the life of flavius josephus-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


then　have　no　occasion　to　be　angry　with　me；　and　when　they　had　sent
in　one　of　the　boldest　of　them　all；　I　had　him　whipped　severely；
and　I　commanded　that　one　of　his　hands　should　be　cut　off；　and　hung
about　his　neck；　and　in　this　case　was　he　put　out　to　those　that
sent　him。　At　which　procedure　of　mine　they　were　greatly
affrighted；　and　in　no　small　consternation；　and　were　afraid　that
they　should　themselves　be　served　in　like　manner；　if　they　staid
there；　for　they　supposed　that　I　had　in　the　house　more　armed　men
than　they　had　themselves；　so　they　ran　away　immediately；　while　I；
by　the　use　of　this　stratagem；　escaped　this　their　second
treacherous　design　against　me。

31。　But　there　were　still　some　that　irritated　the　multitude
against　me；　and　said　that　those　great　men　that　belonged　to　the
king　ought　not　to　be　suffered　to　live；　if　they　would　not　change
their　religion　to　the　religion　of　those　to　whom　they　fled　for
safety：　they　spake　reproachfully　of　them　also；　and　said　that　they
were　wizards；　and　such　as　called　in　the　Romans　upon　them。　So　the
multitude　was　soon　deluded　by　such　plausible　pretenses　as　were
agreeable　to　their　own　inclinations；　and　were　prevailed　on　by
them。　But　when　I　was　informed　of　this；　I　instructed　the　multitude
again；　that　those　who　fled　to　them　for　refuge　ought　not　to　be
persecuted：　I　also　laughed　at　the　allegation　about　witchcraft；
（13）　and　told　them　that　the　Romans　would　not　maintain　so　many　ten
thousand　soldiers；　if　they　could　overcome　their　enemies　by
wizards。　Upon　my　saying　this；　the　people　assented　for　a　while；
but　they　returned　again　afterwards；　as　irritated　by　some　ill
people　against　the　great　men；　nay；　they　once　made　an　assault　upon
the　house　in　which　they　dwelt　at　Tarichess；　in　order　to　kill
them；　which；　when　I　was　informed　of；　I　was　afraid　lest　so　horrid
a　crime　should　take　effect；　and　nobody　else　would　make　that　city
their　refuge　any　more。　I　therefore　came　myself；　and　some　others
with　me；　to　the　house　where　these　great　men　lived；　and　locked　the
doors；　and　had　a　trench　drawn　from　their　house　leading　to　the
lake；　and　sent　for　a　ship；　and　embarked　therein　with　them；　and
sailed　to　the　confines　of　Hippos：　I　also　paid　them　the　value　of
their　horses；　nor　in　such　a　flight　could　I　have　their　horses
brought　to　them。　I　then　dismissed　them；　and　begged　of　them
earnestly　that　they　would　courageously　bear　I　this　distress　which
befell　them。　I　was　also　myself　I　greatly　displeased　that　I　was
compelled　to　expose　those　that　had　fled　to　me　to　go　again　into　an
enemy's　country；　yet　did　I　think　it　more　eligible　that　they
should　perish　among　the　Romans；　if　it　should　so　happen；　than　in
the　country　that　was　under　my　jurisdiction。　However；　they　escaped
at　length；　and　king　Agrippa　forgave　them　their　offenses。　And　this
was　the　conclusion　of　what　concerned　these　men。

