the antiquities of the jews-1-第204章

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they　offered　them；　and　the　avaricious　management　of　their
affairs。

7。　But　because　Athronges；　a　person　neither　eminent　by　the　dignity
of　his　progenitors；　nor　for　any　great　wealth　he　was　possessed　of；
but　one　that　had　in　all　respects　been　a　shepherd　only；　and　was
not　known　by　any　body；　yet　because　he　was　a　tall　man；　and
excelled　others　in　the　strength　of　his　hands；　he　was　so　bold　as
to　set　up　for　king。　This　man　thought　it　so　sweet　a　thing　to　do
more　than　ordinary　injuries　to　others；　that　although　he　should　be
killed；　he　did　not　much　care　if　he　lost　his　life　in　so　great　a
design。　He　had　also　four　brethren；　who　were　tall　men　themselves；
and　were　believed　to　be　superior　to　others　in　the　strength　of
their　hands；　and　thereby　were　encouraged　to　aim　at　great　things；
and　thought　that　strength　of　theirs　would　support　them　in
retaining　the　kingdom。　Each　of　these　ruled　over　a　band　of　men　of
their　own；　for　those　that　got　together　to　them　were　very
numerous。　They　were　every　one　of　them　also　commanders；　but　when
they　came　to　fight；　they　were　subordinate　to　him；　and　fought　for
him；　while　he　put　a　diadem　about　his　head；　and　assembled　a
council　to　debate　about　what　things　should　be　done；　and　all
things　were　done　according　to　his　pleasure。　And　this　man　retained
his　power　a　great　while；　he　was　also　called　king；　and　had　nothing
to　hinder　him　from　doing　what　he　pleased。　He　also；　as　well　as　his
brethren；　slew　a　great　many　both　of　the　Romans　and　of　the　king's
forces；　an　managed　matters　with　the　like　hatred　to　each　of　them。
The　king's　forces　they　fell　upon；　because　of　the　licentious
conduct　they　had　been　allowed　under　Herod's　government；　and　they
fell　upon　the　Romans；　because　of　the　injuries　they　had　so　lately
received　from　them。　But　in　process　of　time　they　grew　more　cruel
to　all　sorts　of　men；　nor　could　any　one　escape　from　one　or　other
of　these　seditions；　since　they　slew　some　out　of　the　hopes　of
gain；　and　others　from　a　mere　custom　of　slaying　men。　They　once
attacked　a　company　of　Romans　at　Emmaus；　who　were　bringing　corn
and　weapons　to　the　army；　and　fell　upon　Arius；　the　centurion；　who
commanded　the　company；　and　shot　forty　of　the　best　of　his　foot
soldiers；　but　the　rest　of　them　were　aftrighted　at　their
slaughter；　and　left　their　dead　behind　them；　but　saved　themselves
by　the　means　of　Gratus；　who　came　with　the　king's　troops　that　were
about　him　to　their　assistance。　Now　these　four　brethren　continued
the　war　a　long　while　by　such　sort　of　expeditions；　and　much
grieved　the　Romans；　but　did　their　own　nation　also　a　great　deal　of
mischief。　Yet　were　they　afterwards　subdued；　one　of　them　in　a
fight　with　Gratus；　another　with　Ptolemy；　Archelaus　also　took　the
eldest　of　them　prisoner；　while　the　last　of　them　was　so　dejected
at　the　other's　misfortune；　and　saw　so　plainly　that　he　had　no　way
now　left　to　save　himself；　his　army　being　worn　away　with　sickness
and　continual　labors；　that　he　also　delivered　himself　up　to
Archclaus；　upon　his　promise　and　oath　to　God　＇to　preserve　his
life。＇　But　these　things　came　to　pass　a　good　while　afterward。

8。　And　now　Judea　was　full　of　robberies；　and　as　the　several
companies　of　the　seditious　lighted　upon　any　one　to　head　them；　he
was　created　a　king　immediately；　in　order　to　do　mischief　to　the
public。　They　were　in　some　small　measure　indeed；　and　in　small
matters；　hurtful　to　the　Romans；　but　the　murders　they　committed
upon　their　own　people　lasted　a　long　while。

