the antiquities of the jews-1-第216章

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occasion；　so　great　was　the　affair　in　his　opinion；　and　in　reality；
though　he　knew　how　dangerous　a　thing　it　was　so　to　speak；　for　had
not　Caius　approved　of　it；　it　had　tended　to　no　less　than　the　loss
of　his　life。　So　Caius；　who　was　mightily　taken　with　Agrippa's
obliging　behavior；　and　on　other　accounts　thinking　it　a
dishonorable　thing　to　be　guilty　of　falsehood　before　so　many
witnesses；　in　points　wherein　he　had　with　such　alacrity　forced
Agrippa　to　become　a　petitioner；　and　that　it　would　look　as　if　he
had　already　repented　of　what　he　had　said；　and　because　he　greatly
admired　Agrippa's　virtue；　in　not　desiring　him　at　all　to　augment
his　own　dominions；　either　with　larger　revenues；　or　other
authority；　but　took　care　of　the　public　tranquillity；　of　the　laws；
and　of　the　Divinity　itself；　he　granted　him　what　he　had　requested。
He　also　wrote　thus　to　Petronius；　commending　him　for　his
assembling　his　army；　and　then　consulting　him　about　these　affairs。
〃If　therefore；〃　said'　he；〃　thou　hast　already　erected　my　statue；
let　it　stand；　but　if　thou　hast　not　yet　dedicated　it；　do　not
trouble　thyself　further　about　it；　but　dismiss　thy　army；　go　back；
and　take　care　of　those　affairs　which　I　sent　thee　about　at　first；
for　I　have　now　no　occasion　for　the　erection　of　that　statue。　This
I　have　granted　as　a　favor　to　Agrippa；　a　man　whom　I　honor　so　very
greatly；　that　I　am　not　able　to　contradict　what　he　would　have；　or
what　he　desired　me　to　do　for　him。〃　And　this　was　what　Caius　wrote
to　Petronius；　which　was　before　he　received　his　letter；　informing
him　that　the　Jews　were　very　ready　to　revolt　about　the　statue；　and
that　they　seemed　resolved　to　threaten　war　against　the　Romans；　and
nothing　else。　When　therefore　Caius　was　much　displeased　that　any
attempt　should　be　made　against　his　government　as　he　was　a　slave
to　base　and　vicious　actions　on　all　occasions；　and　had　no　regard
to　What　was　virtuous　and　honorable；　and　against　whomsoever　he
resolved　to　show　his　anger；　and　that　for　any　cause　whatsoever；　he
suffered　not　himself　to　be　restrained　by　any　admonition；　but
thought　the　indulging　his　anger　to　be　a　real　pleasure；　he　wrote
thus　to　Petronius：　〃Seeing　thou　esteemest　the　presents　made　thee
by　the　Jews　to　be　of　greater　value　than　my　commands；　and　art
grown　insolent　enough　to　be　subservient　to　their　pleasure；　I
charge　thee　to　become　thy　own　judge；　and　to　consider　what　thou
art　to　do；　now　thou　art　under　my　displeasure；　for　I　will　make
thee　an　example　to　the　present　and　to　all　future　ages；　that　they。
may　not　dare　to　contradict　the　commands　of　their　emperor。〃

9。　This　was　the　epistle　which　Caius　wrote　to。　Petronius；　but
Petronius　did　not　receive　it　while　Caius　was　alive；　that　ship
which　carried　it　sailing　so　slow；　that　other　letters　came　to
Petronius　before　this；　by　which　he　understood　that　Caius　was
dead；　for　God　would　not　forget　the　dangers　Petronius　had
undertaken　on　account　of　the　Jews；　and　of　his　own　honor。　But　when
he　had　taken　Caius　away；　out　of　his　indignation　of　what　he　had　so
insolently　attempted　in　assuming　to　himself　divine　worship；　both
Rome　and　all　that　dominion　conspired　with　Petronius；　especially
those　that　were　of　the　senatorian　order；　to　give　Caius　his　due
reward；　because　he　had　been　unmercifully　severe　to　them；　for　he
died　not　long　after　he　had　written　to　Petronius　that　epistle
which　threatened　him　with　death。　But　as　for　the　occasion　of　his
death；　and　the　nature　of　the　plot　against　him；　I　shall　relate
them　in　the　progress　of　this　narration。　Now　that　epistle　which
informed　Petronius　of　Caius's　death　came　first；　and　a　little
afterward　came　that　which　commanded　him　to　kill　himself　with　his
own　hands。　Whereupon　he　rejoiced　at　this　coincidence　as　to　the
death　of　Caius；　and　admired　God's　providence；　who；　without　the
least　delay；　and　immediately；　gave　him　a　reward　for　the　regard　he
had　to　the　temple；　and　the　assistance　he　afforded　the　Jews　for
avoiding　the　dangers　they　were　in。　And　by　this　means　Petronius
escaped　that　danger　of　death；　which　he　could　not　foresee。

