太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the antiquities of the jews-1 >

第283节

the antiquities of the jews-1-第283节

小说: the antiquities of the jews-1 字数: 每页4000字

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!



for this war; he sent to him; and demanded back those honorable
privileges which had been bestowed on him by his father; and
threatened; on his refusal; to make war upon him。 Upon hearing of
this; Izates was under no small trouble of mind; as thinking it
would be a reproach upon him to appear to resign those privileges
that had been bestowed upon him out of cowardice; yet because he
knew; that though the king of Parthia should receive back those
honors; yet would he not be quiet; he resolved to commit himself
to God; his Protector; in the present danger he was in of his
life; and as he esteemed him to be his principal assistant; he
intrusted his children and his wives to a very strong fortress;
and laid up his corn in his citadels; and set the hay and the
grass on fire。 And when he had thus put things in order; as well
as he could; he awaited the coming of the enemy。 And when the
king of Parthia was come; with a great army of footmen and
horsemen; which he did sooner than was expected; (for he marched
in great haste;) and had cast up a bank at the river that parted
Adiabene from Media; … Izates also pitched his camp not far off;
having with him six thousand horsemen。 But there came a messenger
to Izates; sent by the king of Parthia; who told him how large
his dominions were; as reaching from the river Euphrates to
Bactria; and enumerated that king's subjects; he also threatened
him that he should be punished; as a person ungrateful to his
lords; and said that the God whom he worshipped could not deliver
him out of the king's hands。 When the messenger had delivered
this his message; Izates replied that he knew the king of
Parthia's power was much greater than his own; but that he knew
also that God was much more powerful than all men。 And when he
had returned him this answer; he betook himself to make
supplication to God; and threw himself upon the ground; and put
ashes upon his head; in testimony of his confusion; and fasted;
together with his wives and children。 (7) Then he called upon
God; and said; 〃O Lord and Governor; if I have not in vain
committed myself to thy goodness; but have justly determined that
thou only art the Lord and principal of all beings; come now to
my assistance; and defend me from my enemies; not only on my own
account; but on account of their insolent behavior with regard to
thy power; while they have not feared to lift up their proud and
arrogant tongue against thee。〃 Thus did he lament and bemoan
himself; with tears in his eyes; whereupon God heard his prayer。
And immediately that very night Vologases received letters; the
contents of which were these; that a great band of Dahe and
Sacse; despising him; now he was gone so long a journey from
home; had made an expedition; and laid Parthis waste; so that he
'was forced to' retire back; without doing any thing。 And thus it
was that Izates escaped the threatenings of the Parthians; by the
providence of God。

3。 It was not long ere Izates died; when he had completed
fifty…five years of his life; and had ruled his kingdom
twenty…four years。 He left behind him twenty…four sons and
twenty…four daughters。 However; he gave order that his brother
Monobazus should succeed in the government; thereby requiting
him; because; while he was himself absent after their father's
death; he had faithfully preserved the government for him。 But
when Helena; his mother; heard of her son's death; she was in
great heaviness; as was but natural; upon her loss of such a most
dutiful son; yet was it a comfort to her that she heard the
succession came to her eldest son。 Accordingly; she went to him
in haste; and when she was come into Adiabene; she did not long
outlive her son Izates。 But Monobazus sent her bones; as well as
those of Izates; his brother; to Jerusalem; and gave order that
they should be buried at the pyramids (8) which their mother had
erected; they were three in number; and distant no more than
three furlongs from the city Jerusalem。 But for the actions of
Monobazus the king; which he did during the rest of his life。 we
will relate them hereafter。…

CHAPTER 5。

Concerning Theudas And The Sons Of Judas The Galilean; As Also
What Calamity Fell Upon The Jews On The Day Of The Passover。

