the antiquities of the jews-1-第139章

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would　send　them　succors。　When　Antiochus；　who　was　but　a　child；
heard　this；　he　was　angry；　and　sent　for　his　captains　and　his
friends；　and　gave　order　that　they　should　get　an　army　of
mercenaries　together；　with　such　men　also　of　his　own　kingdom　as
were　of　an　age　fit　for　war。　Accordingly；　an　army　was　collected　of
about　a　hundred　thousand　footmen；　and　twenty　thousand　horsemen；
and　thirty…two　elephants。

4。　So　the　king　took　this　army；　and　marched　hastily　out　of
Antioch；　with　Lysias；　who　had　the　command　of　the　whole；　and　came
to　Idumea；　and　thence　went　up　to　the　city　Bethsnra；　a　city　that
was　strong；　and　not　to　be　taken　without　great　difficulty。　He　set
about　this　city；　and　besieged　it。　And　while　the　inhabitants　of
Bethsura　courageously　opposed　him；　and　sallied　out　upon　him；　and
burnt　his　engines　of　war；　a　great　deal　of　time　was　spent　in　the
siege。　But　when　Judas　heard　of　the　king's　coming；　he　raised　the
siege　of　the　citadel；　and　met　the　king；　and　pitched　his　camp　in
certain　straits；　at　a　place　called　Bethzachriah；　at　the　distance
of　seventy　furlongs　from　the　enemy；　but　the　king　soon　drew　his
forces　from　Bethsura；　and　brought　them　to　those　straits。　And　as
soon　as　it　was　day；　he　put　his　men　in　battle…array；　and　made　his
elephants　follow　one　another　through　the　narrow　passes；　because
they　could　not　be　set　sideways　by　one　another。　Now　round　about
every　elephant　there　were　a　thousand　footmen；　and　five　hundred
horsemen。　The　elephants　also　had　high　towers　＇upon　their　backs＇；
and　archers　＇in　them＇。　And　he　also　made　the　rest　of　his　army　to
go　up　the　mountains；　and　put　his　friends　before　the　rest；　and
gave　orders　for　the　army　to　shout　aloud；　and　so　he　attacked　the
enemy。　He　also　exposed　to　sight　their　golden　and　brazen　shields；
so　that　a　glorious　splendor　was　sent　from　them；　and　when　they
shouted　the　mountains　echoed　again。　When　Judas　saw　this；　he　was
not　terrified；　but　received　the　enemy　with　great　courage；　and
slew　about　six　hundred　of　the　first　ranks。　But　when　his　brother
Eleazar；　whom　they　called　Auran；　saw　the　tallest　of　all　the
elephants　armed　with　royal　breastplates；　and　supposed　that　the
king　was　upon　him；　he　attacked　him　with　great　quickness　and
bravery。　He　also　slew　many　of　those　that　were　about　the　elephant；
and　scattered　the　rest；　and　then　went　under　the　belly　of　the
elephant；　and　smote　him；　and　slew　him；　so　the　elephant　fell　upon
Eleazar；　and　by　his　weight　crushed　him　to　death。　And　thus　did
this　man　come　to　his　end；　when　he　had　first　courageously
destroyed　manyof　his　enemies。

5。　But　Judas；　seeing　the　strength　of　the　enemy；　retired　to
Jerusalem；　and　prepared　to　endure　a　siege。　As　for　Antiochus；　he
sent　part　of　his　army　to　Bethsura；　to　besiege　it；　and　with　the
rest　of　his　army　he　came　against　Jerusalem；　but　the　inhabitants
of　Bethsura　were　terrified　at　his　strength；　and　seeing　that　their
provisions　grew　scarce；。　they　delivered　themselves　up　on　the
security　of　oaths　that　they　should　suffer　no　hard　treatment　from
the　king。　And　when　Antiochus　had　thus　taken　the　city；　he　did　them
no　other　harm　than　sending　them　out　naked。　He　also　placed　a
garrison　of　his　own　in　the　city。　But　as　for　the　temple　of
Jerusalem；　he　lay　at　its　siege　a　long　time；　while　they　within
bravely　defended　it；　for　what　engines　soever　the　king　set　against
them；　they　set　other　engines　again　to　oppose　them。　But　then　their
provisions　failed　them；　what　fruits　of　the　ground　they　had　laid
up　were　spent　and　the　land　being　not　ploughed　that　year；
continued　unsowed；　because　it　was　the　seventh　year；　on　which；　by
our　laws；　we　are　obliged　to　let　it　lay　uncultivated。　And　withal；
so　many　of　the　besieged　ran　away　for　want　of　necessaries；　that
but　a　few　only　were　left　in　the　temple。

