the antiquities of the jews-1-第183章

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Jerusalem；　where　all　the　people　met　him　in　their　festival
garments；　and　received　him　with　acclamations。　Agrippa　also
offered　a　hecatomb　of　sacrifices　to　God；　and　feasted　the　people；
without　omitting　any　of　the　greatest　dainties　that　could　be
gotten。　He　also　took　so　much　pleasure　there；　that　he　abode　many
days　with　them；　and　would　willingly　have　staid　longer；　but　that
the　season　of　the　year　made　him　make　haste　away；　for　as　winter
was　coming　on；　he　thought　it　not　safe　to　go　to　sea　later；　and　yet
he　was　of　necessity　to　return　again　to　Ionia。

2。　So　Agrippa　went　away；　when　Herod　had　bestowed　on　him；　and　on
the　principal　of　those　that　were　with　him；　many　presents；　but
king　Herod；　when　he　had　passed　the　winter　in　his　own　dominions；
made　haste　to　get　to　him　again　in　the　spring；　when　he　knew　he
designed　to　go　to　a　campaign　at　the　Bosptiorus。　So　when　he　had
sailed　by　Rhodes　and　by　Cos；　he　touched　at　Lesbos；　as　thinking　he
should　have　overtaken　Agrippa　there；　but　he　was　taken　short　here
by　a　north　wind；　which　hindered　his　ship　from　going　to　the　shore；
so　he　continued　many　days　at　Chius；　and　there　he　kindly　treated　a
great　many　that　came　to　him；　and　obliged　them　by　giving　them
royal　gifts。　And　when　he　saw　that　the　portico　of　the　city　was
fallen　down；　which　as　it　was　overthrown　in　the　Mithridatic　war；
and　was　very　large　and　fine　building；　so　was　it　not　so　easy　to
rebuild　that　as　it　was　the　rest；　yet　did　he　furnish　a　sum　not
only　large　enough　for　that　purpose；　but　what　was　more　than
sufficient　to　finish　the　building；　and　ordered　them　not　to
overlook　that　portico；　but　to　rebuild　it　quickly；　that　so　the
city　might　recover　its　proper　ornaments。　And　when　the　high　winds

were　laid；　he　sailed　to　Mytilene；　and　thence　to　Byzantium；　and
when　he　heard　that　Agrippa　was　sailed　beyond　the　Cyanean　rocks；
he　made　all　the　haste　possible　to　overtake　him；　and　came　up　with
him　about　Sinope；　in　Pontus。　He　was　seen　sailing　by　the　ship…men
most　unexpectedly；　but　appeared　to　their　great　joy；　and　many
friendly　salutations　there　were　between　them；　insomuch　that
Agrippa　thought　he　had　received　the　greatest　marks　of　the　king's
kindness　and　humanity　towards　him　possible；　since　the　king　had
come　so　long　a　voyage；　and　at　a　very　proper　season；　for　his
assistance；　and　had　left　the　government　of　his　own　dominions；　and
thought　it　more　worth　his　while　to　come　to　him。　Accordingly；
Herod　was　all　in　all　to　Agrippa；　in　the　management　of　the　war；
and　a　great　assistant　in　civil　affairs；　and　in　giving　him　counsel
as　to　particular　matters。　He　was　also　a　pleasant　companion　for
him　when　he　relaxed　himself；　and　a　joint　partaker　with　him　in　all
things；　ill　troubles　because　of　his　kindness；　and　in　prosperity
because　of　the　respect　Agrippa　had　for　him。　Now　as　soon　as　those
affairs　of　Pontus　were　finished；　for　whose　sake　Agrippa　was　sent
thither；　they　did　not　think　fit　to　return　by　sea；　but　passed
through　Paphlagonia　and　Cappadocia；　they　then　traveled　thence
over　great　Phrygia；　and　came　to　Ephesus；　and　then　they　sailed
from　Ephesus　to　Samos。　And　indeed　the　king　bestowed　a　great　many
benefits　on　every　city　that　he　came　to；　according　as　they　stood
in　need　of　them；　for　as　for　those　that　wanted　either　money　or
kind　treatment；　he　was　not　wanting　to　them；　but　he　supplied　the
former　himself　out　of　his　own　expenses：　he　also　became　an
intercessor　with　Agrippa　for　all　such　as　sought　after　his　favor；
and　he　brought　things　so　about；　that　the　petitioners　failed　in
none　of　their　suits　to　him；　Agrippa　being　himself　of　a　good
disposition；　and　of　great　generosity；　and　ready　to　grant　all　such
requests　as　might　be　advantageous　to　the　petitioners；　provided
