the wars of the jews-第150章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　then　for　the　valleys　that　lay　on　the　north　and　south　sides；　although　they　be　not　so　large　as　that　already　described；　yet　it　is　in　like　manner　an　impracticable　thing　to　think　of　getting　over　them；　and　for　the　valley　that　lies　on　the　east　side；　its　depth　is　found　to　be　no　less　than　a　hundred　cubits。　It　extends　as　far　as　a　mountain　that　lies　over　against　Macherus；　with　which　it　is　bounded。　　　　2。　Now　when　Alexander　＇Janneus＇；　the　king　of　the　Jews；　observed　the　nature　of　this　place；　he　was　the　first　who　built　a　citadel　here；　which　afterwards　was　demolished　by　Gabinius；　when　he　made　war　against　Aristobulus。　But　when　Herod　came　to　be　king；　he　thought　the　place　to　be　worthy　of　the　utmost　regard；　and　of　being　built　upon　in　the　firmest　manner；　and　this　especially　because　it　lay　so　near　to　Arabia；　for　it　is　seated　in　a　convenient　place　on　that　account；　and　hath　a　prospect　toward　that　country；　he　　　therefore　surrounded　a　large　space　of　ground　with　walls　and　towers；　and　built　a　city　there；　out　of　which　city　there　was　a　way　that　led　up　to　the　very　citadel　itself　on　the　top　of　the　mountain；　nay；　more　than　this；　he　built　a　wall　round　that　top　of　the　hill；　and　erected　towers　at　the　corners；　of　a　hundred　and　sixty　cubits　high；　in　the　middle　of　which　place　he　built　a　palace；　after　a　magnificent　manner；　wherein　were　large　and　beautiful　edifices。　He　also　made　a　great　many　reservoirs　for　the　reception　of　water；　that　there　might　be　plenty　of　it　ready　for　all　uses；　and　those　in　the　properest　places　that　were　afforded　him　there。　Thus　did　he；　as　it　were；　contend　with　the　nature　of　the　place；　that　he　might　exceed　its　natural　strength　and　security　（which　yet　itself　rendered　it　hard　to　be　taken）　by　those　fortifications　which　were　made　by　the　hands　of　men。　Moreover；　he　put　a　large　quantity　of　darts　and　other　machines　of　war　into　it；　and　contrived　to　get　every　thing　thither　that　might　any　way　contribute　to　its　inhabitants'　security；　under　the　longest　siege　possible。　　　　3。　Now　within　this　place　there　grew　a　sort　of　rue　（10）　that　deserves　our　wonder　on　account　of　its　largeness；　for　it　was　no　way　inferior　to　any　fig　tree　whatsoever；　either　in　height　or　in　thickness；　and　the　report　is；　that　it　had　lasted　ever　since　the　times　of　Herod；　and　would　probably　have　lasted　much　longer；　had　it　not　been　cut　down　by　those　Jews　who　took　possession　of　the　place　afterward。　But　still　in　that　valley　which　encompasses　the　city　on　the　north　side　there　is　a　certain　place　called　Baaras；　which　produces　a　root　of　the　same　name　with　itself　（11）　its　color　is　like　to　that　of　flame；　and　towards　the　evenings　it　sends　out　a　certain　ray　like　lightning。　It　is　not　easily　taken　by　such　as　would　do　it；　but　recedes　from　their　hands；　nor　will　yield　itself　to　be　taken　quietly；　until　either　the　urine　of　a　woman；　or　her　menstrual　blood；　be　poured　upon　it；　nay；　even　then　it　is　certain　death　to　those　that　touch　it；　unless　any　one　take　and　hang　the　root　itself　down　from　his　hand；　and　so　carry　it　away。　It　may　also　be　taken　another　way；　without　danger；　which　is　this：　they　dig　a　trench　quite　round　about　it；　till　the　hidden　part　of　the　root　be　very　small；　they　then　tie　a　dog　to　it；　and　when　the　dog　tries　hard　to　follow　him　that　tied　him；　this　root　is　easily　plucked　up；　but　the　dog　dies　immediately；　as　if　it　were　instead　of　the　man　that　would　take　the　plant　away；　nor　after　this　need　any　one　be　afraid　of　taking　it　into　their　hands。　Yet；　after　all　this　pains　in　getting；　it　is　only　valuable　on　account　of　one　virtue　it　hath；　that　if　it　be　only　brought　to　sick　persons；　it　quickly　drives　away　those　called　demons；　which　are　no　other　than　the　spirits　of　the　wicked；　that　enter　into　men　that　are　alive　and　kill　them；　unless　they　can　obtain　some　help　against　them。　Here　are　also　fountains　of　hot　water；　that　flow　out　of　this　place；　which　have　a　very　different　taste　one　from　the　other；　for　some　of　them　are　bitter；　and　others　of　them　are　plainly　sweet。　