6。　And　these　happened　to　be　the　circumstances　of　such　as　were
besieged　in　the　temple。　But　then；　because　Lysias；　the　general　of
the　army；　and　Antiochus　the　king；　were　informed　that　Philip　was
coming　upon　them　out　of　Persia；　and　was　endeavoring　to　get　the
management　of　public　affairs　to　himself；　they　came　into　these
sentiments；　to　leave　the　siege；　and　to　make　haste　to　go　against
Philip；　yet　did　they　resolve　not　to　let　this　be　known　to　the
soldiers　or　to　the　officers：　but　the　king　commanded　Lysias　to
speak　openly　to　the　soldiers　and　the　officers；　without　saying　a
word　about　the　business　of　Philip；　and　to　intimate　to　them　that
the　siege　would　be　very　long；　that　the　place　was　very　strong；
that　they　were　already　in　want　of　provisions；　that　many　affairs
of　the　kingdom　wanted　regulation；　and　that　it　was　much　better　to
make　a　league　with　the　besieged；　and　to　become　friends　to　their
whole　nation；　by　permitting　them　to　observe　the　laws　of　their
fathers；　while　they　broke　out　into　this　war　only　because　they
were　deprived　of　them；　and　so　to　depart　home。　When　Lysias　had
discoursed　thus　to　them；　both　the　army　and　the　officers　were
pleased　with　this　resolution。

7。　Accordingly　the　king　sent　to　Judas；　and　to　those　that　were
besieged　with　them；　and　promised　to　give　them　peace；　and　to
permit　them　to　make　use　of；　and　live　according　to；　the　laws　of
their　fathers；　and　they　gladly　received　his　proposals；　and　when
they　had　gained　security　upon　oath　for　their　performance；　they
went　out　of　the　temple。　But　when　Antiochus　came　into　it；　and　saw
how　strong　the　place　was；　he　broke　his　oaths；　and　ordered　his
army　that　was　there　to　pluck　down　the　walls　to　the　ground；　and
when　he　had　so　done；　he　returned　to　Antioch。　He　also　carried　with
him　Onias　the　high　priest；　who　was　also　called　Menelaus；　for
Lysias　advised　the　king　to　slay　Menelaus；　if　he　would　have　the
Jews　be　quiet；　and　cause　him　no　further　disturbance；　for　that
this　man　was　the　origin　of　all　the　mischief　the　Jews　had　done
them；　by　persuading　his　father　to　compel　the　Jews　to　leave　the
religion　of　their　fathers。　So　the　king　sent　Menelaus　to　Berea；　a
city　of　Syria；　and　there　had　him　put　to　death；　when　he　had　been
high　priest　ten　years。　He　had　been　a　wicked　and　an　impious　man；
and；　in　order　to　get　the　government　to　himself；　had　compelled　his
nation　to　transgress　their　own　laws。　After　the　death　of　Menelaus；
Alcimus；　who　was　also　called　Jacimus；　was　made　high　priest。　But
when　king　Antiochus　found　that　Philip　had　already　possessed
himself　of　the　government；　he　made　war　against　him；　and　subdued
him；　and　took　him；　and　slew　him。　Now　as　to　Onias；　the　son　of　the
high　priest；　who；　as　we　before　informed　you；　was　left　a　child
when　his　father　died；　when　he　saw　that　the　king　had　slain　his
uncle　Menelaus；　and　given　the　high　priesthood　to　Alcimus；　who　was
not　of　the　high　priest　stock；　but　was　induced　by　Lysias　to
translate　that　dignity　from　his　family　to　another　house；　he　fled
to　Ptolemy；　king　of　Egypt；　and　when　he　found　he　was　in　great
esteem　with　him；　and　with　his　wife　Cleopatra；　he　desired　and
obtained　a　place　in　the　Nomus　of　Heliopolis；　wherein　he　built　a
temple　like　to　that　at　Jerusalem；　of　which　therefore　we　shall
hereafter　give　an　account；　in　a　place　more　proper　for　it。

CHAPTER　10。

How　Bacchides；　The　General　Of　Demetrius's　Army；　Made　An
Expedition　Against　Judea；　And　Returned　Without　Success；　And　How
Nicanor　Was　Sent　A　Little　Afterward　Against　Judas　And　Perished；
Together　With　His　Army；　As　Also　Concerning　The　Death　Of　Alcimus
And　The　Succession　Of　Judas。

