the life of flavius josephus-第9章

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think　fit　to　disbelieve。　However；　they　desired　me　to　lodge　some
where　else；　because　the　next　day　was　the　sabbath；　and　that　it　was
not　fit　the　city　of　Tiberias　should　be　disturbed　＇on　that　day＇。

54。　So　I　suspected　nothing；　and　went　away　to　Tarichese；　yet　did　I
withal　leave　some　to　make　inquiry　in　the　city　how　matters　went；
and　whether　any　thing　was　said　about　me：　I　also　set　many　persons
all　the　way　that　led　from　Tarichese　to　Tiberias；　that　they　might
communicate　from　one　to　another；　if　they　learned　any　news　from
those　that　were　left　in　the　city。　On　the　next　day；　therefore；
they　all　came　into　the　Proseucha；　（22）　it　was　a　large　edifice；
and　capable　of　receiving　a　great　number　of　people；　thither
Jonathan　went　in；　and　though　he　durst　not　openly　speak　of　a
revolt；　yet　did　he　say　that　their　city　stood　in　need　of　a　better
governor　than　it　then　had。　But　Jesus；　who　was　the　ruler；　made　no
scruple　to　speak　out；　and　said　openly；〃　O　fellow　citizens！　it　is
better　for　you　to　be　in　subjection　to　four　than　to　one；　and　those
such　as　are　of　high　birth；　and　not　without　reputation　for　their
wisdom；〃　and　pointed　to　Jonathan　and　his　colleagues。　Upon　his
saying　this；　Justus　came　in　and　commended　him　for　what　he　had
said；　and　persuaded　some　of　the　people　to　be　of　his　mind　also。
But　the　multitude　were　not　pleased　with　what　was　said；　and　had
certainly　gone　into　a　tumult；　unless　the　sixth　hour；　which　was
now　come；　had　dissolved　the　assembly；　at　which　hour　our　laws
require　us　to　go　to　dinner　on　sabbath　days；　so　Jonathan　and　his
colleagues　put　off　their　council　till　the　next　day；　and　went　off
without　success。　When　I　was　informed　of　these　affairs；　I
determined　to　go　to　the　city　of　Tiberias　in　the　morning。
Accordingly；　on　the　next　day；　about　the　first　hour　of　the　day；　I
came　from　Tarichee；　and　found　the　multitude　already　assembled　in
the　Proseucha；　but　on　what　account　they　were　gotten　together；
those　that　were　assembled　did　not　know。　But　when　Jonathan　and　his
colleagues　saw　me　there　unexpectedly；　they　were　in　disorder；
after　which　they　raised　a　report　of　their　own　contrivance；　that
Roman　horsemen　were　seen　at　a　place　called　Union；　in　the　borders
of　Galilee；　thirty　furlongs　distant　from　the　city。　Upon　which
report；　Jonathan　and　his　colleagues　cunningly　exhorted　me　not　to
neglect　this　matter；　nor　to　suffer　the　land　to　be　spoiled　by　the
enemy。　And　this　they　said　with　a　design　to　remove　me　out　of　the
city；　under　the　pretense　of　the　want　of　extraordinary　assistance；
while　they　might　dispose　the　city　to　be　my　enemy。

55。　As　for　myself；　although　I　knew　of　their　design；　yet　did　I
comply　with　what　they　proposed；　lest　the　people　of　Tiberias
should　have　occasion　to　suppose　that　I　was　not　careful　of　their
security。　I　therefore　went　out；　but；　when　I　was　at　the　place；　I
found　not　the　least　footsteps　of　any　enemy；　so　I　returned　as　fast
as　ever　I　could；　and　found　the　whole　council　assembled；　and　the
body　of　the　people　gotten　together；　and　Jonathan　and　his
colleagues　bringing　vehement　accusations　against　me；　as　one　who
had　no　concern　to　ease　them　of　the　burdens　of　war；　and　as　one
that　lived　luxuriously。　And　as　they　were　discoursing　thus；　they
produced　four　letters；　as　written　to　them　from　some　people　that
lived　at　the　borders　of　Galilee；　imploring　that　they　would　come
to　their　assistance；　for　that　there　was　an　army　of　Romans；　both
horsemen　and　footmen；　who　would　come　and　lay　waste　the　country　on
the　third　day；　they　desired　them　also　to　make　haste；　and　not　to
overlook　them。　When　the　people　of　Tiberias　heard　this；　they
thought　they　spake　truth；　and　made　a　clamor　against　me；　and　said
I　ought　not　to　sit　still；　but　to　go　away　to　the　assistance　of
their　countrymen。　Hereupon　I　said　（for　I　understood　the　meaning
of　Jonathan　and　his　colleagues）　that　I　was　ready　to　comply　with
what　they　proposed；　and　without　delay　to　march　to　the　war　which
they　spake　of；　yet　did　I　advise　them；　at　the　same　time；　that
since　these　letters　declared　that　the　Romans　would　make　their
assault　in　four　several　places；　they　should　part　their　forces
into　five　bodies；　and　make　Jonathan　and　his　colleagues　generals
of　each　body　of　them；　because　it　was　fit　for　brave　men；　not　only
to　give　counsel；　but　to　take　the　place　of　leaders；　and　assist
their　countrymen　when　such　a　necessity　pressed　them；　for；　said　I；
it　is　not　possible　for　me　to　lead　more　than　one　party。　This
advice　of　mine　greatly　pleased　the　multitude；　so　they　compelled
them　to　go　forth　to　the　war。　But　their　designs　were　put　into　very
much　disorder；　because　they　had　not　done　what　they　had　designed
to　do；　on　account　of　my　stratagem；　which　was　opposite　to　their
undertakings。

