the antiquities of the jews-1-第229章

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every　one　of　his　soldiers；　giving　them　a　hundred　and　fifty
drachmae　apiece；　and　much　more　to　their　captains；　and　sent　them
into　winter　quarters；　at　which　time　Silo　came　to　him；　and　his
commanders　with　him；　because　Antigonus　would　not　give　them
provisions　any　longer；　for　he　supplied　them　for　no　more　than　one
month；　nay；　he　had　sent　to　all　the　country　about；　and　ordered
them　to　carry　off　the　provisions　that　were　there；　and　retire　to
the　mountains；　that　the　Romans　might　have　no　provisions　to　live
upon；　and　so　might　perish　by　famine。　But　Herod　committed　the　care
of　that　matter　to　Pheroras；　his　youngest　brother；　and　ordered　him
to　repair　Alexandrium　also。　Accordingly；　he　quickly　made　the
soldiers　abound　with　great　plenty　of　provisions；　and　rebuilt
Alexandrium；　which　had　been　before　desolate。

5。　About　this　time　it　was　that　Antony　continued　some　time　at
Athens；　and　that　Ventidius；　who　was　now　in　Syria；　sent　for　Silo；
and　commanded　him　to　assist　Herod；　in　the　first　place；　to　finish
the　present　war；　and　then　to　send　for　their　confederates　for　the
war　they　were　themselves　engaged　in；　but　as　for　Herod；　he　went　in
haste　against　the　robbers　that　were　in　the　caves；　and　sent　Silo
away　to　Ventidius；　while　he　marched　against　them。　These　caves
were　in　mountains　that　were　exceeding　abrupt；　and　in　their　middle
were　no　other　than　precipices；　with　certain　entrances　into　the
caves；　and　those　caves　were　encompassed　with　sharp　rocks；　and　in
these　did　the　robbers　lie　concealed；　with　all　their　families
about　them；　but　the　king　caused　certain　chests　to　be　made；　in
order　to　destroy　them；　and　to　be　hung　down；　bound　about　with　iron
chains；　by　an　engine；　from　the　top　of　the　mountain；　it　being　not
possible　to　get　up　to　them；　by　reason　of　the　sharp　ascent　of　the
mountains；　nor　to　creep　down　to　them　from　above。　Now　these　chests
were　filled　with　armed　men；　who　had　long　hooks　in　their　hands；　by
which　they　might　pull　out　such　as　resisted　them；　and　then　tumble
them　down；　and　kill　them　by　so　doing；　but　the　letting　the　chests
down　proved　to　be　a　matter　of　great　danger；　because　of　the　vast
depth　they　were　to　be　let　down；　although　they　had　their
provisions　in　the　chests　themselves。　But　when　the　chests　were　let
down；　and　not　one　of　those　in　the　mouths　of　the　caves　durst　come
near　them；　but　lay　still　out　of　fear；　some　of　the　armed　men　girt
on　their　armor；　and　by　both　their　hands　took　hold　of　the　chain　by
which　the　chests　were　let　down；　and　went　into　the　mouths　of　the
caves；　because　they　fretted　that　such　delay　was　made　by　the
robbers　not　daring　to　come　out　of　the　caves；　and　when　they　were
at　any　of　those　mouths；　they　first　killed　many　of　those　that　were
in　the　mouths　with　their　darts；　and　afterwards　pulled　those　to
them　that　resisted　them　with　their　hooks；　and　tumbled　them　down
the　precipices；　and　afterwards　went　into　the　caves；　and　killed
many　more；　and　then　went　into　their　chests　again；　and　lay　still
there；　but；　upon　this；　terror　seized　the　rest；　when　they　heard
the　lamentations　that　were　made；　and　they　despaired　of　escaping。
However；　when　the　night　came　on；　that　put　an　end　to　the　whole
work；　and　as　the　king　proclaimed　pardon　by　a　herald　to　such　as
delivered　themselves　up　to　him；　many　accepted　of　the　offer。　The
same　method　of　assault　was　made　use　of　the　next　day；　and　they
went　further；　and　got　out　in　baskets　to　fight　them；　and　fought
them　at　their　doors；　and　sent　fire　among　them；　and　set　their
caves　on　fire；　for　there　was　a　great　deal　of　combustible　matter
within　them。　Now　there　was　one　old　man　who　was　caught　within　one
of　these　caves；　with　seven　children　and　a　wife；　these　prayed　him
to　give　them　leave　to　go　out；　and　yield　themselves　up　to　the
enemy；　but　he　stood　at　the　cave's　mouth；　and　always　slew　that
child　of　his　who　went　out；　till　he　had　destroyed　them　every　one；
and　after　that　he　slew　his　wife；　and　cast　their　dead　bodies　down
the　precipice；　and　himself　after　them；　and　so　underwent　death
rather　than　slavery：　but　before　he　did　this；　he　greatly
reproached　Herod　with　the　meanness　of　his　family；　although　he　was
then　king。　Herod　also　saw　what　he　was　doing；　and　stretched　out
his　hand；　and　offered　him　all　manner　of　security　for　his　life；　by
which　means　all　these　caves　were　at　length　subdued　entirely。

