the wars of the jews-第32部分

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CHAPTER　3。

The　Jews　Fight　A　Great　Battle　With　Sabinus's　Soldiers；　And　A　Great　Destruction　Is　Made　At　Jerusalem。

1。　Now　before　Caesar　had　determined　any　thing　about　these　affairs；　Malthace；　Arehelaus's　mother；　fell　sick　and　died。　Letters　also　were　brought　out　of　Syria　from　Varus；　about　a　revolt　of　the　Jews。　This　was　foreseen　by　Varus；　who　accordingly；　after　Archelaus　was　sailed；　went　up　to　Jerusalem　to　restrain　the　promoters　of　the　sedition；　since　it　was　manifest　that　the　nation　would　not　he　at　rest；　so　he　left　one　of　those　legions　which　he　brought　with　him　out　of　Syria　in　the　city；　and　went　himself　to　Antioch。　But　Sabinus　came；　after　he　was　gone；　and　gave　them　an　occasion　of　making　innovations；　for　he　compelled　the　keepers　of　the　citadels　to　deliver　them　up　to　him；　and　made　a　bitter　search　after　the　king's　money；　as　depending　not　only　on　the　soldiers　which　were　left　by　Varus；　but　on　the　multitude　of　his　own　servants；　all　which　he　armed　and　used　as　the　instruments　of　his　covetousness。　Now　when　that　feast；　which　was　observed　after　seven　weeks；　and　which　the　Jews　called　Pentecost；　（i。　e。　the　50th　day；）　was　at　hand；　its　name　being　taken　from　the　number　of　the　days　＇after　the　passover＇；　the　people　got　together；　but　not　on　account　of　the　accustomed　Divine　worship；　but　of　the　indignation　they　had　＇'at　the　present　state　of　affairs'＇。　Wherefore　an　immense　multitude　ran　together；　out　of　Galilee；　and　Idumea；　and　Jericho；　and　Perea；　that　was　beyond　Jordan；　but　the　people　that　naturally　belonged　to　Judea　itself　were　above　the　rest；　both　in　number；　and　in　the　alacrity　of　the　men。　So　they　distributed　themselves　into　three　parts；　and　pitched　their　camps　in　three　places；　one　at　the　north　side　of　the　temple；　another　at　the　south　side；　by　the　Hippodrome；　and　the　third　part　were　at　the　palace　on　the　west。　So　they　lay　round　about　the　Romans　on　every　side；　and　besieged　them。　　2。　Now　Sabinus　was　aftrighted；　both　at　their　multitude；　and　at　their　courage；　and　sent　messengers　to　Varus　continually；　and　besought　him　to　come　to　his　succor　quickly；　for　that　if　he　delayed；　his　legion　would　be　cut　to　pieces。　As　for　Sabinus　himself；　he　got　up　to　the　highest　tower　of　the　fortress；　which　was　called　Phasaelus；　it　is　of　the　same　name　with　Herod's　brother；　who　was　destroyed　by　the　Parthians；　and　then　he　made　signs　to　the　soldiers　of　that　legion　to　attack　the　enemy；　for　his　astonishment　was　so　great；　that　he　durst　not　go　down　to　his　own　men。　Hereupon　the　soldiers　were　prevailed　upon；　and　leaped　out　into　the　temple；　and　fought　a　terrible　battle　with　the　Jews；　in　which；　while　there　were　none　over　their　heads　to　distress　them；　they　were　too　hard　for　them；　by　their　skill；　and　the　others'　want　of　skill；　in　war；　but　when　once　many　of　the　Jews　had　gotten　up　to　the　top　of　the　cloisters；　and　threw　their　darts　downwards；　upon　the　heads　of　the　Romans；　there　were　a　great　many　of　them　destroyed。　Nor　was　it　easy　to　avenge　themselves　upon　those　that　threw　their　weapons　from　on　high；　nor　was　it　more　easy　for　them　to　sustain　those　who　came　to　fight　them　hand　to　hand。

