the wars of the jews-第101节

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ward　court　of　the＇　holy　house；　which　was　of　　　Corinthian　brass；　and　greatly　excelled　those　that　were　only　covered　over　with　silver　and　gold。　Each　gate　had　two　　　doors；　whose　height　was　severally　thirty　cubits；　and　their　breadth　fifteen。　However；　they　had　large　spaces　within　of　thirty　cubits；　and　had　on　each　side　rooms；　and　those；　both　in　breadth　and　in　length；　built　like　towers；　and　their　height　was　above　forty　cubits。　Two　pillars　did　also　support　these　rooms；　and　were　in　circumference　twelve　cubits。　Now　the　　　magnitudes　of　the　other　gates　were　equal　one　to　another；　but　that　over　the　Corinthian　gate；　which　opened　on　the　east　over　against　the　gate　of　the　holy　house　itself；　was　much　larger；　for　its　height　was　fifty　cubits；　and　its　doors　were　forty　cubits；　and　it　was　adorned　after　a　most　costly　manner；　as　having　much　richer　and　thicker　plates　of　silver　and　gold　upon　them　than　the　other。　These　nine　gates　had　that　silver　and　gold　poured　upon　them　by　Alexander；　the　father　of　　　Tiberius。　Now　there　were　fifteen　steps；　which　led　away　from　the　wall　of　the　court　of　the　women　to　this　greater　gate；　whereas　those　that　led　thither　from　the　other　gates　were　five　steps　shorter。　　　　　　4。　As　to　the　holy　house　itself；　which　was　placed　in　the　midst　＇of　the　inmost　court＇；　that　most　sacred　part　of　the　temple；　it　was　ascended　to　by　twelve　steps；　and　in　front　its　height　and　its　breadth　were　equal；　and　each　a　hundred　cubits；　　　though　it　was　behind　forty　cubits　narrower；　for　on　its　front　it　had　what　may　be　styled　shoulders　on　each　side；　that　　　passed　twenty　cubits　further。　Its　first　gate　was　seventy　cubits　high；　and　twenty…five　cubits　broad；　but　this　gate　had　no　doors；　for　it　represented　the　universal　visibility　of　heaven；　and　that　it　cannot　be　excluded　from　any　place。　Its　front　was　covered　with　gold　all　over；　and　through　it　the　first　part　of　the　house；　that　was　more　inward；　did　all　of　it　appear；　which；　as　it　was　very　large；　so　did　all　the　parts　about　the　more　inward　gate　appear　to　shine　to　those　that　saw　them；　but　then；　as　the　entire　house　was　divided　into　two　parts　within；　it　was　only　the　first　part　of　it　that　was　open　to　our　view。　Its　height　extended　all　along　to　ninety　cubits　in　height；　and　its　length　was　fifty　cubits；　and　its　breadth　twenty。　But　that　gate　which　was　at　this　end　of　the　first　part　of　the　house　was；　as　we　have　already　observed；　all　over　covered　with　　　gold；　as　was　its　whole　wall　about　it；　it　had　also　golden　vines　above　it；　from　which　clusters　of　grapes　hung　as　tall　as　a　man's　height。　But　then　this　house；　as　it　was　divided　into　two　parts；　the　inner　part　was　lower　than　the　appearance　of　the　outer；　and　had　golden　doors　of　fifty…five　cubits　altitude；　and　sixteen　in　breadth；　but　before　these　doors　there　was　a　veil　of　equal　largeness　with　the　doors。　It　was　a　Babylonian　　　curtain；　embroidered　with　blue；　and　fine　linen；　and　scarlet；　and　purple；　and　of　a　contexture　that　was　truly　wonderful。　