the antiquities of the jews-1-第217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！


hung　round　about　them；　they　were　sorely　displeased　at　them；
because　it　was　not　the　custom　of　their　country　to　pay　honors　to
such　images。

2。　Nor　was　Herod　unacquainted　with　the　disturbance　they　were
under；　and　as　he　thought　it　unseasonable　to　use　violence　with
them；　so　he　spake　to　some　of　them　by　way　of　consolation；　and　in
order　to　free　them　from　that　superstitious　fear　they　were　under；
yet　could　not　he　satisfy　them；　but　they　cried　out　with　one
accord；　out　of　their　great　uneasiness　at　the　offenses　they
thought　he　had　been　guilty　of；　that　although　they　should　think　of
bearing　all　the　rest　yet　would　they　never　bear　images　of　men　in
their　city；　meaning　the　trophies；　because　this　was　disagreeable
to　the　laws　of　their　country。　Now　when　Herod　saw　them　in　such　a
disorder；　and　that　they　would　not　easily　change　their　resolution
unless　they　received　satisfaction　in　this　point；　he　called　to　him
the　most　eminent　men　among　them；　and　brought　them　upon　the
theater；　and　showed　them　the　trophies；　and　asked　them　what　sort
of　things　they　took　these　trophies　to　be；　and　when　they　cried　out
that　they　were　the　images　of　men；　he　gave　order　that　they　should
be　stripped　of　these　outward　ornaments　which　were　about　them；　and
showed　them　the　naked　pieces　of　wood；　which　pieces　of　wood；　now
without　any　ornament；　became　matter　of　great　sport　and　laughter
to　them；　because　they　had　before　always　had　the　ornaments　of
images　themselves　in　derision。

3。　When　therefore　Herod　had　thus　got　clear　of　the　multitude；　and
had　dissipated　the　vehemency　of　passion　under　which　they　had
been；　the　greatest　part　of　the　people　were　disposed　to　change
their　conduct；　and　not　to　be　displeased　at　him　any　longer；　but
still　some　of　them　continued　in　their　displeasure　against　him；
for　his　introduction　of　new　customs；　and　esteemed　the　violation
of　the　laws　of　their　country　as　likely　to　be　the　origin　of　very
great　mischiefs　to　them；　so　that　they　deemed　it　an　instance　of
piety　rather　to　hazard　themselves　＇to　be　put　to　death＇；　than　to
seem　as　if　they　took　no　notice　of　Herod；　who；　upon　the　change　he
had　made　in　their　government；　introduced　such　customs；　and　that
in　a　violent　manner；　which　they　had　never　been　used　to　before；　as
indeed　in　pretense　a　king；　but　in　reality　one　that　showed　himself
an　enemy　to　their　whole　nation；　on　which　account　ten　men　that
were　citizens　＇of　Jerusalem＇　conspired　together　against　him；　and
sware　to　one　another　to　undergo　any　dangers　in　the　attempt；　and
took　daggers　with　them　under　their　garments　＇for　the　purpose　of
killing　Herod＇。　Now　there　was　a　certain　blind　man　among　those
conspirators　who　had　thus　sworn　to　one　another；　on　account　of　the
indignation　he　had　against　what　he　heard　to　have　been　done；　he
was　not　indeed　able　to　afford　the　rest　any　assistance　in　the
undertaking；　but　was　ready　to　undergo　any　suffering　with　them；　if
so　be　they　should　come　to　any　harm；　insomuch　that　he　became　a
very　great　encourager　of　the　rest　of　the　undertakers。

4。　When　they　had　taken　this　resolution；　and　that　by　common
consent；　they　went　into　the　theater；　hoping　that；　in　the　first
place；　Herod　himself　could　not　escape　them；　as　they　should　fall
upon　him　so　unexpectedly；　and　supposing；　however；　that　if　they
missed　him；　they　should　kill　a　great　many　of　those　that　were
about　him；　and　this　resolution　they　took；　though　they　should　die
for　it；　in　order　to　suggest　to　the　king　what　injuries　he　had　done
to　the　multitude。　These　conspirators；　therefore；　standing　thus
prepared　beforehand；　went　about　their　design　with　great　alacrity；
but　there　was　one　of　those　spies　of　Herod；　that　were　appointed
for　such　purposes；　to　fish　out　and　inform　him　of　any　conspiracies
that　should　be　made　against　him；　who　found　out　the　whole　affair；
and　told　the　king　of　it；　as　he　was　about　to　go　into　the　theater。
So　when　he　reflected　on　the　hatred　which　he　knew　the　greatest
part　of　the　people　bore　him；　and　on　the　disturbances　that　arose
upon　every　occasion；　he　thought　this　plot　against　him　not　to　be
improbable。　Accordingly；　he　retired　into　his　palace；　and　called
those　that　were　accused　of　this　conspiracy　before　him　by　their
several　names；　and　as；　upon　the　guards　falling　upon　them；　they
were　caught　in　the　very　fact；　and　knew　they　could　not　escape；
they　prepared　themselves　for　their　ends　with　all　the　decency　they
could；　and　so　as　not　at　all　to　recede　from　their　resolute
behavior；　for　they　showed　no　shame　for　what　they　were　about；　nor
denied　it；　but　when　they　were　seized；　they　showed　their　daggers；
and　professed　that　the　conspiracy　they　had　sworn　to　was　a　holy
and　pious　action；　that　what　they　intended　to　do　was　not　for　gain；
or　out　of　any　indulgence　to　their　passions；　but　principally　for
those　common　customs　of　their　country；　which　all　the　Jews　were
obliged　to　observe；　or　to　die　for　them。　This　was　what　these　men
said；　out　of　their　undaunted　courage　in　this　conspiracy。　So　they
were　led　away　to　execution　by　the　king's　guards　that　stood　about
them；　and　patiently　underwent　all　the　torments　inflicted　on　them
till　they　died。　Nor　was　it　long　before　that　spy　who　had
discovered　them　was　seized　on　by　some　of　the　people；　out　of　the
hatred　they　bore　to　him；　and　was　not　only　slain　by　them；　but
pulled　to　pieces；　limb　from　limb；　and　given　to　the　dogs。　This
execution　was　seen　by　many　of　the　citizens；　yet　would　not　one　of
them　discover　the　doers　of　it；　till　upon　Herod's　making　a　strict
scrutiny　after　them；　by　bitter　and　severe　tortures；　certain　women
that　were　tortured　confessed　what　they　had　seen　done；　the　authors
of　which　fact　were　so　terribly　punished　by　the　king；　that　their
entire　families　were　destroyed　for　this　their　rash　attempt；　yet
did　not　the　obstinacy　of　the　people；　and　that　undaunted　constancy
they　showed　in　the　defense　of　their　laws；　make　Herod　any　easier
to　them；　but　he　still　strengthened　himself　after　a　more　secure
manner；　and　resolved　to　encompass　the　multitude　every　way；　lest
such　innovations　should　end　in　an　open　rebellion。

