the antiquities of the jews-1-第234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！


the　city；　but　in　the　temple　itself　also；　for　they　had　the
boldness　to　murder　men　there；　without　thinking　of　the　impiety　of
which　they　were　guilty。　And　this　seems　to　me　to　have　been　the
reason　why　God；　out　of　his　hatred　of　these　men's　wickedness；
rejected　our　city；　and　as　for　the　temple；　he　no　longer　esteemed
it　sufficiently　pure　for　him　to　inhabit　therein；　but　brought　the
Romans　upon　us；　and　threw　a　fire　upon　the　city　to　purge　it；　and
brought　upon　us；　our　wives；　and　children；　slavery；　as　desirous　to
make　us　wiser　by　our　calamities。

6。　These　works；　that　were　done　by　the　robbers；　filled　the　city
with　all　sorts　of　impiety。　And　now　these　impostors　and　deceivers
persuaded　the　multitude　to　follow　them　into　the　wilderness；　and
pretended　that　they　would　exhibit　manifest　wonders　and　signs；
that　should　be　performed　by　the　providence　of　God。　And　many　that
were　prevailed　on　by　them　suffered　the　punishments　of　their
folly；　for　Felix　brought　them　back；　and　then　punished　them。
Moreover；　there　came　out　of　Egypt　（20）　about　this　time　to
Jerusalem　one　that　said　he　was　a　prophet；　and　advised　the
multitude　of　the　common　people　to　go　along　with　him　to　the　Mount
of　Olives；　as　it　was　called；　which　lay　over　against　the　city；　and
at　the　distance　of　five　furlongs。　He　said　further；　that　he　would
show　them　from　hence　how；　at　his　command；　the　walls　of　Jerusalem
would　fall　down；　and　he　promised　them　that　he　would　procure　them
an　entrance　into　the　city　through　those　walls；　when　they　were
fallen　down。　Now　when　Felix　was　informed　of　these　things；　he
ordered　his　soldiers　to　take　their　weapons；　and　came　against　them
with　a　great　number　of　horsemen　and　footmen　from　Jerusalem；　and
attacked　the　Egyptian　and　the　people　that　were　with　him。　He　also
slew　four　hundred　of　them；　and　took　two　hundred　alive。　But　the
Egyptian　himself　escaped　out　of　the　fight；　but　did　not　appear　any
more。　And　again　the　robbers　stirred　up　the　people　to　make　war
with　the　Romans；　and　said　they　ought　not　to　obey　them　at　all；　and
when　any　persons　would　not　comply　with　them；　they　set　fire　to
their　villages；　and　plundered　them。

7。　And　now　it　was　that　a　great　sedition　arose　between　the　Jews
that　inhabited　Cesarea；　and　the　Syrians　who　dwelt　there　also；
concerning　their　equal　right　to　the　privileges　belonging　to
citizens；　for　the　Jews　claimed　the　pre…eminence；　because　Herod
their　king　was　the　builder　of　Cesarea；　and　because　he　was　by
birth　a　Jew。　Now　the　Syrians　did　not　deny　what　was　alleged　about
Herod；　but　they　said　that　Cesarea　was　formerly　called　Strato's
Tower；　and　that　then　there　was　not　one　Jewish　inhabitant。　When
the　presidents　of　that　country　heard　of　these　disorders；　they
caught　the　authors　of　them　on　both　sides；　and　tormented　them　with
stripes；　and　by　that　means　put　a　stop　to　the　disturbance　for　a
time。　But　the　Jewish　citizens　depending　on　their　wealth；　and　on
that　account　despising　the　Syrians；　reproached　them　again；　and
hoped　to　provoke　them　by　such　reproaches。　However；　the　Syrians；
though　they　were　inferior　in　wealth；　yet　valuing　themselves
highly　on　this　account；　that　the　greatest　part　of　the　Roman
soldiers　that　were　there　were　either　of　Cesarea　or　Sebaste；　they
also　for　some　time　used　reproachful　language　to　the　Jews　also；
and　thus　it　was；　till　at　length　they　came　to　throwing　stones　at
one　another；　and　several　were　wounded；　and　fell　on　both　sides；
though　still　the　Jews　were　the　conquerors。　But　when　Felix　saw
that　this　quarrel　was　become　a　kind　of　war；　he　came　upon　them　on
the　sudden；　and　desired　the　Jews　to　desist；　and　when　they　refused
so　to　do；　he　armed　his　soldiers；　and　sent　them　out　upon　them；　and
slew　many　of　them；　and　took　more　of　them　alive；　and　permitted　his
soldiers　to　plunder　some　of　the　houses　of　the　citizens；　which
were　full　of　riches。　Now　those　Jews　that　were　more　moderate；　and
of　principal　dignity　among　them；　were　afraid　of　themselves；　and
desired　of　Felix　that　he　would　sound　a　retreat　to　his　soldiers；
and　spare　them　for　the　future；　and　afford　them　room　for
repentance　for　what　they　had　done；　and　Felix　was　prevailed　upon
to　do　so。

