the wars of the jews-第131章

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n　both　sides　that　came　behind　forced　those　before　them　to　go　on；　without　leaving　any　space　between　the　armies。　At　length　the　Jews'　violent　zeal　was　too　hard　for　the　Romans'　skill；　and　the　battle　already　　inclined　entirely　that　way；　for　the　fight　had　lasted　from　the　ninth　hour　of　the　night　till　the　seventh　hour　of　the　day；　While　the　Jews　came　on　in　crowds；　and　had　the　danger　the　temple　was　in　for　their　motive；　the　Romans　having　no　more　here　than　a　part　of　their　army；　for　those　legions；　on　which　the　soldiers　on　that　side　depended；　were　not　come　up　to　them。　So　it　was　at　present　thought　sufficient　by　the　Romans　to　take　possession　of　the　tower　of　Antonia。　　　　8。　But　there　was　one　Julian；　a　centurion；　that　came　from　Eithynia；　a　man　he　was　of　great　reputation；　whom　I　had　formerly　seen　in　that　war；　and　one　of　the　highest　fame；　both　for　his　skill　in　war；　his　strength　of　body；　and　the　courage　of　his　soul。　This　man；　seeing　the　Romans　giving　ground；　and　ill　a　sad　condition；　（for　he　stood　by　Titus　at　the　tower　of　Antonia；）　leaped　out；　and　of　himself　alone　put　the　Jews　to　flight；　when　they　were　already　conquerors；　and　made　them　retire　as　far　as　the　corner　of　the　inner　court　of　the　temple；　from　him　the　multitude　fled　away　in　crowds；　as　supposing　that　neither　his　strength　nor　his　violent　attacks　could　be　those　of　a　mere　man。　Accordingly；　he　rushed　through　the　midst　of　the　Jews；　as　they　were　dispersed　all　abroad；　and　killed　those　that　he　caught。　Nor；　indeed；　was　there　any　sight　that　appeared　more　wonderful　in　the　eyes　of　Caesar；　or　more　terrible　to　others；　than　this。　However；　he　was　himself　pursued　by　fate；　which　it　all　not　possible　that　he；　who　was　but　a　mortal　man；　should　escape；　for　as　he　had　shoes　all　full　of　thick　and　sharp　nails　（4）　as　had　every　one　of　the　other　soldiers；　so　when　he　ran　on　the　pavement　of　the　temple；　he　slipped；　and　fell　down　upon　his　back　with　a　very　great　noise；　which　was　made　by　his　armor。　This　made　those　that　were　running　away　to　turn　back；　whereupon　those　Romans　that　were　in　the　tower　of　Antonia　set　up　a　great　shout；　as　they　were　in　fear　for　the　man。　But　the　Jews　got　about　him　in　crowds；　and　struck　at　him　with　their　spears　and　with　their　swords　on　all　sides。　Now　he　　received　a　great　many　of　the　strokes　of　these　iron　weapons　upon　his　shield；　and　often　attempted　to　get　up　again；　but　was　thrown　down　by　those　that　struck　at　him；　yet　did　he；　as　he　lay　along；　stab　many　of　them　with　his　sword。　Nor　was　he　soon　killed；　as　being　covered　with　his　helmet　and　his　breastplate　in　all　those　parts　of　his　body　where　he　might　be　mortally　wounded；　he　also　pulled　his　neck　close　to　his　body；　till　all　his　other　limbs　were　shattered；　and　nobody　durst　come　to　defend　him；　and　then　he　yielded　to　his　fate。　Now　Caesar　was　deeply　affected　on　account　of　this　man　of　so　great　fortitude；　and　especially　as　he　was　killed　in　the　sight　of　so　many　people；　he　was　desirous　himself　to　come　to　his　assistance；　but　the　place　would　not　give　him　leave；　while　such　as　could　have　done　it　were　too　much　terrified　to　attempt　it。　Thus　when　Julian　had　struggled　with　death　a　great　while；　and　had　let　but　few　of　those　that　had　given　him　his　mortal　wound　go　off　unhurt；　he　had　at　last　his　throat　cut；　though　not　without　some　difficulty；　and　left　behind　him　a　very　great　fame；　not　only　among　the　Romans；　and　with　Caesar　himself；　but　among　his　enemies　also；　then　did　the　Jews　catch　up　his　dead　body；　and　put　the　Romans　to　flight　again；　and　shut　them　up　in　the　tower　of　Antonia。　Now　those　that　most　signalized　themselves；　and　fought　most　zealously　in　this　battle　of　the　Jewish　side；　were　one　Alexas　and　Gyphtheus；　of　John's　party；　and　of　Simon's　party　were　Malachias；　and　Judas　the　son　of　Merto；　and　James　the　son　of　Sosas；　the　commander　of　the　Idumeans；　and　of　the　zealots；　two　brethren；　Simon　and　Judas；　the　sons　of　Jairus。　

