the antiquities of the jews-1-第152章

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because＇　the　law　of　the　Jews　required　that　at　the　feast　of
tabernacles　every　one　should　have　branches　of　the　palm　tree　and
citron　tree；　which　thing　we　have　elsewhere　related。　They　also
reviled　him；　as　derived　from　a　captive；　and　so　unworthy　of　his
dignity　and　of　sacrificing。　At　this　he　was　in　a　rage；　and　slew　of
them　about　six　thousand。　He　also　built　a　partition…wall　of　wood
round　the　altar　and　the　temple；　as　far　as　that　partition　within
which　it　was　only　lawful　for　the　priests　to　enter；　and　by　this
means　he　obstructed　the　multitude　from　coming　at　him。　He　also
maintained　foreigners　of　Pisidie　and　Cilicia；　for　as　to　the
Syrians；　he　was　at　war　with　them；　and　so　made　no　use　of　them。　He
also　overcame　the　Arabians；　such　as　the　Moabites　and　Gileadites；
and　made　them　bring　tribute。　Moreover；　he　demolished　Amathus；
while　Theodorus　（39）　durst　not　fight　with　him；　but　as　he　had
joined　battle　with　Obedas；　king　of　the　Arabians；　and　fell　into　an
ambush　in　the　places　that　were　rugged　and　difficult　to　be
traveled　over；　he　was　thrown　down　into　a　deep　valley；　by　the
multitude　of　the　camels　at　Gadurn；　a　village　of　Gilead；　and
hardly　escaped　with　his　life。　From　thence　he　fled　to　Jerusalem；
where；　besides　his　other　ill　success；　the　nation　insulted　him；
and　he　fought　against　them　for　six　years；　and　slew　no　fewer　than
fifty　thousand　of　them。　And　when　he　desired　that　they　would
desist　from　their　ill…will　to　him；　they　hated　him　so　much　the
more；　on　account　of　what　had　already　happened；　and　when　he　had
asked　them　what　he　ought　to　do；　they　all　cried　out；　that　he　ought
to　kill　himself。　They　also　sent　to　Demetrius　Eucerus；　and　desired
him　to　make　a　league　of　mutual　defense　with　them。

CHAPTER　14。

How　Demetrius　Eucerus　Overcame　Alexander　And　Yet　In　A　Little　Time
Retired　Out　Of　The　Country　For　Fear；　As　Also　How　Alexander　Slew
Many　Of　The　Jews　And　Thereby　Got　Clear　Of　His　Troubles。
Concerning　The　Death　Of　Demetrius。

1。　So　Demetrius　came　with　an　army；　and　took　those　that　invited
him；　and　pitched　his　camp　near　the　city　Shechem；　upon　which
Alexander；　with　his　six　thousand　two　hundred　mercenaries；　and
about　twenty　thousand　Jews；　who　were　of　his　party；　went　against
Demetrius；　who　had　three　thousand　horsemen；　and　forty　thousand
footmen。　Now　there　were　great　endeavors　used　on　both　sides；　…
Demetrius　trying　to　bring　off　the　mercenaries　that　were　with
Alexander；　because　they　were　Greeks；　and　Alexander　trying　to
bring　off　the　Jews　that　were　with　Demetrius。　However；　when
neither　of　them　could　persuade　them　so　to　do；　they　came　to　a
battle；　and　Demetrius　was　the　conqueror；　in　which　all　Alexander's
mercenaries　were　killed；　when　they　had　given　demonstration　of
their　fidelity　and　courage。　A　great　number　of　Demetrius's
soldiers　were　slain　also。

