the antiquities of the jews-1-第136章

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CHAPTER　6。

How；　Upon　Antiochus's　Prohibition　To　The　Jews　To　Make　Use　Of　The
Laws　Of　Their　Country　Mattathias；　The　Son　Of　Asamoneus；　Alone
Despised　The　King；　And　Overcame　The　Generals　Of　Antiochus's　Army；
As　Also　Concerning　The　Death　Of　Mattathias；　And　The　Succession　Of
Judas。

1。　Now　at　this　time　there　was　one　whose　name　was　Mattathias；　who
dwelt　at　Modin；　the　son　of　John；　the　son　of　Simeon；　the　son　of
Asamoneus；　a　priest　of　the　order　of　Joarib；　and　a　citizen　of
Jerusalem。　He　had　five　sons；　John；　who　was　called　Gaddis；　and
Simon；　who　was　called　Matthes；　and　Judas；　who　was　called
Maccabeus；　（19）　and　Eleazar；　who　was　called　Auran；　and　Jonathan；
who　was　called　Apphus。　Now　this　Mattathias　lamented　to　his
children　the　sad　state　of　their　affairs；　and　the　ravage　made　in
the　city；　and　the　plundering　of　the　temple；　and　the　calamities
the　multitude　were　under；　and　he　told　them　that　it　was　better　for
them　to　die　for　the　laws　of　their　country；　than　to　live　so
ingloriously　as　they　then　did。

2。　But　when　those　that　were　appointed　by　the　king　were　come　to
Modin；　that　they　might　compel　the　Jews　to　do　what　they　were
commanded；　and　to　enjoin　those　that　were　there　to　offer
sacrifice；　as　the　king　had　commanded；　they　desired　that
Mattathias；　a　person　of　the　greatest　character　among　them；　both
on　other　accounts；　and　particularly　on　account　of　such　a　numerous
and　so　deserving　a　family　of　children；　would　begin　the　sacrifice；
because　his　fellow　citizens　would　follow　his　example；　and　because
such　a　procedure　would　make　him　honored　by　the　king。　But
Mattathias　said　he　would　not　do　it；　and　that　if　all　the　other
nations　would　obey　the　commands　of　Antiochus；　either　out　of　fear；
or　to　please　him；　yet　would　not　he　nor　his　sons　leave　the
religious　worship　of　their　country。　But　as　soon　as　he　had　ended
his　speech；　there　came　one　of　the　Jews　into　the　midst　of　them；
and　sacrificed；　as　Antiochus　had　commanded。　At　which　Mattathias
had　great　indignation；　and　ran　upon　him　violently；　with　his　sons；
who　had　swords　with　them；　and　slew　both　the　man　himself　that
sacrificed；　and　Apelles　the　king's　general；　who　compelled　them　to
sacrifice；　with　a　few　of　his　soldiers。　He　also　overthrew　the　idol
altar；　and　cried　out；　〃If；〃　said　he；〃　any　one　be　zealous　for　the
laws　of　his　country；　and　for　the　worship　of　God；　let　him　follow
me。〃　And　when　he　had　said　this；　he　made　haste　into　the　desert
with　his　sons；　and　left　all　his　substance　in　the　village。　Many
others　did　the　same　also；　and　fled　with　their　children　and　wives
into　the　desert；　and　dwelt　in　caves。　But　when　the　king's　generals
heard　this；　they　took　all　the　forces　they　then　had　in　the　citadel
at　Jerusalem；　and　pursued　the　Jews　into　the　desert；　and　when　they
had　overtaken　them；　they　in　the　first　place　endeavored　to
persuade　them　to　repent；　and　to　choose　what　was　most　for　their
advantage；　and　not　put　them　to　the　necessity　of　using　them
according　to　the　law　of　war。　But　when　they　would　not　comply　with
their　persuasions；　but　continued　to　be　of　a　different　mind；　they
fought　against　them　on　the　sabbath　day；　and　they　burnt　them　as
they　were　in　the　caves；　without　resistance；　and　without　so　much
as　stopping　up　the　entrances　of　the　caves。　And　they　avoided　to
defend　themselves　on　that　day；　because　they　were　not　willing　to
break　in　upon　the　honor　they　owed　the　sabbath；　even　in　such
distresses；　for　our　law　requires　that　we　rest　upon　that　day。
There　were　about　a　thousand；　with　their　wives　and　children；　who
were　smothered　and　died　in　these　caves；　but　many　of　those　that
escaped　joined　themselves　to　Mattathias；　and　appointed　him　to　be
their　ruler；　who　taught　them　to　fight；　even　on　the　sabbath　day；
and　told　them　that　unless　they　would　do　so；　they　would　become
their　own　enemies；　by　observing　the　law　＇so　rigorously＇；　while
their　adversaries　would　still　assault　them　on　this　day；　and　they
would　not　then　defend　themselves；　and　that　nothing　could　then
hinder　but　they　must　all　perish　without　fighting。　This　speech
persuaded　them。　And　this　rule　continues　among　us　to　this　day；
that　if　there　be　a　necessity；　we　may　fight　on　sabbath　days。　So
Mattathias　got　a　great　army　about　him；　and　overthrew　their　idol
altars；　and　slew　those　that　broke　the　laws；　even　all　that　he
could　get　under　his　power；　for　many　of　them　were　dispersed　among
the　nations　round　about　them　for　fear　of　him。　He　also　commanded
that　those　boys　which　were　not　yet　circumcised　should　be
circumcised　now；　and　he　drove　those　away　that　were　appointed　to
hinder　such　their　circumcision。

