the antiquities of the jews-1-第250章

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Antonia。

5。　Now　in　the　western　quarters　of　the　enclosure　of　the　temple
there　were　four　gates；　the　first　led　to　the　king's　palace；　and
went　to　a　passage　over　the　intermediate　valley；　two　more　led　to
the　suburbs　of　the　city；　and　the　last　led　to　the　other　city；
where　the　road　descended　down　into　the　valley　by　a　great　number
of　steps；　and　thence　up　again　by　the　ascent　for　the　city　lay　over
against　the　temple　in　the　manner　of　a　theater；　and　was
encompassed　with　a　deep　valley　along　the　entire　south　quarter；
but　the　fourth　front　of　the　temple；　which　was　southward；　had
indeed　itself　gates　in　its　middle；　as　also　it　had　the　royal
cloisters；　with　three　walks；　which　reached　in　length　from　the
east　valley　unto　that　on　the　west；　for　it　was　impossible　it
should　reach　any　farther：　and　this　cloister　deserves　to　be
mentioned　better　than　any　other　under　the　sun；　for　while　the
valley　was　very　deep；　and　its　bottom　could　not　be　seen；　if　you
looked　from　above　into　the　depth；　this　further　vastly　high
elevation　of　the　cloister　stood　upon　that　height；　insomuch　that
if　any　one　looked　down　from　the　top　of　the　battlements；　or　down
both　those　altitudes；　he　would　be　giddy；　while　his　sight　could
not　reach　to　such　an　immense　depth。　This　cloister　had　pillars
that　stood　in　four　rows　one　over　against　the　other　all　along；　for
the　fourth　row　was　interwoven　into　the　wall；　which　＇also　was
built　of　stone＇；　and　the　thickness　of　each　pillar　was　such；　that
three　men　might；　with　their　arms　extended；　fathom　it　round；　and
join　their　hands　again；　while　its　length　was　twenty…seven　feet；
with　a　double　spiral　at　its　basis；　and　the　number　of　all　the
pillars　＇in　that　court＇　was　a　hundred　and　sixty…two。　Their
chapiters　were　made　with　sculptures　after　the　Corinthian　order；
and　caused　an　amazement　＇to　the　spectators＇；　by　reason　of　the
grandeur　of　the　whole。　These　four　rows　of　pillars　included　three
intervals　for　walking　in　the　middle　of　this　cloister；　two　of
which　walks　were　made　parallel　to　each　other；　and　were　contrived
after　the　same　manner；　the　breadth　of　each　of　them　was　thirty
feet；　the　length　was　a　furlong；　and　the　height　fifty　feet；　but
the　breadth　of　the　middle　part　of　the　cloister　was　one　and　a　half
of　the　other；　and　the　height　was　double；　for　it　was　much　higher
than　those　on　each　side；　but　the　roofs　were　adorned　with　deep
sculptures　in　wood；　representing　many　sorts　of　figures。　The
middle　was　much　higher　than　the　rest；　and　the　wall　of　the　front
was　adorned　with　beams；　resting　upon　pillars；　that　were
interwoven　into　it；　and　that　front　was　all　of　polished　stone；
insomuch　that　its　fineness；　to　such　as　had　not　seen　it；　was
incredible；　and　to　such　as　had　seen　it；　was　greatly　amazing。　Thus
was　the　first　enclosure。　In　the　midst　of　which；　and　not　far　from
it；　was　the　second；　to　be　gone　up　to　by　a　few　steps：　this　was
encompassed　by　a　stone　wall　for　a　partition；　with　an　inscription；
which　forbade　any　foreigner　to　go　in　under　pain　of　death。　Now
this　inner　enclosure　had　on　its　southern　and　northern　quarters
three　gates　＇equally＇　distant　one　from　another；　but　on　the　east
quarter；　towards　the　sun…rising；　there　was　one　large　gate；
through　which　such　as　were　pure　came　in；　together　with　their
wives；　but　the　temple　further　inward　in　that　gate　was　not　allowed
to　the　women；　but　still　more　inward　was　there　a　third　＇court　of
the＇　temple；　whereinto　it　was　not　lawful　for　any　but　the　priests
alone　to　enter。　The　temple　itself　was　within　this；　and　before
that　temple　was　the　altar；　upon　which　we　offer　our　sacrifices　and
burnt…offerings　to　God。　Into　none　of　these　three　did　king　Herod
enter；　（24）　for　he　was　forbidden；　because　he　was　not　a　priest。
However；　he　took　care　of　the　cloisters　and　the　outer　enclosures；
and　these　he　built　in　eight　years。