3。　Since　therefore　the　Romans　were　sorely　afflicted　by　both　these　circumstances；　they　set　fire　to　the　cloisters；　which　were　works　to　be　admired；　both　on　account　of　their　magnitude　and　costliness。　Whereupon　those　that　were　above　them　were　presently　encompassed　with　the　flame；　and　many　of　them　perished　therein；　as　many　of　them　also　were　destroyed　by　the　enemy；　who　came　suddenly　upon　them；　some　of　them　also　threw　themselves　down　from　the　walls　backward；　and　some　there　were　who；　from　the　desperate　condition　they　were　in；　prevented　the　fire；　by　killing　themselves　with　their　own　swords；　but　so　many　of　them　as　crept　out　from　the　walls；　and　came　upon　the　Romans；　were　easily　mastere　by　them；　by　reason　of　the　astonishment　they　were　under；　until　at　last　some　of　the　Jews　being　destroyed；　and　others　dispersed　by　the　terror　they　were　in；　the　soldiers　fell　upon　the　treasure　of　God；　which　w　now　deserted；　and　plundered　about　four　hundred　talents；　Of　which　sum　Sabinus　got　together　all　that　was　not　carried　away　by　the　soldiers。

4。　However；　this　destruction　of　the　works　＇about　the　temple＇；　and　of　the　men；　occasioned　a　much　greater　number；　and　those　of　a　more　warlike　sort；　to　get　together；　to　oppose　the　Romans。　These　encompassed　the　palace　round；　and　threatened　to　deploy　all　that　were　in　it；　unless　they　went　their　ways　quickly；　for　they　promised　that　Sabinus　should　come　to　no　harm；　if　he　would　go　out　with　his　legion。　There　were　also　a　great　many　of　the　king's　party　who　deserted　the　Romans；　and　assisted　the　Jews；　yet　did　the　most　warlike　body　of　them　all；　who　were　three　thousand　of　the　men　of　Sebaste；　go　over　to　the　Romans。　Rufus　also；　and　Gratus；　their　captains；　did　the　same；　（Gratus　having　the　foot　of　the　king's　party　under　him；　and　Rufus　the　horse；）　each　of　whom；　even　without　the　forces　under　them；　were　of　great　weight；　on　account　of　their　strength　and　wisdom；　which　turn　the　scales　in　war。　Now　the　Jews　in　the　siege；　and　tried　to　break　down　walls　of　the　fortress；　and　cried　out　to　Sabinus　and　his　party；　that　they　should　go　their　ways；　and　not　prove　a　hinderance　to　them；　now　they　hoped；　after　a　long　time；　to　recover　that　ancient　liberty　which　their　forefathers　had　enjoyed。　Sabinus　indeed　was　well　contented　to　get　out　of　the　danger　he　was　in；　but　he　distrusted　the　assurances　the　Jews　gave　him；　and　suspected　such　gentle　treatment　was　but　a　bait　laid　as　a　snare　for　them：　this　consideration；　together　with　the　hopes　he　had　of　succor　from　Varus；　made　him　bear　the　siege　still　longer。

CHAPTER　4。

Herod's　Veteran　Soldiers　Become　Tumultuous。　The　Robberies　Of　Judas。　Simon　And　Athronoeus　Take　The　Name　Of　King　Upon　Them。　　1。　At　this　time　there　were　great　disturbances　in　the　country；　and　that　in　many　places；　and　the　opportunity　that　now　offered　itself　induced　a　great　many　to　set　up　for　kings。　And　indeed　in　Idumea　two　thousand　of　Herod's　veteran　soldiers　got　together；　and　armed　and　fought　against　those　of　the　king's　party；　against　whom　Achiabus；　the　king's　first　cousin；　fought；　and　that　out　of　some　of　the　places　that　were　the　most　strongly　fortified；　but　so　as　to　avoid　a　direct　conflict　with　them　in　the　plains。　In　Sepphoris　also；　a　city　of　Galilee；　there　was　one　Judas　（the　son　of　that　arch…robber　Hezekias；　who　formerly　overran　the　country；　and　had　been　subdued　by　king　Herod）；　this　man　got　no　small　multitude　together；　and　brake　open　the　place　where　the　royal　armor　was　laid　up；　and　armed　those　about　him；　and　attacked　those　that　were　so　earnest　to　gain　the　dominion。

