the wars of the jews-第105章

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I　see　that　you　are　come　to　support　the　vilest　of　men　against　us；　and　this　with　so　great　alacrity；　as　you　could　hardly　put　on　the　like；　in　case　our　metropolis　had　called　you　to　her　assistance　against　　　barbarians。　And　if　I　had　perceived　that　your　army　was　　　composed　of　men　like　unto　those　who　invited　them；　I　had　　　not　deemed　your　attempt　so　absurd；　for　nothing　does　so　　　much　cement　the　minds　of　men　together　as　the　alliance　there　is　between　their　manners。　But　now　for　these　men　who　have　invited　you；　if　you　were　to　examine　them　one　by　one；　every　one　of　them　would　be　found　to　have　deserved　ten　thousand　deaths；　for　the　very　rascality　and　offscouring　of　the　whole　country；　who　have　spent　in　debauchery　their　own　substance；　and；　by　way　of　trial　beforehand；　have　madly　plundered　the　neighboring　villages　and　cities；　in　the　upshot　of　all；　have　privately　run　together　into　this　holy　city。　They　are　robbers；　who　by　their　prodigious　wickedness　have　profaned　this　most　sacred　floor；　and　who　are　to　be　now　seen　drinking　themselves　drunk　in　the　sanctuary；　and　expending　the　spoils　of　those　whom　they　have　slaughtered　upon　their　unsatiable　bellies。　As　for　the　multitude　that　is　with　you；　one　may　see　them　so　　　decently　adorned　in　their　armor；　as　it　would　become　them　to　be　had　their　metropolis　called　them　to　her　assistance　against　foreigners。　What　can　a　man　call　this　procedure　of　yours　but　the　sport　of　fortune；　when　he　sees　a　whole　nation　coming　to　protect　a　sink　of　wicked　wretches？　I　have　for　a　good　while　been　in　doubt　what　it　could　possibly　be　that　should　move　you　to　do　this　so　suddenly；　because　certainly　you　would　not　take　on　your　armor　on　the　behalf　of　robbers；　and　against　a　people　of　kin　to　you；　without　some　very　great　cause　for　your　so　doing。　But　we　have　an　item　that　the　Romans　are　pretended；　and　that　we　are　supposed　to　be　going　to　betray　this　city　to　them；　for　some　of　your　men　have　lately　made　a　clamor　about　those　matters；　and　have　said　they　are　come　to　set　their　　　metropolis　free。　Now　we　cannot　but　admire　at　these　wretches　in　their　devising　such　a　lie　as　this　against　us；　for　they　knew　there　was　no　other　way　to　irritate　against　us　men　that　were　naturally　desirous　of　liberty；　and　on　that　account　the　best　disposed　to　fight　against　foreign　enemies；　but　by　framing　a　tale　as　if　we　were　going　to　betray　that　most　desirable　thing；　liberty。　But　you　ought　to　consider　what　sort　of　people　they　are　that　raise　this　calumny；　and　against　what　sort　of　people　that　calumny　is　raised；　and　to　gather　the　truth　of　things；　not　by　fictitious　speeches；　but　out　of　the　actions　of　both　parties；　for　what　occasion　is　there　for　us　to　sell　ourselves　to　the　Romans；　while　it　was　in　our　power　not　to　have　revolted　from　them　at　the　first；　or　when　we　had　once　revolted；　to　have　returned　under　their　dominion　again；　and　this　while　the　　　neighboring　countries　were　not　yet　laid　waste？　whereas　it　is　not　an　easy　thing　to　be　reconciled　to　the　Romans；　if　we　were　desirous　of　it；　now　they　have　subdued　Galilee；　and　are　　　thereby　become　proud　and　insolent；　and　to　endeavor　to　　　please　them　at　the　time　when　they　are　so　near　us；　would　　　bring　such　a　reproach　upon　us　as　were　worse　than　death。　As　for　myself；　indeed；　I　should　have　preferred　peace　with　them　before　death；　but　now　we　have　once　made　war　upon　them；　　　and　fought　with　them；　I　prefer　death；　with　reputation；　before　living　in　captivity　under　them。　But　further；　whether　do　they　pretend　that　we；　who　are　the　rulers　of　the　people；　have　sent　thus　privately　to　the　Romans；　or　hath　it　been　done　by　the　common　suffrages　of　the　people？　