the wars of the jews-第80部分

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e　ship　is　full；　it　is　not　easy　to　cut　off　the　rest；　for　it　is　so　tenacious　as　to　make　the　ship　hang　upon　its　clods　till　they　set　it　loose　with　the　menstrual　blood　of　women；　and　with　urine；　to　which　　　alone　it　yields。　This　bitumen　is　not　only　useful　for　the　caulking　of　ships；　but　for　the　cure　of　men's　bodies；　　　accordingly；　it　is　mixed　in　a　great　many　medicines。　The　length　of　this　lake　is　five　hundred　and　eighty　furlongs；　where　it　is　extended　as　far　as　Zoar　in　Arabia；　and　its　breadth　is　a　　　hundred　and　fifty。　The　country　of　Sodom　borders　upon　it。　It　was　of　old　a　most　happy　land；　both　for　the　fruits　it　bore　and　the　riches　of　its　cities；　although　it　be　now　all　burnt　up。　It　is　related　how；　for　the　impiety　of　its　inhabitants；　it　was　burnt　by　lightning；　in　consequence　of　which　there　are　still　the　　　remainders　of　that　Divine　fire；　and　the　traces　＇or　shadows＇　of　the　five　cities　are　still　to　be　seen；　as　well　as　the　ashes　growing　in　their　fruits；　which　fruits　have　a　color　as　if　they　were　fit　to　be　eaten；　but　if　you　pluck　them　with　your　hands；　they　dissolve　into　smoke　and　ashes。　And　thus　what　is　related　of　this　land　of　Sodom　hath　these　marks　of　credibility　which　our　very　sight　affords　us。　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　9。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　That　Vespasian；　After　He　Had　Taken　Gadara　Made　Preparation　For　The　Siege　Of　Jerusalem；　But　That；　Upon　His　Hearing　Of　The　Death　Of　Nero；　He　Changed　His　Intentions。　As　Also　Concerning　Simon　Of　Geras。　　　　　　　　　　　　1。　And　now　Vespasian　had　fortified　all　the　places　round　　　about　Jerusalem；　and　erected　citadels　at　Jericho　and　Adida；　and　placed　garrisons　in　them　both；　partly　out　of　his　own　Romans；　and　partly　out　of　the　body　of　his　auxiliaries。　He　also　sent　Lucius　Annius　to　Gerasa；　and　delivered　to　him　a　body　of　horsemen；　and　a　considerable　number　of　footmen。　So　when　　　he　had　taken　the　city；　which　he　did　at　the　first　onset；　he　slew　a　thousand　of　those　young　men　who　had　not　prevented　him　　　by　flying　away；　but　he　took　their　families　captive；　and　　　permitted　his　soldiers　to　plunder　them　of　their　effects；　after　which　he　set　fire　to　their　houses；　and　went　away　to　the　　　adjoining　villages；　while　the　men　of　power　fled　away；　and　the　weaker　part　were　destroyed；　and　what　was　remaining　was　all　burnt　down。　And　now　the　war　having　gone　through　all　the　　　mountainous　country；　and　all　the　plain　country　also；　those　that　were　at　Jerusalem　were　deprived　of　the　liberty　of　going　out　of　the　city；　for　as　to　such　as　had　a　mind　to　desert；　they　were　watched　by　the　zealots；　and　as　to　such　as　were　not　yet　on　the　side　of　the　Romans；　their　army　kept　them　in；　by　　　encompassing　the　city　round　about　on　all　sides。　　　　　　2。　Now　as　Vespasian　was　returned　to　Cesarea；　and　was　　　getting　ready　with　all　his　army　to　march　directly　to　Jerusalem；　he　was　informed　that　Nero　was　dead；　after　he　had　reigned　thirteen　years　and　eight　days。　