the wars of the jews-第79节

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afe　for　them　to　keep　them　thus　in　custody　long；　since　they　were　men　very　powerful；　and　had　numerous　families　of　their　own　that　were　able　to　avenge　them。　Nay；　they　thought　the　very　people　would　perhaps　be　so　moved　at　these　unjust　proceedings；　as　to　rise　in　a　body　against　them；　it　was　therefore　resolved　to　have　them　slain　accordingly；　they　sent　one　John；　who　was　the　most　bloody…minded　of　them　all；　to　do　that　execution：　this　man　was　also　called　〃the　son　of　Dorcas；〃　（3）　in　the　language　of　our　country。　Ten　more　men　went　along　with　him　into　the　　　prison；　with　their　swords　drawn；　and　so　they　cut　the　throats　of　those　that　were　in　custody　there。　The　grand　lying　pretence　these　men　made　for　so　flagrant　an　enormity　was　this；　that　these　men　had　had　conferences　with　the　Romans　for　a　　　surrender　of　Jerusalem　to　them；　and　so　they　said　they　had　slain　only　such　as　were　traitors　to　their　common　liberty。　Upon　the　whole；　they　grew　the　more　insolent　upon　this　bold　prank　of　theirs；　as　though　they　had　been　the　benefactors　and　saviors　of　the　city。　　　　　　6。　Now　the　people　were　come　to　that　degree　of　meanness　　　and　fear；　and　these　robbers　to　that　degree　of　madness；　that　these　last　took　upon　them　to　appoint　high　priests。　（4）　So　when　they　had　disannulled　the　succession；　according　to　those　families　out　of　which　the　high　priests　used　to　be　made；　they　ordained　certain　unknown　and　ignoble　persons　for　that　office；　that　they　might　have　their　assistance　in　their　wicked　　　undertakings；　for　such　as　obtained　this　highest　of　all　honors；　without　any　desert；　were　forced　to　comply　with　those　that　bestowed　it　on　them。　They　also　set　the　principal　men　at　　　variance　one　with　another；　by　several　sorts　of　contrivances　and　tricks；　and　gained　the　opportunity　of　doing　what　they　pleased；　by　the　mutual　quarrels　of　those　who　might　have　　　obstructed　their　measures；　till　at　length；　when　they　were　satiated　with　the　unjust　actions　they　had　done　towards　men；　they　transferred　their　contumelious　behavior　to　God　himself；　and　came　into　the　sanctuary　with　polluted　feet。　　　　　　7。　And　now　the　multitude　were　going　to　rise　against　them　already；　for　Ananus；　the　ancientest　of　the　high　priests；　persuaded　them　to　it。　He　was　a　very　prudent　man；　and　had　perhaps　saved　the　city　if　he　could　but　have　escaped　the　hands　of　those　that　plotted　against　him。　These　men　made　the　　　temple　of　God　a　strong　hold　for　them；　and　a　place　whither　they　might　resort；　in　order　to　avoid　the　troubles　they　feared　from　the　people；　the　sanctuary　was　now　become　a　refuge；　　　and　a　shop　of　tyranny。　They　also　mixed　jesting　among　the　miseries　they　introduced；　which　was　more　intolerable　than　what　they　did；　for　in　order　to　try　what　surprise　the　people　would　be　under；　and　how　far　their　own　power　extended；　they　undertook　to　dispose　of　the　high　priesthood　by　casting　lots　for　it；　whereas；　as　we　have　said　already；　it　was　to　descend　by　succession　in　a　family。　The　pretense　they　made　for　this　　　strange　attempt　was　an　ancient　practice；　while　they　said　that　of　old　it　was　determined　by　lot；　but　in　truth；　it　was　no　better　than　a　dissolution　of　an　undeniable　law；　and　a　cunning　　　contrivance　to　seize　upon　the　government；　derived　from　those　that　presumed　to　appoint　governors　as　they　themselves　　　pleased。　　　　　　8。　Hereupon　they　sent　for　one　of　the　pontifical　tribes；　which　is　called　Eniachim；　（5）　and　cast　lots　which　of　it　should　be　the　high　priest。　By　fortune　the　lot　so　fell　as　to　demonstrate　their　iniquity　after　the　plainest　manner；　for　it　fell　upon　one　whose　name　was　Phannias；　the　son　of　Samuel；　of　the　village　Aphtha。　He　was　a　man　not　only　unworthy　of　the　high　priesthood；　but　that　did　not　well　know　what　the　high　priesthood　was；　such　a　mere　rustic　was　he　！　yet　did　they　hail　this　man；　without　his　own　consent；　out　of　the　country；　as　if　they　were　acting　a　play　upon　the　stage；　and　adorned　him　with　a　counterfeit　thee；　they　also　put　upon　him　the　sacred　garments；　and　upon　every　occasion　instructed　him　what　he　was　to　do。　This　horrid　piece　of　wickedness　was　sport　and　pastime　with　them；　but　　　occasioned　the　other　priests；　who　at　a　distance　saw　their　law　made　a　jest　of；　to　shed　tears；　and　sorely　lament　the　　　dissolution　of　such　a　sacred　dignity。　　　　　　9。　And　now　the　people　could　no　longer　bear　the　insolence　of　this　procedure；　but　did　all　together　run　zealously；　in　order　to　overthrow　that　tyranny；　and　indeed　they　were　Gorion　the　son　of　Josephus；　and　Symeon　the　son　of　Gamaliel；　（6）　who　　　encouraged　them；　by　going　up　and　down　when　they　were　　　assembled　together　in　crowds；　and　as　they　saw　them　alone；　to　bear　no　longer；　but　to　inflict　punishment　upon　these　pests　and　plagues　of　their　freedom；　and　to　purge　the　temple　of　these　bloody　polluters　of　it。　