the wars of the jews-第93章

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　this；　that　you　let　us　both　alone；　and　neither　insult　upon　our　　　calamities；　nor　abide　with　these　plotters　against　their　　　metropolis；　for　though　you　should　have　ever　so　great　a　　　suspicion　that　some　of　us　have　discoursed　with　the　Romans；　it　is　in　your　power　to　watch　the　passages　into　the　city；　and　in　case　any　thing　that　we　have　been　accused　of　is　brought　to　light；　then　to　come　and　defend　your　metropolis；　and　to　inflict　punishment　on　those　that　are　found　guilty；　for　the　enemy　cannot　prevent　you　who　are　so　near　to　the　city。　But　if；　after　all；　none　of　these　proposals　seem　acceptable　and　moderate；　do　not　you　wonder　that　the　gates　are　shut　against　you；　while　you　bear　your　arms　about　you。〃　　　　　　4。　Thus　spake　Jesus；　yet　did　not　the　multitude　of　the　　　Idumeans　give　any　attention　to　what　he　said；　but　were　in　a　rage；　because　they　did　not　meet　with　a　ready　entrance　into　the　city。　The　generals　also　had　indignation　at　the　offer　of　laying　down　their　arms；　and　looked　upon　it　as　equal　to　a　captivity；　to　throw　them　away　at　any　man's　injunction　　　whomsoever。　But　Simon；　the　son　of　Cathlas；　one　of　their　　　commanders；　with　much　ado　quieted　the　tumult　of　his　own　　　men；　and　stood　so　that　the　high　priests　might　hear　him；　and　said　as　follows：　〃I　can　no　longer　wonder　that　the　patrons　of　liberty　are　under　custody　in　the　temple；　since　there　are　those　that　shut　the　gates　of　our　common　city　（8）　to　their　own　　　nation；　and　at　the　same　time　are　prepared　to　admit　the　　　Romans　into　it；　nay；　perhaps　are　disposed　to　crown　the　gates　with　garlands　at　their　coming；　while　they　speak　to　the　　　Idumeans　from　their　own　towers；　and　enjoin　them　to　throw　down　their　arms　which　they　have　taken　up　for　the　　　preservation　of　its　liberty。　And　while　they　will　not　intrust　the　guard　of　our　metropolis　to　their　kindred；　profess　to　make　them　judges　of　the　differences　that　are　among　them；　nay；　while　they　accuse　some　men　of　having　slain　others　without　a　legal　trial；　they　do　themselves　condemn　a　whole　nation　after　an　ignominious　manner；　and　have　now　walled　up　that　city　　　from　their　own　nation；　which　used　to　be　open　to　even　all　foreigners　that　came　to　worship　there。　We　have　indeed　come　in　great　haste　to　you；　and　to　a　war　against　our　own　　　countrymen；　and　the　reason　why　we　have　made　such　haste　is　this；　that　we　may　preserve　that　freedom　which　you　are　so　unhappy　as　to　betray。　You　have　probably　been　guilty　of　the　like　crimes　against　those　whom　you　keep　in　custody；　and　　　have；　I　suppose；　collected　together　the　like　plausible　　　pretenses　against　them　also　that　you　make　use　of　against　us；　after　which　you　have　gotten　the　mastery　of　those　within　the　temple；　and　keep　them　in　custody；　while　they　are　only　taking　care　of　the　public　affairs。　You　have　also　shut　the　gates　of　the　city　in　general　against　nations　that　are　the　most　nearly　related　to　you；　and　while　you　give　such　injurious　commands　to　others；　you　complain　that　you　have　been　tyrannized　over　by　them；　and　fix　the　name　of　unjust　governors　upon　such　as　are　tyrannized　over　by　yourselves。　Who　can　bear　this　your　abuse　of　words；　while　they　have　a　regard　to　the　contrariety　of　your　actions；　unless　you　mean　this；　that　those　Idumeans　do　now　exclude　you　out　of　your　metropolis；　whom　you　exclude　from　the　sacred　offices　of　your　own　country？　One　may　　　indeed　justly　complain　of　those　that　are　besieged　in　the　temple；　that　when　they　had　courage　enough　to　punish　those　tyrants　whom　you　call　eminent　men；　and　free　from　any　　　accusations；　because　of　their　being　your　companions　in　　　wickedness；　they　did　not　begin　with　you；　and　thereby　cut　off　beforehand　the　most　dangerous　parts　of　this　treason。　But　if　these　men　have　been　more　merciful　than　the　public　necessity　required；　we　that　are　Idumeans　will　preserve　this　house　of　God；　and　will　fight　for　our　common　country；　and　will　oppose　by　war　as　well　those　that　attack　them　from　abroad；　as　those　that　betray　them　from　within。　Here　will　we　abide　before　the　walls　in　our　armor；　until　either　the　Romans　grow　weary　in　waiting　for　you；　or　you　become　friends　to　liberty；　and　repent　of　what　you　have　done　against　it。〃　　　　　　5。　