the wars of the jews-第115章

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　city；　and　was　the　only　place　that　hindered　the　sight　of　the　temple　on　the　north。　And　this　shall　suffice　at　present　to　have　spoken　about　the　city　and　the　walls　about　it；　because　I　have　proposed　to　myself　to　make　a　more　accurate　　　description　of　it　elsewhere。　　　　　　CHAPTER　6。　　　　　　　　　　　　Concerning　The　Tyrants　Simon　And　John。　How　Also　As　　　Titus　Was　Going　Round　The　Wall　Of　This　City　Nicanor　Was　　　Wounded　By　A　Dart；　Which　Accident　Provoked　Titus　To　　　Press　On　The　Siege。　　　　　　　　　1。　Now　the　warlike　men　that　were　in　the　city；　and　the　　　multitude　of　the　seditious　that　were　with　Simon；　were　ten　thousand；　besides　the　Idumeans。　Those　ten　thousand　had　　　fifty　commanders；　over　whom　this　Simon　was　supreme。　The　　　Idumeans　that　paid　him　homage　were　five　thousand；　and　　　had　eight　commanders；　among　whom　those　of　greatest　　　fame　were　Jacob　the　son　of　Sosas；　and　Simon　the　son　of　　　Cathlas。　Jotre；　who　had　seized　upon　the　temple；　had　six　　　thousand　armed　men　under　twenty　commanders；　the　　　zealots　also　that　had　come　over　to　him；　and　left　off　their　opposition；　were　two　thousand　four　hundred；　and　had　the　　　same　commander　that　they　had　formerly；　Eleazar；　together　with　Simon　the　son　of　Arinus。　Now；　while　these　factions　　　fought　one　against　another；　the　people　were　their　prey　on　both　sides；　as　we　have　said　already；　and　that　part　of　the　people　who　would　not　join　with　them　in　their　wicked　　　practices　were　plundered　by　both　factions。　Simon　held　the　upper　city；　and　the　great　wall　as　far　as　Cedron；　and　as　　　much　of　the　old　wall　as　bent　from　Siloam　to　the　east；　and　which　went　down　to　the　palace　of　Monobazus；　who　was　　　king　of　the　Adiabeni；　beyond　Euphrates；　he　also　held　that　fountain；　and　the　Acra；　which　was　no　other　than　the　lower　city；　he　also　held　all　that　reached　to　the　palace　of　queen　Helena；　the　mother　of　Monobazus。　But　John　held　the　　　temple；　and　the　parts　thereto　adjoining；　for　a　great　way；　as　also　Ophla；　and　the　valley　called　〃the　Valley　of　Cedron；〃　and　when　the　parts　that　were　interposed　between　their　　　possessions　were　burnt　by　them；　they　left　a　space　wherein　they　might　fight　with　each　other；　for　this　internal　sedition　did　not　cease　even　when　the　Romans　were　encamped　near　　　their　very　wall。　But　although　they　had　grown　wiser　at　the　first　onset　the　Romans　made　upon　them；　this　lasted　but　a　while；　for　they　returned　to　their　former　madness；　and　　　separated　one　from　another；　and　fought　it　out；　and　did　　　everything　that　the　besiegers　could　desire　them　to　do；　for　they　never　suffered　any　thing　that　was　worse　from　the　　　Romans　than　they　made　each　other　suffer；　nor　was　there　　　any　misery　endured　by　the　city　after　these　men's　actions　that　could　be　esteemed　new。　But　it　was　most　of　all　unhappy　before　it　was　overthrown；　while　those　that　took　it　did　it　a　greater　kindness　for　I　venture　to　affirm　that　the　sedition　destroyed　the　city；　and　the　Romans　destroyed　the　sedition；　which　it　was　a　much　harder　thing　to　do　than　to　destroy　the　walls；　so　that　we　may　justly　ascribe　our　misfortunes　to　our　own　people；　and　the　just　vengeance　taken　on　them　to　the　　　Romans；　as　to　which　matter　let　every　one　determine　by　the　actions　on　both　sides。　　　　　　2。　Now　when　affairs　within　the　city　were　in　this　posture；　Titus　went　round　the　city　on　the　outside　with　some　chosen　horsemen；　and　looked　about　for　a　proper　place　where　he　　　might　make　an　impression　upon　the　walls；　but　as　he　was　in　doubt　where　he　could　possibly　make　an　attack　on　any　side；　（for　the　place　was　no　way　accessible　where　the　valleys　　　were；　and　on　the　other　side　the　first　wall　appeared　too　　　strong　to　be　shaken　by　the　engines；）　he　thereupon　thought　it　best　to　make　his　assault　upon　the　monument　of　John　the　high　priest；　for　there　it　was　that　the　first　fortification　was　lower；　and　the　second　was　not　joined　to　it；　the　builders　neglecting　to　build　strong　where　the　new　city　was　not　much　inhabited；　here　also　was　an　easy　passage　to　the　third　wall；　through　which　he　thought　to　take　the　upper　city；　and；　　　through　the　tower　of　Antonia；　the　temple　itself　But　at　this　time；　as　he　was　going　round　about　the　city；　one　of　his　　　friends；　whose　name　was　Nicanor；　was　wounded　with　a　　　dart　on　his　left　shoulder；　as　he　approached；　together　with　Josephus；　too　near　the　wall；　and　attempted　to　discourse　to　those　that　were　upon　the　wall；　about　terms　of　peace；　for　he　was　a　person　known　by　them。　