the wars of the jews-第151章

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diately；　the　sight　of　this　occasioned　a　sore　grief　among　those　that　were　in　the　citadel；　and　they　groaned　vehemently；　and　cried　out　that　they　could　not　bear　to　see　him　thus　destroyed。　Whereupon　Eleazar　besought　them　not　to　disregard　him；　now　he　was　going　to　suffer　a　most　miserable　death；　and　exhorted　them　to　save　themselves；　by　yielding　to　the　Roman　power　and　good　fortune；　since　all　other　people　were　now　conquered　by　them。　These　men　were　greatly　moved　with　what　he　said；　there　being　also　many　within　the　city　that　interceded　for　him；　because　he　was　of　an　eminent　and　very　numerous　family；　so　they　now　yielded　to　their　passion　of　commiseration；　contrary　to　their　usual　custom。　Accordingly；　they　sent　out　immediately　certain　messengers；　and　treated　with　the　Romans；　in　order　to　a　surrender　of　the　citadel　to　them；　and　desired　that　they　might　be　permitted　to　go　away；　and　take　Eleazar　along　with　them。　Then　did　the　Romans　and　their　general　accept　of　these　terms；　while　the　multitude　of　strangers　that　were　in　the　lower　part　of　the　city；　hearing　of　the　agreement　that　was　made　by　the　Jews　for　themselves　alone；　were　resolved　to　fly　away　privately　in　the　night　time；　but　as　soon　as　they　had　opened　their　gates；　those　that　had　come　to　terms　with　Bassus　told　him　of　it；　whether　it　were　that　they　envied　the　others'　deliverance；　or　whether　it　were　done　out　of　fear；　lest　an　occasion　should　be　taken　against　them　upon　their　escape；　is　uncertain。　The　most　courageous；　therefore；　of　those　men　that　went　out　prevented　the　enemy；　and　got　away；　and　fled　for　it；　but　for　those　men　that　were　caught　within　they　　　　5。　When　Bassus　had　settled　these　affairs；　he　marched　hastily　to　the　forest　of　Jarden；　as　it　is　called；　for　he　had　heard　that　a　great　many　of　those　that　had　fled　from　Jerusalem　and　Macherus　formerly　were　there　gotten　together。　When　he　was　therefore　come　to　the　place；　and　understood　that　the　former　news　was　no　mistake；　he；　in　the　first　place；　surrounded　the　whole　place　with　his　horsemen；　that　such　of　the　Jews　as　had　boldness　enough　to　try　to　break　through　might　have　no　way　possible　for　escaping；　by　reason　of　the　situation　of　these　horsemen；　and　for　the　footmen；　he　ordered　them　to　cut　down　the　trees　that　were　in　the　wood　whither　they　were　fled。　So　the　Jews　were　under　a　necessity　of　performing　some　glorious　exploit；　and　of　greatly　exposing　themselves　in　a　battle；　since　they　might　perhaps　thereby　escape。　So　they　made　a　general　attack；　and　with　a　great　shout　fell　upon　those　that　surrounded　them；　who　received　them　with　great　courage；　and　so　while　the　one　side　fought　desperately；　and　the　others　would　not　yield；　the　fight　was　prolonged　on　that　account。　But　the　event　of　the　battle　did　not　answer　the　expectation　of　the　assailants；　for　so　it　happened；　that　no　more　than　twelve　fell　on　the　Roman　side；　with　a　few　that　were　wounded；　but　not　one　of　the　Jews　escaped　out　of　this　battle；　but　they　were　all　killed；　being　in　the　whole　not　fewer　in　number　than　three　thousand；　together　with　Judas；　the　son　of　Jairus；　their　general；　concerning　whom　we　have　before　spoken；　that　he　had　been　a　captain　of　a　certain　band　at　the　siege　of　Jerusalem；　and　by　going　down　into　a　certain　vault　under　ground；　had　privately　made　his　escape。　　　　6。　About　the　same　time　it　was　that　Caesar　sent　a　letter　to　Bassus；　and　to　Liberius　Maximus；　who　was　the　procurator　＇of　Judea＇；　and　gave　order　that　all　Judea　should　be　exposed　to　sale　（12）　for　he　did　not　found　any　city　there；　but　reserved　the　country　for　himself。　However；　he　assigned　a　place　for　eight　hundred　men　only；　whom　he　had　dismissed　from　his　army；　which　he　gave　them　for　their　habitation；　it　is　called　Emmaus；　（13）　and　is　distant　from　Jerusalem　threescore　furlongs。　He　also　laid　a　tribute　upon　the　Jews　wheresoever　they　were；　and　enjoined　every　one　of　them　to　bring　two　drachmae　every　year　into　the　Capitol；　as　they　used　to　pay　the　same　to　the　temple　at　Jerusalem。　And　this　was　the　state　of　the　Jewish　affairs　at　this　time。　　　　CHAPTER　7。　　　　　　　　　　Concerning　The　Calamity　That　Befell　Antiochus；　King　Of　Commagene。　As　Also　Concerning　The　Alans　And　What　Great　Mischiefs　They　Did　To　The　Medes　And　Armenians。　　　　