the wars of the jews-第119部分

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！


gypt；　and　passed　over　the　desert　very　suddenly；　and　came　to　Alexandria；　and　took　up　a　resolution　to　go　to　Rome　by　sea。　And　as　he　was　accompanied　by　two　legions；　he　sent　each　of　them　again　to　the　places　whence　they　had　before　come；　the　fifth　he　sent　to　Mysia；　and　the　fifteenth　to　Pannonia：　as　for　the　leaders　of　the　captives；　Simon　and　John；　with　the　other　seven　hundred　men；　whom　he　had　selected　out　of　the　rest　as　being　eminently　tall　and　handsome　of　body；　he　gave　order　that　they　should　be　soon　carried　to　Italy；　as　resolving　to　produce　them　in　his　triumph。　So　when　he　had　had　a　prosperous　voyage　to　his　mind；　the　city　of　Rome　behaved　itself　in　his　reception；　and　their　meeting　him　at　a　distance；　as　it　did　in　the　case　of　his　father。　But　what　made　the　most　splendid　appearance　in　Titus's　opinion　was；　when　his　father　met　him；　and　received　him；　but　still　the　multitude　of　the　citizens　conceived　the　greatest　joy　when　they　saw　them　all　three　together；　（8）　as　they　did　at　this　time；　nor　were　many　days　overpast　when　they　determined　to　have　but　one　triumph；　that　should　be　common　to　both　of　them；　on　account　of　the　glorious　exploits　they　had　performed；　although　the　senate　had　decreed　each　of　them　a　separate　triumph　by　himself。　So　when　notice　had　been　given　　beforehand　of　the　day　appointed　for　this　pompous　solemnity　to　be　made；　on　account　of　their　victories；　not　one　of　the　immense　multitude　was　left　in　the　city；　but　every　body　went　out　so　far　as　to　gain　only　a　station　where　they　might　stand；　and　left　only　such　a　passage　as　was　necessary　for　those　that　were　to　be　seen　to　go　along　it。　

4。　Now　all　the　soldiery　marched　out　beforehand　by　companies；　and　in　their　several　ranks；　under　their　several　commanders；　in　the　night　time；　and　were　about　the　gates；　not　of　the　upper　palaces；　but　those　near　the　temple　of　Isis；　for　there　it　was　that　the　emperors　had　rested　the　foregoing　night。　And　as　soon　as　ever　it　was　day；　Vespasian　and　Titus　came　out　crowned　with　laurel；　and　clothed　in　those　ancient　purple　habits　which　were　proper　to　their　family；　and　then　went　as　far　as　Octavian's　Walks；　for　there　it　was　that　the　senate；　and　the　principal　rulers；　and　those　that　had　been　recorded　as　of　the　equestrian　order；　waited　for　them。　Now　a　tribunal　had　been　erected　before　the　cloisters；　and　ivory　chairs　had　been　set　upon　it；　when　they　came　and　sat　down　upon　them。　Whereupon　the　soldiery　made　an　acclamation　of　joy　to　them　immediately；　and　all　gave　them　attestations　of　their　valor；　while　they　were　themselves　without　their　arms；　and　only　in　their　silken　garments；　and　crowned　with　laurel：　then　Vespasian　accepted　of　these　shouts　of　theirs；　but　while　they　were　still　disposed　to　go　on　in　such　acclamations；　he　gave　them　a　signal　of　silence。　And　when　every　body　entirely　held　their　peace；　he　stood　up；　and　covering　the　greatest　part　of　his　head　with　his　cloak；　he　put　up　the　accustomed　solemn　prayers；　the　like　prayers　did　Titus　put　up　also；　after　which　prayers　Vespasian　made　a　short　speech　to　all　the　people；　and　then　sent　away　the　soldiers　to　a　dinner　prepared　for　them　by　the　emperors。　Then　did　he　retire　to　that　gate　which　was　called　the　Gate　of　the　Pomp；　because　pompous　shows　do　always　go　through　that　gate；　there　it　was　that　they　tasted　some　food；　and　when　they　had　put　on　their　triumphal　garments；　and　had　offered　sacrifices　to　the　gods　that　were　placed　at　the　gate；　they　sent　the　triumph　forward；　and　marched　through　the　theatres；　that　they　might　be　the　more　easily　seen　by　the　multitudes。　　　　