the life of flavius josephus-第9节

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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；　in　order　to　watch　the　roads　that　led　from　this　country
to　the　city　Jerusalem；　and　gave　him　charge　to　lay　hold　of　such　as
traveled　with　letters　about　them；　to　keep　the　men　in　bonds　upon
the　place；　but　to　send　me　the　letters。

47。　When　I　had　laid　these　commands　upon　them；　I　gave　them　orders；
and　bid　them　take　their　arms　and　bring　three　days'　provision　with
them；　and　be　with　me　the　next　day。　I　also　parted　those　that　were
about　me　into　four　parts；　and　ordained　those　of　them　that　were
most　faithful　to　me　to　be　a　guard　to　my　body。　I　also　set　over
them　centurions；　and　commanded　them　to　take　care　that　not　a
soldier　which　they　did　not　know　should　mingle　himself　among　them。
Now；　on　the　fifth　day　following；　when　I　was　at　Gabaroth；　I　found
the　entire　plain　that　was　before　the　village　full　of　armed　men；
who　were　come　out　of　Galilee　to　assist　me：　many　others　of　the
multitude；　also；　out　of　the　village；　ran　along　with　me。　But　as
soon　as　I　had　taken　my　place；　and　began　to　speak　to　them；　they
all　made　an　acclamation；　and　called　me　the　benefactor　and　savior
of　the　country。　And　when　I　had　made　them　my　acknowledgments；　and
thanked　them　＇for　their　affection　to　me＇；　I　also　advised　them　to
fight　with　nobody；　（19）　nor　to　spoil　the　country；　but　to　pitch
their　tents　in　the　plain；　and　be　content　with　their　sustenance
they　had　brought　with　them；　for　I　told　them　that　I　had　a　mind　to
compose　these　troubles　without　shedding　any　blood。　Now　it　came　to
pass；　that　on　the　very　same　day　those　who　were　sent　by　John　with
letters；　fell　among　the　guards　whom　I　had　appointed　to　watch　the
roads；　so　the　men　were　themselves　kept　upon　the　place；　as　my
orders　were；　but　I　got　the　letters；　which　were　full　of　reproaches
and　lies；　and　I　intended　to　fall　upon　these　men；　without　saying　a
word　of　these　matters　to　any　body。

48。　Now；　as　soon　as　Jonathan　and　his　companions　heard　of　my
coming；　they　took　all　their　own　friends；　and　John　with　them；　and
retired　to　the　house　of　Jesus；　which　indeed　was　a　large　castle；
and　no　way　unlike　a　citadel；　so　they　privately　laid　a　band　of
armed　men　therein；　and　shut　all　the　other　doors　but　one；　which
they　kept　open；　and　they　expected　that　I　should　come　out　of　the
road　to　them；　to　salute　them。　And　indeed　they　had　given　orders　to
the　armed　men；　that　when　I　came　they　should　let　nobody　besides　me
come　in；　but　should　exclude　others；　as　supposing　that；　by　this
means；　they　should　easily　get　me　under　their　power：　but　they　were
deceived　in　their　expectation；　for　I　perceived　what　snares　they
had　laid　for　me。　Now；　as　soon　as　I　was　got　off　my　journey；　I　took
up　my　lodgings　over　against　them；　and　pretended　to　be　asleep；　so
Jonathan　and　his　party；　thinking　that　I　was　really　asleep　and　at
rest；　made　haste　to　go　down　into　the　plain；　to　persuade　the
people　that　I　was　an　ill　governor。　But　the　matter　proved
otherwise；　for；　upon　their　appearance；　there　was　a　cry　made　by
the　Galileans　immediately；　declaring　their　good　opinion　of　me　as
their　governor；　and　they　made　a　clamor　against　Jonathan　and　his
partners　for　coming　to　them　when　they　had　suffered　no　harm；　and
as　though　they　would　overturn　their　happy　settlement；　and　desired
them　by　all　means　to　go　back　again；　for　that　they　would　never　be
persuaded　to　have　any　other　to　rule　over　them　but　myself。　When　I
heard　of　this；　I　did　not　fear　to　go　down　into　the　midst　of　them；
I　went；　therefore；　myself　down　presently　to　hear　what　Jonathan
and　his　companions　said。　As　soon　as　I　appeared；　there　was
immediately　an　acclamation　made　to　me　by　the　whole　multitude；　and
a　cry　in　my　commendation　by　them；　who　confessed　their　thanks　was
owing　to　me　for　my　good　government　of　them。

49。　When　Jonathan　and　his　companions　heard　this；　they　were　in
fear　of　their　own　lives；　and　in　danger　lest　they　should　be
assaulted　by　the　Galileans　on　nay　account；　so　they　contrived　how
they　might　run　away。　But　as　they　were　not　able　to　get　off；　for　I
desired　them　to　stay；　they　looked　down　with　concern　at　my　words
to　them。　I　ordered；　therefore；　the　multitude　to　restrain　entirely
their　acclamations；　and　placed　the　most