the antiquities of the jews-1-第203章

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he　would　throw　them　down　headlong；　unless　Hyrcanus　would　leave
off　the　siege。　And　as　he　thought　that　so　far　as　he　relaxed　as　to
the　siege　and　taking　of　the　place；　so　much　favor　did　he　show　to
those　that　were　dearest　to　him　by　preventing　their　misery；　his
zeal　about　it　was　cooled。　However；　his　mother　spread　out　her
hands；　and　begged　of　him　that　he　would　not　grow　remiss　on　her
account；　but　indulge　his　indignation　so　much　the　more；　and　that
he　would　do　his　utmost　to　take　the　place　quickly；　in　order　to　get
their　enemy　under　his　power；　and　then　to　avenge　upon　him　what　he
had　done　to　those　that　were　dearest　to　himself；　for　that　death
would　be　to　her　sweet；　though　with　torment；　if　that　enemy　of
theirs　might　but　be　brought　to　punishment　for　his　wicked　dealings
to　them。　Now　when　his　mother　said　so；　he　resolved　to　take　the
fortress　immediately；　but　when　he　saw　her　beaten；　and　torn　to
pieces；　his　courage　failed　him；　and　he　could　not　but　sympathize
with　what　his　mother　suffered；　and　was　thereby　overcome。　And　as
the　siege　was　drawn　out　into　length　by　this　means；　that　year　on
which　the　Jews　used　to　rest　came　on；　for　the　Jews　observe　this
rest　every　seventh　year；　as　they　do　every　seventh　day；　so　that
Ptolemy　being　for　this　cause　released　from　the　war；　（19）　he　slew
the　brethren　of　Hyrcanus；　and　his　mother；　and　when　he　had　so
done；　he　fled　to　Zeno；　who　was　called　Cotylas；　who　was　then　the
tyrant　of　the　city　Philadelphia。

2。　But　Antiochus；　being　very　uneasy　at　the　miseries　that　Simon
had　brought　upon　him；　he　invaded　Judea　in　the　fourth　years'　of
his　reign；　and　the　first　year　of　the　principality　of　Hyrcanus；　in
the　hundred　and　sixty…second　olympiad。　（20）　And　when　he　had　burnt
the　country；　he　shut　up　Hyrcanus　in　the　city；　which　he
encompassed　round　with　seven　encampments；　but　did　just　nothing　at
the　first；　because　of　the　strength　of　the　walls；　and　because　of
the　valor　of　the　besieged；　although　they　were　once　in　want　of
water；　which　yet　they　were　delivered　from　by　a　large　shower　of
rain；　which　fell　at　the　setting　of　the　Pleiades　（21）　However；
about　the　north　part　of　the　wall；　where　it　happened　the　city　was
upon　a　level　with　the　outward　ground；　the　king　raised　a　hundred
towers　of　three　stories　high；　and　placed　bodies　of　soldiers　upon
them；　and　as　he　made　his　attacks　every　day；　he　cut　a　double
ditch；　deep　and　broad；　and　confined　the　inhabitants　within　it　as
within　a　wall；　but　the　besieged　contrived　to　make　frequent
sallies　out；　and　if　the　enemy　were　not　any　where　upon　their
guard；　they　fell　upon　them；　and　did　them　a　great　deal　of
mischief；　and　if　they　perceived　them；　they　then　retired　into　the
city　with　ease。　But　because　Hyrcanus　discerned　the　inconvenience
of　so　great　a　number　of　men　in　the　city；　while　the　provisions
were　the　sooner　spent　by　them；　and　yet；　as　is　natural　to　suppose；
those　great　numbers　did　nothing；　he　separated　the　useless　part；
and　excluded　them　out　of　the　city；　and　retained　that　part　only
which　were　in　the　flower　of　their　age；　and　fit　for　war。　However；
Antiochus　would　not　let　those　that　were　excluded　go　away；　who
therefore　wandering　about　between　the　wails；　and　consuming　away
by　famine；　died　miserably；　but　when　the　feast　of　tabernacles　was
at　hand；　those　that　were　within　commiserated　their　condition；　and
received　them　in　again。　And　when　Hyrcanus　sent　to　Antiochus；　and
desired　there　might　be　a　truce　for　seven　days；　because　of　the
festival；　be　gave　way　to　this　piety　towards　God；　and　made　that
truce　accordingly。　And　besides　that；　he　sent　in　a　magnificent
sacrifice；　bulls　with　their　horns　gilded；　with　all　sorts　of　sweet
spices；　and　with　cups　of　gold　and　silver。　So　those　that　were　at
the　gates　received　the　sacrifices　from　those　that　brought　them；
and　led　them　to　the　temple；　Antiochus　the　mean　while　feasting　his
army；　which　was　a　quite　different　conduct　from　Antiochus
Epiphanes；　who；　when　he　had　taken　the　city；　offered　swine　upon
the　altar；　and　sprinkled　the　temple　with　the　broth　of　their
flesh；　in　order　to　violate　the　laws　of　the　Jews；　and　the　religion
they　derived　from　their　forefathers；　for　which　reason　our　nation
made　war　with　him；　and　would　never　be　reconciled　to　him；　but　for
this　Antiochus；　all　men　called　him　Antiochus　the　Pious；　for　the
great　zeal　he　had　about　religion。