1。 Now it came to pass; while Fadus was procurator of Judea; that
a certain magician; whose name was Theudas; (9) persuaded a great
part of the people to take their effects with them; and follow
him to the river Jordan; for he told them he was a prophet; and
that he would; by his own command; divide the river; and afford
them an easy passage over it; and many were deluded by his words。
However; Fadus did not permit them to make any advantage of his
wild attempt; but sent a troop of horsemen out against them; who;
falling upon them unexpectedly; slew many of them; and took many
of them alive。 They also took Theudas alive; and cut off his
head; and carried it to Jerusalem。 This was what befell the Jews
in the time of Cuspius Fadus's government。

2。 Then came Tiberius Alexander as successor to Fadus; he was the
son of Alexander the alabarch of Alexandria; which Alexander was
a principal person among all his contemporaries; both for his
family and wealth: he was also more eminent for his piety than
this his son Alexander; for he did not continue in the religion
of his country。 Under these procurators that great famine
happened in Judea; in which queen Helena bought corn in Egypt at
a great expense; and distributed it to those that were in want;
as I have related already。 And besides this; the sons of Judas of
Galilee were now slain; I mean of that Judas who caused the
people to revolt; when Cyrenius came to take an account of the
estates of the Jews; as we have showed in a foregoing book。 The
names of those sons were James and Simon; whom Alexander
commanded to be crucified。 But now Herod; king of Chalcis;
removed Joseph; the son of Camydus; from the high priesthood; and
made Ananias; the son of Nebedeu; his successor。 And now it was
that Cumanus came as successor to Tiberius Alexander; as also
that Herod; brother of Agrippa the great king; departed this
life; in the eighth year of the reign of Claudius Caesar。 He left
behind him three sons; Aristobulus; whom he had by his first
wife; with Bernicianus; and Hyrcanus; both whom he had by Bernice
his brother's daughter。 But Claudius Caesar bestowed his
dominions on Agrippa; junior。

3。 Now while the Jewish affairs were under the administration of
Cureanus; there happened a great tumult at the city of Jerusalem;
and many of the Jews perished therein。 But I shall first explain
the occasion whence it was derived。 When that feast which is
called the passover was at hand; at which time our custom is to
use unleavened bread; and a great multitude was gathered together
from all parts to that feast; Cumanus was afraid lest some
attempt of innovation should then be made by them; so he ordered
that one regiment of the army should take their arms; and stand
in the temple cloisters; to repress any attempts of innovation;
if perchance any such should begin; and this was no more than
what the former procurators of Judea did at such festivals。 But
on the fourth day of the feast; a certain soldier let down his
breeches; and exposed his privy members to the multitude; which
put those that saw him into a furious rage; and made them cry out
that this impious action was not done to approach them; but God
himself; nay; some of them reproached Cumanus; and pretended that
the soldier was set on by him; which; when Cumanus heard; he was
also himself not a little provoked at such reproaches laid upon
him; yet did he exhort them to leave off such seditious attempts;
and not to raise a tumult at the festival。 But when he could not
induce them to be quiet for they still went on in their
reproaches to him; he gave order that the whole army should take
their entire armor; and come to Antonia; which was a fortress; as
we have said already; which overlooked the temple; but when the
multitude saw the soldiers there; they were affrighted at them;
and ran away hastily; but as the passages out were but narrow;
and as they thought their enemies followed them; they were
crowded together in their flight; and a great number were pressed
to death in those narrow passages; nor indeed was the number
fewer than twenty thousand that perished in this tumult。 So
instead of a festival; they had at last a mournful day of it; and
they all of them forgot their prayers and sacrifices; and betook
themselves to lamentation and weeping; so great an affliction did
the impudent obsceneness of a single soldier bring upon them。
(10)

4。 Now before this their first mourning was over; another
mischief befell them also; for some of those that raised the
foregoing tumult; when they were traveling along the public road;
about a hundred furlongs from the city; robbed Stephanus; a
servant of Caesar; as he was journeying; and plundered him of all
that he had with him; which things when Cureanus heard of; he
sent soldiers immediately; and ordered them to plunder the
neighboring villages; and to bring the most eminent persons among
them in bonds to him。 Now as this dev

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的