the wars of the jews-第18节

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o　action；　we　ought　to　erect　our　minds；　and　to　make　our　enemies；　be　they　ever　so　wicked；　believe　that　neither　any　human；　no；　nor　any　providential　misfortune；　can　ever　depress　the　courage　of　Jews　while　they　are　alive；　nor　will　any　of　them　ever　overlook　an　Arabian；　or　suffer　such　a　one　to　become　lord　of　his　good　things；　whom　he　has　in　a　manner　taken　captive；　and　that　many　times　also。　And　do　not　you　disturb　yourselves　at　the　quaking　of　inanimate　creatures；　nor　do　you　imagine　that　this　earthquake　is　a　sign　of　another　calamity；　for　such　affections　of　the　elements　are　according　to　the　course　of　nature；　nor　does　it　import　any　thing　further　to　men；　than　what　mischief　it　does　immediately　of　itself。　Perhaps　there　may　come　some　short　sign　beforehand　in　the　case　of　pestilences；　and　famines；　and　earthquakes；　but　these　calamities　themselves　have　their　force　limited　by　themselves　＇without　foreboding　any　other　calamity＇。　And　indeed　what　greater　mischief　can　the　war；　though　it　should　be　a　violent　one；　do　to　us　than　the　earthquake　hath　done？　Nay；　there　is　a　signal　of　our　enemies'　destruction　visible；　and　that　a　very　great　one　also；　and　this　is　not　a　natural　one；　nor　derived　from　the　hand　of　foreigners　neither；　but　it　is　this；　that　they　have　barbarously　murdered　our　ambassadors；　contrary　to　the　common　law　of　mankind；　and　they　have　destroyed　so　many；　as　if　they　esteemed　them　sacrifices　for　God；　in　relation　to　this　war。　But　they　will　not　avoid　his　great　eye；　nor　his　invincible　right　hand；　and　we　shall　be　revenged　of　them　presently；　in　case　we　still　retain　any　of　the　courage　of　our　forefathers；　and　rise　up　boldly　to　punish　these　covenant…breakers。　Let　every　one　therefore　go　on　and　fight；　not　so　much　for　his　wife　or　his　children；　or　for　the　danger　his　country　is　in；　as　for　these　ambassadors　of　ours；　those　dead　ambassadors　will　conduct　this　war　of　ours　better　than　we　ourselves　who　are　alive。　And　if　you　will　be　ruled　by　me；　I　will　myself　go　before　you　into　danger；　for　you　know　this　well　enough；　that　your　courage　is　irresistible；　unless　you　hurt　yourselves　by　acting　rashly。　（30）

