the antiquities of the jews-1-第237章

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happened；　he　would　attack　the　Jews　with　those　forces　he　had　of
his　own；　and　with　those　that　the　country　had　gotten　together　for
him。　So　he　fell　upon　the　Jews　unexpectedly；　when　they　were
fatigued；　and　thought　they　had　already　vanquished　the　enemy；　and
made　a　great　slaughter　of　them；　for　as　the　Jews　had　spent　their
courage　upon　their　known　enemies；　and　were　about　to　enjoy
themselves　in　quietness　after　their　victory；　they　were　easily
beaten　by　these　that　attacked　them　afresh；　and　in　particular
received　a　great　loss　in　places　where　the　horses　could　not　be　of
service；　and　which　were　very　stony；　and　where　those　that　attacked
them　were　better　acquainted　with　the　places　than　themselves。　And
when　the　Jews　had　suffered　this　loss；　the　Arabians　raised　their
spirits　after　their　defeat；　and　returning　back　again；　slew　those
that　were　already　put　to　flight；　and　indeed　all　sorts　of
slaughter　were　now　frequent；　and　of　those　that　escaped；　a　few
only　returned　into　the　camp。　So　king　Herod；　when　he　despaired　of
the　battle；　rode　up　to　them　to　bring　them　assistance；　yet　did　he
not　come　time　enough　to　do　them　any　service；　though　he　labored
hard　to　do　it；　but　the　Jewish　camp　was　taken；　so　that　the
Arabians　had　unexpectedly　a　most　glorious　success；　having　gained
that　victory　which　of　themselves　they　were　no　way　likely　to　have
gained；　and　slaying　a　great　part　of　the　enemy's　army：　whence
afterward　Herod　could　only　act　like　a　private　robber；　and　make
excursions　upon　many　parts　of　Arabia；　and　distress　them　by　sudden
incursions；　while　he　encamped　among　the　mountains；　and　avoided　by
any　means　to　come　to　a　pitched　battle；　yet　did　he　greatly　harass
the　enemy　by　his　assiduity；　and　the　hard　labor　he　took　in　this
matter。　He　also　took　great　care　of　his　own　forces；　and　used　all
the　means　he　could　to　restore　his　affairs　to　their　old　state。

2。　At　this　time　it　was　that　the　fight　happened　at　Actium；　between
Octavius　Caesar　and　Antony；　in　the　seventh　year　of　the　reign　of
Herod　（8）　and　then　it　was　also　that　there　was　an　earthquake　in
Judea；　such　a　one　as　had　not　happened　at　any　other　time；　and
which　earthquake　brought　a　great　destruction　upon　the　cattle　in
that　country。　About　ten　thousand　men　also　perished　by　the　fall　of
houses；　but　the　army；　which　lodged　in　the　field；　received　no
damage　by　this　sad　accident。　When　the　Arabians　were　informed　of
this；　and　when　those　that　hated　the　Jews；　and　pleased　themselves
with　aggravating　the　reports；　told　them　of　it；　they　raised　their
spirits；　as　if　their　enemy's　country　was　quite　overthrown；　and
the　men　were　utterly　destroyed；　and　thought　there　now　remained
nothing　that　could　oppose　them。　Accordingly；　they　took　the　Jewish
ambassadors；　who　came　to　them　after　all　this　had　happened；　to
make　peace　with　them；　and　slew　them；　and　came　with　great　alacrity
against　their　army；　but　the　Jews　durst　not　withstand　them；　and
were　so　cast　down　by　the　calamities　they　were　under；　that　they
took　no　care　of　their　affairs；　but　gave　up　themselves　to　despair；
for　they　had　no　hope　that　they　should　be　upon　a　level　again　with
them　in　battles；　nor　obtain　any　assistance　elsewhere；　while　their
affairs　at　home　were　in　such　great　distress　also。　When　matters
were　in　this　condition；　the　king　persuaded　the　commanders　by　his
words；　and　tried　to　raise　their　spirits；　which　were　quite　sunk；
and　first　he　endeavored　to　encourage　and　embolden　some　of　the
better　sort　beforehand；　and　then　ventured　to　make　a　speech　to　the
multitude；　which　he　had　before　avoided　to　do；　lest　he　should　find
them　uneasy　thereat；　because　of　the　misfortunes　which　had
happened；　so　he　made　a　consolatory　speech　to　the　multitude；　in
the　manner　following：

