第 14 节
作者:不受约束      更新:2024-05-25 15:05      字数:9322
  of water; and so he was under no necessity of running away。 After which; therefore; they made an irruption upon Antigonus's party; and slew a great many of them; some in open battles; and some in private ambush; nor had they always success in their attempts; for sometimes they were beaten; and ran away。
  2。 In the mean time Ventidius; the Roman general; was sent out of Syria; to restrain the incursions of the Parthians; and after he had done that; he came into Judea; in pretense indeed to assist Joseph and his party; but in reality to get money of Antigonus;; and when he had pitched his camp very near to Jerusalem; as soon as he had got money enough; he went away with the greatest part of his forces; yet still did he leave Silo with some part of them; lest if he had taken them all away; his taking of bribes might have been too openly discovered。 Now Antigonus hoped that the Parthians would come again to his assistance; and therefore cultivated a good understanding with Silo in the mean time; lest any interruption should be given to his hopes。
  3。 Now by this time Herod had sailed out of Italy; and was come to Ptolemais; and as soon as he had gotten together no small army of foreigners; and of his own countrymen; he marched through Galilee against Antigonus; wherein he was assisted by Ventidius and Silo; both whom Dellius; (22) a person sent by Antony; persuaded to bring Herod 'into his kingdom'。 Now Ventidius was at this time among the cities; and composing the disturbances which had happened by means of the Parthians; as was Silo in Judea corrupted by the bribes that Antigonus had given him; yet was not Herod himself destitute of power; but the number of his forces increased every day as he went along; and all Galilee; with few exceptions; joined themselves to him。 So he proposed to himself to set about his most necessary enterprise; and that was Masada; in order to deliver his relations from the siege they endured。 But still Joppa stood in his way; and hindered his going thither; for it was necessary to take that city first; which was in the enemies' hands; that when he should go to Jerusalem; no fortress might be left in the enemies' power behind him。 Silo also willingly joined him; as having now a plausible occasion of drawing off his forces 'from Jerusalem'; and when the Jews pursued him; and pressed upon him; 'in his retreat;' Herod made all excursion upon them with a small body of his men; and soon put them to flight; and saved Silo when he was in distress。  4。 After this Herod took Joppa; and then made haste to Masada to free his relations。 Now; as he was marching; many came in to him; induced by their friendship to his father; some by the reputation he had already gained himself; and some in order to repay the benefits they had received from them both; but still what engaged the greatest number on his side; was the hopes from him when he should be established in his kingdom; so that he had gotten together already an army hard to be conquered。 But Antigonus laid an ambush for him as he marched out; in which he did little or no harm to his enemies。 However; he easily recovered his relations again that were in Masada; as well as the fortress Ressa; and then marched to Jerusalem; where the soldiers that were with Silo joined themselves to his own; as did many out of the city; from a dread of his power。
  5。 Now when he had pitched his camp on the west side of the city; the guards that were there shot their arrows and threw their darts at them; while others ran out in companies; and attacked those in the forefront; but Herod commanded proclamation to be made at the wall; that he was come for the good of the people and the preservation of the city; without any design to be revenged on his open enemies; but to grant oblivion to them; though they had been the most obstinate against him。 Now the soldiers that were for Antigonus made a contrary clamor; and did neither permit any body to hear that proclamation; nor to change their party; so Antigonus gave order to his forces to beat the enemy from the walls; accordingly; they soon threw their darts at them from the towers; and put them to flight。
  6。 And here it was that Silo discovered he had taken bribes; for he set many of the soldiers to clamor about their want of necessaries; and to require their pay; in order to buy themselves food; and to demand that he would lead them into places convenient for their winter quarters; because all the parts about the city were laid waste by the means of Antigonus's army; which had taken all things away。 By this he moved the army; and attempted to get them off the siege; but Herod went to the captains that were under Silo; and to a great many of the soldiers; and begged of them not to leave him; who was sent thither by Caesar; and Antony; and the senate; for that he would take care to have their wants supplied that very day。 After the making of which entreaty; he went hastily into the country; and brought thither so great an abundance of necessaries; that he cut off all Silo's pretenses; and in order to provide that for the following days they should not want supplies; he sent to the people that were about Samaria (which city had joined itself to him) to bring corn; and wine; and oil; and cattle to Jericho。 When Antigonus heard of this; be sent some of his party with orders to hinder; and lay ambushes for these collectors of corn。 This command was obeyed; and a great multitude of armed men were gathered together about Jericho; and lay upon the mountains; to watch those that brought the provisions。 Yet was Herod not idle; but took with him ten cohorts; five of them were Romans; and five were Jewish cohorts; together with some mercenary troops intermixed among them; and besides those a few horsemen; and came to Jericho; and when he came; he found the city deserted; but that there were five hundred men; with their wives and children; who had taken possession of the tops of the mountains; these he took; and dismissed them; while the Romans fell upon the rest of the city; and plundered it; having found the houses full of all sorts of good things。 So the king left a garrison at Jericho; and came back; and sent the Roman army into those cities which were come over to him; to take their winter quarters there; viz。 into Judea; 'or Idumea;' and Galilee; and Samaria。 Antigonus also by bribes obtained of Silo to let a part of his army be received at Lydda; as a compliment to Antonius。
  CHAPTER 16。
  Herod Takes Sepphoris And Subdues The Robbers That Were In The Caves ; He After That Avenges Himself Upon Macheras; As Upon An Enemy Of His And Goes To Antony As He Was Besieging Samosata。  1。 So the Romans lived in plenty of all things; and rested from war。 However; Herod did not lie at rest; but seized upon Idumea; and kept it; with two thousand footmen; and four hundred horsemen; and this he did by sending his brother Joseph thither; that no innovation might be made by Antigonus。 He also removed his mother; and all his relations; who had been in Masada; to Samaria; and when he had settled them securely; he marched to take the remaining parts of Galilee; and to drive away the garrisons placed there by Antigonus。
  2。 But when Herod had reached Sepphoris; (23) in a very great snow; he took the city without any difficulty; the guards that should have kept it flying away before it was assaulted; where he gave an opportunity to his followers that had been in distress to refresh themselves; there being in that city a great abundance of necessaries。 After which he hasted away to the robbers that were in the caves; who overran a great part of the country; and did as great mischief to its inhabitants as a war itself could have done。 Accordingly; he sent beforehand three cohorts of footmen; and one troop of horsemen; to the village Arbela; and came himself forty days afterwards (24) with the rest of his forces Yet were not the enemy aftrighted at his assault but met him in arms; for their skill was that of warriors; but their boldness was the boldness of robbers: when therefore it came to a pitched battle; they put to flight Herod's left wing with their right one; but Herod; wheeling about on the sudden from his own right wing; came to their assistance; and both made his own left wing return back from its flight; and fell upon the pursuers; and cooled their courage; till they could not bear the attempts that were made directly upon them; and so turned back and ran away。  3。 But Herod followed them; and slew them as he followed them; and destroyed a great part of them; till those that remained were scattered beyond the river 'Jordan;' and Galilee was freed from the terrors they had been under; excepting from those that remained; and lay concealed in caves; which required longer time ere they could be conquered。 In order to which Herod; in the first place; distributed the fruits of their former labors to the soldiers; and gave every one of them a hundred and fifty drachmae of silver; and a great deal more to their commanders; and sent them into their winter quarters。 He also sent to his youngest brother Pheroas; to take care of a good market for them; where they might buy themselves provisions; and to build a wall about Alexandrium; who took care of both those injun