the wars of the jews-第136章

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Jews　were　now　too　hard　for　the　Romans；　　　not　only　in　direct　fighting；　because　they　stood　upon　the　higher　ground；　but　because　they　had　now　learned　to　use　　　their　own　engines；　for　their　continual　use　of　them　one　day　after　another　did　by　degrees　improve　their　skill　about　them；　for　of　one　sort　of　engines　for　darts　they　had　three　hundred；　and　forty　for　stones；　by　the　means　of　which　they　made　it　more　tedious　for　the　Romans　to　raise　their　banks。　But　then　Titus；　knowing　that　the　city　would　be　either　saved　or　　　destroyed　for　himself；　did　not　only　proceed　earnestly　in　the　siege；　but　did　not　omit　to　have　the　Jews　exhorted　to　　　repentance；　so　he　mixed　good　counsel　with　his　works　for　　　the　siege。　And　being　sensible　that　exhortations　are　　　frequently　more　effectual　than　arms；　he　persuaded　them　to　surrender　the　city；　now　in　a　manner　already　taken；　and　　　thereby　to　save　themselves；　and　sent　Josephus　to　speak　to　them　in　their　own　language；　for　he　imagined　they　might　　　yield　to　the　persuasion　of　a　countryman　of　their　own。　　　　　　3。　So　Josephus　went　round　about　the　wall；　and　tried　to　find　a　place　that　was　out　of　the　reach　of　their　darts；　and　yet　within　their　hearing；　and　besought　them；　in　many　words；　to　spare　themselves；　to　spare　their　country　and　their　temple；　and　not　to　be　more　obdurate　in　these　cases　than　foreigners　themselves；　for　that　the　Romans；　who　had　no　relation　to　　　those　things；　had　a　reverence　for　their　sacred　rites　and　places；　although　they　belonged　to　their　enemies；　and　had　till　now　kept　their　hands　off　from　meddling　with　them；　while　such　as　were　brought　up　under　them；　and；　if　they　be　　　preserved；　will　be　the　only　people　that　will　reap　the　benefit　of　them；　hurry　on　to　have　them　destroyed。　That　certainly　they　have　seen　their　strongest　walls　demolished；　and　that　the　wall　still　remaining　was　weaker　than　those　that　were　already　taken。　That　they　must　know　the　Roman　power　was　　　invincible；　and　that　they　had　been　used　to　serve　them；　for；　that　in　case　it　be　allowed　a　right　thing　to　fight　for　liberty；　that　ought　to　have　been　done　at　first；　but　for　them　that　have　once　fallen　under　the　power　of　the　Romans；　and　have　now　　　submitted　to　them　for　so　many　long　years；　to　pretend　to　　　shake　off　that　yoke　afterward；　was　the　work　of　such　as　had　a　mind　to　die　miserably；　not　of　such　as　were　lovers　of　　　liberty。　Besides；　men　may　well　enough　grudge　at　the　　　dishonor　of　owning　ignoble　masters　over　them；　but　ought　　　not　to　do　so　to　those　who　have　all　things　under　their　　　command；　for　what　part　of　the　world　is　there　that　hath　　　escaped　the　Romans；　unless　it　be　such　as　are　of　no　use　　　for　violent　heat；　or　for　violent　cold？　And　evident　it　is　that　fortune　is　on　all　hands　gone　over　to　them；　and　that　God；　when　he　had　gone　round　the　nations　with　this　dominion；　is　now　settled　in　Italy。　That；　moreover；　it　is　a　strong　and　fixed　law；　even　among　brute　beasts；　as　well　as　among　men；　to　　　yield　to　those　that　are　too　strong　for　them；　and　to　stiffer　those　to　have　the　dominion　who　are　too　hard　for　the　rest　in　war；　for　which　reason　it　was　that　their　forefathers；　who　were　far　superior　to　them；　both　in　their　souls　and　bodies；　and　other　advantages；　did　yet　submit　to　the　Romans；　which　　　they　would　not　have　suffered；　had　they　not　known　that　God　was　with　them。　As　for　themselves；　what　can　they　depend　　　on　in　this　their　opposition；　when　the　greatest　part　of　their　city　is　already　taken？　and　when　those　that　are　within　it　are　under　greater　miseries　than　if　they　were　taken；　although　their　walls　be　still　standing？　