5。　When　Herod　had　encouraged　them　by　this　speech；　and　he　saw　with　what　alacrity　they　went；　he　offered　sacrifice　to　God；　and　after　that　sacrifice；　he　passed　over　the　river　Jordan　with　his　army；　and　pitched　his　camp　about　Philadelphia；　near　the　enemy；　and　about　a　fortification　that　lay　between　them。　He　then　shot　at　them　at　a　distance；　and　was　desirous　to　come　to　an　engagement　presently；　for　some　of　them　had　been　sent　beforehand　to　seize　upon　that　fortification：　but　the　king　sent　some　who　immediately　beat　them　out　of　the　fortification；　while　he　himself　went　in　the　forefront　of　the　army；　which　he　put　in　battle…array　every　day；　and　invited　the　Arabians　to　fight。　But　as　none　of　them　came　out　of　their　camp；　for　they　were　in　a　terrible　fright；　and　their　general；　Elthemus；　was　not　able　to　say　a　word　for　fear；　…　so　Herod　came　upon　them；　and　pulled　their　fortification　to　pieces；　by　which　means　they　were　compelled　to　come　out　to　fight；　which　they　did　in　disorder；　and　so　that　the　horsemen　and　foot…men　were　mixed　together。　They　were　indeed　superior　to　the　Jews　in　number；　but　inferior　in　their　alacrity；　although　they　were　obliged　to　expose　themselves　to　danger　by　their　very　despair　of　victory。　　6。　Now　while　they　made　opposition；　they　had　not　a　great　number　slain；　but　as　soon　as　they　turned　their　backs；　a　great　many　were　trodden　to　pieces　by　the　Jews；　and　a　great　many　by　themselves；　and　so　perished；　till　five　thousand　were　fallen　down　dead　in　their　flight；　while　the　rest　of　the　multitude　prevented　their　immediate　death；　by　crowding　into　the　fortification。　Herod　encompassed　these　around；　and　besieged　them；　and　while　they　were　ready　to　be　taken　by　their　enemies　in　arms；　they　had　another　additional　distress　upon　them；　which　was　thirst　and　want　of　water；　for　the　king　was　above　hearkening　to　their　ambassadors；　and　when　they　offered　five　hundred　talents；　as　the　price　of　their　redemption；　he　pressed　still　harder　upon　them。　And　as　they　were　burnt　up　by　their　thirst；　they　came　out　and　voluntarily　delivered　themselves　up　by　multitudes　to　the　Jews；　till　in　five　days'　time　four　thousand　of　them　were　put　into　bonds；　and　on　the　sixth　day　the　multitude　that　were　left　despaired　of　saving　themselves；　and　came　out　to　fight：　with　these　Herod　fought；　and　slew　again　about　seven　thousand；　insomuch　that　he　punished　Arabia　so　severely；　and　so　far　extinguished　the　spirits　of　the　men；　that　he　was　chosen　by　the　nation　for　their　ruler。

CHAPTER　20。

Herod　Is　Confirmed　In　His　Kingdom　By　Caesar；　And　Cultivates　A　Friendship　With　The　Emperor　By　Magnificent　Presents；　While　Caesar　Returns　His　Kindness　By　Bestowing　On　Him　That　Part　Of　His　Kingdom　Which　Had　Been　Taken　Away　From　It　By　Cleopatra　With　The　Addition　Of　Zenodoruss　Country　Also。

1。　But　now　Herod　was　under　immediate　concern　about　a　most　important　affair；　on　account　of　his　friendship　with　Antony；　who　was　already　overcome　at　Actium　by　Caesar；　yet　he　was　more　afraid　than　hurt；　for　Caesar　did　not　think　he　had　quite　undone　Antony；　while　Herod　continued　his　assistance　to　him。　However；　the　king　resolved　to　expose　himself　to　dangers：　accordingly　he　sailed　to　Rhodes；　where　Caesar　then　abode；　and　came　to　him　without　his　diadem；　and　in　the　habit　and　appearance　of　a　private　person；　but　in　his　behavior　as　a　king。　So　he　concealed　nothing　of　the　truth；　but　spike　thus　before　his　face：　〃O　Caesar；　as　I　was　made　king　of　the　Jews　by　Antony；　so　do　I　profess　that　I　have　used　my　royal　authority　in　the　best　manner；　and　entirely　for　his　advantage；　nor　will　I　conceal　this　further；　that　thou　hadst　certainly　found　me　in　arms；　and　an　inseparable　companion　of　his；　had　not　the　Arabians　hindered　me。　However；　I　sent　him　as　many　auxiliaries　as　I　was　able；　and　many　ten　thousand　＇cori＇　of　corn。　Nay；　indeed；　I　did　not　desert　my　benefactor　after　the　bow　that　was　given　him　at　Actium；　but　I　gave　him　the　best　advice　I　was　able；　when　I　was　no　longer　able　to　assist　him　in　the　war；　and　I　told　him　that　there　was　but　one　way　of　recovering　his　affairs；　and　that　was　to　kill　Cleopatra；　and　I　promised　him　that；　if　she　were　once　dead；　I　would　afford　him　money　and　walls　for　his　security；　with　an　army　and　myself　to　assist　him　in　his　war　against　thee：　but　his　affections　for　Cleopatra　stopped　his　ears；　as　did　God　himself　also　who　hath　bestowed　the　government　on　thee。　I　own　myself　also　to　be　overcome　together　with　him；　and　with　his　last　fortune　I　have　laid　aside　my　diadem；　and　am　come　hither　to　thee；　having　my　hopes　of　safety　in　thy　virtue；　and　I　desire　that　thou　wilt　first　consider　how　faithful　a　friend；　and　not　whose　friend；　I　have　been。〃

