the wars of the jews-第114章

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ndlestick。　Now　the　twelve　　　loaves　that　were　upon　the　table　signified　the　circle　of　the　zodiac　and　the　year；　but　the　altar　of　incense；　by　its　thirteen　kinds　of　sweet…smelling　spices　with　which　the　sea　　　replenished　it；　signified　that　God　is　the　possessor　of　all　things　that　are　both　in　the　uninhabitable　and　habitable　parts　of　the　earth；　and　that　they　are　all　to　be　dedicated　to　his　use。　But　the　inmost　part　of　the　temple　of　all　was　of　twenty　cubits。　This　was　also　separated　from　the　outer　part　by　a　veil。　In　this　there　was　nothing　at　all。　It　was　inaccessible　and　inviolable；　and　not　to　be　seen　by　any；　and　was　called　the　Holy　of　Holies。　Now；　about　the　sides　of　the　lower　part　of　the　temple；　there　were　little　houses；　with　passages　out　of　one　into　another；　there　were　a　great　many　of　them；　and　they　　　were　of　three　stories　high；　there　were　also　entrances　on　each　side　into　them　from　the　gate　of　the　temple。　But　the　superior　part　of　the　temple　had　no　such　little　houses　any　further；　because　the　temple　was　there　narrower；　and　forty　cubits　higher；　and　of　a　smaller　body　than　the　lower　parts　of　it。　Thus　we　collect　that　the　whole　height；　including　the　sixty　cubits　from　the　floor；　amounted　to　a　hundred　cubits。　　　　　　6。　Now　the　outward　face　of　the　temple　in　its　front　wanted　nothing　that　was　likely　to　surprise　either　men's　minds　or　their　eyes；　for　it　was　covered　all　over　with　plates　of　gold　of　great　weight；　and；　at　the　first　rising　of　the　sun；　reflected　back　a　very　fiery　splendor；　and　made　those　who　forced　　　themselves　to　look　upon　it　to　turn　their　eyes　away；　just　as　they　would　have　done　at　the　sun's　own　rays。　But　this　　　temple　appeared　to　strangers；　when　they　were　coming　to　it　at　a　distance；　like　a　mountain　covered　with　snow；　for　as　to　those　parts　of　it　that　were　not　gilt；　they　were　exceeding　white。　On　its　top　it　had　spikes　with　sharp　points；　to　prevent　any　pollution　of　it　by　birds　sitting　upon　it。　Of　its　stones；　some　of　them　were　forty…five　cubits　in　length；　five　in　height；　and　six　in　breadth。　Before　this　temple　stood　the　altar；　fifteen　cubits　high；　and　equal　both　in　length　and　breadth；　each　of　which　dimensions　was　fifty　cubits。　The　figure　it　was　built　in　was　a　square；　and　it　had　corners　like　horns；　and　the　　　passage　up　to　it　was　by　an　insensible　acclivity。　It　was　　　formed　without　any　iron　tool；　nor　did　any　such　iron　tool　so　much　as　touch　it　at　any　time。　There　was　also　a　wall　of　　　partition；　about　a　cubit　in　height；　made　of　fine　stones；　and　so　as　to　be　grateful　to　the　sight；　this　encompassed　the　holy　house　and　the　altar；　and　kept　the　people　that　were　on　the　outside　off　from　the　priests。　Moreover；　those　that　had　the　gonorrhea　and　the　leprosy　were　excluded　out　of　the　city　　　entirely；　women　also；　when　their　courses　were　upon　them；　were　shut　out　of　the　temple；　nor　when　they　were　free　from　that　impurity；　were　they　allowed　to　go　beyond　the　limit　　　before…mentioned；　men　also；　that　were　not　thoroughly　pure；　were　prohibited　to　come　into　the　inner　＇court　of　the＇　temple；　nay；　the　priests　themselves　that　were　not　pure　were　　　prohibited　to　come　into　it　also。　　　　　　7。　Now　all　those　of　the　stock　of　the　priests　that　could　not　minister　by　reason　of　some　defect　in　their　bodies；　came　　　within　the　partition；　together　with　those　that　had　no　such　imperfection；　and　had　their　share　with　them　by　reason　of　their　stock；　but　still　made　use　of　none　except　their　own　private　garments；　for　nobody　but　he　that　officiated　had　on　his　sacred　garments；　but　then　those　priests　that　were　　　without　any　blemish　upon　them　went　up　to　the　altar　clothed　in　fine　linen。　They　abstained　chiefly　from　wine；　out　of　this　fear；　lest　otherwise　they　should　transgress　some　rules　of　their　ministration。　The　high　priest　did　also　go　up　with　them；　not　always　indeed；　but　on　the　seventh　days　and　new　　　moons；　and　if　any　festivals　belonging　to　our　nation；　which　we　celebrate　every　year；　happened。　When　he　officiated；　he　had　on　a　pair　of　breeches　that　reached　beneath　his　privy　parts　to　his　thighs；　and　had　on　an　inner　garment　of　linen；　together　with　a　blue　garment；　round；　without　seam；　with　　　fringe　work；　and　reaching　to　the　feet。　