the antiquities of the jews-1-第238章

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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　our　side；　but　that　the　Arabians　are　either　more
courageous　or　more　numerous　than　we　are。　Now；　as　to　this；　in　the
first　place；　it　is　not　fit　for　us　to　say　so；　for　with　whom　is
what　is　righteous；　with　them　is　God　himself；　now　where　God　is；
there　is　both　multitude　and　courage。　But　to　examine　our　own
circumstances　a　little；　we　were　conquerors　in　the　first　battle；
and　when　we　fought　again；　they　were　not　able　to　oppose　us；　but
ran　away；　and　could　not　endure　our　attacks　or　our　courage；　but
when　we　had　conquered　them；　then　came　Athenion；　and　made　war
against　us　without　declaring　it；　and　pray；　is　this　an　instance　of
their　manhood？　or　is　it　not　a　second　instance　of　their　wickedness
and　treachery？　Why　are　we　therefore　of　less　courage；　on　account
of　that　which　ought　to　inspire　us　with　stronger　hopes？　and　why
are　we　terrified　at　these；　who；　when　they　fight　upon　the　level；
are　continually　beaten；　and　when　they　seem　to　be　conquerors；　they
gain　it　by　wickedness？　and　if　we　suppose　that　any　one　should　deem
them　to　be　men　of　real　courage；　will　not　he　be　excited　by　that
very　consideration　to　do　his　utmost　against　them？　for　true　valor
is　not　shown　by　fighting　against　weak　persons；　but　in　being　able
to　overcome　the　most　hardy。　But　then　if　the　distresses　we　are
ourselves　under；　and　the　miseries　that　have　come　by　the
earthquake；　hath　aftrighted　any　one；　let　him　consider；　in　the
first　place；　that　this　very　thing　will　deceive　the　Arabians；　by
their　supposal　that　what　hath　befallen　us　is　greater　than　it
really　is。　Moreover；　it　is　not　right　that　the　same　thing　that
emboldens　them　should　discourage　us；　for　these　men；　you　see；　do
not　derive　their　alacrity　from　any　advantageous　virtue　of　their
own；　but　from　their　hope；　as　to　us；　that　we　are　quite　cast　down
by　our　misfortunes；　but　when　we　boldly　march　against　them；　we
shall　soon　pull　down　their　insolent　conceit　of　themselves；　and
shall　gain　this　by　attacking　them；　that　they　will　not　be　so
insolent　when　we　come　to　the　battle；　for　our　distresses　are　not
so　great；　nor　is　what　hath　happened　all　indication　of　the　anger
of　God　against　us；　as　some　imagine；　for　such　things　are
accidental；　and　adversities　that　come　in　the　usual　course　of
things；　and　if　we　allow　that　this　was　done　by　the　will　of　God；　we
must　allow　that　it　is　now　over　by　his　will　also；　and　that　he　is
satisfied　with　what　hath　already　happened；　for　had　he　been
willing　to　afflict　us　still　more　thereby；　he　had　not　changed　his
mind　so　soon。　And　as　for　the　war　we　are　engaged　in；　he　hath
himself　demonstrated　that　he　is　willing　it　should　go　on；　and　that
he　knows　it　to　be　a　just　war；　for　while　some　of　the　people　in　the
country　have　perished；　all　you　who　were　in　arms　have　suffered
nothing；　but　are　all　preserved　alive；　whereby　God　makes　it　plain
to　us；　that　if　you　had　universally；　with　your　children　and　wives；
been　in　the　army；　it　had　come　to　pass　that　you　had　not　undergone
any　thing　that　would　have　much　hurt　you。　Consider　these　things；
and；　what　is　more　than　all　the　rest；　that　you　have　God　at　all
times　for　your　Protector；　and　prosecute　these　men　with　a　just
bravery；　who；　in　point　of　friendship；　are　unjust；　in　their
battles　perfidious；　towards　ambassadors　impious；　and　always
inferior　to　you　in　valor。〃

