the antiquities of the jews-1-第178章

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consent；　they　went　into　the　theater；　hoping　that；　in　the　first
place；　Herod　himself　could　not　escape　them；　as　they　should　fall
upon　him　so　unexpectedly；　and　supposing；　however；　that　if　they
missed　him；　they　should　kill　a　great　many　of　those　that　were
about　him；　and　this　resolution　they　took；　though　they　should　die
for　it；　in　order　to　suggest　to　the　king　what　injuries　he　had　done
to　the　multitude。　These　conspirators；　therefore；　standing　thus
prepared　beforehand；　went　about　their　design　with　great　alacrity；
but　there　was　one　of　those　spies　of　Herod；　that　were　appointed
for　such　purposes；　to　fish　out　and　inform　him　of　any　conspiracies
that　should　be　made　against　him；　who　found　out　the　whole　affair；
and　told　the　king　of　it；　as　he　was　about　to　go　into　the　theater。
So　when　he　reflected　on　the　hatred　which　he　knew　the　greatest
part　of　the　people　bore　him；　and　on　the　disturbances　that　arose
upon　every　occasion；　he　thought　this　plot　against　him　not　to　be
improbable。　Accordingly；　he　retired　into　his　palace；　and　called
those　that　were　accused　of　this　conspiracy　before　him　by　their
several　names；　and　as；　upon　the　guards　falling　upon　them；　they
were　caught　in　the　very　fact；　and　knew　they　could　not　escape；
they　prepared　themselves　for　their　ends　with　all　the　decency　they
could；　and　so　as　not　at　all　to　recede　from　their　resolute
behavior；　for　they　showed　no　shame　for　what　they　were　about；　nor
denied　it；　but　when　they　were　seized；　they　showed　their　daggers；
and　professed　that　the　conspiracy　they　had　sworn　to　was　a　holy
and　pious　action；　that　what　they　intended　to　do　was　not　for　gain；
or　out　of　any　indulgence　to　their　passions；　but　principally　for
those　common　customs　of　their　country；　which　all　the　Jews　were
obliged　to　observe；　or　to　die　for　them。　This　was　what　these　men
said；　out　of　their　undaunted　courage　in　this　conspiracy。　So　they
were　led　away　to　execution　by　the　king's　guards　that　stood　about
them；　and　patiently　underwent　all　the　torments　inflicted　on　them
till　they　died。　Nor　was　it　long　before　that　spy　who　had
discovered　them　was　seized　on　by　some　of　the　people；　out　of　the
hatred　they　bore　to　him；　and　was　not　only　slain　by　them；　but
pulled　to　pieces；　limb　from　limb；　and　given　to　the　dogs。　This
execution　was　seen　by　many　of　the　citizens；　yet　would　not　one　of
them　discover　the　doers　of　it；　till　upon　Herod's　making　a　strict
scrutiny　after　them；　by　bitter　and　severe　tortures；　certain　women
that　were　tortured　confessed　what　they　had　seen　done；　the　authors
of　which　fact　were　so　terribly　punished　by　the　king；　that　their
entire　families　were　destroyed　for　this　their　rash　attempt；　yet
did　not　the　obstinacy　of　the　people；　and　that　undaunted　constancy
they　showed　in　the　defense　of　their　laws；　make　Herod　any　easier
to　them；　but　he　still　strengthened　himself　after　a　more　secure
manner；　and　resolved　to　encompass　the　multitude　every　way；　lest
such　innovations　should　end　in　an　open　rebellion。

