the wars of the jews-第79部分

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rters　into　each　of　them　as　he　thought　proper。　He　then　put　his　soldiers　on　board　the　ships；　and　slew　such　as　had　fled　to　the　lake；　insomuch　that　all　Perea　had　either　surrendered　themselves；　or　were　taken　by　the　Romans；　as　far　as　Macherus。　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　8。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　How　Vespasian　。Upon　Hearing　Of　Some　Commotions　In　Gall；　（12）　Made　Haste　To　Finish　The　Jewish　War。　A　Description　Of。　Jericho；　And　Of　The　Great　Plain；　With　An　Account　Besides　Of　The　Lake　Asphaltitis。　　　　　　　　　　　　1。　In　the　mean　time；　an　account　came　that　there　were　　　commotions　in　Gall；　and　that　Vindex；　together　with　the　men　of　power　in　that　country；　had　revolted　from　Nero；　which　　　affair　is　more　accurately　described　elsewhere。　This　report；　thus　related　to　Vespasian；　excited　him　to　go　on　briskly　with　the　war；　for　he　foresaw　already　the　civil　wars　which　were　coming　upon　them；　nay；　that　the　very　government　was　in　　　danger；　and　he　thought；　if　he　could　first　reduce　the　eastern　parts　of　the　empire　to　peace；　he　should　make　the　fears　for　Italy　the　lighter；　while　therefore　the　winter　was　his　　　hinderance　＇from　going　into　the　field＇；　he　put　garrisons　into　the　villages　and　smaller　cities　for　their　security；　he　put　decurions　also　into　the　villages；　and　centurions　into　the　cities：　he　besides　this　rebuilt　many　of　the　cities　that　had　been　laid　waste；　but　at　the　beginning　of　the　spring　he　took　the　greatest　part　of　his　army；　and　led　it　from　Cesarea　to　Antipatris；　where　he　spent　two　days　in　settling　the　affairs　of　that　city；　and　then；　on　the　third　day；　he　marched　on；　laying　waste　and　burning　all　the　neighboring　villages。　And　when　he　had　laid　waste　all　the　places　about　the　toparchy　of　Thamnas；　he　passed　on　to　　　Lydda　and　Jamnia；　and　when　both　these　cities　had　come　over　to　him；　he　placed　a　great　many　of　those　that　had　come　over　to　him　＇from　other　places＇　as　inhabitants　therein；　and　then　came　to　Emmaus；　where　he　seized　upon　the　passage　which　　　led　thence　to　their　metropolis；　and　fortified　his　camp；　and　leaving　the　fifth　legion　therein；　he　came　to　the　toparchy　of　Bethletephon。　He　then　destroyed　that　place；　and　the　　　neighboring　places；　by　fire；　and　fortified；　at　proper　places；　the　strong　holds　all　about　Idumea；　and　when　he　had　seized　upon　two　villages；　which　were　in　the　very　midst　of　Idumea；　Betaris　and　Caphartobas；　he　slew　above　ten　thousand　of　the　people；　and　carried　into　captivity　above　a　thousand；　and　drove　away　the　rest　of　the　multitude；　and　placed　no　small　part　of　his　own　forces　in　them；　who　overran　and　laid　waste　the　whole　　　mountainous　country；　while　he；　with　the　rest　of　his　forces；　returned　to　Emmaus；　whence　he　came　down　through　the　　　country　of　Samaria；　and　hard　by　the　city；　by　others　called　Neapoils；　（or　Sichem；）　but　by　the　people　of　that　country　Mabortha；　to　Corea；　where　he　pitched　his　camp；　on　the　　　second　day　of　the　month　Desius　＇Sivan＇；　and　on　the　day　　　following　he　came　to　Jericho；　on　which　day　Trajan；　one　of　his　commanders；　joined　him　with　the　forces　he　brought　out　of　Perea；　all　the　places　beyond　Jordan　being　subdued　already。　　　　2。　Hereupon　a　great　multitude　prevented　their　approach；　and　came　out　of　Jericho；　and　fled　to　those　mountainous　parts　that　lay　over　against　Jerusalem；　while　that　part　which　was　left　behind　was　in　a　great　measure　destroyed；　they　also　found　the　city　desolate。　