8。　About　this　time　king　Agrippa　gave　the　high　priesthood　to
Ismael；　who　was　the　son　of　Fabi。　And　now　arose　a　sedition　between
the　high　priests　and　the　principal　men　of　the　multitude　of
Jerusalem；　each　of　which　got　them　a　company　of　the　boldest　sort
of　men；　and　of　those　that　loved　innovations　about　them；　and
became　leaders　to　them；　and　when　they　struggled　together；　they
did　it　by　casting　reproachful　words　against　one　another；　and　by
throwing　stones　also。　And　there　was　nobody　to　reprove　them；　but
these　disorders　were　done　after　a　licentious　manner　in　the　city；
as　if　it　had　no　government　over　it。　And　such　was　the　impudence
（21）　and　boldness　that　had　seized　on　the　high　priests；　that　they
had　the　hardiness　to　send　their　servants　into　the
threshing…floors；　to　take　away　those　tithes　that　were　due　to　the
priests；　insomuch　that　it　so　fell　out　that　the　poorest　sort　of
the　priests　died　for　want。　To　this　degree　did　the　violence　of　the
seditious　prevail　over　all　right　and　justice。

9。　Now　when　Porcius　Festus　was　sent　as　successor　to　Felix　by
Nero；　the　principal　of　the　Jewish　inhabitants　of　Cesarea　went　up
to　Rome　to　accuse　Felix；　and　he　had　certainly　been　brought　to
punishment；　unless　Nero　had　yielded　to　the　importunate
solicitations　of　his　brother　Pallas；　who　was　at　that　time　had　in
the　greatest　honor　by　him。　Two　of　the　principal　Syrians　in
Cesarea　persuaded　Burrhus；　who　was　Nero's　tutor；　and　secretary
for　his　Greek　epistles；　by　giving　him　a　great　sum　of　money；　to
disannul　that　equality　of　the　Jewish　privileges　of　citizens　which
they　hitherto　enjoyed。　So　Burrhus；　by　his　solicitations；　obtained
leave　of　the　emperor　that　an　epistle　should　be　written　to　that
purpose。　This　epistle　became　the　occasion　of　the　following
miseries　that　befell　our　nation；　for　when　the　Jews　of　Cesarea
were　informed　of　the　contents　of　this　epistle　to　the　Syrians；
they　were　more　disorderly　than　before；　till　a　war　was　kindled。

10。　Upon　Festus's　coming　into　Judea；　it　happened　that　Judea　was
afflicted　by　the　robbers；　while　all　the　villages　were　set　on
fire；　and　plundered　by　them。　And　then　it　was　that　the　sicarii；　as
they　were　called；　who　were　robbers；　grew　numerous。　They　made　use
of　small　swords；　not　much　different　in　length　from　the　Persian
acinacae；　but　somewhat　crooked；　and　like　the　Roman　sicae；　＇or
sickles；＇　as　they　were　called；　and　from　these　weapons　these
robbers　got　their　denomination；　and　with　these　weapons　they　slew
a　great　many；　for　they　mingled　themselves　among　the　multitude　at
their　festivals；　when　they　were　come　up　in　crowds　from　all　parts
to　the　city　to　worship　God；　as　we　said　before；　and　easily　slew
those　that　they　had　a　mind　to　slay。　They　also　came　frequently
upon　the　villages　belonging　to　their　enemies；　with　their　weapons；
and　plundered　them；　and　set　them　on　fire。　So　Festus　sent　forces；
both　horsemen　and　footmen；　to　fall　upon　those　that　had　been
seduced　by　a　certain　impostor；　who　promised　them　deliverance　and
freedom　from　the　miseries　they　were　under；　if　they　would　but
follow　him　as　far　as　the　wilderness。　Accordingly；　those　forces
that　were　sent　destroyed　both　him　that　had　deluded　them；　and
those　that　were　his　followers　also。