2。　Now　as　Alexander　fled　to　the　mountains；　six　thousand　of　the
Jews　hereupon　came　together　＇from　Demetrius＇　to　him　out　of　pity
at　the　change　of　his　fortune；　upon　which　Demetrius　was　afraid；
and　retired　out　of　the　country；　after　which　the　Jews　fought
against　Alexander；　and　being　beaten；　were　slain　in　great　numbers
in　the　several　battles　which　they　had；　and　when　he　had　shut　up
the　most　powerful　of　them　in　the　city　Bethome；　he　besieged　them
therein；　and　when　he　had　taken　the　city；　and　gotten　the　men　into
his　power；　he　brought　them　to　Jerusalem；　and　did　one　of　the　most
barbarous　actions　in　the　world　to　them；　for　as　he　was　feasting
with　his　concubines；　in　the　sight　of　all　the　city；　he　ordered
about　eight　hundred　of　them　to　be　crucified；　and　while　they　were
living；　he　ordered　the　throats　of　their　children　and　wives　to　be
cut　before　their　eyes。　This　was　indeed　by　way　of　revenge　for　the
injuries　they　had　done　him；　which　punishment　yet　was　of　an
inhuman　nature；　though　we　suppose　that　he　had　been　never　so　much
distressed；　as　indeed　he　had　been；　by　his　wars　with　them；　for　he
had　by　their　means　come　to　the　last　degree　of　hazard；　both　of　his
life　and　of　his　kingdom；　while　they　were　not　satisfied　by
themselves　only　to　fight　against　him；　but　introduced　foreigners
also　for　the　same　purpose；　nay；　at　length　they　reduced　him　to
that　degree　of　necessity；　that　he　was　forced　to　deliver　back　to
the　king　of　Arabia　the　land　of　Moab　and　Gilead；　which　he　had
subdued；　and　the　places　that　were　in　them；　that　they　might　not
join　with　them　in　the　war　against　him；　as　they　had　done　ten
thousand　other　things　that　tended　to　affront　and　reproach　him。
However；　this　barbarity　seems　to　have　been　without　any　necessity；
on　which　account　he　bare　the　name　of　a　Thracian　among　the　Jews
（40）　whereupon　the　soldiers　that　had　fought　against　him；　being
about　eight　thousand　in　number；　ran　away　by　night；　and　continued
fugitives　all　the　time　that　Alexander　lived；　who　being　now　freed
from　any　further　disturbance　from　them；　reigned　the　rest　of　his
time　in　the　utmost　tranquillity。

3。　But　when　Demetrius　was　departed　out　of　Judea；　he　went　to
Berea；　and　besieged　his　brother　Philip；　having　with　him　ten
thousand　footmen；　and　a　thousand　horsemen。　However　Strato；　the
tyrant　of　Berea；　the　confederate　of　Philip；　called　in　Zizon；　the
ruler　of　the　Arabian　tribes；　and　Mithridates　Sinax；　the　ruler　of
the　Parthians；　who　coming　with　a　great　number　of　forces；　and
besieging　Demetrius　in　his　encampment；　into　which　they　had　driven
them　with　their　arrows；　they　compelled　those　that　were　with　him
by　thirst　to　deliver　up　themselves。　So　they　took　a　great　many
spoils　out　of　that　country；　and　Demetrius　himself；　whom　they　sent
to　Mithridates；　who　was　then　king　of　Parthis；　but　as　to　those
whom　they　took　captives　of　the　people　of　Antioch；　they　restored
them　to　the　Antiochinus　without　any　reward。　Now　Mithridates；　the
king　of　Parthis；　had　Demetrius　in　great　honor；　till　Demetrius
ended　his　life　by　sickness。　So　Philip；　presently　after　the　fight
was　over；　came　to　Antioch；　and　took　it；　and　reigned　over　Syria。

CHAPTER　15。

How　Antiochus；　Who　Was　Called　Dionysus；　And　After　Him　Aretas　Made
Expeditions　Into　Judea；　As　Also　How　Alexander　Took　Many　Cities
And　Then　Returned　To　Jerusalem；　And　After　A　Sickness　Of　Three
Years　Died；　And　What　Counsel　He　Gave　To　Alexandra。

1。　After　this；　Antiochus；　who　was　called　Dionysus；　（41）　and　was
Philip's　brother；　aspired　to　the　dominion；　and　carne　to　Damascus；
and　got　the　power　into　his　hands；　and　there　he　reigned；　but　as　he
was　making　war　against　the　Arabians；　his　brother　Philip　heard　of
it；　and　came　to　Damascus；　where　Milesius；　who　had　been　left
governor　of　the　citadel；　and　the　Damascens　themselves；　delivered
up　the　city　to　him；　yet　because　Philip　was　become　ungrateful　to
him；　and　had　bestowed　upon　him　nothing　of　that　in　hopes　whereof
he　had　received　him　into　the　city；　but　had　a　mind　to　have　it
believed　that　it　was　rather　delivered　up　out　of　fear　than　by　the
kindness　of　Milesius；　and　because　he　had　not　rewarded　him　as　he
ought　to　have　done；　he　became　suspected　by　him；　and　so　he　was
obliged　to　leave　Damascus　again；　for　Milesius　caught　him　marching
out　into　the　Hippodrome；　and　shut　him　up　in　it；　and　kept　Damascus
for　Antiochus　＇Eucerus＇；　who　hearing　how　Philip's　affairs　stood；
came　back　out　of　Arabia。　He　also　came　immediately；　and　made　an
expedition　against　Judea；　with　eight　thousand　armed　footmen；　and
eight　hundred　horsemen。　So　Alexander；　out　of　fear　of　his　coming；
dug　a　deep　ditch；　beginning　at　Chabarzaba；　which　is　now　called
Antipatris；　to　the　sea　of　Joppa；　on　which　part　only　his　army
could　be　brought　against　him。　He　also　raised　a　wall；　and　erected
wooden　towers；　and　intermediate　redoubts；　for　one　hundred　and
fifty　furlongs　in　length；　and　there　expected　the　coming　of
Antiochus；　but　he　soon　burnt　them　all；　and　made　his　army　pass　by
that　way　into　Arabia。　The　Arabian　king　＇Aretas＇　at　first
retreated；　but　afterward　appeared　on　the　sudden　with　ten　thousand
horsemen。　Antiochus　gave　them　the　meeting；　and　fought
desperately；　and　indeed　when　he　had　gotten　the　victory；　and　was
bringing　some　auxiliaries　to　that　part　of　his　army　that　was　in
distress；　he　was　slain。　When　Antiochus　was　fallen；　his　army　fled
to　the　village　Cana；　where　the　greatest　part　of　them　perished　by
famine。

