the wars of the jews-第134节

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　lower　part　of　the　city；　and　undergo　the　principal　dangers；　while　they　themselves　seized　on　the　upper　citadel；　and　held　it；　and　this　both　on　account　of　its　strength；　and　to　provide　for　their　own　safety。　They　also　supposed　they　might　obtain　their　pardon；　in　case　they　should　＇at　last＇　surrender　the　citadel。　However；　they　were　willing　to　make　trial；　in　the　first　place；　whether　the　hopes　they　had　of　avoiding　a　siege　would　come　to　any　thing；　with　which　intention　they　made　sallies　every　day；　and　fought　with　those　that　met　them；　in　which　conflicts　they　were　many　of　them　slain；　as　they　therein　slew　many　of　the　Romans。　But　still　it　was　the　opportunities　that　presented　themselves　which　chiefly　gained　both　sides　their　victories；　these　were　gained　by　the　Jews；　when　they　fell　upon　the　Romans　as　they　were　off　their　guard；　but　by　the　Romans；　when；　upon　the　others'　sallies　against　their　banks；　they　foresaw　their　coming；　and　were　upon　their　lard　when　they　received　them。　But　the　conclusion　of　this　siege　did　not　depend　upon　these　bickerings；　but　a　certain　surprising　accident；　relating　to　what　was　done　in　this　siege；　forced　the　Jews　to　surrender　the　citadel。　There　was　a　certain　young　man　among　the　besieged；　of　great　boldness；　and　very　active　of　his　hand；　his　name　was　Eleazar；　he　greatly　signalized　himself　in　those　sallies；　and　encouraged　the　Jews　to　go　out　in　great　numbers；　in　order　to　hinder　the　raising　of　the　banks；　and　did　the　Romans　a　vast　deal　of　mischief　when　they　came　to　fighting；　he　so　managed　matters；　that　those　who　sallied　out　made　their　attacks　easily；　and　returned　back　without　danger；　and　this　by　still　bringing　up　the　rear　himself。　Now　it　happened　that；　on　a　certain　time；　when　the　fight　was　over；　and　both　sides　were　parted；　and　retired　home；　he；　in　way　of　contempt　of　the　enemy；　and　thinking　that　none　of　them　would　begin　the　fight　again　at　that　time；　staid　without　the　gates；　and　talked　with　those　that　were　upon　the　wall；　and　his　mind　was　wholly　intent　upon　what　they　said。　Now　a　certain　person　belonging　to　the　Roman　camp；　whose　lame　was　Rufus；　by　birth　an　Egyptian；　ran　upon　him　suddenly；　when　nobody　expected　such　a　thing；　and　carried　him　off；　with　his　armor　itself；　while；　in　the　mean　time；　those　that　saw　it　from　the　wall　were　under　such　an　amazement；　that　Rufus　prevented　their　assistance；　and　carried　Eleazar　to　the　Roman　camp。　So　the　general　of　the　Romans　ordered　that　he　should　be　taken　up　naked；　set　before　the　city　to　be　seen；　and　sorely　whipped　before　their　eyes。　Upon　this　sad　accident　that　befell　the　young　man；　the　Jews　were　terribly　confounded；　and　the　city；　with　one　voice；　sorely　lamented　him；　and　the　mourning　proved　greater　than　could　well　be　supposed　upon　the　calamity　of　a　single　person。　When　Bassus　perceived　that；　he　began　to　think　of　using　a　stratagem　against　the　enemy；　and　was　desirous　to　aggravate　their　grief；　in　order　to　prevail　with　them　to　surrender　the　city　for　the　preservation　of　that　man。　Nor　did　he　fail　of　his　hope；　for　he　commanded　them　to　set　up　a　cross；　as　if　he　were　just　going　to　hang　Eleazar　upon　it　immediately；　the　sight　of　this　occasioned　a　sore　grief　among　those　that　were　in　the　citadel；　and　they　groaned　vehemently；　and　cried　out　that　they　could　not　bear　to　see　him　thus　destroyed。　Whereupon　Eleazar　besought　them　not　to　disregard　him；　now　he　was　going　to　suffer　a　most　miserable　death；　and　exhorted　them　to　save　themselves；　by　yielding　to　the　Roman　power　and　good　fortune；　since　all　other　people　were　now　conquered　by　them。　These　men　were　greatly　moved　with　what　he　said；　there　being　also　many　within　the　city　that　interceded　for　him；　because　he　was　of　an　eminent　and　very　numerous　family；　so　they　now　yielded　to　their　passion　of　commiseration；　contrary　to　their　usual　custom。　Accordingly；　they　sent　out　immediately　certain　messengers；　and　treated　with　the　Romans；　in　order　to　a　surrender　of　the　citadel　to　them；　and　desired　that　they　might　be　permitted　to　go　away；　and　take　Eleazar　along　with　them。　Then　did　the　Romans　and　their　general　accept　of　these　terms；　while　the　multitude　of　strangers　that　were　in　the　lower　part　of　the　city；　hearing　of　the　agreement　that　was　made　by　the　Jews　for　themselves　alone；　were　resolved　to　fly　away　privately　in　the　night　time；　but　as　soon　as　they　had　opened　their　gates；　those　that　had　come　to　terms　with　Bassus　told　him　of　it；　whether　it　were　that　they　envied　the　others'　deliverance；　or　whether　it　were　done　out　of　fear；　lest　an　occasion　should　be　taken　against　them　upon　their　escape；　is　uncertain。　The　most　courageous；　therefore；　of　those　men　that　went　out　prevented　the　enemy；　and　got　away；　and　fled　for　it；　but　for　those　men　that　were　caught　within　they　　　　5。　