the antiquities of the jews-1-第138章

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with　relation　to　the　necessity　both　these　cases　required；　gave
order　that　Simon　his　brother　should　take　three　thousand　chosen
men；　and　go　to　the　assistance　of　the　Jews　in　Galilee；　while　he
and　another　of　his　brothers；　Jonathan；　made　haste　into　the　land
of　Gilead；　with　eight　thousand　soldiers。　And　he　left　Joseph；　the
son　of　Zacharias；　and　Azarias；　to　be　over　the　rest　of　the　forces；
and　charged　them　to　keep　Judea　very　carefully；　and　to　fight　no
battles　with　any　persons　whomsoever　until　his　return。
Accordingly；　Simon…went　into　Galilee；　and　fought　the　enemy；　and
put　them　to　flight；　and　pursued　them　to　the　very　gates　of
Ptolemais；　and　slew　about　three　thousand　of　them；　and　took　the
spoils　of　those　that　were　slain；　and　those　Jews　whom　they　had
made　captives；　with　their　baggage；　and　then　returned　home。

3。　Now　as　for　Judas　Maccabeus；　and　his　brother　Jonathan；　they
passed　over　the　river　Jordan；　and　when　they　had　gone　three　days
journey；　they　lighted　upon　the　Nabateans；　who　came　to　meet　them
peaceably；　and　who　told　them　how　the　affairs　of　those　in　the　land
of　Gilead　stood；　and　how　many　of　them　were　in　distress；　and
driven　into　garrisons；　and　into　the　cities　of　Galilee；　and
exhorted　him　to　make　haste　to　go　against　the　foreigners；　and　to
endeavor　to　save　his　own　countrymen　out　of　their　hands。　To　this
exhortation　Judas　hearkened；　and　returned　to　the　wilderness；　and
in　the　first　place　fell　upon　the　inhabitants　of　Bosor；　and　took
the　city；　and　beat　the　inhabitants；　and　destroyed　all　the　males；
and　all　that　were　able　to　fight；　and　burnt　the　city。　Nor　did　he
stop　even　when　night　came　on；　but　he　journeyed　in　it　to　the
garrison　where　the　Jews　happened　to　be　then　shut　up；　and　where
Timotheus　lay　round　the　place　with　his　army。　And　Judas　came　upon
the　city　in　the　morning；　and　when　he　found　that　the　enemy　were
making　an　assault　upon　the　walls；　and　that　some　of　them　brought
ladders；　on　which　they　might　get　upon　those　walls；　and　that
others　brought　engines　＇to　batter　them＇；　he　bid　the　trumpeter　to
sound　his　trumpet；　and　he　encouraged　his　soldiers　cheerfully　to
undergo　dangers　for　the　sake　of　their　brethren　and　kindred；　he
also　parted　his　army　into　three　bodies；　and　fell　upon　the　backs
of　their　enemies。　But　when　Timotheus's　men　perceived　that　it　was
Maccabeus　that　was　upon　them；　of　both　whose　courage　and　good
success　in　war　they　had　formerly　had　sufficient　experience；　they
were　put　to　flight；　but　Judas　followed　them　with　his　army；　and
slew　about　eight　thousand　of　them。　He　then　turned　aside　to　a　city
of　the　foreigners　called　Malle；　and　took　it；　and　slew　all　the
males；　and　burnt　the　city　itself。　He　then　removed　from　thence；
and　overthrew　Casphom　and　Bosor；　and　many　other　cities　of　the
land　of　Gilead。

4。　But　not　long　after　this；　Timotheus　prepared　a　great　army；　and
took　many　others　as　auxiliaries；　and　induced　some　of　the
Arabians；　by　the　promise　of　rewards；　to　go　with　him　in　this
expedition；　and　came　with　his　army　beyond　the　brook；　over　against
the　city　Raphon；　and　he　encouraged　his　soldiers；　if　it　came　to　a
battle　with　the　Jews；　to　fight　courageously；　and　to　hinder　their
passing　over　the　brook；　for　he　said　to　them　beforehand；　that　〃if
they　come　over　it；　we　shall　be　beaten。〃　And　when　Judas　heard　that
Timotheus　prepared　himself　to　fight；　he　took　all　his　own　army；
and　went　in　haste　against　Timotheus　his　enemy；　and　when　he　had
passed　over　the　brook；　he　fell　upon　his　enemies；　and　some　of　them
met　him；　whom　he　slew；　and　others　of　them　he　so　terrified；　that
he　compelled　them　to　throw　down　their　arms　and　fly；　and　some　of
them　escaped；　but　some　of　them　fled　to　what　was　called　the　Temple
of　Camaim；　and　hoped　thereby　to　preserve　themselves；　but　Judas
took　the　city；　and　slew　them；　and　burnt　the　temple；　and　so　used
several　ways　of　destroying　his　enemies。