Here　are　also　many　eruptions　of　cold　waters；　and　this　not　only　in　the　places　that　lie　lower；　and　have　their　fountains　near　one　another；　but；　what　is　still　more　wonderful；　here　is　to　be　seen　a　certain　cave　hard　by；　whose　cavity　is　not　deep；　but　it　is　covered　over　by　a　rock　that　is　prominent；　above　this　rock　there　stand　up　two　＇hills　or＇　breasts；　as　it　were；　but　a　little　distant　one　from　another；　the　one　of　which　sends　out　a　fountain　that　is　very　cold；　and　the　other　sends　out　one　that　is　very　hot；　which　waters；　when　they　are　mingled　together；　compose　a　most　pleasant　bath；　they　are　medicinal　indeed　for　other　maladies；　but　especially　good　for　strengthening　the　nerves。　This　place　has　in　it　also　mines　of　sulfur　and　alum。　　　　4。　Now　when　Bassus　had　taken　a　full　view　of　this　place；　he　resolved　to　besiege　it；　by　filling　up　the　valley　that　lay　on　the　east　side；　so　he　fell　hard　to　work；　and　took　great　pains　to　raise　his　banks　as　soon　as　possible；　and　by　that　means　to　render　the　siege　easy。　As　for　the　Jews　that　were　caught　in　this　place；　they　separated　themselves　from　the　strangers　that　were　with　them；　and　they　forced　those　strangers；　as　an　otherwise　useless　multitude；　to　stay　in　the　lower　part　of　the　city；　and　undergo　the　principal　dangers；　while　they　themselves　seized　on　the　upper　citadel；　and　held　it；　and　this　both　on　account　of　its　strength；　and　to　provide　for　their　own　safety。　They　also　supposed　they　might　obtain　their　pardon；　in　case　they　should　＇at　last＇　surrender　the　citadel。　However；　they　were　willing　to　make　trial；　in　the　first　place；　whether　the　hopes　they　had　of　avoiding　a　siege　would　come　to　any　thing；　with　which　intention　they　made　sallies　every　day；　and　fought　with　those　that　met　them；　in　which　conflicts　they　were　many　of　them　slain；　as　they　therein　slew　many　of　the　Romans。　But　still　it　was　the　opportunities　that　presented　themselves　which　chiefly　gained　both　sides　their　victories；　these　were　gained　by　the　Jews；　when　they　fell　upon　the　Romans　as　they　were　off　their　guard；　but　by　the　Romans；　when；　upon　the　others'　sallies　against　their　banks；　they　foresaw　their　coming；　and　were　upon　their　lard　when　they　received　them。　But　the　conclusion　of　this　siege　did　not　depend　upon　these　bickerings；　but　a　certain　surprising　accident；　relating　to　what　was　done　in　this　siege；　forced　the　Jews　to　surrender　the　citadel。　There　was　a　certain　young　man　among　the　besieged；　of　great　boldness；　and　very　active　of　his　hand；　his　name　was　Eleazar；　he　greatly　signalized　himself　in　those　sallies；　and　encouraged　the　Jews　to　go　out　in　great　numbers；　in　order　to　hinder　the　raising　of　the　banks；　and　did　the　Romans　a　vast　deal　of　mischief　when　they　came　to　fighting；　he　so　managed　matters；　that　those　who　sallied　out　made　their　attacks　easily；　and　returned　back　without　danger；　and　this　by　still　bringing　up　the　rear　himself。　Now　it　happened　that；　on　a　certain　time；　when　the　fight　was　over；　and　both　sides　were　parted；　and　retired　home；　he；　in　way　of　contempt　of　the　enemy；　and　thinking　that　none　of　them　would　begin　the　fight　again　at　that　time；　staid　without　the　gates；　and　talked　with　those　that　were　upon　the　wall；　and　his　mind　was　wholly　intent　upon　what　they　said。　Now　a　certain　person　belonging　to　the　Roman　camp；　whose　lame　was　Rufus；　by　birth　an　Egyptian；　ran　upon　him　suddenly；　when　nobody　expected　such　a　thing；　and　carried　him　off；　with　his　armor　itself；　while；　in　the　mean　time；　those　that　saw　it　from　the　wall　were　under　such　an　amazement；　that　Rufus　prevented　their　assistance；　and　carried　Eleazar　to　the　Roman　camp。　So　the　general　of　the　Romans　ordered　that　he　should　be　taken　up　naked；　set　before　the　city　to　be　seen；　and　sorely　whipped　before　their　eyes。　Upon　this　sad　accident　that　befell　the　young　man；　the　Jews　were　terribly　confounded；　and　the　city；　with　one　voice；　sorely　lamented　him；　and　the　mourning　proved　greater　than　could　well　be　supposed　upon　the　calamity　of　a　single　person。　When　Bassus　perceived　that；　he　began　to　think　of　using　a　stratagem　against　the　enemy；　and　was　desirous　to　aggravate　their　grief；　in　order　to　prevail　with　them　to　surrender　the　city　for　the　preservation　of　that　man。　Nor　did　he　fail　of　his　hope；　for　he　commanded　them　to　set　up　a　cross；　as　if　he　were　just　going　to　hang　Eleazar　upon　it　immediately；　the　sight　of　this　occasioned　a　sore　grief　among　those　that　were　in　the　citadel；　and　they　gr