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第10章

the life of flavius josephus-第10章

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with him; sendeth greeting。 Upon the information that you are
come in health into Galilee; I rejoice; and this especially
because I can now resign the care of public affairs here into
your hands; and return into my native country; which is what I
have desired to do a great while; and I confess I ought not only
to come to you as far as Xaloth; but farther; and this without
your commands。 But I desire you to excuse me; because I cannot do
it now; since I watch the motions of Placidus; who hath a mind to
go up into Galilee; and this I do here at Chabolo。 Do you
therefore; on the receipt of this epistle; come hither to me。
Fare you well。〃

45。 When I had written thus; and given the letter to be carried
by the soldier; I sent along with him thirty of the Galileans of
the best characters; and gave them instructions to salute those
ambassadors; but to say nothing else to them。 I also gave orders
to as many of those armed men; whom I esteemed most faithful to
me; to go along with the others; every one with him whom he was
to guard; lest some conversation might pass between those whom I
sent and those who were with Jonathan。 So those men went 'to
Jonathan'。 But when Jonathan and his partners had failed in this
their first attempt; they sent me another letter; the contents
whereof were as follows: 〃Jonathan; and those with him; to
Josephus; send greeting。 We require thee to come to us to the
village Gabaroth; on the third day; without any armed men; that
we may hear what thou hast to lay to the charge of John 'of
Gischala'。〃 When they had written this letter; they saluted the
Galileans whom I sent; and came to Japha; which was the largest
village of all Galilee; and encompassed with very strong walls;
and had a great number of inhabitants in it。 There the multitude
of men; with their wives and children; met them; and exclaimed
loudly against them; and desired them to be gone; and not to envy
them the advantage of an excellent commander。 With these clamors
Jonathan and his partners were greatly provoked; although they
durst not show their anger openly; so they made them no answer;
but went to other villages。 But still the same clamors met them
from all the people; who said; 〃Nobody should persuade them to
have any other commander besides Josephus。〃 So Jonathan and his
partners went away from them without success; and came to
Sepphoris; the greatest city of all Galilee。 Now the men of that
city; who inclined to the Romans in their sentiments; met them
indeed; but neither praised nor reproached me and when they were
gone down from Sepphoris to Asochis; the people of that place
made a clamor against them; as those of Japha had done; whereupon
they were able to contain themselves no longer; but ordered the
armed men that were with them to beat those that made the clamor
with their clubs。 And when they came to Gabara; John met them
with three thousand armed men; but; as I understood by their
letter that they had resolved to fight against me; I arose from
Chabolo; with three thousand armed men also; but left in my camp
one of my fastest friends; and came to Jotapata; as desirous to
be near them; the distance being no more than forty furlongs。
Whence I wrote thus to them: 〃If you are very desirous that I
should come to you; you know there are two hundred and forty
cities and villages in Galilee; I will come to any of them which
you please; excepting Gaburn and Gischala; the one of which is
John's native city; and the other in confederacy and friendship
with him。〃

46。 When Jonathan and his partners had received this letter; they
wrote me no more answers; but called a council of their friends
together; and taking John into their consultation; they took
counsel together by what means they might attack me。 John's
opinion was; that they should write to all the cities and
villages that were in Galilee; for that there must be certainly
one or two persons in every one of them that were at variance
with me; and that they should be invited to come to oppose me as
an enemy。 He would also have them send this resolution of theirs
to the city of Jerusalem; that its citizens; upon the knowledge
of my being adjudged to be an enemy by the Galileans; might
themselves I also confirm that determination。 He said also; that
when this was done; even those Galileans who were well affected
to me; would desert me out of fear。 When John had given them this
counsel; what he had said was very agreeable to the rest of them。
I was also made acquainted with these affairs about the third
hour of the night; by the means of one Saccheus; who had belonged
to them; but now deserted them and came over to me; and told me
what they were about; so I perceived that no time was to be lost。
Accordingly; I gave command to Jacob; an armed man of my guard;
whom I esteemed faithful to me; to take two hundred men; and to
guard the passages that led from Gahara to Galilee; and to seize
upon the passengers; and send them to me; especially such as were
caught with letters about them: I also sent Jeremias himself; one
of my friends; with six hundred armed men; to the borders of
Galilee; in order to watch the roads that led from this country
to the city Jerusalem; and gave him charge to lay hold of such as
traveled with letters about them; to keep the men in bonds upon
the place; but to send me the letters。

47。 When I had laid these commands upon them; I gave them orders;
and bid them take their arms and bring three days' provision with
them; and be with me the next day。 I also parted those that were
about me into four parts; and ordained those of them that were
most faithful to me to be a guard to my body。 I also set over
them centurions; and commanded them to take care that not a
soldier which they did not know should mingle himself among them。
Now; on the fifth day following; when I was at Gabaroth; I found
the entire plain that was before the village full of armed men;
who were come out of Galilee to assist me: many others of the
multitude; also; out of the village; ran along with me。 But as
soon as I had taken my place; and began to speak to them; they
all made an acclamation; and called me the benefactor and savior
of the country。 And when I had made them my acknowledgments; and
thanked them 'for their affection to me'; I also advised them to
fight with nobody; (19) nor to spoil the country; but to pitch
their tents in the plain; and be content with their sustenance
they had brought with them; for I told them that I had a mind to
compose these troubles without shedding any blood。 Now it came to
pass; that on the very same day those who were sent by John with
letters; fell among the guards whom I had appointed to watch the
roads; so the men were themselves kept upon the place; as my
orders were; but I got the letters; which were full of reproaches
and lies; and I intended to fall upon these men; without saying a
word of these matters to any body。

48。 Now; as soon as Jonathan and his companions heard of my
coming; they took all their own friends; and John with them; and
retired to the house of Jesus; which indeed was a large castle;
and no way unlike a citadel; so they privately laid a band of
armed men therein; and shut all the other doors but one; which
they kept open; and they expected that I should come out of the
road to them; to salute them。 And indeed they had given orders to
the armed men; that when I came they should let nobody besides me
come in; but should exclude others; as supposing that; by this
means; they should easily get me under their power: but they were
deceived in their expectation; for I perceived what snares they
had laid for me。 Now; as soon as I was got off my journey; I took
up my lodgings over against them; and pretended to be asleep; so
Jonathan and his party; thinking that I was really asleep and at
rest; made haste to go down into the plain; to persuade the
people that I was an ill governor。 But the matter proved
otherwise; for; upon their appearance; there was a cry made by
the Galileans immediately; declaring their good opinion of me as
their governor; and they made a clamor against Jonathan and his
partners for coming to them when th

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