave　a　signal　beforehand；　with　a　trumpet　（19）　at　the　　　beginning　of　every　seventh　day；　in　the　evening　twilight；　as　also　at　the　evening　when　that　day　was　finished；　as　giving　notice　to　the　people　when　they　were　to　leave　off　work；　and　when　they　were　to　go　to　work　again。　These　men　also　set　their　engines　to　cast　darts　and　stones　withal；　upon　those　towers；　with　their　archers　and　slingers。　And　now　Simon　made　his　　　assault　upon　the　temple　more　faintly；　by　reason　that　the　greatest　part　of　his　men　grew　weary　of　that　work；　yet　did　he　not　leave　off　his　opposition；　because　his　army　was　superior　to　the　others；　although　the　darts　which　were　thrown　by　the　　　engines　were　carried　a　great　way；　and　slew　many　of　those　that　fought　for　him。　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　10。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　How　The　Soldiers；　Both　In　Judea　And　Egypt；　Proclaimed　Vespasian　Emperor；And　How　Vespasian　Released　Josephus　From　His　Bonds。　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　1。　Now　about　this　very　time　it　was　that　heavy　calamities　came　about　Rome　on　all　sides；　for　Vitellius　was　come　from　　　Germany　with　his　soldiery；　and　drew　along　with　him　a　great　multitude　of　other　men　besides。　And　when　the　spaces　allotted　for　soldiers　could　not　contain　them；　he　made　all　Rome　itself　his　camp；　and　filled　all　the　houses　with　his　armed　men；　which　men；　when　they　saw　the　riches　of　Rome　with　those　eyes　　　which　had　never　seen　such　riches　before；　and　found　　　themselves　shone　round　about　on　all　sides　with　silver　and　gold；　they　had　much　ado　to　contain　their　covetous　desires；　and　were　ready　to　betake　themselves　to　plunder；　and　to　the　slaughter　of　such　as　should　stand　in　their　way。　And　th