56。　Now　there　was　one　whose　name　was　Ananias　（a　wicked　man　he
was；　and　very　mischievous）；　he　proposed　that　a　general　religious
fast　（23）　should　be　appointed　the　next　day　for　all　the　people；
and　gave　order　that　at　the　same　hour　they　should　come　to　the　same
place；　without　any　weapons；　to　make　it　manifest　before　God；　that
while　they　obtained　his　assistance；　they　thought　all　these
weapons　useless。　This　he　said；　not　out　of　piety；　but　that　they
might　catch　me　and　my　friends　unarmed。　Now；　I　was　hereupon　forced
to　comply；　lest　I　should　appear　to　despise　a　proposal　that　tended
to　piety。　As　soon；　therefore；　as　we　were　gone　home；　Jonathan　and
his　colleagues　wrote　to　John　to　come　to　them　in　the　morning；　and
desiring　him　to　come　with　as　many　soldiers　as　he　possibly　could；
for　that　they　should　then　be　able　easily　to　get　me　into　their
hands；　and　to　do　all　they　desired　to　do。　When　John　had　received
this　letter；　he　resolved　to　comply　with　it。　As　for　myself；　on　the
next　day；　I　ordered　two　of　the　guards　of　my　body；　whom　I　esteemed
the　most　courageous　and　most　faithful；　to　hide　daggers　under
their　garments；　and　to　go　along　with　me；　that　we　might　defend
ourselves；　if　any　attack　should　be　made　upon　us　by　our　enemies。　I
also　myself　took　my　breastplate；　and　girded　on　my　sword；　so　that
it　might　be；　as　far　as　it　was　possible；　concealed；　and　came　into
the　Proseucha。

57。　Now　Jesus；　who　was　the　ruler；　commanded　that　they　should
exclude　all　that　came　with　me；　for　he　kept　the　door　himself；　and
suffered　none　but　his　friends　to　go　in。　And　while　we　were　engaged
in　the　duties　of　the　day；　and　had　betaken　ourselves　to　our
prayers；　Jesus　got　up；　and　inquired　of　me　what　was　become　of　the
vessels　that　were　taken　out　of　the　king's　palace；　when　it　was
burnt　down　＇and＇　of　that　uncoined　silver；　and　in　whose　possession
they　now　were？　This　he　said；　in　order　to　drive　away　time　till
John　should　come。　I　said　that　Capellus；　and　the　ten　principal　men
of　Tiberias；　had　them　all；　and　I　told　him　that　they　might　ask
them　whether　I　told　a　lie　or　not。　And　when　they　said　they　had
them；　he　asked　me；　What　is　become　of　those　twenty　pieces　of　gold
which　thou　didst　receive　upon　the　sale　of　a　certain　weight　of
uncoined　money？　I　replied；　that　I　had　given　them　to　those
ambassadors　of　theirs；　as　a　maintenance　for　them；　when　they　were
sent　by　them　to　Jerusalem。　So　Jonathan　and　his　colleagues　said
that　I　had　not　done　well　to　pay　the　ambassadors　out　of　the　public
money。　And　when　the　multitude　were　very　angry　at　them　for　this；
for　they　perceived　the　wickednes　of　the　men；　I　understood　that　a
tumult　was　going　to　arise；　and　being　desirous　to　provoke　the
people　to　a　greater　rage　against　the　men；　I　said；　〃But　if　I　have
not　done　well　in　paying　our　ambassadors　out　of　the　public　stock；
leave　off　your　anger　at　me；　for　I　will　repay　the　twenty　pieces　of
gold　myself。〃

