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第9章

the wars of the jews-第9章

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gether; But Being Beaten By The Romans; He Is Brought Back To Rome; With Other Things Relating To Gabinius; Crassus And Cassius。

1。 In the mean time; Scaurus made an expedition into Arabia; but was stopped by the difficulty of the places about Petra。 However; he laid waste the country about Pella; though even there he was under great hardship; for his army was afflicted with famine。 In order to supply which want; Hyrcanus afforded him some assistance; and sent him provisions by the means of Antipater; whom also Scaurus sent to Aretas; as one well acquainted with him; to induce him to pay him money to buy his peace。 The king of Arabia complied with the proposal; and gave him three hundred talents; upon which Scaurus drew his army out of Arabia (10)  2。 But as for Alexander; that son of Aristobulus who ran away from Pompey; in some time he got a considerable band of men together; and lay heavy upon Hyrcanus; and overran Judea; and was likely to overturn him quickly; and indeed he had come to Jerusalem; and had ventured to rebuild its wall that was thrown down by Pompey; had not Gabinius; who was sent as successor to Scaurus into Syria; showed his bravery; as in many other points; so in making an expedition against Alexander; who; as he was afraid that he would attack him; so he got together a large army; composed of ten thousand armed footmen; and fifteen hundred horsemen。 He also built walls about proper places; Alexandrium; and Hyrcanium; and Machorus; that lay upon the mountains of Arabia。

3。 However; Gabinius sent before him Marcus Antonius; and followed himself with his whole army; but for the select body of soldiers that were about Antipater; and another body of Jews under the command of Malichus and Pitholaus; these joined themselves to those captains that were about Marcus Antonius; and met Alexander; to which body came Oabinius with his main army soon afterward; and as Alexander was not able to sustain the charge of the enemies' forces; now they were joined; he retired。 But when he was come near to Jerusalem; he was forced to fight; and lost six thousand men in the battle; three thousand of which fell down dead; and three thousand were taken alive; so he fled with the remainder to Alexandrium。

4。 Now when Gabinius was come to Alexandrium; because he found a great many there en…camped; he tried; by promising them pardon for their former offenses; to induce them to come over to him before it came to a fight; but when they would hearken to no terms of accommodation; he slew a great number of them; and shut up a great number of them in the citadel。 Now Marcus Antonius; their leader; signalized himself in this battle; who; as he always showed great courage; so did he never show it so much as now; but Gabinius; leaving forces to take the citadel; went away himself; and settled the cities that had not been demolished; and rebuilt those that had been destroyed。 Accordingly; upon his injunctions; the following cities were restored: Scythopolis; and Samaria; and Anthedon; and Apollonia; and Jamnia; and Raphia; and Mariassa; and Adoreus; and Gamala; and Ashdod; and many others; while a great number of men readily ran to each of them; and became their inhabitants。

5。 When Gabinius had taken care of these cities; he returned to Alexandrium; and pressed on the siege。 So when Alexander despaired of ever obtaining the government; he sent ambassadors to him; and prayed him to forgive what he had offended him in; and gave up to him the remaining fortresses; Hyrcanium and Macherus; as he put Alexandrium into his hands afterwards; all which Gabinius demolished; at the persuasion of Alexander's mother; that they might not be receptacles of men in a second war。 She was now there in order to mollify Gabinius; out of her concern for her relations that were captives at Rome; which were her husband and her other children。 After this Gabinius brought Hyrcanus to Jerusalem; and committed the care of the temple to him; but ordained the other political government to be by an aristocracy。 He also parted the whole nation into five conventions; assigning one portion to Jerusalem; another to Gadara; that another should belong to Amathus; a fourth to Jericho; and to the fifth division was allotted Sepphoris; a city of Galilee。 So the people were glad to be thus freed from monarchical government; and were governed for the future by all aristocracy。

6。 Yet did Aristobulus afford another foundation for new disturbances。 He fled away from Rome; and got together again many of the Jews that were desirous of a change; such as had borne an affection to him of old; and when he had taken Alexandrium in the first place; he attempted to build a wall about it; but as soon as Gabinius had sent an army against him under Siscuria; and Antonius; and Servilius; he was aware of it; and retreated to Macherus。 And as for the unprofitable multitude; he dismissed them; and only marched on with those that were armed; being to the number of eight thousand; among whom was Pitholaus; who had been the lieutenant at Jerusalem; but deserted to Aristobulus with a thousand of his men; so the Romans followed him; and when it came to a battle; Aristobulus's party for a long time fought courageously; but at length they were overborne by the Romans; and of them five thousand fell down dead; and about two thousand fled to a certain little hill; but the thousand that remained with Aristobulus brake through the Roman army; and marched together to Macherus; and when the king had lodged the first night upon its ruins; he was in hopes of raising another army; if the war would but cease a while; accordingly; he fortified that strong hold; though it was done after a poor manner。 But the Romans falling upon him; he resisted; even beyond his abilities; for two days; and then was taken; and brought a prisoner to Gabinius; with Antigonus his son; who had fled away together with him from Rome; and from Gabinius he was carried to Rome again。 Wherefore the senate put him under confinement; but returned his children back to Judea; because Gabinius informed them by letters that he had promised Aristobulus's mother to do so; for her delivering the fortresses up to him。

7。 But now as Gabinius was marching to the war against the Parthians; he was hindered by Ptolemy; whom; upon his return from Euphrates; he brought back into Egypt; making use of Hyrcanus and Antipater to provide every thing that was necessary for this expedition; for Antipater furnished him with money; and weapons; and corn; and auxiliaries; he also prevailed with the Jews that were there; and guarded the avenues at Pelusium; to let them pass。 But now; upon Gabinius's absence; the other part of Syria was in motion; and Alexander; the son of Aristobulus; brought the Jews to revolt again。 Accordingly; he got together a very great army; and set about killing all the Romans that were in the country; hereupon Gabinius was afraid; (for he was come back already out of Egypt; and obliged to come back quickly by these tumults;) and sent Antipater; who prevailed with some of the revolters to be quiet。 However; thirty thousand still continued with Alexander; who was himself eager to fight also; accordingly; Gabinius went out to fight; when the Jews met him; and as the battle was fought near Mount Tabor; ten thousand of them were slain; and the rest of the multitude dispersed themselves; and fled away。 So Gabinius came to Jerusalem; and settled the government as Antipater would have it; thence he marched; and fought and beat the Nabateans: as for Mithridates and Orsanes; who fled out of Parthin; he sent them away privately; but gave it out among the soldiers that they had run away。

8。 In the mean time; Crassus came as successor to Gabinius in Syria。 He took away all the rest of the gold belonging to the temple of Jerusalem; in order to furnish himself for his expedition against the Parthians。 He also took away the two thousand talents which Pompey had not touched; but when he had passed over Euphrates; he perished himself; and his army with him; concerning which affairs this is not a proper time to speak 'more largely'。

9。 But now Cassius; after Crassus; put a stop to the Parthians; who were marching in order to enter Syria。 Cassius had f

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