the wars of the jews-第115节

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hem；　and　did　not　give　way　to　any　of　those　dangers　that　came　upon　them　from　above；　and　so　they　brought　their　engines　to　bear。　But　then；　as　they　were　beneath　the　other；　and　were　sadly　wounded　by　the　stones　thrown　down　upon　them；　some　of　them　threw　their　shields　over　their　bodies；　and　partly　with　their　hands；　and　partly　with　their　bodies；　and　partly　with　crows；　they　undermined　its　foundations；　and　with　great　pains　they　removed　four　of　its　stones。　Then　night　　came　upon　both　sides；　and　put　an　end　to　this　struggle　for　the　present；　however；　that　night　the　wall　was　so　shaken　by　the　battering　rams　in　that　place　where　John　had　used　his　stratagem　before；　and　had　undermined　their　banks；　that　the　ground　then　gave　way；　and　the　wall　fell　down　suddenly。　　　　4。　When　this　accident　had　unexpectedly　happened；　the　minds　of　both　parties　were　variously　affected；　for　though　one　would　expect　that　the　Jews　would　be　discouraged；　because　this　fall　of　their　wall　was　unexpected　by　them；　and　they　had　made　no　provision　in　that　case；　yet　did　they　pull　up　their　courage；　because　the　tower　of　Antonia　itself　was　still　standing；　as　was　the　unexpected　joy　of　the　Romans　at　this　fall　of　the　wall　soon　quenched　by　the　sight　they　had　of　another　wall；　which　John　and　his　party　had　built　within　it。　However；　the　attack　of　this　second　wall　appeared　to　be　　easier　than　that　of　the　former；　because　it　seemed　a　thing　of　greater　facility　to　get　up　to　it　through　the　parts　of　the　former　wall　that　were　now　thrown　down。　This　new　wall　appeared　also　to　be　much　weaker　than　the　tower　of　Antonia；　and　accordingly　the　Romans　imagined　that　it　had　been　erected　so　much　on　the　sudden；　that　they　should　soon　overthrow　it：　yet　did　not　any　body　venture　now　to　go　up　to　this　wall；　for　that　such　as　first　ventured　so　to　do　must　certainly　be　killed。　

5。　And　now　Titus；　upon　consideration　that　the　alacrity　of　soldiers　in　war　is　chiefly　excited　by　hopes　and　by　good　words；　and　that　exhortations　and　promises　do　frequently　make　men　to　forget　the　hazards　they　run；　nay；　sometimes　to　despise　death　itself；　got　together　the　most　courageous　part　of　his　army；　and　tried　what　he　could　do　with　his　men　by　these　methods。　〃O　fellow　soldiers；〃　said　he；　〃to　make　an　exhortation　to　men　to　do　what　hath　no　peril　in　it；　is　on　that　very　account　inglorious　to　such　to　whom　that　exhortation　is　made；　and　indeed　so　it　is　in　him　that　makes　the　exhortation；　an　argument　of　his　own　cowardice　also。　I　　therefore　think　that　such　exhortations　ought　then　only　to　be　made　use　of　when　affairs　are　in　a　dangerous　condition；　and　yet　are　worthy　of　being　attempted　by　every　one　themselves；　accordingly；　I　am　fully　of　the　same　opinion　with　you；　that　it　is　a　difficult　task　to　go　up　this　wall；　but　that　it　is　proper　for　those　that　desire　reputation　for　their　valor　to　struggle　with　difficulties　in　such　cases　will　then　appear；　when　I　have　particularly　shown　that　it　is　a　brave　thing　to　die　with　glory；　and　that　the　courage　here　necessary　shall　not　go　unrewarded　in　those　that　first　begin　the　attempt。　And　let　my　first　argument　to　move　you　to　it　be　taken　from　what　probably　some　would　think　reasonable　to　dissuade　you；　I　mean　the　constancy　and　patience　of　these　Jews；　even　under　their　ill　successes；　for　it　is　unbecoming　you；　who　are　Romans　and　my　soldiers；　who　have　in　peace　been　taught　how　to　make　wars；　and　who　have　also　been　used　to　conquer　in　those　wars；　to　be　inferior　to　Jews；　either　in　action　of　the　hand；　or　in　courage　of　the　soul；　and　this　especially　when　you　are　at　the　conclusion　of　your　victory；　and　are　assisted　by　God　himself；　for　as　to　our　misfortunes；　they　have　been　owing　to　the　madness　of　the　Jews；　while　their　sufferings　have　been　owing　to　your　valor；　and　to　the　assistance　God　hath　afforded　you；　for　as　to　the　seditions　they　have　been　in；　and　the　famine　they　are　under；　and　the　siege　they　now　endure；　and　the　fall　of　their　walls　without　our　engines；　what　can　they　all　be　but　demonstrations　of　　God's　anger　against　them；　and　of　his　assistance　afforded　us？　It　will　not　therefore　be　proper　for　you；　either　to　show　yourselves　inferior　to　those　to　whom　you　are　really　superior；　or　to　betray　that　Divine　assistance　which　is　afforded　you。　And；　indeed；　how　can　it　be　esteemed　otherwise　than　a　base　and　unworthy　thing；　that　while　the　Jews；　who　need　not　be　much　ashamed　if　they　be　deserted；　because　they　have　long　learned　to　be　slaves　to　others；　do　yet　despise　death；　that　they　may　be　so　no　longer；　and　do　make　sallies　into　the　very　midst　of　us　frequently；　no　in　hopes　of　conquering　us；　but　merely　for　a　demonstration　of　their　courage；　we；　who　have　gotten　possession　of　almost　all　the　world　that　belongs　to　either　land　or　sea；　to　whom　it　will　be　a　great　shame　if　we　do　not　conquer　them；　do　not　once　undertake　any　attempt　against　our　enemies　wherein　there　is　much　danger；　but　sit　still　idle；　with　such　brave　arms　as　we　have；　and　only　wait　till　the　famine　and　fortune　do　our　business　themselves；　and　this　when　we　have　it　in　our　power；　with　some　small　hazard；　to　gain　all　that　we　desire！　