the wars of the jews- 第104部分

really　superior；　or　to　betray　that　Divine　assistance　which　is　afforded　you。　And；　indeed；　how　can　it　be　esteemed　otherwise　than　a　base　and　unworthy　thing；　that　while　the　Jews；　who　need　not　be　much　ashamed　if　they　be　deserted；　because　they　have　long　learned　to　be　slaves　to　others；　do　yet　despise　death；　that　they　may　be　so　no　longer；　and　do　make　sallies　into　the　very　midst　of　us　frequently；　no　in　hopes　of　conquering　us；　but　merely　for　a　demonstration　of　their　courage；　we；　who　have　gotten　possession　of　almost　all　the　world　that　belongs　to　either　land　or　sea；　to　whom　it　will　be　a　great　shame　if　we　do　not　conquer　them；　do　not　once　undertake　any　attempt　against　our　enemies　wherein　there　is　much　danger；　but　sit　still　idle；　with　such　brave　arms　as　we　have；　and　only　wait　till　the　famine　and　fortune　do　our　business　themselves；　and　this　when　we　have　it　in　our　power；　with　some　small　hazard；　to　gain　all　that　we　desire！　For　if　we　go　up　to　this　tower　of　Antonia；　we　gain　the　city；　for　if　there　should　be　any　more　occasion　for　fighting　against　those　within　the　city；　which　I　do　not　suppose　there　will；　since　we　shall　then　be　upon　the　top　of　the　hill　（1）　and　be　upon　our　enemies　before　they　can　have　taken　breath；　these　advantages　promise　us　no　less　than　a　certain　and　sudden　victory。　As　for　myself；　I　shall　at　present　wave　any　commendation　of　those　who　die　in　war；　（2）　and　omit　to　speak　of　the　immortality　of　those　men　who　are　slain　in　the　midst　of　their　martial　bravery；　yet　cannot　I　forbear　to　imprecate　upon　those　who　are　of　a　contrary　disposition；　that　they　may　die　in　time　of　peace；　by　some　distemper　or　other；　since　their　souls　are　condemned　to　the　grave；　　together　with　their　bodies。　For　what　man　of　virtue　is　there　who　does　not　know；　that　those　souls　which　are　severed　from　their　fleshly　bodies　in　battles　by　the　sword　are　received　by　the　ether；　that　purest　of　elements；　and　joined　to　that　company　which　are　placed　among　the　stars；　that　they　become　good　demons；　and　propitious　heroes；　and　show　themselves　as　such　to　their　posterity　afterwards？　while　upon　those　souls　that　wear　away　in　and　with　their　distempered　bodies　comes　a　subterranean　night　to　dissolve　them　to　nothing；　and　a　deep　oblivion　to　take　away　all　the　remembrance　of　them；　and　this　notwithstanding　they　be　clean　from　all　spots　and　defilements　of　this　world；　so　that；　in　this　ease；　the　soul　at　the　same　time　comes　to　the　utmost　bounds　of　its　life；　and　of　its　body；　and　of　its　memorial　also。　But　since　he　hath　determined　that　death　is　to　come　of　necessity　upon　all　men；　a　sword　is　a　better　instrument　for　that　purpose　than　any　disease　whatsoever。　Why　is　it　not　then　a　very　mean　thing　for　us　not　to　yield　up　that　to　the　public　benefit　which　we　must　yield　up　to　fate？　And　this　discourse　have　I　made；　upon　the　supposition　that　those　who　at　first　attempt　to　go　upon　this　wall　must　needs　be　killed　in　the　attempt；　though　still　men　of　true　courage　have　a　chance　to　escape　even　in　the　most　hazardous　　undertakings。　For；　in　the　first　place；　that　part　of　the　former　wall　that　is　thrown　down　is　easily　to　be　ascended；　and　for　the　new…built　wall；　it　is　easily　destroyed。　Do　you；　therefore；　many　of　you；　pull　up　your　courage；　and　set　about　this　work；　and　do　you　mutually　encourage　and　assist　one　another；　and　this　your　bravery　will　soon　break　the　hearts　of　your　enemies；　and　perhaps　such　a　glorious　undertaking　as　yours　is　may　be　accomplished　without　bloodshed。　