the wars of the jews-第81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！


nder　him；　upon　which　account　he　was　feasted　after　an　obliging　manner　by　Simon；　and　elevated　by　his　mighty　promises；　and　when　he　was　returned　to　his　own　men；　he　at　first　belied　the　army　of　Simon；　and　said　it　was　manifold　more　in　number　than　what　it　was；　after　which；　he　dexterously　persuaded　the　commanders；　and　by　degrees　the　whole　multitude；　to　receive　Simon；　and　to　surrender　the　　　whole　government　up　to　him　without　fighting。　And　as　he　was　doing　this；　he　invited　Simon　by　his　messengers；　and　promised　him　to　disperse　the　Idumeans；　which　he　performed　also；　for　as　soon　as　their　army　was　nigh　them；　he　first　of　all　got　upon　his　horse；　and　fled；　together　with　those　whom　he　had　　　corrupted；　hereupon　a　terror　fell　upon　the　whole　multitude；　and　before　it　came　to　a　close　fight；　they　broke　their　ranks；　and　every　one　retired　to　his　own　home。　　　　　　7。　Thus　did　Simon　unexpectedly　march　into　Idumea；　without　bloodshed；　and　made　a　sudden　attack　upon　the　city　Hebron；　and　took　it；　wherein　he　got　possession　of　a　great　deal　of　prey；　and　plundered　it　of　a　vast　quantity　of　fruit。　Now　the　people　of　the　country　say　that　it　is　an　ancienter　city；　not　only　than　any　in　that　country；　but　than　Memphis　in　Egypt；　and　　　accordingly　its　age　is　reckoned　at　two　thousand　and　three　hundred　years。　They　also　relate　that　it　had　been　the　　　habitation　of　Abram；　the　progenitor　of　the　Jews；　after　he　had　removed　out　of　Mesopotamia；　and　they　say　that　his　posterity　descended　from　thence　into　Egypt；　whose　monuments　are　to　this　very　time　showed　in　that　small　city；　the　fabric　of　which　monuments　are　of　the　most　excellent　marble；　and　wrought　　　after　the　most　elegant　manner。　There　is　also　there　showed；　at　the　distance　of　six　furlongs　from　the　city；　a　very　large　turpentine　tree　（17）　and　the　report　goes；　that　this　tree　has　continued　ever　since　the　creation　of　the　world。　Thence　did　Simon　make　his　progress　over　all　Idumen；　and　did　not　only　ravage　the　cities　and　villages；　but　lay　waste　the　whole　country；　for；　besides　those　that　were　completely　armed；　he　had　forty　thousand　men　that　followed　him；　insomuch　that　he　had　not　provisions　enough　to　suffice　such　a　multitude。　Now；　besides　this　want　of　provisions　that　he　was　in；　he　was　of　a　barbarous　disposition；　and　bore　great　anger　at　this　nation；　by　which　means　it　came　to　pass　that　Idumea　was　greatly　depopulated；　and　as　one　may　see　all　the　woods　behind　despoiled　of　their　leaves　by　locusts；　after　they　have　been　there；　so　was　there　nothing　left　behind　Simon's　army　but　a　desert。　Some　places　they　burnt　down；　some　they　utterly　demolished；　and　　　whatsoever　grew　in　the　country；　they　either　trod　it　down　or　fed　upon　it；　and　by　their　marches　they　made　the　ground　that　was　cultivated　harder　and　more　untractable　than　that　which　was　barren。　In　short；　there　was　no　sign　remaining　of　those　places　that　had　been　laid　waste；　that　ever　they　had　had　a　being。　　　　　　8。　This　success　of　Simon　excited　the　zealots　afresh；　and　though　they　were　afraid　to　fight　him　openly　in　a　fair　battle；　yet　did　they　lay　ambushes　in　the　passes；　and　seized　upon　his　wife；　with　a　considerable　number　of　her　attendants；　　　whereupon　they　came　back　to　the　city　rejoicing；　as　if　they　had　taken　Simon　himself　captive；　and　were　in　present　　　expectation　that　he　would　lay　down　his　arms；　and　make　　　supplication　to　them　for　his　wife；　but　instead　of　indulging　any　merciful　affection；　he　grew　very　angry　at　them　for　seizing　his　beloved　wife；　so　he　came　to　the　wall　of　Jerusalem；　and；　like　wild　beasts　when　they　are　wounded；　and　cannot　overtake　　　those　that　wounded　them；　he　vented　his　spleen　upon　all　　　persons　that　he　met　with。　