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that authority which belonged to him; and this a man who is
related to us; 〃for (said he) I would not have thee ignorant of
this; that what in。 justice thou dost to him will make all us
that are Jews to be thy enemies。 This desire of Ananias Cleopatra
complied with; and did no injury to Alexander; but made a league
of mutual assistance with him at Scythopolis; a city of
Celesyria。

3。 So when Alexander was delivered from the fear he was in of
Ptolemy; he presently made an expedition against Coelesyria。 He
also took Gadara; after a siege of ten months。 He took also
Areathus; a very strong fortress belonging to the inhabitants
above Jordan; where Theodorus; the son of Zeno; had his chief
treasure; and what he esteemed most precious。 This Zeno fell
unexpectedly upon the Jews; and slew ten thousand of them; and
seized upon Alexander's baggage。 Yet did not this misfortune
terrify Alexander; but he made an expedition upon the maritime
parts of the country; Raphia and Anthedon; (the name of which
king Herod afterwards changed to Agrippias;) and took even that
by force。 But when Alexander saw that Ptolemy was retired from
Gaza to Cyprus; and his mother Cleopatra was returned to Egypt;
he grew angry at the people of Gaza; because they had invited
Ptolemy to assist them; and besieged their city; and ravaged
their country。 But as Apollodotus; the general of the army of
Gaza; fell upon the camp of the Jews by night; with two thousand
foreign and ten thousand of his own forces; while the night
lasted; those of Gaza prevailed; because the enemy was made to
believe that it was Ptolemy who attacked them; but when day was
come on; and that mistake was corrected; and the Jews knew the
truth of the matter; they came back again; and fell upon those of
Gaza; and slew of them about a thousand。 But as those of Gaza
stoutly resisted them; and would not yield for either their want
of any thing; nor for the great multitude that were slain; (for
they would rather suffer any hardship whatever than come under
the power of their enemies;) Aretas; king of the Arabians; a
person then very illustrious; encouraged them to go on with
alacrity; and promised them that he would come to their
assistance; but it happened that before he came Apollodotus was
slain; for his brother Lysimachus envying him for the great
reputation he had gained among the citizens; slew him; and got
the army together; and delivered up the city to Alexander; who;
when he came in at first; lay quiet; but afterward set his army
upon the inhabitants of Gaza; and gave them leave to punish them;
so some went one way; and some went another; and slew the
inhabitants of Gaza; yet were not they of cowardly hearts; but
opposed those that came to slay them; and slew as many of the
Jews; and some of them; when they saw themselves deserted; burnt
their own houses; that the enemy might get none of their spoils;
nay; some of them; with their own hands; slew their children and
their wives; having no other way but this of avoiding slavery for
them; but the senators; who were in all five hundred; fled to
Apollo's temple; (for this attack happened to be made as they
were sitting;) whom Alexander slew; and when he had utterly
overthrown their city; he returned to Jerusalem; having spent a
year in that siege。

4。 About this very time Antiochus; who was called Grypus; died
(35) His death was caused by Heracleon's treachery; when he had
lived forty…five years; and had reigned twenty…nine。 (36) His son
Seleucus succeeded him in the kingdom; and made war with
Antiochus; his father's brother; who was called Antiochus
Cyzicenus; and beat him; and took him prisoner; and slew him。 But
after a while Antiochus; the son of Cyzicenus; who was called
Pius; came to Aradus; and put the diadem on his own head; and
made war with Seleucus; and beat him; and drove him out of all
Syria。 But when he fled out of Syria; he came to Mopsuestia
again; and levied money upon them; but the people of Mopsuestin
had indignation at what he did; and burnt down his palace; and
slew him; together with his friends。 But when Antiochus; the son
of Cyzicenus; was king of Syria; Antiochus; (37) the brother of
Seleucus; made war upon him; and was overcome; and destroyed; he
and his army。 After him; his brother Philip put on the diadem;
and reigned over some part of Syria; but Ptolemy Lathyrus sent
for his fourth brother Demetrius; who was called Eucerus; from
Cnidus; and made him king of Damascus。 Both these brothers did
Antiochus vehemently oppose; but presently died; for when he was
come as an auxiliary to Laodice; queen of the Gileadites; (38)
when she was making war against the Parthians; and he was
fighting courageously; he fell; while Demetrius and Philip
governed Syria; as hath been elsewhere related。