And　now　did　the　Idumeans　make　an　acclamation　to　what　　　Simon　had　said；　but　Jesus　went　away　sorrowful；　as　seeing　that　the　Idumeans　were　against　all　moderate　counsels；　and　that　the　city　was　besieged　on　both　sides。　Nor　indeed　were　the　minds　of　the　Idumeans　at　rest；　for　they　were　in　a　rage　at　the　injury　that　had　been　offered　them　by　their　exclusion　out　of　the　city；　and　when　they　thought　the　zealots　had　been　strong；　but　saw　nothing　of　theirs　to　support　them；　they　were　in　doubt　about　the　matter；　and　many　of　them　repented　that　they　had　come　thither。　But　the　shame　that　would　attend　them　in　case　they　returned　without　doing　any　thing　at　all；　so　far　overcame　that　their　repentance；　that　they　lay　all　night　before　the　wall；　though　in　a　very　bad　encampment；　for　there　broke　out　a　　　prodigious　storm　in　the　night；　with　the　utmost　violence；　and　very　strong　winds；　with　the　largest　showers　of　rain；　with　continued　lightnings；　terrible　thunderings；　and　amazing　　　concussions　and　bellowings　of　the　earth；　that　was　in　an　　　earthquake。　These　things　were　a　manifest　indication　that　some　destruction　was　coming　upon　men；　when　the　system　of　the　world　was　put　into　this　disorder；　and　any　one　would　guess　that　these　wonders　foreshowed　some　grand　calamities　that　were　coming。　　　　　　6。　Now　the　opinion　of　the　Idumeans　and　of　the　citizens　was　one　and　the　same。　The　Idumeans　thought　that　God　was　angry　at　their　taking　arms；　and　that　they　would　not　escape　　　punishment　for　their　making　war　upon　their　metropolis。　　　Ananus　and　his　party　thought　that　they　had　conquered　　　without　fighting；　and　that　God　acted　as　a　general　for　them；　but　truly　they　proved　both　ill　conjectures　at　what　was　to　come；　and　made　those　events　to　be　ominous　to　their　enemies；　while　they　were　themselves　to　undergo　the　ill　effects　of　them；　for　the　Idumeans　fenced　one　another　by　uniting　their　bodies　into　one　band；　and　thereby　kept　themselves　warm；　and　　　connecting　their　shields　over　their　heads；　were　not　so　much　hurt　by　the　rain。　But　the　zealots　were　more　deeply　concerned　for　the　danger　these　men　were　in　than　they　were　for　　　themselves；　and　got　together；　and　looked　about　them　to　see　whether　they　could　devise　any　means　of　assisting　them。　The　hotter　sort　of　them　thought　it　best　to　force　their　guards　with　their　arms；　and　after　that　to　fall　into　the　midst　of　the　city；　and　publicly　open　the　gates　to　those　that　came　to　their　　　assistance；　as　supposing　the　guards　would　be　in　disorder；　and　give　way　at　such　an　unexpected　attempt　of　theirs；　especially　as　the　greater　part　of　them　were　unarmed　and　unskilled　in　the　affairs　of　war；　and　that　besides　the　multitude　of　the　citizens　would　not　be　easily　gathered　together；　but　confined　to　their　houses　by　the　storm：　and　that　if　there　were　any　hazard　in　their　undertaking；　it　became　them　to　suffer　any　thing　whatsoever　themselves；　rather　than　to　overlook　so　great　a　multitude　as　were　miserably　perishing　on　their　account。　But　the　more　prudent　part　of　them　disapproved　of　this　forcible　method；　because　they　saw　not　only　the　guards　about　them　　　very　numerous；　but　the　walls　of　the　city　itself　carefully　watched；　by　reason　of　the　Idumeans。　They　also　supposed　that　Ananus　would　be　every　where；　and　visit　the　guards　every　　　hour；　which　indeed　was　done　upon　other　nights；　but　was　　　omitted　that　night；　not　by　reason　of　any　slothfulness　of　Ananus；　but　by　the　overbearing　appointment　of　fate；　that　so　both　he　might　himself　perish；　and　the　multitude　of　the　guards　might　perish　with　him；　for　truly；　as　the　night　was　far　gone；　and　the　storm　very　terrible；　Ananus　gave　the　guards　in　the　cloisters　leave　to　go　to　sleep；　while　it　came　into　the　heads　of　the　zealots　to　make　use　of　the　saws　belonging　to　the　temple；　and　to　cut　the　bars　of　the　gates　to　pieces。　The　noise　of　the　wind；　and　that　not　inferior　sound　of　the　thunder；　did　here　also　conspire　with　their　designs；　that　the　noise　of　the　saws　was　not　heard　by　the　others。　　　　　　7。　So　they　secretly　went　out　of　the　temple　to　the　wall　of　the　city；　and　made　use　of　their　saws；　and　opened　that　gate　which　was　over　against　the　Idumeans。　Now　at　first　there　came　a　fear　upon　the　Idumeans　themselves；　which　disturbed　them；　as　imagining　that　Ananus　and　his　party　were　coming　to　attack