the wars of the jews-第16部分

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at　the　officers　would　not　obey　orders；　for　had　not　the　fight　begun　so　suddenly；　Athenio　had　not　found　a　proper　season　for　the　snares　he　laid　for　Herod：　however；　he　was　even　with　the　Arabians　afterward；　and　overran　their　country；　and　did　them　more　harm　than　their　single　victory　could　compensate。　But　as　he　was　avenging　himself　on　his　enemies；　there　fell　upon　him　another　providential　calamity；　for　in　the　seventh　（29）　year　of　his　reign；　when　the　war　about　Actium　was　at　the　height；　at　the　beginning　of　the　spring；　the　earth　was　shaken；　and　destroyed　an　immense　number　of　cattle；　with　thirty　thousand　men；　but　the　army　received　no　harm；　because　it　lay　in　the　open　air。　In　the　mean　time；　the　fame　of　this　earthquake　elevated　the　Arabians　to　greater　courage；　and　this　by　augmenting　it　to　a　fabulous　height；　as　is　constantly　the　case　in　melancholy　accidents；　and　pretending　that　all　Judea　was　overthrown。　Upon　this　supposal；　therefore；　that　they　should　easily　get　a　land　that　was　destitute　of　inhabitants　into　their　power；　they　first　sacrificed　those　ambassadors　who　were　come　to　them　from　the　Jews；　and　then　marched　into　Judea　immediately。　Now　the　Jewish　nation　were　affrighted　at　this　invasion；　and　quite　dispirited　at　the　greatness　of　their　calamities　one　after　another；　whom　yet　Herod　got　together；　and　endeavored　to　encourage　to　defend　themselves　by　the　following　speech　which　he　made　to　them：

4。　〃The　present　dread　you　are　under　seems　to　me　to　have　seized　upon　you　very　unreasonably。　It　is　true；　you　might　justly　be　dismayed　at　that　providential　chastisement　which　hath　befallen　you；　but　to　suffer　yourselves　to　be　equally　terrified　at　the　invasion　of　men　is　unmanly。　As　for　myself；　I　am　so　far　from　being　aftrighted　at　our　enemies　after　this　earthquake；　that　I　imagine　that　God　hath　thereby　laid　a　bait　for　the　Arabians；　that　we　may　be　avenged　on　them；　for　their　present　invasion　proceeds　more　from　our　accidental　misfortunes；　than　that　they　have　any　great　dependence　on　their　weapons；　or　their　own　fitness　for　action。　Now　that　hope　which　depends　not　on　men's　own　power；　but　on　others'　ill　success；　is　a　very　ticklish　thing；　for　there　is　no　certainty　among　men；　either　in　their　bad　or　good　fortunes；　but　we　may　easily　observe　that　fortune　is　mutable；　and　goes　from　one　side　to　another；　and　this　you　may　readily　learn　from　examples　among　yourselves；　for　when　you　were　once　victors　in　the　former　fight；　your　enemies　overcame　you　at　last；　and　very　likely　it　will　now　happen　so；　that　these　who　think　themselves　sure　of　beating　you　will　themselves　be　beaten。　For　when　men　are　very　confident；　they　are　not　upon　their　guard；　while　fear　teaches　men　to　act　with　caution；　insomuch　that　I　venture　to　prove　from　your　very　timorousness　that　you　ought　to　take　courage；　for　when　you　were　more　bold　than　you　ought　to　have　been；　and　than　I　would　have　had　you；　and　marched　on；　Athenio's　treachery　took　place；　but　your　present　slowness　and　seeming　dejection　of　mind　is　to　me　a　pledge　and　assurance　of　victory。　And　indeed　it　is　proper　beforehand　to　be　thus　provident；　but　when　we　come　to　action；　we　ought　to　erect　our　minds；　and　to　make　our　enemies；　be　they　ever　so　wicked；　believe　that　neither　any　human；　no；　nor　any　providential　misfortune；　can　ever　depress　the　courage　of　Jews　while　they　are　alive；　nor　will　any　of　them　ever　overlook　an　Arabian；　or　suffer　such　a　one　to　become　lord　of　his　good　things；　whom　he　has　in　a　manner　taken　captive；　and　that　many　times　also。　And　do　not　you　disturb　yourselves　at　the　quaking　of　inanimate　creatures；　nor　do　you　imagine　that　this　earthquake　is　a　sign　of　another　calamity；　for　such　affections　of　the　elements　are　according　to　the　course　of　nature；　nor　does　it　import　any　thing　further　to　men；　than　what　mischief　it　does　immediately　of　itself。　Perhaps　there　may　come　some　short　sign　beforehand　in　the　case　of　pestilences；　and　famines；　and　earthquakes；　but　these　calamities　themselves　have　their　force　limited　by　themselves　＇without　foreboding　any　other　calamity＇。　And　indeed　what　greater　mischief　can　the　war；　though　it　should　be　a　violent　one；　do　to　us　than　the　earthquake　hath　done？　Nay；　there　is　a　signal　of　our　enemies'　destruction　visible；　and　that　a　very　great　one　also；　and　this　is　not　a　natural　one；　nor　derived　from　the　hand　of　foreigners　neither；　but　it　is　this；　that　they　have　barbarously　murdered　our　ambassadors；　contrary　to　the　common　law　of　mankind；　and　they　have　destroyed　so　many；　as　if　they　esteemed　them　sacrifices　for　God；　in　relation　to　this　war。　But　they　will　not　avoid　his　great　eye；　nor　his　invincible　right　hand；　and　we　shall　be　revenged　of　them　presently；　in　case　we　still　retain　any　of　the　courage　of　our　forefathers；　and　rise　up　boldly　to　punish　these　covenant…breakers。　Let　every　one　therefore　go　on　and　fight；　not　so　much　for　his　wife　or　his　children；　or　for　the　danger　his　country　is　in；　as　for　these　ambassadors　of　ours；　those　dead　ambassadors　will　conduct　this　war　of　ours　better　than　we　ourselves　who　are　alive。　And　if　you　will　be　ruled　by　me；　I　will　myself　go　before　you　into　danger；　for　you　know　this　well　enough；　that　your　courage　is　irresistible；　unless　you　hurt　yourselves　by　acting　rashly。　（30）