5。 As to Alexander; his own people were seditious against him;
for at a festival which was then celebrated; when he stood upon
the altar; and was going to sacrifice; the nation rose upon him;
and pelted him with citrons 'which they then had in their hands;
because' the law of the Jews required that at the feast of
tabernacles every one should have branches of the palm tree and
citron tree; which thing we have elsewhere related。 They also
reviled him; as derived from a captive; and so unworthy of his
dignity and of sacrificing。 At this he was in a rage; and slew of
them about six thousand。 He also built a partition…wall of wood
round the altar and the temple; as far as that partition within
which it was only lawful for the priests to enter; and by this
means he obstructed the multitude from coming at him。 He also
maintained foreigners of Pisidie and Cilicia; for as to the
Syrians; he was at war with them; and so made no use of them。 He
also overcame the Arabians; such as the Moabites and Gileadites;
and made them bring tribute。 Moreover; he demolished Amathus;
while Theodorus (39) durst not fight with him; but as he had
joined battle with Obedas; king of the Arabians; and fell into an
ambush in the places that were rugged and difficult to be
traveled over; he was thrown down into a deep valley; by the
multitude of the camels at Gadurn; a village of Gilead; and
hardly escaped with his life。 From thence he fled to Jerusalem;
where; besides his other ill success; the nation insulted him;
and he fought against them for six years; and slew no fewer than
fifty thousand of them。 And when he desired that they would
desist from their ill…will to him; they hated him so much the
more; on account of what had already happened; and when he had
asked them what he ought to do; they all cried out; that he ought
to kill himself。 They also sent to Demetrius Eucerus; and desired
him to make a league of mutual defense with them。

CHAPTER 14。

How Demetrius Eucerus Overcame Alexander And Yet In A Little Time
Retired Out Of The Country For Fear; As Also How Alexander Slew
Many Of The Jews And Thereby Got Clear Of His Troubles。
Concerning The Death Of Demetrius。

1。 So Demetrius came with an army; and took those that invited
him; and pitched his camp near the city Shechem; upon which
Alexander; with his six thousand two hundred mercenaries; and
about twenty thousand Jews; who were of his party; went against
Demetrius; who had three thousand horsemen; and forty thousand
footmen。 Now there were great endeavors used on both sides; …
Demetrius trying to bring off the mercenaries that were with
Alexander; because they were Greeks; and Alexander trying to
bring off the Jews that were with Demetrius。 However; when
neither of them could persuade them so to do; they came to a
battle; and Demetrius was the conqueror; in which all Alexander's
mercenaries were killed; when they had given demonstration of
their fidelity and courage。 A great number of Demetrius's
soldiers were slain also。

2。 Now as Alexander fled to the mountains; six thousand of the
Jews hereupon came together 'from Demetrius' to him out of pity
at the change of his fortune; upon which Demetrius was afraid;
and retired out of the country; after which the Jews fought
against Alexander; and being beaten; were slain in great numbers
in the several battles which they had; and when he had shut up
the most powerful of them in the city Bethome; he besieged them
therein; and when he had taken the city; and gotten the men into
his power; he brought them to Jerusalem; and did one of the most
barbarous actions in the world to them; for as he was feasting
with his concubines; in the sight of all the city; he ordered
about eight hundred of them to be crucified; and while they were
living; he ordered the throats of their children and wives to be
cut before their eyes。 This was indeed by way of revenge for the
injuries they had done him; which punishment yet was of an
inhuman nature; though we suppose that he had been never so much
distressed; as indeed he had been; by his wars with them; for he
had by their means come to the last degree of hazard; both of his
life and of his kingdom; while they were not satisfied by
themselves only to fight against him; but introduced foreigners
also for the same purpose; nay; at length they reduced him to
that degree of necessity; that he was forced to 

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