There　were　also　　　golden　bells　that　hung　upon　the　fringes；　and　pomegranates　intermixed　among　them。　The　bells　signified　thunder；　and　　　the　pomegranates　lightning。　But　that　girdle　that　tied　the　garment　to　the　breast　was　embroidered　with　five　rows　of　　　various　colors；　of　gold；　and　purple；　and　scarlet；　as　also　of　fine　linen　and　blue；　with　which　colors　we　told　you　before　the　veils　of　the　temple　were　embroidered　also。　The　like　　　embroidery　was　upon　the　ephod；　but　the　quantity　of　gold　　　therein　was　greater。　Its　figure　was　that　of　a　stomacher　for　the　breast。　There　were　upon　it　two　golden　buttons　like　small　shields；　which　buttoned　the　ephod　to　the　garment；　in　these　buttons　were　enclosed　two　very　large　and　very　excellent　　　sardonyxes；　having　the　names　of　the　tribes　of　that　nation　engraved　upon　them：　on　the　other　part　there　hung　twelve　　　stones；　three　in　a　row　one　way；　and　four　in　the　other；　a　sardius；　a　topaz；　and　an　emerald；　a　carbuncle；　a　jasper；　and　a　sapphire；　an　agate；　an　amethyst；　and　a　ligure；　an　　　onyx；　a　beryl；　and　a　chrysolite；　upon　every　one　of　which　was　again　engraved　one　of　the　forementioned　names　of　the　tribes。　A　mitre　also　of　fine　linen　encompassed　his　head；　which　was　tied　by　a　blue　ribbon；　about　which　there　was　　　another　golden　crown；　in　which　was　engraven　the　sacred　　　name　＇of　God＇：　it　consists　of　four　vowels。　However；　the　high　priest　did　not　wear　these　garments　at　other　times；　but　a　more　plain　habit；　he　only　did　it　when　he　went　into　the　most　sacred　part　of　the　temple；　which　he　did　but　once　in　a　year；　on　that　day　when　our　custom　is　for　all　of　us　to　keep　a　fast　to　God。　And　thus　much　concerning　the　city　and　the　temple；　but　for　the　customs　and　laws　hereto　relating；　we　shall　　　speak　more　accurately　another　time；　for　there　remain　a　　　great　many　things　thereto　relating　which　have　not　been　　　here　touched　upon。　　　　　　8。　Now　as　to　the　tower　of　Antonia；　it　was　situated　at　the　corner　of　two　cloisters　of　the　court　of　the　temple；　of　that　on　the　west；　and　that　on　the　north；　it　was　erected　upon　a　rock　of　fifty　cubits　in　height；　and　was　on　a　great　precipice；　it　was　the　work　of　king　Herod；　wherein　he　demonstrated　his　　　natural　magnanimity。　In　the　first　place；　the　rock　itself　was　covered　over　with　smooth　pieces　of　stone；　from　its　　　foundation；　both　for　ornament；　and　that　any　one　who　would　either　try　to　get　up　or　to　go　down　it　might　not　be　able　to　hold　his　feet　upon　it。　Next　to　this；　and　before　you　come　to　the　edifice　of　the　tower　itself；　there　was　a　wall　three　cubits　high；　but　within　that　wall　all　the　space　of　the　tower　of　Antonia　itself　was　built　upon；　to　the　height　of　forty　cubits。　The　inward　parts　had　the　largeness　and　form　of　a　palace；　it　being　parted　into　all　kinds　of　rooms　and　other　　　conveniences；　such　as　courts；　and　places　for　bathing；　and　broad　spaces　for　camps；　insomuch　that；　by　having　all　　　conveniences　that　cities　wanted；　it　might　seem　to　be　　　composed　of　several　cities；　but　by　its　magnificence　it　　　seemed　a　palace。　And　as　the　entire　structure　resembled　　　that　of　a　tower；　it　contained　also　four　other　distinct　towers　at　its　four　corners；　whereof　the　others　were　but　fifty　cubits　high；　whereas　that　which　lay　upon　the　southeast　corner　　　was　seventy　cubits　high；　that　from　thence　the　whole　temple　might　be　viewed；　but　on　the　corner　where　it　joined　to　the　two　cloisters　of　the　temple；　it　had　passages　down　to　them　both；　through　which　the　guard　（for　there　always　lay　in　this　tower　a　Roman　legion）　went　several　ways　among　the　　　cloisters；　with　their　arms；　on　the　Jewish　festivals；　in　order　to　watch　the　people；　that　they　might　not　there　attempt　to　make　any　innovations；　for　the　temple　was　a　fortress　that　guarded　the　city；　as　was　the　tower　of　Antonia　a　guard　to　the　temple；　and　in　that　tower　were　the　guards　of　those　three　（14）。　　　There　was　also　a　peculiar　fortress　belonging　to　the　upper　city；　which　was　Herod's　palace；　but　for　the　hill　Bezetha；　it　was　divided　from　the　tower　Antonia；　as　we　have　already　　　told　you；　and　as　that　hill　on　which　the　tower　of　Antonia　stood　was　the　highest　of　these　three；　so　did　it　adjoin　to　the　new　city；　and　was　the　only　place　that　hindered　the　sight　of　the　temple　on　the　north。　And　this　shall　suf