3。　But　when　he　had　ruled　one　year；　and　was　fallen　into　a
distemper；　he　called　for　his　sons；　and　set　them　round　about　him；
and　said；　〃O　my　sons；　I　am　going　the　way　of　all　the　earth；　and　I
recommend　to　you　my　resolution；　and　beseech　you　not　to　be
negligent　in　keeping　it；　but　to　be　mindful　of　the　desires　of　him
who　begat　you；　and　brought　you　up；　and　to　preserve　the　customs　of
your　country；　and　to　recover　your　ancient　form　of　government；
which　is　in　danger　of　being　overturned；　and　not　to　be　carried
away　with　those　that；　either　by　their　own　inclination；　or　out　of
necessity；　betray　it；　but　to　become　such　sons　as　are　worthy　of
me；　to　be　above　all　force　and　necessity；　and　so　to　dispose　your
souls；　as　to　be　ready；　when　it　shall　be　necessary；　to　die　for
your　laws；　as　sensible　of　this；　by　just　reasoning；　that　if　God
see　that　you　are　so　disposed　he　will　not　overlook　you；　but　will
have　a　great　value　for　your　virtue；　and　will　restore　to　you　again
what　you　have　lost；　and　will　return　to　you　that　freedom　in　which
you　shall　live　quietly；　and　enjoy　your　own　customs。　Your　bodies
are　mortal；　and　subject　to　fate；　but　they　receive　a　sort　of
immortality；　by　the　remembrance　of　what　actions　they　have　done。
And　I　would　have　you　so　in　love　with　this　immortality；　that　you
may　pursue　after　glory；　and　that；　when　you　have　undergone　the
greatest　difficulties；　you　may　not　scruple；　for　such　things；　to
lose　your　lives。　I　exhort　you；　especially；　to　agree　one　with
another；　and　in　what　excellency　any　one　of　you　exceeds　another；
to　yield　to　him　so　far；　and　by　that　means　to　reap　the　advantage
of　every　one's　own　virtues。　Do　you　then　esteem　Simon　as　your
father；　because　he　is　a　man　of　extraordinary　prudence；　and　be
governed　by　him　in　what　counsels　be　gives　you。　Take　Maccabeus　for
the　general　of　your　army；　because　of　his　courage　and　strength；
for　he　will　avenge　your　nation；　and　will　bring　vengeance　on　your
enemies。　Admit　among　you　the　righteous　and　religious；　and　augment
their　power。〃

4。　When　Mattathias　had　thus　discoursed　to　his　sons；　and　had
prayed　to　God　to　be　their　assistant；　and　to　recover　to　the　people
their　former　constitution；　he　died　a　little　afterward；　and　was
buried　at　Modin；　all　the　people　making　great　lamentation　for　him。
Whereupon　his　son　Judas　took　upon　him　the　administration　of
public　affairs；　in　the　hundred　fbrty　and　sixth　year；　and　thus；　by
the　ready　assistance　of　his　brethren；　and　of　others；　Judas　cast
their　enemies　out　of　the　country；　and　put　those　of　their　own
country　to　death　who　had　transgressed　its　laws；　and　purified　the
land　of　all　the　pollutions　that　were　in　it。

CHAPTER　7。

How　Judas　Overthrew　The　Forces　Of　Apollonius　And　Seron　And　Killed
The　Generals　Of　Their　Armies　Themselves；　And　How　When；　A　Little
While　Afterwards　Lysias　And　Gorgias　Were　Beaten　He　Went　Up　To
Jerusalem　And　Purified　The　Temple。

