the antiquities of the jews-1-第210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！


pleasures；　and　perhaps　she　had　in　some　measure　a　passion　of　love
to　him；　or　rather；　what　is　most　probable；　she　laid　a　treacherous
snare　for　him；　by　aiming　to　obtain　such　adulterous　conversation
from　him：　however；　upon　the　whole；　she　seemed　overcome　with　love
to　him。　Now　Herod　had　a　great　while　borne　no　good…will　to
Cleopatra；　as　knowing　that　she　was　a　woman　irksome　to　all；　and　at
that　time　he　thought　her　particularly　worthy　of　his　hatred；　if
this　attempt　proceeded　out　of　lust；　he　had　also　thought　of
preventing　her　intrigues；　by　putting　her　to　death；　if　such　were
her　endeavors。　However；　he　refused　to　comply　with　her　proposals；
and　called　a　counsel　of　his　friends　to　consult　with　them　whether
he　should　not　kill　her；　now　he　had　her　in　his　power；　for　that　he
should　thereby　deliver　all　those　from　a　multitude　of　evils　to
whom　she　was　already　become　irksome；　and　was　expected　to　be　still
so　for　the　time　to　come；　and　that　this　very　thing　would　be　much
for　the　advantage　of　Antony　himself；　since　she　would　certainly
not　be　faithful　to　him；　in　case　any　such　season　or　necessity
should　come　upon　him　as　that　he　should　stand　in　need　of　her
fidelity。　But　when　he　thought　to　follow　this　advice；　his　friends
would　not　let　him；　and　told　him　that；　in　the　first　place；　it　was
not　right　to　attempt　so　great　a　thing；　and　run　himself　thereby
into　the　utmost　danger；　and　they　laid　hard　at　him；　and　begged　of
him　to　undertake　nothing　rashly；　for　that　Antony　would　never　bear
it；　no；　not　though　any　one　should　evidently　lay　before　his　eyes
that　it　was　for　his　own　advantage；　and　that　the　appearance　of
depriving　him　of　her　conversation；　by　this　violent　and
treacherous　method；　would　probably　set　his　affections　more　on　a
flame　than　before。　Nor　did　it　appear　that　he　could　offer　any
thing　of　tolerable　weight　in　his　defense；　this　attempt　being
against　such　a　woman　as　was　of　the　highest　dignity　of　any　of　her
sex　at　that　time　in　the　world；　and　as　to　any　advantage　to　be
expected　from　such　an　undertaking；　if　any　such　could　be　supposed
in　this　case；　it　would　appear　to　deserve　condemnation；　on　account
of　the　insolence　he　must　take　upon　him　in　doing　it：　which
considerations　made　it　very　plain　that　in　so　doing　he　would　find
his　government　filled　with　mischief；　both　great　and　lasting；　both
to　himself　and　his　posterity；　whereas　it　was　still　in　his　power
to　reject　that　wickedness　she　would　persuade　him　to；　and　to　come
off　honorably　at　the　same　time。　So　by　thus　affrighting　Herod；　and
representing　to　him　the　hazard　he　must；　in　all　probability；　run
by　this　undertaking；　they　restrained　him　from　it。　So　he　treated
Cleopatra　kindly；　and　made　her　presents；　and　conducted　her　on　her
way　to　Egypt。

3。　But　Antony　subdued　Armenia；　and　sent　Artabazes；　the　son　of
Tigranes；　in　bonds；　with　his　children　and　procurators；　to　Egypt；
and　made　a　present　of　them；　and　of　all　the　royal　ornaments　which
he　had　taken　out　of　that　kingdom；　to　Cleopatra。　And　Artaxias；　the
eldest　of　his　sons；　who　had　escaped　at　that　time；　took　the
kingdom　of　Armenia；　who　yet　was　ejected　by　Archclaus　and　Nero
Caesar；　when　they　restored　Tigranes；　his　younger　brother；　to　that
kingdom；　but　this　happened　a　good　while　afterward。

4。　But　then；　as　to　the　tributes　which　Herod　was　to　pay　Cleopatra
for　that　country　which　Antony　had　given　her；　he　acted　fairly　with
her；　as　deeming　it　not　safe　for　him　to　afford　any　cause　for
Cleopatra　to　hate　him。　As　for　the　king　of　Arabia；　whose　tribute
Herod　had　undertaken　to　pay　her；　for　some　time　indeed　he　paid　him
as　much　as　came　to　two　hundred　talents；　but　he　afterwards　became
very　niggardly　and　slow　in　his　payments；　and　could　hardly　be
brought　to　pay　some　parts　of　it；　and　was　not　willing　to　pay　even
them　without　some　deductions。

CHAPTER　5。

How　Herod　Made　War　With　The　King　Of　Arabia；　And　After　They　Had
Fought　Many　Battles；　At　Length　Conquered　Him；　And　Was　Chosen　By
The　Arabs　To　Be　Governor　Of　That　Nation；　As　Also　Concerning　A
Great　Earthquake。