5。　When　he　had　done　this；　he　gathered　the　Jews　together；　with
their　children　and　wives；　and　the　substance　that　belonged　to
them；　and　was　going　to　bring　them　back　into　Judea；　but　as　soon　as
he　was　come　to　a　certain　city；　whose　name　was　Ephron；　that　lay
upon　the　road；　（and　it　was　not　possible　for　him　to　go　any　other
way；　so　he　was　not　willing　to　go　back　again；）　he　then　sent　to　the
inhabitants；　and　desired　that　they　would　open　their　gates；　and
permit　them　to　go　on　their　way　through　the　city；　for　they　had
stopped　up　the　gates　with　stones；　and　cut　off　their　passage
through　it。　And　when　the　inhabitants　of　Ephron　would　not　agree　to
this　proposal；　he　encouraged　those　that　were　with　him；　and
encompassed　the　city　round；　and　besieged　it；　and；　lying　round　it
by　day　and　night；　took　the　city；　and　slew　every　male　in　it；　and
burnt　it　all　down；　and　so　obtained　a　way　through　it；　and　the
multitude　of　those　that　were　slain　was　so　great；　that　they　went
over　the　dead　bodies。　So　they　came　over　Jordan；　and　arrived　at
the　great　plain；　over　against　which　is　situate　the　city　Bethshah；
which　is　called　by　the　Greeks　Scythopolis。　（20）　And　going　away
hastily　from　thence；　they　came　into　Judea；　singing　psalms　and
hymns　as　they　went；　and　indulging　such　tokens　of　mirth　as　are
usual　in　triumphs　upon　victory。　They　also　offered
thank…offerings；　both　for　their　good　success；　and　for　the
preservation　of　their　army；　for　not　one　of　the　Jews　was　slain　in
these　battles。（21）

6。　But　as　to　Joseph；　the　son　of　Zacharias；　and　Azarias；　whom
Judas　left　generals　＇of　the　rest　of　his　forces＇　at　the　same　time
when　Simon　was　in　Galilee；　fighting　against　the　people　of
Ptolemais；　and　Judas　himself；　and　his　brother　Jonathan；　were　in
the　land　of　Gilead；　did　these　men　also　affect　the　glory　of　being
courageous　generals　in　war；　in　order　whereto　they　took　the　army
that　was　under　their　command；　and　came　to　Jamnia。　There　Gorgias；
the　general　of　the　forces　of　Jamnia；　met　them；　and　upon　joining
battle　with　him；　they　lost　two　thousand　of　their　army；　（22）　and
fled　away；　and　were　pursued　to　the　very　borders　of　Judea。　And
this　misfortune　befell　them　by　their　disobedience　to　what
injunctions　Judas　had　given　them；　not　to　fight　with　any　one
before　his　return。　For　besides　the　rest　of　Judas's　sagacious
counsels；　one　may　well　wonder　at　this　concerning　the　misfortune
that　befell　the　forces　commanded　by　Joseph　and　Azarias；　which　he
understood　would　happen；　if　they　broke　any　of　the　injunctions　he
had　given　them。　But　Judas　and　his　brethren　did　not　leave　off
fighting　with　the　Idumeans；　but　pressed　upon　them　on　all　sides；
and　took　from　them　the　city　of　Hebron；　and　demolished　all　its
fortifications；　and　set　all　its　towers　on　fire；　and　burnt　the
country　of　the　foreigners；　and　the　city　Marissa。　They　came　also
to　Ashdod；　and　took　it；　and　laid　it　waste；　and　took　away　a　great
deal　of　the　spoils　and　prey　that　were　in　it；　and　returned　to
Judea。

CHAPTER　9。

Concerning　The　Death　Of　Antiochus　Epiphane。　How　Antiochus　Eupator
Fought　Against　Juda　And　Besieged　Him　In　The　Temple　And　Afterwards
Made　Peace　With　Him　And　Departed；　Of　Alcimus　And　Onias。

