the life of flavius josephus-第6章

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with　the　others；）　which　were　the　greatest　cities　of　Galilee；　to
revolt　from　their　subjection　to　me；　and　to　be　of　his　party；　and
told　them　that　he　would　command　them　better　than　I　did。　As　for
the　people　of　Sepphoris；　who　belonged　to　neither　of　us；　because
they　had　chosen　to　be　in　subjection　to　the　Romans；　they　did　not
comply　with　his　proposal；　and　for　those　of　Tiberias；　they　did　not
indeed　so　far　comply　as　to　make　a　revolt　from　under　me；　but　they
agreed　to　be　his　friends；　while　the　inhabitants　of　Gabara　did　go
over　to　John；　and　it　was　Simon　that　persuaded　them　so　to　do；　one
who　was　both　the　principal　man　in　the　city；　and　a　particular
friend　and　companion　of　John。　It　is　true；　these　did　not　openly
own　the　making　a　revolt；　because　they　were　in　great　fear　of　the
Galileans；　and　had　frequent　experience　of　the　good…will　they　bore
to　me；　yet　did　they　privately　watch　for　a　proper　opportunity　to
lay　snares　for　me；　and　indeed　I　thereby　came　into　the　greatest
danger；　on　the　occasion　following。

26。　There　were　some　bold　young　men　of　the　village　of　Dabaritta；
who　observed　that　the　wife　of　Ptolemy；　the　king's　procurator；　was
to　make　a　progress　over　the　great　plain　with　a　mighty　attendance；
and　with　some　horsemen　that　followed　as　a　guard　to　them；　and　this
out　of　a　country　that　was　subject　to　the　king　and　queen；　into　the
jurisdiction　of　the　Romans；　and　fell　upon　them　on　a　sudden；　and
obliged　the　wife　of　Ptolemy　to　fly　away；　and　plundered　all　the
carriages。　They　also　came　to　me　to　Tarichese；　with　four　mules'
loading　of　garments；　and　other　furniture；　and　the　weight　of　the
silver　they　brought　was　not　small；　and　there　were　five　hundred
pieces　of　gold　also。　Now　I　had　a　mind　to　preserve　these　spoils
for　Ptolemy；　who　was　my　countryman；　and　it　is　prohibited　（12）　by
our　laws　even　to　spoil　our　enemies；　so　I　said　to　those　that
brought　these　spoils；　that　they　ought　to　be　kept；　in　order　to
rebuild　the　walls　of　Jerusalem　with　them　when　they　came　to　be
sold。　But　the　young　men　took　it　very　ill　that　they　did　not
receive　a　part　of　those　spoils　for　themselves；　as　they　expected
to　have　done；　so　they　went　among　the　villages　in　the　neighborhood
of　Tiberias；　and　told　the　people　that　I　was　going　to　betray　their
country　to　the　Romans；　and　that　I　used　deceitful　language　to
them；　when　I　said；　that　what　had　been　thus　gotten　by　rapine
should　be　kept　for　the　rebuilding　of　the　walls　of　the　city　of
Jerusalem；　although　I　had　resolved　to　restore　these　spoils　again
to　their　former　owner。　And　indeed　they　were　herein　not　mistaken
as　to　my　intentions；　for　when　I　had　gotten　clear　of　them；　I　sent
for　two　of　the　principal　men；　Dassion；　and　Janneus　the　son　of
Levi；　persons　that　were　among　the　chief　friends　of　the　king；　and
commanded　them　to　take　the　furniture　that　had　been　plundered；　and
to　send　it　to　him；　and　I　threatened　that　I　would　order　them　to　be
put　to　death　by　way　of　punishment；　if　they　discovered　this　my
command　to　any　other　person。

27。　Now；　when　all　Galilee　was　filled　with　this　rumor；　that　their
country　was　about　to　be　betrayed　by　me　to　the　Romans；　and　when
all　men　were　exasperated　against　me；　and　ready　to　bring　me　to
punishment；　the　inhabitants　of　Tarichee　did　also　themselves
suppose　that　what　the　young　men　said　was　true；　and　persuaded　my
guards　and　armed　men　to　leave　me　when　I　was　asleep；　and　to　come
presently　to　the　hippodrome；　in　order　there　to　take　counsel
against　me　their　commander。　And　when　they　had　prevailed　with
them；　and　they　were　gotten　together；　they　found　there　a　great
company　assembled　already；　who　all　joined　in　one　clamor；　to　bring
the　man　who　was　so　wicked　to　them　as　to　betray　them；　to　his　due
punishment；　and　it　was　Jesus；　the　son　of　Sapphias；　who
principally　set　them　on。　He　was　ruler　in　Tiberias；　a　wicked　man；
and　naturally　disposed　to　make　disturbances　in　matters　of
consequence；　a　seditious　person　he　was　indeed；　and　an　innovator
beyond　every　body　else。　He　then　took　the　laws　of　Moses　into　his
hands；　and　came　into　the　midst　of　the　people；　and　said；〃　O　my
fellow　citizens！　if　you　are　not　disposed　to　hate　Josephus　on　your
own　account；　have　regard；　however；　to　these　laws　of　your　country；
which　your　commander…in…chief　is　going　to　betray；　hate　him
therefore　on　both　these　accounts；　and　bring　the　man　who　hath
acted　thus　insolently；　to　his　deserved　punishment。〃