For　although　it　be　justly　to　be　supposed　that　the　Jews　will　try　to　hinder　you　at　your　first　beginning　to　go　up　to　them；　yet　when　you　have　once　concealed　yourselves　from　them；　and　driven　them　away　by　force；　they　will　not　be　able　to　sustain　your　efforts　against　them　any　longer；　though　but　a　few　of　you　prevent　them；　and　get　over　the　wall。　As　for　that　person　who　first　mounts　the　wall；　I　should　blush　for　shame　if　I　did　not　make　him　to　be　envied　of　others；　by　those　rewards　I　would　bestow　upon　him。　If　such　a　one　escape　with　his　life；　he　shall　have　the　command　of　others　that　are　now　but　his　equals；　although　it　be　true　also　that　the　greatest　rewards　will　accrue　to　such　as　die　in　the　attempt。〃　（3）　　　　6。　Upon　this　speech　of　Titus；　the　rest　of　the　multitude　were　afrighted　at　so　great　a　danger。　But　there　was　one；　whose　name　was　Sabinus；　a　soldier　that　served　among　the　cohorts；　and　a　Syrian　by　birth；　who　appeared　to　be　of　very　great　fortitude；　both　in　the　actions　he　had　done；　and　the　courage　of　his　soul　he　had　shown；　although　any　body　would　have　thought；　before　he　came　to　his　work；　that　he　was　of　such　a　weak　constitution　of　body；　that　he　was　not　fit　to　be　a　soldier；　for　his　color　was　black；　his　flesh　was　lean　and　thin；　and　lay　close　together；　but　there　was　a　certain　heroic　soul　that　dwelt　in　this　small　body；　which　body　was　indeed　much　too　narrow　for　that　peculiar　courage　which　was　in　him。　Accordingly　he　was　the　first　that　rose　up；　when　he　thus　spake：　〃I　readily　surrender　up　myself　to　thee；　O　Caesar；　I　first　ascend　the　wall；　and　I　heartily　wish　that　my　fortune　may　follow　my　courage　and　my　resolution　And　if　some　ill　fortune　grudge　me　the　success　of　my　undertaking；　take　notice　that　my　ill　success　will　not　be　unexpected；　but　that　I　choose　death　voluntarily　for　thy　sake。〃　When　he　had　said　this；　and　had　spread　out　his　sheild　over　his　head　with　his　left　hand；　and　hill；　with　his　right　hand；　drawn　his　sword；　he　marched　up　to　the　wall；　just　about　the　sixth　hour　of　the　day。　There　followed　him　eleven　others；　and　no　more；　that　resolved　to　imitate　his　bravery；　but　still　this　was　the　principal　person　of　them　all；　and　went　first；　as　excited　by　a　divine　fury。　Now　those　that　guarded　the　wall　shot　at　them　from　thence；　and　cast　innumerable　darts　upon　them　from　every　side；　they　also　rolled　very　large　stones　upon　them；　which　overthrew　some　of　those　eleven　that　were　with　him。　But　as　for　Sabinus　himself；　he　met　the　darts　that　were　cast　at　him　and　though　he　was　overwhelmed　with　them；　yet　did　he　not　leave　off　the　violence　of　his　attack　before　he　had　gotten　up　on　the　top　of　the　wall；　and　had　put　the　enemy　to　flight。　For　as　the　Jews　were　astonished　at　his　great　strength；　and　the　bravery　of　his　soul；　and　as；　withal；　they　imagined　more　of　them　had　got　upon　the　wall　than　really　had；　they　were　put　to　flight。　And　now　one　cannot　but　complain　here　of　fortune；　as　still　envious　at　virtue；　and　always　hindering　the　performance　of　glorious　achievements：　this　was　the　case　of　the　man　before　us；　when　he　had　just　obtained　his　purpose；　for　he　then　stumbled　at　a　certain　large　stone；　and　fell　down　upon　it　headlong；　with　a　very　great　noise。　Upon　which　the　Jews　turned　back；　and　when　they　saw　him　to　be　alone；　and　fallen　down　also；　they　threw　darts　at　him　from　every　side。　However。　be　got　upon　his　knee；　and　covered　himself　with　his　shield；　and　at　the　first　defended　himself　against　them；　and　wounded　many　of　　those　that　came　near　him；　but　he　was　soon　forced　to　relax　his　right　hand；　by　the　multitude　of　the　wounds　that　had　been　given　him；　till　at　length　he　was　quite　covered　over　with　darts　before　he　gave　up　the　ghost。　