the wars of the jews-第126章

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　at　the　altar；　and　about　the　holy　house；　were　rolled　on　heaps　together；　and　　　trampled　upon；　and　were　beaten　both　with　wooden　and　with　iron　weapons　without　mercy。　Such　also　as　had　differences　with　others　slew　many　persons　that　were　quiet；　out　of　their　own　private　enmity　and　hatred；　as　if　they　were　opposite　to　the　seditious；　and　all　those　that　had　formerly　offended　any　of　these　plotters　were　now　known；　and　were　now　led　away　　　to　the　slaughter；　and　when　they　had　done　abundance　of　　　horrid　mischief　to　the　guiltless；　they　granted　a　truce　to　the　guilty；　and　let　those　go　off　that　came　cut　of　the　caverns。　These　followers　of　John　also　did　now　seize　upon　this　inner　temple；　and　upon　all　the　warlike　engines　therein；　and　then　ventured　to　oppose　Simon。　And　thus　that　sedition；　which　　　had　been　divided　into　three　factions；　was　now　reduced　to　two。　　　　　　2。　But　Titus；　intending　to　pitch　his　camp　nearer　to　the　city　than　Scopus；　placed　as　many　of　his　choice　horsemen　and　　　footmen　as　he　thought　sufficient　opposite　to　the　Jews；　to　prevent　their　sallying　out　upon　them；　while　he　gave　orders　for　the　whole　army　to　level　the　distance；　as　far　as　the　wall　of　the　city。　So　they　threw　down　all　the　hedges　and　walls　which　the　inhabitants　had　made　about　their　gardens　and　　　groves　of　trees；　and　cut　down　all　the　fruit　trees　that　lay　between　them　and　the　wall　of　the　city；　and　filled　up　all　the　hollow　places　and　the　chasms；　and　demolished　the　rocky　　　precipices　with　iron　instruments；　and　thereby　made　all　the　place　level　from　Scopus　to　Herod's　monuments；　which　　　adjoined　to　the　pool　called　the　Serpent's　Pool。　　　　　　3。　Now　at　this　very　time　the　Jews　contrived　the　following　stratagem　against　the　Romans。　The　bolder　sort　of　the　　　seditious　went　out　at　the　towers；　called　the　Women's　　　Towers；　as　if　they　had　been　ejected　out　of　the　city　by　those　who　were　for　peace；　and　rambled　about　as　if　they　were　　　afraid　of　being　assaulted　by　the　Romans；　and　were　in　fear　of　one　another；　while　those　that　stood　upon　the　wall；　and　seemed　to　be　of　the　people's　side；　cried　out　aloud　for　　　peace；　and　entreated　they　might　have　security　for　their　lives　given　them；　and　called　for　the　Romans；　promising　to　open　the　gates　to　them；　and　as　they　cried　out　after　that　manner；　they　threw　stones　at　their　own　people；　as　though　they　　　would　drive　them　away　from　the　gates。　These　also　　　pretended　that　they　were　excluded　by　force；　and　that　they　petitioned　those　that　were　within　to　let　them　in；　and　rushing　upon　the　Romans　perpetually；　with　violence；　they　then　　　came　back；　and　seemed　to　be　in　great　disorder。　Now　the　　　Roman　soldiers　thought　this　cunning　stratagem　of　theirs　　　was　to　be　believed　real；　and　thinking　they　had　the　one　　　party　under　their　power；　and　could　punish　them　as　they　　　pleased；　and　hoping　that　the　other　party　would　open　their　gates　to　them；　set　to　the　execution　of　their　designs　　　accordingly。　But　for　Titus　himself；　he　had　this　surprising　conduct　of　the　Jews　in　suspicion；　for　whereas　he　had　　　invited　them　to　come　to　terms　of　accommodation；　by　　　Josephus；　but　one　day　before；　he　could　then　receive　no　　　civil　answer　from　them；　so　he　ordered　the　soldiers　to　stay　where　they　were。　