the antiquities of the jews-1-第214章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


of　the　tetrarchy　of　Philip。　He　also　gave　him　the　tetrarchy　of
Lysanias；　（27）　and　changed　his　iron　chain　for　a　golden　one　of
equal　weight。　He　also　sent　Marullus　to　be　procurator　of　Judea。

11。　Now；　in　the　second　year　of　the　reign　of　Caius　Caesar；　Agrippa
desired　leave　to　be　given　him　to　sail　home；　and　settle　the
affairs　of　his　government；　and　he　promised　to　return　again；　when
he　had　put　the　rest　in　order；　as　it　ought　to　be　put。　So；　upon　the
emperor's　permission；　he　came　into　his　own　country；　and　appeared
to　them　all　unexpectedly　as　asking；　and　thereby　demonstrated　to
the　men　that　saw　him　the　power　of　fortune；　when　they　compared　his
former　poverty　with　his　present　happy　affluence；　so　some　called
him　a　happy　man；　and　others　could　not　well　believe　that　things
were　so　much　changed　with　him　for　the　better。

CHAPTER　7。

How　Herod　The　Tetrarch　Was　Banished。

1。　But　Herodias；　Agrippa's　sister；　who　now　lived　as　wife　to　that
Herod　who　was　tetrarch　of　Galilee　and　Peres；　took　this　authority
of　her　brother　in　an　envious　manner；　particularly　when　she　saw
that　he　had　a　greater　dignity　bestowed　on　him　than　her　husband
had；　since；　when　he　ran　away；　it　was　because　he　was　not　able　to
pay　his　debts；　and　now　he　was　come　back；　he　was　in　a　way　of
dignity；　and　of　great　good　fortune。　She　was　therefore　grieved　and
much　displeased　at　so　great　a　mutation　of　his　affairs；　and
chiefly　when　she　saw　him　marching　among　the　multitude　with　the
usual　ensigns　of　royal　authority；　she　was　not　able　to　conceal　how
miserable　she　was；　by　reason　of　the　envy　she　had　towards　him；　but
she　excited　her　husband；　and　desired　him　that　he　would　sail　to
Rome；　to　court　honors　equal　to　his；　for　she　said　that　she　could
not　bear　to　live　any　longer；　while　Agrippa；　the　son　of　that
Aristobulus　who　was　condemned　to　die　by　his　father；　one　that　came
to　her　husband　in　such　extreme　poverty；　that　the　necessaries　of
life　were　forced　to　be　entirely　supplied　him　day　by　day；　and　when
he　fled　away　from　his　creditors　by　sea；　he　now　returned　a　king；
while　he　was　himself　the　son　of　a　king；　and　while　the　near
relation　he　bare　to　royal　authority　called　upon　him　to　gain　the
like　dignity；　he　sat　still；　and　was　contented　with　a　privater
life。　〃But　then；　Herod；　although　thou　wast　formerly　not　concerned
to　be　in　a　lower　condition　than　thy　father　from　whom　thou　wast
derived　had　been；　yet　do　thou　now　seek　after　the　dignity　which
thy　kinsman　hath　attained　to；　and　do　not　thou　bear　this　contempt；
that　a　man　who　admired　thy　riches　should　he　in　greater　honor　than
thyself；　nor　suffer　his　poverty　to　show　itself　able　to　purchase
greater　things　than　our　abundance；　nor　do　thou　esteem　it　other
than　a　shameful　thing　to　be　inferior　to　one　who；　the　other　day；
lived　upon　thy　charity。　But　let　us　go　to　Rome；　and　let　us　spare
no　pains　nor　expenses；　either　of　silver　or　gold；　since　they
cannot　be　kept　for　any　better　use　than　for　the　obtaining　of　a
kingdom。〃

