the life of flavius josephus-第7章

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messengers　over　all　Galilee　to　inform　them　of　my　resolution　to
leave　them。　Whereupon；　as　soon　as　they　heard　it；　they　got
together　in　great　numbers；　from　all　parts；　with　their　wives　and
children；　and　this　they　did；　as　it　appeared　to　me；　not　more　out
of　their　affection　to　me；　than　out　of　their　fear　on　their　own
account；　for　while　I　staid　with　them；　they　supposed　that　they
should　suffer　no　harm。　So　they　all　came　into　the　great　plain；
wherein　I　lived；　the　name　of　which　was　Asochis。

42。　But　wonderful　it　was　what　a　dream　I　saw　that　very　night；　for
when　I　had　betaken　myself　to　my　bed；　as　grieved　and　disturbed　at
the　news　that　had　been　written　to　me；　it　seemed　to　me；　that　a
certain　person　stood　by　me；　（18）　and　said；　〃O　Josephus！　leave　off
to　afflict　thy　soul；　and　put　away　all　fear；　for　what　now　grieves
thee　will　render　thee　very　considerable；　and　in　all　respects　most
happy；　for　thou　shalt　get　over　not　only　these　difficulties；　but
many　others；　with　great　success。　However；　be　not　cast　down；　but
remember　that　thou　art　to　fight　with　the　Romans。〃　When　I　had　seen
this　dream；　I　got　up　with　an　intention　of　going　down　to　the
plain。　Now；　when　the　whole　multitude　of　the　Galileans；　among　whom
were　the　women　and　children；　saw　me；　they　threw　themselves　down
upon　their　faces；　and；　with　tears　in　their　eyes；　besought　me　not
to　leave　them　exposed　to　their　enemies；　nor　to　go　away　and　permit
their　country　to　be　injured　by　them。　But　when　I　did　not　comply；
with　their　entreaties；　they　compelled　me　to　take　an　oath；　that　I
would　stay　with　them：　they　also　cast　abundance　of　reproaches　upon
the　people　of　Jerusalem；　that　they　would　not　let　their　country
enjoy　peace。

43。　When　I　heard　this；　and　saw　what　sorrow　the　people　were　in；　I
was　moved　with　compassion　to　them；　and　thought　it　became　me　to
undergo　the　most　manifest　hazards　for　the　sake　of　so　great　a
multitude；　so　I　let　them　know　I　would　stay　with　them。　And　when　I
had　given　order　that　five　thousand　off　them　should　come　to　me
armed；　and　with　provisions　for　their　maintenance；　I　sent　the　rest
away　to　their　own　homes；　and　when　those　five　thousand　were　come；
I　took　them；　together　with　three　thousand　of　the　soldiers　that
were　with　me　before；　and　eighty　horsemen；　and　marched　to
thevillage　of　Chabolo；　situated　in　the　confines　of　Ptolimias；　and
there　kept　my　forces　together；　pretending　to　get　ready　to　fight
with　Placidus；　who　was　come　with　two　cohorts　of　footmen；　and　one
troop　of　horsemen；　and　was　sent　thither　by　Cestius　Gallus　to　burn
those　villages　of　Galilee　that　were　near　Ptolemais。　Upon　whose
casting　up　a　bank　before　the　city　Ptolemais；　I　also　pitched　my
camp　at　about　the　distance　of　sixty　furlongs　from　that　village。
And　now　we　frequently　brought　out　our　forces　as　if　we　would
fight；　but　proceeded　no　further　than　skirmishes　at　a　distance；
for　when　Placidus　perceived　that　I　was　earnest　to　come　to　a
battle；　he　was　afraid；　and　avoided　it。　Yet　did　he　not　remove　from
the　neighborhood　of　Ptolemais。

