the antiquities of the jews-1-第281节

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as　not　indulging　those　passions　out　of　an　ill　disposition；　but
out　of　a　desire　each　of　them　had　to　be　beloved　by　their　father。
However；　he　sent　Izates；　with　many　presents；　to　Abennerig；　the
king　of　Charax…Spasini；　and　that　out　of　the　great　dread　he　was　in
about　him；　lest　he　should　come　to　some　misfortune　by　the　hatred
his　brethren　bore　him；　and　he　committed　his　son's　preservation　to
him。　Upon　which　Abennerig　gladly　received　the　young　man；　and　had
a　great　affection　for　him；　and　married　him　to　his　own　daughter；
whose　name　was　Samacha：　he　also　bestowed　a　country　upon　him；　from
which　he　received　large　revenues。

2。　But　when　Monobazus　was　grown　old；　and　saw　that　he　had　but　a
little　time　to　live；　he　had　a　mind　to　come　to　the　sight　of　his
son　before　he　died。　So　he　sent　for　him；　and　embraced　him　after
the　most　affectionate　manner；　and　bestowed　on　him　the　country
called　Carra；　it　was　a　soil　that　bare　amomum　in　great　plenty：
there　are　also　in　it　the　remains　of　that　ark；　wherein　it　is
related　that　Noah　escaped　the　deluge；　and　where　they　are　still
shown　to　such　as　are　desirous　to　see　them。　（3）　Accordingly；
Izates　abode　in　that　country　until　his　father's　death。　But　the
very　day　that　Monobazus　died；　queen　Helena　sent　for　all　the
grandees；　and　governors　of　the　kingdom；　and　for　those　that　had
the　armies　committed　to　their　command；　and　when　they　were　come；
she　made　the　following　speech　to　them：　〃I　believe　you　are　not
unacquainted　that　my　husband　was　desirous　Izates　should　succeed
him　in　the　government；　and　thought　him　worthy　so　to　do。　However；
I　wait　your　determination；　for　happy　is　he　who　receives　a
kingdom；　not　from　a　single　person　only；　but　from　the　willing
suffrages　of　a　great　many。〃　This　she　said；　in　order　to　try　those
that　were　invited；　and　to　discover　their　sentiments。　Upon　the
hearing　of　which；　they　first　of　all　paid　their　homage　to　the
queen；　as　their　custom　was；　and　then　they　said　that　they
confirmed　the　king's　determination；　and　would　submit　to　it；　and
they　rejoiced　that　Izates's　father　had　preferred　him　before　the
rest　of　his　brethren；　as　being　agreeable　to　all　their　wishes：　but
that　they　were　desirous　first　of　all　to　slay　his　brethren　and
kinsmen；　that　so　the　government　might　come　securely　to　Izates；
because　if　they　were　once　destroyed；　all　that　fear　would　be　over
which　might　arise　from　their　hatred　and　envy　to　him。　Helena
replied　to　this；　that　she　returned　them　her　thanks　for　their
kindness　to　herself　and　to　Izates；　but　desired　that　they　would
however　defer　the　execution　of　this　slaughter　of　Izates's
brethren　till　he　should　be　there　himself；　and　give　his
approbation　to　it。　So　since　these　men　had　not　prevailed　with　her；
when　they　advised　her　to　slay　them；　they　exhorted　her　at　least　to
keep　them　in　bonds　till　he　should　come；　and　that　for　their　own
security；　they　also　gave　her　counsel　to　set　up　some　one　whom　she
could　put　the　greatest　trust　in；　as　a　governor　of　the　kingdom　in
the　mean　time。　So　queen　Helena　complied　with　this　counsel　of
theirs；　and　set　up　Monobazus；　the　eldest　son；　to　be　king；　and　put
the　diadem　upon　his　head；　and　gave　him　his　father's　ring；　with
its　signet；　as　also　the　ornament　which　they　call　Sampser；　and
exhorted　him　to　administer　the　affairs　of　the　kingdom　till　his
brother　should　come；　who　came　suddenly　upon　hearing　that　his
father　was　dead；　and　succeeded　his　brother　Monobazus；　who
resigned　up　the　government　to　him。

3。　Now；　during　the　time　Izates　abode　at　Charax…Spasini；　a　certain
Jewish　merchant；　whose　name　was　Ananias；　got　among　the　women　that
belonged　to　the　king；　and　taught　them　to　worship　God　according　to
the　Jewish　religion。　He；　moreover；　by　their　means；　became　known
to　Izates；　and　persuaded　him；　in　like　manner；　to　embrace　that
religion；　he　also；　at　the　earnest　entreaty　of　Izates；　accompanied
him　when　he　was　sent　for　by　his　father　to　come　to　Adiabene；　it
also　happened　that　Helena；　about　the　same　time；　was　instructed　by
a　certain　other　Jew　and　went　over　to　them。　But　when　Izates　had
taken　the　kingdom；　and　was　come　to　Adiabene；　and　there　saw　his
brethren　and　other　kinsmen　in　bonds；　he　was　displeased　at　it；　and
as　he　thought　it　an　instance　of　impiety　either　to　slay　or
imprison　them；　but　still　thought　it　a　hazardous　thing　for　to　let
them　have　their　liberty；　with　the　remembrance　of　the　injuries
that　had　been　offered　them；　he　sent　some　of　them　and　their
children　for　hostages　to　Rome；　to　Claudius　Caesar；　and　sent　the
others　to　Artabanus；　the　king　of　Parthia；　with　the　like
intentions。

