the antiquities of the jews-1-第167章

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down　proved　to　be　a　matter　of　great　danger；　because　of　the　vast
depth　they　were　to　be　let　down；　although　they　had　their
provisions　in　the　chests　themselves。　But　when　the　chests　were　let
down；　and　not　one　of　those　in　the　mouths　of　the　caves　durst　come
near　them；　but　lay　still　out　of　fear；　some　of　the　armed　men　girt
on　their　armor；　and　by　both　their　hands　took　hold　of　the　chain　by
which　the　chests　were　let　down；　and　went　into　the　mouths　of　the
caves；　because　they　fretted　that　such　delay　was　made　by　the
robbers　not　daring　to　come　out　of　the　caves；　and　when　they　were
at　any　of　those　mouths；　they　first　killed　many　of　those　that　were
in　the　mouths　with　their　darts；　and　afterwards　pulled　those　to
them　that　resisted　them　with　their　hooks；　and　tumbled　them　down
the　precipices；　and　afterwards　went　into　the　caves；　and　killed
many　more；　and　then　went　into　their　chests　again；　and　lay　still
there；　but；　upon　this；　terror　seized　the　rest；　when　they　heard
the　lamentations　that　were　made；　and　they　despaired　of　escaping。
However；　when　the　night　came　on；　that　put　an　end　to　the　whole
work；　and　as　the　king　proclaimed　pardon　by　a　herald　to　such　as
delivered　themselves　up　to　him；　many　accepted　of　the　offer。　The
same　method　of　assault　was　made　use　of　the　next　day；　and　they
went　further；　and　got　out　in　baskets　to　fight　them；　and　fought
them　at　their　doors；　and　sent　fire　among　them；　and　set　their
caves　on　fire；　for　there　was　a　great　deal　of　combustible　matter
within　them。　Now　there　was　one　old　man　who　was　caught　within　one
of　these　caves；　with　seven　children　and　a　wife；　these　prayed　him
to　give　them　leave　to　go　out；　and　yield　themselves　up　to　the
enemy；　but　he　stood　at　the　cave's　mouth；　and　always　slew　that
child　of　his　who　went　out；　till　he　had　destroyed　them　every　one；
and　after　that　he　slew　his　wife；　and　cast　their　dead　bodies　down
the　precipice；　and　himself　after　them；　and　so　underwent　death
rather　than　slavery：　but　before　he　did　this；　he　greatly
reproached　Herod　with　the　meanness　of　his　family；　although　he　was
then　king。　Herod　also　saw　what　he　was　doing；　and　stretched　out
his　hand；　and　offered　him　all　manner　of　security　for　his　life；　by
which　means　all　these　caves　were　at　length　subdued　entirely。

6。　And　when　the　king　had　set　Ptolemy　over　these　parts　of　the
country　as　his　general；　he　went　to　Samaria；　with　six　hundred
horsemen；　and　three　thousand　armed　footmen；　as　intending　to　fight
Antigonus。　But　still　this　command　of　the　army　did　not　succeed
well　with　Ptolemy；　but　those　that　had　been　troublesome　to　Galilee
before　attacked　him；　and　slew　him；　and　when　they　had　done　this；
they　fled　among　the　lakes　and　places　almost　inaccessible　laying
waste　and　plundering　whatsoever　they　could　come　at　in　those
places。　But　Herod　soon　returned；　and　punished　them　for　what　they
had　done；　for　some　of　these　rebels　he　slew；　and　others　of　them；
who　had　fled　to　the　strong　holds　he　besieged；　and　both　slew　them；
and　demolished　their　strong　holds。　And　when　he　had　thus　put　an
end　to　their　rebellion；　he　laid　a　fine　upon　the　cities　of　a
hundred　talents。