The　best　esteemed　also　of　the　high　priests；　Jesus　the　son　of　Gamalas；　and　Ananus　the　son　of　Ananus　when　they　were　at　their　assemblies；　bitterly　　　reproached　the　people　for　their　sloth；　and　excited　them　　　against　the　zealots；　for　that　was　the　name　they　went　by；　as　if　they　were　zealous　in　good　undertakings；　and　were　not　rather　zealous　in　the　worst　actions；　and　extravagant　in　them　beyond　the　example　of　others。　　　　　　10。　And　now；　when　the　multitude　were　gotten　together　to　an　assembly；　and　every　one　was　in　indignation　at　these　men's　seizing　upon　the　sanctuary；　at　their　rapine　and　murders；　but　had　not　yet　begun　their　attacks　upon　them；　（the　reason　of　which　was　this；　that　they　imagined　it　to　be　a　difficult　thing　to　suppress　these　zealots；　as　indeed　the　case　was；）　Ananus　stood　in　the　midst　of　them；　and　casting　his　eyes　frequently　at　the　temple；　and　having　a　flood　of　tears　in　his　eyes；　he　said；　〃Certainly　it　had　been　good　for　me　to　die　before　I　had　seen　the　house　of　God　full　of　so　many　abominations；　or　these　　　sacred　places；　that　ought　not　to　be　trodden　upon　at　random；　filled　with　the　feet　of　these　blood…shedding　villains；　yet　do　I；　who　am　clothed　with　the　vestments　of　the　high　priesthood；　and　am　called　by　that　most　venerable　name　＇of　high　priest＇；　still　live；　and　am　but　too　fond　of　living；　and　cannot　endure　to　undergo　a　death　which　would　be　the　glory　of　my　old　age；　and　if　I　were　the　only　person　concerned；　and　as　it　were　in　a　desert；　I　would　give　up　my　life；　and　that　alone　for　God's　sake；　for　to　what　purpose　is　it　to　live　among　a　people　　　insensible　of　their　calamities；　and　where　there　is　no　notion　remaining　of　any　remedy　for　the　miseries　that　are　upon　　　them？　for　when　you　are　seized　upon；　you　bear　it！　and　when　you　are　beaten；　you　are　silent！　and　when　the　people　are　　　murdered；　nobody　dare　so　much　as　send　out　a　groan　openly！　O　bitter　tyranny　that　we　are　under！　But　why　do　I　complain　of　the　tyrants？　Was　it　not　you；　and　your　sufferance　of　them；　that　have　nourished　them？　Was　it　not　you　that　overlooked　those　that　first　of　all　got　together；　for　they　were　then　but　a　few；　and　by　your　silence　made　them　grow　to　be　many；　and　by　　　conniving　at　them　when　they　took　arms；　in　effect　armed　them　against　yourselves？　You　ought　to　have　then　prevented　their　first　attempts；　when　they　fell　a　reproaching　your　relations；　but　by　neglecting　that　care　in　time；　you　have　encouraged　these　wretches　to　plunder　men。　When　houses　were　pillaged；　nobody　said　a　word；　which　was　the　occasion　why　they　carried　off　the　owners　of　those　houses；　and　when　they　were　drawn　through　the　midst　of　the　city；　nobody　came　to　their　assistance。　They　then　proceeded　to　put　those　whom　you　have　betrayed　into　　　their　hands　into　bonds。　I　do　not　say　how　many　and　of　what　characters　those　men　were　whom　they　thus　served；　but　　　certainly　they　were　such　as　were　accused　by　none；　and　　　condemned　by　none；　and　since　nobody　succored　them　when　　　they　were　put　into　bonds；　the　consequence　was；　that　you　saw　the　same　persons　slain。　We　have　seen　this　also；　so　that　still　the　best　of　the　herd　of　brute　animals；　as　it　were；　have　been　still　led　to　be　sacrificed；　when　yet　nobody　said　one　word；　or　moved　his　right　hand　for　their　preservation。　Will　you　bear；　therefore；　will　you　bear　to　see　your　sanctuary　trampled　on？　and　will　you　lay　steps　for　these　profane　wretches；　upon　which　they　may　mount　to　higher　degrees　of　insolence？　Will　not　you　pluck　them　down　from　their　exaltation？　for　even　by　this　time　they　had　proceeded　to　higher　enormities；　if　they　had　been　able　to　overthrow　any　thing　greater　than　the　sanctuary。　They　have　seized　upon　the　strongest　place　of　the　whole　city；　you　may　call　it　the　temple；　if　you　please；　though　it　be　like　a　citadel　or　fortress。　Now；　while　you　have　tyranny　in　so　great　a　degree　walled　in；　and　see　your　enemies　over　your　heads；　to　what　purpose　is　it　to　take　counsel？　and　what　have　you　to　support　your　minds　withal？　Perhaps　you　wait　for　the　Romans；　that　they　may　protect　our　holy　places：　are　our　matters　then　brought　to　that　pass？　and　are　we　come　to　that　degree　of　　　misery；　that　our　enemies　themselves　are　expected　to　pity　us？　O　wretched　creatures！　will　not　you　rise　up　and　turn　upon　those　that　strike　you？　which　you　may　observe　in　wild　beasts　themselves；　that　they　will　avenge　themselves　on　those　that　strike　them。　Will　you　not　call　to　mind；　every　one　of　you；　the　calamities　you　yourselves　have　suffered？　nor　lay　before　your　eyes　what　afflictions　you　yourselves　have　undergone？　and　will　not　such　things　sharpen　your　souls　to　revenge？　Is　therefore　that　most　honorable　and　most　natural　of　our　passions　utterly　lost；　I　mean　the　desire　of　l