5。　Since；　therefore；　he　had　now　the　city　fortified　by　the　palace
in　which　he　lived；　and　by　the　temple　which　had　a　strong　fortress
by　it；　called　Antonia；　and　was　rebuilt　by　himself；　he　contrived
to　make　Samaria　a　fortress　for　himself　also　against　all　the
people；　and　called　it　Sebaste；　supposing　that　this　place　would　be
a　strong　hold　against　the　country；　not　inferior　to　the　former。　So
he　fortified　that　place；　which　was　a　day's　journey　distant　from
Jerusalem；　and　which　would　be　useful　to　him　in　common；　to　keep
both　the　country　and　the　city　in　awe。　He　also　built　another
fortress　for　the　whole　nation；　it　was　of　old　called　Strato's
Tower；　but　was　by　him　named　Cesarea。　Moreover；　he　chose　out　some
select　horsemen；　and　placed　them　ill　the　great　plain；　and　built
＇for　them＇　a　place　in　Galilee；　called　Gaba　with　Hesebonitis；　in
Perea。　And　these　were　the　places　which　he　particularly　built；
while　he　always　was　inventing　somewhat　further　for　his　own
security；　and　encompassing　the　whole　nation　with　guards；　that
they　might　by　no　means　get　from　under　his　power；　nor　fall　into
tumults；　which　they　did　continually　upon　any　small　commotion；　and
that　if　they　did　make　any　commotions；　he　might　know　of　it；　while
some　of　his　spies　might　be　upon　them　from　the　neighborhood；　and
might　both　be　able　to　know　what　they　were　attempting；　and　to
prevent　it。　And　when　he　went　about　building　the　wall　of　Samaria；
he　contrived　to　bring　thither　many　of　those　that　had　been
assisting　to　him　in　his　wars；　and　many　of　the　people　in　that
neighborhood　also；　whom　he　made　fellow　citizens　with　the　rest。
This　he　did　out　of　an　ambitious　desire　of　building　a　temple；　and
out　of　a　desire　to　make　the　city　more　eminent　than　it　had　been
before；　but　principally　because　he　contrived　that　it　might　at
once　be　for　his　own　security；　and　a　monument　of　his　magnificence。
He　also　changed　its　name；　and　called　it　Sebaste。　Moreover；　he
parted　the　adjoining　country；　which　was　excellent　in　its　kind；
among　the　inhabitants　of　Samaria；　that　they　might　be　in　a　happy
condition；　upon　their　first　coming　to　inhabit。　Besides　all　which；
he　encompassed　the　city　with　a　wall　of　great　strength；　and　made
use　of　the　acclivity　of　the　place　for　making　its　fortifications
stronger；　nor　was　the　compass　of　the　place　made　now　so　small　as
it　had　been　before；　but　was　such　as　rendered　it　not　inferior　to
the　most　famous　cities；　for　it　was　twenty　furlongs　in
circumference。　Now　within；　and　about　the　middle　of　it；　he　built　a
sacred　place；　of　a　furlong　and　a　half　＇in　circuit＇；　and　adorned
it　with　all　sorts　of　decorations；　and　therein　erected　a　temple；
which　was　illustrious　on　account　of　both　its　largeness　and
beauty。　And　as　to　the　several　parts　of　the　city；　he　adorned　them
with　decorations　of　all　sorts　also；　and　as　to　what　was　necessary
to　provide　for　his　own　security；　he　made　the　walls　very　strong
for　that　purpose；　and　made　it　for　the　greatest　part　a　citadel；
and　as　to　the　elegance　of　the　building；　it　was　taken　care　of
also；　that　he　might　leave　monuments　of　the　fineness　of　his　taste；
and　of　his　beneficence；　to　future　ages。

CHAPTER　9。

Concerning　The　Famine　That　Happened　In　Judea　And　Syria；　And　How
Herod；　After　He　Had　Married　Another　Wife；　Rebuilt　Cesarea；　And
Other　Grecian　Cities。

1。　Now　on　this　very　year；　which　was　the　thirteenth　year　of　the
reign　of　Herod；　very　great　calamities　came　upon　the　country；
whether　they　were　derived　from　the　anger　of　God；　or　whether　this
misery　returns　again　naturally　in　certain　periods　of　time　（14）
for；　in　the　first　place；　there　were　perpetual　droughts；　and　for
that　reason　the　ground　was　barren；　and　did　not　bring　forth　the
same　quantity　of　fruits　that　it　used　to　produce；　and　after　this
barrenness　of　the　soil；　that　change　of　food　which　the　want　of
corn　occasioned　produced　distempers　in　the　bodies　of　men；　and　a
pestilential　disease　prevailed；　one　misery　following　upon　the
back　of　another；　and　these　circumstances；　that　they　were
destitute　both　of　methods　of　cure　and　of　food；　made　the
pestilential　distemper；　which　began　after　a　violent　manner；　the
more　lasting。　The　destruction　of　men　also　after　such　a　manner
deprived　those　that　surived　of　all　their　courage；　because　they
had　no　way　to　provide　remedies　sufficient　for　the　distresses　they
were　in。　When　therefore　the　fruits　of　that　year　were　spoiled；　and
whatsoever　they　had　laid　up　beforehand　was　spent；　there　was　no
foundation　of　hope　for　relief　remaining；　but　the　misery；　contrary
to　what　they　expected　still　increased　upon　them；　and　this　not
only　on　that　year；　while　they　had　nothing　for　themselves　left　＇at
the　end　of　it＇；　but　what　seed　they　had　sown　perished　also；　by
reason　of　the　ground　not　yielding　its　fruits　on　the　second　year。
（15）　This　distress　they　were　in　made　them　also；　out　of　necessity；
to　eat　many　things　that　did　not　use　to　be　eaten；　nor　was　the　king
himself　free　from　this　distress　any　more　than　other　men；　as　being
deprived　of　that　tribute　he　used　to　have　from　the　fruits　of　the
ground；　and　having　already　expended　what　money　he　had；　in　his
liberality　to　those　whose　cities　he　had　built；　nor　had　he　any
people　that　were　worthy　of　his　assistance；　since　this　miserable
state　of　things　had　procured　him　the　hatred　of　his　subjects：　for
it　is　a　constant　rule；　that　misfortunes　are　still　laid　to　the
account　of　those　that　govern。

