the antiquities of the jews-1-第278节

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Augustus　Germanicus　was　published；　for　permitting　the　Jews　to
observe　the　laws　of　their　country；　not　to　obey　the　same；　but　have
acted　in　entire　opposition　thereto；　as　forbidding　the　Jews　to
assemble　together　in　the　synagogue；　by　removing　Caesar's　statue；
and　setting　it　up　therein；　and　thereby　have　offended　not　only　the
Jews；　but　the　emperor　himself；　whose　statue　is　more　commodiously
placed　in　his　own　temple　than　in　a　foreign　one；　where　is　the
place　of　assembling　together；　while　it　is　but　a　part　of　natural
justice；　that　every　one　should　have　the　power　over　the　place
belonging　peculiarly　to　themselves；　according　to　the
determination　of　Caesar；　…　to　say　nothing　of　my　own
determination；　which　it　would　be　ridiculous　to　mention　after　the
emperor's　edict；　which　gives　the　Jews　leave　to　make　use　of　their
own　customs；　as　also　gives　order　that　they　enjoy　equally　the
rights　of　citizens　with　the　Greeks　themselves；　…　I　therefore
ordain　that　Proculus　Vitellius；　the　centurion；　bring　those　men　to
me；　who；　contrary　to　Augustus's　edict；　have　been　so　insolent　as
to　do　this　thing；　at　which　those　very　men；　who　appear　to　be　of
principal　reputation　among　them；　have　an　indignation　also；　and
allege　for　themselves；　'that　it　was　not　done　with　their　consent；
but　by　the　violence　of　the　multitude；　that　they　may　give　an
account　of　what　hath　been　done。　I　also　exhort　the　principal
magistrates　among　them；　unless　they　have　a　mind　to　have　this
action　esteemed　to　be　done　with　their　consent；　to　inform　the
centurion　of　those　that　were　guilty　of　it；　and　take　care　that　no
handle　be　hence　taken　for　raising　a　sedition　or　quarrel　among
them；　which　those　seem　to　me　to　treat　after　who　encourage　such
doings；　while　both　I　myself；　and　king　Agrippa；　for　whom　I　have
the　highest　honor；　have　nothing　more　under　our　care；　than　that
the　nation　of　the　Jews　may　have　no　occasion　given　them　of　getting
together；　under　the　pretense　of　avenging　themselves；　and　become
tumultuous。　And　that　it　may　be　more　publicly　known　what　Augustus
hath　resolved　about　this　whole　matter；　I　have　subjoined　those
edicts　which　he　hath　lately　caused　to　be　published　at　Alexandria；
and　which；　although　they　may　be　well　known　to　all；　yet　did　king
Agrippa；　for　whom　I　have　the　highest　honor；　read　them　at　that
time　before　my　tribunal；　and　pleaded　that　the　Jews　ought　not　to
be　deprived　of　those　rights　which　Augustus　hath　granted　them。　I
therefore　charge　you；　that　you　do　not；　for　the　time　to　come；　seek
for　any　occasion　of　sedition　or　disturbance；　but　that　every　one
be　allowed　to　follow　their　own　religious　customs。〃

4。　Thus　did　Petronius　take　care　of　this　matter；　that　such　a
breach　of　the　law　might　be　corrected；　and　that　no　such　thing
might　be　attempted　afterwards　against　the　Jews。　And　now　king
Agrippa　took　the　＇high＇　priesthood　away　from　Simon　Cantheras；　and
put　Jonathan；　the　son　of　Ananus；　into　it　again；　and　owned　that　he
was　more　worthy　of　that　dignity　than　the　other。　But　this　was　not
a　thing　acceptable　to　him；　to　recover　that　his　former　dignity。　So
he　refused　it；　and　said；　〃O　king！　I　rejoice　in　the　honor　that
thou　hast　for　me；　and　take　it　kindly　that　thou　wouldst　give　me
such　a　dignity　of　thy　own　inclinations；　although　God　hath　judged
that　I　am　not　at　all　worthy　of　the　high　priesthood。　I　am
satisfied　with　having　once　put　on　the　sacred　garments；　for　I　then
put　them　on　after　a　more　holy　manner　than　I　should　now　receive
them　again。　But　if　thou　desirest　that　a　person　more　worthy　than
myself　should　have　this　honorable　employment；　give　me　leave　to
name　thee　such　a　one。　I　have　a　brother　that　is　pure　from　all　sin
against　God；　and　of　all　offenses　against　thyself；　I　recommend　him
to　thee；　as　one　that　is　fit　for　this　dignity。〃　So　the　king　was
pleased　with　these　words　of　his；　and　passed　by　Jonathan；　and；
according　to　his　brother's　desire；　bestowed　the　high　priesthood
upon　Matthias。　Nor　was　it　long　before　Marcus　succeeded　Petronius；
as　president　of　Syria。

CHAPTER　7。

Concerning　Silas　And　On　What　Account　It　Was　That　King　Agrippa　Was
Angry　At　Him。　How　Agrippa　Began　To　Encompass　Jerusalem　With　A
Wall；　And　What　Benefits　He　Bestowed　On　The　Inhabitants　Of
Berytus。