28。　When　he　had　said　this；　and　the　multitude　had　openly　applauded
him　for　what　he　had　said；　he　took　some　of　the　armed　men；　and　made
haste　away　to　the　house　in　which　I　lodged；　as　if　he　would　kill　me
immediately；　while　I　was　wholly　insensible　of　all　till　this
disturbance　happened；　and　by　reason　of　the　pains　I　had　been
taking；　was　fallen　fast　asleep。　But　Simon；　who　was　intrusted　with
the　care　of　my　body；　and　was　the　only　person　that　stayed　with　me；
and　saw　the　violent　incursion　the　citizens　made　upon　me；　awaked
me；　and　told　me　of　the　danger　I　was　in；　and　desired　me　to　let　him
kill　me；　that　I　might　die　bravely　and　like　a　general；　before　my
enemies　came　in；　and　forced　me　＇to　kill　myself＇；　or　killed　me
themselves。　Thus　did　he　discourse　to　me；　but　I　committed　the　care
of　my　life　to　God；　and　made　haste　to　go　out　to　the　multitude。
Accordingly；　I　put　on　a　black　garment；　and　hung　my　sword　at　my
neck；　and　went　by　such　a　different　way　to　the　hippodrome；　wherein
I　thought　none　of　my　adversaries　would　meet　me；　so　I　appeared
among　them　on　the　sudden；　and　fell　down　flat　on　the　earth；　and
bedewed　the　ground　with　my　tears：　then　I　seemed　to　them　all　an
object　of　compassion。　And　when　I　perceived　the　change　that　was
made　in　the　multitude；　I　tried　to　divide　their　opinions　before
the　armed　men　should　return　from　my　house；　so　I　granted　them　that
I　had　been　as　wicked　as　they　supposed　me　to　be；　but　still　I
entreated　them　to　let　me　first　inform　them　for　what　use　I　had
kept　that　money　which　arose　from　the　plunder；　and；　that　they
might　then　kill　me　if　they　pleased：　and　upon　the　multitude's
ordering　me　to　speak；　the　armed　men　came　upon　me；　and　when　they
saw　me；　they　ran　to　kill　me；　but　when　the　multitude　bade　them
hold　their　hands；　they　complied；　and　expected　that　as　soon　as　I
should　own　to　them　that　I　kept　the　money　for　the　king；　it　would
be　looked　on　as　a　confession　of　my　treason；　and　they　should　then
be　allowed　to　kill　me。

29。　When；　therefore；　silence　was　made　by　the　whole　multitude；　I
spake　thus　to　them：　〃O　my　countrymen！　I　refuse　not　to　die；　if
justice　so　require。　However；　I　am　desirous　to　tell　you　the　truth
of　this　matter　before　I　die；　for　as　I　know　that　this　city　of
yours　＇Tarichee＇　was　a　city　of　great　hospitality；　and　filled　with
abundance　of　such　men　as　have　left　their　own　countries；　and　are
come　hither　to　be　partakers　of　your　fortune；　whatever　it　be；　I
had　a　mind　to　build　walls　about　it；　out　of　this　money；　for　which
you　are　so　angry　with　me；　while　yet　it　was　to　be　expended　in
building　your　own　walls。〃　Upon　my　saying　this；　the　people　of
Taricheae　and　the　strangers　cried　out；　that〃　they　gave　me　thanks；
and　desired　me　to　be　of　good　courage；〃　although　the　Galileans　and
the　people　of　Tiberias　continued　in　their　wrath　against　me；
insomuch　that　there　arose　a　tumult　among　them；　while　some
threatened　to　kill　me；　and　some　bade　me　not　to　regard　them；　but
when　I　promised　them　that　I　would　build　them　walls　at　Tiberias；
and　at　other　cities　that　wanted　them；　they　gave　credit　to　what　I
promised；　and　returned　every　one　to　his　own　home。　So　I　escaped
the　forementioned　danger；　beyond　all　my　hopes；　and　returned　to　my
own　house；　accompanied　with　my　friends；　and　twenty　armed　men
also。

30。　However；　these　robbers　and　other　authors　of　this　tumult；　who
were　afraid；　on　their　own　account；　lest　I　should　punish　them　for
what　they　had　done；　took　six　hundred　armed　men；　and　came　to　the
house　where　I　abode；　in　order　to　set　it　on　fire。　When　this　their
insult　was　told　me；　I　thought　it　indecent　for　me　to　run　away；　and
I　resolved　to　expose　myself　to　danger；　and　to　act　with　some
boldness；　so　I　gave　order　to　shut　the　doors；　and　went　up　into　an
upper　room；　and　desired　that　they　would　send　in　some　of　their　men
to　receive　the　money　＇from　the　spoils＇　for　I　told　them　they　would
then　have　no　occasion　to　be　angry　with　me；　and　when　they　had　sent
in　on