4。　When　the　Jews　heard　this　speech；　they　were　much　raised　in
their　minds；　and　more　disposed　to　fight　than　before。　So　Herod；
when　he　had　offered　the　sacrifices　appointed　by　the　law　（10）　made
haste；　and　took　them；　and　led　them　against　the　Arabians；　and　in
order　to　that　passed　over　Jordan；　and　pitched　his　camp　near　to
that　of　the　enemy。　He　also　thought　fit　to　seize　upon　a　certain
castle　that　lay　in　the　midst　of　them；　as　hoping　it　would　be　for
his　advantage；　and　would　the　sooner　produce　a　battle；　and　that　if
there　were　occasion　for　delay；　he　should　by　it　have　his　camp
fortified；　and　as　the　Arabians　had　the　same　intentions　upon　that
place；　a　contest　arose　about　it；　at　first　they　were　but
skirmishes；　after　which　there　came　more　soldiers；　and　it　proved　a
sort　of　fight；　and　some　fell　on　both　sides；　till　those　of　the
Arabian　side　were　beaten　and　retreated。　This　was　no　small
encouragement　to　the　Jews　immediately；　and　when　Herod　observed
that　the　enemy's　army　was　disposed　to　any　thing　rather　than　to
come　to　an　engagement；　he　ventured　boldly　to　attempt　the　bulwark
itself；　and　to　pull　it　to　pieces；　and　so　to　get　nearer　to　their
camp；　in　order　to　fight　them；　for　when　they　were　forced　out　of
their　trenches；　they　went　out　in　disorder；　and　had　not　the　least
alacrity；　or　hope　of　victory；　yet　did　they　fight　hand　to　hand；
because　they　were　more　in　number　than　the　Jews；　and　because　they
were　in　such　a　disposition　of　war　that　they　were　under　a
necessity　of　coming　on　boldly；　so　they　came　to　a　terrible　battle；
while　not　a　few　fell　on　each　side。　However；　at　length　the
Arabians　fled；　and　so　great　a　slaughter　was　made　upon　their　being
routed；　that　they　were　not　only　killed　by　their　enemies；　but
became　the　authors　of　their　own　deaths　also；　and　were　trodden
down　by　the　multitude；　and　the　great　current　of　people　in
disorder；　and　were　destroyed　by　their　own　armor；　so　five　thousand
men　lay　dead　upon　the　spot；　while　the　rest　of　the　multitude　soon
ran　within　the　bulwark　for　safety；　but　had　no　firm　hope　of
safety；　by　reason　of　their　want　of　necessaries；　and　especially　of
water。　The　Jews　pursued　them；　but　could　not　get　in　with　them；　but
sat　round　about　the　bulwark；　and　watched　any　assistance　that
would　get　in　to　them；　and　prevented　any　there；　that　had　a　mind　to
it；　from　running　away。

5。　When　the　Arabians　were　in　these　circumstances；　they　sent
ambassadors　to　Herod；　in　the　first　place；　to　propose　terms　of
accommodation；　and　after　that　to　offer　him；　so　pressing　was　their
thirst　upon　them；　to　undergo　whatsoever　he　pleased；　if　he　would
free　them　from　their　present　distress；　but　he　would　admit　of　no
ambassadors；　of　no　price　of　redemption；　nor　of　any　other　moderate
terms　whatever；　being　very　desirous　to　revenge　those　unjust
actions　which　they　had　been　guilty　of　towards　his　nation。　So　they
were　necessitated　by　other　motives；　and　particularly　by　their
thirst；　to　come　out；　and　deliver　themselves　up　to　him；　to　be
carried　away　captives；　and　in　five　days'　time　the　number　of　four
thousand　were　taken　prisoners；　while　all　the　rest　resolved　to
make　a　sally　upon　their　enemies；　and　to　fight　it　out　with　them；
choosing　rather；　if　so　it　must　be；　to　die　therein；　than　to　perish
gradually　and　ingloriously。　When　they　had　taken　this　resolution；
they　came　out　of　their　trenches；　but　could　no　way　sustain　the
fight；　being　too　much　disabled；　both　in　mind　and　body；　and　having
not　room　to　exert　themselves；　and　thought　it　an　advantage　to　be
killed；　and　a　misery　to　survive；　so　at　the　first　onset　there　fell
about　seven　thousand　of　them；　after　which　stroke　they　let　all　the
courage　they　had　put　on　before　fall；　and　stood　amazed　at　Herod's
warlike　spirit　under　his　own　calamities；　so　for　the　future　they
yielded；　and　made　him　ruler　of　their　nation；　whereupon　he　was
greatly　elevated　at　so　seasonable　a　success；　and　returned　home；
taking　great　authority　upon　him；　on　account　of　so　bold　and
glorious　an　expedition　as　he　had　made。
CHAPTER　6。

How　Herod　Slew　Hyrcanus　And　Then　Hasted　Away　To　Caesar；　And
Obtained　The　Kingdom　From　Him　Also；　And　How　A　Little　Time
Afterward；　He　Entertained　Caesar　In　A　Most　Honorable　Manner。

1。　Herod's　other　affairs　were　now　very　prosperous；　and　he　was　not
to　be　easily　assaulted　on　any　side。　Yet　did　there　come　upon　him　a
danger　that　would　hazard　his　entire　dominions；　after　Antony　had
been　beaten　at　the　battle　of　Actium　by　Caesar　＇Octarian＇；　for　at
that　time　both　Herod's　enemies　and　friends　despaired　of　his
affairs；　for　it　was　not　probable　that　he　would　remain　without
punishment；　who　had　showed　so　much　friendship　for　Antony。　So　it
happened　that　his　friends　despaired；　and　had　no　hopes　of　his
escape；　but　for　his　enemies；　they　all　outwardly　appeared　to　be
troubled　at　his　case；　but　were　privately　very　glad　of　it；　as
hoping　to　obtain　a　change　for　the　better。　As　for　Her