the wars of the jews-第131章

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fifty　cubits　in　height；　and　was　on　a　great　precipice；　it　was　the　work　of　king　Herod；　wherein　he　demonstrated　his　　　natural　magnanimity。　In　the　first　place；　the　rock　itself　was　covered　over　with　smooth　pieces　of　stone；　from　its　　　foundation；　both　for　ornament；　and　that　any　one　who　would　either　try　to　get　up　or　to　go　down　it　might　not　be　able　to　hold　his　feet　upon　it。　Next　to　this；　and　before　you　come　to　the　edifice　of　the　tower　itself；　there　was　a　wall　three　cubits　high；　but　within　that　wall　all　the　space　of　the　tower　of　Antonia　itself　was　built　upon；　to　the　height　of　forty　cubits。　The　inward　parts　had　the　largeness　and　form　of　a　palace；　it　being　parted　into　all　kinds　of　rooms　and　other　　　conveniences；　such　as　courts；　and　places　for　bathing；　and　broad　spaces　for　camps；　insomuch　that；　by　having　all　　　conveniences　that　cities　wanted；　it　might　seem　to　be　　　composed　of　several　cities；　but　by　its　magnificence　it　　　seemed　a　palace。　And　as　the　entire　structure　resembled　　　that　of　a　tower；　it　contained　also　four　other　distinct　towers　at　its　four　corners；　whereof　the　others　were　but　fifty　cubits　high；　whereas　that　which　lay　upon　the　southeast　corner　　　was　seventy　cubits　high；　that　from　thence　the　whole　temple　might　be　viewed；　but　on　the　corner　where　it　joined　to　the　two　cloisters　of　the　temple；　it　had　passages　down　to　them　both；　through　which　the　guard　（for　there　always　lay　in　this　tower　a　Roman　legion）　went　several　ways　among　the　　　cloisters；　with　their　arms；　on　the　Jewish　festivals；　in　order　to　watch　the　people；　that　they　might　not　there　attempt　to　make　any　innovations；　for　the　temple　was　a　fortress　that　guarded　the　city；　as　was　the　tower　of　Antonia　a　guard　to　the　temple；　and　in　that　tower　were　the　guards　of　those　three　（14）。　　　There　was　also　a　peculiar　fortress　belonging　to　the　upper　city；　which　was　Herod's　palace；　but　for　the　hill　Bezetha；　it　was　divided　from　the　tower　Antonia；　as　we　have　already　　　told　you；　and　as　that　hill　on　which　the　tower　of　Antonia　stood　was　the　highest　of　these　three；　so　did　it　adjoin　to　the　new　city；　and　was　the　only　place　that　hindered　the　sight　of　the　temple　on　the　north。　And　this　shall　suffice　at　present　to　have　spoken　about　the　city　and　the　walls　about　it；　because　I　have　proposed　to　myself　to　make　a　more　accurate　　　description　of　it　elsewhere。　　　　　　CHAPTER　6。　　　　　　　　　　　　Concerning　The　Tyrants　Simon　And　John。　How　Also　As　　　Titus　Was　Going　Round　The　Wall　Of　This　City　Nicanor　Was　　　Wounded　By　A　Dart；　Which　Accident　Provoked　Titus　To　　　Press　On　The　Siege。　　　　　　　　　1。　Now　the　warlike　men　that　were　in　the　city；　and　the　　　multitude　of　the　seditious　that　were　with　Simon；　were　ten　thousand；　besides　the　Idumeans。　Those　ten　thousand　had　　　fifty　commanders；　over　whom　this　Simon　was　supreme。　The　　　Idumeans　that　paid　him　homage　were　five　thousand；　and　　　had　eight　commanders；　among　whom　those　of　greatest　　　fame　were　Jacob　the　son　of　Sosas；　and　Simon　the　son　of　　　Cathlas。　Jotre；　who　had　seized　upon　the　temple；　had　six　　　thousand　armed　men　under　twenty　commanders；　the　　　zealots　also　that　had　come　over　to　him；　and　left　off　their　opposition；　were　two　thousand　four　hundred；　and　had　the　　　same　commander　that　they　had　formerly；　Eleazar；　together　with　Simon　the　son　of　Arinus。　Now；　while　these　factions　　　fought　one　against　another；　the　people　were　their　prey　on　both　sides；　as　we　have　said　already；　and　that　part　of　the　people　who　would　not　join　with　them　in　their　wicked　　　practices　were　plundered　by　both　factions。　