herodias-第4节

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the　same　ambition：　the　one　party　hoping　to　be　appointed　public

sacrificers；　the　other　determined　to　retain　those　offices。　Their　faces

were　dark；　particularly　those　of　the　Pharisees；　who　were　enemies　of

Rome　and　of　the　tetrarch。　The　flowing　skirts　of　their　tunics

embarrassed　their　movements　as　they　attempted　to　pass　through　the

throng；　and　their　tiaras　sat　unsteadily　upon　their　brows；　around　which

were　bound　small　bands　of　parchment；　showing　lines　of　writing。



Almost　at　the　same　moment；　the　soldiers　of　the　advance　guard　arrived。

Cloth　coverings　had　been　drawn　over　their　glittering　shields　to

protect　them　from　the　dust。　Behind　them　came　Marcellus；　the

proconsul's　lieutenant；　followed　by　the　publicans；　carrying　their

tablets　of　wood　under　their　arms。



Antipas　named　to　Vitellius　the　principle　personages　surrounding　them：

Tolmai；　Kanthera；　Schon；　Ammonius　of　Alexandria；　who　brought　asphalt

for　Antipas；　Naaman；　captain　of　his　troops　of　skirmishers；　and　Jacim；

the　Babylonian。



Vitellius　had　noticed　Mannaeus。



〃Who　is　that　man？〃　he　inquired。



The　tetrarch　by　a　significant　gesture　indicated　that　Mannaeus　was　the

executioner。　He　then　presented　the　Sadducees　to　the　proconsul's

notice。



Jonathas；　a　man　of　low　stature；　who　spoke　Greek；　advanced　with　a　firm

step　and　begged　that　the　great　lord　would　honour　Jerusalem　with　a

visit。　Vitellius　replied　that　he　should　probably　go　to　Jerusalem　soon。



Eleazar；　who　had　a　crooked　nose　and　a　long　beard；　put　forth　a　claim；

in　behalf　of　the　Pharisees；　for　the　mantle　of　the　high　priest；　held　in

the　tower　of　Antonia　by　the　civil　authorities。



Then　the　Galileans　came　forward　and　denounced　Pontius　Pilate。　On　one

occasion；　they　said；　a　mad…man　went　seeking　in　a　cave　near　Samaria　for

the　golden　vases　that　had　belonged　to　King　David；　and　Pontius　Pilate

had　caused　several　inhabitants　of　that　region　to　be　executed。　In　their

excitement　all　the　Galileans　spoke　at　once；　Mannaeus's　voice　being

heard　above　all　others。　Vitellius　promised　that　the　guilty　ones　should

be　punished。



Fresh　vociferations　now　broke　out　in　front　of　the　great　gates；　where

the　soldiers　had　hung　their　shields。　Their　coverings　having　now　been

removed；　on　each　shield　a　carving　of　the　head　of　Caesar　could　be　seen

on　the　umbo；　or　central　knob。　To　the　Jews；　this　seemed　an　evidence　of

nothing　short　of　idolatry。　Antipas　harangued　them；　while　Vitellius；

who　occupied　a　raised　seat　within　the　shadow　of　the　colonnade；　was

astonished　at　their　fury。　Tiberius　had　done　well；　he　thought；　to　exile

four　hundred　of　these　people　to　Sardinia。　Presently　the　Jews　became　so

violent　that　he　ordered　the　shields　to　be　removed。



Then　the　multitude　surrounded　the　proconsul；　imploring　him　to　abolish

certain　unjust　laws；　asking　for　privileges；　or　begging　for　alms。　They

rent　their　clothing　and　jostled　one　another；　and　at　last；　in　order　to

drive　them　back；　several　slaves；　armed　with　long　staves；　charged　upon

them；　striking　right　and　left。　Those　nearest　the　gates　made　their

escape　and　descended　to　the　road；　others　rushed　in　to　take　their

place；　so　that　two　streams　of　human　beings　flowed　in　and　out；

compressed　within　the　limits　of　the　gateway。



Vitellius　demanded　the　reason　for　the　assembling　of　so　great　a　throng。

Antipas　explained　that　they　had　been　invited　to　come　to　a　feast　in

celebration　of　his　birthday；　and　he　pointed　to　several　men　who；

leaning　against　the　battlements；　were　hauling　up　immense　basket…loads

of　food；　fruits；　vegetables；　antelopes；　and　storks；　large　fish；　of　a

brilliant　shade　of　blue；　grapes；　melons；　and　pyramids　of　pomegranates。

At　this　sight；　Aulus　left　the　courtyard　and　hastened　to　the　kitchens；

led　by　his　taste　for　gormandizing；　which　later　became　the　amazement　of

the　world。



As　they　passed　the　opening　to　a　small　cellar；　Vitellius　perceived　some

objects　resembling　breast…plates　hanging　on　a　wall。　He　looked　at　them

with　interest；　and　then　demanded　that　the　subterranean　chambers　of　the

fortress　be　thrown　open　for　his　inspection。　These　chambers　were　cut

into　the　rocky　foundation　of　the　castle；　and　had　been　formed　into

vaults；　with　pillars　set　at　regular　distances。　The　first　vault　opened

contained　old　armour；　the　second　was　full　of　pikes；　with　long　points

emerging　from　tufts　of　feathers。　The　walls　of　the　third　chamber　were

hung　with　a　kind　of　tapestry　made　of　slender　reeds；　laid　in

perpendicular　rows。　Those　of　the　fourth　were　covered　with　scimitars。