32。　But　as　for　the　inhabitants　of　the　city　of　Tiberias；　they
wrote　to　the　king；　and　desired　him　to　send　them　forces　sufficient
to　be　a　guard　to　their　country；　for　that　they　were　desirous　to
come　over　to　him：　this　was　what　they　wrote　to　him。　But　when　I
came　to　them；　they　desired　me　to　build　their　walls；　as　I　had
promised　them　to　do；　for　they　had　heard　that　the　walls　of
Tarichess　were　already　built。　I　agreed　to　their　proposal
accordingly；　and　when　I　had　made　preparation　for　the　entire
building；　I　gave　order　to　the　architects　to　go　to　work；　but　on
the　third　day；　when　I　was　gone　to　Tarichess；　which　was　thirty
furlongs　distant　from　Tiberias；　it　so　fell　out；　that　some　Roman
horsemen　were　discovered　on　their　march；　not　far　from　the　city；
which　made　it　to　be　supposed　that　the　forces　were　come　from　the
king；　upon　which　they　shouted；　and　lifted　up　their　voices　in
commendations　of　the　king；　and　in　reproaches　against　me。　Hereupon
one　came　running　to　me；　and　told　me　what　their　dispositions　were；
and　that　they　had　resolved　to　revolt　from　me：　upon　hearing　which
news　I　was　very　much　alarmed；　for　I　had　already　sent　away　my
armed　men　from　Tarichess；　to　their　own　homes；　because　the　next
day　was　our　sabbath；　for　I　would　not　have　the　people　of　Tarichess
disturbed　＇on　that　day＇　by　a　multitude　of　soldiers；　and　indeed；
whenever　I　sojourned　at　that　city；　I　never　took　any　particular
care　for　a　guard　about　my　own　body；　because　I　had　had　frequent
instances　of　the　fidelity　its　inhabitants　bore　to　me。　I　had　now
about　me　no　more　than　seven　armed　men；　besides　some　friends；　and
was　doubtful　what　to　do；　for　to　send　to　recall　my　own　forces　I
did　not　think　proper；　because　the　present　day　was　almost　over；
and　had　those　forces　been　with　me；　I　could　not　take　up　arms　on
the　next　day；　because　our　laws　forbade　us　so　to　do；　even　though
our　necessity　should　be　very　great；　and　if　I　should　permit　the
people　of　Tarichess；　and　the　strangers　with　them；　to　guard　the
city；　I　saw　that　they　would　not　be　sufficient　for　that　purpose；
and　I　perceived　that　I　should　be　obliged　to　delay　my　assistance　a
great　while；　for　I　thought　with　myself　that　the　forces　that　came
from　the　king　would　prevent　me；　and　that　I　should　be　driven　out
of　the　city。　I　considered；　therefore；　how　to　get　clear　of　these
forces　by　a　stratagem；　so　I　immediately　placed　those　my　friends
of　Tarichee；　on　whom　I　could　best　confide；　at　the　gates；　to　watch
those　very　carefully　who　went　out　at　those　gates：　I　also　called
to　me　the　heads　of　families；　and　bade　every　one　of　them　to　seize
upon　a　ship　（14）　to　go　on　board　it；　and　to　take　a　master　with
them；　and　follow　him　to　the　city　of　Tiberias。　I　also　myself　went
on　board　one　of　those　ships；　with　my　friends；　and　the　seven　armed
men　already　mentioned；　and　sailed　for　Tiberias。

33。　But　now；　when　the　people　of　Tiberias　perceived　that　there
were　no　forces　come　from　the　king；　and　yet　saw　the　whole　lake
full　of　ships；　they　were　in　fear　what　would　become　of　their　city；
and　were　greatly　terrified；　as　supposing　that　the　ships　were　full
of　men　on　board；　so　they　then　changed　their　minds；　and　threw　down
their　weapons；　and　met　me　with　their　wives　and　children；　and　made
acclamations　to　me　with　great　commendations；　for　they　imagined
that　I　did　not　know　their　former　inclinations　＇to　have　been
against　me＇；　so　they　persuaded　me　to　spare　the　city。　But　when　I
was　come　near　enough；　I　gave　order　to　the　masters　of　the　ships　to
cast　anchor　a　good　way　off　the　land；　that　the　people　of　Tiberias
might　not　perceive　that　the　ships　had　no　men　on　board；　but　I　went
nearer　to　the　people　in　one　of　the　ships；　and　rebuked　them　for
their　folly；　；and　that　they　were　so　fickle　as；　without　any　just
occasion　in　the　world；　to　revolt　from　their　fidelity　to　me。
However；　assured　them　that　I　would　entirely　forgive　them　for　the
time　to　come；　if　they　would　send　ten　of　the　ringleaders　of　the
multitude　to　me；　and　when　they　complied　readily　with　this
proposal；　and　sent　me　the　men　forementioned；　I　put　them　on　board
a　ship；　and　sent　them　away　to　Tarichese；　and　ordered　them　to　be
kept　in　prison。

34。　And　by　this　stratagem　it　was　that　I　gradually　got　all　the
senate　of　Tiberias　into　my　power；　and　sent　them　to　the　city
forementioned；　with　many　of　the　principal　men　among　the　populace；
and　those　not　fewer　in　number　than　the　other。　But　when　the
multitude　saw　into　what　great　miseries　they　had　brought
themselves；　they　desired　me　to　punish　the　author　of　this
sedition：　his　name　was　Clitus；　a　young　man；　bold　and　rash　in　his
undertakings。　Now；　since　I　thought　it　not　agreeable　to　piety　to
put　one　of　my　own　people　to　death；　and　yet　found　it　necessary　to
punish　him；　I　ordered　Levi；　one　of　my　own　guards；　to　go　to　him；
and　cut　off　one　of　Clitus's　hands；　but　as　he　that　was　ordered　to
do　this；　was　afraid　to　go　out　of　the　ship　alone；　among　'so　great
a　multitude；　I　was　not　willing　that　the　timorousness　of　the
soldier　should　appear　to　the　people　of　Tiberias。　So　I　called　to
Clitus　himself　and　said　to　him；〃　Since　thou　deservest　to　lose
both　thine　hands　for　thy　ingratitude　to　me；　be　thou　thine　own
executioner；　lest；　if　thou　refusest　so　to　be；　thou　undergo　a
worse　punishment。〃　And　when　he　earnestly　begged　of　me　to　spare
him　one　of　his　hands；　it　was　with　difficulty　that　I　granted　it。
So；　in　order　to　prevent　the　loss　of　both　his　hands；　he　willingly
took　his　sword；　and　cut　off　his　own　left　hand；