the wars of the jews-第111章

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t　by　our　ancient　kings；　both　as　a　repository　for　their　effects　in　the　hazards　of　war；　and　for　the　preservation　of　their　bodies　at　the　same　time。　It　was　called　Masada。　Those　that　were　called　　　Sicarii　had　taken　possession　of　it　formerly；　but　at　this　time　they　overran　the　neighboring　countries；　aiming　only　to　　　procure　to　themselves　necessaries；　for　the　fear　they　were　then　in　prevented　their　further　ravages。　But　when　once　they　were　informed　that　the　Roman　army　lay　still；　and　that　the　Jews　were　divided　between　sedition　and　tyranny；　they　boldly　　　undertook　greater　matters；　and　at　the　feast　of　unleavened　bread；　which　the　Jews　celebrate　in　memory　of　their　　　deliverance　from　the　Egyptian　bondage；　when　they　were　sent　back　into　the　country　of　their　forefathers；　they　came　down　by　night；　without　being　discovered　by　those　that　could　have　prevented　them；　and　overran　a　certain　small　city　called　　　Engaddi：in　which　expedition　they　prevented　those　citizens　that　could　have　stopped　them；　before　they　could　arm　　　themselves；　and　fight　them。　They　also　dispersed　them；　and　cast　them　out　of　the　city。　As　for　such　as　could　not　run　away；　being　women　and　children；　they　slew　of　them　above　seven　　　hundred。　Afterward；　when　they　had　carried　every　thing　out　of　their　houses；　and　had　seized　upon　all　the　fruits　that　were　in　a　flourishing　condition；　they　brought　them　into　Masada。　And　indeed　these　men　laid　all　the　villages　that　were　about　the　fortress　waste；　and　made　the　whole　country　desolate；　while　there　came　to　them　every　day；　from　all　parts；　not　a　few　men　as　corrupt　as　themselves。　At　that　time　all　the　other　regions　of　Judea　that　had　hitherto　been　at　rest　were　in　motion；　by　　　means　of　the　robbers。　Now　as　it　is　in　a　human　body；　if　the　principal　part　be　inflamed；　all　the　members　are　subject　to　the　same　distemper；　so；　by　means　of　the　sedition　and　disorder　that　was　in　the　metropolis；。　had　the　wicked　men　that　were　in　the　country　opportunity　to　ravage　the　same。　Accordingly；　when　every　one　of　them　had　plundered　their　own　villages；　they　then　retired　into　the　desert；　yet　were　these　men　that　now　got　together；　and　joined　in　the　conspiracy　by　parties；　too　small　for　an　army；　and　too　many　for　a　gang　of　thieves：　and　thus　did　they　fall　upon　the　holy　places　（11）　and　the　cities；　yet　did　it　now　so　happen　that　they　were　sometimes　very　ill　　　treated　by　those　upon　whom　they　fell　with　such　violence；　and　were　taken　by　them　as　men　are　taken　in　war：　but　still　they　prevented　any　further　punishment　as　do　robbers；　who；　as　　　soon　as　their　ravages　＇are　discovered＇；　run　their　way。　Nor　was　there　now　any　part　of　Judea　that　was　not　in　a　miserable　　　condition；　as　well　as　its　most　eminent　city　also。　　　　　　3。　These　things　were　told　Vespasian　by　deserters；　for　　　although　the　seditious　watched　all　the　passages　out　of　the　city；　and　destroyed　all；　whosoever　they　were；　that　came　　　thither；　yet　were　there　some　that　had　concealed　themselves；　and　when　they　had　fled　to　the　Romans；　persuaded　their　　　general　to　come　to　their　city's　assistance；　and　save　the　remainder　of　the　people；　informing　him　withal；　that　it　was　upon　account　of　the　people's　good…will　to　the　Romans　that　many　of　them　were　already　slain；　and　the　survivors　in　danger　of　the　same　treatment。　Vespasian　did　indeed　already　pity　the　calamities　these　men　were　in；　and　arose；　in　appearance；　as　though　he　was　going　to　besiege　Jerusalem；　but　in　reality　to　deliver　them　from　a　＇worse＇　siege　they　were　already　under。　However；　he　was　obliged　first　to　overthrow　what　remained　elsewhere；　and　to　leave　nothing　out　of　Jerusalem　behind　him　that　might　interrupt　him　in　that　siege。　