58。　When　I　had　said　this；　Jonathan　and　his　colleagues　held　their
peace；　but　the　people　were　still　more　irritated　against　them；
upon　their　openly　showing　their　unjust　ill…will　to　me。　When　Jesus
saw　this　change　in　file　people；　he　ordered　them　to　depart；　but
desired　the　senate　to　stay；　for　that　they　could　not　examine
things　of　such　a　nature　in　a　tumult：　and　as　the　people　were
crying　out　that　they　would　not　leave　me　alone；　there　came　one　and
told　Jesus　and　his　friends　privately；　that　John　and　his　armed　men
were　at　hand：　whereupon　Jonathan　and　his　colleagues；　being　able
to　contain　themselves　no　longer；　（and　perhaps　the　providence　of
God　hereby　procuring　my　deliverance；　for　had　not　this　been　so；　I
had　certainly　been　destroyed　by　John；）　said；　〃O　you　people　of
Tiberias！　leave　off　this　inquiry　about　the　twenty　pieces　of　gold；
for　Josephus　hath　not　deserved　to　die　for　them；　but　he　hath
deserved　it　by　his　desire　of　tyrannizing；　and　by　cheating　the
multitude　of　the　Galileans　with　his　speeches；　in　order　to　gain
the　dominion　over　them。〃　When　he　had　said　this；　they　presently
laid　hands　upon　me；　and　endeavored　to　kill　me：　but　as　soon　as
those　that　were　with　me　saw　what　they　did；　they　drew　their
swords；　and　threatened　to　smite　them；　if　they　offered　any
violence　to　me。　The　people　also　took　up　stones；　and　were　about　to
throw　them　at　Jonathan；　and　so　they　snatched　me　from　the　violence
of　my　enemies。

59。　But　as　I　was　gone　out　a　little　way；　I　was　just　upon　meeting
John；　who　was　marching　with　his　armed　men。　So　I　was　afraid　of
him；　and　turned　aside；　and　escaped　by　a　narrow　passage　to　the
lake；　and　seized　on　a　ship；　and　embarked　in　it；　and　sailed　over
to　Tarichese。　So；　beyond　my　expectation；　I　escaped　this　danger。
Whereupon　I　presently　sent　for　the　chief　of　the　Galileans；　and
told　them　after　what　manner；　against　all　faith　given；　I　had　been
very　near　to　destruction　from　Jonathan　and　his　colleagues；　and
the　people　of　Tiberias。　Upon　which　the　multitude　of　the　Galileans
were　very。　angry；　and　encouraged　me　to　delay　no　longer　to　make
war　upon　them；　but　to　permit　them　to　go　against　John；　and　utterly
to　destroy　him；　as　well　as　Jonathan　and　his　colleagues。　However；
I　restrained　them；　though　they　were　in　such　a　rage；　and　desired
them　to　tarry　a　while；　till　we　should　be　informed　what　orders
those　ambassadors；　that　were　sent　by　them　to　the　city　of
Jerusalem；　should　bring　thence；　for　I　told　them　that　it　was　best
for　them　to　act　according　to　their　determination；　whereupon　they
were　prevailed　on。　At　which　time；　also；　John；　when　the　snares　he
had　laid　did　not　take　effect；　returned　back　to　Gischala。

60。　Now；　in　a　few　days；　those　ambassadors　whom　he　had　sent；　came
back　again　and　informed　us；　that　the　people　were　greatly　provoked
at　Ananus；　and　Simon　the　son　of　Gamaliel；　and　their　friends；
that；　without　any　public　determination；　they　had　sent　to　Galilee；
and　had　done　their　endeavors　that　I　might　be　turned　out　of　the
government。　The　ambassadors　said　further；　that　the　people　were
ready　to　burn　their　houses。　They　also　brought　letters；　whereby
the　chief　men　of　Jerusalem；　at　the　earnest　petition　of　the
people；　confirmed　me　in　the　government　of　Galilee；　and　enjoined
Jonathan　and　his　colleagues　to　return　home　quickly。　When　I　had
gotten　these　letters；　I　came　to　the　village　Arbela；　where　I
procured　an　assembly　of　the　Galileans　to　meet；　and　bid　the
ambassadors　declare　to　them　the　anger　of　the　people　of　Jerusalem
at　what　had　been　done　by　Jonathan　and　his　colleagues；　and　how
much　they　hated　their　wicked　doings；　and　how　they　had　confirmed
me　in　the　government　of　their　country；　as　also　what　related　to
the　order　they　had　in　writing　for　Jonathan　and　his　colleagues　to
return　home。　So　I　immediately　sent