Nor　was　this　mixture　of　colors　without　its　mystical　　　interpretation；　but　was　a　kind　of　image　of　the　universe；　for　by　the　scarlet　there　seemed　to　be　enigmatically　signified　fire；　by　the　fine　flax　the　earth；　by　the　blue　the　air；　and　by　the　purple　the　sea；　two　of　them　having　their　colors　the　　　foundation　of　this　resemblance；　but　the　fine　flax　and　the　purple　have　their　own　origin　for　that　foundation；　the　earth　producing　the　one；　and　the　sea　the　other。　This　curtain　had　also　embroidered　upon　it　all　that　was　mystical　in　the　　　heavens；　excepting　that　of　the　＇twelve＇　signs；　representing　living　creatures。　　　　　　5。　When　any　persons　entered　into　the　temple；　its　floor　　　received　them。　This　part　of　the　temple　therefore　was　in　　　height　sixty　cubits；　and　its　length　the　same；　whereas　its　breadth　was　but　twenty　cubits：　but　still　that　sixty　cubits　in　length　was　divided　again；　and　the　first　part　of　it　was　cut　off　at　forty　cubits；　and　had　in　it　three　things　that　were　very　wonderful　and　famous　among　all　mankind；　the　candlestick；　the　table　＇of　shew…bread＇；　and　the　altar　of　incense。　Now　the　seven　lamps　signified　the　seven　planets；　for　so　many　there　were　springing　out　of　the　candlestick。　Now　the　twelve　　　loaves　that　were　upon　the　table　signified　the　circle　of　the　zodiac　and　the　year；　but　the　altar　of　incense；　by　its　thirteen　kinds　of　sweet…smelling　spices　with　which　the　sea　　　replenished　it；　signified　that　God　is　the　possessor　of　all　things　that　are　both　in　the　uninhabitable　and　habitable　parts　of　the　earth；　and　that　they　are　all　to　be　dedicated　to　his　use。　But　the　inmost　part　of　the　temple　of　all　was　of　twenty　cubits。　This　was　also　separated　from　the　outer　part　by　a　veil。　In　this　there　was　nothing　at　all。　It　was　inaccessible　and　inviolable；　and　not　to　be　seen　by　any；　and　was　called　the　Holy　of　Holies。　Now；　about　the　sides　of　the　lower　part　of　the　temple；　there　were　little　houses；　with　passages　out　of　one　into　another；　there　were　a　great　many　of　them；　and　they　　　were　of　three　stories　high；　there　were　also　entrances　on　each　side　into　them　from　the　gate　of　the　temple。　But　the　superior　part　of　the　temple　had　no　such　little　houses　any　further；　because　the　temple　was　there　narrower；　and　forty　cubits　higher；　and　of　a　smaller　body　than　the　lower　parts　of　it。　Thus　we　collect　that　the　whole　height；　including　the　sixty　cubits　from　the　floor；　amounted　to　a　hundred　cubits。　　　　　　6。　Now　the　outward　face　of　the　temple　in　its　front　wanted　nothing　that　was　likely　to　surprise　either　men's　minds　or　their　eyes；　for　it　was　covered　all　over　with　plates　of　gold　of　great　weight；　and；　at　the　first　rising　of　the　sun；　reflected　back　a　very　fiery　splendor；　and　made　those　who　forced　　　themselves　to　look　upon　it　to　turn　their　eyes　away；　just　as　they　would　have　done　at　the　sun's　own　rays。　But　this　　　temple　appeared　to　strangers；　when　they　were　coming　to　it　at　a　distance；　like　a　mountain　covered　with　snow；　for　as　to　those　parts　of　it　that　were　not　gilt；　they　were　exceeding　white。　On　its　top　it　had　spikes　with　sharp　points；　to　prevent　any　pollution　of　it　by　birds　sitting　upon　it。　Of　its　stones；　some　of　them　were　forty…five　cubits　in　length；　five　in　height；　and　six　in　breadth。　Before　this　temple　stood　the　altar；　fifteen　cubits　high；　and　equal　both　in　length　and　breadth；　each　of　which　dimensions　was　fifty　cubits。　