6。　And　when　the　king　had　set　Ptolemy　over　these　parts　of　the
country　as　his　general；　he　went　to　Samaria；　with　six　hundred
horsemen；　and　three　thousand　armed　footmen；　as　intending　to　fight
Antigonus。　But　still　this　command　of　the　army　did　not　succeed
well　with　Ptolemy；　but　those　that　had　been　troublesome　to　Galilee
before　attacked　him；　and　slew　him；　and　when　they　had　done　this；
they　fled　among　the　lakes　and　places　almost　inaccessible　laying
waste　and　plundering　whatsoever　they　could　come　at　in　those
places。　But　Herod　soon　returned；　and　punished　them　for　what　they
had　done；　for　some　of　these　rebels　he　slew；　and　others　of　them；
who　had　fled　to　the　strong　holds　he　besieged；　and　both　slew　them；
and　demolished　their　strong　holds。　And　when　he　had　thus　put　an
end　to　their　rebellion；　he　laid　a　fine　upon　the　cities　of　a
hundred　talents。

7。　In　the　mean　time；　Pacorus　was　fallen　in　a　battle；　and　the
Parthians　were　defeated；　when　Ventidius　sent　Macheras　to　the
assistance　of　Herod；　with　two　legions；　and　a　thousand　horsemen；
while　Antony　encouraged　him　to　make　haste。　But　Macheras；　at　the
instigation　of　Antigonus；　without　the　approbation　of　Herod；　as
being　corrupted　by　money；　went　about　to　take　a　view　of　his
affairs；　but　Antigonus　suspecting　this　intention　of　his　coming；
did　not　admit　him　into　the　city；　but　kept　him　at　a　distance；　with
throwing　stones　at　him；　and　plainly　showed　what　he　himself　meant。
But　when　Macheras　was　sensible　that　Herod　had　given　him　good
advice；　and　that　he　had　made　a　mistake　himself　in　not　hearkening
to　that　advice；　he　retired　to　the　city　Emmaus；　and　what　Jews　he
met　with　he　slew　them；　whether　they　were　enemies　or　friends；　out
of　the　rage　he　was　in　at　what　hardships　he　had　undergone。　The
king　was　provoked　at　this　conduct　of　his；　and　went　to　Samaria；
and　resolved　to　go　to　Antony　about　these　affairs；　and　to　inform
him　that　he　stood　in　no　need　of　such　helpers；　who　did　him　more
mischief　than　they　did　his　enemies；　and　that　he　was　able　of
himself　to　beat　Antigonus。　But　Macheras　followed　him；　and　desired
that　he　would　not　go　to　Antony；　or　if　he　was　resolved　to　go；　that
he　would　join　his　brother　Joseph　with　them；　and　let　them　fight
against　Antigonus。　So　he　was　reconciled　to　Macheras；　upon　his
earnest　entreaties。　Accordingly；　he　left　Joseph　there　with　his
army；　but　charged　him　to　run　no　hazards；　nor　to　quarrel　with
Macheras。

8。　But　for　his　own　part；　he　made　haste　to　Antony　（who　was　then　at
the　siege　of　Samosata；　a　place　upon　Euphrates）　with　his　troops；
both　horsemen　and　footmen；　to　be　auxiliaries　to　him。　And　when　he
came　to　Antioch；　and　met　there　a　great　number　of　men　gotten
together　that　were　very　desirous　to　go　to　Antony；　but　durst　not
venture　to　go；　out　of　fear；　because　the　barbarians　fell　upon　men
on　the　road；　and　slew　many；　so　he　encouraged　them；　and　became
their　conductor　upon　the　road。　Now　when　they　were　within　two
days'　march　of　Samosata；　the　barbarians　had　laid　an　ambush　there
to　disturb　those　that　came　to　Antony；　and　where　the　woods　made
the　passes　narrow；　as　they　led　to　the　plains；　there　they　laid　not
a　few　of　their　horsemen；　who　were　to　lie　still　until　those
passengers　were　gone　by　into　the　wide　place。　Now　as　soon　as　the
first　ranks　were　gone　by；　（for　Herod　brought　on　the　rear；）　those
that　lay　in　ambush；　who　were　about　five　hundred；　fell　upon　them
on　the　sudden；　and　when　they　had　put　the　foremost　to　flight；　the
king　came　riding　hard；　with　the　forces　that　were　about　him；　and
immediately　drove　back　the　enemy；　by　which　means　he　made　the
minds　of　his　own　men　courageous；　and　imboldened　them　to　go　on；
insomuch　that　those　who　ran　away　before　now　returned　back；　and
the　barbarians　were　slain　on　all　sides。　The　king　also　went　on
killing　them；　and　recovered　all　the　baggage；　among　which　were　a
great　number　of　beasts　for　burden；　and　of　slaves；　and　proceeded
on　in　his　march；　and　whereas　there　were　a　great　number　of　those
in　the　woods　that　attacked　them