the wars of the jews-第95章

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as　so　great；　that　no　one　had　courage　enough　either　to　weep　openly　for　the　dead　man　that　was　related　to　him；　or　to　bury　him；　but　those　that　were　shut　up　in　their　own　houses　could　only　shed　tears　in　secret；　and　durst　not　even　groan　without　great　caution；　lest　any　of　their　enemies　should　hear　them；　for　if　they　did；　those　that　mourned　for　others　soon　underwent　the　same　death　with　　　those　whom　they　mourned　for。　Only　in　the　night　time　they　would　take　up　a　little　dust；　and　throw　it　upon　their　bodies；　and　even　some　that　were　the　most　ready　to　expose　　　themselves　to　danger　would　do　it　in　the　day　time：　and　there　were　twelve　thousand　of　the　better　sort　who　perished　in　this　manner。　　　　　　4。　And　now　these　zealots　and　Idumeans　were　quite　weary　of　barely　killing　men；　so　they　had　the　impudence　of　setting　up　fictitious　tribunals　and　judicatures　for　that　purpose；　and　as　they　intended　to　have　Zacharias　（9）　the　son　of　Baruch；　one　of　the　most　eminent　of　the　citizens；　slain；　so　what　　　provoked　them　against　him　was；　that　hatred　of　wickedness　and　love　of　liberty　which　were　so　eminent　in　him：　he　was　also　a　rich　man；　so　that　by　taking　him　off；　they　did　not　only　hope　to　seize　his　effects；　but　also　to　get　rid　of　a　mall　that　had　great　power　to　destroy　them。　So　they　called　together；　by　a　public　proclamation；　seventy　of　the　principal　men　of　the　populace；　for　a　show；　as　if　they　were　real　judges；　while　they　had　no　proper　authority。　Before　these　was　Zacharias　accused　of　a　design　to　betray　their　polity　to　the　Romans；　and　having　　　traitorously　sent　to　Vespasian　for　that　purpose。　Now　there　appeared　no　proof　or　sign　of　what　he　was　accused；　but　they　affirmed　themselves　that　they　were　well　persuaded　that　so　it　was；　and　desired　that　such　their　affirmation　might　he　taken　for　sufficient　evidence。　Now　when　Zacharias　clearly　saw　that　there　was　no　way　remaining　for　his　escape　from　them；　as　　　having　been　treacherously　called　before　them；　and　then　put　in　prison；　but　not　with　any　intention　of　a　legal　trial；　he　took　great　liberty　of　speech　in　that　despair　of　his　life　he　was　under。　Accordingly　he　stood　up；　and　laughed　at　their　　　pretended　accusation；　and　in　a　few　words　confuted　the　crimes　laid　to　his　charge；　after　which　he　turned　his　speech　to　his　accusers；　and　went　over　distinctly　all　their　transgressions　of　the　law；　and　made　heavy　lamentation　upon　the　confusion　　　they　had　brought　public　affairs　to：　in　the　mean　time；　the　zealots　grew　tumultuous；　and　had　much　ado　to　abstain　from　drawing　their　swords；　although　they　designed　to　preserve　the　appearance　and　show　of　judicature　to　the　end。　They　were　　　also　desirous；　on　other　accounts；　to　try　the　judges；　whether　they　would　be　mindful　of　what　was　just　at　their　own　peril。　Now　the　seventy　judges　brought　in　their　verdict　that　the　person　accused　was　not　guilty；　as　choosing　rather　to　die　themselves　with　him；　than　to　have　his　death　laid　at　their　doors；　hereupon　there　arose　a　great　clamor　of　the　zealots　upon　his　acquittal；　and　they　all　had　indignation　at　the　judges　for　not　understanding　that　the　authority　that　was　given　them　was　but　in　jest。　So　two　of　the　boldest　of　them　fell　upon　Zacharias　in　the　middle　of　the　temple；　and　slew　him；　and　as　he　fell　down　dead；　they　bantered　him；　and　said；　〃Thou　hast　also　our　verdict；　and　this　will　prove　a　more　sure　acquittal　to　thee　than　the　other。〃　They　also　threw　him　down　from　the　　　temple　immediately　into　the　valley　beneath　it。　Moreover；　they　struck　the　judges　with　the　backs　of　their　swords；　by　way　of　abuse；　and　thrust　them　out　of　the　court　of　the　temple；　and　spared　their　lives　with　no　other　design　than　that；　when　they　were　dispersed　among　the　people　in　the　city；　they　might　　　become　their　messengers；　to　let　them　know　they　were　no　　　better　than　slaves。　　　　　　5。　But　by　this　time　the　Idumeans　repented　of　their　coming；　and　were　displeased　at　what　had　been　done；　and　when　they　were　assembled　together　by　one　of　the　zealots；　who　had　　　come　privately　to　them；　he　declared　to　them　what　a　number　of　wicked　pranks　they　had　themselves　done　in　conjunction　with　those　that　invited　them；　and　gave　a　particular　account　of　what　mischiefs　had　been　done　against　their　metropolis。　