the wars of the jews-第91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！


f　being　attacked　by　them　（because　they　were　　　themselves　better　soldiers　than　they）　as　at　their　madness；　lest　they　should　privately　sally　out　of　the　temple　and　get　among　them；　and　not　only　destroy　them；　but　set　the　city　on　fire　also。　So　they　assembled　themselves　together；　and　the　high　priests　with　them；　and　took　counsel　after　what　manner　they　should　avoid　their　assault。　Now　it　was　God　who　turned　their　　　opinions　to　the　worst　advice；　and　thence　they　devised　such　a　remedy　to　get　themselves　free　as　was　worse　than　the　disease　itself。　Accordingly；　in　order　to　overthrow　John；　they　　　determined　to　admit　Simon；　and　earnestly　to　desire　the　　　introduction　of　a　second　tyrant　into　the　city；　which　resolution　they　brought　to　perfection；　and　sent　Matthias；　the　high　priest；　to　beseech　this　Simon　to　come　ill　to　them；　of　whom　they　had　so　often　been　afraid。　Those　also　that　had　fled　from　the　　　zealots　in　Jerusalem　joined　in　this　request　to　him；　out　of　the　desire　they　had　of　preserving　their　houses　and　their　effects。　Accordingly　he；　in　an　arrogant　manner；　granted　them　his　　　lordly　protection；　and　came　into　the　city；　in　order　to　deliver　it　from　the　zealots。　The　people　also　made　joyful　acclamations　to　him；　as　their　savior　and　their　preserver；　but　when　he　was　come　in；　with　his　army；　he　took　care　to　secure　his　own　　　authority；　and　looked　upon　those　that　had　invited　him　in　to　be　no　less　his　enemies　than　those　against　whom　the　invitation　was　intended。　　　　　　12。　And　thus　did　Simon　get　possession　of　Jerusalem；　in　the　third　year　of　the　war；　in　the　month　Xanthicus　＇Nisan＇；　　　whereupon　John；　with　his　multitude　of　zealots；　as　being　both　prohibited　from　coming　out　of　the　temple；　and　having　lost　their　power　in　the　city；　（for　Simon　and　his　party　had　　　plundered　them　of　what　they　had；）　were　in　despair　of　　　deliverance。　Simon　also　made　an　assault　upon　the　temple；　with　the　assistance　of　the　people；　while　the　others　stood　upon　the　cloisters　and　the　battlements；　and　defended　themselves　from　their　assaults。　However；　a　considerable　number　of　　　Simon's　party　fell；　and　many　were　carried　off　wounded；　for　the　zealots　threw　their　darts　easily　from　a　superior　place；　and　seldom　failed　of　hitting　their　enemies；　but　having　the　　　advantage　of　situation；　and　having　withal　erected　four　very　large　towers　aforehand；　that　their　darts　might　come　from　higher　places；　one　at　the　north…east　corner　of　the　court；　one　above　the　Xystus；　the　third　at　another　corner　over　against　the　lower　city；　and　the　last　was　erected　above　the　top　of　the　Pastophoria；　where　one　of　the　priests　stood　of　course；　and　gave　a　signal　beforehand；　with　a　trumpet　（19）　at　the　　　beginning　of　every　seventh　day；　in　the　evening　twilight；　as　also　at　the　evening　when　that　day　was　finished；　as　giving　notice　to　the　people　when　they　were　to　leave　off　work；　and　when　they　were　to　go　to　work　again。　These　men　also　set　their　engines　to　cast　darts　and　stones　withal；　upon　those　towers；　with　their　archers　and　slingers。　And　now　Simon　made　his　　　assault　upon　the　temple　more　faintly；　by　reason　that　the　greatest　part　of　his　men　grew　weary　of　that　work；　yet　did　he　not　leave　off　his　opposition；　because　his　army　was　superior　to　the　others；　although　the　darts　which　were　thrown　by　the　　　engines　were　carried　a　great　way；　and　slew　many　of　those　that　fought　for　him。　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　10。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　How　The　Soldiers；　Both　In　Judea　And　Egypt；　Proclaimed　Vespasian　Emperor；And　How　Vespasian　Released　Josephus　From　His　Bonds。　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　1。　Now　about　this　very　time　it　was　that　heavy　calamities　came　about　Rome　on　all　sides；　for　Vitellius　was　come　from　　　Germany　with　his　soldiery；　and　drew　along　with　him　a　great　multitude　of　other　men　besides。　And　when　the　spaces　allotted　for　soldiers　could　not　contain　them；　he　made　all　Rome　itself　his　camp；　and　filled　all　the　houses　with　his　armed　men；　which　men；　when　they　saw　the　riches　of　Rome　with　those　eyes　　　which　had　never　seen　such　riches　before；　and　found　　　themselves　shone　round　about　on　all　sides　with　silver　and　gold；　they　had　much　ado　to　contain　their　covetous　desires；　and　were　ready　to　betake　themselves　to　plunder；　and　to　the　slaughter　of　such　as　should　stand　in　their　way。　And　this　was　the　state　of　affairs　in　Italy　at　that　time。　　　　　　2。　But　when　Vespasian　had　overthrown　all　the　places　that　were　near　to　Jerusalem；　he　returned　to　Cesarea；　and　heard　of　the　troubles　that　were　at　Rome；　and　that　Vitellius　was　　　emperor。　This　produced　indignation　in　him；　although　he　well　knew　how　to　be　governed　as　well　as　to　govern；　and　could　not；　with　any　satisfaction；　own　him　for　his　lord　who　acted　so　madly；　and　seized　upon　the　government　as　if　it　were　　　absolutely　destitute　of　a　governor。　