44。　About　this　time　it　was　that　Jonathan　and　his　fellow　legates
came。　They　were　sent；　as　we　have　said　already；　by　Simon；　and
Ananus　the　high　priest。　And　Jonathan　contrived　how　he　might　catch
me　by　treachery；　for　he　durst　not　make　any　attempt　upon　me
openly。　So　he　wrote　me　the　following　epistle：　〃Jonathan　and　those
that　are　with　him；　and　are　sent　by　the　people　of　Jerusalem；　to
Josephus；　send　greeting。　We　are　sent　by　the　principal　men　of
Jerusalem；　who　have　heard　that　John　of　Gischala　hath　laid　many
snares　for　thee；　to　rebuke　him；　and　to　exhort　him　to　be　subject
to　thee　hereafter。　We　are　also　desirous　to　consult　with　thee
about　our　common　concerns；　and　what　is　fit　to　be　done。　We
therefore　desire　thee　to　come　to　us　quickly；　and　to　bring　only　a
few　men　with　thee；　for　this　village　will　not　contain　a　great
number　of　soldiers。〃　Thus　it　was　that　they　wrote；　as　expecting
one　of　these　two　things；　either　that　I　should　come　without　armed
men；　and　then　they　should　have　me　wholly　in　their　power；　or；　if　I
came　with　a　great　number；　they　should　judge　me　to　be　a　public
enemy。　Now　it　was　a　horseman　who　brought　the　letter；　a　man　at
other　times　bold；　and　one　that　had　served　in　the　army　under　the
king。　It　was　the　second　hour　of　the　night　that　he　came；　when　I
was　feasting　with　my　friends；　and　the　principal　of　the　Galileans。
This　man；　upon　my　servant's　telling　me　that　a　certain　horseman　of
the　Jewish　nation　was　come；　was　called　in　at　my　command；　but　did
not　so　much　as　salute　me　at　all；　but　held　out　a　letter；　and　said；
〃This　letter　is　sent　thee　by　those　that　are　come　from　Jerusalem；
do　thou　write　an　answer　to　it　quickly；　for　I　am　obliged　to　return
to　them　very　soon。　Now　my　guests　could　not　but　wonder　at　the
boldness　of　the　soldier。　But　I　desired　him　to　sit　down　and　sup
with　us；　but　when　he　refused　so　to　do；　I　held　the　letter　in　my
hands　as　I　received　it；　and　fell　a　talking　with　my　guests　about
other　matters。　But　a　few　hours　afterwards；　I　got　up；　and　when　I
had　dismissed　the　rest　to　go　to　their　beds；　I　bid　only　four　of　my
intimate　friends　to　stay；　and　ordered　my　servant　to　get　some　wine
ready。　I　also　opened　the　letter　so；　that　nobody　could　perceive
it；　and　understanding　thereby　presently　the　purport？of　the
writing；　I　sealed　it　up　again；　and　appeared　as　if　I　had　not　yet
read　it；　but　only　held　it　in　my　hands。　I　ordered　twenty　drachmae
should　be　given　the　soldier　for　the　charges　of　his　journey；　and
when　he　took　the　money；　and　said　that　he　thanked　me　for　it；　I
perceived　that　he　loved　money；　and　that　he　was　to　be　caught
chiefly　by　that　means；　and　I　said　to　him；〃　If　thou　wilt　but　drink
with　us；　thou　shalt　have　a　drachma　for　every　glass　thou
drinkest。〃　So　he　gladly　embraced　this　proposal；　and　drank　a　great
deal　of　wine；　in　order　to　get　the　more　money；　and　was　so　drunk；
that　at　last　he　could　not　keep　the　secrets　he　was　intrusted　with；
but　discovered　them　without　my　putting　questions　to　him；　viz。
That　a　treacherous　design　was　contrived　against　me；　and　that　I
was　doomed　to　die　by　those　that　sent　him。　When　I　heard　this；　I
wrote　back　this　answer：　〃Josephus　to　Jonathan；　and　those　that　are
with　him；　sendeth　greeting。　Upon　the　information　that　you　are
come　in　health　into　Galilee；　I　rejoice；　and　this　especially
because　I　can　now　resign　the　care　of　public　affairs　here　into
your　hands；　and　return　into　my　native　country；　which　is　what　I
have　desired　to　do　a　great　while；　and　I　confess　I　ought　not　only
to　come　to　you　as　far　as　Xaloth；　but　farther；　and　this　without
your　commands。　But　I　desire　you　to　excuse　me；　because　I　cannot　do
it　now；　since　I　watch　the　motions　of　Placidus；　who　hath　a　mind　to
go　up　into　Galilee；　and　this　I　do　here　at　Chabolo。　Do　you
therefore；　on　the　receipt　of　this　epistle；　come　hither　to　me。
Fare　you　well。〃

