the wars of the jews-第77节

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！


very　full　of　people　on　all　sides；　and　encompassed　with　precipices；　whereby　the　Jews　cut　off　those　that　came　up　to　them；　and　did　much　mischief　to　others　by　their　darts；　and　the　large　stones　which　they　rolled　down　upon　them；　while　they　were　　　themselves　so　high　that　the　enemy's　darts　could　hardly　reach　them。　However；　there　arose　such　a　Divine　storm　against　them　as　was　instrumental　to　their　destruction；　this　carried　the　Roman　darts　upon　them；　and　made　those　which　they　threw　　　return　back；　and　drove　them　obliquely　away　from　them；　nor　could　the　Jews　indeed　stand　upon　their　precipices；　by　reason　of　the　violence　of　the　wind；　having　nothing　that　was　stable　to　stand　upon；　nor　could　they　see　those　that　were　ascending　up　to　them；　so　the　Romans　got　up　and　surrounded　them；　and　　　some　they　slew　before　they　could　defend　themselves；　and　　　others　as　they　were　delivering　up　themselves；　and　the　　　remembrance　of　those　that　were　slain　at　their　former　　　entrance　into　the　city　increased　their　rage　against　them　now；　a　great　number　also　of　those　that　were　surrounded　on　every　side；　and　despaired　of　escaping；　threw　their　children　and　their　wives；　and　themselves　also；　down　the　precipices；　into　the　valley　beneath；　which；　near　the　citadel；　had　been　dug　hollow　to　a　vast　depth；　but　so　it　happened；　that　the　anger　of　the　Romans　appeared　not　to　be　so　extravagant　as　was　the　　　madness　of　those　that　were　now　taken；　while　the　Romans　　　slew　but　four　thousand；　whereas　the　number　of　those　that　had　thrown　themselves　down　was　found　to　be　five　thousand：　nor　did　any　one　escape　except　two　women；　who　were　the　　　daughters　of　Philip；　and　Philip　himself　was　the　son　of　a　certain　eminent　man　called　Jacimus；　who　had　been　general　of　king　Agrippa's　army；　and　these　did　therefore　escape；　because　they　lay　concealed　from　the　rage　of　the　Romans　when　the　　　city　was　taken；　for　otherwise　they　spared　not　so　much　as　the　infants；　of　which　many　were　flung　down　by　them　from　the　　　citadel。　And　thus　was　Gamala　taken　on　the　three　and　　　twentieth　day　of　the　month　Hyperberetens；　＇Tisri；＇　whereas　the　city　had　first　revolted　on　the　four　and　twentieth　day　of　the　month　Gorpieus　＇Elul＇。　　　　　　　CHAPTER　2。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Surrender　Of　Gischala；　While　John　Flies　Away　From　It　To　　　　　　　Jerusalem。　　　　　　　　　　　　1。　Now　no　place　of　Galilee　remained　to　be　taken　but　the　　　small　city　of　Gischala；　whose　multitude　yet　were　desirous　of　peace；　for　they　were　generally　husbandmen；　and　always　　　applied　themselves　to　cultivate　the　fruits　of　the　earth。　However；　there　were　a　great　number　that　belonged　to　a　band　of　robbers；　that　were　already　corrupted；　and　had　crept　in　among　them；　and　some　of　the　governing　part　of　the　citizens　were　sick　of　the　same　distemper。　It　was　John；　the　son　of　a　certain　man　whose　name　was　Levi；　that　drew　them　into　this　rebellion；　and　encouraged　them　in　it。　He　was　a　cunning　　　knave；　and　of　a　temper　that　could　put　on　various　shapes；　very　rash　in　expecting　great　things；　and　very　sagacious　in　bringing　about　what　he　hoped　for。　It　was　known　to　every　body　that　he　was　fond　of　war；　in　order　to　thrust　himself　into　authority；　and　the　seditious　part　of　the　people　of　Gischala　were　under　his　management；　by　whose　means　the　populace；　who　seemed　　　ready　to　send　ambassadors　in　order　to　a　surrender；　waited　for　the　coming　of　the　Romans　in　battle…array。　Vespasian　sent　against　them　Titus；　with　a　thousand　horsemen；　but　withdrew　the　tenth　legion　to　Scythopolis；　while　he　returned　to　Cesarea　with　the　two　other　legions；　that　he　might　allow　them　to　　　refresh　themselves　after　their　long　and　hard　campaign；　　　thinking　withal　that　the　plenty　which　was　in　those　cities　would　improve　their　bodies　and　their　spirits；　against　the　difficulties　they　were　to　go　through　afterwards；　for　he　saw　there　would　be　occasion　for　great　pains　about　Jerusalem；　which　was　not　yet　taken；　because　it　was　the　royal　city；　and　the　principal　city　of　the　whole　nation；　and　because　those　that　had　run　away　from　the　war　in　other　places　got　all　together　thither。　It　was　also　naturally　strong；　and　the　walls　that　were　built　round　it　made　him　not　a　little　concerned　about　it。　Moreover；　he　esteemed　the　men　that　were　in　it　to　be　so　　　courageous　and　bold；　that　even　without　the　consideration　of　the　walls；　it　would　be　hard　to　subdue　them；　for　which　reason　he　took　care　of　and　exercised　his　soldiers　beforehand　for　the　work；　as　they　do　wrestlers　before　they　begin　their　　　undertaking。　　　　　　2。　Now　Titus；　as　he　rode　ut　to　Gischala；　found　it　would　be　easy　for　him　to　take　the　city　upon　the　first　onset；　but　knew　withal；　that　if　he　took　it　by　force；　the　multitude　would　be　destroyed　by　the　soldiers　without　mercy。　