5。　When　Herod　had　encouraged　them　by　this　speech；　and　he　saw　with　what　alacrity　they　went；　he　offered　sacrifice　to　God；　and　after　that　sacrifice；　he　passed　over　the　river　Jordan　with　his　army；　and　pitched　his　camp　about　Philadelphia；　near　the　enemy；　and　about　a　fortification　that　lay　between　them。　He　then　shot　at　them　at　a　distance；　and　was　desirous　to　come　to　an　engagement　presently；　for　some　of　them　had　been　sent　beforehand　to　seize　upon　that　fortification：　but　the　king　sent　some　who　immediately　beat　them　out　of　the　fortification；　while　he　himself　went　in　the　forefront　of　the　army；　which　he　put　in　battle…array　every　day；　and　invited　the　Arabians　to　fight。　But　as　none　of　them　came　out　of　their　camp；　for　they　were　in　a　terrible　fright；　and　their　general；　Elthemus；　was　not　able　to　say　a　word　for　fear；　…　so　Herod　came　upon　them；　and　pulled　their　fortification　to　pieces；　by　which　means　they　were　compelled　to　come　out　to　fight；　which　they　did　in　disorder；　and　so　that　the　horsemen　and　foot…men　were　mixed　together。　They　were　indeed　superior　to　the　Jews　in　number；　but　inferior　in　their　alacrity；　although　they　were　obliged　to　expose　themselves　to　danger　by　their　very　despair　of　victory。　　6。　Now　while　they　made　opposition；　they　had　not　a　great　number　slain；　but　as　soon　as　they　turned　their　backs；　a　great　many　were　trodden　to　pieces　by　the　Jews；　and　a　great　many　by　themselves；　and　so　perished；　till　five　thousand　were　fallen　down　dead　in　their　flight；　while　the　rest　of　the　multitude　prevented　their　immediate　death；　by　crowding　into　the　fortification。　Herod　encompassed　these　around；　and　besieged　them；　and　while　they　were　ready　to　be　taken　by　their　enemies　in　arms；　they　had　another　additional　distress　upon　them；　which　was　thirst　and　want　of　water；　for　the　king　was　above　hearkening　to　their　ambassadors；　and　when　they　offered　five　hundred　talents；　as　the　price　of　their　redemption；　he　pressed　still　harder　upon　them。　And　as　they　were　burnt　up　by　their　thirst；　they　came　out　and　voluntarily　delivered　themselves　up　by　multitudes　to　the　Jews；　till　in　five　days'　time　four　thousand　of　them　were　put　into　bonds；　and　on　the　sixth　day　the　multitude　that　were　left　despaired　of　saving　themselves；　and　came　out　to　fight：　with　these　Herod　fought；　and　slew　again　about　seven　thousand；　insomuch　that　he　punished　Arabia　so　severely；　and　so　far　extinguished　the　spirits　of　the　men；　that　he　was　chosen　by　the　nation　for　their　ruler。

