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the wars of the jews-第21章

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 who had been betrothed to him before; as we have already said; and thus he accomplished this by the by; during the siege of the city; for he had his enemies in great contempt already。

9。 When he had thus married Mariamne; he came back to Jerusalem with a greater army。 Sosius also joined him with a large army; both of horsemen and footmen; which he sent before him through the midland parts; while he marched himself along Phoenicia; and when the whole army was gotten together; which were eleven regiments of footmen; and six thousand horsemen; besides the Syrian auxiliaries; which were no small part of the army; they pitched their camp near to the north wall。 Herod's dependence was upon the decree of the senate; by which he was made king; and Sosius relied upon Antony; who sent the army that was under him to Herod's assistance。

CHAPTER 18。

How Herod And Sosius Took Jerusalem By Force; And What Death Antigonus Came To。 Also Concerning Cleopatra's Avaricious Temper。  1。 Now the multitude of the Jews that were in the city were divided into several factions; for the people that crowded about the temple; being the weaker part of them; gave it out that; as the times were; he was the happiest and most religious man who should die first。 But as to the more bold and hardy men; they got together in bodies; and fell a robbing others after various manners; and these particularly plundered the places that were about the city; and this because there was no food left either for the horses or the men; yet some of the warlike men; who were used to fight regularly; were appointed to defend the city during the siege; and these drove those that raised the banks away from the wall; and these were always inventing some engine or another to be a hinderance to the engines of the enemy; nor had they so much success any way as in the mines under ground。

2。 Now as for the robberies which were committed; the king contrived that ambushes should be so laid; that they might restrain their excursions; and as for the want of provisions; he provided that they should be brought to them from great distances。 He was also too hard for the Jews; by the Romans' skill in the art of war; although they were bold to the utmost degree; now they durst not come to a plain battle with the Romans; which was certain death; but through their mines under ground they would appear in the midst of them on the sudden; and before they could batter down one wall; they built them another in its stead; and to sum up all at once; they did not show any want either of painstaking or of contrivances; as having resolved to hold out to the very last。 Indeed; though they had so great an army lying round about them; they bore a siege of five months; till some of Herod's chosen men ventured to get upon the wall; and fell into the city; as did Sosius's centurions after them; and now they first of all seized upon what was about the temple; and upon the pouring in of the army; there was slaughter of vast multitudes every where; by reason of the rage the Romans were in at the length of this siege; and by reason that the Jews who were about Herod earnestly endeavored that none of their adversaries might remain; so they were cut to pieces by great multitudes; as they were crowded together in narrow streets; and in houses; or were running away to the temple; nor was there any mercy showed either to infants; or to the aged; or to the weaker sex; insomuch that although the king sent about and desired them to spare the people; nobody could be persuaded to withhold their right hand from slaughter; but they slew people of all ages; like madmen。 Then it was that Antigonus; without any regard to his former or to his present fortune; came down from the citadel; and fell at Sosius's feet; who without pitying him at all; upon the change of his condition; laughed at him beyond measure; and called him Antigona。 (26) Yet did he not treat him like a woman; or let him go free; but put him into bonds; and kept him in custody。

3。 But Herod's concern at present; now he had gotten his enemies under his power; was to restrain the zeal of his foreign auxiliaries; for the multitude of the strange people were very eager to see the temple; and what was sacred in the holy house itself; but the king endeavored to restrain them; partly by his exhortations; partly by his threatenings; nay; partly by force; as thinking the victory worse than a defeat to him; if any thing that ought not to be seen were seen by them。 He also forbade; at the same time; the spoiling of the city; asking Sosius in the most earnest manner; whether the Romans; by thus emptying the city of money and men; had a mind to leave him king of a desert; … and told him that he judged the dominion of the habitable earth too small a compensation for the slaughter of so many citizens。 And when Sosius said that it was but just to allow the soldiers this plunder as a reward for what they suffered during the siege; Herod made answer; that he would give every one of the soldiers a reward out of his own money。 So he purchased the deliverance of his country; and performed his promises to them; and made presents after a magnificent manner to each soldier; and proportionably to their commanders; and with a most royal bounty to Sosius himself; whereby nobody went away but in a wealthy condition。 Hereupon Sosius dedicated a crown of gold to God; and then went away from Jerusalem; leading Antigonus away in bonds to

Antony; then did the axe bring him to his end; (27) who still had a fond desire of life; and some frigid hopes of it to the last; but by his cowardly behavior well deserved to die by it。

4。 Hereupon king Herod distinguished the multitude that was in the city; and for those that were of his side; he made them still more his friends by the honors he conferred on them; but for those of Antigonus's party; he slew them; and as his money ran low; he turned all the ornaments he had into money; and sent it to Antony; and to those about him。 Yet could he not hereby purchase an exemption from all sufferings; for Antony was now bewitched by his love to Cleopatra; and was entirely conquered by her charms。 Now Cleopatra had put to death all her kindred; till no one near her in blood remained alive; and after that she fell a slaying those no way related to her。 So she calumniated the principal men among the Syrians to Antony; and persuaded him to have them slain; that so she might easily gain to be mistress of what they had; nay; she extended her avaricious humor to the Jews and Arabians; and secretly labored to have Herod and Malichus; the kings of both those nations; slain by his order。

5。 Now is to these her injunctions to Antony; he complied in part; for though he esteemed it too abominable a thing to kill such good and great kings; yet was he thereby alienated from the friendship he had for them。 He also took away a great deal of their country; nay; even the plantation of palm trees at Jericho; where also grows the balsam tree; and bestowed them upon her; as also all the cities on this side the river Eleutherus; Tyre and Sidon (28) excepted。 And when she was become mistress of these; and had conducted Antony in his expedition against the Parthians as far as 
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