2。　After　him　（42）　Arems　reigned　over　Celesyria；　being　called　to
the　government　by　those　that　held　Damascus；　by　reason　of　the
hatred　they　bare　to　Ptolemy　Menneus。　He　also　made　thence　an
expedition　against　Judea；　and　beat　Alexander　in　battle；　near　a
place　called　Adida；　yet　did　he；　upon　certain　conditions　agreed　on
between　them；　retire　out　of　Judea。

3。　But　Alexander　marched　again　to　the　city　Dios；　and　took　it；　and
then　made　an　expedition　against　Essa；　where　was　the　best　part　of
Zeno's　treasures；　and　there　he　encompassed　the　place　with　three
walls；　and　when　he　had　taken　the　city　by　fighting；　he　marched　to
Golan　and　Seleucia；　and　when　he　had　taken　these　cities；　he；
besides　them；　took　that　valley　which　is　called　The　Valley　of
Antiochus；　as　also　the　fortress　of　Gamala。　He　also　accused
Demetrius；　who　was　governor　of　those　places；　of　many　crimes；　and
turned　him　out；　and　after　he　had　spent　three　years　in　this　war；
he　returned　to　his　own　country；　when　the　Jews　joyfully　received
him　upon　this　his　good　success。

4。　Now　at　this　time　the　Jews　were　in　possession　of　the　following
cities　that　had　belonged　to　the　Syrians；　and　Idumeans；　and
Phoenicians：　At　the　sea…side；　Strato's　Tower；　Apollonia；　Joppa；
Jamhis；　Ashdod；　Gaza；　Anthedon；　Raphia；　and　Rhinocolura；　in　the
middle　of　the　country；　near　to　Idumea；　Adorn；　and　Marissa；　near
the　country　of　Samaria；　Mount　Carmel；　and　Mount　Tabor；
Scythopolis；　and　Gadara；　of　the　country　of　Gaulonitis；　Seleucia
and　Gabala；　in　the　country　of　Moab；　Heshbon；　and　Medaba；　Lemba；
and　Oronas；　Gelithon；　Zorn；　the　valley　of　the　Cilices；　and　Pollo；
which　last　they　utterly　destroyed；　because　its　inhabitants　would
not　bear　to　change　their　religious　rites　for　those　peculiar　to
the　Jews。　（43）　The　Jews　also　possessed　others　of　the　principal
cities　of　Syria；　which　had　been　destroyed。

5。　After　this；　king　Alexander；　although　he　fell　into　a　distemper
by　hard　drinking；　and　had　a　quartan　ague；　which　held　him　three
years；　yet　would　not　leave　off　going　out　with　his　army；　till　he
was　quite　spent　with　the　labors　he　had　undergone；　and　died　in　the
bounds　of　Ragaba；　a　fortress　beyond　Jordan。　But　when　his　queen
saw　that　he　was　ready　to　die；　and　had　no　longer　any　hopes　of
surviving；　she　came　to　him　weeping　and　lamenting；　and　bewailed
herself　and　her　sons　on　the　desolate　condition　they　should　be
left　in；　and　said　to　him；　〃To　whom　dost　thou　thus　leave　me　and　my
children；　who　are　destitute　of　all　other　supports；　and　this　when
thou　knowest　how　much　ill…will　thy　nation　bears　thee？〃　But　he
gave　her　the　following　advice：　That　she　need　but　follow　what　he
would　suggest　to　her；　in　order　to　retain　the　kingdom　securely；
with　her　children：　that　she　should　conceal　his　death　from　the
soldiers　till　she　should　have　taken　that　place；　after　this　she
should　go　in　triumph；　as　upon　a　victory；　to　Jerusalem；　and　put
some　of　her　authority　into　the　hands　of　the　Pharisees；　for　that
they　would　commend　her　for　the　honor　she　had　done　them；　and　would
reconcile　the　nation　to　her　for　he　told　her　they　had　great
authority　among　the　Jews；　both　to　do　hurt　to　such　as　they　hated；
and　to　bring　advantages　to　th