CHAPTER　20。

Herod　Is　Confirmed　In　His　Kingdom　By　Caesar；　And　Cultivates　A　Friendship　With　The　Emperor　By　Magnificent　Presents；　While　Caesar　Returns　His　Kindness　By　Bestowing　On　Him　That　Part　Of　His　Kingdom　Which　Had　Been　Taken　Away　From　It　By　Cleopatra　With　The　Addition　Of　Zenodoruss　Country　Also。

1。　But　now　Herod　was　under　immediate　concern　about　a　most　important　affair；　on　account　of　his　friendship　with　Antony；　who　was　already　overcome　at　Actium　by　Caesar；　yet　he　was　more　afraid　than　hurt；　for　Caesar　did　not　think　he　had　quite　undone　Antony；　while　Herod　continued　his　assistance　to　him。　However；　the　king　resolved　to　expose　himself　to　dangers：　accordingly　he　sailed　to　Rhodes；　where　Caesar　then　abode；　and　came　to　him　without　his　diadem；　and　in　the　habit　and　appearance　of　a　private　person；　but　in　his　behavior　as　a　king。　So　he　concealed　nothing　of　the　truth；　but　spike　thus　before　his　face：　〃O　Caesar；　as　I　was　made　king　of　the　Jews　by　Antony；　so　do　I　profess　that　I　have　used　my　royal　authority　in　the　best　manner；　and　entirely　for　his　advantage；　nor　will　I　conceal　this　further；　that　thou　hadst　certainly　found　me　in　arms；　and　an　inseparable　companion　of　his；　had　not　the　Arabians　hindered　me。　However；　I　sent　him　as　many　auxiliaries　as　I　was　able；　and　many　ten　thousand　＇cori＇　of　corn。　Nay；　indeed；　I　did　not　desert　my　benefactor　after　the　bow　that　was　given　him　at　Actium；　but　I　gave　him　the　best　advice　I　was　able；　when　I　was　no　longer　able　to　assist　him　in　the　war；　and　I　told　him　that　there　was　but　one　way　of　recovering　his　affairs；　and　that　was　to　kill　Cleopatra；　and　I　promised　him　that；　if　she　were　once　dead；　I　would　afford　him　money　and　walls　for　his　security；　with　an　army　and　myself　to　assist　him　in　his　war　against　thee：　but　his　affections　for　Cleopatra　stopped　his　ears；　as　did　God　himself　also　who　hath　bestowed　the　government　on　thee。　I　own　myself　also　to　be　overcome　together　with　him；　and　with　his　last　fortune　I　have　laid　aside　my　diadem；　and　am　come　hither　to　thee；　having　my　hopes　of　safety　in　thy　virtue；　and　I　desire　that　thou　wilt　first　consider　how　faithful　a　friend；　and　not　whose　friend；　I　have　been。〃

2。　Caesar　replied　to　him　thus：　〃Nay；　thou　shalt　not　only　be　in　safety；　but　thou　shalt　be　a　king；　and　that　more　firmly　than　thou　wast　before；　for　thou　art　worthy　to　reign　over　a　great　many　subjects；　by　reason　of　the　fastness　of　thy　friendship；　and　do　thou　endeavor　to　be　equally　constant　in　thy　friendship　to　me；　upon　my　good　success；　which　is　what　I　depend　upon　from　the　generosity　of　thy　disposition。　However；　Antony　hath　done　well　in　preferring　Cleopatra　to　thee；　for　by　this　means　we　have　gained　thee　by　her　madness；　and　thus　thou　hast　begun　to　be　my　friend　before　I　began　to　be　thine