the wars of the jews-第97章

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ted　to　him　out　of　their　fear　of　him；　and　others　out　of　their　good…will　to　him；　for　he　was　a　shrewd　man　to　entice　men　to　him；　both　by　deluding　them　and　putting　cheats　upon　them。　Nay；　many　　　there　were　that　thought　they　should　be　safer　themselves；　if　the　causes　of　their　past　insolent　actions　should　now　be　　　reduced　to　one　head；　and　not　to　a　great　many。　His　activity　was　so　great；　and　that　both　in　action　and　in　counsel；　that　he　had　not　a　few　guards　about　him；　yet　was　there　a　great　party　of　his　antagonists　that　left　him；　among　whom　envy　at　him　weighed　a　great　deal；　while　they　thought　it　a　very　heavy　thing　to　be　in　subjection　to　one　that　was　formerly　their　equal。　But　the　main　reason　that　moved　men　against　him　was　the　dread　of　monarchy；　for　they　could　not　hope　easily　to　put　an　end　to　his　power；　if　he　had　once　obtained　it；　and　yet　they　knew　that　he　would　have　this　pretense　always　against　them；　that　they　had　opposed　him　when　he　was　first　advanced；　while　every　　　one　chose　rather　to　suffer　any　thing　whatsoever　in　war；　than　that；　when　they　had　been　in　a　voluntary　slavery　for　some　time；　they　should　afterward　perish。　So　the　sedition　was　　　divided　into　two　parts；　and　John　reigned　in　opposition　to　his　adversaries　over　one　of　them：　but　for　their　leaders；　they　watched　one　another；　nor　did　they　at　all；　or　at　least　very　little；　meddle　with　arms　in　their　quarrels；　but　they　fought　earnestly　against　the　people；　and　contended　one　with　another　which　of　them　should　bring　home　the　greatest　prey。　But　　　because　the　city　had　to　struggle　with　three　of　the　greatest　misfortunes；　war；　and　tyranny；　and　sedition；　it　appeared；　upon　the　comparison；　that　the　war　was　the　least　troublesome　to　the　populace　of　them　all。　Accordingly；　they　ran　away　from　their　own　houses　to　foreigners；　and　obtained　that　preservation　from　the　Romans　which　they　despaired　to　obtain　among　their　own　people。　　　　　　2。　And　now　a　fourth　misfortune　arose；　in　order　to　bring　our　nation　to　destruction。　There　was　a　fortress　of　very　great　strength　not　far　from　Jerusalem；　which　had　been　built　by　our　ancient　kings；　both　as　a　repository　for　their　effects　in　the　hazards　of　war；　and　for　the　preservation　of　their　bodies　at　the　same　time。　It　was　called　Masada。　Those　that　were　called　　　Sicarii　had　taken　possession　of　it　formerly；　but　at　this　time　they　overran　the　neighboring　countries；　aiming　only　to　　　procure　to　themselves　necessaries；　for　the　fear　they　were　then　in　prevented　their　further　ravages。　But　when　once　they　were　informed　that　the　Roman　army　lay　still；　and　that　the　Jews　were　divided　between　sedition　and　tyranny；　they　boldly　　　undertook　greater　matters；　and　at　the　feast　of　unleavened　bread；　which　the　Jews　celebrate　in　memory　of　their　　　deliverance　from　the　Egyptian　bondage；　when　they　were　sent　back　into　the　country　of　their　forefathers；　they　came　down　by　night；　without　being　discovered　by　those　that　could　have　prevented　them；　and　overran　a　certain　small　city　called　　　Engaddi：in　which　expedition　they　prevented　those　citizens　that　could　have　stopped　them；　before　they　could　arm　　　themselves；　and　fight　them。　They　also　dispersed　them；　and　cast　them　out　of　the　city。　As　for　such　as　could　not　run　away；　being　women　and　children；　they　slew　of　them　above　seven　　　hundred。　Afterward；　when　they　had　carried　every　thing　out　of　their　houses；　and　had　seized　upon　all　the　fruits　that　were　in　a　flourishing　condition；　they　brought　them　into　Masada。　And　indeed　these　men　laid　all　the　villages　that　were　about　the　fortress　waste；　and　made　the　whole　country　desolate；　while　there　came　to　them　every　day；　from　all　parts；　not　a　few　men　as　corrupt　as　themselves。　At　that　time　all　the　other　regions　of　Judea　that　had　hitherto　been　at　rest　were　in　motion；　by　　　means　of　the　robbers。　Now　as　it　is　in　a　human　body；　if　the　principal　part　be　inflamed；　all　the　members　are　subject　to　the　same　distemper；　so；　by　means　of　the　sedition　and　disorder　that　was　in　the　metropolis；。　had　the　wicked　men　that　were　in　the　country　opportunity　to　ravage　the　same。　