Accordingly；　he　caught　all　those　that　were　come　out　of　the　city　gates；　either　to　gather　herbs　or　sticks；　who　were　unarmed　and　in　years；　he　then　tormented　them　and　destroyed　them；　out　of　the　immense　rage　he　was　　　in；　and　was　almost　ready　to　taste　the　very　flesh　of　their　dead　bodies。　He　also　cut　off　the　hands　of　a　great　many；　and　sent　them　into　the　city　to　astonish　his　enemies；　and　in　order　to　make　the　people　fall　into　a　sedition；　and　desert　those　that　had　been　the　authors　of　his　wife's　seizure。　He　also　enjoined　them　to　tell　the　people　that　Simon　swore　by　the　God　of　the　universe；　who　sees　all　things；　that　unless　they　will　restore　him　his　wife；　he　will　break　down　their　wall；　and　inflict　the　like　punishment　upon　all　the　citizens；　without　sparing　any　age；　and　without　making　any　distinction　between　the　guilty　and　the　innocent。　These　threatenings　so　greatly　affrighted；　not　the　people　only；　but　the　zealots　themselves　also；　that　they　sent　his　wife　back　to　him；　when　he　became　a　little　milder；　and　left　off　his　perpetual　blood…shedding。　　　　　　9。　But　now　sedition　and　civil　war　prevailed；　not　only　over　Judea；　but　in　Italy　also；　for　now　Galba　was　slain　in　the　midst　of　the　Roman　market…place；　then　was　Otho　made　emperor；　　　and　fought　against　Vitellius；　who　set　up　for　emperor　also；　for　the　legions　in　Germany　had　chosen　him。　But　when　he　gave　　　battle　to　Valens　and　Cecinna；　who　were　Vitellius's　generals；　at　Betriacum；　in　Gaul；　Otho　gained　the　advantage　on　the　first　day；　but　on　the　second　day　Vitellius's　soldiers　had　the　victory；　and　after　much　slaughter　Otho　slew　himself；　when　he　had　　　heard　of　this　defeat　at　Brixia；　and　after　he　had　managed　the　public　affairs　three　months　and　two　days。　（18）　Otho's　army　also　came　over　to　Vitellius's　generals；　and　he　came　himself　down　to　Rome　with　his　army。　But　in　the　mean　time　　　Vespasian　removed　from　Cesarea；　on　the　fifth　day　of　the　　　month　Deasius；　＇Sivan；＇　and　marched　against　those　places　of　Judea　which　were　not　yet　overthrown。　So　he　went　up　to　the　mountainous　country；　and　took　those　two　toparchies　that　　　were　called　the　Gophnitick　and　Acrabattene　toparchies。　After　which　he　took　Bethel　and　Ephraim；　two　small　cities；　and　　　when　he　had　put　garrisons　into　them；　he　rode　as　far　as　　　Jerusalem；　in　which　march　he　took　many　prisoners；　and　many　captives；　but　Cerealis；　one　of　his　commanders；　took　a　body　of　horsemen　and　footmen；　and　laid　waste　that　part　of　Idumea　which　was　called　the　Upper　Idumea；　and　attacked　Caphethra；　which　pretended　to　be　a　small　city；　and　took　it　at　the　first　onset；　and　burnt　it　down。　He　also　attacked　Caphatabira；　and　laid　siege　to　it；　for　it　had　a　very　strong　wall；　and　when　he　expected　to　spend　a　long　time　in　that　siege；　those　that　were　within　opened　their　gates　on　the　sudden；　and　came　to　beg　pardon；　and　surrendered　themselves　up　to　him。　When　　　Cerealis　had　conquered　them；　he　went　to　Hebron；　another　　　very　ancient　city。　I　have　told　you　already　that　this　city　is　situated　in　a　mountainous　country　not　far　off　Jerusalem；　and　when　he　had　broken　into　the　city　by　force；　what　multitude　and　young　men　were　left　therein　he　slew；　and　burnt　down　the　city；　so　that　as　now　all　the　places　were　taken；　excepting　Herodlum；　and　Masada；　and　Macherus；　which　were　in　the　　　possession　of　the　robbers；　so　Jerusalem　was　what　the　Romans　at　present　aimed　at。　　　　　　