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第16章

the life of flavius josephus-第16章

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the king; and desired leave of me to go down and utterly destroy
it; for they bore the like ill…will to the people of Tiberias; as
they did to those of Sepphoris。

69。 When I heard this; I was in doubt what to do; and hesitated
by what means I might deliver Tiberias from the rage of the
Galileans; for I could not deny that those of Tiborias had
written to the king; and invited him to come to them; for his
letters to them; in answer thereto; would fully prove the truth
of that。 So I sat a long time musing with myself; and then said
to them; 〃I know well enough that the people of Tiberias have
offended; nor shall I forbid you to plunder the city。 However;
such things ought to be done with discretion; for they of
Tiberias have not been the only betrayers of our liberty; but
many of the most eminent patriots of the Galileans; as they
pretended to be; have done the same。 Tarry therefore till I shall
thoroughly find out those authors of our danger; and then you
shall have them all at once under your power; with all such as
you shall yourselves bring in also。〃 Upon my saying this; I
pacifie the multitude; and they left off their anger; and went
their ways; and I gave orders that he who brought the king's
letters should be put into bonds; but in a few days I pretended
that I was obliged; by a necessary affair of my own; to out of
the kingdom。 I then called Crispus privately; and ordered him to
make the soldier that kept him drunk; and to run away to the
king。 So when Tiberias was in danger of being utterly destroyed a
second time; it escaped the danger by my skillful management; and
the care that I had for its preservation。

70。 About this time it was that Justus; the son of Pistus;
without my knowledge; ran away to the king; the occasion of which
I will here relate。 Upon the beginning of the war between the
Jews and Romans; the people of Tiberias resolved to submit to the
king; and not to revolt from the Romans; while Justus tried to
persuade them to betake themselves to their arms; as being
himself desirous of innovations; and having hopes of obtaining
the government of Galilee; as well as of his own country
'Tiberias' also。 Yet did he not obtain what he hoped for; because
the Galileans bore ill…will to those of Tiberias; and this on
account of their anger at what miseries they had suffered from
them before the war; thence it was that they would not endure
that Justus should be their governor。 I myself also; who had been
intrusted by the community of Jerusalem with the government of
Galilee; did frequently come to that degree of rage at Justus;
that I had almost resolved to kill him; as not able to bear his
mischievous disposition。 He was therefore much afraid of me; lest
at length my passion should come to extremity; so he went to the
king; as supposing that he would dwell better and more safely
with him。

71。 Now; when the people of Sepphoris had; in so surprising a
manner; escaped their first danger; they sent to Cestius Gallus;
and desired him to come to them immediately; and take possession
of their city; or else to send forces sufficient to repress all
their enemies' incursions upon them; and at the last they did
prevail with Gallus to send them a considerable army; both of
horse and foot; which came in the night time; and which they
admitted into the city。 But when the country round about it was
harassed by the Roman army; I took those soldiers that were about
me; and came to Garisme; where I cast up a bank; a good way off
the city Sepphoris; and when I was at twenty furlongs distance; I
came upon it by night; and made an assault upon its walls with my
forces; and when I had ordered a considerable number of my
soldiers to scale them with ladders; I became master of the
greatest part of the city。 But soon after; our unacquaintedness
with the places forced us to retire; after we had killed twelve
of the Roman footmen; and two horsemen; and a few of the people
of Sepphoris; with the loss of only a single man of our own。 And
when it afterwards came to a battle in the plain against the
horsemen; and we had undergone the dangers of it courageously for
a long time; we were beaten; for upon the Romans encompassing me
about; my soldiers were afraid; and fell back。 There fell in that
battle one of those that had been intrusted to guard my body; his
name was Justus; who at this time had the same post with the
king。 At the same time also there came forces; both horsemen and
footmen; from the king; and Sylla their commander; who was the
captain of his guard: this Sylla pitched his camp at five
furlongs' distance from Julias; and set a guard upon the roads;
both that which led to Cana; and that which led to the fortress
Gamala; that he might hinder their inhabitants from getting
provisions out of Galilee。

72。 As soon as I had gotten intelligence of this; I sent two
thousand armed men; and a captain over them; whose name was
Jeremiah; who raised a bank a furlong off Julias; near to the
river Jordan; and did no more than skirmish with the enemy; till
I took three thousand soldiers myself; and came to them。 But on
the next day; when I had laid an ambush in a certain valley; not
far from the banks; I provoked those that belonged to the king to
come to a battle; and gave orders to my own soldiers to turn
their backs upon them; until they should have drawn the enemy
away from their camp; and brought them out into the field; which
was done accordingly; for Sylla; supposing that our party did
really run away; was ready to pursue them; when our soldiers that
lay in ambush took them on their backs; and put them all into
great disorder。 I also immediately made a sudden turn with my own
forces; and met those of the king's party; and put them to
flight。 And I had performed great things that day; if a certain
fate had not been my hinderance; for the horse on which I rode;
and upon whose back I fought; fell into a quagmire; and threw me
on the ground; and I was bruised on my wrist; and carried into a
village named Cepharnome; or Capernaum。 When my soldiers heard of
this; they were afraid I had been worse hurt than I was; and so
they did not go on with their pursuit any further; but returned
in very great concern for me。 I therefore sent for the
physicians; and while I was under their hands; I continued
feverish that day; and as the physicians directed; I was that
night removed to Taricheee。

73。 When Sylla and his party were informed what happened to me;
they took courage again; and understanding that the watch was
negligently kept in our camp; they by night placed a body of
horsemen in ambush beyond Jordan; and when it was day they
provoked us to fight; and as we did not refuse it; but came into
the plain; their horsemen appeared out of that ambush in which
they had lain; and put our men into disorder; and made them run
away; so they slew six men of our side。 Yet did they not go off
with the victory at last; for when they heard that some armed men
were sailed from Taricheae to Juli; they were afraid; and
retired。

74。 It was not now long before Vespasian came to Tyre; and king
Agrippa with him; but the Tyrians began to speak reproachfully of
the king; and called him an enemy to the Romans。 For they said
that Philip; the general of his army; had betrayed the royal
palace and the Roman forces that were in Jerusalem; and that it
was done by his command。 When Vespasian heard of this report; he
rebuked the Tyrians for abusing a man who was both a king and a
friend to the Romans; but he exhorted the king to send Philip to
Rome; to answer for what he had done before Nero。 But when Philip
was sent thither; he did not come into the sight of Nero; for he
found him very near death; on account of the troubles that then
happened; and a civil war; and so he returned to the king。 But
when Vespasian was come to Ptolemais; the chief men of Decapolis
of Syria made a clamor against Justus of Tiberias; because he had
set their villages on fire: so Vespasian delivered him to the
king; to he put to death by those under the king's jurisdiction;
yet did the king only put him into bonds; and concealed what he
had done from Vespasian; as I have befor

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