When　Bassus　had　settled　these　affairs；　he　marched　hastily　to　the　forest　of　Jarden；　as　it　is　called；　for　he　had　heard　that　a　great　many　of　those　that　had　fled　from　Jerusalem　and　Macherus　formerly　were　there　gotten　together。　When　he　was　therefore　come　to　the　place；　and　understood　that　the　former　news　was　no　mistake；　he；　in　the　first　place；　surrounded　the　whole　place　with　his　horsemen；　that　such　of　the　Jews　as　had　boldness　enough　to　try　to　break　through　might　have　no　way　possible　for　escaping；　by　reason　of　the　situation　of　these　horsemen；　and　for　the　footmen；　he　ordered　them　to　cut　down　the　trees　that　were　in　the　wood　whither　they　were　fled。　So　the　Jews　were　under　a　necessity　of　performing　some　glorious　exploit；　and　of　greatly　exposing　themselves　in　a　battle；　since　they　might　perhaps　thereby　escape。　So　they　made　a　general　attack；　and　with　a　great　shout　fell　upon　those　that　surrounded　them；　who　received　them　with　great　courage；　and　so　while　the　one　side　fought　desperately；　and　the　others　would　not　yield；　the　fight　was　prolonged　on　that　account。　But　the　event　of　the　battle　did　not　answer　the　expectation　of　the　assailants；　for　so　it　happened；　that　no　more　than　twelve　fell　on　the　Roman　side；　with　a　few　that　were　wounded；　but　not　one　of　the　Jews　escaped　out　of　this　battle；　but　they　were　all　killed；　being　in　the　whole　not　fewer　in　number　than　three　thousand；　together　with　Judas；　the　son　of　Jairus；　their　general；　concerning　whom　we　have　before　spoken；　that　he　had　been　a　captain　of　a　certain　band　at　the　siege　of　Jerusalem；　and　by　going　down　into　a　certain　vault　under　ground；　had　privately　made　his　escape。　　　　6。　About　the　same　time　it　was　that　Caesar　sent　a　letter　to　Bassus；　and　to　Liberius　Maximus；　who　was　the　procurator　＇of　Judea＇；　and　gave　order　that　all　Judea　should　be　exposed　to　sale　（12）　for　he　did　not　found　any　city　there；　but　reserved　the　country　for　himself。　However；　he　assigned　a　place　for　eight　hundred　men　only；　whom　he　had　dismissed　from　his　army；　which　he　gave　them　for　their　habitation；　it　is　called　Emmaus；　（13）　and　is　distant　from　Jerusalem　threescore　furlongs。　He　also　laid　a　tribute　upon　the　Jews　wheresoever　they　were；　and　enjoined　every　one　of　them　to　bring　two　drachmae　every　year　into　the　Capitol；　as　they　used　to　pay　the　same　to　the　temple　at　Jerusalem。　And　this　was　the　state　of　the　Jewish　affairs　at　this　time。　　　　CHAPTER　7。　　　　　　　　　　Concerning　The　Calamity　That　Befell　Antiochus；　King　Of　Commagene。　As　Also　Concerning　The　Alans　And　What　Great　Mischiefs　They　Did　To　The　Medes　And　Armenians。　　　　1。　And　now；　in　the　fourth　year　of　the　reign　of　Vespasian；　it　came　to　pass　that　Antiochus；　the　king　of　Commagene；　with　all　his　family；　fell　into　very　great　calamities。　The　occasion　was　this：　Cesennius　Petus；　who　was　president　of　Syria　at　this　time；　whether　it　were　done　out　of　regard　to　truth；　or　whether　out　of　hatred　to　Antiochus；　（for　which　was　the　real　motive　was　never　thoroughly　discovered；）　sent　an　epistle　to　Caesar；　and　therein　told　him　that　Antiochus；　with　his　son　Epiphanes；　had　resolved　to　rebel　against　the　Romans；　and　had　made　a　league　with　the　king　of　Parthia　to　that　purpose；　that　it　was　therefore　fit　to　prevent　them；　lest　they　prevent　us；　and　begin　such　a　war　as　may　cause　a　general　disturbance　in　the　Roman　empire。　Now　Caesar　was　disposed　to　take　some　care　about　the　matter；　since　this　discovery　was　made；　for　the　neighborhood　of　the　kingdoms　made　this　affair　worthy　of　greater　regard；　for　Samoseta；　the　capital　of　Commagene；　lies　upon　Euphrates；　and　upon　any　such　design　could　afford　an　easy　passage　over　it　to　the　Parthians；　and　could　also　afford　them　a　secure　reception。　Petus　was　accordingly　believed；　and　had　authority　given　him　of　doing　what　he　should　think　proper　in　the　case；　so　he　set　about　it　without　delay；　and　fell　upon　Commagene　before　Antiochus　and　his　people　had　the　least　expectation　of　his　coming：　he　had　with　him　the　tenth　legion；　as　also　some　cohorts　and　troops　of　horsemen。　These　kings　also　came　to　his　assistance：　Aristobulus；　king　of　the　country　called　Chalcidene；　and　Sohemus；　who　was　called　king　of　Emesa。　Nor　was　there　any　opposition　made　to　his　forces　when　they　entered　the　kingdom；　for　no　one　of　that　country　would　so　much　as　lift　up　his　hand　against　them。　When　Antiochus　heard　this　unexpected　news；　he　could　not　think　in　the　least　of　making　war　with　the　Romans；　but　determined　to　leave　his　whole　kingdom　in　the　state　wherein　it　now　was；　and　to　retire　privately；　with　his　wife　and　children；　as　thinking　thereby　to　demonstrate　himself　to　the　Romans　to　be　innocent　as　to　the　accusation　laid　against　him。　So　he　went　away　from　that　city　as　far　as　a　hundred