5。　Now　it　is　impossible　to　describe　the　multitude　of　the　shows　as　they　deserve；　and　the　magnificence　of　them　all；　such　indeed　as　a　man　could　not　easily　think　of　as　performed；　either　by　the　labor　of　workmen；　or　the　variety　of　riches；　or　the　rarities　of　nature；　for　almost　all　such　curiosities　as　the　most　happy　men　ever　get　by　piece…meal　were　here　one　heaped　on　another；　and　those　both　admirable　and　costly　in　their　nature；　and　all　brought　together　on　that　day　demonstrated　the　vastness　of　the　dominions　of　the　Romans；　for　there　was　here　to　be　seen　a　mighty　quantity　of　silver；　and　gold；　and　ivory；　contrived　into　all　sorts　of　things；　and　did　not　appear　as　carried　along　in　pompous　show　only；　but；　as　a　man　may　say；　running　along　like　a　river。　Some　parts　were　composed　of　the　rarest　purple　hangings；　and　so　carried　along；　and　others　accurately　represented　to　the　life　what　was　embroidered　by　the　arts　of　the　Babylonians。　There　were　also　precious　stones　that　were　transparent；　some　set　in　crowns　of　gold；　and　some　in　other　ouches；　as　the　workmen　pleased；　and　of　these　such　a　vast　number　were　brought；　that　we　could　not　but　thence　learn　how　vainly　we　imagined　any　of　them　to　be　rarities。　The　images　of　the　gods　were　also　carried；　being　as　well　wonderful　for　their　largeness；　as　made　very　artificially；　and　with　great　skill　of　the　workmen；　nor　were　any　of　these　　images　of　any　other　than　very　costly　materials；　and　many　species　of　animals　were　brought；　every　one　in　their　own　natural　ornaments。　The　men　also　who　brought　every　one　of　these　shows　were　great　multitudes；　and　adorned　with　purple　garments；　all　over　interwoven　with　gold；　those　that　were　chosen　for　carrying　these　pompous　shows　having　also　about　them　such　magnificent　ornaments　as　were　both　extraordinary　and　surprising。　Besides　these；　one　might　see　that　even　the　great　number　of　the　captives　was　not　unadorned；　while　the　variety　that　was　in　their　garments；　and　their　fine　texture；　concealed　from　the　sight　the　deformity　of　their　bodies。　But　what　afforded　the　greatest　surprise　of　all　was　the　structure　of　the　pageants　that　were　borne　along；　for　indeed　he　that　met　them　could　not　but　be　afraid　that　the　bearers　would　not　be　able　firmly　enough　to　support　them；　such　was　their　magnitude；　for　many　of　them　were　so　made；　that　they　were　on　three　or　even　four　stories；　one　above　another。　The　magnificence　also　of　their　structure　afforded　one　both　pleasure　and　surprise；　for　upon　many　of　them　were　laid　carpets　of　gold。　There　was　also　wrought　gold　and　ivory　fastened　about　them　all；　and　many　resemblances　of　the　war；　and　those　in　several　ways；　and　variety　of　contrivances；　affording　a　most　lively　portraiture　of　itself。　For　there　was　to　be　seen　a　happy　country　laid　waste；　and　entire　squadrons　of　enemies　slain；　while　some　of　them　ran　away；　and　some　were　carried　into　captivity；　with　walls　of　great　altitude　and　magnitude　overthrown　and　ruined　by　machines；　with　the　strongest　fortifications　taken；　and　the　walls　of　most　populous　cities　upon　the　tops　of　hills　seized　on；　and　an　army　pouring　itself　within　the　walls；　as　also　every　place　full　of　slaughter；　and　supplications　of　the　enemies；　when　they　were　no　longer　able　to　lift　up　their　hands　in　way　of　opposition。　