the wars of the jews-第87章

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e　concerned　about　it。　Moreover；　he　esteemed　the　men　that　were　in　it　to　be　so　　　courageous　and　bold；　that　even　without　the　consideration　of　the　walls；　it　would　be　hard　to　subdue　them；　for　which　reason　he　took　care　of　and　exercised　his　soldiers　beforehand　for　the　work；　as　they　do　wrestlers　before　they　begin　their　　　undertaking。　　　　　　2。　Now　Titus；　as　he　rode　ut　to　Gischala；　found　it　would　be　easy　for　him　to　take　the　city　upon　the　first　onset；　but　knew　withal；　that　if　he　took　it　by　force；　the　multitude　would　be　destroyed　by　the　soldiers　without　mercy。　（Now　he　was　already　satiated　with　the　shedding　of　blood；　and　pitied　the　major　part；　who　would　then　perish；　without　distinction；　together　with　the　guilty。）　So　he　was　rather　desirous　the　city　might　be　surrendered　up　to　him　on　terms。　Accordingly；　when　he　saw　the　wall　full　of　those　men　that　were　of　the　corrupted　party；　he　said　to　them；　That　he　could　not　but　wonder　what　it　was　they　depended　on；　when　they　alone　staid　to　fight　the　　　Romans；　after　every　other　city　was　taken　by　them；　especially　when　they　have　seen　cities　much　better　fortified　than　theirs　is　overthrown　by　a　single　attack　upon　them；　while　as　many　as　have　intrusted　themselves　to　the　security　of　the　Romans'　right　hands；　which　he　now　offers　to　them；　without　regarding　their　former　insolence；　do　enjoy　their　own　possessions　in　safety；　for　that　while　they　had　hopes　of　recovering　their　liberty；　they　might　be　pardoned；　but　that　their　continuance　still　in　their　opposition；　when　they　saw　that　to　be　impossible；　was　inexcusable；　for　that　if　they　will　not　comply　with　such　humane　offers；　and　right　hands　for　security；　they　should　have　experience　of　such　a　war　as　would　spare　nobody；　and　should　soon　be　made　sensible　that　their　wall　would　be　but　a　trifle；　when　battered　by　the　Roman　machines；　in　depending　on　　　which　they　demonstrate　themselves　to　be　the　only　Galileans　that　were　no　better　than　arrogant　slaves　and　captives。　　　　　　3。　Now　none　of　the　populace　durst　not　only　make　a　reply；　but　durst　not　so　much　as　get　upon　the　wall；　for　it　was　all　taken　up　by　the　robbers；　who　were　also　the　guard　at　the　gates；　in　order　to　prevent　any　of　the　rest　from　going　out；　in　order　to　propose　terms　of　submission；　and　from　receiving　any　of　the　horsemen　into　the　city。　But　John　returned　Titus　this　answer：　That　for　himself　he　was　content　to　hearken　to　his　proposals；　and　that　he　would　either　persuade　or　force　those　that　refused　them。　Yet　he　said　that　Titus　ought　to　have　such　regard　to　the　Jewish　law；　as　to　grant　them　leave　to　celebrate　that　day；　which　was　the　seventh　day　of　the　week；　on　which　it　was　　　unlawful　not　only　to　remove　their　arms；　but　even　to　treat　of　peace　also；　and　that　even　the　Romans　were　not　ignorant　how　the　period　of　the　seventh　day　was　among　them　a　cessation　from　all　labors；　and　that　he　who　should　compel　them　to　　　transgress　the　law　about　that　day　would　be　equally　guilty　with　those　that　were　compelled　to　transgress　it：　and　that　this　delay　could　be　of　no　disadvantage　to　him；　for　why　should　any　body　think　of　doing　any　thing　in　the　night；　unless　it　was　to　fly　away？　which　he　might　prevent　by　placing　his　camp　round　　　about　them；　and　that　they　should　think　it　a　great　point　　　gained；　if　they　might　not　be　obliged　to　transgress　the　laws　of　their　country；　and　that　it　would　be　a　right　thing　for　him；　who　designed　to　grant　them　peace；　without　their　expectation　of　such　a　favor；　to　preserve　the　laws　of　those　they　saved　　　inviolable。　Thus　did　this　man　put　a　trick　upon　Titus；　not　so　much　out　of　regard　to　the　seventh　day　as　to　his　own　　　preservation；　for　he　was　afraid　lest　he　should　be　quite　　　deserted　if　the　city　should　be　taken；　and　had　his　hopes　of　life　in　that　night；　and　in　his　flight　therein。　Now　this　was　the　work　of　God；　who　therefore　preserved　this　John；　that　he　might　bring　on　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem；　as　also　it　was　his　work　that　Titus　was　prevailed　with　by　this　pretense　for　a　delay；　and　that　he　pitched　his　camp　further　off　the　city　at　Cydessa。　This　Cydessa　was　a　strong　Mediterranean　village　of　the　Tyrians；　which　always　hated　and　made　war　against　the　Jews；　it　had　also　a　great　number　of　inhabitants；　and　was　well　fortified；　which　made　it　a　proper　place　for　such　as　were　enemies　to　the　Jewish　nation。　　　　　　