The　figure　it　was　built　in　was　a　square；　and　it　had　corners　like　horns；　and　the　　　passage　up　to　it　was　by　an　insensible　acclivity。　It　was　　　formed　without　any　iron　tool；　nor　did　any　such　iron　tool　so　much　as　touch　it　at　any　time。　There　was　also　a　wall　of　　　partition；　about　a　cubit　in　height；　made　of　fine　stones；　and　so　as　to　be　grateful　to　the　sight；　this　encompassed　the　holy　house　and　the　altar；　and　kept　the　people　that　were　on　the　outside　off　from　the　priests。　Moreover；　those　that　had　the　gonorrhea　and　the　leprosy　were　excluded　out　of　the　city　　　entirely；　women　also；　when　their　courses　were　upon　them；　were　shut　out　of　the　temple；　nor　when　they　were　free　from　that　impurity；　were　they　allowed　to　go　beyond　the　limit　　　before…mentioned；　men　also；　that　were　not　thoroughly　pure；　were　prohibited　to　come　into　the　inner　＇court　of　the＇　temple；　nay；　the　priests　themselves　that　were　not　pure　were　　　prohibited　to　come　into　it　also。　　　　　　7。　Now　all　those　of　the　stock　of　the　priests　that　could　not　minister　by　reason　of　some　defect　in　their　bodies；　came　　　within　the　partition；　together　with　those　that　had　no　such　imperfection；　and　had　their　share　with　them　by　reason　of　their　stock；　but　still　made　use　of　none　except　their　own　private　garments；　for　nobody　but　he　that　officiated　had　on　his　sacred　garments；　but　then　those　priests　that　were　　　without　any　blemish　upon　them　went　up　to　the　altar　clothed　in　fine　linen。　They　abstained　chiefly　from　wine；　out　of　this　fear；　lest　otherwise　they　should　transgress　some　rules　of　their　ministration。　The　high　priest　did　also　go　up　with　them；　not　always　indeed；　but　on　the　seventh　days　and　new　　　moons；　and　if　any　festivals　belonging　to　our　nation；　which　we　celebrate　every　year；　happened。　When　he　officiated；　he　had　on　a　pair　of　breeches　that　reached　beneath　his　privy　parts　to　his　thighs；　and　had　on　an　inner　garment　of　linen；　together　with　a　blue　garment；　round；　without　seam；　with　　　fringe　work；　and　reaching　to　the　feet。　There　were　also　　　golden　bells　that　hung　upon　the　fringes；　and　pomegranates　intermixed　among　them。　The　bells　signified　thunder；　and　　　the　pomegranates　lightning。　But　that　girdle　that　tied　the　garment　to　the　breast　was　embroidered　with　five　rows　of　　　various　colors；　of　gold；　and　purple；　and　scarlet；　as　also　of　fine　linen　and　blue；　with　which　colors　we　told　you　before　the　veils　of　the　temple　were　embroidered　also。　The　like　　　embroidery　was　upon　the　ephod；　but　the　quantity　of　gold　　　therein　was　greater。　Its　figure　was　that　of　a　stomacher　for　the　breast。　There　were　upon　it　two　golden　buttons　like　small　shields；　which　buttoned　the　ephod　to　the　garment；　in　these　buttons　were　enclosed　two　very　large　and　very　excellent　　　sardonyxes；　having　the　names　of　the　tribes　of　that　nation　engraved　upon　them：　on　the　other　part　there　hung　twelve　　　stones；　three　in　a　row　one　way；　and　four　in　the　other；　a　sardius；　a　topaz；　and　an　emerald；　a　carbuncle；　a　jasper；　and　a　sapphire；　an　agate；　an　amethyst；　and　a　ligure；　an　　　onyx；　a　beryl；　and　a　chrysolite；　upon　every　one　of　which　was　again　engraved　one　of　the　forementi