1。　About　the　same　time　Demetrius；　the　son　of　Seleucus；　fled　away
from　Rome；　and　took　Tripoli；　a　city　of　Syria；　and　set　the　diadem
on　his　own　head。　He　also　gathered　certain　mercenary　soldiers
together；　and　entered　into　his　kingdom；　and　was　joyfully　received
by　all；　who　delivered　themselves　up　to　him。　And　when　they　had
taken　Autiochus　the　king；　and　Lysias；　they　brought　them　to　him
alive；　both　which　were　immediately　put　to　death　by　the　command　of
Demetrius；　when　Antiochus　had　reigned　two　years；　as　we　have
already　elsewhere　related。　But　there　were　now　many　of　the　wicked
Jewish　runagates　that　came　together　to　him；　and　with　them　Alcimus
the　high　priest；　who　accused　the　whole　nation；　and　particularly
Judas　and　his　brethren；　and　said　that　they　had　slain　all　his
friends；　and　that　those　in　his　kingdom　that　were　of　his　party；
and　waited　for　his　return；　were　by　them　put　to　death；　that　these
men　had　ejected　them　out　of　their　own　country；　and　caused　them　to
be　sojourners　in　a　foreign　land；　and　they　desired　that　he　would
send　some　one　of　his　own　friends；　and　know　from　him　what　mischief
Judas's　party　had　done。

2。　At　this　Demetrius　was　very　angry；　and　sent　Bacchides；　a　friend
of　Antiochus　Epiphanes；　（25）　a　good　man；　and　one　that　had　been
intrusted　with　all　Mesopotamia；　and　gave　him　an　army；　and
committed　Alcimus　the　high　priest　to　his　care；　and　gave　him
charge　to　slay　Judas；　and　those　that　were　with　him。　So　Bacchides
made　haste；　and　went　out　of　Antioch　with　his　army；　and　when　he
was　come　into　Judea；　he　sent　to　Judas　and　his　brethren；　to
discourse　with　them　about　a　league　of　friendship　and　peace；　for
he　had　a　mind　to　take　him　by　treachery。　But　Judas　did　not　give
credit　to　him；　for　he　saw　that　he　came　with　so　great　an　army　as
men　do　not　bring　when　they　come　to　make　peace；　but　to　make　war。
However；　some　of　the　people　acquiesced　in　what　Bacchides　caused
to　be　proclaimed；　and　supposing　they　should　undergo　no
considerable　harm　from　Alcimus；　who　was　their　countryman；　they
went　over　to　them；　and　when　they　had　received　oaths　from　both　of
them；　that　neither　they　themselves；　nor　those　of　the　same
sentiments；　should　come　to　any　harm；　they　intrusted　themselves
with　them。　But　Bacchides　troubled　not　himself　about　the　oaths　he
had　taken；　but　slew　threescore　of　them；　although；　by　not　keeping
his　faith　with　those　that　first　went　over；　he　deterred　all　the
rest；　who　had　intentions　to　go　over　to　him；　from　doing　it。　But　as
he　was　gone　out　of　Jerusalem；　and　was　at　the　village　called
Bethzetho；　he　sent　out；　and　caught　many　of　the　deserters；　and
some　of　the　people　also；　and　slew　them　all；　and　enjoined　all　that
lived　in　the　country　to　submit　to　Alcimus。　So　he　left　him　there；
with　some　part　of　the　army；　that　he　might　have　wherewith　to　keep
the　country　in　obedience　and　returned　to　Antioch　to　king
Demetrius。

3。　But　Alcimus　was　desirous　to　have　the　dominion　more　firmly
assured　to　him；　and　understanding　that；　if　he　could　bring　it
about　that　the　multitude　should　be　his　friends；　he　should　govern
with　greater　security；　he　spake　kind　words　to　them　all；　and
discoursed　to　each　of　them　after　an　agreeable　and　pleasant
manner；　by　which　means　he　quickly　had　a　great　body　of　men　and　an
army　about　him；　although　the　greater　part　of　them　were　of　the
wicked；　and　the　deserters。　With　these；　whom　he　used　as　his
servants　and　soldiers；　he　went　all　over　the　country；　and　slew　all
that　he　could　find　of　Judas's　party。　But　when　Judas　saw　that
Alcimus　was　already　become　great；　and　had　destroyed　many　of　the
good　and　holy　men　of　the　country；　he　also　went　all　over　the
country；　and　destroyed　those　that　were　of　the　other　party。　But
when　Alcimus　saw　that　he　was　not　able　to　oppose　Judas；　nor　was
equal　to　him　in　strength；　he　resolved　to　apply　himself　to　king
Demetrius　for　his　assistance；　so　he　came　to　Antioch；　and
irritated　him　against　Judas；　and　accused　him；　alleging　that　he
had　undergone　a　great　many　miseries　by　his　means；　and　that　he
would　do　more　mischie