2。　But　for　Herod；　he　opposed　her　request　at　this　time；　out　of　the
love　of　ease；　and　having　a　suspicion　of　the　trouble　he　should
have　at　Rome；　so　he　tried　to　instruct　her　better。　But　the　more
she　saw　him　draw　back；　the　more　she　pressed　him　to　it；　and
desired　him　to　leave　no　stone　unturned　in　order　to　be　king；　and
at　last　she　left　not　off　till　she　engaged　him；　whether　he　would
or　not；　to　be　of　her　sentiments；　because　he　could　no　otherwise
avoid　her　importunity。　So　he　got　all　things　ready；　after　as
sumptuous　a　manner　as　he　was　able；　and　spared　for　nothing；　and
went　up　to　Rome；　and　took　Herodias　along　with　him。　But　Agrippa；
when　he　was　made　sensible　of　their　intentions　and　preparations；
he　also　prepared　to　go　thither；　and　as　soon　as　he　heard　they　set
sail；　he　sent　Fortunatus；　one　of　his　freed…men；　to　Rome；　to　carry
presents　to　the　emperor；　and　letters　against　Herod；　and　to　give
Caius　a　particular　account　of　those　matters；　if　he　should　have
any　opportunity。　This　man　followed　Herod　so　quick；　and　had　so
prosperous　a　voyage；　and　came　so　little　after　Herod；　that　while
Herod　was　with　Caius；　he　came　himself；　and　delivered　his　letters；
for　they　both　sailed　to　Dicearchia；　and　found　Caius　at　Bairn；
which　is　itself　a　little　city　of　Campania；　at　the　distance　of
about　five　furlongs　from　Dicearchia。　There　are　in　that　place
royal　palaces；　with　sumptuous　apartments；　every　emperor　still
endeavoring　to　outdo　his　predecessor's　magnificence；　the　place
；also　affords　warm　baths；　that　spring　out　of　the　ground　of　their
own　accord；　which　are　of　advantage　for　the　recovery　of　the　health
of　those　that　make　use　of　them；　and；　besides；　they　minister　to
men's　luxury　also。　Now　Caius　saluted　Herod；　for　he　first　met　with
him；　and　then　looked　upon　the　letters　which　Agrippa　had　sent　him；
and　which　were　written　in　order　to　accuse　Herod；　wherein　he
accused　him；　that　he　had　been　in　confederacy　with　Sejanus　against
Tiberius's　and　that　he　was　now　confederate　with　Artabanus；　the
king　of　Parthia；　in　opposition　to　the　government　of　Caius；　as　a
demonstration　of　which　he　alleged；　that　he　had　armor　sufficient
for　seventy　thousand　men　ready　in　his　armory。　Caius　was　moved　at
this　information；　and　asked　Herod　whether　what　was　said　about　the
armor　was　true；　and　when　he　confessed　there　was　such　armor　there；
for　he　could　not　deny　the　same；　the　truth　of　it　being　too
notorious；　Caius　took　that　to　be　a　sufficient　proof　of　the
accusation；　that　he　intended　to　revolt。　So　he　took　away　from　him
his　tetrarchy；　and　gave　it　by　way　of　addition　to　Agrippa's
kingdom；　he　also　gave　Herod's　money　to　Agrippa；　and；　by　way　of
punishment；　awarded　him　a　perpetual　banishment；　and　appointed
Lyons；　a　city　of　Gaul；　to　be　his　place　of　habitation。　But　when　he
was　informed　that　Herodias　was　Agrippa's　sister；　he　made　her　a
present　of　what　money　was　her　own；　and　told　her　that　it　was　her
brother　who　prevented　her　being　put　under　the　same　calamity　with
her　husband。　But　she　made　this　reply：　〃Thou；　indeed；　O　emperor！
actest　after　a　magnificent　manner；　and　as　becomes　thyself　in　what
thou　offerest　me；　but　the　kindness　which　I　have　for　my　husband
hinders　me　from　partaking　of　the　favor　of　thy　gift；　for　it　is　not
just　that　I；　who　have　been　made　a　partner　in　his　prosperity；
should　forsake　him　in　his　misfortunes。〃　Hereupon　Caius　was　angry
at　her；　and　sent　her　with　Herod　into　banishment；　and　gave　her
estate　to　Agrippa。　And　thus　did　God　punish　Herodias　for　her　envy
at　her　brother；　and　Herod　also　for　giving　ear　to　the　vain
discourses　of　a　woman。　Now　Caius　managed　public　affairs　with
great　magnanimity　during　the　first　and　second　year　of　his　reign；
and　behaved　himself　with　such　moderation；　that　he　gained　the
good…will　of　the　Romans　themselves；　and　of　his　other　subjects。
But；　in　process　of　time；　he　went　beyond　the　bounds　of　human
nature　in　his　conceit　of　himself；　and　by　reason　of　the　vastness
of　his　dominions　made　himself　a　god；　and　took　upon　himself　to　act
in　all　things　to　the　reproach　of　the　Deity　itself。

CHAPTER　8。

Concerning　The　Embassage　Of　The　Jews　To　Caius；　（28）　And　How　Caius
Sent　Petronius　Into　Syria　To　Make　War　Against　The　Jews；　Unless
They　Would　Receive　His　Statue。