On　this　account　it　was　that　　　Caesar；　as　soon　as　he　knew　their　vehemence；　that　they　　　would　not　hear　even　such　as　approached　them　to　persuade　　　them　to　what　tended　to　their　own　preservation；　was　　　provoked　to　press　on　the　siege。　He　also　at　the　same　time　gave　his　soldiers　leave　to　set　the　suburbs　on　fire；　and　　　ordered　that　they　should　bring　timber　together；　and　raise　banks　against　the　city；　and　when　he　had　parted　his　army　　　into　three　parts；　in　order　to　set　about　those　works；　he　　　placed　those　that　shot　darts　and　the　archers　in　the　midst　of　the　banks　that　were　then　raising；　before　whom　he　placed　　　those　engines　that　threw　javelins；　and　darts；　and　stones；　that　he　might　prevent　the　enemy　from　sallying　out　upon　　　their　works；　and　might　hinder　those　that　were　upon　the　wall　from　being　able　to　obstruct　them。　So　the　trees　were　now　　　cut　down　immediately；　and　the　suburbs　left　naked。　But　now　while　the　timber　was　carrying　to　raise　the　banks；　and　the　whole　army　was　earnestly　engaged　in　their　works；　the　Jews　were　not；　however；　quiet；　and　it　happened　that　the　people　of　Jerusalem；　who　had　been　hitherto　plundered　and　　　murdered；　were　now　of　good　courage；　and　supposed　they　　　should　have　a　breathing　time；　while　the　others　were　very　busy　in　opposing　their　enemies　without　the　city；　and　that　they　should　now　be　avenged　on　those　that　had　been　the　　　authors　of　their　miseries；　in　case　the　Romans　did　but　get　the　victory。　　　　　　3。　However；　John　staid　behind；　out　of　his　fear　of　Simon；　even　while　his　own　men　were　earnest　in　making　a　sally　　　upon　their　enemies　without。　Yet　did　not　Simon　lie　still；　for　he　lay　near　the　place　of　the　siege；　he　brought　his　engines　of　war；　and　disposed　of　them　at　due　distances　upon　the　　　wall；　both　those　which　they　took　from　Cestius　formerly；　and　those　which　they　got　when　they　seized　the　garrison　that　lay　in　the　tower　Antonia。　But　though　they　had　these　engines　in　their　possession；　they　had　so　little　skill　in　using　them；　that　they　were　in　great　measure　useless　to　them；　but　a　few　　　there　were　who　had　been　taught　by　deserters　how　to　use　　　them；　which　they　did　use；　though　after　an　awkward　manner。　So　they　cast　stones　and　arrows　at　those　that　were　making　the　banks；　they　also　ran　out　upon　them　by　companies；　and　fought　with　them。　Now　those　that　were　at　work　covered　　　themselves　with　hurdles　spread　over　their　banks；　and　their　engines　were　opposed　to　them　when　they　made　their　　　excursions。　The　engines；　that　all　the　legions　had　ready　　　prepared　for　them；　were　admirably　contrived；　but　still　more　extraordinary　ones　belonged　to　the　tenth　legion：　those　that　threw　darts　and　those　that　threw　stones　were　more　forcible　and　larger　than　the　rest；　by　which　they　not　only　repelled　the　excursions　of　the　Jews；　but　drove　those　away　that　were　　　upon　the　walls　also。　Now　the　stones　that　were　cast　were　of　the　weight　of　a　talent；　and　were　carried　two　furlongs　and　further。　The　blow　they　gave　was　no　way　to　be　sustained；　　　not　only　by　those　that　stood　first　in　the　way；　but　by　those　that　were　beyond　them　for　a　great　space。　As　for　the　Jews；　they　at　first　watched　the　coming　of　the　stone；　for　it　was　of　a　white　color；　and　could　therefore　not　only　be　perceived　by　the　great　noise　it　made；　but　could　be　seen　also　before　it　came　by　its　brightness；　accordingly　the　watchmen　that　sat　upon　the　towers　gave　them　notice　when　the　engine　was　let　go；　and　the　stone　came　from　it；　and　cried　out　aloud；　in　their　own　country　language；　The　Stone　Cometh　（15）　so　those　　　that　were　in　its　way　stood　off；　and　threw　themselves　down　upon　the　ground；　by　which　means；　and　by　their　thus　　　guarding　themselves；　the　stone　fell　down　and　did　them　no　harm。　But　the　Romans　contrived　how　to　prevent　that　by　　　blacking　the　stone；　who　then　could　aim　at　them　with　　　success；　when　the　stone　was　not　discerned　beforehand；　as　it　had　been　till　then；　and　so　they　destroyed　many　of　them　at　one　blow。　Yet　did　not　the　Jews；　under　all　this　distress；　permit　the　Romans　to　raise　thei