3。　Accordingly；　Hyrcanus　took　this　moderation　of　his　kindly；　and
when　he　understood　how　religious　he　was　towards　the　Deity；　he
sent　an　embassage　to　him；　and　desired　that　he　would　restore　the
settlements　they　received　from　their　forefathers。　So　he　rejected
the　counsel　of　those　that　would　have　him　utterly　destroy　the
nation；　（23）　by　reason　of　their　way　of　living；　which　was　to
others　unsociable；　and　did　not　regard　what　they　said。　But　being
persuaded　that　all　they　did　was　out　of　a　religious　mind；　he
answered　the　ambassadors；　that　if　the　besieged　would　deliver　up
their　arms；　and　pay　tribute　for　Joppa；　and　the　other　cities　which
bordered　upon　Judea；　and　admit　a　garrison　of　his；　on　these　terms
he　would　make　war　against　them　no　longer。　But　the　Jews；　although
they　were　content　with　the　other　conditions；　did　not　agree　to
admit　the　garrison；　because　they　could　not　associate　with　other
people；　nor　converse　with　them；　yet　were　they　willing；　instead　of
the　admission　of　the　garrison；　to　give　him　hostages；　and　five
hundred　talents　of　silver；　of　which　they　paid　down　three　hundred；
and　sent　the　hostages　immediately；　which　king　Antiochus　accepted。
One　of　those　hostages　was　Hyrcanus's　brother。　But　still　he　broke
down　the　fortifications　that　encompassed　the　city。　And　upon　these
conditions　Antiochus　broke　up　the　siege；　and　departed。

4。　But　Hyrcanus　opened　the　sepulcher　of　David；　who　excelled　all
other　kings　in　riches；　and　took　out　of　it　three　thousand　talents。
He　was　also　the　first　of　the　Jews　that；　relying　on　this　wealth；
maintained　foreign　troops。　There　was　also　a　league　of　friendship
and　mutual　assistance　made　between　them；　upon　which　Hyrcanus
admitted　him　into　the　city；　and　furnished　him　with　whatsoever　his
army　wanted　in　great　plenty；　and　with　great　generosity；　and
marched　along　with　him　when　he　made　an　expedition　against　the
Parthians；　of　which　Nicolaus　of　Damascus　is　a　witness　for　us；　who
in　his　history　writes　thus：　〃When　Antiochus　had　erected　a　trophy
at　the　river　Lycus；　upon　his　conquest　of　Indates；　the　general　of
the　Parthians；　he　staid　there　two　days。　It　was　at　the　desire　of
Lyrcanus　the　Jew；　because　it　was　such　a　festival　derived　to　them
from　their　forefathers；　whereon　the　law　of　the　Jews　did　not　allow
them　to　travel。〃　And　truly　he　did　not　speak　falsely　in　saying　so；
for　that　festival；　which　we　call　Pentecost；　did　then　fall　out　to
be　the　next　day　to　the　Sabbath。　Nor　is　it　lawful　for　us　to
journey；　either　on　the　Sabbath　day；　or　on　a　festival　day　（24）　But
when　Antiochus　joined　battle　with　Arsaces；　the　king　of　Parthin；
he　lost　a　great　part　of　his　army；　and　was　himself　slain；　and　his
brother　Demetrius　succeeded　in　the　kingdom　of　Syria；　by　the
permission　of　Arsaces；　who　freed　him　from　his　captivity　at　the
same　time　that　Antiochus　attacked　Parthin；　as　we　have　formerly
related　elsewhere。

CHAPTER　9。

How；　After　The　Death　Of　Antiochus；　Hyrcanus　Made　An　Expedition
Against　Syria；　And　Made　A　League　With　The　Romans。　Concerning　The
Death　Of　King　Demetrius　And　Alexander。

1。　But　when　Hyrcanus　heard　of　the　death　of　Antiochus；　he
presently　made　an　expedition　against　the　cities　of　Syria；　hoping
to　find　them　destitute　of　fighting　men；　and　of　such　as　were　able
to　defend　them。　However；　it　was　not　till　the　sixth　month　that　he
took　Medaba；　and　that　not　without　the　greatest　distress　of　his
army。　After　this　he　took　Samega；　and　the　neighboring　places；　and
besides　these；　Shechem　and　Gerizzim；　and　the　nation　of　the
Cutheans；　who　dwelt　at　the　temple　which　resembled　that　temple
which　was　at　Jerusalem；　and　which　Alexander　permitted　Sanballat；
the　general　of　his　army；　to　build　for　the　sake　of　Manasseh；　who
was　son…in…law　to　Jaddua　the　high　priest；　as　we　have　formerly
related；　which　temple　was　now　deserted　two　hundred　years　after　it
was　built。　Hyrcanus　took　also　Dora　and　Marissa；　cities　of　Idumea；
and　subdued　all　the　Idumeans；　and　permitted　them　to　stay　in　that
country；　if　th