11。　About　the　same　time　king　Agrippa　built　himself　a　very　large
dining…room　in　the　royal　palace　at　Jerusalem；　near　to　the
portico。　Now　this　palace　had　been　erected　of　old　by　the　children
of　Asamoneus。　and　was　situate　upon　an　elevation；　and　afforded　a
most　delightful　prospect　to　those　that　had　a　mind　to　take　a　view
of　the　city；　which　prospect　was　desired　by　the　king；　and　there　he
could　lie　down；　and　eat；　and　thence　observe　what　was　done　in　the
temple；　which　thing；　when　the　chief　men　of　Jerusalem　saw　they
were　very　much　displeased　at　it；　for　it　was　not　agreeable　to　the
institutions　of　our　country　or　law　that　what　was　done　in　the
temple　should　be　viewed　by　others；　especially　what　belonged　to
the　sacrifices。　They　therefore　erected　a　wall　upon　the　uppermost
building　which　belonged　to　the　inner　court　of　the　temple　towards
the　west；　which　wall　when　it　was　built；　did　not　only　intercept
the　prospect　of　the　dining…room　in　the　palace；　but　also　of　the
western　cloisters　that　belonged　to　the　outer　court　of　the　temple
also；　where　it　was　that　the　Romans　kept　guards　for　the　temple　at
the　festivals。　At　these　doings　both　king　Agrippa；　and　principally
Festus　the　procurator；　were　much　displeased；　and　Festus　ordered
them　to　pull　the　wall　down　again：　but　the　Jews　petitioned　him　to
give　them　leave　to　send　an　embassage　about　this　matter　to　Nero；
for　they　said　they　could　not　endure　to　live　if　any　part　of　the
temple　should　be　demolished；　and　when　Festus　had　given　them　leave
so　to　do；　they　sent　ten　of　their　principal　men　to　Nero；　as　also
Ismael　the　high　priest；　and　Helcias；　the　keeper　of　the　sacred
treasure。　And　when　Nero　had　heard　what　they　had　to　say；　he　not
only　forgave　（22）　them　what　they　had　already　done；　but　also　gave
them　leave　to　let　the　wall　they　had　built　stand。　This　was　granted
them　in　order　to　gratify　Poppea；　Nero's　wife；　who　was　a　religious
woman；　and　had　requested　these　favors　of　Nero；　and　who　gave　order
to　the　ten　ambassadors　to　go　their　way　home；　but　retained　Helcias
and　Ismael　as　hostages　with　herself。　As　soon　as　the　king　heard
this　news；　he　gave　the　high　priesthood　to　Joseph；　who　was　called
Cabi；　the　son　of　Simon；　formerly　high　priest。

CHAPTER　9。

Concerning　Albinus　Under　Whose　Procuratorship　James　Was　Slain；　As
Also　What　Edifices　Were　Built　By　Agrippa。

1。　And　now　Caesar；　upon　hearing　the　death　of　Festus；　sent　Albinus
into　Judea；　as　procurator。　But　the　king　deprived　Joseph　of　the
high　priesthood；　and　bestowed　the　succession　to　that　dignity　on
the　son　of　Ananus；　who　was　also　himself　called　Ananus。　Now　the
report　goes　that　this　eldest　Ananus　proved　a　most　fortunate　man；
for　he　had　five　sons　who　had　all　performed　the　office　of　a　high
priest　to　God；　and　who　had　himself　enjoyed　that　dignity　a　long
time　formerly；　which　had　never　happened　to　any　other　of　our　high
priests。　But　this　younger　Ananus；　who；　as　we　have　told　you
already；　took　the　high　priesthood；　was　a　bold　man　in　his　temper；
and　very　insolent；　he　was　also　of　the　sect　of　the　Sadducees；　（23）
who　are　very　rigid　in　judging　offenders；　above　all　the　rest　of
the　Jews；　as　we　have　already　observed；　when；　therefore；　Ananus
was　of　this　disposition；　he　thought　he　had　now　a　proper
opportunity　＇to　exercise　his　authority＇。　Festus　was　now　dead；　and
Albinus　was　but　upon　the　road；　so　he　assembled　the　sanhedrim　of
judges；　and　brought　before　them　the　brother　of　Jesus；　who　was
called　Christ；　whose　name　was　James；　and　some　others；　＇or；　some
of　his　companions＇；　and　when　he　had　formed　an　accusation　against
them　as　breakers　of　the　law；　he　delivered　them　to　be　stoned：　but
as　for　those　who　seemed　the　most　equitable　of　the　citizens；　and
such　as　were　the　most　uneasy　at　the　breach　of　the　laws；　they
disliked　what　was　done；　they　also　sent　to　the　king　＇Agrippa＇；
desiring　him　to　send　to　Ananus　that　he　should　act　so　no　more；　for
that　what　he　had　already　done　was　not　to　be　justified；　nay；　some
of　them　went　also　to　meet　Albinus；　as　he　was　upon　his　journey
from　Alexandria；　a