9。　As　soon　as　Varus　was　once　informed　of　the　state　of　Judea　by
Sabinus's　writing　to　him；　he　was　afraid　for　the　legion　he　had
left　there；　so　he　took　the　two　other　legions；　（for　there　were
three　legions　in　all　belonging　to　Syria；）　and　four　troops　of
horsemen；　with　the　several　auxiliary　forces　which　either　the
kings　or　certain　of　the　tetrarchs　afforded　him；　and　made　what
haste　he　could　to　assist　those　that　were　then　besieged　in　Judea。
He　also　gave　order　that　all　that　were　sent　out　for　this
expedition；　should　make　haste　to　Ptolemais。　The　citizens　of
Berytus　also　gave　him　fifteen　hundred　auxiliaries　as　he　passed
through　their　city。　Aretas　also；　the　king　of　Arabia　Petrea；　out
of　his　hatred　to　Herod；　and　in　order　to　purchase　the　favor　of　the
Romans；　sent　him　no　small　assistance；　besides　their　footmen　and
horsemen；　and　when　he　had　now　collected　all　his　forces　together；
he　committed　part　of　them　to　his　son；　and　to　a　friend　of　his；　and
sent　them　upon　an　expedition　into　Galilee；　which　lies　in　the
neighborhood　of　Ptolemais；　who　made　an　attack　upon　the　enemy；　and
put　them　to　flight；　and　took　Sepphoris；　and　made　its　inhabitants
slaves；　and　burnt　the　city。　But　Varus　himself　pursued　his　march
for　Samaria　with　his　whole　army；　yet　did　not　he　meddle　with　the
city　of　that　name；　because　it　had　not　at　all　joined　with　the
seditious；　but　pitched　his　camp　at　a　certain　village　that
belonged　to　Ptolemy；　whose　name　was　Arus；　which　the　Arabians
burnt；　out　of　their　hatred　to　Herod；　and　out　of　the　enmity　they
bore　to　his　friends；　whence　they　marched　to　another　village；
whose　name　was　Sampho；　which　the　Arabians　plundered　and　burnt；
although　it　was　a　fortified　and　a　strong　place；　and　all　along
this　march　nothing　escaped　them；　but　all　places　were　full　of　fire
and　of　slaughter。　Emmaus　was　also　burnt　by　Varus's　order；　after
its　inhabitants　had　deserted　it；　that　he　might　avenge　those　that
had　there　been　destroyed。　From　thence　he　now　marched　to
Jerusalem；　whereupon　those　Jews　whose　camp　lay　there；　and　who　had
besieged　the　Roman　legion；　not　bearing　the　coming　of　this　army；
left　the　siege　imperfect：　but　as　to　the　Jerusalem　Jews；　when
Varus　reproached　them　bitterly　for　what　had　been　done；　they
cleared　themselves　of　the　accusation；　and　alleged　that　the
conflux　of　the　people　was　occasioned　by　the　feast；　that　the　war
was　not　made　with　their　approbation；　but　by　the　rashness　of　the
strangers；　while　they　were　on　the　side　of　the　Romans；　and
besieged　together　with　them；　rather　than　having　any　inclination
to　besiege　them。　There　also　came　beforehand　to　meet　Varus；
Joseph；　the　cousin…german　of　king　Herod；　as　also　Gratus　and
Rufus；　who　brought　their　soldiers　along　with　them；　together　with
those　Romans　who　had　been　besieged；　but　Sabinus　did　not　come　into
Varus's　presence；　but　stole　out　of　the　city　privately；　and　went
to　the　sea…side。

10。　Upon　this；　Varus　sent　a　part　of　his　army　into　the　country；　to
seek　out　those　that　had　been　the　authors　of　the　revolt；　and　when
they　were　discovered；　he　punished　some　of　them　that　were　most
guilty；　and　some　he　dismissed：　now　the　number　of　those　that　were
crucified　on　this　account　were　two　thousand。　After　which　he
disbanded　his　army；　which　he　found　no　way　useful　to　him　in　the
affairs　he　came　about；　for　they　behaved　themselves　very
disorderly；　and　disobeyed　his　orders；　and　what　Varus　desired　them
to　do；　and　this　out　of　regard　to　that　gain　which　they　made　by　the
mischief　they　did。　As　for　himself；　when　he　was　informed　that　ten
thousand　Jews　had　gotten　together；　he　made　haste　to　catch　them；
but　they　did　not　proceed　so　far　as　to　fight　him；　but；　by　the
advice　of　Achiabus；　they　came　together；　and　delivered　themselves
up　to　him：　hereupon　Varus　forgave　the　crime　of　revolting　to　the
multitude；　but　sent　their　several　commanders　to　Caesar；　many　of
whom　Caesar　dismissed；　but　for　the　several　relations　of　Herod　who
had　been　among　these　men　in　this　war；　they　were　the　only　persons
whom　he　punished；　who；　without　the　least　regard　to　justice；
fought　against　their　own　kindred。
CHAPTER　11。