CHAPTER　9。

What　Befell　The　Jews　That　Were　In　Babylon　On　Occasion　Of　Asineus
And　Anileus；　Two　Brethren；

1。　A　Very　sad　calamity　now　befell　the　Jews　that　were　in
Mesopotamia；　and　especially　those　that　dwelt　in　Babylonia。
Inferior　it　was　to　none　of　the　calamities　which　had　gone　before；
and　came　together　with　a　great　slaughter　of　them；　and　that
greater　than　any　upon　record　before；　concerning　all　which　I　shall
speak　accurately；　and　shall　explain　the　occasions　whence　these
miseries　came　upon　them。　There　was　a　city　of　Babylonia　called
Neerda；　not　only　a　ver　populous　one；　but　one　that　had　a　good　and
a　large　territory　about　it；　and；　besides　its　other　advantages；
full　of　men　also。　It　was；　besides；　not　easily　to　be　assaulted　by
enemies；　from　the　river　Euphrates　encompassing　it　all　round；　and
from　the　wails　that　were　built　about　it。　There　was　also　the　city
Nisibis；　situate　on　the　same　current　of　the　river。　For　which
reason　the　Jews；　depending　on　the　natural　strength　of　these
places；　deposited　in　them　that　half　shekel　which　every　one；　by
the　custom　of　our　country；　offers　unto　God；　as　well　as　they　did
other　things　devoted　to　him；　for　they　made　use　of　these　cities　as
a　treasury；　whence；　at　a　proper　time；　they　were　transmitted　to
Jerusalem；　and　many　ten　thousand　men　undertook　the　carriage　of
those　donations；　out　of　fear　of　the　ravages　of　the　Parthians；　to
whom　the　Babylonians　were　then　subject。　Now　there　were　two　men；
Asineus　and　Anileus；　of　the　city　Neerda　by　birth；　and　brethren　to
one　another。　They　were　destitute　of　a　father；　and　their　mother
put　them　to　learn　the　art　of　weaving　curtains；　it　not　being
esteemed　；disgrace　among　them　for　men　to　be　weavers　of　cloth。　Now
he　that　taught　them　that　art；　and　was　set　over　them；　complained
that　they　came　too　late　to　their　work；　and　punished　them　with
stripes；　but　they　took　this　just　punishment　as　an　affront；　and
carried　off　all　the　weapons　which　were　kept　in　that　house；　which
were　not　a　few；　and　went　into　a　certain　place　where　was　a
partition　of　the　rivers；　and　was　a　place　naturally　very　fit　for
the　feeding　of　cattle；　and　for　preserving　such　fruits　as　were
usually　laid　up　against　winter。　The　poorest　sort　of　the　young　men
also　resorted　to　them；　whom　they　armed　with　the　weapons　they　had
gotten；　and　became　their　captains；　and　nothing　hindered　them　from
being　their　leaders　into　mischief；　for　as　soon　as　they　were
become　invincible；　and　had　built　them　a　citadel；　they　sent　to
such　as　fed　cattle；　and　ordered　them　to　pay　them　so　much　tribute
out　of　them　as　might　be　sufficient　for　their　maintenance；
proposing　also　that　they　would　be　their　friends；　if　they　would
submit　to　them；　and　that　they　would　defend　them　from　all　their
other　enemies　on　every　side；　but　that　they　would　kill　the　cattle
of　those　that　refused　to　obey　them。　So　they　hearkened　to　their
proposals；　（for　they　could　do　nothing　else；）　and　sent　them　as
many　sheep　as　were　required　of　them；　whereby　their　forces　grew
greater；　and　they　became　lords　over　all　they　pleased；　because
they　marched　suddenly；　and　did　them　a　mischief；　insomuch　that
every　body　who　had　to　do　with　them　chose　to　pay　them　respect；　and
they　became　formidable　to　such　as　came　to　assault　them；　till　the
report　about　them　came　to　the　ears　of　the　king　of　Parthia
himself。