Accordingly；　when　every　one　of　them　had　plundered　their　own　villages；　they　then　retired　into　the　desert；　yet　were　these　men　that　now　got　together；　and　joined　in　the　conspiracy　by　parties；　too　small　for　an　army；　and　too　many　for　a　gang　of　thieves：　and　thus　did　they　fall　upon　the　holy　places　（11）　and　the　cities；　yet　did　it　now　so　happen　that　they　were　sometimes　very　ill　　　treated　by　those　upon　whom　they　fell　with　such　violence；　and　were　taken　by　them　as　men　are　taken　in　war：　but　still　they　prevented　any　further　punishment　as　do　robbers；　who；　as　　　soon　as　their　ravages　＇are　discovered＇；　run　their　way。　Nor　was　there　now　any　part　of　Judea　that　was　not　in　a　miserable　　　condition；　as　well　as　its　most　eminent　city　also。　　　　　　3。　These　things　were　told　Vespasian　by　deserters；　for　　　although　the　seditious　watched　all　the　passages　out　of　the　city；　and　destroyed　all；　whosoever　they　were；　that　came　　　thither；　yet　were　there　some　that　had　concealed　themselves；　and　when　they　had　fled　to　the　Romans；　persuaded　their　　　general　to　come　to　their　city's　assistance；　and　save　the　remainder　of　the　people；　informing　him　withal；　that　it　was　upon　account　of　the　people's　good…will　to　the　Romans　that　many　of　them　were　already　slain；　and　the　survivors　in　danger　of　the　same　treatment。　Vespasian　did　indeed　already　pity　the　calamities　these　men　were　in；　and　arose；　in　appearance；　as　though　he　was　going　to　besiege　Jerusalem；　but　in　reality　to　deliver　them　from　a　＇worse＇　siege　they　were　already　under。　However；　he　was　obliged　first　to　overthrow　what　remained　elsewhere；　and　to　leave　nothing　out　of　Jerusalem　behind　him　that　might　interrupt　him　in　that　siege。　Accordingly；　he　　　marched　against　Gadara；　the　metropolis　of　Perea；　which　was　a　place　of　strength；　and　entered　that　city　on　the　fourth　day　of　the　month　Dystrus　＇Adar＇；　for　the　men　of　power　had　sent　an　embassage　to　him；　without　the　knowledge　of　the　seditious；　to　treat　about　a　surrender；　which　they　did　out　of　the　desire　they　had　of　peace；　and　for　saving　their　effects；　because　many　of　the　citizens　of　Gadara　were　rich　men。　This　embassy　the　　　opposite　party　knew　nothing　of；　but　discovered　it　as　　　Vespasian　was　approaching　near　the　city。　However；　they　　　despaired　of　keeping　possession　of　the　city；　as　being　inferior　in　number　to　their　enemies　who　were　within　the　city；　and　seeing　the　Romans　very　near　to　the　city；　so　they　resolved　to　fly；　but　thought　it　dishonorable　to　do　it　without　shedding　some　blood；　and　revenging　themselves　on　the　authors　of　this　surrender；　so　they　seized　upon　Dolesus；　（a　person　not　only　the　first　in　rank　and　family　in　that　city；　but　one　that　seemed　the　occasion　of　sending　such　an　embassy；）　and　slew　him；　and　treated　his　dead　body　after　a　barbarous　manner；　so　very　　　violent　was　their　anger　at　him；　and　then　ran　out　of　the　city。　And　as　now　the　Roman　army　was　just　upon　them；　the　people　of　Gadara　admitted　Vespasian　with　joyful　acclamations；　and　received　from　him　the　security　of　his　right　hand；　as　also　a　garrison　of　horsemen　and　footmen；　to　guard　them　against　the　excursions　of　the　runagates；　for　as　to　their　wall；　they　had　pulled　it　down　before　the　Romans　desired　them　so　to　do；　　　that　they　might　thereby　give　them　assurance　that　they　were　lovers　of　peace；　and　that；　if　they　had　a　mind；　they　could　not　now　make　war　against　them。　　　　　　4。　And　now　Vespasian　sent　Placidus　against　those　that　had　fled　from　Gadara；　with　five　hundred　horsemen；　and　three　　　thousand　footmen；　while　he　returned　himself　to　Cesarea；　with　the　rest　of　the　army。　But　as　soon　as　these　fugitives　saw　the　horsemen　that　pursued　them　just　upon　their　backs；　and　　　before　they　came　to　a　close　fight；　they　ran　together　to　a　certain　village；　which　was　called　Bethennabris；　where　finding　a　great　multitude　of　young　men；　and　arming　them；　partly　by　their　own　consent；　partly　by　force；　they　rashly　and　suddenly　assaulted　Placidus　and　the　troops　that　were　with　him。　These　horsemen　at　the　first　onset　gave　way　a　little；　as　contriving　to　entice　them　further　off　the　wall；　and　when　they　had　drawn　them　into　a　place　fit　for　their　purpose；　they　made　their　horse　encompass　them　round；　and　threw　their　darts　at　them。　So　the　horsemen　cut　off　the　flight　of　the　fugitives；　while　the　foot　terribly　destroyed　those　that　fought　against　them；　for　those　Jews　did　no　more　tha