Bnt　as　to　any　narration　after　what　manner　he　abused　his　power　in　the　government；　and　　　committed　the　management　of　affairs　to　those　vile　wretches；　Nymphidius　and　Tigellinus；　his　unworthy　freed…men；　and　how　he　had　a　plot　laid　against　him　by　them；　and　was　deserted　by　all　his　guards；　and　ran　away　with　four　of　his　most　trusty　freed…men；　and　slew　himself　in　the　suburbs　of　Rome；　and　　　how　those　that　occasioned　his　death　were　in　no　long　time　brought　themselves　to　punishment；　how　also　the　war　in　Gall　ended；　and　how　Galba　was　made　emperor　（16）　and　returned　　　out　of　Spain　to　Rome；　and　how　he　was　accused　by　the　　　soldiers　as　a　pusillanimous　person；　and　slain　by　treachery　in　the　middle　of　the　market…place　at　Rome；　and　Otho　was　made　emperor；　with　his　expedition　against　the　commanders　of　　　Vitellius；　and　his　destruction　thereupon；　and　besides　what　troubles　there　were　under　Vitellius；　and　the　fight　that　was　about　the　capitol；　as　also　how　Antonius　Primus　and　Mucianus　slew　Vitellius；　and　his　German　legions；　and　thereby　put　an　end　to　that　civil　war；　I　have　omitted　to　give　an　exact　account　of　them；　because　they　are　well　known　by　all；　and　they　are　described　by　a　great　number　of　Greek　and　Roman　　　authors；　yet　for　the　sake　of　the　connexion　of　matters；　and　that　my　history　may　not　be　incoherent；　I　have　just　touched　upon　every　thing　briefly。　Wherefore　Vespasian　put　off　at　first　his　expedition　against　Jerusalem；　and　stood　waiting　whither　the　empire　would　be　transferred　after　the　death　of　Nero。　Moreover；　when　he　heard　that　Galba　was　made　emperor；　he　　　attempted　nothing　till　he　also　should　send　him　some　　　directions　about　the　war：　however；　he　sent　his　son　Titus　to　him；　to　salute　him；　and　to　receive　his　commands　about　the　Jews。　Upon　the　very　same　errand　did　king　Agrippa　sail　along　with　Titus　to　Galba；　but　as　they　were　sailing　in　their　long　ships　by　the　coasts　of　Achaia；　for　it　was　winter　time；　they　heard　that　Galba　was　slain；　before　they　could　get　to　him；　after　he　had　reigned　seven　months　and　as　many　days。　After　whom　Otho　took　the　government；　and　undertook　the　　　management　of　public　affairs。　So　Agrippa　resolved　to　go　on　to　Rome　without　any　terror；　on　account　of　the　change　in　the　government；　but　Titus；　by　a　Divine　impulse；　sailed　back　from　Greece　to　Syria；　and　came　in　great　haste　to　Cesarea；　to　his　father。　And　now　they　were　both　in　suspense　about　the　public　affairs；　the　Roman　empire　being　then　in　a　fluctuating　　　condition；　and　did　not　go　on　with　their　expedition　against　the　Jews；　but　thought　that　to　make　any　attack　upon　foreigners　was　now　unseasonable；　on　account　of　the　solicitude　they　were　in　for　their　own　country。　　　　　　3。　And　now　there　arose　another　war　at　Jerusalem。　There　was　a　son　of　Giora；　one　Simon；　by　birth　of　Gerasa；　a　young　man；　not　so　cunning　indeed　as　John　＇of　Gisehala＇；　who　had　already　seized　upon　the　city；　but　superior　in　strength　of　body　and　courage；　on　which　account；　when　he　had　been　driven　away　　　from　that　Acrabattene　toparchy；　which　he　once　had；　by　　　Ananus　the　high　priest；　he　came　to　those　robbers　who　had　seized　upon　Masada。　At　the　first　they　suspected　him；　and　only　permitted　him　to　come　with　the　women　he　brought　with　him　into　the　lower　part　of　the　fortress；　while　they　dwelt　in　the　upper　part　of　it　themselves。　However；　his　manner　so　well　agreed　with　theirs；　and　he　seemed　so　trusty　a　man；　that　he　went　out　with　them；　and　ravaged　and　destroyed　the　country　with　them　about　Masada；　yet　when　he　persuaded　them　to　　　undertake　greater　things；　he　could　not　prevail　with　them　so　to　do；　for　as　they　were　accustomed　to　dwell　in　that　citadel；　they　were　afraid　of　going　far　from　that　which　was　their　　　hiding…place；　but　he　affecting　to　tyrannize；　and　being　fond　of　greatness；　when　he　had　heard　of　the　death　of　Ananus；　he　left　them；　and　went　into　the　mountainous　part　of　the　country。　So　he　proclaimed　liberty　to　those　in　slavery；　and　a　reward　to　those　already　free；　and　got　together　a　set　of　wicked　men　from　all　quarters。　　　　　　4。　