7。　In　the　mean　time；　Pacorus　was　fallen　in　a　battle；　and　the
Parthians　were　defeated；　when　Ventidius　sent　Macheras　to　the
assistance　of　Herod；　with　two　legions；　and　a　thousand　horsemen；
while　Antony　encouraged　him　to　make　haste。　But　Macheras；　at　the
instigation　of　Antigonus；　without　the　approbation　of　Herod；　as
being　corrupted　by　money；　went　about　to　take　a　view　of　his
affairs；　but　Antigonus　suspecting　this　intention　of　his　coming；
did　not　admit　him　into　the　city；　but　kept　him　at　a　distance；　with
throwing　stones　at　him；　and　plainly　showed　what　he　himself　meant。
But　when　Macheras　was　sensible　that　Herod　had　given　him　good
advice；　and　that　he　had　made　a　mistake　himself　in　not　hearkening
to　that　advice；　he　retired　to　the　city　Emmaus；　and　what　Jews　he
met　with　he　slew　them；　whether　they　were　enemies　or　friends；　out
of　the　rage　he　was　in　at　what　hardships　he　had　undergone。　The
king　was　provoked　at　this　conduct　of　his；　and　went　to　Samaria；
and　resolved　to　go　to　Antony　about　these　affairs；　and　to　inform
him　that　he　stood　in　no　need　of　such　helpers；　who　did　him　more
mischief　than　they　did　his　enemies；　and　that　he　was　able　of
himself　to　beat　Antigonus。　But　Macheras　followed　him；　and　desired
that　he　would　not　go　to　Antony；　or　if　he　was　resolved　to　go；　that
he　would　join　his　brother　Joseph　with　them；　and　let　them　fight
against　Antigonus。　So　he　was　reconciled　to　Macheras；　upon　his
earnest　entreaties。　Accordingly；　he　left　Joseph　there　with　his
army；　but　charged　him　to　run　no　hazards；　nor　to　quarrel　with
Macheras。

8。　But　for　his　own　part；　he　made　haste　to　Antony　（who　was　then　at
the　siege　of　Samosata；　a　place　upon　Euphrates）　with　his　troops；
both　horsemen　and　footmen；　to　be　auxiliaries　to　him。　And　when　he
came　to　Antioch；　and　met　there　a　great　number　of　men　gotten
together　that　were　very　desirous　to　go　to　Antony；　but　durst　not
venture　to　go；　out　of　fear；　because　the　barbarians　fell　upon　men
on　the　road；　and　slew　many；　so　he　encouraged　them；　and　became
their　conductor　upon　the　road。　Now　when　they　were　within　two
days'　march　of　Samosata；　the　barbarians　had　laid　an　ambush　there
to　disturb　those　that　came　to　Antony；　and　where　the　woods　made
the　passes　narrow；　as　they　led　to　the　plains；　there　they　laid　not
a　few　of　their　horsemen；　who　were　to　lie　still　until　those
passengers　were　gone　by　into　the　wide　place。　Now　as　soon　as　the
first　ranks　were　gone　by；　（for　Herod　brought　on　the　rear；）　those
that　lay　in　ambush；　who　were　about　five　hundred；　fell　upon　them
on　the　sudden；　and　when　they　had　put　the　foremost　to　flight；　the
king　came　riding　hard；　with　the　forces　that　were　about　him；　and
immediately　drove　back　the　enemy；　by　which　means　he　made　the
minds　of　his　own　men　courageous；　and　imboldened　them　to　go　on；
insomuch　that　those　who　ran　away　before　now　returned　back；　and
the　barbarians　were　slain　on　all　sides。　The　king　also　went　on
killing　them；　and　recovered　all　the　baggage；　among　which　were　a
great　number　of　beasts　for　burden；　and　of　slaves；　and　proceeded
on　in　his　march；　and　whereas　there　were　a　great　number　of　those
in　the　woods　that　attacked　them；　and　were　near　the　passage　that
led　into　the　plain；　he　made　a　sally　upon　these　also　with　a　strong
body　of　men；　and　put　them　to　flight；　and　slew　many　of　them；　and
thereby　rendered　the　way　safe　for　those　that　came　after；　and
these　called　Herod　their　savior　and　protector。

9。　And　when　he　was　near　to　Samosata；　Antony　sent　out　his　army　in
all　their　proper　habiliments　to　meet　him；　in　order　to　pay　Herod
this　respect；　and　because　of　the　assistance　he　had　given　him；　for
he　had　heard　what　attacks　the　barbarians　had　made　upon　him　＇in
Judea＇。　He　also　was　very　glad　to　see　him　there；　as　having　been
made　acquainted　with　the　great　actions　he　had　performed　upon　the
road。　So　he　entertained　him　very　kindly；　and　could　not　but　admire
his　courage。　Antony　also　embraced　him　as　soon　as　he　saw　him；　and
saluted　him　after　a　most　affectionate　manner；　and　gave　him　the
upper　hand；　as　having　himself　lately　made　him　a　king；　and　in　a
little　time　Antiochus　delivered　up　the　fortress；　and　on　that
account　this　war　was　at　an　end；　then　Antony　committed　the　rest　to
Sosius；　and　gave　him　orders　to　assist　Herod；　and　went　himself　to
Egypt。　Accordingly；　Sosius　sent　two　legions　before　into　Judea　to
the　assistance　of　Herod；　and　he　followed　himself　with　the　body　of
the　army。

