the wars of the jews-第72节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


mans；　but　to　bring　the　authors　of　this　revolt　to　due　punishment；　who　had　hitherto　so　watched　them；　that　though　they　were　zealous　to　give　them　the　security　of　their　right　hands　of　a　long　time；　yet　could　they　not　accomplish　the　same。　With　these　supplications　the　general　complied；　although　he　were　very　angry　at　the　whole　city　about　the　carrying　off　his　horses；　and　this　because　he　saw　that　Agrippa　was　under　a　great　concern　for　them。　So　when　Vespasian　and　Agrippa　had　accepted　of　their　right　hands　by　way　of　security；　Jesus　and　his　party　thought　it　not　safe　for　them　to　continue　at　Tiberias；　so　they　ran　away　to　Tarichete。　The　next　day　Vespasian　sent　Trajan　before　with　some　horsemen　to　the　citadel；　to　make　trial　of　the　multitude；　whether　they　were　all　disposed　for　peace；　and　as　soon　as　he　knew　that　the　people　were　of　the　same　mind　with　the　petitioner；　he　took　his　army；　and　went　to　the　city；　upon　which　the　citizens　opened　to　him　their　gates；　and　met　him　with　acclamations　of　joy；　and　called　him　their　savior　and　benefactor。　But　as　the　army　was　a　great　while　in　getting　in　at　the　gates；　they　were　so　narrow；　Vespasian　commanded　the　south　wall　to　be　broken　down；　and　so　made　a　broad　passage　for　their　entrance。　However；　he　charged　them　to　abstain　from　rapine　and　injustice；　in　order　to　gratify　the　king；　and　on　his　account　spared　the　rest　of　the　wall；　while　the　king　undertook　for　them　that　they　should　continue　＇faithful　to　the　Romans＇　for　the　time　to　come。　And　thus　did　he　restore　this　city　to　a　quiet　state；　after　it　had　been　grievously　afflicted　by　the　sedition。　

CHAPTER　10。

How　Taricheae　Was　Taken。　A　Description　Of　The　River　Jordan；　And　Of　The　Country　Of　Gennesareth。

1。　And　now　Vespasian　pitched　his　camp　between　this　city　and　Taricheae；　but　fortified　his　camp　more　strongly；　as　suspecting　that　he　should　be　forced　to　stay　there；　and　have　a　long　war；　for　all　the　innovators　had　gotten　together　at　Taricheae；　as　relying　upon　the　strength　of　the　city；　and　on　the　lake　that　lay　by　it。　This　lake　is　called　by　the　people　of　the　country　the　Lake　of　Gennesareth。　The　city　itself　is　situated　like　Tiberias；　at　the　bottom　of　a　mountain；　and　on　those　sides　which　are　not　washed　by　the　sea；　had　been　strongly　fortified　by　Josephus；　though　not　so　strongly　as　Tiberias；　for　the　wall　of　Tiberias　had　been　built　at　the　beginning　of　the　Jews'　revolt；　when　he　had　great　plenty　of　money；　and　great　power；　but　Tarichese　partook　only　the　remains　of　that　liberality；　Yet　had　they　a　great　number　of　ships　gotten　ready　upon　the　lake；　that；　in　case　they　were　beaten　at　land；　they　might　retire　to　them；　and　they　were　so　fitted　up；　that　they　might　undertake　a　Sea…fight　also。　But　as　the　Romans　were　building　a　wall　about　their　camp；　Jesu　and　his　party　were　neither　affrighted　at　their　number；　nor　at　the　good　order　they　were　in；　but　made　a　sally　upon　them；　and　at　the　very　first　onset　the　builders　of　the　wall　were　dispersed；　and　these　pulled　what　little　they　had　before　built　to　pieces；　but　as　soon　as　they　saw　the　armed　men　getting　together；　and　before　they　had　suffered　any　thing　themselves；　they　retired　to　their　own　men。　But　then　the　Romans　pursued　them；　and　drove　them　into　their　ships；　where　they　launched　out　as　far　as　might　give　them　the　opportunity　of　reaching　the　Romans　with　what　they　threw　at　them；　and　then　cast　anchor；　and　brought　their　ships　close；　as　in　a　line　of　battle；　and　thence　fought　the　enemy　from　the　sea；　who　were　themselves　at　land。　But　Vespasian　hearing　that　a　great　multitude　of　them　were　gotten　together　in　the　plain　that　was　before　the　city；　he　thereupon　sent　his　son；　with　six　hundred　chosen　horsemen；　to　disperse　them。