1。　Hereupon　Herod　held　himself　ready　to　go　against　the　king　of
Arabia；　because　of　his　ingratitude　to　him；　and　because；　after
all；　he　would　do　nothing　that　was　just　to　him；　although　Herod
made　the　Roman　war　an　occasion　of　delaying　his　own；　for　the
battle　at　Actium　was　now　expected；　which　fell　into　the　hundred
eighty　and　seventh　olympiad；　where　Caesar　and　Antony　were　to
fight　for　the　supreme　power　of　the　world；　but　Herod　having
enjoyed　a　country　that　was　very　fruitful；　and　that　now　for　a　long
time；　and　having　received　great　taxes；　and　raised　great　armies
therewith；　got　together　a　body　of　men；　and　carefully　furnished
them　with　all　necessaries；　and　designed　them　as　auxiliaries　for
Antony。　But　Antony　said　he　had　no　want　of　his　assistance；　but　he
commanded　him　to　punish　the　king　of　Arabia；　for　he　had　heard　both
from　him；　and　from　Cleopatra；　how　perfidious　he　was；　for　this　was
what　Cleopatra　desired；　who　thought　it　for　her　own　advantage　that
these　two　kings　should　do　one　another　as　great　mischief　as
possible。　Upon　this　message　from　Antony；　Herod　returned　back；　but
kept　his　army　with　him；　in　order　to　invade　Arabia　immediately。　So
when　his　army　of　horsemen　and　footmen　was　ready；　he　marched　to
Diospolis；　whither　the　Arabians　came　also　to　meet　them；　for　they
were　not　unapprized　of　this　war　that　was　coming　upon　them；　and
after　a　great　battle　had　been　fought；　the　Jews　had　the　victory。
But　afterward　there　were　gotten　together　another　numerous　army　of
the　Arabians；　at　Cana；　which　is　a　place　of　Celesyria。　Herod　was
informed　of　this　beforehand；　so　he　came　marching　against　them
with　the　greatest　part　of　the　forces　he　had；　and　when　he　was　come
near　to　Cana；　he　resolved　to　encamp　himself；　and　he　cast　up　a
bulwark；　that　he　might　take　a　proper　season　for　attacking　the
enemy；　but　as　he　was　giving　those　orders；　the　multitude　of　the
Jews　cried　out　that　he　should　make　no　delay；　but　lead　them
against　the　Arabians。　They　went　with　great　spirit；　as　believing
they　were　in　very　good　order；　and　those　especially　were　so　that
had　been　in　the　former　battle；　and　had　been　conquerors；　and　had
not　permitted　their　enemies　so　much　as　to　come　to　a　close　fight
with　them。　And　when　they　were　so　tumultuous；　and　showed　such
great　alacrity；　the　king　resolved　to　make　use　of　that　zeal　the
multitude　then　exhibited；　and　when　he　had　assured　them　he　would
not　be　behindhand　with　them　in　courage；　he　led　them　on；　and　stood
before　them　all　in　his　armor；　all　the　regiments　following　him　in
their　several　ranks：　whereupon　a　consternation　fell　upon　the
Arabians；　for　when　they　perceived　that　the　Jews　were　not　to　be
conquered；　and　were　full　of　spirit；　the　greater　part　of　them　ran
away；　and　avoided　fighting；　and　they　had　been　quite　destroyed；
had　not　Anthony　fallen　upon　the　Jews；　and　distressed　them；　for
this　man　was　Cleopatra's　general　over　the　soldiers　she　had　there；
and　was　at　enmity　with　Herod；　and　very　wistfully　looked　on　to　see
what　the　event　of　the　battle　would　be。　He　had　also　resolved；　that
in　case　the　Arabians　did　any　thing　that　was　brave　and　successful；
he　would　lie　still；　but　in　case　they　were　beaten；　as　it　really
happened；　he　would　attack　the　Jews　with　those　forces　he　had　of
his　own；　and　with　those　that　the　country　had　gotten　together　for
him。　So　he　fell　upon　the　Jews　unexpectedly；　when　they　were
fatigued；　and　thought　they　had　already　vanquished　the　enemy；　and
made　a　great　slaughter　of　them；　for　as　the　Jews　had　spent　their
courage　upon　their　known　enemies；　and　were　about　to　enjoy
themselves　in　quietness　after　their　victory；　they　were　easily
beaten　by　these　that　attacked　them　afresh；　and　in　particular
received　a　great　loss　in　places　where　the　horses　could　not　be　of
service；　and　which　were　very　stony；　and　where　those　that　attacked
them　were　better　acquainted　with　the　places　than　themselves。　And
when　the　Jews　had　suffered　this　loss；　the　Arabians　raised　their
spirits　after　their　defeat；　and　returning　back　again；　slew　those
that　were　already　put　to　flight；　and　indeed　all　sorts　of
slaughter　were　now　frequent；　and　of　those　that　escaped；　a　few
only　returned　into　the　camp。　So　king　Herod；　when　he　despaired　of
the　battle；　rode　up　to　them　to　bring　them　assistance；　yet　did　he
not　come　time　enough　to　do　them　any　service；　though　he　labored
hard　to　do　it；　but　the　Jewish　camp　was　taken；　so　that　the
Arabians　had　unexpectedly　a　most　glorious　success；　having　gained
that　victory　which　of　themselves　they　were　no　way　likely　to　have
gained；　and　slaying　a　great　part　of　the　enemy's　army：　whence
afterward　Herod　could　only　act　like　a　private　robber；　and　make
excursions　upon　many　parts　of　Arabia；　and　distress　them　by　sudden
incursions；　while　he　encamped　among　the　mountains；　and　avoided　by
any　means　to　come　to　a　pitched　battle；　yet　did　he　greatly　harass
the　enemy　by　his　assiduity；　and　the　hard　labor　he　took　in　this
matter。　He　also　took　great　care　of　his　own　forces；　and　used　all
the　means　he　could　to　restore　his　affairs　to　their　old　state。

2。　At　this　time　it　was　that　the　fight　happened　at　Actium；　between
Octavius　Caesar　and　Antony；　in　the　seventh　year　of　the　reign　of
Herod　（8）　and　then　it　was　also　that　there　was　an　earthquake　in
Judea；　such　a　one　as　had　not　happened　at　any　other　time；　and
which　earthquake　br