the wars of the jews-第100节

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its　　　breadth　and　its　height　equal；　each　of　them　forty　cubits；　over　which　was　its　solid　height　of　forty　cubits；　over　which　a　cloister　went　round　about；　whose　height　was　ten　cubits；　and　it　was　covered　from　enemies　by　breast…works　and　bulwarks。　There　was　also　built　over　that　cloister　another　tower；　parted　into　magnificent　rooms；　and　a　place　for　bathing；　so　that　this　tower　wanted　nothing　that　might　make　it　appear　to　be　a　　　royal　palace。　It　was　also　adorned　with　battlements　and　　　turrets；　more　than　was　the　foregoing；　and　the　entire　altitude　was　about　ninety　cubits；　the　appearance　of　it　resembled　the　tower　of　Pharus；　which　exhibited　a　fire　to　such　as　sailed　to　Alexandria；　but　was　much　larger　than　it　in　compass。　This　was　now　converted　to　a　house；　wherein　Simon　exercised　　　his　tyrannical　authority。　The　third　tower　was　Mariamne；　for　that　was　his　queen's　name；　it　was　solid　as　high　as　twenty　cubits；　its　breadth　and　its　length　were　twenty　cubits；　and　were　equal　to　each　other；　its　upper　buildings　were　more　　　magnificent；　and　had　greater　variety；　than　the　other　towers　had；　for　the　king　thought　it　most　proper　for　him　to　adorn　that　which　was　denominated　from　his　wife；　better　than　　　those　denominated　from　men；　as　those　were　built　stronger　than　this　that　bore　his　wife's　name。　The　entire　height　of　this　tower　was　fifty　cubits。　　　　　　4。　Now　as　these　towers　were　so　very　tall；　they　appeared　　　much　taller　by　the　place　on　which　they　stood；　for　that　very　old　wall　wherein　they　were　was　built　on　a　high　hill；　and　was　itself　a　kind　of　elevation　that　was　still　thirty　cubits　taller；　over　which　were　the　towers　situated；　and　thereby　were　　　made　much　higher　to　appearance。　The　largeness　also　of　　　the　stones　was　wonderful；　for　they　were　not　made　of　　　common　small　stones；　nor　of　such　large　ones　only　as　men　　　could　carry；　but　they　were　of　white　marble；　cut　out　of　the　rock；　each　stone　was　twenty　cubits　in　length；　and　ten　in　breadth；　and　five　in　depth。　They　were　so　exactly　united　to　one　another；　that　each　tower　looked　like　one　entire　rock　of　stone；　so　growing　naturally；　and　afterward　cut　by　the　hand　of　the　artificers　into　their　present　shape　and　corners；　so　little；　or　not　at　all；　did　their　joints　or　connexion　appear。　low　as　these　towers　were　themselves　on　the　north　side　of　the　wall；　the　king　had　a　palace　inwardly　thereto　adjoined；　which　exceeds　all　my　ability　to　describe　it；　for　it　was　so　very　curious　as　to　want　no　cost　nor　skill　in　its　construction；　but　was　entirely　walled　about　to　the　height　of　thirty　cubits；　and　was　adorned　with　towers　at　equal　distances；　and　with　large　bed…chambers；　that　would　contain　beds　for　a　hundred　　　guests　a…piece；　in　which　the　variety　of　the　stones　is　not　to　be　expressed；　for　a　large　quantity　of　those　that　were　rare　of　that　kind　was　collected　together。　Their　roofs　were　also　　　wonderful；　both　for　the　length　of　the　beams；　and　the　　　splendor　of　their　ornaments。　The　number　of　the　rooms　was　also　very　great；　and　the　variety　of　the　figures　that　were　about　them　was　prodigious；　their　furniture　was　complete；　and　the　greatest　part　of　the　vessels　that　were　put　in　them　was　of　silver　and　gold。　There　were　besides　many　porticoes；　one　beyond　another；　round　about；　and　in　each　of　those　　　porticoes　curious　pillars；　yet　were　all　the　courts　that　were　exposed　to　the　air　every　where　green。　There　were；　　　moreover；　several　groves　of　trees；　and　long　walks　through　them；　with　deep　canals；　and　cisterns；　that　in　several　parts　were　filled　with　brazen　statues；　through　which　the　water　ran　out。　There　were　withal　many　dove…courts　（11）　of　tame　　　pigeons　about　the　canals。　But　indeed　it　is　not　possible　to　give　a　complete　description　of　these　palaces；　and　the　very　remembrance　of　them　is　a　torment　to　one；　as　putting　one　in　mind　what　vastly　rich　buildings　that　fire　which　was　kindled　by　the　robbers　hath　consumed；　for　these　were　not　burnt　by　the　Romans；　but　by　these　internal　plotters；　as　we　have　　　already　related；　in　the　beginning　of　their　rebellion。　That　fire　began　at　the　tower　of　Antonia；　and　went　on　to　the　palaces；　and　consumed　the　upper　parts　of　the　three　towers　　　themselves。　　　　　　CHAPTER　5。　　　　　　　　　　　　A　Description　Of　The　Temple。　　　　　　1。　Now　this　temple；　as　I　have　already　said；　was　built　upon　a　strong　hill。　At　first　the　plain　at　the　top　was　hardly　sufficient　for　the　holy　house　and　the　altar；　for　the　ground　about　it　was　very　uneven；　and　like　a　precipice；　but　when　king　Solomon；　who　was　the　person　that　built　the　temple；　had　built　a　wall　to　it　on　its　east　side；　there　was　then　added　one　cloister　　　founded　on　a　bank　cast　up　for　it；　and　on　the　other　parts　the　holy　house　stood　naked。　