the wars of the jews-第108章

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m　this　very　day　may　be　dated　the　overthrow　of　her　wall；　and　the　ruin　of　her　affairs；　whereon　they　saw　their　high　priest；　and　the　procurer　of　their　preservation；　slain　in　the　midst　of　their　city。　He　was　on　other　accounts　also　a　venerable；　and　a　very　just　man；　and　besides　the　grandeur　of　that　nobility；　and　dignity；　and　honor　of　which　he　was　　　possessed；　he　had　been　a　lover　of　a　kind　of　parity；　even　with　regard　to　the　meanest　of　the　people；　he　was　a　prodigious　lover　of　liberty；　and　an　admirer　of　a　democracy　in　　　government；　and　did　ever　prefer　the　public　welfare　before　his　own　advantage；　and　preferred　peace　above　all　things；　for　he　was　thoroughly　sensible　that　the　Romans　were　not　to　be　　　conquered。　He　also　foresaw　that　of　necessity　a　war　would　follow；　and　that　unless　the　Jews　made　up　matters　with　them　very　dexterously；　they　would　be　destroyed；　to　say　all　in　a　word；　if　Ananus　had　survived；　they　had　certainly　compounded　matters；　for　he　was　a　shrewd　man　in　speaking　and　persuading　the　people；　and　had　already　gotten　the　mastery　of　those　that　opposed　his　designs；　or　were　for　the　war。　And　the　Jews　had　then　put　abundance　of　delays　in　the　way　of　the　Romans；　if　they　had　had　such　a　general　as　he　was。　Jesus　was　also　joined　with　him；　and　although　he　was　inferior　to　him　upon　the　　　comparison；　he　was　superior　to　the　rest；　and　I　cannot　but　think　that　it　was　because　God　had　doomed　this　city　to　　　destruction；　as　a　polluted　city；　and　was　resolved　to　purge　his　sanctuary　by　fire；　that　he　cut　off　these　their　great　defenders　and　well…wishers；　while　those　that　a　little　before　had　worn　the　sacred　garments；　and　had　presided　over　the　public　worship；　and　had　been　esteemed　venerable　by　those　that　dwelt　on　the　whole　habitable　earth　when　they　came　into　our　city；　were　cast　out　naked；　and　seen　to　be　the　food　of　dogs　and　wild　beasts。　And　I　cannot　but　imagine　that　virtue　itself　groaned　at　these　men's　case；　and　lamented　that　she　was　here　so　terribly　　　conquered　by　wickedness。　And　this　at　last　was　the　end　of　Ananus　and　Jesus。　　　　　　3。　Now　after　these　were　slain；　the　zealots　and　the　multitude　of　the　Idumeans　fell　upon　the　people　as　upon　a　flock　of　　　profane　animals；　and　cut　their　throats；　and　for　the　ordinary　sort；　they　were　destroyed　in　what　place　soever　they　caught　them。　But　for　the　noblemen　and　the　youth；　they　first　caught　them　and　bound　them；　and　shut　them　up　in　prison；　and　put　off　their　slaughter；　in　hopes　that　some　of　them　would　turn　over　to　their　party；　but　not　one　of　them　would　comply　with　their　desires；　but　all　of　them　preferred　death　before　being　enrolled　among　such　wicked　wretches　as　acted　against　their　own　country。　But　this　refusal　of　theirs　brought　upon　them　terrible　torments；　for　they　were　so　scourged　and　tortured；　that　their　bodies　were　not　able　to　sustain　their　torments；　till　at　length；　and　with　difficulty；　they　had　the　favor　to　be　slain。　Those　whom　they　caught　in　the　day　time　were　slain　in　the　night；　and　then　their　bodies　were　carried　out　and　thrown　away；　that　there　might　be　room　for　other　prisoners；　and　the　terror　that　was　upon　the　people　was　so　great；　that　no　one　had　courage　enough　either　to　weep　openly　for　the　dead　man　that　was　related　to　him；　or　to　bury　him；　but　those　that　were　shut　up　in　their　own　houses　could　only　shed　tears　in　secret；　and　durst　not　even　groan　without　great　caution；　lest　any　of　their　enemies　should　hear　them；　for　if　they　did；　those　that　mourned　for　others　soon　underwent　the　same　death　with　　　those　whom　they　mourned　for。　