10。　Now　Joseph　was　already　slain　in　Judea；　in　the　manner
following：　He　forgot　what　charge　his　brother　Herod　had　given　him
when　he　went　to　Antony；　and　when　he　had　pitched　his　camp　among
the　mountains；　for　Macheras　had　lent　him　five　regiments；　with
these　he　went　hastily　to　Jericho；　in　：order　to　reap　the　corn
thereto　belonging；　and　as　the　Roman　regiments　were　but　newly
raised；　and　were　unskillful　in　war；　for　they　were　in　great　part
collected　out　of　Syria；　he　was　attacked　by　the　enemy；　and　caught
in　those　places　of　difficulty；　and　was　himself　slain；　as　he　was
fighting　bravely；　and　the　whole　army　was　lost；　for　there　were　six
regiments　slain。　So　when　Antigonus　had　got　possession　of　the　dead
bodies；　he　cut　off　Joseph's　head；　although　Pheroras　his　brother
would　have　redeemed　it　at　the　price　of　fifty　talents。　After　which
defeat；　the　Galileans　revolted　from　their　commanders；　and　took
those　of　Herod's　party；　and　drowned　them　in　the　lake；　and　a　great
part　of　Judea　was　become　seditious；　but　Macheras　fortified　the
place　Gitta　＇in　Samaria＇。

11。　At　this　time　messengers　came　to　Herod；　and　informed　him　of
what　had　been　done；　and　when　he　was　come　to　Daphne　by　Antioch；
they　told　him　of　the　ill　fortune　that　had　befallen　his　brother；
which　yet　he　expected；　from　certain　visions　that　appeared　to　him
in　his　dreams；　which　clearly　foreshowed　his　brother's　death。　So
he　hastened　his　march；　and　when　he　came　to　Mount　Libanus；　he
received　about　eight　hundred　of　the　men　of　that　place；　having
already　with　him　also　one　Roman　legion；　and　with　these　he　came　to
Ptolemais。　He　also　marched　thence　by　night　with　his　army；　and
proceeded　along　Galilee。　Here　it　was　that　the　enemy　met　him；　and
fought　him；　and　were　beaten；　and　shut　up　in　the　same　place　of
strength　whence　they　had　sallied　out　the　day　before。　So　he
attacked　the　place　in　the　morning；　but　by　reason　of　a　great　storm
that　was　then　very　violent；　he　was　able　to　do　nothing；　but　drew
off　his　army　into　the　neighboring　villages；　yet　as　soon　as　the
other　legion　that　Antony　sent　him　was　come　to　his　assistance；
those　that　were　in　garrison　in　the　place　were　afraid；　and
deserted　it　in　the　night　time。　Then　did　the　king　march　hastily　to
Jericho；　intending　to　avenge　himself　on　the　enemy　for　the
slaughter　of　his　brother；　and　when　he　had　pitched　his　tents；　he
made　a　feast　for　the　principal　commanders；　and　after　this
collation　was　over；　and　he　had　dismissed　his　guests；　he　retired
to　his　own　chamber；　and　here　may　one　see　what　kindness　God　had
for　the　king；　for　the　upper　part　of　the　house　fell　down　when
nobody　was　in　it；　and　so　killed　none；　insomuch　that　all　the
people　believed　that　Herod　was　beloved　of　God；　since　he　had
escaped　such　a　great　and　surprising　danger。

12。　But　the　next　day　six　thousand　of　the　enemy　came　down　from　the
tops　of　the　mountains　to　fight　the　Romans；　which　greatly
terrified　them；　and　the　soldiers　that　were　in　light　armor　came
near；　and　pelted　the　king's　guards　that　were　come　out　with　darts
and　stones；　and　one　of　them　hit　him　on　the　side　with　a　dart。
Antigonus　also　sent　a　commander　against　Samaria；　whose　name　was
Pappus；　with　some　forces；　being　desirous　to　show　the　enemy　how
potent　he　was；　and　that　he　had　men　to　spare　in　his　war　with　them。
He　sat　down　to　oppose　Macheras；　but　Herod；　when　he　had　taken　five
cities；　took　such　as　were　left　in　them；　being　about　two　thousand；
and　slew　them；　and　burnt　the　cities　themselves；　and　then　returned
to　go　against　Pappus；　who　was　encamped　at　a　village　called
Isanas；　and　there　ran　in　to　him　many　out　of　Jericho　and　Judea；
near　to　which　places　he　was；　and　the　enemy　fell　upon　his　men；　so
stout　were　they　at　this　time；　and　joined　battle　with　them；　but　he
beat　them　in　the　fight；　and　in　order　to　be　revenged　on　them　for
the　slaughter　of　his　brother；　he　pursued　them　sharply；　and　kil