2。　Caesar　replied　to　him　thus：　〃Nay；　thou　shalt　not　only　be　in　safety；　but　thou　shalt　be　a　king；　and　that　more　firmly　than　thou　wast　before；　for　thou　art　worthy　to　reign　over　a　great　many　subjects；　by　reason　of　the　fastness　of　thy　friendship；　and　do　thou　endeavor　to　be　equally　constant　in　thy　friendship　to　me；　upon　my　good　success；　which　is　what　I　depend　upon　from　the　generosity　of　thy　disposition。　However；　Antony　hath　done　well　in　preferring　Cleopatra　to　thee；　for　by　this　means　we　have　gained　thee　by　her　madness；　and　thus　thou　hast　begun　to　be　my　friend　before　I　began　to　be　thine；　on　which　account　Quintus　Didius　hath　written　to　me　that　thou　sentest　him　assistance　against　the　gladiators。　I　do　therefore　assure　thee　that　I　will　confirm　the　kingdom　to　thee　by　decree：　I　shall　also　endeavor　to　do　thee　some　further　kindness　hereafter；　that　thou　mayst　find　no　loss　in　the　want　of　Antony。〃

3。　When　Caesar　had　spoken　such　obliging　things　to　the　king；　and　had　put　the　diadem　again　about　his　head；　he　proclaimed　what　he　had　bestowed　on　him　by　a　decree；　in　which　he　enlarged　in　the　commendation　of　the　man　after　a　magnificent　manner。　Whereupon　Herod　obliged　him　to　be　kind　to　him　by　the　presents　he　gave　him；　and　he　desired　him　to　forgive　Alexander；　one　of　Antony's　friends；　who　was　become　a　supplicant　to　him。　But　Caesar's　anger　against　him　prevailed；　and　he　complained　of　the　many　and　very　great　offenses　the　man　whom　he　petitioned　for　had　been　guilty　of；　and　by　that　means　he　rejected　his　petition。　After　this　Caesar　went　for　Egypt　through　Syria；　when　Herod　received　him　with　royal　and　rich　entertainments；　and　then　did　he　first　of　all　ride　along　with　Caesar；　as　he　was　reviewing　his　army　about　Ptolemais；　and　feasted　him　with　all　his　friends；　and　then　distributed　among　the　rest　of　the　army　what　was　necessary　to　feast　them　withal。　He　also　made　a　plentiful　provision　of　water　for　them；　when　they　were　to　march　as　far　as　Pelusium；　through　a　dry　country；　which　he　did　also　in　like　manner　at　their　return　thence；　nor　were　there　any　necessaries　wanting　to　that　army。　It　was　therefore　the　opinion；　both　of　Caesar　and　of　his　soldiers；　that　Herod's　kingdom　was　too　small　for　those　generous　presents　he　made　them；　for　which　reason；　when　Caesar　was　come　into　Egypt；　and　Cleopatra　and　Antony　were　dead；　he　did　not　only　bestow　other　marks　of　honor　upon　him；　but　made　an　addition　to　his　kingdom；　by　giving　him　not　only　the　country　which　had　been　taken　from　him　by　Cleopatra；　but　besides　that；　Gadara；　and　Hippos；　and　Samaria；　and　moreover；　of　the　maritime　cities；　Gaza　（31）　and　Anthedon；　and　Joppa；　and　Strato's　Tower。　He　also　made　him　a　pr