45。　When　I　had　written　thus；　and　given　the　letter　to　be　carried
by　the　soldier；　I　sent　along　with　him　thirty　of　the　Galileans　of
the　best　characters；　and　gave　them　instructions　to　salute　those
ambassadors；　but　to　say　nothing　else　to　them。　I　also　gave　orders
to　as　many　of　those　armed　men；　whom　I　esteemed　most　faithful　to
me；　to　go　along　with　the　others；　every　one　with　him　whom　he　was
to　guard；　lest　some　conversation　might　pass　between　those　whom　I
sent　and　those　who　were　with　Jonathan。　So　those　men　went　＇to
Jonathan＇。　But　when　Jonathan　and　his　partners　had　failed　in　this
their　first　attempt；　they　sent　me　another　letter；　the　contents
whereof　were　as　follows：　〃Jonathan；　and　those　with　him；　to
Josephus；　send　greeting。　We　require　thee　to　come　to　us　to　the
village　Gabaroth；　on　the　third　day；　without　any　armed　men；　that
we　may　hear　what　thou　hast　to　lay　to　the　charge　of　John　＇of
Gischala＇。〃　When　they　had　written　this　letter；　they　saluted　the
Galileans　whom　I　sent；　and　came　to　Japha；　which　was　the　largest
village　of　all　Galilee；　and　encompassed　with　very　strong　walls；
and　had　a　great　number　of　inhabitants　in　it。　There　the　multitude
of　men；　with　their　wives　and　children；　met　them；　and　exclaimed
loudly　against　them；　and　desired　them　to　be　gone；　and　not　to　envy
them　the　advantage　of　an　excellent　commander。　With　these　clamors
Jonathan　and　his　partners　were　greatly　provoked；　although　they
durst　not　show　their　anger　openly；　so　they　made　them　no　answer；
but　went　to　other　villages。　But　still　the　same　clamors　met　them
from　all　the　people；　who　said；　〃Nobody　should　persuade　them　to
have　any　other　commander　besides　Josephus。〃　So　Jonathan　and　his
partners　went　away　from　them　without　success；　and　came　to
Sepphoris；　the　greatest　city　of　all　Galilee。　Now　the　men　of　that
city；　who　inclined　to　the　Romans　in　their　sentiments；　met　them
indeed；　but　neither　praised　nor　reproached　me　and　when　they　were
gone　down　from　Sepphoris　to　Asochis；　the　people　of　that　place
made　a　clamor　against　them；　as　those　of　Japha　had　done；　whereupon
they　were　able　to　contain　themselves　no　longer；　but　ordered　the
armed　men　that　were　with　them　to　beat　those　that　made　the　clamor
with　their　clubs。　And　when　they　came　to　Gabara；　John　met　them
with　three　thousand　armed　men；　but；　as　I　understood　by　their
letter　that　they　had　resolved　to　fight　against　me；　I　arose　from
Chabolo；　with　three　thousand　armed　men　also；　but　left　in　my　camp
one　of　my　fastest　friends；　and　came　to　Jotapata；　as　desirous　to
be　near　them；　the　distance　being　no　more　than　forty　furlongs。
Whence　I　wrote　thus　to　them：　〃If　you　are　very　desirous　that　I
should　come　to　you；　you　know　there　are　two　hundred　and　forty
cities　and　villages　in　Galilee；　I　will　come　to　any　of　them　which
you　please；　excepting　Gaburn　and　Gischala；　the　one　of　which　is
John's　native　city；　and　the　other　in　confederacy　and　friendship
with　him。〃

46。　When　Jonathan　and　his　partners　had　received　this　letter；　they
wrote　me　no　more　answers；　but　called　a　council　of　their　friends
together；　and　taking　John　into　their　consultation；　they　took
counsel　together　by　what　means　they　might　attack　me。　John's
opinion　was；　that　they　should　write　to　all　the　cities　and
villages　that　were　in　Galilee；　for　that　there　must　be　certainly
one　or　two　persons　in　every　one　of　them　that　were　at　variance
with　me；　and　that　they　should　be　invited　to　come　to　oppose　me　as
an　enemy。　He　would　also　have　them　send　this　resolution　of　theirs
to　the　city　of　Jerusalem；　that　its　citizens；　upon　the　knowledge
of　my　being　adjudged　to　be　an　enemy　by　the　Galileans；　might
themselves　I　also　confirm　that　determination。　He　said　also；　that
when　this　was　done；　even　those　Galileans　who　were　well　affected
to　me；　would　desert　me　out　of　fear。　When　John　had　given　them　this
counsel；　what　he　had　said　was　very　agreeable　to　the　rest　of　them。
I　was　also　made　acquainted　with　these　affairs　about　the　third
hour　of　the　night；　by　the　means　of　one　Saccheus；　who　had　belonged
to　them；　but　now　deserted　them　and　came　over　to　me；　and　told　me
what　they　were　about；　so　I　perceived　that　no　time　was　to　be　lost。
Accordingly；　I　gave　command　to　Jacob；　an　armed　man　of　my　guard；
whom　I　esteemed　faithful　to　me；　to　take　two　hundred　men；　and　to
guard　the　passages　that　led　from　Gahara　to　Galilee；　and　to　seize
upon　the　passengers；　and　send　them　to　me；　especially　such　as　were
caught　with　letters　about　them：　I　also　sent　Jeremias　himself；　one
of　my　friends；　with　six　hundred　armed　men；　to　the　borders　of
Galilee；