1。　There　was　now　a　tumult　arisen　at　Alexandria；　between　the
Jewish　inhabitants　and　the　Greeks；　and　three　ambassadors　were
chosen　out　of　each　party　that　were　at　variance；　who　came　to
Caius。　Now　one　of　these　ambassadors　from　the　people　of　Alexandria
was　Apion；　（29）　who　uttered　many　blasphemies　against　the　Jews；
and；　among　other　things　that　he　said；　he　charged　them　with
neglecting　the　honors　that　belonged　to　Caesar；　for　that　while　all
who　were　subject　to　the　Roman　empire　built　altars　and　temples　to
Caius；　and　in　other　regards　universally　received　him　as　they
received　the　gods；　these　Jews　alone　thought　it　a　dishonorable
thing　for　them　to　erect　statues　in　honor　of　him；　as　well　as　to
swear　by　his　name。　Many　of　these　severe　things　were　said　by
Apion；　by　which　he　hoped　to　provoke　Caius　to　anger　at　the　Jews；
as　he　was　likely　to　be。　But　Philo；　the　principal　of　the　Jewish
embassage；　a　man　eminent　on　all　accounts；　brother　to　Alexander
the　alabarch；　（30）　and　one　not　unskillful　in　philosophy；　was
ready　to　betake　himself　to　make　his　defense　against　those
accusations；　but　Caius　prohibited　him；　and　bid　him　begone；　he　was
also　in　such　a　rage；　that　it　openly　appeared　he　was　about　to　do
them　some　very　great　mischief。　So　Philo　being　thus　affronted；
went　out；　and　said　to　those　Jews　who　were　about　him；　that　they
should　be　of　good　courage；　since　Caius's　words　indeed　showed
anger　at　them；　but　in　reality　had　already　set　God　against
himself。

2。　Hereupon　Caius；　taking　it　very　heinously　that　he　should　be
thus　despised　by　the　Jews　alone；　sent　Petronius　to　be　president
of　Syria；　and　successor　in　the　government　to　Vitellius；　and　gave
him　order　to　make　an　invasion　into　Judea；　with　a　great　body　of
troops；　and　if　they　would　admit　of　his　statue　willingly；　to　erect
it　in　the　temple　of　God；　but　if　they　were　obstinate；　to　conquer
them　by　war；　and　then　to　do　it。　Accordingly；　Petronius　took　the
government　of　Syria；　and　made　haste　to　obey　Caesar's　epistle。　He
got　together　as　great　a　number　of　auxiliaries　as　he　possibly
could；　and　took　with　him　two　legions　of　the　Roman　army；　and　came
to　Ptolemais；　and　there　wintered；　as　intending　to　set　about　the
war　in　the　spring。　He　also　wrote　word　to　Caius　what　he　had
resolved　to　do；　who　commended　him　for　his　alacrity；　and　ordered
him　to　go　on；　and　to　make　war　with　them；　in　case　they　would　not
obey　his　commands。　But　there　came　many　ten　thousands　of　the　Jews
to　Petronius；　to　Ptolemais；　to　offer　their　petitions　to　him；　that
he　would　not　compel　them　to　transgress　and　violate　the　law　of
their　forefathers；　〃but　if；〃　said　they；　〃thou　art　entirely
resolved　to　bring　this　statue；　and　erect　it；　do　thou　first　kill
us；　and　then　do　what　thou　hast　resolved　on；　for　while　we　are
alive　we　cannot　permit　such　things　as　are　forbidden　us　to　be　done
by　the　authority　of　our　legislator；　and　by　our　forefathers'
determination　that　such　prohibitions　are　instances　of　virtue。〃
But　Petronius　was　angry　at　them；　and　said；　〃If　indeed　I　were
myself　emperor；　and　were　at　liberty　to　follow　my　own　inclination；
and　then　had　designed　to　act　thus；　these　your　words　would　be
justly　spoken　to　me；　but　now　Caesar　hath　sent　to　me；　I　am　under
the　necessity　of　being　subservient　to　his　decrees；　because　a
disobedience　to　them　will　bring　upon　me　inevitable　destruction。〃
Then　the　Jews　replied；　〃Since；　therefore；　thou　art　so　disposed；　O
Petronius！　that　thou　wilt　not　disobey　Caius's　epistles；　neither
will　we　transgress　the　commands　of　our　law；　and　as　we　depend　upon
the　excellency　of　our　laws；　and；　by　the　labors　of　our　ancestors；
have　continued　hitherto　without　suffering　them　to　be
transgressed；　we　dare　not　by　any　means　suffer　ourselves　to　be　so
timorous　as　to　transgress　those　laws　out　of　the　fear　of　death；
which　God　hath　determined　are　for　our　advantage；　and　if　we　fall
into　misfortunes；　we　will　bear　them；　in　order　to　preserve　our
laws；　as　knowing　that　those　who　expose　themselves　to　dangers　have
good　hope　of　escaping　them；　because　God　will　stand　on　our　side；
when；　out　of　regard　to　him；　we　undergo　afflictions；　and　sustain
the　uncertain　turns　of　fortune。　But　if　we　should　submit　to　thee；
we　should　be　gr