And　as　this　sorrow　of　his　was　violent；　he　was　not　able　to　support　the　torments　he　was　under；　nor　to　apply　himself　further　in　other　wars；　when　his　native　country　was　laid　waste；　but　then；　as　much　as　his　　　passion　excited　him　to　avenge　his　country；　so　much　was　he　restrained　by　the　consideration　of　his　distance　therefrom；　because　fortune　might　prevent　him；　and　do　a　world　of　　　mischief　before　he　could　himself　sail　over　the　sea　to　Italy；　especially　as　it　was　still　the　winter　season；　so　he　restrained　his　anger；　how　vehement　soever　it　was　at　this　time。　　　　　　3。　But　now　his　commanders　and　soldiers　met　in　several　　　companies；　and　consulted　openly　about　changing　the　public　affairs；　and；　out　of　their　indignation；　cried　out；　how　〃at　Rome　there　are　soldiers　that　live　delicately；　and　when　they　have　not　ventured　so　much　as　to　hear　the　fame　of　war；　they　ordain　whom　they　please　for　our　governors；　and　in　hopes　of　gain　make　them　emperors；　while　you；　who　have　gone　through　so　many　labors；　and　are　grown　into　years　under　your　helmets；　give　leave　to　others　to　use　such　a　power；　when　yet　you　have　among　yourselves　one　more　worthy　to　rule　than　any　whom　　　they　have　set　up。　Now　what　juster　opportunity　shall　they　ever　have　of　requiting　their　generals；　if　they　do　not　make　use　of　this　that　is　now　before　them？　while　there　is　so　much　juster　reasons　for　Vespasian's　being　emperor　than　for　Vitellius；　as　they　are　themselves　more　deserving　than　those　that　made　the　other　emperors；　for　that　they　have　undergone　as　great　wars　as　have　the　troops　that　come　from　Germany；　nor　are　they　　　inferior　in　war　to　those　that　have　brought　that　tyrant　to　Rome；　nor　have　they　undergone　smaller　labors　than　they；　for　that　neither　will　the　Roman　senate；　nor　people；　bear　such　a　lascivious　emperor　as　Vitellius；　if　he　be　compared　with　their　chaste　Vespasian；　nor　will　they　endure　a　most　barbarous　　　tyrant；　instead　of　a　good　governor；　nor　choose　one　that　hath　no　child　（20）　to　preside　over　them；　instead　of　him　that　is　a　father；　because　the　advancement　of　men's　own　children　to　dignities　is　certainly　the　greatest　security　kings　can　have　for　themselves。　Whether；　therefore；　we　estimate　the　capacity　of　governing　from　the　skill　of　a　person　in　years；　we　ought　to　have　Vespasian；　or　whether　from　the　strength　of　a　young　man；　we　ought　to　have　Titus；　for　by　this　means　we　shall　have　the　advantage　of　both　their　ages；　for　that　they　will　afford　strength　to　those　that　shall　be　made　emperors；　they　having　already　three　legions；　besides　other　auxiliaries　from　the　neighboring　kings；　and　will　have　further　all　the　armies　in　the　east　to　support　them；　as　also　those　in　Europe；　so　they　as　they　are　out　of　the　distance　and　dread　of　Vitellius；　besides　such　auxiliaries　as　they　may　have　in　Italy　itself；　that　is；　Vespasian's　brother；　（21）　and　his　other　son　＇Domitian＇；　the　one　of　whom　will　bring　in　a　great　many　of　those　young　men　that　are　of　dignity；　while　the　other　is　intrusted　with　the　government　of　the　city；　which　office　of　his　will　be　no　small　means　of　　　Vespasian's　obtaining　the　government。　Upon　the　whole；　the　case　may　be　such；　that　if　we　ourselves　make　further　delays；　the　senate　may　choose　an　emperor；　whom　the　soldiers；　who　are　the　saviors　of　the　empire；　will　have　in　contempt。〃　　　　　　4。　These　were　the　discourses　the　soldiers　had　in　their　several　companies；　after　which　they　got　together　in　a　great　body；　and；　encouraging　one　another；　they　declared　Vespasian　　　emperor；　（22）　and　exhorted　him　to　save　the　government；　　　which　was　now　in　danger。　Now　Vespasian's　concern　had　been　for　a　considerable　time　about　the　public；　yet　did　he　not　intend　to　set　up　for　governor　himself；　though　his　actions　showed　him　to　deserve　it；　while　he　preferred　that　safety　which　is　in　a　private　life　before　the　dangers　in　a　state　of　such　dignity；　but　when　he　refused　the　empire；　the　commanders　　　insisted　the　more　earnestly　upon　his　acceptance；　and　the　soldiers　came　about　him；　with　their　drawn　swords　in　their　hands；　and　threatened　to　kill　him；　unless　he　would　now　live　according　to　his　dignity。　And　when　he　had　shown　his　　　reluctance　a　great　while；　and　had　endeavored　to　thrust　away　this　dominion　from　him；　he　at　length；　being　not　able　to　　　persuade　them；　yielded　to　their　solicitations　that　would　salute　him　emperor。　　　　　　5。　So　upon　the　exhortations　of　Mucianus；　and　the　other　　　commanders；　that　he　would　accept　of　the　empire；　and　upon　that　of　the　rest　of　the　army；　who　cried　out　that　they　were　willing　to　be　led　against　all　his　opposers；　he　was　in　the　first　place　intent　upon　gaining　the　dominion　over　Alexandria；　as　knowing　that　Egypt　was　of　the　greatest　consequence；　in　order　to