However；　some　of　them　that　were　set　in　　　the　front　of　the　works　prevented　him；　and　catching　up　their　arms　ran　to　the　gates；　whereupon　those　that　seemed　to　　　have　been　ejected　at　the　first　retired；　but　as　soon　as　the　soldiers　were　gotten　between　the　towers　on　each　side　of　　　the　gate；　the　Jews　ran　out　and　encompassed　them　round；　　　and　fell　upon　them　behind；　while　that　multitude　which　stood　upon　the　wall　threw　a　heap　of　stones　and　darts　of　all　kinds　at　them；　insomuch　that　they　slew　a　considerable　number；　　　and　wounded　many　more；　for　it　was　not　easy　for　the　　　Romans　to　escape；　by　reason　those　behind　them　pressed　　　them　forward；　besides　which；　the　shame　they　were　under　　　for　being　mistaken；　and　the　fear　they　were　in　of　their　　　commanders；　engaged　them　to　persevere　in　their　mistake；　　　wherefore　they　fought　with　their　spears　a　great　while；　and　received　many　blows　from　the　Jews；　though　indeed　they　　　gave　them　as　many　blows　again；　and　at　last　repelled　those　that　had　encompassed　them　about；　while　the　Jews　pursued　　　them　as　they　retired；　and　followed　them；　and　threw　darts　at　them　as　far　as　the　monuments　of　queen　Helena。　　　　　　4。　After　this　these　Jews；　without　keeping　any　decorum；　　　grew　insolent　upon　their　good　fortune；　and　jested　upon　the　Romans　for　being　deluded　by　the　trick　they　bad　put　upon　　　them；　and　making　a　noise　with　beating　their　shields；　leaped　for　gladness；　and　made　joyful　exclamations；　while　these　　　soldiers　were　received　with　threatenings　by　their　officers；　and　with　indignation　by　Caesar　himself；　＇who　spake　to　them　thus＇：　These　Jews；　who　are　only　conducted　by　their　　　madness；　do　every　thing　with　care　and　circumspection；　they　contrive　stratagems；　and　lay　ambushes；　and　fortune　gives　success　to　their　stratagems；　because　they　are　obedient；　　　and　preserve　their　goodwill　and　fidelity　to　one　another；　while　the　Romans；　to　whom　fortune　uses　to　be　ever　　　subservient；　by　reason　of　their　good　order；　and　ready　　　submission　to　their　commanders；　have　now　had　ill　success　by　their　contrary　behavior；　and　by　not　being　able　to　restrain　their　hands　from　action；　they　have　been　caught；　and　that　which　is　the　most　to　their　reproach；　they　have　gone　on　　　without　their　commanders；　in　the　very　presence　of　Caesar。　〃Truly；〃　says　Titus；　〃the　laws　of　war　cannot　but　groan　　　heavily；　as　will　my　father　also　himself；　when　he　shall　be　informed　of　this　wound　that　hath　been　given　us；　since　he　who　is　grown　old　in　wars　did　never　make　so　great　a　　　mistake。　Our　laws　of　war　do　also　ever　inflict　capital　　　punishment　on　those　that　in　the　least　break　into　good　order；　while　at　this　time　they　have　seen　an　entire　army　run　into　disorder。　However；　those　that　have　been　so　insolent　shall　be　made　immediately　sensible；　that　even　they　who　conquer　among　the　Romans　without　orders　for　fighting　are　to　be　　　under　disgrace。〃　When　Titus　had　enlarged　upon　this　matter　before　the　commanders；　it　appeared　evident　that　he　would　execute　the　law　against　all　those　that　were　concerned；　so　these　soldiers'　minds　sunk　down　in　despair；　as　expecting　to　be　put　to　death；　and　that　justly　and　quickly。　However；　the　other　legions　came　round　about　Titus；　and　entreated　his　　　favor　to　these　their　fellow　soldiers；　and　made　supplication　to　him；　that　he　would　pardon　the　rashness　of　a　few；　on　　　account　of　the　better　obedience　of　all　the　rest；　and　　　promised　for　them　that　they　should　make　amends　for　their　present　fault；　by　their　more　virtuous　behavior　for　the　time　to　come。　　　　　　5。　So　Caesar　complied　with　their　desires；　and　with　what　　　prudence　dictated　to　him　also；　for　he　esteemed　it　fit　to　punish　single　persons　by　real　executions；　but　that　the　　　punishment　of　great　multitudes　should　proceed　no　further　than　reproofs；　so　he　was　reconciled　to　the　soldiers；　but　gave　them　a　special　charge　to　act　more　wisely　for　the　　　future；　and　he　considered　with　himself　how　he　might　be　　　even　with　the　Jews　for　their　stratagem。　And　now　when　the　space　between　the　Romans　and　the　wall　had　been　leveled；　　　which　was　done　in　four　days；　and　as　he　was　desirous　to　　　bring　the　baggage　of　the　army；　with　the　rest　of　the　　　multitude　that　followed　him；