2。　In　Perea　also；　Simon；　one　of　the　servants　to　the　king；　relying　upon　the　handsome　appearance　and　tallness　of　his　body；　put　a　diadem　upon　his　own　head　also；　he　also　went　about　with　a　company　of　robbers　that　he　had　gotten　together；　and　burnt　down　the　royal　palace　that　was　at　Jericho；　and　many　other　costly　edifices　besides；　and　procured　himself　very　easily　spoils　by　rapine；　as　snatching　them　out　of　the　fire。　And　he　had　soon　burnt　down　all　the　fine　edifices；　if　Gratus；　the　captain　of　the　foot　of　the　king's　party；　had　not　taken　the　Trachonite　archers；　and　the　most　warlike　of　Sebaste；　and　met　the　man。　His　footmen　were　slain　in　the　battle　in　abundance；　Gratus　also　cut　to　pieces　Simon　himself；　as　he　was　flying　along　a　strait　valley；　when　he　gave　him　an　oblique　stroke　upon　his　neck；　as　he　ran　away；　and　brake　it。　The　royal　palaces　that　were　near　Jordan　at　Betharamptha　were　also　burnt　down　by　some　other　of　the　seditious　that　came　out　of　Perea。　　3。　At　this　time　it　was　that　a　certain　shepherd　ventured　to　set　himself　up　for　a　king；　he　was　called　Athrongeus。　It　was　his　strength　of　body　that　made　him　expect　such　a　dignity；　as　well　as　his　soul；　which　despised　death；　and　besides　these　qualifications；　he　had　four　brethren　like　himself。　He　put　a　troop　of　armed　men　under　each　of　these　his　brethren；　and　made　use　of　them　as　his　generals　and　commanders；　when　he　made　his　incursions；　while　he　did　himself　act　like　a　king；　and　meddled　only　with　the　more　important　affairs；　and　at　this　time　he　put　a　diadem　about　his　head；　and　continued　after　that　to　overrun　the　country　for　no　little　time　with　his　brethren；　and　became　their　leader　in　killing　both　the　Romans　and　those　of　the　king's　party；　nor　did　any　Jew　escape　him；　if　any　gain　could　accrue　to　him　thereby。　He　once　ventured　to　encompass　a　whole　troop　of　Romans　at　Emmaus；　who　were　carrying　corn　and　weapons　to　their　legion；　his　men　therefore　shot　their　arrows　and　darts；　and　thereby　slew　their　centurion　Arius；　and　forty　of　the　stoutest　of　his　men；　while　the　rest　of　them；　who　were　in　danger　of　the　same　fate；　upon　the　coming　of　Gratus；　with　those　of　Sebaste；　to　their　assistance；　escaped。　And　when　these　men　had　thus　served　both　their　own　countrymen　and　foreigners；　and　that　through　this　whole　war；　three　of　them　were；　after　some　time；　subdued；　the　eldest　by　Archelaus；　the　two　next　by　falling　into　the　hands　of　Gratus　and　Ptolemeus；　but　the　fourth　delivered　himself　up　to　Archelaus；　upon　his　giving　him　his　right　hand　for　his　security。　However；　this　their　end　was　not　till　afterward；　while　at　present　they　filled　all　Judea　with　a　piratic　war。　　CHAPTER　5。

Varus　Composes　The　Tumults　In　Judea　And　Crucifies　About　Two　Thousand　Of　The　Seditious。

1。　Upon　Varus's　reception　of　the　letters　that　were　written　by　Sabinus　and　the　captains；　he　could　not　avoid　being　afraid　for　the　whole　legion　＇he　had　left　there＇。　So　he　made　haste　to　their　relief；　and　took　with　him　the　other　two　legions；　with　the　four　troops　of　horsemen　to　them　belonging；　and　marched　to　Ptolenlais；　having　given　orders　for　the　auxiliaries　that　were　sent　by　the　kings　and　governors　of　cities　to　meet　him　there。　Moreover；　he　received　from　the　people　of　Berytus；　as　he　passed　through　their　city；　fifteen　hundred　armed　men。　Now　as　soon　as　the　other　body　of　auxiliaries　were　come　to　Ptolemais；　as　well　as　Aretas　the　Arabian；　（who；　out　of　the　hatred　he　bore　to　Herod；　brought　a　great　army　of　horse　and　foot；）　Varus　sent　a　part　of　his　army　presently　to　Galilee；　which　lay　near　to　Ptolemais；　and　Caius；　one　of　his　friends；　for　their　captain。　This　Caius　put　those　that　met　him　to　flight；　and　took　the　city　Sepphoris；　and　burnt　it；　and　made　slaves　of　its　inhabitants；　but　as　for　Varus　himself；　he　m