the life of flavius josephus-第12节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　order　they　had　in　writing　for　Jonathan　and　his　colleagues　to
return　home。　So　I　immediately　sent　them　the　letter；　and　bid　him
that　carried　it　to　inquire；　as　well　as　he　could；　how　they
intended　to　act　＇on　this　occasion。＇

61。　Now；　when　they　had　received　that　letter；　and　were　thereby
greatly　disturbed；　they　sent　for　John；　and　for　the　senators　of
Tiberias；　and　for　the　principal　men　of　the　Gabarens；　and　proposed
to　hold　a　council；　and　desired　them　to　consider　what　was　to　be
done　by　them。　However；　the　governors　of　Tiberias　were　greatly
disposed　to　keep　the　government　to　themselves；　for　they　said　it
was　not　fit　to　desert　their　city；　now　it　was　committed　to　their
trust；　and　that　otherwise　I　should　not　delay　to　fall　upon　them；
for　they　pretended　falsely　that　so　I　had　threatened　to　do。　Now
John　was　not　only　of　their　opinion；　but　advised　them；　that　two　of
them　should　go　to　accuse　me　before　the　multitude　＇at　Jerusalem＇；
that　I　do　not　manage　the　affairs　of　Galilee　as　I　ought　to　do；　and
that　they　would　easily　persuade　the　people；　because　of　their
dignity；　and　because　the　whole　multitude　are　very　mutable。　When；
therefore；　it　appeared　that　John　had　suggested　the　wisest　advice
to　them；　they　resolved　that　two　of　them；　Jonathan　and　Ananias；
should　go　to　the　people　of　Jerusalem；　and　the　other　two　＇Simon
and　Joazar＇　should　be　left　behind　to　tarry　at　Tiberins。　They　also
took　along　with　them　a　hundred　soldiers　for　their　guard。

62。　However；　the　governors　of　Tiberias　took　care　to　have　their
city　secured　with　walls；　and　commanded　their　inhabitants　to　take
their　arms。　They　also　sent　for　a　great　many　soldiers　from　John；
to　assist　them　against　me；　if　there　should　be　occasion　for　them。
Now　John　was　at　Gischala。　Jonathan；　therefore；　and　those　that
were　with　him；　when　they　were　departed　from　Tiberias；　and　as　soon
as　they　were　come　to　Dabaritta；　a　village　that　lay　in　the　utmost
parts　of　Galilee；　in　the　great　plain；　they；　about　midnight；　fell
among　the　guards　I　had　set；　who　both　commanded　them　to　lay　aside
their　weapons；　and　kept　them　in　bonds　upon　the　place；　as　I　had
charged　them　to　do。　This　news　was　written　to　me　by　Levi；　who　had
the　command　of　that　guard　committed　to　him　by　me。　Hereupon　I　said
nothing　of　it　for　two　days；　and；　pretending　to　know　nothing　about
it；　I　sent　a　message　to　the　people　of　Tiberias；　and　advised　them
to　lay　their　arms　aside；　and　to　dismiss　their　men；　that　they
might　go　home。　But；　supposing　that　Jonathan；　and　those　that　were
with　him；　were　already　arrived　at　Jerusalem；　they　made
reproachful　answers　to　me；　yet　was　I　not　terrified　thereby；　but
contrived　another　stratagem　against　them；　for　I　did　not　think　it
agreeable　with　piety　to　kindle　the　fire　of　war　against　the
citizens。　As　I　was　desirous　to　draw　those　men　away　from　Tiberias；
I　chose　out　ten　thousand　of　the　best　of　my　armed　men；　and　divided
them　into　three　bodies；　and　ordered　them　to　go　privately；　and　lie
still　as　an　ambush；　in　the　villages。　I　also　led　a　thousand　into
another　village；　which　lay　indeed　in　the　mountains；　as　did　the
others；　but　only　four　furlongs　distant　from　Tiberias；　and　gave
orders；　that　when　they　saw　my　signal；　they　should　come　down
immediately；　while　I　myself　lay　with　my　soldiers　in　the　sight　of
every　body。　Hereupon　the　people　of　Tiberias；　at　the　sight　of　me；
came　running　out　of　the　city　perpetually；　and　abused　me　greatly。
Nay；　their　madness　was　come　to　that　height；　that　they　made　a
decent　bier　for　me；　and；　standing　about　it；　they　mourned　over　me
in　the　way　of　jest　and　sport；　and　I　could　not　but　be　myself　in　a
pleasant　humor　upon　the　sight　of　this　madness　of　theirs。