1。　And　now；　in　the　fourth　year　of　the　reign　of　Vespasian；　it　came　to　pass　that　Antiochus；　the　king　of　Commagene；　with　all　his　family；　fell　into　very　great　calamities。　The　occasion　was　this：　Cesennius　Petus；　who　was　president　of　Syria　at　this　time；　whether　it　were　done　out　of　regard　to　truth；　or　whether　out　of　hatred　to　Antiochus；　（for　which　was　the　real　motive　was　never　thoroughly　discovered；）　sent　an　epistle　to　Caesar；　and　therein　told　him　that　Antiochus；　with　his　son　Epiphanes；　had　resolved　to　rebel　against　the　Romans；　and　had　made　a　league　with　the　king　of　Parthia　to　that　purpose；　that　it　was　therefore　fit　to　prevent　them；　lest　they　prevent　us；　and　begin　such　a　war　as　may　cause　a　general　disturbance　in　the　Roman　empire。　Now　Caesar　was　disposed　to　take　some　care　about　the　matter；　since　this　discovery　was　made；　for　the　neighborhood　of　the　kingdoms　made　this　affair　worthy　of　greater　regard；　for　Samoseta；　the　capital　of　Commagene；　lies　upon　Euphrates；　and　upon　any　such　design　could　afford　an　easy　passage　over　it　to　the　Parthians；　and　could　also　afford　them　a　secure　reception。　Petus　was　accordingly　believed；　and　had　authority　given　him　of　doing　what　he　should　think　proper　in　the　case；　so　he　set　about　it　without　delay；　and　fell　upon　Commagene　before　Antiochus　and　his　people　had　the　least　expectation　of　his　coming：　he　had　with　him　the　tenth　legion；　as　also　some　cohorts　and　troops　of　horsemen。　These　kings　also　came　to　his　assistance：　Aristobulus；　king　of　the　country　called　Chalcidene；　and　Sohemus；　who　was　called　king　of　Emesa。　Nor　was　there　any　opposition　made　to　his　forces　when　they　entered　the　kingdom；　for　no　one　of　that　country　would　so　much　as　lift　up　his　hand　against　them。　When　Antiochus　heard　this　unexpected　news；　he　could　not　think　in　the　least　of　making　war　with　the　Romans；　but　determined　to　leave　his　whole　kingdom　in　the　state　wherein　it　now　was；　and　to　retire　privately；　with　his　wife　and　children；　as　thinking　thereby　to　demonstrate　himself　to　the　Romans　to　be　innocent　as　to　the　accusation　laid　against　him。　So　he　went　away　from　that　city　as　far　as　a　hundred　and　twenty　furlongs；　into　a　plain；　and　there　pitched　his　tents。　　　　2。　Petus　then　sent　some　of　his　men　to　seize　upon　Samosate；　and　by　their　means　took　possession　of　that　city；　while　he　went　himself　to　attack　Antiochus　with　the　rest　of　his　army。　However；　the　king　was　not　prevailed　upon　by　the　distress　he　was　in　to　do　any　thing　in　the　way　of　war　against　the　Romans；　but　bemoaned　his　own　hard　fate；　and　endured　with　patience　what　he　was　not　able　to　prevent。　But　his　sons；　who　were　young；　and　unexperienced　in　war；　but　of　strong　bodies；　were　not　easily　induced　to　bear　this　calamity　without　fighting。　Epiphanes；　therefore；　and　Callinicus；　betook　themselves　to　military　force；　and　as　the　battle　was　a　sore　one；　and　lasted　all　the　day　long；　they　showed　their　own　valor　in　a　remarkable　manner；　and　nothing　but　the　approach　of　night　put　a　period　thereto；　and　that　without　any　diminution　of　their　forces；　yet　would　not　Antiochus；　upon　this　conclusion　of　the　fight；　continue　there　by　any　means；　but　took　his　wife　and　his　daughters；　and　fled　away　with　them　to　Cilicia；　and　by　so　doing　quite　discouraged　the　minds　of　his　own　soldiers。　Accordingly；　they　revolted；　and　went　over　to　the　Romans；　out　of　the　despair　they　were　in　of　his　keeping　the　kingdom；　and　his　case　was　looked　upon　by　all　as　quite　desperate。　It　was　therefore　necessary　that　Epiphanes　and　his　soldiers　should　get　clear　of　their　enemies　before　they　became　entirely　destitute　of　any　confederates；　nor　were　there　any　more　than　ten　horsemen　with　him；　who　passed　with　him　over　Euphrates；　whence　they　went　undisturbed　to　Vologeses；　the　king　of　Parthie；　where　they　were　not　disregarded　as　fugitives；　but　had　the　same　respect　paid　them　as　if　they　had　retained　their　ancient　prosperity。　　　　3。　Now　when　Antiochus　was　come　to　Tarsus　in　Cilicia；　Petus　ordered　a　centurion　to　go　to　him；　and　send　him　in　bonds　to　Rome。　However；　Vespasian　could　not　endure　to　have　a　king　brought　to　him　in　that　manner；　but　thought　it　fit　rather　to　have　a　regard　to　the　ancient　friendship　that　had　been　between　them；　than　to　pr