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第284章

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and had a great many followers therein; filled our civil
government with tumults at present; and laid the foundations of
our future miseries; by this system of philosophy; which we were
before unacquainted withal; concerning which I will discourse a
little; and this the rather because the infection which spread
thence among the younger sort; who were zealous for it; brought
the public to destruction。

2。 The Jews had for a great while had three sects of philosophy
peculiar to themselves; the sect of the Essens; and the sect of
the Sadducees; and the third sort of opinions was that of those
called Pharisees; of which sects; although I have already spoken
in the second book of the Jewish War; yet will I a little touch
upon them now。

3。 Now; for the Pharisees; they live meanly; and despise
delicacies in diet; and they follow the conduct of reason; and
what that prescribes to them as good for them they do; and they
think they ought earnestly to strive to observe reason's dictates
for practice。 They also pay a respect to such as are in years;
nor are they so bold as to contradict them in any thing which
they have introduced; and when they determine that all things are
done by fate; they do not take away the freedom from men of
acting as they think fit; since their notion is; that it hath
pleased God to make a temperament; whereby what he wills is done;
but so that the will of man can act virtuously or viciously。 They
also believe that souls have an immortal rigor in them; and that
under the earth there will be rewards or punishments; according
as they have lived virtuously or viciously in this life; and the
latter are to be detained in an everlasting prison; but that the
former shall have power to revive and live again; on account of
which doctrines they are able greatly to persuade the body of the
people; and whatsoever they do about Divine worship; prayers; and
sacrifices; they perform them according to their direction;
insomuch that the cities give great attestations to them on
account of their entire virtuous conduct; both in the actions of
their lives and their discourses also。

4。 But the doctrine of the Sadducees is this: That souls die with
the bodies; nor do they regard the observation of any thing
besides what the law enjoins them; for they think it an instance
of virtue to dispute with those teachers of philosophy whom they
frequent: but this doctrine is received but by a few; yet by
those still of the greatest dignity。 But they are able to do
almost nothing of themselves; for when they become magistrates;
as they are unwillingly and by force sometimes obliged to be;
they addict themselves to the notions of the Pharisees; because
the multitude would not otherwise bear them。

5。 The doctrine of the Essens is this: That all things are best
ascribed to God。 They teach the immortality of souls; and esteem
that the rewards of righteousness are to be earnestly striven
for; and when they send what they have dedicated to God into the
temple; they do not offer sacrifices (3) because they have more
pure lustrations of their own; on which account they are excluded
from the common court of the temple; but offer their sacrifices
themselves; yet is their course of life better than that of other
men; and they entirely addict themselves to husbandry。 It also
deserves our admiration; how much they exceed all other men that
addict themselves to virtue; and this in righteousness; and
indeed to such a degree; that as it hath never appeared among any
other men; neither Greeks nor barbarians; no; not for a little
time; so hath it endured a long while among them。 This is
demonstrated by that institution of theirs; which will not suffer
any thing to hinder them from having all things in common; so
that a rich man enjoys no more of his own wealth than he who hath
nothing at all。 There are about four thousand men that live in
this way; and neither marry wives; nor are desirous to keep
servants; as thinking the latter tempts men to be unjust; and the
former gives the handle to domestic quarrels; but as they live by
themselves; they minister one to another。 They also appoint
certain stewards to receive the incomes of their revenues; and of
the fruits of the ground; such as are good men and priests; who
are to get their corn and their food ready for them。 They none of
them differ from others of the Essens in their way of living; but
do the most resemble those Dacae who are called Polistae (4)
'dwellers in cities'。

6。 But of the fourth sect of Jewish philosophy; Judas the
Galilean was the author。 These men agree in all other things with
the Pharisaic notions; but they have an inviolable attachment to
liberty; and say that God is to be their only Ruler and Lord。
They also do not value dying any kinds of death; nor indeed do
they heed the deaths of their relations and friends; nor can any
such fear make them call any man lord。 And since this immovable
resolution of theirs is well known to a great many; I shall speak
no further about that matter; nor am I afraid that any thing I
have said of them should be disbelieved; but rather fear; that
what I have said is beneath the resolution they show when they
undergo pain。 And it was in Gessius Florus's time that the nation
began to grow mad with this distemper; who was our procurator;
and who occasioned the Jews to go wild with it by the abuse of
his authority; and to make them revolt from the Romans。 And these
are the sects of Jewish philosophy。

CHAPTER 2。

Now Herod And Philip Built Several Cities In Honor Of Caesar。
Concerning The Succession Of Priests And Procurators; As Also
What Befell Phraates And The Parthians。

1。 When Cyrenius had now disposed of Archelaus's money; and when
the taxings were come to a conclusion; which were made in the
thirty…seventh year of Caesar's victory over Antony at Actium; he
deprived Joazar of the high priesthood; which dignity had been
conferred on him by the multitude; and he appointed Ananus; the
son of Seth; to be high priest; while Herod and Philip had each
of them received their own tetrarchy; and settled the affairs
thereof。 Herod also built a wall about Sepphoris; (which is the
security of all Galilee;) and made it the metropolis of the
country。 He also built a wall round Betharamphtha; which was
itself a city also; and called it Julias; from the name of the
emperor's wife。 When Philip also had built Paneas; a city at the
fountains of Jordan; he named it Cesarea。 He also advanced the
village Bethsaids; situate at the lake of Gennesareth; unto the
dignity of a city; both by the number of inhabitants it
contained; and its other grandeur; and called it by the name of
Julias; the same name with Caesar's daughter。

2。 As Coponius; who we told you was sent along with Cyrenius; was
exercising his office of procurator; and governing Judea; the
following accidents happened。 As the Jews were celebrating the
feast of unleavened bread; which we call the Passover; it was
customary for the priests to open the temple…gates just after
midnight。 When; therefore; those gates were first opened; some of
the Samaritans came privately into Jerusalem; and threw about
dead men's bodies; in the cloisters; on which account the Jews
afterward excluded them out of the temple; which they had not
used to do at such festivals; and on other accounts also they
watched the temple more carefully than they had formerly done。 A
little after which accident Coponius returned to Rome; and Marcus
Ambivius came to be his successor in that government; under whom
Salome; the sister of king Herod; died; and left to Julia;
'Caesar's wife;' Jamnia; all its toparchy; and Phasaelis in the
plain; and Arehelais; where is a great plantation of palm trees;
and their fruit is excellent in its kind。 After him came Annius
Rufus; under whom died Caesar; the second emperor of the Romans;
the duration of whose reign was fifty…seven years; besides six
months and two days (of which time Antonius ruled together with
him fourteen years; but the duration of his life was
seventy…seven years); upon whose death Tiberius Nero; his wife
Julia's son; succeeded。 He was now the third emperor; and he sent

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