10。　And　now；　as　soon　as　Simon　had　set　his　wife　free；　and　recovered　her　from　the　zealots；　he　returned　back　to　the　　　remainders　of　Idumea；　and　driving　the　nation　all　before　him　from　all　quarters；　he　compelled　a　great　number　of　them　to　retire　to　Jerusalem；　he　followed　them　himself　also　to　the　city；　and　encompassed　the　wall　all　round　again；　and　when　he　　　lighted　upon　any　laborers　that　were　coming　thither　out　of　the　country；　he　slew　them。　Now　this　Simon；　who　was　without　the　wall；　was　a　greater　terror　to　the　people　than　the　Romans　themselves；　as　were　the　zealots　who　were　within　it　more　　　heavy　upon　them　than　both　of　the　other；　and　during　this　time　did　the　mischievous　contrivances　and　courage　＇of　John＇　　　corrupt　the　body　of　the　Galileans；　for　these　Galileans　had　advanced　this　John；　and　made　him　very　potent；　who　made　　　them　suitable　requital　from　the　authority　he　had　obtained　by　their　means；　for　he　permitted　them　to　do　all　things　that　any　of　them　desired　to　do；　while　their　inclination　to　plunder　was　insatiable；　as　was　their　zeal　in　searching　the　houses　of　the　rich；　and　for　the　murdering　of　the　men；　and　abusing　of　the　women；　it　was　sport　to　them。　They　also　devoured　what　spoils　they　had　taken；　together　with　their　blood；　and　indulged　　　themselves　in　feminine　wantonness；　without　any　disturbance；　till　they　were　satiated　therewith；　while　they　decked　their　hair；　and　put　on　women's　garments；　and　were　besmeared　over　with　ointments；　and　that　they　might　appear　very　comely；　they　had　paints　under　their　eyes；　and　imitated　not　only　the　ornaments；　but　also　the　lusts　of　women；　and　were　guilty　of　such　　　intolerable　uncleanness；　that　they　invented　unlawful　pleasures　of　that　sort。　And　thus　did　they　roll　themselves　up　and　down　the　city；　as　in　a　brothel…house；　and　defiled　it　entirely　with　their　impure　actions；　nay；　while　their　faces　looked　like　the　faces　of　women；　they　killed　with　their　right　hands；　and　when　their　gait　was　effeminate；　they　presently　attacked　men；　and　became　warriors；　and　drew　their　swords　from　under　their　　　finely　dyed　cloaks；　and　ran　every　body　through　whom　they　alighted　upon。　However；　Simon　waited　for　such　as　ran　away　from　John；　and　was　the　more　bloody　of　the　two；　and　he　who　had　escaped　the　tyrant　within　the　wall　was　destroyed　by　the　other　that　lay　before　the　gates；　so　that　all　attempts　of　flying　and　deserting　to　the　Romans　were　cut　off；　as　to　those　that　had　a　mind　so　to　do。　　　　　　11。　Yet　did　the　army　that　was　under　John　raise　a　sedition　against　him；　and　all　the　Idumeans　separated　themselves　from　the　tyrant；　and　attempted　to　destroy　him；　and　this　out　of　their　envy　at　his　power；　and　hatred　of　his　cruelty；　so　they　got　together；　and　slew　many　of　the　zealots；　and　drove　the　rest　before　them　into　that　royal　palace　that　was　built　by　Grapte；　who　was　a　relation　of　Izates；　the　king　of　Adiabene；　the　　　Idumeans　fell　in　with　them；　and　drove　the　zealots　out　thence　into　the　temple；　and　betook　themselves　to　plunder　John's　effects；　for　both　he　himself　was　in　that　palace；　and　therein　had　he　laid　up　the　spoils　he　had　acquired　by　his　tyranny。　In　the　mean　time；　the　multitude　of　those　zealots　that　were　　　dispersed　over　the　city　ran　together　to　the　temple　unto　those　that　fled　thither；　and　John　prepared　to　bring　them　down　　　against　the　people　and　the　Idumeans；　who　were　not　so　much　afraid　of　being　attacked　by　them　（because　they　were　　　themselves　better　soldiers　than　they）　as　at　their　madn