the wars of the jews-第124章

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e　Roman　usage；　went　in　the　front　of　the　army　after　a　　　decent　manner；　and　marched　through　Samaria　to　Gophna；　　　a　city　that　had　been　formerly　taken　by　his　father；　and　was　then　garrisoned　by　Roman　soldiers；　and　when　he　had　　　lodged　there　one　night；　he　marched　on　in　the　morning；　and　when　he　had　gone　as　far　as　a　day's　march；　he　pitched　his　camp　at　that　valley　which　the　Jews；　in　their　own　tongue；　call　〃the　Valley　of　Thorns；〃　near　a　certain　village　called　Gabaothsath；　which　signifies　〃the　Hill　of　Saul；〃　being　distant　from　Jerusalem　about　thirty　furlongs。　（6）　There　it　was　that　he　chose　out　six　hundred　select　horsemen；　and　went　to　　　take　a　view　of　the　city；　to　observe　what　strength　it　was　of；　and　how　courageous　the　Jews　were；　whether；　when　they　　　saw　him；　and　before　they　came　to　a　direct　battle；　they　　　would　be　affrighted　and　submit；　for　he　had　been　informed　what　was　really　true；　that　the　people　who　were　fallen　under　the　power　of　the　seditious　and　the　robbers　were　greatly　　　desirous　of　peace；　but　being　too　weak　to　rise　up　against　the　rest；　they　lay　still。　　　　　　2。　Now；　so　long　as　he　rode　along　the　straight　road　which　led　to　the　wall　of　the　city；　nobody　appeared　out　of　the　　　gates；　but　when　he　went　out　of　that　road；　and　declined　　　towards　the　tower　Psephinus；　and　led　the　band　of　　　horsemen　obliquely；　an　immense　number　of　the　Jews　　　leaped　out　suddenly　at　the　towers　called　the　〃Women's　　　Towers；〃　through　that　gate　which　was　over　against　the　　　monuments　of　queen　Helena；　and　intercepted　his　horse；　　　and　standing　directly　opposite　to　those　that　still　ran　along　the　road；　hindered　them　from　joining　those　that　had　　　declined　out　of　it。　They　intercepted　Titus　also；　with　a　few　other。　Now　it　was　here　impossible　for　him　to　go　forward；　because　all　the　places　had　trenches　dug　in　them　from　the　wall；　to　preserve　the　gardens　round　about；　and　were　full　of　gardens　obliquely　situated；　and　of　many　hedges；　and　to　　　return　back　to　his　own　men；　he　saw　it　was　also　impossible；　by　reason　of　the　multitude　of　the　enemies　that　lay　between　them；　many　of　whom　did　not　so　much　as　know　that　the　king　was　in　any　danger；　but　supposed　him　still　among　them。　So　he　perceived　that　his　preservation　must　be　wholly　owing　to　his　own　courage；　and　turned　his　horse　about；　and　cried　out　aloud　to　those　that　were　about　him　to　follow　him；　and　ran　with　violence　into　the　midst　of　his　enemies；　in　order　to　force　his　way　through　them　to　his　own　men。　And　hence　we　may　　　principally　learn；　that　both　the　success　of　wars；　and　the　dangers　that　kings　（7）　are　in；　are　under　the　providence　of　God；　for　while　such　a　number　of　darts　were　thrown　at　Titus；　when　he　had　neither　his　head…piece　on；　nor　his　breastplate；　（for；　as　I　told　you；　he　went　out　not　to　fight；　but　to　view　the　city；）　none　of　them　touched　his　body；　but　went　aside　　　without　hurting　him；　as　if　all　of　them　missed　him　on　　　purpose；　and　only　made　a　noise　as　they　passed　by　him。　So　he　diverted　those　perpetually　with　his　sword　that　came　on　his　side；　and　overturned　many　of　those　that　directly　met　him；　and　made　his　horse　ride　over　those　that　were　　　overthrown。　The　enemy　indeed　made　a　shout　at　the　　　boldness　of　Caesar；　and　exhorted　one　another　to　rush　upon　him。　Yet　did　these　against　whom　he　marched　fly　away；　and　go　off　from　him　in　great　numbers；　while　those　that　were　in　the　same　danger　with　him　kept　up　close　to　him；　though　　　they　were　wounded　both　on　their　backs　and　on　their　sides；　for　they　had　each　of　them　but　this　one　hope　of　escaping；　if　they　could　assist　Titus　in　opening　himself　a　way；　that　he　might　not　be　encompassed　round　by　his　enemies　before　he　　　got　away　from　them。　