But　in　future　ages　the　people　　　added　new　banks；　（12）　and　the　hill　became　a　larger　plain。　They　then　broke　down　the　wall　on　the　north　side；　and　took　in　as　much　as　sufficed　afterward　for　the　compass　of　the　　　entire　temple。　And　when　they　had　built　walls　on　three　sides　of　the　temple　round　about；　from　the　bottom　of　the　hill；　and　had　performed　a　work　that　was　greater　than　could　be　　　hoped　for；　（in　which　work　long　ages　were　spent　by　them；　as　well　as　all　their　sacred　treasures　were　exhausted；　which　were　still　replenished　by　those　tributes　which　were　sent　to　God　from　the　whole　habitable　earth；）　they　then　　　encompassed　their　upper　courts　with　cloisters；　as　well　as　they　＇afterward＇　did　the　lowest　＇court　of　the＇　temple。　The　lowest　part　of　this　was　erected　to　the　height　of　three　　　hundred　cubits；　and　in　some　places　more；　yet　did　not　the　entire　depth　of　the　foundations　appear；　for　they　brought　earth；　and　filled　up　the　valleys；　as　being　desirous　to　make　them　on　a　level　with　the　narrow　streets　of　the　city；　wherein　they　made　use　of　stones　of　forty　cubits　in　magnitude；　for　the　great　plenty　of　money　they　then　had；　and　the　liberality　of　the　people；　made　this　attempt　of　theirs　to　succeed　to　an　incredible　degree；　and　what　could　not　be　so　much　as　hoped　for　as　ever　to　be　accomplished；　was；　by　perseverance　and　length　of　time；　brought　to　perfection。　　　　　　2。　Now　for　the　works　that　were　above　these　foundations；　　　these　were　not　unworthy　of　such　foundations；　for　all　the　cloisters　were　double；　and　the　pillars　to　them　belonging　were　twenty…five　cubits　in　height；　and　supported　the　　　cloisters。　These　pillars　were　of　one　entire　stone　each　of　them；　and　that　stone　was　white　marble；　and　the　roofs　were　adorned　with　cedar；　curiously　graven。　The　natural　　　magnificence；　and　excellent　polish；　and　the　harmony　of　the　joints　in　these　cloisters；　afforded　a　prospect　that　was　very　remarkable；　nor　was　it　on　the　outside　adorned　with　any　　　work　of　the　painter　or　engraver。　The　cloisters　＇of　the　　　outmost　court＇　were　in　breadth　thirty　cubits；　while　the　entire　compass　of　it　was　by　measure　six　furlongs；　including　the　tower　of　Antonia；　those　entire　courts　that　were　exposed　to　the　air　were　laid　with　stones　of　all　sorts。　When　you　go　　　through　these　＇first＇　cloisters；　unto　the　second　＇court　of　the＇　temple；　there　was　a　partition　made　of　stone　all　round；　　　whose　height　was　three　cubits：　its　construction　was　very　elegant；　upon　it　stood　pillars；　at　equal　distances　from　one　another；　declaring　the　law　of　purity；　some　in　Greek；　and　some　in　Roman　letters；　that　〃no　foreigner　should　go　within　that　sanctuary〃　for　that　second　＇court　of　the＇　temple　was　called　〃the　Sanctuary；〃　and　was　ascended　to　by　fourteen　　　steps　from　the　first　court。　This　court　was　four…square；　and　had　a　wall　about　it　peculiar　to　itself；　the　height　of　its　buildings；　although　it　were　on　the　outside　forty　cubits；　（13）　was　hidden　by　the　steps；　and　on　the　inside　that　height　was　but　twenty…five　cubits；　for　it　being　built　over　against　a　higher　part　of　the　hill　with　steps；　it　was　no　further　to　be　entirely　discerned　within；　being　covered　by　the　hill　itself。　Beyond　these　thirteen　steps　there　was　the　distance　of　ten　cubits；　this　was　all　plain；　whence　there　were　other　steps；　each　of　five　cubits　a…piece；　that　led　to　the　gates；　which　gates　on　the　north　and　south　sides　were　eight；　on　each　of　those　sides　four；　and　of　necessity　two　on　the　east。　For　since　there　was　a　partition　built　for　the　women　on　that　side；　as　the　proper　place　wherein　they　were　to　worship；　there　was　a　necessity　for　a　second　gate　for　them：　this　gate　was　cut　out　of　its　wall；　over　against　the　first　gate。　There　was　also　on　the　other　sides　one　southern　and　one　northern　gate；　through　which　　　was　a　passage　into　the　court　of　the　women；　for　as　to　the　other　gates；　the　women　were　not　allowed　to　pass　through　　　them；　nor　when　they　went　through　their　own　gate　could　　　they　go　beyond　their　own　wall。　This　place　was　allotted　to　the　women　of　our　own　country；　and　of　other　countries；　　　provided　they　were　of　the　same　nation；　and　that　equally。　The　western　part　of　this　court　had　no　gate　at　all；　but　the　wall　was　built　entire　on　that　side。　But　then　the　cloisters　which　were　betwixt　the　gates　extended　from　the　wall　　　inward；　before　the　chambers；　for　they　were　supported　by　　　very　fine　and　large　pillars。　These　cloisters　were　single；　and；　excepting　their　magnitude；　were　no　way　inferior　to　those　of　the　lower　court。　　　　　　3。　Now　nine　of　these　gates　were　on　every　side　covered　　　over　with　gold　and　silver；　as　were　the　jambs　of　their　doors　and　their　lintels；　but　there　was　one　gate　that　was　without　the　＇inward　court　of　the＇　holy　house；　which　was　of　　　Corinthian　brass；　and　greatly　excelled　those　that　were