2。　But　when　the　governor　of　Babylonia　understood　this；　and　had　a
mind　to　put　a　stop　to　them　before　they　grew　greater；　and　before
greater　mischiefs　should　arise　from　them；　he　got　together　as
great　an　army　as　he　could；　both　of　Parthians　and　Babylonians；　and
marched　against　them；　thinking　to　attack　them　and　destroy　them
before　any　one　should　carry　them　the　news　that　he　had　got　an　army
together。　He　then　encamped　at　a　lake；　and　lay　still；　but　on　the
next　day　（it　was　the　sabbath；　which　is　among　the　Jews　a　day　of
rest　from　all　sorts　of　work）　he　supposed　that　the　enemy　would　not
dare　to　fight　him　thereon；　but　that　he　would　take　them　and　carry
them　away　prisoners；　without　fighting。　He　therefore　proceeded
gradually；　and　thought　to　fall　upon　them　on　the　sudden。　Now
Asineus　was　sitting　with　the　rest；　and　their　weapons　lay　by　them；
upon　which　he　said；　〃Sirs；　I　hear　a　neighing　of　horses；　not　of
such　as　are　feeding；　but　such　as　have　men　on　their　backs；　I　also
hear　such　a　noise　of　their　bridles；　that　I　am　afraid　that　some
enemies　are　coming　upon　us　to　encompass　us　round。　However；　let
somebody　go　to　look　about；　and　make　report　of　what　reality　there
is　in　the　present　state　of　things；　and　may　what　I　have　said　prove
a　false　alarm。〃　And　when　he　had　said　this；　some　of　them　went　out
to　spy　out　what　was　the　matter；　and　they　came　again　immediately；
and　said　to　him；　that　〃neither　hast　thou　been　mistaken　in　telling
us　what　our　enemies　were　doing；　nor　will　those　enemies　permit　us
to　be　injurious　to　people　any　longer。　We　are　caught　by　their
intrigues　like　brute　beasts；　and　there　is　a　large　body　of　cavalry
marching　upon　us；　while　we　are　destitute　of　hands　to　defend
ourselves　withal；　because　we　are　restrained　from　doing　it　by　the
prohibition　of　our　law；　which　obliges　us　to　rest　＇on　this　day＇。〃
But　Asiueus　did　not　by　any　means　agree　with　the　opinion　of　his
spy　as　to　what　was　to　be　done；　but　thought　it　more　agreeable　to
the　law　to　pluck　up　their　spirits　in　this　necessity　they　were
fallen　into；　and　break　their　law　by　avenging　themselves；　although
they　should　die　in　the　action；　than　by　doing　nothing　to　please
their　enemies　in　submitting　to　be　slain　by　them。　Accordingly；　he
took　up　his　weapons；　and　infused　courage　into　those　that　were
with　him　to　act　as　courageously　as　himself。　So　they　fell　upon
their　enemies；　and　slew　a　great　many　of　them；　because　they
despised　them　and　came　as　to　a　certain　victory；　and　put　the　rest
to　flight。

3。　But　when　the　news　of　this　fight　came　to　the　king　of　Parthia；
he　was　surprised　at　the　boldness　of　these　brethren；　and　was
desirous　to　see　them；　and　speak　with　them。　He　therefore　sent　the
most　trusty　of　all　his　guards　to　say　thus　to　them：　〃That　king
Artsbanus；　although　he　had　been　unjustly　treated　by　you；　who　have
made　an　attempt　against　his　government；　yet　hath　he　more　regard
to　your　courageous　behavior；　than　to　the　anger　he　bears　to　you；
and　hath　sent　me　to　give　you　his　right　hand　（35）　and　security；
and　he　permits　you　to　come　to　him　safely；　and　without　any
violence　upon　the　road；　and　he　wants　to　have　you　address
yourselves　to　him　as　friends；　without　meaning　any　guile　or　deceit
to　you。　He　also　promises　to　make　you　presents；　and　to　pay　you
those　respects　which　will　make　an　addition　of　his　power　to　your
courage；　and　thereby　be　of　advantage　to　you。〃　Yet　did　Asineus
himself　put　off　his　journey　thither；　but　sent　his　brother　Anileus
with　all　such　presents　as　he　could　procure。　So　he　went；　and　was
admitted　to　the　king's　presence；　and　when　Artabanus　saw　Anileus
coming　alone；　he　inquired　into　the　reason　why　Asineus　avoided　to
come　along　with　him；　and　when　he　understood　that　he　was　afraid；
and　staid　by　the　lake；　he　took　an　oath；　by　the　gods　of　his
country；　that　he　would　do　them　no　harm；　if　they　came　to　him　upon
the　assurances　he　gave　them；　and　gave　him　his　right　hand。　This　is
of　the　greatest　force　there　with　all　these　barbarians；　and
affords　a　firm　security　to　those　who　converse　with　the