1。　About　this　time　it　was　that　king　Antiochus；　as　he　was　going
over　the　upper　countries；　heard　that　there　was　a　very　rich　city
in　Persia；　called　Elymais；　and　therein　a　very　rich　temple　of
Diana；　and　that　it　was　full　of　all　sorts　of　donations　dedicated
to　it；　as　also　weapons　and　breastplates；　which；　upon　inquiry；　he
found　had　been　left　there　by　Alexander；　the　son　of　Philip；　king
of　Macedonia。　And　being　incited　by　these　motives；　he　went　in
haste　to　Elymais；　and　assaulted　it；　and　besieged　it。　But　as　those
that　were　in　it　were　not　terrified　at　his　assault；　nor　at　his
siege；　but　opposed　him　very　courageously；　he　was　beaten　off　his
hopes；　for　they　drove　him　away　from　the　city；　and　went　out　and
pursued　after　him；　insomuch　that　he　fled　away　as　far　as　Babylon；
and　lost　a　great　many　of　his　army。　And　when　he　was　grieving　for
this　disappointment；　some　persons　told　him　of　the　defeat　of　his
commanders　whom　he　had　left　behind　him　to　fight　against　Judea；
and　what　strength　the　Jews　had　already　gotten。　When　this　concern
about　these　affairs　was　added　to　the　former；　he　was　confounded；
and　by　the　anxiety　he　was　in　fell　into　a　distemper；　which；　as　it
lasted　a　great　while；　and　as　his　pains　increased　upon　him；　so　he
at　length　perceived　he　should　die　in　a　little　time；　so　he　called
his　friends　to　him；　and　told　them　that　his　distemper　was　severe
upon　him；　and　confessed　withal；　that　this　calamity　was　sent　upon
him　for　the　miseries　he　had　brought　upon　the　Jewish　nation；　while
he　plundered　their　temple；　and　contemned　their　God；　and　when　he
had　said　this；　he　gave　up　the　ghost。　Whence　one　may　wonder　at
Polybius　of　Megalopolis；　who；　though　otherwise　a　good　man；　yet
saith　that　〃Antiochus　died　because　he　had　a　purpose　to　plunder
the　temple　of　Diana　in　Persia；〃　for　the　purposing　to　do　a　thing；
（23）　but　not　actually　doing　it；　is　not　worthy　of　punishment。　But
if　Polybius　could　think　that　Antiochus　thus　lost　his　life　on　that
account；　it　is　much　more　probable　that　this　king　died　on　account
of　his　sacrilegious　plundering　of　the　temple　at　Jerusalem。　But　we
will　not　contend　about　this　matter　with　those　who　may　think　that
the　cause　assigned　by　this　Polybius　of　Megalopolis　is　nearer　the
truth　than　that　assigned　by　us。

2。　However；　Antiochus；　before　he　died；　called　for　Philip；　who　was
one　of　his　companions；　and　made　him　the　guardian　of　his　kingdom；
and　gave　him　his　diadem；　and　his　garment；　and　his　ring；　and
charged　him　to　carry　them；　and　deliver　them　to　his　son　Antiochus；
and　desired　him　to　take　care　of　his　education；　and　to　preserve
the　kingdom　for　him。　（24）　This　Antiochus　died　in　the　hundred
forty　and　ninth　year；　but　it　was　Lysias　that　declared　his　death
to　the　multitude；　and　appointed　his　son　Antiochus　to　be　king；　（of
whom　at　present　he　had　the　care；）　and　called　him　Eupator。

3。　At　this　time　it　was　that　the　garrison　in　the　citadel　of
Jerusalem；　with　the　Jewish　runagates；　did　a　great　deal　of　harm　to
the　Jews；　for　the　soldiers　that　were　in　that　garrison　rushed　out
upon　the　sudden；　and　destroyed　such　as　were　going　up　to　the
temple　in　order　to　offer　their　sacrifices；　for　this　citadel
adjoined　to　and　overlooked　the　temple。　When　these　misfortunes　had
often　happened　to　them；　Judas　resolved　to　destroy　that　garrison；
whereupon　he　got　all　the　people　together；　and　vigorously　besieged
those　that　were　in　the　citadel。　This　was　in　the　hundred　and
fiftieth　year　of　the　dominion　of　the　Seleucidse。　So　he　made
engines　of　war；　and　erected　bulwarks；　and　very　zealously　pressed
on　to　take　the　citadel。　But　there　were　not　a　few　of　the　runagates
who　were　in　the　place　that　went　out　by　night　into　the　country；
and　got　together　some　other　wicked　men　like　themselves；　and　went
to　Antiochus　the　king；　and　desired　of　him　that　he　would　not
suffer　them　to　be　neglected；　under　the　great　hardships　that　lay
upon　them　from　those　of　their　own　nation；　and　this　because　their
sufferings　were　occasioned　on　his　father's　account；　while　they
left　the　religious　worship　of　their　fathers；　and　preferred　that
which　he　had　commanded　them　to　follow：　that　there　was　danger　lest
the　citadel；　and　those　appointed　to　garrison　it　by　the　king；
should　be　taken　by　Judas；　and　those　that　were　with　him；　unless　he
would　send　them　succors。　When　Antiochus；　who　was　but　a　child；
heard　this；　he　was　angry；　and　sent　for