1。　Now　Silas；　the　general　of　the　king's　horse；　because　he　had
been　faithful　to　him　under　all　his　misfortunes；　and　had　never
refused　to　be　a　partaker　with　him　in　any　of　his　dangers；　but　had
oftentimes　undergone　the　most　hazardous　dangers　for　him；　was　full
of　assurance；　and　thought　he　might　expect　a　sort　of　equality　with
the　king；　on　account　of　the　firmness　of　the　friendship　he　had
showed　to　him。　Accordingly；　he　would　no　where　let　the　king　sit　as
his　superior；　and　took　the　like　liberty　in　speaking　to　him　upon
all　occasions；　till　he　became　troublesome　to　the　king；　when　they
were　merry　together；　extolling　himself　beyond　measure；　and　oft
putting　the　king　in　mind　of　the　severity　of　fortune　he　had
undergone；　that　he　might；　by　way　of　ostentation；　demonstrate　What
zeal　he　had　showed　in　his　service；　and　was　continually　harping
upon　this　string；　what　pains　he　had　taken　for　him；　and　much
enlarged　still　upon　that　subject。　The　repetition　of　this　so
frequently　seemed　to　reproach　the　king；　insomuch　that　he　took
this　ungovernable　liberty　of　talking　very　ill　at　his　hands。　For
the　commemoration　of　times　when　men　have　been　under　ignominy；　is
by　no　means　agreeable　to　them；　and　he　is　a　very　silly　man　who　is
perpetually　relating　to　a　person　what　kindness　he　had　done　him。
At　last；　therefore；　Silas　had　so　thoroughly　provoked　the　king's
indignation；　that　he　acted　rather　out　of　passion　than　good
consideration；　and　did　not　only　turn　Silas　out　of　his　place；　as
general　of　his　horse；　but　sent　him　in　bonds　into　his　own　country。
But　the　edge　of　his　anger　wore　off　by　length　of　time；　and　made
room　for　more　just　reasonings　as　to　his　judgment　about　this　man；
and　he　considered　how　many　labors　he　had　undergone　for　his　sake。
So　when　Agrippa　was　solemnizing　his　birth…day；　and　he　gave
festival　entertainments　to　all　his　subjects；　he　sent　for　Silas　on
the　sudden　to　be　his　guest。　But　as　he　was　a　very　frank　man；　he
thought　he　had　now　a　just　handle　given　him　to　be　angry；　which　he
could　not　conceal　from　those　that　came　for　him；　but　said　to　them；
〃What　honor　is　this　the　king　invites　me　to；　which　I　conclude　will
soon　be　over？　For　the　king　hath　not　let　me　keep　those　original
marks　of　the　good…will　I　bore　him；　which　I　once　had　from　him；　but
he　hath　plundered　me；　and　that　unjustly　also。　Does　he　think　that
I　can　leave　off　that　liberty　of　speech；　which；　upon　the
consciousness　of　my　deserts；　I　shall　use　more　loudly　than　before；
and　shall　relate　how　many　misfortunes　I　have　been　delivered　from；
how　many　labors　I　have　undergone　for　him；　whereby　I　procured　him
deliverance　and　respect；　as　a　reward　for　which　I　have　borne　the
hardships　of　bonds　and　a　dark　prison？　I　shall　never　forget　this
usage。　Nay；　perhaps；　my　very　soul；　when　it　is　departed　out　of　the
body；　will　not　forget　the　glorious　actions　I　did　on　his　account。〃
This　was　the　clamor　he　made；　and　he　ordered　the　messengers　to
tell　it　to　the　king。　So　he　perceived　that　Silas　was　incurable　in
his　folly；　and　still　suffered　him　to　lie　in　prison。

2。　As　for　the　walls　of　Jerusalem；　that　were　adjoining　to　the　new
city　＇Bezetha＇；　he　repaired　them　at　the　expense　of　the　public；
and　built　them　wider　in　breadth；　and　higher　in　altitude；　and　he
had　made　them　too　strong　for　all　human　power　to　demolish；　unless
Marcus；　the　then　president　of　Syria；　had　by　letter　informed
Claudius　Caesar　of　what　he　was　doing。　And　when　Claudius　had　some
suspicion　of　attempts　for　innovation；　he　sent　to　Agrippa　to　leave
off　the　building　of　those　walls　presently。　So　he　obeyed；　as　not
thinking　it　proper　to　contradict　Claudius。

3。　Now　this　king　was　by　nature　very　beneficent　and　liberal　in　his
gifts；　and　very　ambitious　to　oblige　people　with　such　large
donations；　and　he　made　himself　very　illustrious　by　the　many
chargeable　presents　he　made　them。　He　took　delight　in　giving；　and
rejoiced　in　living　with　good　reputation。　He　was　not　at　all　like
that　Herod　who　reigned　before　him；　for　that　Herod　was
ill…natured；　and　severe　in　his　punishments；　and　had　no　mercy　on
them　that　he　hated；　and　every　one　perceived　that　he　was　more
friendly　to　the　Greeks　than　to　the　Jews；　for　he　adorned　foreign
cities　with　large　presents　in　money；　with　building　them　baths　and
theatres　besides；　nay；　in　some　of　those　places　he　erected
temples；　and　porticoes　in　others；　but　he　did　not　vouchsafe　to
raise　one　of　the　least　edifices　in　any　Jewish　city；　or　make　them
any　donation　that　was　worth　mentioning。　But　Agrippa's　temper　was
mild；　and　equally　liberal　to　all　men。　He　was　humane　to
foreigners；　and　made　them　sensible　of　his　liberality。　He　was　in
like　manner　rather　of　a　gentle　and　compassionate　temper。
Accordingly；　he　loved　to　live　continually　at　Jerusalem；　and　was
exactly　careful　in　the　observance　of　the　laws　of　his　country。　He
therefore　kept　himself　entirely　pure；　nor　did　any　day　pass　over
his　head　without　its　appointed　sacrifice。

4。　However；　there　was　a　certain　mall　of　the　Jewish　nation　at
Jerusalem；　who　appeared　to　be　very　accurate　in　the　knowledge　of
the　law。　His　name　was　Simon。　This　man　got　together　an　assembly；
while　the　k