If　it　be　ourselves　only　that　have　done　it；　let　them　name　those　friends　of　ours　that　have　been　sent；　as　our　servants；　to　manage　this　treachery。　Hath　any　one　been　caught　as　he　went　out　on　this　errand；　or　seized　upon　as　he　came　back？　Are　they　in　possession　of　our　letters？　How　could　we　be　concealed　from　such　a　vast　number　of　our　fellow　citizens；　among　whom　we　are　conversant　every　hour；　while　what　is　done　privately　in　the　country　is；　it　seems；　known　by　the　zealots；　who　are　but　few　in　number；　and　under　　　confinement　also；　and　are　not　able　to　come　out　of　the　temple　into　the　city。　Is　this　the　first　time　that　they　are　become　sensible　how　they　ought　to　be　punished　for　their　insolent　actions？　For　while　these　men　were　free　from　the　fear　they　are　now　under；　there　was　no　suspicion　raised　that　any　of　us　were　traitors。　But　if　they　lay　this　charge　against　the　people；　this　must　have　been　done　at　a　public　consultation；　and　not　one　of　the　people　must　have　dissented　from　the　rest　of　the　assembly；　in　which　case　the　public　fame　of　this　matter　would　have　come　to　you　sooner　than　any　particular　indication。　But　how　could　that　be？　Must　there　not　then　have　been　　　ambassadors　sent　to　confirm　the　agreements？　And　let　them　tell　us　who　this　ambassador　was　that　was　ordained　for　that　purpose。　But　this　is　no　other　than　a　pretense　of　such　men　as　are　loath　to　die；　and　are　laboring　to　escape　those　　　punishments　that　hang　over　them；　for　if　fate　had　determined　that　this　city　was　to　be　betrayed　into　its　enemies'　hands；　no　other　than　these　men　that　accuse　us　falsely　could　have　the　impudence　to　do　it；　there　being　no　wickedness　wanting　to　complete　their　impudent　practices　but　this　only；　that　they　become　traitors。　And　now　you　Idumeans　are　come　hither　　　already　with　your　arms；　it　is　your　duty；　in　the　first　place；　to　be　assisting　to　your　metropolis；　and　to　join　with　us　in　cutting　off　those　tyrants　that　have　infringed　the　rules　of　our　regular　tribunals；　that　have　trampled　upon　our　laws；　and　made　their　swords　the　arbitrators　of　right　and　wrong；　for　they　have　seized　upon　men　of　great　eminence；　and　under　no　accusation；　as　they　stood　in　the　midst　of　the　market…place；　and　tortured　them　with　putting　them　into　bonds；　and；　without　bearing　to　hear　what　they　had　to　say；　or　what　supplications　they　made；　they　destroyed　them。　You　may；　if　you　please；　come　into　the　city；　though　not　in　the　way　of　war；　and　take　a　view　of　the　marks　still　remaining　of　what　I　now　say；　and　may　see　the　houses　that　have　been　depopulated　by　their　rapacious　hands；　with　those　wives　and　families　that　are　in　black；　mourning　for　their　slaughtered　relations；　as　also　you　may　hear　their　groans　and　lamentations　all　the　city　over；　for　there　is　nobody　but　hath　tasted　of　the　incursions　of　these　profane　wretches；　who　have　proceeded　to　that　degree　of　madness；　as　not　only　to　have　transferred　their　impudent　robberies　out　of　the　country；　and　the　remote　cities；　into　this　city；　the　very　face　and　head　of　the　whole　nation；　but　out　of　the　city　into　the　temple　also；　for　that　is　now　made　their　receptacle　and　refuge；　and　the　　　fountain…head　whence　their　preparations　are　made　against　us。　And　this　place；　which　is　adored　by　the　habitable　world；　and　honored　by　such　as　only　know　it　by　report；　as　far　as　the　ends　of　the　earth；　is　trampled　upon　by　these　wild　beasts　born　among　ourselves。　They　now　triumph　in　the　desperate　　　condition　they　are　already　in；　when　they　hear　that　one　people　is　going　to　fight　against　another　people；　and　one　city　against　another　city；　and　that　your　nation　hath　gotten　an　army　　　together　against　its　own　bowels。　Instead　of　which　procedure；　it　were　highly　fit　and　reasonable；　as　I　said　before；　for　you　to　join　with　us　in　cutting　off　thes