For　if　we　go　up　to　this　tower　of　Antonia；　we　gain　the　city；　for　if　there　should　be　any　more　occasion　for　fighting　against　those　within　the　city；　which　I　do　not　suppose　there　will；　since　we　shall　then　be　upon　the　top　of　the　hill　（1）　and　be　upon　our　enemies　before　they　can　have　taken　breath；　these　advantages　promise　us　no　less　than　a　certain　and　sudden　victory。　As　for　myself；　I　shall　at　present　wave　any　commendation　of　those　who　die　in　war；　（2）　and　omit　to　speak　of　the　immortality　of　those　men　who　are　slain　in　the　midst　of　their　martial　bravery；　yet　cannot　I　forbear　to　imprecate　upon　those　who　are　of　a　contrary　disposition；　that　they　may　die　in　time　of　peace；　by　some　distemper　or　other；　since　their　souls　are　condemned　to　the　grave；　　together　with　their　bodies。　For　what　man　of　virtue　is　there　who　does　not　know；　that　those　souls　which　are　severed　from　their　fleshly　bodies　in　battles　by　the　sword　are　received　by　the　ether；　that　purest　of　elements；　and　joined　to　that　company　which　are　placed　among　the　stars；　that　they　become　good　demons；　and　propitious　heroes；　and　show　themselves　as　such　to　their　posterity　afterwards？　while　upon　those　souls　that　wear　away　in　and　with　their　distempered　bodies　comes　a　subterranean　night　to　dissolve　them　to　nothing；　and　a　deep　oblivion　to　take　away　all　the　remembrance　of　them；　and　this　notwithstanding　they　be　clean　from　all　spots　and　defilements　of　this　world；　so　that；　in　this　ease；　the　soul　at　the　same　time　comes　to　the　utmost　bounds　of　its　life；　and　of　its　body；　and　of　its　memorial　also。　But　since　he　hath　determined　that　death　is　to　come　of　necessity　upon　all　men；　a　sword　is　a　better　instrument　for　that　purpose　than　any　disease　whatsoever。　Why　is　it　not　then　a　very　mean　thing　for　us　not　to　yield　up　that　to　the　public　benefit　which　we　must　yield　up　to　fate？　And　this　discourse　have　I　made；　upon　the　supposition　that　those　who　at　first　attempt　to　go　upon　this　wall　must　needs　be　killed　in　the　attempt；　though　still　men　of　true　courage　have　a　chance　to　escape　even　in　the　most　hazardous　　undertakings。　For；　in　the　first　place；　that　part　of　the　former　wall　that　is　thrown　down　is　easily　to　be　ascended；　and　for　the　new…built　wall；　it　is　easily　destroyed。　Do　you；　therefore；　many　of　you；　pull　up　your　courage；　and　set　about　this　work；　and　do　you　mutually　encourage　and　assist　one　another；　and　this　your　bravery　will　soon　break　the　hearts　of　your　enemies；　and　perhaps　such　a　glorious　undertaking　as　yours　is　may　be　accomplished　without　bloodshed。　For　although　it　be　justly　to　be　supposed　that　the　Jews　will　try　to　hinder　you　at　your　first　beginning　to　go　up　to　them；　yet　when　you　have　once　concealed　yourselves　from　them；　and　driven　them　away　by　force；　they　will　not　be　able　to　sustain　your　efforts　against　them　any　longer；　though　but　a　few　of　you　prevent　them；　and　get　over　the　wall。　As　for　that　person　who　first　mounts　the　wall；　I　should　blush　for　shame　if　I　did　not　make　him　to　be　envied　of　others；　by　those　rewards　I　would　bestow　upon　him。　If　such　a　one　escape　with　his　life；　he　shall　have　the　command　of　others　that　are　now　but　his　equals；　although　it　be　true　also　that　the　greatest　rewards　will　accrue　to　such　as　die　in　the　attempt。〃　（3）　　　　6。　Upon　this　speech　of　Titus；　the　rest　of　the　multitude　were　afrighted　at　so　great　a　danger。　But　there　was　one；　whose　name　was　Sabinus；　a　soldier　that　served　among　the　cohorts；　and　a　Syrian　by　birth；　who　appeared　to　be　of　very　great　fortitude；　both　in　the　actions　he　had　done；　and　the　courage　of　his　soul　he　had　shown；　although　any　body　would　have　thought；　before　he　came　to　his　work；　that　he　was　of　such　a　weak　constitution　of　body；　that　he　was　not　fit　to　be　a　soldier；　for　his　color　was　black；　his　flesh　was　lean　and　thin；　and　lay　close　together；　but　there　was　a　certain　heroic　soul　that　dwelt　in　this　small　body；　which　body　was　indeed　much　too　narrow　for　that　peculiar　courage　which　was　in　him。　Accordingly　he　was　the　first　that　rose　up；　when　he　thus　spake：　〃I　readily　surrender　up　myself　to　thee；　O　Caesar；　I　first　ascend　the　wall；　and　I　heartily　wish　that　my　fortune　may　follow　my　courage　and　my　resolution　And　if　some　ill　fortune　grudge　me　the　success　of　my　undertaking；　take　notice　that　my　ill　success　will　not　be　unexpected；　but　that　I　choose　death　voluntarily　for　thy　sake。〃　When　he　had　said　th