6。　But　the　temple　itself　was　built　by　the　priests　in　a　year　and
six　months；　upon　which　all　the　people　were　full　of　joy；　and
presently　they　returned　thanks；　in　the　first　place；　to　God；　and
in　the　next　place；　for　the　alacrity　the　king　had　showed。　They
feasted　and　celebrated　this　rebuilding　of　the　temple：　and　for　the
king；　he　sacrificed　three　hundred　oxen　to　God；　as　did　the　rest
every　one　according　to　his　ability；　the　number　of　which
sacrifices　is　not　possible　to　set　down；　for　it　cannot　be　that　we
should　truly　relate　it；　for　at　the　same　time　with　this
celebration　for　the　work　about　the　temple　fell　also　the　day　of
the　king's　inauguration；　which　he　kept　of　an　old　custom　as　a
festival；　and　it　now　coincided　with　the　other；　which　coincidence
of　them　both　made　the　festival　most　illustrious。

7。　There　was　also　an　occult　passage　built　for　the　king；　it　led
from　Antonia　to　the　inner　temple；　at　its　eastern　gate；　over　which
he　also　erected　for　himself　a　tower；　that　he　might　have　the
opportunity　of　a　subterraneous　ascent　to　the　temple；　in　order　to
guard　against　any　sedition　which　might　be　made　by　the　people
against　their　kings。　It　is　also　reported；　（25）　that　during　the
time　that　the　temple　was　building；　it　did　not　rain　in　the
daytime；　but　that　the　showers　fell　in　the　nights；　so　that　the
work　was　not　hindered。　And　this　our　fathers　have　delivered　to　us；
nor　is　it　incredible；　if　any　one　have　regard　to　the
manifestations　of　God。　And　thus　was　performed　the　work　of　the
rebuilding　of　the　temple。　

BOOK　XVI。

Containing　The　Interval　Of　Twelve　Years。

From　The　Finishing　Of　The　Temple　By　Herod　To　The　Death　Of
Alexander　And　Aristobulus。

CHAPTER　1。

A　Law　Of　Herod's　About；　Thieves。　Salome　And　Pheroras　Calumniate
Alexander　And　Aristobulus；　Upon　Their　Return　From　Rome　For　Whom
Yet　Herod　Provides　Wives。

1。　As　king　Herod　was　very　zealous　in　the　administration　of　his
entire　government；　and　desirous　to　put　a　stop　to　particular　acts
of　injustice　which　were　done　by　criminals　about　the　city　and
country；　he　made　a　law；　no　way　like　our　original　laws；　and　which
he　enacted　of　himself；　to　expose　house…breakers　to　be　ejected　out
of　his　kingdom；　which　punishment　was　not　only　grievous　to　be
borne　by　the　offenders；　but　contained　in　it　a　dissolution　of　the
customs　of　our　forefathers；　for　this　slavery　to　foreigners；　and
such　as　did　not　live　after　the　manner　of　Jews；　and　this　necessity
that　they　were　under　to　do　whatsoever　such　men　should　command；
was　an　offense　against　our　religious　settlement；　rather　than　a
punishment　to　such　as　were　found　to　have　offended；　such　a
punishment　being　avoided　in　our　original　laws；　for　those　laws
ordain；　that　the　thief　shall　restore　fourfold；　and　that　if　he
have　not　so　much；　he　shall　be　sold　indeed；　but　not　to　foreigners；
nor　so　that　he　be　under　perpetual　slavery；　for　he　must　have　been
released　after　six　years。　But　this　law；　thus　enacted；　in　order　to
introduce　a　severe　and　illegal　punishment；　seemed　to　be　a　piece
of　insolence　of　Herod；　when　he　did　not　act　as　a　king；　but　as　a
tyrant；　and　thus　contemptuously；　and　without　any　regard　to　his
subjects；　did　he　venture　to　introduce　such　a　punishment。　Now　this
penalty；　thus　brought　into　practice；　was　like　Herod's　other
actions；　and　became　a　part　of　his　accusation；　and　an　occasion　of
the　hatred　he　lay　under。

2。　Now　at　this　time　it　was　that　he　sailed　to　Italy；　as　very
desirous　to　meet　with　Caesar；　and　to　see　his　sons　who　lived　at
Rome；　and　Caesar　was　not　only　very　obliging　to　him　in　other
respects；　but　delivered　him　his　sons　again；　that　he　might　take
them　home　with　him；　as　having　already　completed　themselves　in　the
sciences；　but　as　soon　as　the　young　men　were　come　from　Italy；　the
multitude　were　very　desirous　to　see　them；　and　they　became
conspicuous　among　them　all；　as　adorned　with　great　blessings　of
fortune；　and　having　the　countenances　of　persons　of　royal　dignity。
So　they　soon　appeared　to　be　the　objects　of　envy　to　Salome；　the
king's　sister；　and　to　such　as　had　raised　calumnies　against
Mariamne；　for　they　were　suspicious；　that　when　these　came　to　the
government；　they　should　be　punished　for　the　wickedness　they　had
been　guilty　of　against　their　mother；　so　they　made　this　very　fear
of　theirs　a　motive　to　raise　calumnies　against　them　also。　They
gave　it　out　that　they　were　not　pleased　with　their　father's
company；　because　he　had　put　their　mother　to　death；　as　if　it　were
not　agreeable　to　piety　to　appear　to　converse　wi