Simon　held　the　upper　city；　and　the　great　wall　as　far　as　Cedron；　and　as　　　much　of　the　old　wall　as　bent　from　Siloam　to　the　east；　and　which　went　down　to　the　palace　of　Monobazus；　who　was　　　king　of　the　Adiabeni；　beyond　Euphrates；　he　also　held　that　fountain；　and　the　Acra；　which　was　no　other　than　the　lower　city；　he　also　held　all　that　reached　to　the　palace　of　queen　Helena；　the　mother　of　Monobazus。　But　John　held　the　　　temple；　and　the　parts　thereto　adjoining；　for　a　great　way；　as　also　Ophla；　and　the　valley　called　〃the　Valley　of　Cedron；〃　and　when　the　parts　that　were　interposed　between　their　　　possessions　were　burnt　by　them；　they　left　a　space　wherein　they　might　fight　with　each　other；　for　this　internal　sedition　did　not　cease　even　when　the　Romans　were　encamped　near　　　their　very　wall。　But　although　they　had　grown　wiser　at　the　first　onset　the　Romans　made　upon　them；　this　lasted　but　a　while；　for　they　returned　to　their　former　madness；　and　　　separated　one　from　another；　and　fought　it　out；　and　did　　　everything　that　the　besiegers　could　desire　them　to　do；　for　they　never　suffered　any　thing　that　was　worse　from　the　　　Romans　than　they　made　each　other　suffer；　nor　was　there　　　any　misery　endured　by　the　city　after　these　men's　actions　that　could　be　esteemed　new。　But　it　was　most　of　all　unhappy　before　it　was　overthrown；　while　those　that　took　it　did　it　a　greater　kindness　for　I　venture　to　affirm　that　the　sedition　destroyed　the　city；　and　the　Romans　destroyed　the　sedition；　which　it　was　a　much　harder　thing　to　do　than　to　destroy　the　walls；　so　that　we　may　justly　ascribe　our　misfortunes　to　our　own　people；　and　the　just　vengeance　taken　on　them　to　the　　　Romans；　as　to　which　matter　let　every　one　determine　by　the　actions　on　both　sides。　　　　　　2。　Now　when　affairs　within　the　city　were　in　this　posture；　Titus　went　round　the　city　on　the　outside　with　some　chosen　horsemen；　and　looked　about　for　a　proper　place　where　he　　　might　make　an　impression　upon　the　walls；　but　as　he　was　in　doubt　where　he　could　possibly　make　an　attack　on　any　side；　（for　the　place　was　no　way　accessible　where　the　valleys　　　were；　and　on　the　other　side　the　first　wall　appeared　too　　　strong　to　be　shaken　by　the　engines；）　he　thereupon　thought　it　best　to　make　his　assault　upon　the　monument　of　John　the　high　priest；　for　there　it　was　that　the　first　fortification　was　lower；　and　the　second　was　not　joined　to　it；　the　builders　neglecting　to　build　strong　where　the　new　city　was　not　much　inhabited；　here　also　was　an　easy　passage　to　the　third　wall；　through　which　he　thought　to　take　the　upper　city；　and；　　　through　the　tower　of　Antonia；　the　temple　itself　But　at　this　time；　as　he　was　going　round　about　the　city；　one　of　his　　　friends；　whose　name　was　Nicanor；　was　wounded　with　a　　　dart　on　his　left　shoulder；　as　he　approached；　together　with　Josephus；　too　near　the　wall；　and　attempted　to　discourse　to　those　that　were　upon　the　wall；　about　terms　of　peace；　for　he　was　a　person　known　by　them。　On　this　account　it　was　that　　　Caesar；　as　soon　as　he　knew　their　vehemence；　that　they　　　would　not　hear　even　such　as　approached　them　to　persuade　　　them　to　what　tended　to　their　own　preservation；　was　　　provoked　to　press　on　the　siege。　He　also　at　the　same　time　gave　his　soldiers　leave　to　set　the　suburbs　on　fire；　and　　　ordered　that　they　should　bring　timber　together；　and　raise　banks　against　the　city；　and　when　he　had　parted　his　army　　　into　three　parts；　in　order　to　set　about　those　works；　he　　　placed　those　that　shot　darts　and　the　archers　in　the　midst　of　the　banks　that　were　then　raising；　before　whom　he　placed　　　those　engines　that　threw　javelins；　and　darts；　and　stones；　that　he　might　prevent　the　enemy　from　sallying　out　upon　　　their　works；　and　might　hinder　those　that　were　upon　the　wall　from　being　able　to　obstruct　them。　So　the　trees　were　now　　　cut　down　immediately；　and　the　suburbs　left