1。　When　Apollonius；　the　general　of　the　Samaritan　forces；　heard
this；　he　took　his　army；　and　made　haste　to　go　against　Judas；　who
met　him；　and　joined　battle　with　him；　and　beat　him；　and　slew　many
of　his　men；　and　among　them　Apollonius　himself；　their　general；
whose　sword　being　that　which　he　happened　then　to　wear；　he　seized
upon；　and　kept　for　himself；　but　he　wounded　more　than　he　slew；　and
took　a　great　deal　of　prey　from　the　enemy's　camp；　and　went　his
way。　But　when　Seron；　who　was　general　of　the　army　of　Celesyria；
heard　that　many　had　joined　themselves　to　Judas；　and　that　he　had
about　him　an　army　sufficient　for　fighting；　and　for　making　war；　he
determined　to　make　an　expedition　against　him；　as　thinking　it
became　him　to　endeavor　to　punish　those　that　transgressed　the
king's　injunctions。　He　then　got　together　an　army；　as　large　as　he
was　able；　and　joined　to　it　the　runagate　and　wicked　Jews；　and　came
against　Judas。　He　came　as　far　as　Bethhoron；　a　village　of　Judea；
and　there　pitched　his　camp；　upon　which　Judas　met　him；　and　when　he
intended　to　give　him　battle；　he　saw　that　his　soldiers　were
backward　to　fight；　because　their　number　was　small；　and　because
they　wanted　food；　for　they　were　fasting；　he　encouraged　them；　and
said　to　them；　that　victory　and　conquest　of　enemies　are　not
derived　from　the　multitude　in　armies；　but　in　the　exercise　of
piety　towards　God；　and　that　they　had　the　plainest　instances　in
their　forefathers；　who；　by　their　righteousness；　exerting
themselves　on　behalf　of　their　own　laws；　and　their　own　children；
had　frequently　conquered　many　ten　thousands；　…　for　innocence　is
the　strongest　army。　By　this　speech　he　induced　his　men　to　contenm
the　multitude　of　the　enemy；　and　to　fall　upon　Seron。　And　upon
joining　battle　with　him；　he　beat　the　Syrians；　and　when　their
general　fell　among　the　rest；　they　all　ran　away　with　speed；　as
thinking　that　to　be　their　best　way　of　escaping。　So　he　pursued
them　unto　the　plain；　and　slew　about　eight　hundred　of　the　enemy；
but　the　rest　escaped　to　the　region　which　lay　near　to　the　sea。

2。　When　king　Antiochus　heard　of　these　things；　he　was　very　angry
at　what　had　happened；　so　he　got　together　all　his　own　army；　with
many　mercenaries；　whom　he　had　hired　from　the　islands；　and　took
them　with　him；　and　prepared　to　break　into　Judea　about　the
beginning　of　the　spring。　But　when；　upon　his　mustering　his
soldiers；　he　perceived　that　his　treasures　were　deficient；　and
there　was　a　want　of　money　in　them；　for　all　the　taxes　were　not
paid；　by　reason　of　the　seditions　there　had　been　among　the　nations
he　having　been　so　magnanimous　and　so　liberal；　that　what　he　had
was　not　sufficient　for　him；　he　therefore　resolved　first　to　go
into　Persia；　and　collect　the　taxes　of　that　country。　Hereupon　he
left　one　whose　name　was　Lysias；　who　was　in　great　repute　with　him
governor　of　the　kingdom；　as　far　as　the　bounds　of　Egypt；　and　of
the　Lower　Asia；　and　reaching　from　the　river　Euphrates；　and
committed　to　him　a　certain　part　of　his　forces；　and　of　his
elephants；　and　charged　him　to　bring　up　his　son　Antiochus　with　all
possible　care；　until　he　came　back；　and　that　he　should　conquer
Judea；　and　take　its　inhabitants　for　slaves；　and　utterly　destroy
Jerusalem；　and　abolish　the　whole　nation。　And　when　king　Antiochus
had　given　these　things　in　charge　to　Lysias；　he　went　into　Persia；
and　in　the　hundred　and　forty…seventh　year　he　passed　over
Euphrates；　and　went　to　the　superior　provinces。

3。　Upon　this　Lysias　chose　Ptolemy；　the　son　of　Dorymenes；　and
Nicanor；　and　Gorgias；　very　potent　men　among　the　king's　friends；
and　delivered　to　them　forty　thousand　foot　soldiers；　and　seven
thousand　horsemen；　and　sent　them　against　Judea；　who　came　as　far
as　the　city　Emmaus；　and　pitched　their　camp　in　the　plain　country。
There　came　also　to　them　auxiliaries　out　of　Syria；　and　the　country
round　about；　as　also　many　of　the　runagate　Jews。　And　besides　these
came　some　merchants　to　bu