In　the　middle　of　the　fifth　cell；　rows　of　helmets　were　seen；　the　crests

of　which　looked　like　a　battalion　of　fiery　serpents。　The　sixth　cell

contained　nothing　but　empty　quivers；　the　seventh；　greaves　for

protecting　the　legs　in　battle；　the　eighth　vault　was　filled　with

bracelets　and　armlets；　and　an　examination　of　the　remaining　vaults

disclosed　forks；　grappling…irons；　ladders；　cords；　even　catapults；　and

bells　for　the　necks　of　camels；　and　as　they　descended　deeper　into　the

rocky　foundation；　it　became　evident　that　the　whole　mass　was　a

veritable　honeycomb　of　cells；　and　that　below　those　already　seen　were

many　others。



Vitellius；　Phineas；　his　interpreter；　and　Sisenna；　chief　of　the

publicans；　walked　among　these　gloomy　cells；　attended　by　three　eunuchs

bearing　torches。



In　the　deep　shadows　hideous　instruments；　invented　by　barbarians；　could

be　seen：　tomahawks　studded　with　nails；　poisoned　javelins；　pincers

resembling　the　jaws　of　crocodiles；　in　short；　the　tetrarch　possessed　in

his　castle　munitions　of　war　sufficient　for　forty　thousand　men。



He　had　accumulated　these　weapons　in　anticipation　of　an　alliance

against　him　among　his　enemies。　But　he　bethought　him　that　the　proconsul

might　believe；　or　assert；　that　he　had　collected　this　armoury　in　order

to　attack　the　Romans；　so　he　hastened　to　offer　explanations　of　all　that

Vitellius　had　observed。



Some　of　these　things　did　not　belong　to　him　at　all；　he　said：　many　of

them　were　necessary　to　defend　the　place　against　brigands　and

marauders；　especially　the　Arabs。　Many　of　the　objects　in　the　vault　had

been　the　property　of　his　father；　and　he　had　allowed　them　to　remain

untouched。　As　he　spoke；　he　managed　to　get　in　advance　of　the　proconsul

and　preceded　him　along　the　corridors　with　rapid　steps。　Presently　he

halted　and　stood　close　against　the　wall　as　the　party　came　up；　he　spoke

quickly；　standing　with　his　hands　on　his　hips；　so　that　his　voluminous

mantle　covered　a　wide　space　of　the　wall　behind　him。　But　just　above　his

head　the　top　of　a　door　was　visible。　Vitellius　remarked　it　instantly；

and　demanded　to　know　what　it　concealed。



The　tetrarch　explained　that　the　door　was　fastened；　and　that　none　could

open　it　save　the　Babylonian；　Jacim。



〃Summon　him；　then！〃　was　the　command。



A　slave　was　sent　to　find　Jacim；　while　the　group　awaited　his　coming。



The　father　of　Jacim　had　come　from　the　banks　of　the　Euphrates　to　offer

his　services；　as　well　as　those　of　five　hundred　horsemen；　in　the

defence　of　the　eastern　frontier。　After　the　division　of　the　kingdom；

Jacim　had　lived　for　a　time　with　Philip；　and　was　now　in　the　service　of

Antipas。



Presently　he　appeared　among　the　vaults；　carrying　an　archer's　bow　on

his　shoulder　and　a　whip　in　his　hand。　Cords　of　many　colours　were　lashed

tightly　about　his　knotted　legs；　his　massive　arms　were　thrust　through　a

sleeveless　tunic；　and　a　fur　cap　shaded　his　face。　His　chin　was　covered

with　a　heavy；　curling　beard。



He　appeared　not　to　comprehend　what　the　interpreter　said　to　him　at

first。　But　Vitellius　threw　a　meaning　glance　at　Antipas；　who　quickly

made　the　Babylonian　understand　the　command　of　the　proconsul。　Jacim

immediately　laid　both　his　hands　against　the　door；　giving　it　a　powerful

shove；　whereupon　it　quietly　slid　out　of　sight　into　the　wall。



A　wave　of　hot　air　surged　from　the　depths　of　the　cavern。　A　winding　path

descended　and　turned　abruptly。　The　group　followed　it；　and　soon　arrived

at　the　threshold　of　a　kind　of　grotto；　somewhat　larger　than　the　other

subterranean　cells。



An　arched　window　at　the　back　of　this　chamber　gave　directly　upon　a

precipice；　which　formed　a　defence　for　one　side　of　the　castle。　A

honeysuckle　vine；　cramped　by　the　low…studded　ceiling；　blossomed

bravely。　The　sound　of　a　running　stream　could　be　heard　distinctly。　In

this　place　was　a　great　number　of　beautiful　white　horses；　perhaps　a

hundred。　They　were　eating　barley　from　a　plank　placed　on　a　level　with

their　mouths。　Their　manes　had　been　coloured　a　deep　blue；　their　hoofs

were　wrapped　in　coverings　of　woven　grass；　and　the　hair　between　their

ears　was　puffed　out　like　a　peruke。　As　they　stood　quietly　eating；　they

switched　their　tails　gently　to　and　fro。　The　proconsul　regarded　them　in

silent　admiration。



They　were　indeed　wonderful　animals；　supple　as　serpents；　light　as

birds。　They　were　trained　to　gallop　rapidly；　following　the　arrow　of　the

rider；　and　dash　into　the　midst　of　a　group　of　the　enemy；　overturning

men　and　biting　them　savagely　as　they　fell。　They　were　sure…footed　among

rocky　passe