the antiquities of the jews-1-第163章

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for　Cyrus；　who　was　busy　about　other　wars；　knew　nothing　of　all
this；　and　it　so　happened；　that　when　he　had　led　his　army　against
the　Massagetae；　he　ended　his　life。　（4）　But　when　Cambyses；　the　son
of　Cyrus；　had　taken　the　kingdom；　the　governors　in　Syria；　and
Phoenicia；　and　in　the　countries　of　Amlnon；　and　Moab；　and　Samaria；
wrote　an　epistle　to　Calnbyses；　whose　contents　were　as　follow：　〃To
our　lord　Cambyses。　We　thy　servants；　Rathumus　the　historiographer；
and　Semellius　the　scribe；　and　the　rest　that　are　thy　judges　in
Syria　and　Phoenicia；　send　greeting。　It　is　fit；　O　king；　that　thou
shouldst　know　that　those　Jews　which　were　carried　to　Babylon　are
come　into　our　country；　and　are　building　that　rebellious　and
wicked　city；　and　its　market…places；　and　setting　up　its　walls；　and
raising　up　the　temple；　know　therefore；　that　when　these　things　are
finished；　they　will　not　be　willing　to　pay　tribute；　nor　will　they
submit　to　thy　commands；　but　will　resist　kings；　and　will　choose
rather　to　rule　over　others　than　be　ruled　over　themselves。　We
therefore　thought　it　proper　to　write　to　thee；　O　king；　while　the
works　about　the　temple　are　going　on　so　fast；　and　not　to　overlook
this　matter；　that　thou　mayst　search　into　the　books　of　thy
fathers；　for　thou　wilt　find　in　them　that　the　Jews　have　been
rebels；　and　enemies　to　kings；　as　hath　their　city　been　also；
which；　for　that　reason；　hath　been　till　now　laid　waste。　We　thought
proper　also　to　inform　thee　of　this　matter；　because　thou　mayst
otherwise　perhaps　be　ignorant　of　it；　that　if　this　city　be　once
inhabited　and　be　entirely　encompassed　with　walls；　thou　wilt　be
excluded　from　thy　passage　to　Celesyria　and　Phoenicia。〃

2。　When　Cambyses　had　read　the　epistle；　being　naturally　wicked；　he
was　irritated　at　what　they　told　him；　and　wrote　back　to　them　as
follows：　〃Cambyses　the　king；　to　Rathumus　the　historiographer；　to
Beeltethmus；　to　Semellius　the　scribe；　and　the　rest　that　are　in
commission；　and　dwelling　in　Samaria　and　Phoenicia；　after　this
manner：　I　have　read　the　epistle　that　was　sent　from　you；　and　I
gave　order　that　the　books　of　my　forefathers　should　be　searched
into；　and　it　is　there　found　that　this　city　hath　always　been　an
enemy　to　kings；　and　its　inhabitants　have　raised　seditions　and
wars。　We　also　are　sensible　that　their　kings　have　been　powerful
and　tyrannical；　and　have　exacted　tribute　of　Celesyria　and
Phoenicia。　Wherefore　I　gave　order；　that　the　Jews　shall　not　be
permitted　to　build　that　city；　lest　such　mischief　as　they　used　to
bring　upon　kings　be　greatly　augmented。〃　When　this　epistle　was
read；　Rathumus；　and　Semellius　the　scribe；　and　their　associates；
got　suddenly　on　horseback；　and　made　haste　to　Jerusalem；　they　also
brought　a　great　company　with　them；　and　forbade　the　Jews　to　build
the　city　and　the　temple。　Accordingly；　these　works　were　hindered
from　going　on　till　the　second　year　of　the　reign　of　Darius；　for
nine　years　more；　for　Cambyses　reigned　six　years；　and　within　that
time　overthrew　Egypt；　and　when　he　was　come　back；　he　died　at
Damascus。

CHAPTER　3。

How　After　The　Death　Of　Cambyses　And　The　Slaughter　Of　The　Magi　But
Under　The　Reign　Of　Darius；　Zorobabel　Was　Superior　To　The　Rest　1n
The　Solution　Of　Problems　And　Thereby　Obtained　This　Favor　Of　The
King；　That　The　Temple　Should　Be　Built。

1。　After　the　slaughter　of　file　Magi；　who；　upon　the　death　of
Cambyses；　attained　the　government　of　the　Persians　for　a　year；
those　families　which　were　called　the　seven　families　of　the
Persians　appointed　Darius；　the　son　of　Hystaspes；　to　be　their
king。　Now　he；　while　he　was　a　private　man；　had　made　a　vow　to　God；
that　if　he　came　to　be　king；　he　would　send　all　the　vessels　of　God
that　were　in　Babylon　to　the　temple　at　Jerusalem。　Now　it　so　fell
out；　that　about　this　time　Zorobabel；　who　had　been　made　governor
of　the　Jews　that　had　been　in　captivity；　came　to　Darius；　from
Jerusalem；　for　there　had　been　an　old　friendship　between　him　and
the　king。　He　was　also；　with　two　others；　thought　worthy　to　be
guard　of　the　king's　body；　and　obtained　that　honor　which　he　hoped
for。