An　Embassage　To　Caesar；　And　How　Caesar　Confirmed　Herod's
Testament。

1。　So　when　Varus　had　settled　these　affairs；　and　had　placed　the
former　legion　at　Jerusalem；　he　returned　back　to　Antioch；　but　as
for　Archelaus；　he　had　new　sources　of　trouble　come　upon　him　at
Rome；　on　the　occasions　following：　for　an　embassage　of　the　Jews
was　come　to　Rome；　Varus　having　permitted　the　nation　to　send　it；
that　they　might　petition　for　the　liberty　of　living　by　their　own
laws。　（17）　Now　the　number　of　the　ambassadors　that　were　sent　by
the　authority　of　the　nation　were　fifty；　to　which　they　joined
above　eight　thousand　of　the　Jews　that　were　at　Rome　already。
Hereupon　Caesar　assembled　his　friends；　and　the　chief　men　among
the　Romans；　in　the　temple　of　Apollo；　（18）　which　he　had　built　at　a
vast　charge；　whither　the　ambassadors　came；　and　a　multitude　of　the
Jews　that　were　there　already　came　with　them；　as　did　also
Archelaus　and　his　friends；　but　as　for　the　several　kinsmen　which
Archelaus　had；　they　would　not　join　themselves　with　him；　out　of
their　hatred　to　him；　and　yet　they　thought　it　too　gross　a　thing
for　them　to　assist　the　ambassadors　＇against　him＇；　as　supposing　it
would　be　a　disgrace　to　them　in　Caesar's　opinion　to　think　of　thus
acting　in　opposition　to　a　man　of　their　own　kindred。　Philip　（19）
also　was　come　hither　out　of　Syria；　by　the　persuasion　of　Varus；
with　this　principal　intention　to　assist　his　brother　＇Archelaus＇；
for　Varus　was　his　great　friend：　but　still　so；　that　if　there
should　any　change　happen　in　the　form　of　government；　（which　Varus
suspected　there　would；）　and　if　any　distribution　should　be　made　on
account　of　the　number　that　desired　the　liberty　of　living　by　their
own　laws；　that　he　might　not　be　disappointed；　but　might　have　his
share　in　it。

2。　Now　upon　the　liberty　that　was　given　to　the　Jewish　ambassadors
to　speak；　they　who　hoped　to　obtain　a　dissolution　of　kingly
government　betook　themselves　to　accuse　Herod　of　his　iniquities；
and　they　declared　that　he　was　indeed　in　name　a　king；　but　that　he
had　taken　to　himself　that　uncontrollable　authority　which　tyrants
exercise　over　their　subjects；　and　had　made　use　of　that　authority
for　the　destruction　of　the　Jews；　and　did　not　abstain　from　making
many　innovations　among　them　besides；　according　to　his　own
inclinations；　and　that　whereas　there　were　a　great　many　who
perished　by　that　destruction　he　brought　upon　them；　so　many　indeed
as　no　other　history　relates；　they　that　survived　were　far　more
miserable　than　those　that　suffered　under　him；　not　only　by　the
anxiety　they　were　in　from　his　looks　and　disposition　towards　them；
but　from　the　danger　their　estates　were　in　of　being　taken　away　by
him。　That　he　did　never　leave　off　adorning　these　cities　that　lay
in　their　neighborhood；　but　were　inhabited　by　foreigners；　but　so
that　the　cities　belonging　to　his　own　government　were　ruined；　and
utterly　destroyed　that　whereas；　when　he　took　the　kingdom；　it　was
in　an　extraordinary　flourishing　condition；　he　had　filled　the
nation　with　the　utmost　degree　of　poverty；　and　when；　upon　unjust
pretenses；　he　had　slain　any　of　the　nobility；　he　took　away　their
estates；　and　when　he　permitted　any　of　them　to　live；　he　condemned
them　to　the　forfeiture　of　what　they　possessed。　And　besides　the
annual　impositions　which　he　laid　upon　every　one　of　them；　they
were　to　make　liberal　presents　to　himself；　to　his　domestics　and
friends；　and　to　such　of　his　slaves　as　were　vouchsafed　the　favor
of　being　his　tax…gatherers；　because　there　was　no　way　of　obtaining
a　freedom　from　unjust　violence　without　giving　either　gold　or
silver　for　it。　That　they　would　say　nothing　of　the　corruption　of
the　chastity　of　their　virgins；　and　the　reproach　laid　on　their
wives　for　incontinency；　and　those　things　acted　after　an　insolent
and　inhuman　manner；　because　it　was　not　a　smaller　pleasure　to　t