CHAPTER　2。　　　　　　　How　Titus　Gave　Orders　To　Demolish　The　Tower　Of　Antonia　And　Then　Persuaded　Josephus　To　Exhort　The　Jews　Again　＇To　A　Surrender＇。　　　　1。　And　now　Titus　gave　orders　to　his　soldiers　that　were　with　him　to　dig　up　the　foundations　of　the　tower　of　Antonia；　and　make　him　a　ready　passage　for　his　army　to　come　up；　while　he　himself　had　Josephus　brought　to　him；　（for　he　had　been　informed　that　on　that　very　day；　which　was　the　seventeenth　day　（5）of　Panemus；　＇Tamuz；＇　the　sacrifice　called　〃the　Daily　Sacrifice〃　had　failed；　and　had　not　been　offered　to　God；　for　want　of　men　to　offer　it；　and　that　the　people　were　grievously　troubled　at　it；）　and　commanded　him　to　say　the　same　things　to　John　that　he　had　said　before；　that　if　he　had　any　malicious　inclination　for　fighting；　he　might　come　out　with　as　many　of　his　men　as　he　pleased；　in　order　to　fight；　without　the　danger　of　destroying　either　his　city　or　temple；　but　that　he　desired　he　would　not　defile　the　temple；　nor　thereby　offend　against　God。　That　he　might；　if　he　pleased；　offer　the　sacrifices　which　were　now　discontinuned　by　any　of　the　Jews　whom　he　should　pitch　upon。　Upon　this　Josephus　　stood　in　such　a　place　where　he　might　be　heard；　not　by　John　only；　but　by　many　more；　and　then　declared　to　them　what　Caesar　had　given　him　in　charge；　and　this　in　the　Hebrew　language。　（6）　So　he　earnestly　prayed　them　to　spare　their　own　city；　and　to　prevent　that　fire　which　was　just　ready　to　seize　upon　the　temple；　and　to　offer　their　usual　sacrifices　to　God　therein。　At　these　words　of　his　a　great　sadness　and　silence　were　observed　among　the　people。　But　the　tyrant　himself　cast　many　reproaches　upon　Josephus；　with　imprecations　besides；　and　at　last　added　this　withal；　that　he　did　never　fear　the　taking　of　the　city；　because　it　was　God's　own　city。　In　answer　to　which　Josephus　said　thus　with　a　loud　voice：　〃To　be　sure　thou　hast　kept　this　city　wonderfully　pure　for　God's　sake；　the　temple　also　continues　entirely　unpolluted！　Nor　hast　thou　been　guilty　of　ally　impiety　against　him　for　whose　assistance　thou　hopest！　He　still　receives　his　accustomed　sacrifices！　Vile　wretch　that　thou　art！　if　any　one　should　deprive　thee　of　thy　daily　food；　thou　wouldst　esteem　him　to　be　an　enemy　to　thee；　but　thou　hopest　to　have　that　God　for　thy　supporter　in　this　war　whom　thou　hast　deprived　of　his　everlasting　worship；　and　thou　imputest　those　sins　to　the　Romans；　who　to　this　very　time　take　care　to　have　our　laws　observed；　and　almost　compel　these　sacrifices　to　be　still　offered　to　God；　which　have　by　thy　means　been　intermitted！　Who　is　there　that　can　avoid　groans　and　lamentations　at　the　amazing　change　that　is　made　in　this　city？　since　very　foreigners　and　enemies　do　now　correct　that　impiety　which　thou　hast　occasioned；　while　thou；　who　art　a　Jew；　and　wast　educated　in　our　laws；　art　become　a　greater　enemy　to　them　than　the　others。　But　still；　John；　it　is　never　dishonorable　to　repent；　and　amend　what　hath　been　done　amiss；　even　at　the　last　extremity。　Thou　hast　an　instance　before　thee　in　Jechoniah；　（7）　the　king　of　the　Jews；　if　thou　hast　a　mind　to　save　the　city；　who；　when　the　king　of　Babylon　made　war　against　him；　did　of　his　own　accord　go　out　of　this　city　before　it　was　taken；　and　did　undergo　a　　voluntary　captivity　with　his　family；　that　the　sanctuary　might　not　be　delivered　up　to　the　enemy；　and　that　he　might　not　see　the　house　of　God　set　on　fire；　on　which　account　he　is　celebrated　among　all　the　Jews；　in　their　sacred　memorials；　and　his　memory　is　become　immortal；　and　will　be　conveyed　fresh　down　to　our　posterity　through　all　ages。　This；　John；　is　an　excellent　example　in　such　a　time　of　danger；　and　I　dare　venture　to　promise　that　the　Romans　shall　still　forgive　thee。　And　take　notice　that　I；　who　make　this　exhortation　to　thee；　am　one　of　thine　own　nation；　I；　who　am　a　Jew；　do　make　this　promise　to　thee。　And　it　will　become　thee　to　consider　who　I　am　that　give　thee　this　counsel；　and　whence　I　am　derived；　for　while　I　am　alive　I　shall　never　be　in　such　slavery；　as　to　forego　my　own　kindred；　or　forget　the　laws　of　our　forefathers。　Thou　hast　indignation　at　me　again；　and　makest　a　clamor　at　me；　and　reproachest　me；　indeed　I　cannot　deny　but　I　am　worthy　of　worse　treatment　than　all　this　amounts　to；　because；　in　opposition　to　fate；　I　make　this　kind　invitation　to　thee；　and　endeavor　to　force　deliverance　upon　those　whom　God　hath　condemned。　And　who　is　there　that　does　not　know　what　the　writings　of　the　ancient　prophets　contain　in　them；　…　and　particularly　that　oracle　which　is　just　no