5。　Since；　therefore；　he　had　now　the　city　fortified　by　the　palace
in　which　he　lived；　and　by　the　temple　which　had　a　strong　fortress
by　it；　called　Antonia；　and　was　rebuilt　by　himself；　he　contrived
to　make　Samaria　a　fortress　for　himself　also　against　all　the
people；　and　called　it　Sebaste；　supposing　that　this　place　would　be
a　strong　hold　against　the　country；　not　inferior　to　the　former。　So
he　fortified　that　place；　which　was　a　day's　journey　distant　from
Jerusalem；　and　which　would　be　useful　to　him　in　common；　to　keep
both　the　country　and　the　city　in　awe。　He　also　built　another
fortress　for　the　whole　nation；　it　was　of　old　called　Strato's
Tower；　but　was　by　him　named　Cesarea。　Moreover；　he　chose　out　some
select　horsemen；　and　placed　them　ill　the　great　plain；　and　built
＇for　them＇　a　place　in　Galilee；　called　Gaba　with　Hesebonitis；　in
Perea。　And　these　were　the　places　which　he　particularly　built；
while　he　always　was　inventing　somewhat　further　for　his　own
security；　and　encompassing　the　whole　nation　with　guards；　that
they　might　by　no　means　get　from　under　his　power；　nor　fall　into
tumults；　which　they　did　continually　upon　any　small　commotion；　and
that　if　they　did　make　any　commotions；　he　might　know　of　it；　while
some　of　his　spies　might　be　upon　them　from　the　neighborhood；　and
might　both　be　able　to　know　what　they　were　attempting；　and　to
prevent　it。　And　when　he　went　about　building　the　wall　of　Samaria；
he　contrived　to　bring　thither　many　of　those　that　had　been
assisting　to　him　in　his　wars；　and　many　of　the　people　in　that
neighborhood　also；　whom　he　made　fellow　citizens　with　the　rest。
This　he　did　out　of　an　ambitious　desire　of　building　a　temple；　and
out　of　a　desire　to　make　the　city　more　eminent　than　it　had　been
before；　but　principally　because　he　contrived　that　it　might　at
once　be　for　his　own　security；　and　a　monument　of　his　magnificence。
He　also　changed　its　name；　and　called　it　Sebaste。　Moreover；　he
parted　the　adjoining　country；　which　was　excellent　in　its　kind；
among　the　inhabitants　of　Samaria；　that　they　might　be　in　a　happy
condition；　upon　their　first　coming　to　inhabit。　Besides　all　which；
he　encompassed　the　city　with　a　wall　of　great　strength；　and　made
use　of　the　acclivity　of　the　place　for　making　its　fortifications
stronger；　nor　was　the　compass　of　the　place　made　now　so　small　as
it　had　been　before；　but　was　such　as　rendered　it　not　inferior　to
the　most　famous　cities；　for　it　was　twenty　furlongs　in
circumference。　Now　within；　and　about　the　middle　of　it；　he　built　a
sacred　place；　of　a　furlong　and　a　half　＇in　circuit＇；　and　adorned
it　with　all　sorts　of　decorations；　and　therein　erected　a　temple；
which　was　illustrious　on　account　of　both　its　largeness　and
beauty。　And　as　to　the　several　parts　of　the　city；　he　adorned　them
with　decorations　of　all　sorts　also；　and　as　to　what　was　necessary
to　provide　for　his　own　security；　he　made　the　walls　very　strong
for　that　purpose；　and　made　it　for　the　greatest　part　a　citadel；
and　as　to　the　elegance　of　the　building；　it　was　taken　care　of
also；　that　he　might　leave　monuments　of　the　fineness　of　his　taste；
and　of　his　beneficence；　to　future　ages。

CHAPTER　9。

Concerning　The　Famine　That　Happened　In　Judea　And　Syria；　And　How
Herod；　After　He　Had　Married　Another　Wife；　Rebuilt　Cesarea；　And
Other　Greci