Now　there　were　two　of　those　that　　　were　with　him；　but　at　some　distance；　the　one　of　which　the　enemy　compassed　round；　and　slew　him　with　their　darts；　　　and　his　horse　also；　but　the　other　they　slew　as　he　leaped　down　from　his　horse；　and　carried　off　his　horse　with　them。　But　Titus　escaped　with　the　rest；　and　came　safe　to　the　　　camp。　So　this　success　of　the　Jews'　first　attack　raised　their　minds；　and　gave　them　an　ill…grounded　hope；　and　this　short　inclination　of　fortune；　on　their　side；　made　them　very　　　courageous　for　the　future。　　　　　　3。　But　now；　as　soon　as　that　legion　that　had　been　at　　　Emmaus　was　joined　to　Caesar　at　night；　he　removed　　　thence；　when　it　was　day；　and　came　to　a　place　called　　　Seopus；　from　whence　the　city　began　already　to　be　seen；　　　and　a　plain　view　might　be　taken　of　the　great　temple。　　　Accordingly；　this　place；　on　the　north　quarter　of　the　city；　and　joining　thereto；　was　a　plain；　and　very　properly　named　　　Scopus；　＇the　prospect；＇　and　was　no　more　than　seven　　　furlongs　distant　from　it。　And　here　it　was　that　Titus　ordered　a　camp　to　be　fortified　for　two　legions　that　were　to　be　together；　but　ordered　another　camp　to　be　fortified；　at　three　furlongs　farther　distance　behind　them；　for　the　fifth　legion；　for　he　thought　that；　by　marching　in　the　night；　they　might　be　tired；　and　might　deserve　to　be　covered　from　the　enemy；　and　with　less　fear　might　fortify　themselves；　and　as　these　were　now　beginning　to　build；　the　tenth　legion；　who　came　through　　　Jericho；　was　already　come　to　the　place；　where　a　certain　　　party　of　armed　men　had　formerly　lain；　to　guard　that　pass　into　the　city；　and　had　been　taken　before　by　Vespasian。　　　These　legions　had　orders　to　encamp　at　the　distance　of　six　furlongs　from　Jerusalem；　at　the　mount　called　the　Mount　of　Olives　（8）　which　lies　over　against　the　city　on　the　east　side；　and　is　parted　from　it　by　a　deep　valley；　interposed　between　them；　which　is　named　Cedron。　　　　　　4。　Now　when　hitherto　the　several　parties　in　the　city　had　been　dashing　one　against　another　perpetually；　this　foreign　war；　now　suddenly　come　upon　them　after　a　violent　manner；　put　the　first　stop　to　their　contentions　one　against　another；　and　as　the　seditious　now　saw　with　astonishment　the　　　Romans　pitching　three　several　camps；　they　began　to　think　of　an　awkward　sort　of　concord；　and　said　one　to　another；　　　〃What　do　we　here；　and　what　do　we　mean；　when　we　suffer　　　three　fortified　walls　to　be　built　to　coop　us　in；　that　we　shall　not　be　able　to　breathe　freely？　while　the　enemy　is　securely　building　a　kind　of　city　in　opposition　to　us；　and　while　we　sit　still　within　our　own　walls；　and　become　spectators　only　of　what　they　are　doing；　with　our　hands　idle；　and　our　armor　laid　by；　as　if　they　were　about　somewhat　that　was　for　our　good　and　advantage。　We　are；　it　seems；　（so　did　they　cry　out；）　　　only　courageous　against　ourselves；　while　the　Romans　are　　　likely　to　gain　the　city　without　bloodshed　by　our　sedition。〃　Thus　did　they　encourage　one　another　when　they　were　　　gotten　together；　and　took　their　armor　immediately；　and　ran　out　upon　the　tenth　legion；　and　fell　upon　the　Romans　with　great　eagerness；　and　with　a　prodigious　shout；　as　they　were　fortifying　their　camp。　These　Romans　were　caught　in　　　different　parties；　and　this　in　order　to　perform　their　several　works；　and　on　that　account　had　in　great　measure　laid　aside　their　arms；　for　they　thought　the　Jews　would　not　have　　　ventured　to　make　a　sally　upon　them；　and　had　they　been　　　disposed　so　to　do；　they　supposed　their　sedition　would　have　distracted　them。　So　they　were　put　into　disorder　　　unexpectedly；　when　some　of　hem　left　their　works　they　were　about；　and　immediately　marched　off；　while　many　ran　to　　　their　arms；　but　were　smitten　and