4。　Now；　in　the　night　time；　when　John　saw　that　there　was　no　Roman　guard　about　the　city；　he　seized　the　opportunity　　　directly；　and；　taking　with　him　not　only　the　armed　men　that　where　about　him；　but　a　considerable　number　of　those　that　had　little　to　do；　together　with　their　families；　he　fled　to　Jerusalem。　And　indeed；　though　the　man　was　making　haste　to　get　away；　and　was　tormented　with　fears　of　being　a　captive；　or　of　losing　his　life；　yet　did　he　prevail　with　himself　to　take　out　of　the　city　along　with　him　a　multitude　of　women　and　　　children；　as　far　as　twenty　furlongs；　but　there　he　left　them　as　he　proceeded　further　on　his　journey；　where　those　that　were　left　behind　made　sad　lamentations；　for　the　farther　every　one　of　them　was　come　from　his　own　people；　the　nearer　they　　　thought　themselves　to　be　to　their　enemies。　They　also　　　affrighted　themselves　with　this　thought；　that　those　who　would　carry　them　into　captivity　were　just　at　hand；　and　still　turned　themselves　back　at　the　mere　noise　they　made　themselves　in　this　their　hasty　flight；　as　if　those　from　whom　they　fled　were　just　upon　them。　Many　also　of　them　missed　their　ways；　and　the　earnestness　of　such　as　aimed　to　outgo　the　rest　threw　down　many　of　them。　And　indeed　there　was　a　miserable　　　destruction　made　of　the　women　and　children；　while　some　of　them　took　courage　to　call　their　husbands　and　kinsmen　back；　and　to　beseech　them；　with　the　bitterest　lamentations；　to　stay　for　them；　but　John's　exhortation；　who　cried　out　to　them　to　save　themselves；　and　fly　away；　prevailed。　He　said　also；　that　if　the　Romans　should　seize　upon　those　whom　they　left　behind；　they　would　be　revenged　on　them　for　it。　So　this　multitude　that　run　thus　away　was　dispersed　abroad；　according　as　each　of　them　was　able　to　run；　one　faster　or　slower　than　another。　　　　5。　Now　on　the　next　day　Titus　came　to　the　wall；　to　make　the　agreement；　whereupon　the　people　opened　their　gates　to　him；　and　came　out　to　him；　with　their　children　and　wives；　and　　　made　acclamations　of　joy　to　him；　as　to　one　that　had　been　their　benefactor；　and　had　delivered　the　city　out　of　custody；　they　also　informed　him　of　John's　flight；　and　besought　him　to　spare　them；　and　to　come　in；　and　bring　the　rest　of　those　that　were　for　innovations　to　punishment。　But　Titus；　not　so　much　regarding　the　supplications　of　the　people；　sent　part　of　his　horsemen　to　pursue　after　John；　but　they　could　not　overtake　him；　for　he　was　gotten　to　Jerusalem　before；　they　also　slew　six　thousand　of　the　women　and　children　who　went　out　with　him；　but　returned　back；　and　brought　with　them　almost　three　　　thousand。　However；　Titus　was　greatly　displeased　that　he　had　not　been　able　to　bring　this　John；　who　had　deluded　him；　to　punishment；　yet　he　had　captives　enough；　as　well　as　the　　　corrupted　part　of　the　city；　to　satisfy　his　anger；　when　it　missed　of　John。　So　he　entered　the　city　in　the　midst　of　acclamations　of　joy；　and　when　he　had　given　orders　to　the　soldiers　to　pull　down　a　small　part　of　the　wall；　as　of　a　city　taken　in　war；　he　repressed　those　that　had　disturbed　the　city　rather　by　　　threatenings　than　by　executions；　for　he　thought　that　many　would　accuse　innocent　persons；　out　of　their　own　private　　　animosities　and　quarrels；　if　he　should　attempt　to　distinguish　those　that　were　worthy　of　punishment　from　the　rest；　and　that　it　was　better　to　let　a　guilty　person　alone　in　his　fears；　that　to　destroy　with　him　any　one　that　did　not　deserve　it；　for　that　probably　such　a　one　might　be　taught　prudence；　by　the　fear　of　the　punishment　he　had　deserved；　and　have　a　shame　upon　him　for　his　former　offenses；　when　he　had　been　forgiven；　but　that　the　punishment　of　such　as　have　been　once　put　to　death　could　never　be　retrieved。　However；　he　placed　a　garrison　in　the　city　for　its　security；　by　which　means　he　should　restrain　those　that　were　for　innovations；　and　should　leave　those　that　were　　　peaceably　disposed　in　greater　security。　And　thus　was　all　Galilee　taken；　but　this　not　till　after　it　had　cost　the　Romans　much　pains　before　it　could　be　taken　by　them。　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　3。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Concerning　John　Of　Gisc