Accordingly；　he　　　marched　against　Gadara；　the　metropolis　of　Perea；　which　was　a　place　of　strength；　and　entered　that　city　on　the　fourth　day　of　the　month　Dystrus　＇Adar＇；　for　the　men　of　power　had　sent　an　embassage　to　him；　without　the　knowledge　of　the　seditious；　to　treat　about　a　surrender；　which　they　did　out　of　the　desire　they　had　of　peace；　and　for　saving　their　effects；　because　many　of　the　citizens　of　Gadara　were　rich　men。　This　embassy　the　　　opposite　party　knew　nothing　of；　but　discovered　it　as　　　Vespasian　was　approaching　near　the　city。　However；　they　　　despaired　of　keeping　possession　of　the　city；　as　being　inferior　in　number　to　their　enemies　who　were　within　the　city；　and　seeing　the　Romans　very　near　to　the　city；　so　they　resolved　to　fly；　but　thought　it　dishonorable　to　do　it　without　shedding　some　blood；　and　revenging　themselves　on　the　authors　of　this　surrender；　so　they　seized　upon　Dolesus；　（a　person　not　only　the　first　in　rank　and　family　in　that　city；　but　one　that　seemed　the　occasion　of　sending　such　an　embassy；）　and　slew　him；　and　treated　his　dead　body　after　a　barbarous　manner；　so　very　　　violent　was　their　anger　at　him；　and　then　ran　out　of　the　city。　And　as　now　the　Roman　army　was　just　upon　them；　the　people　of　Gadara　admitted　Vespasian　with　joyful　acclamations；　and　received　from　him　the　security　of　his　right　hand；　as　also　a　garrison　of　horsemen　and　footmen；　to　guard　them　against　the　excursions　of　the　runagates；　for　as　to　their　wall；　they　had　pulled　it　down　before　the　Romans　desired　them　so　to　do；　　　that　they　might　thereby　give　them　assurance　that　they　were　lovers　of　peace；　and　that；　if　they　had　a　mind；　they　could　not　now　make　war　against　them。　　　　　　4。　And　now　Vespasian　sent　Placidus　against　those　that　had　fled　from　Gadara；　with　five　hundred　horsemen；　and　three　　　thousand　footmen；　while　he　returned　himself　to　Cesarea；　with　the　rest　of　the　army。　But　as　soon　as　these　fugitives　saw　the　horsemen　that　pursued　them　just　upon　their　backs；　and　　　before　they　came　to　a　close　fight；　they　ran　together　to　a　certain　village；　which　was　called　Bethennabris；　where　finding　a　great　multitude　of　young　men；　and　arming　them；　partly　by　their　own　consent；　partly　by　force；　they　rashly　and　suddenly　assaulted　Placidus　and　the　troops　that　were　with　him。　These　horsemen　at　the　first　onset　gave　way　a　little；　as　contriving　to　entice　them　further　off　the　wall；　and　when　they　had　drawn　them　into　a　place　fit　for　their　purpose；　they　made　their　horse　encompass　them　round；　and　threw　their　darts　at　them。　So　the　horsemen　cut　off　the　flight　of　the　fugitives；　while　the　foot　terribly　destroyed　those　that　fought　against　them；　for　those　Jews　did　no　more　than　show　their　courage；　and　then　were　　　destroyed；　for　as　they　fell　upon　the　Romans　when　they　were　joined　close　together；　and；　as　it　were；　walled　about　with　their　entire　armor；　they　were　not　able　to　find　any　place　where　the　darts　could　enter；　nor　were　they　any　way　able　to　break　their　ranks；　while　they　were　themselves　run　through　by　the　Roman　darts；　and；　like　the　wildest　of　wild　beasts；　rushed　upon　the　point　of　others'　swords；　so　some　of　them　were　destroyed；　as　cut　with　their　enemies'　swords　upon　their　faces；　and　others　were　dispersed　by　the　horsemen。　　　　　　5。　Now　Placidus's　concern　was　to　exclude　them　in　their　flight　from　getting　into　the　village；　and　causing　his　horse　to　march　continually　on　that　side　of　them；　he　then　turned　short　upon　them；　and　at　the　same　time　his　men　made　use　of　their　darts；　and　easily　took　their　aim　at　those　that　were　the　nearest　to　them；　as　they　made　those　that　were　further　off　turn　back　by　the　terror　they　were　in；　till　at　last　the　most　courageous　of　them　brake　through　those　horsemen　and　f