（Now　he　was　already　satiated　with　the　shedding　of　blood；　and　pitied　the　major　part；　who　would　then　perish；　without　distinction；　together　with　the　guilty。）　So　he　was　rather　desirous　the　city　might　be　surrendered　up　to　him　on　terms。　Accordingly；　when　he　saw　the　wall　full　of　those　men　that　were　of　the　corrupted　party；　he　said　to　them；　That　he　could　not　but　wonder　what　it　was　they　depended　on；　when　they　alone　staid　to　fight　the　　　Romans；　after　every　other　city　was　taken　by　them；　especially　when　they　have　seen　cities　much　better　fortified　than　theirs　is　overthrown　by　a　single　attack　upon　them；　while　as　many　as　have　intrusted　themselves　to　the　security　of　the　Romans'　right　hands；　which　he　now　offers　to　them；　without　regarding　their　former　insolence；　do　enjoy　their　own　possessions　in　safety；　for　that　while　they　had　hopes　of　recovering　their　liberty；　they　might　be　pardoned；　but　that　their　continuance　still　in　their　opposition；　when　they　saw　that　to　be　impossible；　was　inexcusable；　for　that　if　they　will　not　comply　with　such　humane　offers；　and　right　hands　for　security；　they　should　have　experience　of　such　a　war　as　would　spare　nobody；　and　should　soon　be　made　sensible　that　their　wall　would　be　but　a　trifle；　when　battered　by　the　Roman　machines；　in　depending　on　　　which　they　demonstrate　themselves　to　be　the　only　Galileans　that　were　no　better　than　arrogant　slaves　and　captives。　　　　　　3。　Now　none　of　the　populace　durst　not　only　make　a　reply；　but　durst　not　so　much　as　get　upon　the　wall；　for　it　was　all　taken　up　by　the　robbers；　who　were　also　the　guard　at　the　gates；　in　order　to　prevent　any　of　the　rest　from　going　out；　in　order　to　propose　terms　of　submission；　and　from　receiving　any　of　the　horsemen　into　the　city。　But　John　returned　Titus　this　answer：　That　for　himself　he　was　content　to　hearken　to　his　proposals；　and　that　he　would　either　persuade　or　force　those　that　refused　them。　Yet　he　said　that　Titus　ought　to　have　such　regard　to　the　Jewish　law；　as　to　grant　them　leave　to　celebrate　that　day；　which　was　the　seventh　day　of　the　week；　on　which　it　was　　　unlawful　not　only　to　remove　their　arms；　but　even　to　treat　of　peace　also；　and　that　even　the　Romans　were　not　ignorant　how　the　period　of　the　seventh　day　was　among　them　a　cessation　from　all　labors；　and　that　he　who　should　compel　them　to　　　transgress　the　law　about　that　day　would　be　equally　guilty　with　those　that　were　compelled　to　transgress　it：　and　that　this　delay　could　be　of　no　disadvantage　to　him；　for　why　should　any　body　think　of　doing　any　thing　in　the　night；　unless　it　was　to　fly　away？　which　he　might　prevent　by　placing　his　camp　round　　　about　them；　and　that　they　should　think　it　a　great　point　　　gained；　if　they　might　not　be　obliged　to　transgress　the　laws　of　their　country；　and　that　it　would　be　a　right　thing　for　him；　who　designed　to　grant　them　peace；　without　their　expectation　of　such　a　favor；　to　preserve　the　laws　of　those　they　saved　　　inviolable。　Thus　did　this　man　put　a　trick　upon　Titus；　not　so　much　out　of　regard　to　the　seventh　day　as　to　his　own　　　preservation；　for　he　was　afraid　lest　he　should　be　quite　　　deserted　if　the　city　should　be　taken；　and　had　his　hopes　of　life　in　that　night；　and　in　his　flight　therein。　Now　this　was　the　work　of　God；　who　therefore　preserved　this　John；　that　he　might　bring　on　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem；　as　also　it　was　his　work　that　Titus　was　prevailed　with　by　this　pretense　for　a　delay；　and　that　he　pitched　his　camp　further　off　the　city　at　Cydessa。　This　Cydessa　was　a　strong　Mediterranean　village　of　the　Tyrians；　which　always　hated　and　made　war　against　the　Jews；　it　had　also　a　great　number　of　inhabitants；　and　was　well　fortified；　which　made　it　a　proper　place　for　such　as　were　enemies　to　the　Jewish　nation。　　　　　　4。　Now；　in　the　night　time；　when　John　saw　that　there　was　no　Roman　guard　about　the　city；　he　seized　the　opportunity　　　directly；　and；　taking　with　him　not　only　the　armed　men　that　where　about　him；　but　a　considerable　number　of　those　that　had　little　to　do；　together　with　their　families；　he　fled　to　Jerusalem。　And　indeed；　though　the　man　was　making　haste　to　get　away；　and　was　tormented　with　fears　of　being　a　captive；　or　of　losing　his　life；　yet　did　he　prevail　with　himself　to　take　out　of　the　city　along　with　him　a　multitude　of　women　and　　　children；　as　far　as　twenty　furlongs；　but　there　he　left　them　as　he　proceeded　further　on　his　journey；　where　those　that　were　left　behind　made　sad　lamentations；　for　the　farther　every　one　of　them　was　come　from　his　own　people；　the　nearer　they　　　thought　themselves　to　be　to　their　enemies。　They　also　　　affrighted　themselves　with　this　thought；　that　those　who　would　carry　them　into　captivity　were　just　at　hand；　and　still　turned　themselves　back　at　the　mere