It　is　situated　in　a　plain；　but　a　naked　and　barren　mountain；　of　a　very　great　length；　hangs　over　it；　which　extends　itself　to　the　land　about　Scythopolis　northward；　but　as　far　as　the　country　of　Sodom；　and　the　utmost　limits　of　the　lake　　　Asphaltiris；　southward。　This　mountain　is　all　of　it　very　uneven　and　uninhabited；　by　reason　of　its　barrenness：　there　is　an　opposite　mountain　that　is　situated　over　against　it；　on　the　other　side　of　Jordan；　this　last　begins　at　Julias；　and　the　northern　quarters；　and　extends　itself　southward　as　far　as　Somorrhon；　（13）　which　is　the　bounds　of　Petra；　in　Arabia。　In　this　ridge　of　mountains　there　is　one　called　the　Iron　　　Mountain；　that　runs　in　length　as　far　as　Moab。　Now　the　region　that　lies　in　the　middle　between　these　ridges　of　mountains　is　called　the　Great　Plain；　it　reaches　from　the　village　Ginnabris；　as　far　as　the　lake　Asphaltitis；　its　length　is　two　hundred　and　thirty　furlongs；　and　its　breadth　a　hundred　and　twenty；　and　it　is　divided　in　the　midst　by　Jordan。　It　hath　two　lakes　in　it；　that　of　Asphaltitis；　and　that　of　Tiberias；　whose　natures　are　　　opposite　to　each　other；　for　the　former　is　salt　and　unfruitful；　but　that　of　Tiberias　is　sweet　and　fruitful。　This　plain　is　much　burnt　up　in　summer　time；　and；　by　reason　of　the　extraordinary　heat；　contains　a　very　unwholesome　air；　it　is　all　destitute　of　water　excepting　the　river　Jordan；　which　water　of　Jordan　is　the　occasion　why　those　plantations　of　palm　trees　that　are　near　its　banks　are　more　flourishing；　and　much　more　fruitful；　as　are　those　that　are　remote　from　it　not　so　flourishing；　or　fruitful。　　　　3。　Notwithstanding　which；　there　is　a　fountain　by　Jericho；　that　runs　plentifully；　and　is　very　fit　for　watering　the　ground；　it　arises　near　the　old　city；　which　Joshua；　the　son　of　Naue；　the　general　of　the　Hebrews；　took　the　first　of　all　the　cities　of　the　land　of　Canaan；　by　right　of　war。　The　report　is；　that　this　fountain；　at　the　beginning；　caused　not　only　the　blasting　of　the　earth　and　the　trees；　but　of　the　children　born　of　women；　and　that　it　was　entirely　of　a　sickly　and　corruptive　nature　to　all　things　whatsoever；　but　that　it　was　made　gentle；　and　very　wholesome　and　fruitful；　by　the　prophet　Elisha。　This　prophet　was　familiar　with　Elijah；　and　was　his　successor；　who；　when　he　once　was　the　guest　of　the　people　at　Jericho；　and　the　men　of　the　place　had　treated　him　very　kindly；　he　both　made　them　amends　as　well　as　the　country；　by　a　lasting　favor；　for　he　went　out　of　the　city　to　this　fountain；　and　threw　into　the　current　an　earthen　vessel　full　of　salt；　after　which　he　stretched　out　his　righteous　hand　unto　heaven；　and；　pouring　out　a　mild　drink…offering；　he　made　this　supplication；　That　the　current　might　be　mollified；　and　that　the　veins　of　fresh　water　might　be　opened；　that　God　also　would　bring　into　the　place　a　more　　　temperate　and　fertile　air　for　the　current；　and　would　bestow　upon　the　people　of　that　country　plenty　of　the　fruits　of　the　earth；　and　a　succession　of　children；　and　that　this　prolific　water　might　never　fail　them；　while　they　continued　to　he　　　righteous。　To　these　prayers　Elisha　（14）　joined　proper　　　operations　of　his　hands；　after　a　skillful　manner；　and　changed　the　fountain；　and　that　water；　which　had　been　the　occasion　of　barrenness　and　famine　before；　from　that　time　did　supply　a　numerous　posterity；　and　afforded　great　abundance　to　the　　　country。　Accordingly；　the　power　of　it　is　so　great　in　watering　the　ground；　that　if　it　do　but　once　touch　a　country；　it　affords　a　sweeter　nourishment　than　other　waters　do；　when　they　lie　so　long　upon　them；　till　they　are　satiated　with　them。　