the wars of the jews-第57章

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selves　to　their　own　people　for　their　revolt　from　them。　So　they　commanded　them；　that　in　case　they　would　confirm　their　agreement　and　demonstrate　their　fidelity　to　them；　who　were　of　a　different　nation；　they　should　go　out　of　the　city；　with　their　families　to　a　neighboring　grove；　and　when　they　had　done　as　they　were　commanded；　without　suspecting　any　thing；　the　people　of　Scythopolis　lay　still　for　the　interval　of　two　days；　to　tempt　them　to　be　secure；　but　on　the　third　night　they　watched　their　opportunity；　and　cut　all　their　throats；　some　as　they　lay　unguarded；　and　some　as　they　lay　asleep。　The　number　that　was　slain　was　above　thirteen　thousand；　and　then　they　plundered　them　of　all　that　they　had。

4。　It　will　deserve　our　relation　what　befell　Simon；　he　was　the　son　of　one　Saul；　a　man　of　reputation　among　the　Jews。　This　man　was　distinguished　from　the　rest　by　the　strength　of　his　body；　and　the　boldness　of　his　conduct；　although　he　abused　them　both　to　the　mischieving　of　his　countrymen；　for　he　came　every　day　and　slew　a　great　many　of　the　Jews　of　Scythopolis；　and　he　frequently　put　them　to　flight；　and　became　himself　alone　the　cause　of　his　army's　conquering。　But　a　just　punishment　overtook　him　for　the　murders　he　had　committed　upon　those　of　the　same　nation　with　him；　for　when　the　people　of　Scythopolis　threw　their　darts　at　them　in　the　grove；　he　drew　his　sword；　but　did　not　attack　any　of　the　enemy；　for　he　saw　that　he　could　do　nothing　against　such　a　multitude；　but　he　cried　out　after　a　very　moving　manner；　and　said；　〃O　you　people　of　Scythopolis；　I　deservedly　suffer　for　what　I　have　done　with　relation　to　you；　when　I　gave　you　such　security　of　my　fidelity　to　you；　by　slaying　so　many　of　those　that　were　related　to　me。　Wherefore　we　very　justly　experience　the　perfidiousness　of　foreigners；　while　we　acted　after　a　most　wicked　manner　against　our　own　nation。　I　will　therefore　die；　polluted　wretch　as　I　am；　by　nine　own　hands；　for　it　is　not　fit　I　should　die　by　the　hand　of　our　enemies；　and　let　the　same　action　be　to　me　both　a　punishment　for　my　great　crimes；　and　a　testimony　of　my　courage　to　my　commendation；　that　so　no　one　of　our　enemies　may　have　it　to　brag　of；　that　he　it　was　that　slew　me；　and　no　one　may　insult　upon　me　as　I　fall。〃　Now　when　he　had　said　this；　he　looked　round　about　him　upon　his　family　with　eyes　of　commiseration　and　of　rage　（that　family　consisted　of　a　wife　and　children；　and　his　aged　parents）；　so；　in　the　first　place；　he　caught　his　father　by　his　grey　hairs；　and　ran　his　sword　through　him；　and　after　him　he　did　the　same　to　his　mother；　who　willingly　received　it；　and　after　them　he　did　the　like　to　his　wife　and　children；　every　one　almost　offering　themselves　to　his　sword；　as　desirous　to　prevent　being　slain　by　their　enemies；　so　when　he　had　gone　over　all　his　family；　he　stood　upon　their　bodies　to　be　seen　by　all；　and　stretching　out　his　right　hand；　that　his　action　might　be　observed　by　all；　he　sheathed　his　entire　sword　into　his　own　bowels。　This　young　man　was　to　be　pitied；　on　account　of　the　strength　of　his　body　and　the　courage　of　his　soul；　but　since　he　had　assured　foreigners　of　his　fidelity　＇against　his　own　countrymen＇；　he　suffered　deservedly。

5。　Besides　this　murder　at　Scythopolis；　the　other　cities　rose　up　against　the　Jews　that　were　among　them；　those　of　Askelon　slew　two　thousand　five　hundred；　and　those　of　Ptolemais　two　thousand；　and　put　not　a　few　into　bonds；　those　of　Tyre　also　put　a　great　number　to　death；　but　kept　a　greater　number　in　prison；　moreover；　those　of　Hippos；　and　those　of　Gadara；　did　the　like　while　they　put　to　death　the　boldest　of　the　Jews；　but　kept　those　of　whom　they　were　afraid　in　custody；　as　did　the　rest　of　the　cities　of　Syria；　according　as　they　every　one　either　hated　them　or　were　afraid　of　them；　only　the　Antiochtans　the　Sidontans；　and　Apamians　spared　those　that　dwelt　with　them；　and　would　not　endure　either　to　kill　any　of　the　Jews；　or　to　put　them　in　bonds。　And　perhaps　they　spared　them；　because　their　own　number　was　so　great　that　they　despised　their　attempts。　But　I　think　the　greatest　part　of　this　favor　was　owing　to　their　commiseration　of　those　whom　they　saw　to　make　no　innovations。　As　for　the　Gerasans；　they　did　no　harm　to　those　that　abode　with　them；　and　for　those　who　had　a　mind　to　go　away；　they　conducted　them　as　far　as　their　borders　reached。