2。　Now；　in　the　first　year　of　the　king's　reign；　Darius　feasted
those　that　were　about　him；　and　those　born　in　his　house；　with　the
rulers　of　the　Medes；　and　princes　of　the　Persians；　and　the
toparchs　of　India　and　Ethiopia；　and　the　generals　of　the　armies　of
his　hundred　and　twenty…seven　provinces。　But　when　they　had　eaten
and　drunk　to　satiety；　and　abundantly；　they　every　one　departed　to
go　to　bed　at　their　own　houses；　and　Darius　the　king　went　to　bed；
but　after　he　had　rested　a　little　part　of　the　night；　he　awaked；
and　not　being　able　to　sleep　any　more；　he　fell　into　conversation
with　the　three　guards　of　his　body；　and　promised；　that　to　him　who
should　make　an　oration　about　points　that　he　should　inquire　of；
such　as　should　be　most　agreeable　to　truth；　and　to　the　dictates　of
wisdom；　he　would　grant　it　as　a　reward　of　his　victory；　to　put　on　a
purple　garment；　and　to　drink　in　cups　of　gold；　and　to　sleep　upon
gold；　and　to　have　a　chariot　with　bridles　of　gold；　and　a　head　tire
of　fine　linen；　and　a　chain　of　gold　about　his　neck；　and　to　sit
next　to　himself；　on　account　of　his　wisdom；　〃and；〃　says　he；　〃he
shall　be　called　my　cousin。〃　Now　when　he　had　promised　to　give　them
these　gifts；　he　asked　the　first　of　them；　〃Whether　wine　was　not
the　strongest？〃the　second；　〃Whether　kings　were　not　such？〃　…　and
the　third；　〃Whether　women　were　not　such？　or　whether　truth　was　not
the　strongest　of　all？〃　When　he　had　proposed　that　they　should　make
their　inquiries　about　these　problems；　he　went　to　rest；　but　in　the
morning　he　sent　for　his　great　men；　his　princes；　and　toparchs　of
Persia　and　Media；　and　set　himself　down　in　the　place　where　he　used
to　give　audience；　and　bid　each　of　the　guards　of　his　body　to
declare　what　they　thought　proper　concerning　the　proposed
questions；　in　the　hearing　of　them　all。

3。　Accordingly；　the　first　of　them　began　to　speak　of　the　strength
of　wine；　and　demonstrated　it　thus：　〃When；〃　said　he；〃　I　am　to　give
my　opinion　of　wine；　O　you　men；　I　find　that　it　exceeds　every
thing；　by　the　following　indications：　It　deceives　the　mind　of
those　that　drink　it；　and　reduces　that　of　the　king　to　the　same
state　with　that　of　the　orphan；　and　he　who　stands　in　need　of　a
tutor；　and　erects　that　of　the　slave　to　the　boldness　of　him　that
is　free；　and　that　of　the　needy　becomes　like　that　of　the　rich　man；
for　it　changes　and　renews　the　souls　of　men　when　it　gets　into
them；　and　it　quenches　the　sorrow　of　those　that　are　under
calamities；　and　makes　men　forget　the　debts　they　owe　to　others；
and　makes　them　think　themselves　to　be　of　all　men　the　richest；　it
makes　them　talk　of　no　small　things；　but　of　talents；　and　such
other　names　as　become　wealthy　men　only；　nay　more；　it　makes　them
insensible　of　their　commanders；　and　of　their　kings；　and　takes
away　the　remembrance　of　their　friends　and　companions；　for　it　arms
men　even　against　those　that　are　dearest　to　them；　and　makes　them
appear　the　greatest　strangers　to　them；　and　when　they　are　become
sober；　and　they　have　slept　out　their　wine　in　the　night；　they
arise　without　knowing　any　thing　they　have　done　in　their　cups。　I
take　these　for　signs　of　power；　and　by　them　discover　that　wine　is
the　strongest　and　most　insuperable　of　all　things。〃

4。　As　soon　as　the　first　had　given　the　forementioned
demonstrations　of　the　strength　of　wine；　he　left　off；　and　the　next
to　him　began　to　speak　about　the　strength　of　a　king；　and
demonstrated　that　it　was　the　strongest　of　all；　and　more　powerful
than　any　thing　else　that　appears　to　have　any　force　or　wisdom。　He
began　his　demonstration　after　the　following　manner；　and　said；〃
They　are　men　who　govern　all　things；　they　force　the　earth　and　the
sea　to　become　profitable　to　them　in　what　they　desire；　and　over
these　men　do　kings　rule；　and　over　them　they　have　authority。　Now
those　who　rule　over　that　animal　which　is　of　all　the　strongest　and
most　powerful；　must　needs　deserve　to　be　esteemed　insuperable　in
power　and　force。　For　example；　when　these　kings　command　their
subjects　to　make　wars；　and　undergo　dangers；　they　are　hearkened
to；　and　when　they　send　them　against　their　enemies；　their　power　is
so　great　that　they　are　obeyed。　They　command　men　to　level
mountains；　and　to　pull　down　walls　and　towers；　nay；　when　they　are
commanded　to　be　killed　and　to　ki