they　were　not　to　the　detriment　of　others。　The　inclination　of　the
king　was　of　great　weight　also；　and　still　excited　Agrippa；　who　was
himself　ready　to　do　good；　for　he　made　a　reconciliation　between
the　people　of　Ilium；　at　whom　he　was　angry；　and　paid　what　money
the　people　of　Chius　owed　Caesar's　procurators；　and　discharged
them　of　their　tributes；　and　helped　all　others；　according　as　their
several　necessities　required。

3。　But　now；　when　Agrippa　and　Herod　were　in　Ionia；　a　great
multitude　of　Jews；　who　dwelt　in　their　cities；　came　to　them；　and
laying　hold　of　the　opportunity　and　the　liberty　now　given　them；
laid　before　them　the　injuries　which　they　suffered；　while　they
were　not　permitted　to　use　their　own　laws；　but　were　compelled　to
prosecute　their　law…suits；　by　the　ill　usage　of　the　judges；　upon
their　holy　days；　and　were　deprived　of　the　money　they　used　to　lay
up　at　Jerusalem；　and　were　forced　into　the　army；　and　upon　such
other　offices　as　obliged　them　to　spend　their　sacred　money；　from
which　burdens　they　always　used　to　be　freed　by　the　Romans；　who　had
still　permitted　them　to　live　according　to　their　own　laws。　When
this　clamor　was　made；　the　king　desired　of　Agrippa　that　he　would
hear　their　cause；　and　assigned　Nicolaus；　one　of　his　friends；　to
plead　for　those　their　privileges。　Accordingly；　when　Agrippa　had
called　the　principal　of　the　Romans；　and　such　of　the　kings　and
rulers　as　were　there；　to　be　his　assessors；　Nicolaus　stood　up；　and
pleaded　for　the　Jews；　as　follows：　〃It　is　of　necessity　incumbent
on　such　as　are　in　distress　to　have　recourse　to　those　that　have　it
in　their　power　to　free　them　from　those　injuries　they　lie　under；
and　for　those　that　now　are　complainants；　they　approach　you　with
great　assurance；　for　as　they　have　formerly　often　obtained　your
favor；　so　far　as　they　have　even　wished　to　have　it；　they　now　only
entreat　that　you；　who　have　been　the　donors；　will　take　care　that
those　favors　you　have　already　granted　them　may　not　be　taken　away
from　them。　We　have　received　these　favors　from　you；　who　alone　have
power　to　grant　them；　but　have　them　taken　from　us　by　such　as　are
no　greater　than　ourselves；　and　by　such　as　we　know　are　as　much
subjects　as　we　are；　and　certainly；　if　we　have　been　vouchsafed
great　favors；　it　is　to　our　commendation　who　have　obtained　them；
as　having　been　found　deserving　of　such　great　favors；　and　if　those
favors　be　but　small　ones；　it　would　be　barbarous　for　the　donors
not　to　confirm　them　to　us。　And　for　those　that　are　the　hinderance
of　the　Jews；　and　use　them　reproachfully；　it　is　evident　that　they
affront　both　the　receivers；　while　they　will　not　allow　those　to　be
worthy　men　to　whom　their　excellent　rulers　themselves　have　borne
their　testimony；　and　the　donors；　while　they　desire　those　favors
already　granted　may　be　abrogated。　Now　if　any　one　should　ask　these
Gentiles　themselves；　which　of　the　two　things　they　would　choose　to
part　with；　their　lives；　or　the　customs　of　their　forefathers；
their　solemnities；　their　sacrifices；　their　festivals；　which　they
celebrated　in　honor　of　those　they　suppose　to　be　gods？　I　know　very
well　that　they　would　choose　to　suffer　any　thing　whatsoever　rather
than　a　dissolution　of　any　of　the　customs　of　their　forefathers；
for　a　great　many　of　them　have　rather　chosen　to　go　to　war　on　that
account；　as　very　solicitous　not　to　transgress　in　those　matters。
And　indeed　we　take　an　estimate　of　that　happiness　which　all
mankind　do　now　enjoy　by　your　means　from　this　very　thing；　that　we
are　allowed　every　one　to　worship　as　our　own　institutions　require；
and　yet　to　live　＇in　peace＇；　and　although　they　would　not　be　thus
treated　themselves；　yet　do　they　endeavor　to　compel　others　to
comply　with　them；　as　if　it　were　not　as　great　an　instance　of
impiety　profanely　to　dissolve　the　religious　solemnities　of　any
others；　as　to　be　negligent　in　the　observation　of　their　own