6。　There　was　also　a　plot　laid　against　the　Jews　in　Agrippa's　kingdom；　for　he　was　himself　gone　to　Cestius　Gallus；　to　Antioch；　but　had　left　one　of　his　companions；　whose　name　was　Noarus；　to　take　care　of　the　public　affairs；　which　Noarus　was　of　kin　to　king　Sohemus。　（26）　Now　there　came　certain　men　seventy　in　number；　out　of　Batanea；　who　were　the　most　considerable　for　their　families　and　prudence　of　the　rest　of　the　people；　these　desired　to　have　an　army　put　into　their　hands；　that　if　any　tumult　should　happen；　they　might　have　about　them　a　guard　sufficient　to　restrain　such　as　might　rise　up　against　them。　This　Noarus　sent　out　some　of　the　king's　armed　men　by　night；　and　slew　all　those　＇seventy＇　men；　which　bold　action　he　ventured　upon　without　the　consent　of　Agrippa；　and　was　such　a　lover　of　money；　that　he　chose　to　be　so　wicked　to　his　own　countrymen；　though　he　brought　ruin　on　the　kingdom　thereby；　and　thus　cruelly　did　he　treat　that　nation；　and　this　contrary　to　the　laws　also；　until　Agrippa　was　informed　of　it；　who　did　not　indeed　dare　to　put　him　to　death；　out　of　regard　to　Sohemus；　but　still　he　put　an　end　to　his　procuratorship　immediately。　But　as　to　the　seditious；　they　took　the　citadel　which　was　called　Cypros；　and　was　above　Jericho；　and　cut　the　throats　of　the　garrison；　and　utterly　demolished　the　fortifications。　This　was　about　the　same　time　that　the　multitude　of　the　Jews　that　were　at　Machorus　persuaded　the　Romans　who　were　in　garrison　to　leave　the　place；　and　deliver　it　up　to　them。　These　Romans　being　in　great　fear；　lest　the　place　should　be　taken　by　force；　made　an　agreement　with　them　to　depart　upon　certain　conditions；　and　when　they　had　obtained　the　security　they　desired；　they　delivered　up　the　citadel；　into　which　the　people　of　Macherus　put　a　garrison　for　their　own　security；　and　held　it　in　their　own　power。

7。　But　for　Alexandria；　the　sedition　of　the　people　of　the　place　against　the　Jews　was　perpetual；　and　this　from　that　very　time　when　Alexander　＇the　Great＇；　upon　finding　the　readiness　of　the　Jews　in　assisting　him　against　the　Egyptians；　and　as　a　reward　for　such　their　assistance；　gave　them　equal　privileges　in　this　city　with　the　Grecians　themselves；　which　honorary　reward　Continued　among　them　under　his　successors；　who　also　set　apart　for　them　a　particular　place；　that　they　might　live　without　being　polluted　＇by　the　Gentiles＇；　and　were　thereby　not　so　much　intermixed　with　foreigners　as　before；　they　also　gave　them　this　further　privilege；　that　they　should　be　called　Macedonians。　Nay；　when　the　Romans　got　possession　of　Egypt；　neither　the　first　Caesar；　nor　any　one　that　came　after　him；　thought　of　diminishing　the　honors　which　Alexander　had　bestowed　on　the　Jews。　But　still　conflicts　perpetually　arose　with　the　Grecians；　and　although　the　governors　did　every　day　punish　many　of　them；　yet　did　the　sedition　grow　worse；　but　at　this　time　especially；　when　there　were　tumults　in　other　places　also；　the　disorders　among　them　were　put　into　a　greater　flame；　for　when　the　Alexandrians　had　once　a　public　assembly；　to　deliberate　about　an　embassage　they　were　sending　to　Nero；　a　great　number　of　Jews　came　flocking　to　the　theater；　but　when　their　adversaries　saw　them；　they　immediately　cried　out；　and　called　them　their　enemies；　and　said　they　came　as　spies　upon　them；　upon　which　they　rushed　out；　and　laid　violent　hands　upon　them；　and　as　for　the　rest；　they　were　slain　as　they　ran　away；　but　there　were　three　men　whom　they　caught；　and　hauled　them　along；　in　order　to　have　them　burnt　alive；　but　all　the　Jews　came　in　a　body　to　defend　them；　who　at　first　threw　stones　at　the　Grecians；　but　after　that　they　took　lamps；　and　rushed　with　violence　into　the　theater；　and　threatened　that　they　would　burn　the　people　to　a　man；　and　this　they　had　soon　done；　unless　Tiberius　Alexander；　the　governor　of　the　city；　had　restrained　their　passions。　However；　this　man　did　not　begin　to　teach　them　wisdom　by　arms；　but　sent　among　them　privately　some　of　the　principal　men；　and　thereby　entreated　them　to　be　quiet；　and　not　provoke　the　Roman　army　against　them；　but　the　sediti