the antiquities of the jews-1-第313章

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he　refused　it；　and　said；　〃O　king！　I　rejoice　in　the　honor　that
thou　hast　for　me；　and　take　it　kindly　that　thou　wouldst　give　me
such　a　dignity　of　thy　own　inclinations；　although　God　hath　judged
that　I　am　not　at　all　worthy　of　the　high　priesthood。　I　am
satisfied　with　having　once　put　on　the　sacred　garments；　for　I　then
put　them　on　after　a　more　holy　manner　than　I　should　now　receive
them　again。　But　if　thou　desirest　that　a　person　more　worthy　than
myself　should　have　this　honorable　employment；　give　me　leave　to
name　thee　such　a　one。　I　have　a　brother　that　is　pure　from　all　sin
against　God；　and　of　all　offenses　against　thyself；　I　recommend　him
to　thee；　as　one　that　is　fit　for　this　dignity。〃　So　the　king　was
pleased　with　these　words　of　his；　and　passed　by　Jonathan；　and；
according　to　his　brother's　desire；　bestowed　the　high　priesthood
upon　Matthias。　Nor　was　it　long　before　Marcus　succeeded　Petronius；
as　president　of　Syria。

CHAPTER　7。

Concerning　Silas　And　On　What　Account　It　Was　That　King　Agrippa　Was
Angry　At　Him。　How　Agrippa　Began　To　Encompass　Jerusalem　With　A
Wall；　And　What　Benefits　He　Bestowed　On　The　Inhabitants　Of
Berytus。

1。　Now　Silas；　the　general　of　the　king's　horse；　because　he　had
been　faithful　to　him　under　all　his　misfortunes；　and　had　never
refused　to　be　a　partaker　with　him　in　any　of　his　dangers；　but　had
oftentimes　undergone　the　most　hazardous　dangers　for　him；　was　full
of　assurance；　and　thought　he　might　expect　a　sort　of　equality　with
the　king；　on　account　of　the　firmness　of　the　friendship　he　had
showed　to　him。　Accordingly；　he　would　no　where　let　the　king　sit　as
his　superior；　and　took　the　like　liberty　in　speaking　to　him　upon
all　occasions；　till　he　became　troublesome　to　the　king；　when　they
were　merry　together；　extolling　himself　beyond　measure；　and　oft
putting　the　king　in　mind　of　the　severity　of　fortune　he　had
undergone；　that　he　might；　by　way　of　ostentation；　demonstrate　What
zeal　he　had　showed　in　his　service；　and　was　continually　harping
upon　this　string；　what　pains　he　had　taken　for　him；　and　much
enlarged　still　upon　that　subject。　The　repetition　of　this　so
frequently　seemed　to　reproach　the　king；　insomuch　that　he　took
this　ungovernable　liberty　of　talking　very　ill　at　his　hands。　For
the　commemoration　of　times　when　men　have　been　under　ignominy；　is
by　no　means　agreeable　to　them；　and　he　is　a　very　silly　man　who　is
perpetually　relating　to　a　person　what　kindness　he　had　done　him。
At　last；　therefore；　Silas　had　so　thoroughly　provoked　the　king's
indignation；　that　he　acted　rather　out　of　passion　than　good
consideration；　and　did　not　only　turn　Silas　out　of　his　place；　as
general　of　his　horse；　but　sent　him　in　bonds　into　his　own　country。
But　the　edge　of　his　anger　wore　off　by　length　of　time；　and　made
room　for　more　just　reasonings　as　to　his　judgment　about　this　man；
and　he　considered　how　many　labors　he　had　undergone　for　his　sake。
So　when　Agrippa　was　solemnizing　his　birth…day；　and　he　gave
festival　entertainments　to　all　his　subjects；　he　sent　for　Silas　on
the　sudden　to　be　his　guest。　But　as　he　was　a　very　frank　man；　he
thought　he　had　now　a　just　handle　given　him　to　be　angry；　which　he
could　not　conceal　from　those　that　came　for　him；　but　said　to　them；
〃What　honor　is　this　the　king　invites　me　to；　which　I　conclude　will
soon　be　over？　For　the　king　hath　not　let　me　keep　those　original
marks　of　the　good…will　I　bore　him；　which　I　once　had　from　him；　but
he　hath　plundered　me；　and　that　unjustly　also。　Does　he　think　that
I　can　leave　off　that　liberty　of　speech；　which；　upon　the
consciousness　of　my　deserts；　I　shall　use　more　loudly　than　before；
and　shall　relate　how　many　misfortunes　I　have　been　delivered　from；
how　many　labors　I　have　undergone　for　him；　whereby　I　procured　him
deliverance　and　respect；　as　a　reward　for　which　I　have　borne　the
hardships　of　bonds　and　a　dark　prison？　I　shall　never　forget　this
usage。　Nay；　perhaps；　my　very　soul；　when　it　is　departed　out　of　the
body；　will　not　forget　the　glorious　actions　I　did　on　his　account。〃
This　was　the　clamor　he　made；　and　he　ordered　the　messengers　to
tell　it　to　the　king。　So　he　perceived　that　Silas　was　incurable　in
his　folly；　and　still　suffered　him　to　lie　in　prison。