4。　And　when　he　perceived　that　his　mother　was　highly　pleased　with
the　Jewish　customs；　he　made　haste　to　change；　and　to　embrace　them
entirely；　and　as　he　supposed　that　he　could　not　he　thoroughly　a
Jew　unless　he　were　circumcised；　he　was　ready　to　have　it　done。　But
when　his　mother　understood　what　he　was　about；　she　endeavored　to
hinder　him　from　doing　it；　and　said　to　him　that　this　thing　would
bring　him　into　danger；　and　that；　as　he　was　a　king；　he　would
thereby　bring　himself　into　great　odium　among　his　subjects；　when
they　should　understand　that　he　was　so　fond　of　rites　that　were　to
them　strange　and　foreign；　and　that　they　would　never　bear　to　be
ruled　over　by　a　Jew。　This　it　was　that　she　said　to　him；　and　for
the　present　persuaded　him　to　forbear。　And　when　he　had　related
what　she　had　said　to　Ananias；　he　confirmed　what　his　mother　had
said；　and　when　he　had　also　threatened　to　leave　him；　unless　he
complied　with　him；　he　went　away　from　him；　and　said　that　he　was
afraid　lest　such　an　action　being　once　become　public　to　all；　he
should　himself　be　in　danger　of　punishment　for　having　been　the
occasion　of　it；　and　having　been　the　king's　instructor　in　actions
that　were　of　ill　reputation；　and　he　said　that　he　might　worship
God　without　being　circumcised；　even　though　he　did　resolve　to
follow　the　Jewish　law　entirely；　which　worship　of　God　was　of　a
superior　nature　to　circumcision。　He　added；　that　God　would　forgive
him；　though　he　did　not　perform　the　operation；　while　it　was
omitted　out　of　necessity；　and　for　fear　of　his　subjects。　So　the
king　at　that　time　complied　with　these　persuasions　of　Ananias。　But
afterwards；　as　he　had　not　quite　left　off　his　desire　of　doing　this
thing；　a　certain　other　Jew　that　came　out　of　Galilee；　whose　name
was　Eleazar；　and　who　was　esteemed　very　skillful　in　the　learning
of　his　country；　persuaded　him　to　do　the　thing；　for　as　he　entered
into　his　palace　to　salute　him；　and　found　him　reading　the　law　of
Moses；　he　said　to　him；　〃Thou　dost　not　consider；　O　king！　that　thou
unjustly　breakest　the　principal　of　those　laws；　and　art　injurious
to　God　himself；　＇by　omitting　to　be　circumcised＇；　for　thou
oughtest　not　only　to　read　them；　but　chiefly　to　practice　what　they
enjoin　thee。　How　long　wilt　thou　continue　uncircumcised？　But　if
thou　hast　not　yet　read　the　law　about　circumcision；　and　dost　not
know　how　great　impiety　thou　art　guilty　of　by　neglecting　it；　read
it　now。〃　When　the　king　had　heard　what　he　said；　he　delayed　the
thing　no　longer；　but　retired　to　another　room；　and　sent　for　a
surgeon；　and　did　what　he　was　commanded　to　do。　He　then　sent　for
his　mother；　and　Ananias　his　tutor；　and　informed　them　that　he　had
done　the　thing；　upon　which　they　were　presently　struck　with
astonishment　and　fear；　and　that　to　a　great　degree；　lest　the　thing
should　be　openly　discovered　and　censured；　and　the　king　should
hazard　the　loss　of　his　kingdom；　while　his　subjects　would　not　bear
to　be　governed　by　a　man　who　was　so　zealous　in　another　religion；
and　lest　they　should　themselves　run　some　hazard；　because　they
would　be　supposed　the　occasion　of　his　so　doing。　But　it　was　God
himself　who　hindered　what　they　feared　from　taking　effect；　for　he
preserved　both　Izates　himself　and　his　sons　when　they　fell　into
many　dangers；　and　procured　their　deliverance　when　it　seemed　to　be
impossible；　and　demonstrated　thereby　that　the　fruit　of　piety　does
not　perish　as　to　those　that　have　regard　to　him；　and　fix　their
faith　upon　him　only。　（4）　But　these　events　we　shall　relate
hereafter。

5。　But　as　to　Helena；　the　king's　mother；　when　she　saw　that　the
affairs　of　Izates's　kingdom　were　in　peace；　and　that　her　son　was　a
happy　man；　and　admired　among　all　men；　and　even　among　foreigners；
by　the　means　of　God's　providence　over　him；　she　had　a　mind　to　go
to　the　city　of　Jerusalem；　in　order　to　worship　at　that　temple　of
God　which　was　so　very　famous　among　all　men；　and　to　offer　her
thank…offerings　there。　So　she　desired　her　son　to　give　her　leave
to　go　thither；　upon　which　he　gave　his　consent　to　what　she　desired
very　willingly；　and　made　great　preparations　for　her　dismission；
and　gave　her　a　great　deal　of　money；　and　she　went　down　to　the　city
Jerusalem；　her　son　conducting　her　on　her　journey　a　great　way。　Now
her　coming　was　of　very　great　advantage　to　the　people　of
Jerusalem；　for　whereas　a　famine　did　oppress　them　at　that　time；
and　many　people　died　for　want　of　what　was　necessary　to　procure
food　withal；　queen　Helena　sent　some　of　her　servants　to　Alexandria
with　money　to　buy　a　great　quantity　of　corn；　and　others　of　them　to
Cyprus；　to　bring　a　cargo　of　dried　figs。　And　as　soon　as　they　were
come　back；　and　had　brought　those　provisions；　which　was　done　very
quickly；　she　distributed　food　to　those　that　were　in　want　of　it；
and　left　a　most　excellent　memor