3。　〃You　are　not　unacquainted；　my　fellow　soldiers；　that　we　have
had；　not　long　since；　many　accidents　that　have　put　a　stop　to　what
we　are　about；　and　it　is　probable　that　even　those　that　are　most
distinguished　above　others　for　their　courage　can　hardly　keep　up
their　spirits　in　such　circumstances；　but　since　we　cannot　avoid
fighting；　and　nothing　that　hath　happened　is　of　such　a　nature　but
it　may　by　ourselves　be　recovered　into　a　good　state；　and　this　by
one　brave　action　only　well　performed；　I　have　proposed　to　myself
both　to　give　you　some　encouragement；　and；　at　the　same　time；　some
information；　both　which　parts　of　my　design　will　tend　to　this
point；　that　you　may　still　continue　in　your　own　proper　fortitude。
I　will　then；　in　the　first　place；　demonstrate　to　you　that　this　war
is　a　just　one　on　our　side；　and　that　on　this　account　it　is　a　war
of　necessity；　and　occasioned　by　the　injustice　of　our　adversaries；
for　if　you　be　once　satisfied　of　this；　it　will　be　a　real　cause　of
alacrity　to　you；　after　which　I　will　further　demonstrate；　that　the
misfortunes　we　are　under　are　of　no　great　consequence；　and　that　we
have　the　greatest　reason　to　hope　for　victory。　I　shall　begin　with
the　first；　and　appeal　to　yourselves　as　witnesses　to　what　I　shall
say。　You　are　not　ignorant　certainly　of　the　wickedness　of　the
Arabians；　which　is　to　that　degree　as　to　appear　incredible　to　all
other　men；　and　to　include　somewhat　that　shows　the　grossest
barbarity　and　ignorance　of　God。　The　chief　things　wherein　they
have　affronted　us　have　arisen　from　covetousness　and　envy；　and
they　have　attacked　us　in　an　insidious　manner；　and　on　the　sudden。
And　what　occasion　is　there　for　me　to　mention　many　instances　of
such　their　procedure？　When　they　were　in　danger　of　losing　their
own　government　of　themselves；　and　of　being　slaves　to　Cleopatra；
what　others　were　they　that　freed　them　from　that　fear？　for　it　was
the　friendship。　I　had　with　Antony；　and　the　kind　disposition　he
was　in　towards　us；　that　hath　been　the　occasion　that　even　these
Arabians　have　not　been　utterly　undone；　Antony　being　unwilling　to
undertake　any　thing　which　might　be　suspected　by　us　of　unkindness：
but　when　he　had　a　mind　to　bestow　some　parts　of　each　of　our
dominions　on　Cleopatra；　I　also　managed　that　matter　so；　that　by
giving　him　presents　of　my　own；　I　might　obtain　a　security　to　both
nations；　while　I　undertook　myself　to　answer　for　the　money；　and
gave　him　two　hundred　talents；　and　became　surety　for　those　two
hundred　more　which　were　imposed　upon　the　land　that　was　subject　to
this　tribute；　and　this　they　have　defrauded　us　of；　although　it　was
not　reasonable　that　Jews　should　pay　tribute　to　any　man　living；　or
allow　part　of　their　land　to　be　taxable；　but　although　that　was　to
be；　yet　ought　we　not　to　pay　tribute　for　these　Arabians；　whom　we
have　ourselves　preserved；　nor　is　it　fit　that　they；　who　have
professed　（and　that　with　great　integrity　and　sense　of　our
kindness）　that　it　is　by　our　means　that　they　keep　their
principality；　should　injure　us；　and　deprive　us　of　what　is　our
due；　and　this　while　we　have　been　still　not　their　enemies；　but
their　friends。　And　whereas　observation　of　covenants　takes　place
among　the　bitterest　enemies；　but　among　friends　is　absolutely
necessary；　this　is　not　observed　among　these　men；　who　think　gain
to　be　the　best　of　all　things；　let　it　be　by　any　means　whatsoever；
and　that　injustice　is　no　harm；　if　they　may　but　get　money　by　it：
is　it　therefore　a　question　with　you；　whether　the　unjust　are　to　be
punished　or　not？　when　God　himself　hath　declared　his　mind　that　so
it　ought　to　be；　and　hath　commanded　that　we　ever　should　hate
injuries　and　injustice；　which　is　not　only　just；　but　necessary；　in
wars　between　several　nations；　for　these　Arabians　have　done　what
both　the　Greeks　and　barbarians　own　to　be　an　instance　of　the
grossest　wickedness；　with　regard　to　our　ambassadors；　which　they
have　beheaded；　while　the　Greeks　declare　that　such　ambassadors　are
sacred　and　inviolable。　（9）　And　for　ourselves；　we　have　learned
from　God　the　most　excellent　of　our　doctrines；　and　the　most　holy
part　of　our　law；　by　angels　or　ambassadors；　for　this　name　brings
God　to　the　knowledge　of　mankind；　and　is　sufficient　to　reconcile
enemies　one　to　another。　What　wickedness　then　can　be　greater　than
the　slaughter　of　ambassadors；　who　come　to　treat　about　doing　what
is　right？　And　when　such　have　been　their　actions；　how　is　it
possible　they　can　either　live　securely　in　common　life；　or　be
successful　in　war？　In　my　opinion；　this　is　impossible；　but　perhaps
some　will　say；　that　what　is　holy；　and　what　is　righteous；　is
indeed　on