2。　As　for　the　walls　of　Jerusalem；　that　were　adjoining　to　the　new
city　＇Bezetha＇；　he　repaired　them　at　the　expense　of　the　public；
and　built　them　wider　in　breadth；　and　higher　in　altitude；　and　he
had　made　them　too　strong　for　all　human　power　to　demolish；　unless
Marcus；　the　then　president　of　Syria；　had　by　letter　informed
Claudius　Caesar　of　what　he　was　doing。　And　when　Claudius　had　some
suspicion　of　attempts　for　innovation；　he　sent　to　Agrippa　to　leave
off　the　building　of　those　walls　presently。　So　he　obeyed；　as　not
thinking　it　proper　to　contradict　Claudius。

3。　Now　this　king　was　by　nature　very　beneficent　and　liberal　in　his
gifts；　and　very　ambitious　to　oblige　people　with　such　large
donations；　and　he　made　himself　very　illustrious　by　the　many
chargeable　presents　he　made　them。　He　took　delight　in　giving；　and
rejoiced　in　living　with　good　reputation。　He　was　not　at　all　like
that　Herod　who　reigned　before　him；　for　that　Herod　was
ill…natured；　and　severe　in　his　punishments；　and　had　no　mercy　on
them　that　he　hated；　and　every　one　perceived　that　he　was　more
friendly　to　the　Greeks　than　to　the　Jews；　for　he　adorned　foreign
cities　with　large　presents　in　money；　with　building　them　baths　and
theatres　besides；　nay；　in　some　of　those　places　he　erected
temples；　and　porticoes　in　others；　but　he　did　not　vouchsafe　to
raise　one　of　the　least　edifices　in　any　Jewish　city；　or　make　them
any　donation　that　was　worth　mentioning。　But　Agrippa's　temper　was
mild；　and　equally　liberal　to　all　men。　He　was　humane　to
foreigners；　and　made　them　sensible　of　his　liberality。　He　was　in
like　manner　rather　of　a　gentle　and　compassionate　temper。
Accordingly；　he　loved　to　live　continually　at　Jerusalem；　and　was
exactly　careful　in　the　observance　of　the　laws　of　his　country。　He
therefore　kept　himself　entirely　pure；　nor　did　any　day　pass　over
his　head　without　its　appointed　sacrifice。

4。　However；　there　was　a　certain　mall　of　the　Jewish　nation　at
Jerusalem；　who　appeared　to　be　very　accurate　in　the　knowledge　of
the　law。　His　name　was　Simon。　This　man　got　together　an　assembly；
while　the　king　was　absent　at　Cesarea；　and　had　the　insolence　to
accuse　him　as　not　living　holily；　and　that　he　might　justly　be
excluded　out　of　the　temple；　since　it　belonged　only　to　native
Jews。　But　the　general　of　Agrippa's　army　informed　him　that　Simon
had　made　such　a　speech　to　the　people。　So　the　king　sent　for　him；
and　as　he　was　sitting　in　the　theater；　he　bid　him　sit　down　by　him；
and　said　to　him　with　a　low　and　gentle　voice；　〃What　is　there　done
in　this　place　that　is　contrary　to　the　law？〃　But　he　had　nothing　to
say　for　himself；　but　begged　his　pardon。　So　the　king　was　more
easily　reconciled　to　him　than　one　could　have　imagined；　as
esteeming　mildness　a　better　quality　in　a　king　than　anger；　and
knowing　that　moderation　is　more　becoming　in　great　men　than
passion。　So　he　made　Simon　a　small　present；　and　dismissed　him。

5。　Now　as　Agrippa　was　a　great　builder　in　many　places；　he　paid　a
peculiar　regard　to　the　people　of　Berytus；　for　he　erected　a
theater　for　them；　superior　to　many　others　of　that　sort；　both　in
Sumptuousness　and　elegance；　as　also　an　amphitheater；　built　at
vast　expenses；　and　besides　these；　he　built　them　baths　and
porticoes；　and　spared　for　no　costs　in　any　of　his　edifices；　to
render　them　both　handsome　and　large。　He　also　spent　a　great　deal
upon　their　dedication；　and　exhibited　shows　upon　them；　and　brought
thither　musicians　of　all　sorts；　and　such　as　made　the　most
delightful　music　of　the　greatest　variety。　He　also　showed　his
magnificence　upon　the　theater；　in　his　great　number　of　gladiators；
and　there　it　was　that　he　exhibited　the　several　antagonists；　in
order　to　please　the　spectators；　no　fewer　indeed　than　seven
hundred　men　to　fight　with　seven　hundred　other　men　（20）　and
allotted　all　the　malefactors　he　had　for　this　exercise；　that　both
the　malefactors　might　receive　their　punishment；　and　that　this
operation　of　war　might　be　a　recreation　in　peace。　And　thus　were
these　criminals　all　destroyed　at　once。

CHAPTER　8。

What　Other　Acts　Were　Done　By　Agrippa　Until　His　Death；　And　After
What　Manner　He　Died。

1。　W