Fire　also　sent　upon　temples　was　here　represented；　and　houses　overthrown；　and　falling　upon　their　owners：　rivers　also；　after　they　came　out　of　a　large　and　melancholy　desert；　ran　down；　not　into　a　land　cultivated；　nor　as　drink　for　men；　or　for　cattle；　but　through　a　land　still　on　fire　upon　every　side；　for　the　Jews　related　that　such　a　thing　they　had　undergone　during　this　war。　Now　the　workmanship　of　these　representations　was　so　magnificent　and　lively　in　the　construction　of　the　things；　that　it　exhibited　what　had　been　done　to　such　as　did　not　see　it；　as　if　they　had　been　there　really　present。　On　the　top　of　every　one　of　these　pageants　was　placed　the　commander　of　the　city　that　was　taken；　and　the　manner　wherein　he　was　taken。　Moreover；　there　followed　those　pageants　a　great　number　of　ships；　and　for　the　other　spoils；　they　were　carried　in　great　plenty。　But　for　those　that　were　taken　in　the　temple　of　Jerusalem；　（9）　they　made　the　greatest　figure　of　them　all；　that　is；　the　golden　table；　of　the　weight　of　many　talents；　the　candlestick　also；　that　was　made　of　gold；　though　its　construction　were　now　changed　from　that　which　we　made　use　of；　for　its　middle　shaft　was　fixed　upon　a　basis；　and　the　small　branches　were　produced　out　of　it　to　a　great　length；　having　the　likeness　of　a　trident　in　their　position；　and　had　every　one　a　socket　made　of　brass　for　a　lamp　at　the　tops　of　them。　These　lamps　were　in　number　seven；　and　represented　the　dignity　of　the　number　seven　among　the　Jews；　and　the　last　of　all　the　spoils；　was　carried　the　Law　of　the　Jews。　After　these　spoils　passed　by　a　great　many　men；　carrying　the　images　of　Victory；　whose　structure　was　entirely　either　of　ivory　or　of　gold。　After　which　Vespasian　marched　in　the　first　place；　and　Titus　followed　him；　Domitian　also　rode　along　with　them；　and　made　a　glorious　appearance；　and　rode　on　a　horse　that　was　worthy　of　admiration。　　　　6。　Now　the　last　part　of　this　pompous　show　was　at　the　temple　of　Jupiter　Capitolinus；　whither　when　they　were　come；　they　stood　still；　for　it　was　the　Romans'　ancient　custom　to　stay　till　somebody　brought　the　news　that　the　general　of　the　enemy　was　slain。　This　general　was　Simon；　the　son　of　Gioras；　who　had　then　been　led　in　this　triumph　among　the　captives；　a　rope　had　also　been　put　upon　his　head；　and　he　had　been　drawn　into　a　proper　place　in　the　forum；　and　had　withal　been　tormented　by　those　that　drew　him　along；　and　the　law　of　the　Romans　required　that　malefactors　condemned　to　die　should　be　slain　there。　　Accordingly；　when　it　was　related　that　there　was　an　end　of　him；　and　all　the　people　had　set　up　a　shout　for　joy；　they　then　began　to　offer　those　sacrifices　which　they　had　consecrated；　in　the　prayers　used　in　such　solemnities；　which　when　they　had　finished；　they　went　away　to　the　palace。　And　as　for　some　of　the　spectators；　the　emperors　entertained　them　at　their　own　feast；　and　for　all　the　rest　there　were　noble　preparations　made　for　feasting　at　home；　for　this　was　a　festival　day　to　the　city　of　Rome；　as　celebrated　for　the　victory　obtained　by　their　army　over　their　enemies；　for　the　end　that　was　now　put　to　their　civil　miseries；　and　for　the　commencement　of　their　hopes　of　future　prosperity　and　happiness。　　　　7。　After　these　triumphs　were　over；　and　after　the　affairs　of　the　Romans　were　settled　on　the　surest　foundations；　Vespasian　resolved　to　build　a　temple　to　Peace；　which　was　finished　in　so　short　a　time；　and　in　so　glorious　a　manner；　as　was　beyond　all　human　expectation　and　opinion：　for　he　having　now　by　Providence　a　vast　quantity　of　wealth；　besides　what　he　had　formerly　gained　in　his　other　exploits；　he　had　this　temple　adorned　with　pictures　and　statues；　for　in　this　temple　were　coll