63。　And　now　being　desirous　to　catch　Simon　by　a　wile；　and　Joazar
with　him；　I　sent　a　message　to　them；　and　desired　them　to　come　a
little　way　out　of　the　city；　and　many　of　their　friends　to　guard
them；　for　I　said　I　would　come　down　to　them；　and　make　a　league
with　them；　and　divide　the　government　of　Galilee　with　them。
Accordingly；　Simon　was　deluded　on　account　of　his　imprudence；　and
out　of　the　hopes　of　gain；　and　did　not　delay　to　come；　but　Joazar；
suspecting　snares　were　laid　for　him；　staid　behind。　So　when　Simon
was　come　out；　and　his　friends　with　him；　for　his　guard；　I　met　him；
and　saluted　him　with　great　civility；　and　professed　that　I　was
obliged　to　him　for　his　coming　up　to　me；　but　a　little　while
afterward　I　walked　along　with　him　as　though　I　would　say　something
to　him　by　myself；　and　when　I　had　drawn　him　a　good　way　from　his
friends；　I　took　him　about　the　middle；　and　gave　him　to　my　friends
that　were　with　me；　to　carry　him　into　a　village；　and；　commanding
my　armed　men　to　come　down；　I　with　them　made　an　assault　upon
Tiberias。　Now；　as　the　fight　grew　hot　on　both　sides；　and　the
soldiers　belonging　to　Tiberias　were　in　a　fair　way　to　conquer　me；
（for　my　armed　men　were　already　fled　away；）　I　saw　the　posture　of
my　affairs；　and　encouraging　those　that　were　with　me；　I　pursued
those　of　Tiberias；　even　when　they　were　already　conquerors；　into
the　city。　I　also　sent　another　band　of　soldiers　into　the　city　by
the　lake；　and　gave　them　orders　to　set　on　fire　the　first　house
they　could　seize　upon。　When　this　was　done；　the　people　of
Tiberinas　thought　that　their　city　was　taken　by　force；　and　so
threw　down　their　arms　for　fear；　and　implored；　they；　their　wives；
and　children；　that　I　would　spare　their　city。　So　I　was
over…persuaded　by　their　entreaties；　and　restrained　the　soldiers
from　the　vehemency　with　which　they　pursued　them；　while　I　myself；
upon　the　coming　on　of　the　evening；　returned　back　with　my
soldiers；　and　went　to　refresh　myself。　I　also　invited　Simon　to　sup
with　me；　and　comforted　him　on　occasion　of　what　had　happened；　and
I　promised　that　I　would　send　him　safe　and　secure　to　Jerusalem；
and　withal　would　give　him　provisions　for　his　journey　thither。

64。　But　on　the　next　day；　I　brought　ten　thousand　armed　men　with
me；　and　came　to　Tiberias。　I　then　sent　for　the　principal　men　of
the　multitude　into　the　public　place；　and　enjoined　them　to　tell　me
who　were　the　authors　of　the　revolt；　and　when　they　told　me　who　the
men　were；　I　sent　them　bound　to　the　city　Jotapata。　But　as　to
Jonathan　and　Ananias；　I　freed　them　from　their　bonds；　and　gave
them　provisions　for　their　journey；　together　with　Simon　and
Joazar；　and　five　hundred　armed　men　who　should　guard　them；　and　so
I　sent　them　to　Jerusalem。　The　people　of　Tiberias　also　came　to　me
again；　and　desired　that　I　would　forgive　them　for　what　they　had
done；　and　they　said　they　would　amend　what　they　had　done　amiss
with　regard　to　me；　by　their　fidelity　for　the　time　to　come；　and
they　besought　me　to　preserve　what　spoils　remained　upon　the
plunder　of　the　city；　for　those　that　had　lost　them。　Accordingly；　I
enjoined　those　that　had　got　them；　to　bring　them　all　before　us；
and　when　they　did　not　comply　for　a　great　while；　and　I　saw　one　of
the　soldiers　that　were　about　me　with　a　garment　on　that　was　more
splendid　than　ordinary；　I　asked　him　whence　he　had　it；　and　when　he
replied　that　he　had　it　out　of　the　plunder　of　the　city；　I　had　him
punished　with　stripes；　and　I　threatened　all　the　rest　to　inflict　a
severer　punishment　upon　them；　unless　they　produced　before　us
whatsoever　they　had　plundered；　and　when　a　great　many　spoils　were
brought　together；　I　restored　to　every　one　of　Tiberias　what　they
claimed　to　be　their　own。

65。　And　now　I　am　come　to　this　part　of　my　narration；　I　have　a　mind
to　say　a　few　things　to　Justus；　who　hath　himself　written　a　history
concerning　these　affairs；　as　also　to　others　who　profess　to　write
history；　but　have　little　regard　to　truth；　and　are　not　afraid；
either　out　of　ill…will　or　good…will　to　some　persons；　to　relate
falsehoods。　These　men　do　like　those　who　compose　forged　deeds　and
conveyances；　and　because　they　are　not　brought　to　the　like
punishment　with　them；　they　have　no　regard　to　truth。　When；
therefore；　Justus　undertook　to　write　about　these　facts；　and　about
the　Jewish　war；　that　he　might　appear　to　have　been　an　industrious
man；　he　falsified　in　what　he　related　about　me；　and　could　not
speak　truth　even　about　his　own　country；　whence　it　is　that；　being
belied　by　him；　I　am　under　a　necessity　to　make　my　defense；　and　so
I　shall　say　what　I　have　concealed　till　now。　And　let　no　one　wonder
that　I　have　not　told　the　world　these　things　a　great　while　ago。
For　although　it　be　necessary　for　an　historian　to　write　the　truth；
yet　is　such　a　one　not　bound　severely　to　animadvert　on　the
wickedness　of　certain　men；　not　out　of　any　favor　to　them；　but　out
of　an　author's　own　moderation。　How　then　comes　it　to　pass；　O
Justus！　thou　most　sagacious　of　writers；　（that　I　may　address
myself　to　him　as　if　he　were　here　present；）　for　so　thou　boastest
of　thyself；　that　I　and　the　Galileans　have　been　the　authors　of
that　sedition　which　thy　country　engaged　in；　both　against　the
Romans　and　against　the　king　＇Agrippa；　junior＇　For　before　ever　I
was　appointed　governor　of　Galilee　by　the　community　of　Jerusalem；
both　thou　and　all　the　people　of　Tiberias　had　not　only　taken　up
arms；　but　had　made　war　with　Decapolis　of　Syria。　Accordingly；　thou
hadst　ordered　their　villages　to　be　burnt；　and　a　domestic　servant
of　thine　fell　in　the　battle。　Nor　is　it　I　only　who　say　this；　but
so　it　is　written　in　the　Commentaries　of　Vespasian；　the　emperor；
as　also　how　the　inhabitants　of　Decapolis　came