towards　their　gods。　And　let　us　now　consider　the　one　of　these
practices。　Is　there　any　people；　or　city；　or　community　of　men；　to
whom　your　government　and　the　Roman　power　does　not　appear　to　be
the　greatest　blessing　'。　Is　there　any　one　that　can　desire　to　make
void　the　favors　they　have　granted？　No　one　is　certainly　so　mad；
for　there　are　no　men　but　such　as　have　been　partakers　of　their
favors；　both　public　and　private；　and　indeed　those　that　take　away
what　you　have　granted；　can　have　no　assurance　but　every　one　of
their　own　grants　made　them　by　you　may　be　taken　from　them　also；
which　grants　of　yours　can　yet　never　be　sufficiently　valued；　for
if　they　consider　the　old　governments　under　kings；　together　with
your　present　government；　besides　the　great　number　of　benefits
which　this　government　hath　bestowed　on　them；　in　order　to　their
happiness；　this　is　instead　of　all　the　rest；　that　they　appear　to
be　no　longer　in　a　state　of　slavery；　but　of　freedom。　Now　the
privileges　we　desire；　even　when　we　are　in　the　best　circumstances；
are　not　such　as　deserve　to　be　envied；　for　we　are　indeed　in　a
prosperous　state　by　your　means；　but　this　is　only　in　common　with
others；　and　it　is　no　more　than　this　which　we　desire；　to　preserve
our　religion　without　any　prohibition；　which　as　it　appears　not　in
itself　a　privilege　to　be　envied　us；　so　it　is　for　the　advantage　of
those　that　grant　it　to　us；　for　if　the　Divinity　delights　in　being
honored；　it　must　delight　in　those　that　permit　them　to　be　honored。
And　there　are　none　of　our　customs　which　are　inhuman；　but　all
tending　to　piety；　and　devoted　to　the　preservation　of　justice；　nor
do　we　conceal　those　injunctions　of　ours　by　which　we　govern　our
lives；　they　being　memorials　of　piety；　and　of　a　friendly
conversation　among　men。　And　the　seventh　day　we　set　apart　from
labor；　it　is　dedicated　to　the　learning　of　our　customs　and　laws；
（1）　we　thinking　it　proper　to　reflect　on　them；　as　well　as　on　any
＇good＇　thing　else；　in　order　to　our　avoiding　of　sin。　If　any　one
therefore　examine　into　our　observances；　he　will　find　they　are
good　in　themselves；　and　that　they　are　ancient　also；　though　some
think　otherwise；　insomuch　that　those　who　have　received　them
cannot　easily　be　brought　to　depart　from　them；　out　of　that　honor
they　pay　to　the　length　of　time　they　have　religiously　enjoyed　them
and　observed　them。　Now　our　adversaries　take　these　our　privileges
away　in　the　way　of　injustice；　they　violently　seize　upon　that
money　of　ours　which　is　owed　to　God；　and　called　sacred　money；　and
this　openly；　after　a　sacrilegious　manner；　and　they　impose
tributes　upon　us；　and　bring　us　before　tribunals　on　holy　days；　and
then　require　other　like　debts　of　us；　not　because　the　contracts
require　it；　and　for　their　own　advantage；　but　because　they　would
put　an　affront　on　our　religion；　of　which　they　are　conscious　as
well　as　we；　and　have　indulged　themselves　in　an　unjust；　and　to
them　involuntary；　hatred；　for　your　government　over　all　is　one；
tending　to　the　establishing　of　benevolence；　and　abolishing　of
ill…will　among　such　as　are　disposed　to　it。　This　is　therefore　what
we　implore　from　thee；　most　excellent　Agrippa；　that　we　may　not　be
ill…treated；　that　we　may　not　be　abused；　that　we　may　not　be
hindered　from　making　use　of　our　own　customs；　nor　be　despoiled　of
our　goods；　nor　be　forced　by　these　men　to　do　what　we　ourselves
force　nobody　to　do；　for　these　privileges　of　ours　are　not　only
according　to　justice；　but　have　formerly　been　granted　us　by　you。
And　we　are　able　to　read　to　you　many　decrees　of　the　senate；　and
the　tables　that　contain　them；　which　are　still　extant　in　the
capitol；　concerning　these　things；　which　it　is　evident　were
granted　after　you　had　experience　of　our　fidelity　towards　you；
which　ought　to　be　valued；　though　no　such　fidelity　had　been；　for
you　have　hitherto　prese