贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > the wars of the jews >

第2章

the wars of the jews-第2章

小说: the wars of the jews 字数: 每页4000字

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!



ine own age; that I shall run over briefly。

7。 'For example; I shall relate' how Antiochus; who was named Epiphanes; took Jerusalem by force; and held it three years and three months; and was then ejected out of the country by the sons of Asamoneus: after that; how their posterity quarreled about the government; and brought upon their settlement the Romans and Pompey; how Herod also; the son of Antipater; dissolved their government; and brought Sosins upon them; as also how our people made a sedition upon Herod's death; while Augustus was the Roman emperor; and Quintilius Varus was in that country; and how the war broke out in the twelfth year of Nero; with what happened to Cestius; and what places the Jews assaulted in a hostile manner in the first sallies of the war。

8。 As also 'I shall relate' how they built walls about the neighboring cities; and how Nero; upon Cestius's defeat; was in fear of the entire event of the war; and thereupon made Vespasian general in this war; and how this Vespasian; with the elder of his sons (4) made an expedition into the country of Judea; what was the number of the Roman army that he made use of; and how many of his auxiliaries were cut off in all Galilee; and how he took some of its cities entirely; and by force; and others of them by treaty; and on terms。 Now; when I am come so far; I shall describe the good order of the Romans in war; and the discipline of their legions; the amplitude of both the Galilees; with its nature; and the limits of Judea。 And; besides this; I shall particularly go over what is peculiar to the country; the lakes and fountains that are in them; and what miseries happened to every city as they were taken; and all this with accuracy; as I saw the things done; or suffered in them。 For I shall not conceal any of the calamities I myself endured; since I shall relate them to such as know the truth of them。

9。 After this; 'I shall relate' how; When the Jews' affairs were become very bad; Nero died; and Vespasian; when he was going to attack Jerusalem; was called back to take the government upon him; what signs happened to him relating to his gaining that government; and what mutations of government then happened at Rome; and how he was unwillingly made emperor by his soldiers; and how; upon his departure to Egypt; to take upon him the government of the empire; the affairs of the Jews became very tumultuous; as also how the tyrants rose up against them; and fell into dissensions among themselves。

10。 Moreover; 'I shall relate' how Titus marched out of Egypt into Judea the second time; as also how; and where; and how many forces he got together; and in what state the city was; by the means of the seditious; at his coming; what attacks he made; and how many ramparts he cast up; of the three walls that encompassed the city; and of their measures; of the strength of the city; and the structure of the temple and holy house; and besides; the measures of those edifices; and of the altar; and all accurately determined。 A description also of certain of their festivals; and seven purifications of purity; (5) and the sacred ministrations of the priests; with the garments of the priests; and of the high priests; and of the nature of the most holy place of the temple; without concealing any thing; or adding any thing to the known truth of things。

11。 After this; I shall relate the barbarity of the tyrants towards the people of their own nation; as well as the indulgence of the Romans in sparing foreigners; and how often Titus; out of his desire to preserve the city and the temple; invited the seditious to come to terms of accommodation。 I shall also distinguish the sufferings of the people; and their calamities; how far they were afflicted by the sedition; and how far by the famine; and at length were taken。 Nor shall I omit to mention the misfortunes of the deserters; nor the punishments inflicted on the captives; as also how the temple was burnt; against the consent of Caesar; and how many sacred things that had been laid up in the temple were snatched out of the fire; the destruction also of the entire city; with the signs and wonders that went before it; and the taking the tyrants captives; and the multitude of those that were made slaves; and into what different misfortunes they were every one distributed。 Moreover; what the Romans did to the remains of the wall; and how they demolished the strong holds that were in the country; and how Titus went over the whole country; and settled its affairs; together with his return into Italy; and his triumph。'

12。 I have comprehended all these things in seven books; and have left no occasion for complaint or accusation to such as have been acquainted with this war; and I have written it down for the sake of those that love truth; but not for those that please themselves 'with fictitious relations'。 And I will begin my account of these things with what I call my First Chapter。 

WAR PREFACE FOOTNOTES

(1) I have already observed more than once; that this History of the Jewish War was Josephus's first work; and published about A。D。 75; when he was but thirty…eight years of age; and that when he wrote it; he was not thoroughly acquainted with several circumstances of history from the days of Antiochus Epiphanes; with which it begins; till near his own times; contained in the first and former part of the second book; and so committed many involuntary errors therein。 That he published his Antiquities eighteen years afterward; in the thirteenth year of Domitian; A。D。 93; when he was much more completely acquainted with those ancient times; and after he had perused those most authentic histories; the First Book of Maccabees; and the Chronicles of the Priesthood of John Hyrcanus; etc。 That accordingly he then reviewed those parts of this work; and gave the public a more faithful; complete; and accurate account of the facts therein related; and honestly corrected the errors he bad before run into。

(2) Who these Upper Barbarians; remote from the sea; were; Josephus himself will inform us; sect。 2; viz。 the Parthians and Babylonians; and remotest Arabians 'of the Jews among them'; besides the Jews beyond Euphrates; and the Adiabeni; or Assyrians。 Whence we also learn that these Parthians; Babylonians; the remotest Arabians; 'or at least the Jews among them;' as also the Jews beyond Euphrates; and the Adiabeni; or Assyrians; understood Josephus's Hebrew; or rather Chaldaic; books of The Jewish War; before they were put into the Greek language。

(3) That these calamities of the Jews; who were our Savior's murderers; were to be the greatest that had ever been s nee the beginning of the world; our Savior had directly foretold; Matthew 24:21; Mark 13:19; Luke 21:23; 24; and that they proved to be such accordingly; Josephus is here a most authentic witness。

(4) Titus。

(5) These seven; or rather five; degrees of purity; or purification; are enumerated hereafter; B。 V。 ch。 5。 sect。 6。 The Rabbins make ten degrees of them; as Reland there informs us。

BOOK I。

Containing The Interval Of One Hundred And Sixty…Seven Years。  From The Taking Of Jerusalem By Antiochus Epiphanes; To The Death Of Herod The Great。

CHAPTER 1。

How The City Jerusalem Was Taken; And The Temple Pillaged 'By Antiochus Epiphanes'。 As Also Concerning The Actions Of The Maccabees; Matthias And Judas; And Concerning The Death Of Judas。  1。 At the same time that Antiochus; who was called Epiphanes; had a quarrel with the sixth Ptolemy about his right to the whole country of Syria; a great sedition fell among the men of power in Judea; and they had a contention about obtaining the government; while each of those that were of dignity could not endure to be subject to their equals。 However; Onias; one of the high priests; got the better; and cast the sons of Tobias out of the city; who fled to Antiochus; and besought him to make use of them for his leaders; and to make an expedition into Judea。 The king being thereto disposed beforehand; complied with them; and came upon the Jews with a great army; and took their city by force; and slew a great multitude of those that favored Ptolemy; and sent out his soldiers to plunder them without mercy。 He also spoiled the temp

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 1

你可能喜欢的