2。　In　these　circumstances　he　considered　with　himself　how　to
procure　some　seasonable　help；　but　this　was　a　hard　thing　to　be
done；　while　their　neighbors　had　no　food　to　sell　them；　and　their
money　also　was　gone；　had　it　been　possible　to　purchase　a　little
food　at　a　great　price。　However；　he　thought　it　his　best　way；　by
all　means；　not　to　leave　off　his　endeavors　to　assist　his　people；
so　he　cut　off　the　rich　furniture　that　was　in　his　palace；　both　of
silver　and　gold；　insomuch　that　he　did　not　spare　the　finest
vessels　he　had；　or　those　that　were　made　with　the　most　elaborate
skill　of　the　artificers；　but　sent　the　money　to　Petronius；　who　had
been　made　prefect　of　Egypt　by　Caesar；　and　as　not　a　few　had
already　fled　to　him　under　their　necessities；　and　as　he　was
particularly　a　friend　to　Herod；　and　desirous　to　have　his　subjects
preserved；　he　gave　leave　to　them　in　the　first　place　to　export
corn；　and　assisted　them　every　way；　both　in　purchasing　and
exporting　the　same；　so　that　he　was　the　principal；　if　not　the　only
person；　who　afforded　them　what　help　they　had。　And　Herod　taking
care　the　people　should　understand　that　this　help　came　from
himself；　did　thereby　not　only　remove　the　ill　opinion　of　those
that　formerly　hated　him；　but　gave　them　the　greatest　demonstration
possible　of　his　good…will　to　them；　and　care　of　them；　for；　in　the
first　place；　as　for　those　who　were　able　to　provide　their　own
food；　he　distributed　to　them　their　proportion　of　corn　in　the
exactest　manner；　but　for　those　many　that　were　not　able；　either　by
reason　of　their　old　age；　or　any　other　infirmity；　to　provide　food
for　themselves；　he　made　this　provision　for　them；　the　bakers
should　make　their　bread　ready　for　them。　He　also　took　care　that
they　might　not　be　hurt　by　the　dangers　of　winter；　since　they　were
in　great　want　of　clothing　also；　by　reason　of　the　utter
destruction　and　consumption　of　their　sheep　and　goats；　till　they
had　no　wool　to　make　use　of；　nor　any　thing　else　to　cover
themselves　withal。　And　when　he　had　procured　these　things　for　his
own　subjects；　he　went　further；　in　order　to　provide　necessaries
for　their　neighbors；　and　gave　seed　to　the　Syrians；　which　thing
turned　greatly　to　his　own　advantage　also；　this　charitable
assistance　being　afforded　most　seasonably　to　their　fruitful　soil；
so　that　every　one　had　now　a　plentiful　provision　of　food。　Upon　the
whole；　when　the　harvest　of　the　land　was　approaching；　he　sent　no
fewer　than　fifty　thousand　men；　whom　he　had　sustained；　into　the
country；　by　which　means　he　both　repaired　the　afflicted　condition
of　his　own　kingdom　with　great　generosity　and　diligence；　and
lightened　the　afflictions　of　his　neighbors；　who　were　under　the
same　calamities；　for　there　was　nobody　who　had　been　in　want　that
was　left　destitute　of　a　suitable　assistance　by　him；　nay；　further；
there　were　neither　any　people；　nor　any　cities；　nor　any　private
men；　who　were　to　make　provision　for　the　multitudes；　and　on　that
account　were　in　want　of　support；　and　had　recourse　to　him；　but
received　what　they