2。　But　when　Titus　perceived　that　the　enemy　was　very　numerous；　he　sent　to　his　father；　and　informed　him　that　he　should　want　more　forces。　But　as　he　saw　a　great　many　of　the　horsemen　eager　to　fight；　and　that　before　any　succors　could　come　to　them；　and　that　yet　some　of　them　were　privately　under　a　sort　of　consternation　at　the　multitude　of　the　Jews；　he　stood　in　a　place　whence　he　might　be　heard；　and　said　to　them；　〃My　brave　Romans！　for　it　is　right　for　me　to　put　you　in　mind　of　what　nation　you　are；　in　the　beginning　of　my　speech；　that　so　you　may　not　be　ignorant　who　you　are；　and　who　they　are　against　whom　we　are　going　to　fight。　For　as　to　us；　Romans；　no　part　of　the　habitable　earth　hath　been　able　to　escape　our　hands　hitherto；　but　as　for　the　Jews；　that　I　may　speak　of　them　too；　though　they　have　been　already　beaten；　yet　do　they　not　give　up　the　cause；　and　a　sad　thing　it　would　be　for　us　to　grow　wealthy　under　good　success；　when　they　bear　up　under　their　misfortunes。　As　to　the　alacrity　which　you　show　publicly；　I　see　it；　and　rejoice　at　it；　yet　am　I　afraid　lest　the　multitude　of　the　enemy　should　bring　a　concealed　fright　upon　some　of　you：　let　such　a　one　consider　again；　who　we　are　that　are　to　fight；　and　who　those　are　against　whom　we　are　to　fight。　Now　these　Jews；　though　they　be　very　bold　and　great　despisers　of　death；　are　but　a　disorderly　body；　and　unskillful　in　war；　and　may　rather　be　called　a　rout　than　an　army；　while　I　need　say　nothing　of　our　skill　and　our　good　order；　for　this　is　the　reason　why　we　Romans　alone　are　exercised　for　war　in　time　of　peace；　that　we　may　not　think　of　number　for　number　when　we　come　to　fight　with　our　enemies：　for　what　advantage　should　we　reap　by　our　continual　sort　of　warfare；　if　we　must　still　be　equal　in　number　to　such　as　have　not　been　used　to　war。　Consider　further；　that　you　are　to　have　a　conflict　with　men　in　effect　unarmed；　while　you　are　well　armed；　with　footmen；　while　you　are　horsemen；　with　those　that　have　no　good　general；　while　you　have　one；　and　as　these　advantages　make　you　in　effect　manifold　more　than　you　are；　so　do　their　disadvantages　mightily　diminish　their　number。　Now　it　is　not　the　multitude　of　men；　though　they　be　soldiers；　that　manages　wars　with　success；　but　it　is　their　bravery　that　does　it；　though　they　be　but　a　few；　for　a　few　are　easily　set　in　battle…array；　and　can　easily　assist　one　another；　while　over…numerous　armies　are　more　hurt　by　themselves　than　by　their　enemies。　It　is　boldness　and　rashness；　the　effects　of　madness；　that　conduct　the　Jews。　Those　passions　indeed　make　a　great　figure　when　they　succeed；　but　are　quite　extinguished　upon　the　least　ill　success；　but　we　are　led　on　by　courage；　and　obedience；　and　fortitude；　which　shows　itself　indeed　in　our　good　fortune；　but　still　does　not　for　ever　desert　us　in　our　ill　fortune。　Nay；　indeed；　your　fighting　is　to　be　on　greater　motives　than　those　of　the　Jews；　for　although　they　run　the　hazard　of　war　for　liberty；　and　for　their　country；　yet　what　can　be　a　greater　motive　to　us　than　glory？　and　that。　it　may　never　be　said；　that　after　we　have　got　dominion　of　the　habitable　earth；　the　Jews　are　able　to　confront　us。　We　must　also　reflect　upon　this；　that　there　is　no　fear　of　our　suffering　any　incurable　disaster　in　the　present　case；　for　those　that　are　ready　to　assist　us　are　many；　and　at　hand　also；　yet　it　is　in　our　power　to　seize　upon　this　victory　ourselves；　and　I　think　we　ought　to　prevent　the　coming　of　those　my　father　is　sending　to　us　for　our　assistance；　that　our　success　may　be　peculiar　to　ourselves；　and　of　greater　reputation　to　us。　And　I　cannot　but　think　this　an　opportunity　wherein　my　father；　and　I；　and　you　shall　be　all　put　to　the　trial；　whether　he　be　worthy　of　his　former　glorious　performances；　whether　I　be　his　son　in　reality；　and　whether　you　be　really　my　soldiers；　for　it　is　usual　for　my　father　to　conquer；　and　for　myself；　I　should　not　bear　the　thoughts　of　returning　to　him　if　I　were　once　taken　by　the　enemy。　And　how　will　you　be　able　to　avoid　being　ashamed；　if　you　do　not　show　equal　courage　with　your　commander；　when　he　goes　before　you　into　danger？　For　you　know　very　well　that　I　shall　go　into　the　danger　first；　and　make　the　first　attack　upon　the　enemy。　Do　not　you　therefore　desert　me；　but　persuade　yourselves　that　God　will　be　assisting　to　my　onset。　Know　this　also　before　we　begin；　that　we　shall　now　have　better　success　than　we　should　have；　if　we　were　to　fight　at　a　distance。〃

3。　As　Titus　was　saying　this；　an　extraordinary　fury　fell　upon　the　men；　and　as　Trajan　was　already　come　before　the　fight　began；　with　four　hundred　horsemen；　they　were　uneasy　at　it；　because　the　reputation　of　the　victory　would　be　diminished　by　being　common　to　so　many。　Vespasian　had　also　sent　both　Antonius　and　Silo；　with　two　thousand　archers；　and　had　given　it　them　in　charge　to　seize　upon　the　mountain　that　was　over　against　the　city；　and　repel　those　that　were　upon　the　wall；　which　archers　did　as　they　were　commanded；　and　prevented　those　that　attempted　to　assist　them　that　way；　And　now　Titus　made　his　own　horse　march　first　against　the　enemy；　as　did　the　others　with　a　great　noise　after　him；　and　extended　themselves　upon　the　plain　as　wide　as　the　enemy　which　confronted　them；　by　which　means　they　appeared　much　more　numerous　than　they　really　were。　Now　the　Jews；　although　they　were　surprised　at　their　onset；　and　at　their　good　order；　made　resistance　against　their　attacks　for　a　little　while；　but　when　they　were　pricked　with　their　long　poles；　and　overborne　by　the　violent　noise　of　the　horsemen；　they　came　to　be　trampled　under　their　feet；　many　also　of　them　were　slain　on　every　side；　which　made　them　disperse　themselves；　and　run　to　the　city；　as　fast　as　every　one　of　them　were　able。　So　Titus　pressed　upon　the　hindmos