He　said　that　they　had　taken　arms；　as　though　the　high　priests　were　betraying　their　metropolis　to　the　Romans；　but　had　　　found　no　indication　of　any　such　treachery；　but　that　they　had　succored　those　that　had　pretended　to　believe　such　a　thing；　while　they　did　themselves　the　works　of　war　and　tyranny；　after　an　insolent　manner。　It　had　been　indeed　their　business　to　have　hindered　them　from　such　their　proceedings　at　the　first；　but　seeing　they　had　once　been　partners　with　them　in　shedding　the　blood　of　their　own　countrymen；　it　was　high　time　to　put　a　stop　to　such　crimes；　and　not　continue　to　afford　any　more　assistance　to　such　as　are　subverting　the　laws　of　their　　　forefathers；　for　that　if　any　had　taken　it　ill　that　the　gates　had　been　shut　against　them；　and　they　had　not　been　permitted　to　come　into　the　city；　yet　that　those　who　had　excluded　them　have　been　punished；　and　Ananus　is　dead；　and　that　almost　all　those　people　had　been　destroyed　in　one　night's　time。　That　one　may　perceive　many　of　themselves　now　repenting　for　what　they　had　done；　and　might　see　the　horrid　barbarity　of　those　that　had　invited　them；　and　that　they　had　no　regard　to　such　as　had　saved　them；　that　they　were　so　impudent　as　to　perpetrate　the　vilest　things；　under　the　eyes　of　those　that　had　supported　them；　and　that　their　wicked　actions　would　be　laid　to　the　charge　of　the　Idumeans；　and　would　be　so　laid　to　their　charge　till　somebody　obstructs　their　proceedings；　or　separates　　　himself　from　the　same　wicked　action；　that　they　therefore　ought　to　retire　home；　since　the　imputation　of　treason　appears　to　be　a　Calumny；　and　that　there　was　no　expectation　of　the　coming　of　the　Romans　at　this　time；　and　that　the　government　of　the　city　was　secured　by　such　walls　as　cannot　easily　be　thrown　down；　and；　by　avoiding　any　further　fellowship　with　these　bad　men；　to　make　some　excuse　for　themselves；　as　to　what　they　had　been　so　far　deluded；　as　to　have　been　partners　with　them　hitherto。　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　6。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　How　The　Zealots　When　They　Were　Freed　From　The　Idumeans；　Slew　A　Great　Many　More　Of　The　Citizens；　And　How　Vespasian　Dissuaded　The　Romans　When　They　Were　Very　Earnest　To　March　Against　The　Jews　　From　Proceeding　In　The　War　At　That　Time。　　　　　　　　　　　　1。　The　Idumeans　complied　with　these　persuasions；　and；　in　the　first　place；　they　set　those　that　were　in　the　prisons　at　liberty；　being　about　two　thousand　of　the　populace；　who　thereupon　　　fled　away　immediately　to　Simon；　one　whom　we　shall　speak　of　presently。　After　which　these　Idumeans　retired　from　　　Jerusalem；　and　went　home；　which　departure　of　theirs　was　a　great　surprise　to　both　parties；　for　the　people；　not　knowing　of　their　repentance；　pulled　up　their　courage　for　a　while；　as　eased　of　so　many　of　their　enemies；　while　the　zealots　grew　more　insolent　not　as　deserted　by　their　confederates；　but　as　freed　from　such　men　as　might　hinder　their　designs；　and　plat　some　stop　to　their　wickedness。　Accordingly；　they　made　no　longer　any　delay；　nor　took　any　deliberation　in　their　enormous　practices；　but　made　use　of　the　shortest　methods　for　all　their　executions　and　what　they　had　once　resolved　upon；　they　put　in　practice　sooner　than　any　one　could　imagine。　But　their　thirst　was　chiefly　after　the　blood　of　valiant　men；　and　men　of　good　families；　the　one　sort　of　which　they　destroyed　out　of　envy；　the　other　out　of　fear；　for　they　thought　their　whole　security　lay　in　leaving　no　potent　men　alive；　on　which　account　they　slew　Gorion；　a　person　eminent　in　dignity；　and　on　account　of　his　family　also；　he　was　also　for　democracy；　and　of　as　great　　　boldness　and　freedom　of　spirit　as　were　any　of　the　Jews　　　whosoever；　the　principal　thing　that　ruined　him；　added　to　his　other　advantages；　was　his　free　speaking。　Nor　did　Niger　of　Peres　escape　their　hands；　he　had　been　a　man　of　great　valor　in　their　war　with　the　Romans；　but　was　now　drawn　through　　　the　middle　of　the　city；　and；　as　he　went；　he　frequently　cried　out；　and　showed　the　scars　of　his　wounds；　and　when　he　was　drawn　out　of　the　gates；　and　despaired　of　his　preservation；　he　besought　them　to　grant　him　a　burial；　but　as　they　had　　　threatened　him　beforehand　not　to　grant　him　any　spot　of　　　earth　for　a　grave；　which　he