Only　in　the　night　time　they　would　take　up　a　little　dust；　and　throw　it　upon　their　bodies；　and　even　some　that　were　the　most　ready　to　expose　　　themselves　to　danger　would　do　it　in　the　day　time：　and　there　were　twelve　thousand　of　the　better　sort　who　perished　in　this　manner。　　　　　　4。　And　now　these　zealots　and　Idumeans　were　quite　weary　of　barely　killing　men；　so　they　had　the　impudence　of　setting　up　fictitious　tribunals　and　judicatures　for　that　purpose；　and　as　they　intended　to　have　Zacharias　（9）　the　son　of　Baruch；　one　of　the　most　eminent　of　the　citizens；　slain；　so　what　　　provoked　them　against　him　was；　that　hatred　of　wickedness　and　love　of　liberty　which　were　so　eminent　in　him：　he　was　also　a　rich　man；　so　that　by　taking　him　off；　they　did　not　only　hope　to　seize　his　effects；　but　also　to　get　rid　of　a　mall　that　had　great　power　to　destroy　them。　So　they　called　together；　by　a　public　proclamation；　seventy　of　the　principal　men　of　the　populace；　for　a　show；　as　if　they　were　real　judges；　while　they　had　no　proper　authority。　Before　these　was　Zacharias　accused　of　a　design　to　betray　their　polity　to　the　Romans；　and　having　　　traitorously　sent　to　Vespasian　for　that　purpose。　Now　there　appeared　no　proof　or　sign　of　what　he　was　accused；　but　they　affirmed　themselves　that　they　were　well　persuaded　that　so　it　was；　and　desired　that　such　their　affirmation　might　he　taken　for　sufficient　evidence。　Now　when　Zacharias　clearly　saw　that　there　was　no　way　remaining　for　his　escape　from　them；　as　　　having　been　treacherously　called　before　them；　and　then　put　in　prison；　but　not　with　any　intention　of　a　legal　trial；　he　took　great　liberty　of　speech　in　that　despair　of　his　life　he　was　under。　Accordingly　he　stood　up；　and　laughed　at　their　　　pretended　accusation；　and　in　a　few　words　confuted　the　crimes　laid　to　his　charge；　after　which　he　turned　his　speech　to　his　accusers；　and　went　over　distinctly　all　their　transgressions　of　the　law；　and　made　heavy　lamentation　upon　the　confusion　　　they　had　brought　public　affairs　to：　in　the　mean　time；　the　zealots　grew　tumultuous；　and　had　much　ado　to　abstain　from　drawing　their　swords；　although　they　designed　to　preserve　the　appearance　and　show　of　judicature　to　the　end。　They　were　　　also　desirous；　on　other　accounts；　to　try　the　judges；　whether　they　would　be　mindful　of　what　was　just　at　their　own　peril。　Now　the　seventy　judges　brought　in　their　verdict　that　the　person　accused　was　not　guilty；　as　choosing　rather　to　die　themselves　with　him；　than　to　have　his　death　laid　at　their　doors；　hereupon　there　arose　a　great　clamor　of　the　zealots　upon　his　acquittal；　and　they　all　had　indignation　at　the　judges　for　not　understanding　that　the　authority　that　was　given　them　was　but　in　jest。　So　two　of　the　boldest　of　them　fell　upon　Zacharias　in　the　middle　of　the　temple；　and　slew　him；　and　as　he　fell　down　dead；　they　bantered　him；　and　said；　〃Thou　hast　also　our　verdict；　and　this　will　prove　a　more　sure　acquittal　to　thee　than　the　other。〃　They　also　threw　him　down　from　the　　　temple　immediately　into　the　valley　beneath　it。　Moreover；　they　struck　the　judges　with　the　backs　of　their　swords；　by　way　of　abuse；　and　thrust　them　out　of　the　court　of　the　temple；　and　spared　their　lives　with　no　other　design　than　that；　when　they　were　dispersed　among　the　people　in　the　city；　they　might　　　become　their　messengers；　to　let　them　know　they　were　no　　　better　than　slaves。　　　　　　5。　But　by　this　time　the　Idumeans　repented　of　their　coming；　and　were　displeased　at　what　had　been　done；　and　when　they　were　assembled　together　by　one　of　the　zealots；　who　had　　　come　privately　to　them；　he　declared　to　them　what　a　number　of　wicked　pranks　they　had　themselves　done　in　conjunction　with　those　that　invited　them；　and　gave　a　particular　account　of　what　mischiefs　had　been　done　against　their　metropolis。　He　said　that　they　had　taken　arms；　as　though　th