He　was　one　who　deserved　a　better　fate；　by　reason　of　his　bravery；　but；　as　might　be　expected；　he　fell　under　so　vast　an　attempt。　As　for　the　rest　of　his　partners；　the　Jews　dashed　three　of　them　to　pieces　with　stones；　and　slew　them　as　they　were　gotten　up　to　the　top　of　the　wall；　the　other　eight　being　wounded；　were　pulled　down；　and　carried　back　to　the　camp。　These　things　were　done　upon　the　third　day　of　the　month　Panemus　＇Tamuz＇。　　　　7。　Now　two　days　afterward　twelve　of　those　men　that　were　on　the　forefront；　and　kept　watch　upon　the　banks；　got　together；　and　called　to　them　the　standard…bearer　of　the　fifth　legion；　and　two　others　of　a　troop　of　horsemen；　and　one　trumpeter；　these　went　without　noise；　about　the　ninth　hour　of　the　night；　through　the　ruins；　to　the　tower　of　Antonia；　and　when　they　had　cut　the　throats　of　the　first　guards　of　the　place；　as　they　were　asleep；　they　got　possession　of　the　wall；　and　ordered　the　trumpeter　to　sound　his　trumpet。　Upon　which　the　rest　of　the　guard　got　up　on　the　sudden；　and　ran　away；　before　any　body　could　see　how　many　they　were　that　were　gotten　up；　for；　partly　from　the　fear　they　were　in；　and　partly　from　the　sound　of　the　trumpet　which　they　heard；　they　imagined　a　great　number　of　the　enemy　were　gotten　up。　But　as　soon　as　Caesar　heard　the　signal；　he　ordered　the　army　　to　put　on　their　armor　immediately；　and　came　thither　with　his　commanders；　and　first　of　all　ascended；　as　did　the　chosen　men　that　were　with　him。　And　as　the　Jews　were　flying　away　to　the　temple；　they　fell　into　that　mine　which　John　had　dug　under　the　Roman　banks。　Then　did　the　seditious　of　both　the　bodies　of　the　Jewish　army；　as　well　that　belonging　to　John　as　that　belonging　to　Simon；　drive　them　away；　and　indeed　　were　no　way　wanting　as　to　the　highest　degree　of　force　and　alacrity；　for　they　esteemed　themselves　entirely　ruined　if　once　the　Romans　got　into　the　temple；　as　did　the　Romans　look　upon　the　same　thing　as　the　beginning　of　their　entire　conquest。　So　a　terrible　battle　was　fought　at　the　entrance　of　the　temple；　while　the　Romans　were　forcing　their　way；　in　order　to　get　possession　of　that　temple；　and　the　Jews　were　driving　them　back　to　the　tower　of　Antonia；　in　which　battle　the　darts　were　on　both　sides　useless；　as　well　as　the　spears；　and　both　sides　drew　their　swords；　and　fought　it　out　hand　to　hand。　Now　during　this　struggle　the　positions　of　the　men　were　undistinguished　on　both　sides；　and　they　fought　at　random；　the　men　being　intermixed　one　with　another；　and　confounded；　by　reason　of　the　narrowness　of　the　place；　while　the　noise　that　was　made　fell　on　the　ear　after　an　indistinct　manner；　because　it　was　so　very　loud。　Great　slaughter　was　now　made　on　both　sides；　and　the　combatants　trod　upon　the　bodies　and　the　armor　of　those　that　were　dead；　and　dashed　them　to　pieces。　Accordingly；　to　which　side　soever　the　battle　inclined；　those　that　had　the　advantage　exhorted　one　another　to　go　on；　as　did　those　that　were　beaten　make　great　lamentation。　But　still　there　was　no　room　for　flight；　nor　for　pursuit；　but　disorderly　revolutions　and　retreats；　while　the　armies　were　intermixed　one　with　another；　but　those　that　were　in　the　first　ranks　were　under　the　necessity　of　killing　or　being　killed；　without　any　way　for　escaping；　for　those　on　both　sides　that　came　behind　forced　those　before　them　to　go　on；　without　leaving　any　space　between　t