For　that　the　Romans　are　not　unacquainted　with　that　famine　which　is　in　the　city；　whereby　the　people　are　already　consumed；　and　the　fighting　men　will　in　a　little　time　be　so　too；　for　although　the　Romans　should　leave　off　the　siege；　and　not　fall　upon　the　city　with　their　swords　in　their　hands；　yet　was　there　an　insuperable　war　　　that　beset　them　within；　and　was　augmented　every　hour；　　　unless　they　were　able　to　wage　war　with　famine；　and　fight　against　it；　or　could　alone　conquer　their　natural　appetites。　He　added　this　further；　how　right　a　thing　it　was　to　change　their　conduct　before　their　calamities　were　become　incurable；　and　to　have　recourse　to　such　advice　as　might　preserve　them；　　　while　opportunity　was　offered　them　for　so　doing；　for　that　the　Romans　would　not　be　mindful　of　their　past　actions　to　their　disadvantage；　unless　they　persevered　in　their　insolent　　　behavior　to　the　end；　because　they　were　naturally　mild　in　their　conquests；　and　preferred　what　was　profitable；　before　what　their　passions　dictated　to　them；　which　profit　of　theirs　lay　not　in　leaving　the　city　empty　of　inhabitants；　nor　the　country　a　desert；　on　which　account　Caesar　did　now　offer　　　them　his　right　hand　for　their　security。　Whereas；　if　he　took　the　city　by　force；　he　would　not　save　any　of　them；　and　this　especially；　if　they　rejected　his　offers　in　these　their　utmost　distresses；　for　the　walls　that　were　already　taken　could　not　but　assure　them　that　the　third　wall　would　quickly　be　taken　also。　And　though　their　fortifications　should　prove　too　strong　for　the　Romans　to　break　through　them；　yet　would　the　　　famine　fight　for　the　Romans　against　them。　　　　　　4。　While　Josephus　was　making　this　exhortation　to　the　Jews；　many　of　them　jested　upon　him　from　the　wall；　and　many　　　reproached　him；　nay；　some　threw　their　darts　at　him：　but　　　when　he　could　not　himself　persuade　them　by　such　open　　　good　advice；　he　betook　himself　to　the　histories　belonging　to　their　own　nation；　and　cried　out　aloud；　〃O　miserable　　　creatures！　are　you　so　unmindful　of　those　that　used　to　assist　you；　that　you　will　fight　by　your　weapons　and　by　your　hands　against　the　Romans？　When　did　we　ever　conquer　any　other　　　nation　by　such　means？　and　when　was　it　that　God；　who　is　　　the　Creator　of　the　Jewish　people；　did　not　avenge　them　　　when　they　had　been　injured？　Will　not　you　turn　again；　and　look　back；　and　consider　whence　it　is　that　you　fight　with　such　violence；　and　how　great　a　Supporter　you　have　　　profanely　abused？　Will　not　you　recall　to　mind　the　prodigious　things　done　for　your　forefathers　and　this　holy　place；　and　how　great　enemies　of　yours　were　by　him　subdued　under　　　you？　I　even　tremble　myself　in　declaring　the　works　of　God　before　your　ears；　that　are　unworthy　to　hear　them；　however；　hearken　to　me；　that　you　may　be　informed　how　you　fight　not　only　against　the　Romans；　but　against　God　himself。　In　old　times　there　was　one　Necao；　king　of　Egypt；　who　was　also　　　called　Pharaoh；　he　came　with　a　prodigious　army　of　soldiers；　and　seized　queen　Sarah；　the　mother　of　our　nation。　What　　　did　Abraham　our　progenitor　then　do？　Did　he　defend　himself　from　this　injurious　person　by　war；　although　he　had　three　hundred　and　eighteen　captains　under　him；　and　an　immense　　　army　under　each　of　them？　Indeed　he　deemed　them　to　be　　　no　number　at　all　without　God's　assistance；　and　only　spread　out　his　hands　towards　this　holy　place；　（16）　which　you　have　now　polluted；　and　reckoned　upon　him　as　upon　his　invincible　supporter；　instead　of　his　own　army。　Was　not　our　queen　　　sent　back；　without　any　defilement；　to　her　husband；　the　very　next　evening？　…　while　the　king　of　Egypt　fled　away；　adoring　this　place　which　you　have　defiled　by　shedding　thereon　the　blood　of　your　own　countrymen；　and　he　also　trembled　at　　　those　visions　which　he　saw　in　the　night　season；　and　　　bestowed　both　sil