And　as　he　had　now　a　strong　body　of　men　about　him；　he　　　overran　the　villages　that　lay　in　the　mountainous　country；　and　when　there　were　still　more　and　more　that　came　to　him；　he　ventured　to　go　down　into　the　lower　parts　of　the　country；　and　since　he　was　now　become　formidable　to　the　cities；　many　of　the　men　of　power　were　corrupted　by　him；　so　that　his　army　was　no　longer　composed　of　slaves　and　robbers；　but　a　great　many　of　the　populace　were　obedient　to　him　as　to　their　king。　He　then　overran　the　Acrabattene　toparchy；　and　the　places　that　reached　as　far　as　the　Great　Idumea；　for　he　built　a　wall　at　a　certain　village　called　Nain；　and　made　use　of　that　as　a　fortress　for　his　own　party's　security；　and　at　the　valley　called　Paran；　he　enlarged　many　of　the　caves；　and　many　others　he　found　ready　for　his　purpose；　these　he　made　use　of　as　　　repositories　for　his　treasures；　and　receptacles　for　his　prey；　and　therein　he　laid　up　the　fruits　that　he　had　got　by　rapine；　and　many　of　his　partizans　had　their　dwelling　in　them；　and　he　made　no　secret　of　it　that　he　was　exercising　his　men　　　beforehand；　and　making　preparations　for　the　assault　of　　　Jerusalem。　　　　　　5。　Whereupon　the　zealots；　out　of　the　dread　they　were　in　of　his　attacking　them；　and　being　willing　to　prevent　one　that　was　growing　up　to　oppose　them；　went　out　against　him　with　their　weapons。　Simon　met　them；　and　joining　battle　with　them；　slew　a　considerable　number　of　them；　and　drove　the　rest　before　him　into　the　city；　but　durst　not　trust　so　much　upon　his　forces　as　to　make　an　assault　upon　the　walls；　but　he　resolved　first　to　subdue　Idumea；　and　as　he　had　now　twenty　thousand　armed　　　men；　he　marched　to　the　borders　of　their　country。　Hereupon　the　rulers　of　the　Idumeans　got　together　on　the　sudden　the　most　warlike　part　of　their　people；　about　twenty…five　thousand　in　number；　and　permitted　the　rest　to　be　a　guard　to　their　own　country；　by　reason　of　the　incursions　that　were　made　by　the　Sicarii　that　were　at　Masada。　Thus　they　received　Simon　at　their　borders；　where　they　fought　him；　and　continued　the　　　battle　all　that　day；　and　the　dispute　lay　whether　they　had　conquered　him；　or　been　conquered　by　him。　So　he　went　back　to　Nain；　as　did　the　Idumeans　return　home。　Nor　was　it　long　ere　Simon　came　violently　again　upon　their　country；　when　he　pitched　his　camp　at　a　certain　village　called　Thecoe；　and　sent　Eleazar；　one　of　his　companions；　to　those　that　kept　garrison　at　Herodium；　and　in　order　to　persuade　them　to　surrender　that　fortress　to　him。　The　garrison　received　this　man　readily；　while　they　knew　nothing　of　what　he　came　about；　but　as　soon　as　he　talked　of　the　surrender　of　the　place；　they　fell　upon　him　with　their　drawn　swords；　till　he　found　that　he　had　no　place　for　flight；　when　he　threw　himself　down　from　the　wall　into　the　valley　beneath；　so　he　died　immediately：　but　the　Idumeans；　who　were　already　much　afraid　of　Simon's　power；　thought　fit　to　take　a　view　of　the　enemy's　army　before　they　hazarded　a　battle　with　them。　　　　　　6。　Now　there　was　one　of　their　commanders　named　Jacob；　　　who　offered　to　serve　them　readily　upon　that　occasion；　but　had　it　in　his　mind　to　betray　them。　He　went　therefore　from　the　village　Alurus；　wherein　the　army　of　the　Idumeans　were　gotten　together；　and　came　to　Simon；　and　at　the　very　first　he　agreed　to　betray　his　country　to　him；　and　took　assurances　upon　oath　from　him　that　he　should　always　have　him　in　　　esteem；　and　then　promised　him　that　he　would　assist　him　in　subduing　all　Idumea　under　him；　upon　which　account　he　was　feasted　after　an　obliging　manner　by　Simon；　and　elevated　by　his　m