For　which　reason；　the　advantage　gained　from　other　waters；　when　they　flow　in　great　plenty；　is　but　small；　while　that　of　this　water　is　great　when　it　flows　even　in　little　quantities。　Accordingly；　it　waters　a　larger　space　of　ground　than　any　other　waters　do；　and　passes　along　a　plain　of　seventy　furlongs　long；　and　twenty　broad；　wherein　it　affords　nourishment　to　those　most　excellent　gardens　that　are　thick　set　with　trees。　There　are　in　it　many　sorts　of　palm　trees　that　are　watered　by　it；　different　from　each　other　in　taste　and　name；　the　better　sort　of　them；　when　they　are　pressed；　yield　an　excellent　kind　of　honey；　not　much　　　inferior　in　sweetness　to　other　honey。　This　country　withal　produces　honey　from　bees；　it　also　bears　that　balsam　which　is　the　most　precious　of　all　the　fruits　in　that　place；　cypress　trees　also；　and　those　that　bear　myrobalanum；　so　that　he　who　　　should　pronounce　this　place　to　be　divine　would　not　be　　　mistaken；　wherein　is　such　plenty　of　trees　produced　as　are　very　rare；　and　of　the　must　excellent　sort。　And　indeed；　if　we　speak　of　those　other　fruits；　it　will　not　be　easy　to　light　on　any　climate　in　the　habitable　earth　that　can　well　be　compared　to　it；　what　is　here　sown　comes　up　in　such　clusters；　the　cause　of　which　seems　to　me　to　be　the　warmth　of　the　air；　and　the　fertility　of　the　waters；　the　warmth　calling　forth　the　sprouts；　and　making　them　spread；　and　the　moisture　making　every　one　of　them　take　root　firmly；　and　supplying　that　virtue　which　it　stands　in　need　of　in　summer　time。　Now　this　country　is　then　so　sadly　burnt　up；　that　nobody　cares　to　come　at　it；　and　if　the　water　be　drawn　up　before　sun…rising；　and　after　that　exposed　to　the　air；　it　becomes　exceeding　cold；　and　becomes　of　a　　　nature　quite　contrary　to　the　ambient　air；　as　in　winter　again　it　becomes　warm；　and　if　you　go　into　it；　it　appears　very　gentle。　The　ambient　air　is　here　also　of　so　good　a　temperature；　that　the　people　of　the　country　are　clothed　in　linen…only；　even　when　snow　covers　the　rest　of　Judea。　This　place　is　one　　　hundred　and　fifty　furlongs　from　Jerusalem；　and　sixty　from　Jordan。　The　country；　as　far　as　Jerusalem；　is　desert　and　stony；　but　that　as　far　as　Jordan　and　the　lake　Asphaltitis　lies　lower　indeed；　though　it　be　equally　desert　and　barren。　But　so　much　shall　suffice　to　have　said　about　Jericho；　and　of　the　great　happiness　of　its　situation。　　　　　　4。　The　nature　of　the　lake　Asphaltitis　is　also　worth　describing。　It　is；　as　I　have　said　already；　bitter　and　unfruitful。　It　is　so　light　＇or　thick＇　that　it　bears　up　the　heaviest　things　that　are　thrown　into　it；　nor　is　it　easy　for　any　one　to　make　things　sink　therein　to　the　bottom；　if　he　had　a　mind　so　to　do。　Accordingly；　when　Vespasian　went　to　see　it；　he　commanded　that　some　who　　　could　not　swim　should　have　their　hands　tied　behind　them；　and　be　thrown　into　the　deep；　when　it　so　happened　that　they　all　swam　as　if　a　wind　had　forced　them　upwards。　Moreover；　the　change　of　the　color　of　this　lake　is　wonderful；　for　it　changes　its　appearance　thrice　every　day；　and　as　the　rays　of　the　sun　fall　differently　upon　it；　the　light　is　variously　reflected。　However；　it　casts　up　black　clods　of　bitumen　in　many　parts　of　it；　these　swim　at　the　top　of　the　water；　and　resemble　both　in　shape　and　bigness　headless　bulls；　and　when　the　laborers　that　belong　to　the　lake　come　to　it；　and　catch　hold　of　it　as　it　hangs　together；　they　draw　it　into　their　ships；　but　when　the　ship　is　full；　it　is　not　easy　to　cut　off　the　rest；　for　it　is　so　tenacious　as　to　make　the　ship　hang