the wars of the jews- 第95部分

out；　after　they　had　　　possessed　themselves　of　the　second　wall。　Whereupon　the　　　fighting　men　that　were　in　the　city　were　lifted　up　in　their　minds；　and　were　elevated　upon　this　their　good　success；　　　and　began　to　think　that　the　Romans　would　never　venture　to　come　into　the　city　any　more；　and　that　if　they　kept　within　it　themselves；　they　should　not　be　any　more　conquered。　For　　　God　had　blinded　their　minds　for　the　transgressions　they　　　had　been　guilty　of；　nor　could　they　see　how　much　greater　　　forces　the　Romans　had　than　those　that　were　now　expelled；　no　more　than　they　could　discern　how　a　famine　was　　　creeping　upon　them；　for　hitherto　they　had　fed　themselves　out　of　the　public　miseries；　and　drank　the　blood　of　the　city。　But　now　poverty　had　for　a　long　time　seized　upon　the　better　part；　and　a　great　many　had　died　already　for　want　of　　　necessaries；　although　the　seditious　indeed　supposed　the　　　destruction　of　the　people　to　be　an　easement　to　themselves；　for　they　desired　that　none　others　might　be　preserved　but　such　as　were　against　a　peace　with　the　Romans；　and　were　　　resolved　to　live　in　opposition　to　them；　and　they　were　　　pleased　when　the　multitude　of　those　of　a　contrary　opinion　were　consumed；　as　being　then　freed　from　a　heavy　burden。　　　And　this　was　their　disposition　of　mind　with　regard　to　those　that　were　within　the　city；　while　they　covered　themselves　with　their　armor；　and　prevented　the　Romans；　when　they　　　were　trying　to　get　into　the　city　again；　and　made　a　wall　of　their　own　bodies　over　against　that　part　of　the　wall　that　was　cast　down。　Thus　did　they　valiantly　defend　themselves　for　three　days；　but　on　the　fourth　day　they　could　not　support　themselves　against　the　vehement　assaults　of　Titus　but　were　compelled　by　force　to　fly　whither　they　had　fled　before；　so　he　quietly　possessed　himself　again　of　that　wall；　and　　　demolished　it　entirely。　And　when　he　had　put　a　garrison　into　the　towers　that　were　on　the　south　parts　of　the　city；　he　　　contrived　how　he　might　assault　the　third　wall。　　　　　　CHAPTER　9。　　　　　　　　　　　　Titus　When　The　Jews　Were　Not　At　All　Mollified　By　His　　　Leaving　Off　The　Siege　For　A　While；　Set　Himself　Again　To　　　Prosecute　The　Same；　But　Soon　Sent　Josephus　To　　　Discourse　With　His　Own　Countrymen　About　Peace。　　　　　　1。　A　Resolution　was　now　taken　by　Titus　to　relax　the　siege　for　a　little　while；　and　to　afford　the　seditious　an　interval　for　consideration；　and　to　see　whether　the　demolishing　of　their　second　wall　would　not　make　them　a　little　more　compliant；　or　whether　they　were　not　somewhat　afraid　of　a　famine；　　　because　the　spoils　they　had　gotten　by　rapine　would　not　be　sufficient　for　them　long；　so　he　made　use　of　this　relaxation　in　order　to　compass　his　own　designs。　Accordingly；　as　the　　　usual　appointed　time　when　he　must　distribute　subsistence　money　to　the　soldiers　was　now　come；　he　gave　orders　that　　　the　commanders　should　put　the　army　into　battle…array；　in　the　face　of　the　enemy；　and　then　give　every　one　of　the　　　soldiers　their　pay。　So　the　soldiers；　according　to　custom；　opened　the　cases　wherein　their　arms　before　lay　covered；　　　and　marched　with　their　breastplates　on；　as　did　the　　　horsemen　lead　their　horses　in　their　fine　trappings。　Then　did　the　places　that　were　before　the　city　shine　very　splendidly　for　a　great　way；　nor　was　there　any　thing　so　grateful　to　　　Titus's　own　men；　or　so　terrible　to　the　enemy；　as　that　sight。　For　the　whole　old　wall；　and　the　north　side　of　the　temple；　were　full　of　spectators；　and　one　might　see　the　houses　full　of　such　as　looked　at　them；　nor　was　there　any　part　of　the　city　which　was　not　covered　over　with　their　multitudes；　nay；　a　very　great　consternation　seized　upon　the　hardiest　of　the　Jews　themselves；　when　they　saw　all　the　army　in　the　same　　　place；　together　with　the　fineness　of　their　arms；　and　the　good　order　of　their　men。　And　I　cannot　but　think　that　the　seditious　would　have　changed　their　minds　at　that　sight；　　　unless　the　crimes　they　had　committed　against　the　people　　　had　been　so　horrid；　that　they　despaired　of　forgiveness　from　the　Romans；　but　as　they　believed　death　with　torments　must　be　their　punishment；　if　they　did　not　go　on　in　the　defense　of　the　city；　they　thought　it　much　better　to　die　in　war。　Fate　also　prevailed　so　far　over　them；　that　the　innocent　were　to　perish　with　the　guilty；　and　the　city　was　to　be　destroyed　with　the　seditious　that　were　in　it。　　　　　　2。　Thus　did　the　Romans　spend　four　days　in　bringing　this　　　subsistence…money　to　the　several　legions。　But　on　the　fifth　day；　when　no　signs　of　peace　appeared　to　come　from　the　　　Jews；　Titus　divided　his　legions；　and　began　to　raise　banks；　both　at　the　tower　of　Antonia　and　at　John's　monument。　Now　his　designs　were　to　take　the　upper　city　at　that　monument；　and　the　temple　at　the　tower　of　Antonia；　for　if　the　temple　were　not　taken；　it　would　be　dangerous　to　keep　the　city　　　itself；　so　at　each　of　these　parts　he　raised　him　banks；　each　legion　raising　one。　As　for　those　that　wrought　at　John's　　　monument；　the　Idumeans；　and　those　that　were　in　arms　with　Simon；　made　sallies　upon　them；　and　put　some　stop　to　　　them；　while　John's　party；　and　the　multitude　of　zealots　with　them；　did　the　like　to　those　that　were　before　the　tower　of　Antonia。　These　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　t