The Book of Texts of Ancient and Modern History, and C

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1879 edition. Excerpt: ...driven into the Mountain of the Temple and besieged there. The priests were in favour of Aristobulus. The people declared for Hyrcanus. Onias, a holy man of Jerusalem, had, in the people's opinion, obtained, by his prayers, rain from heaven 'in a great drought. The people thought, as did Balak in Balaam's time, that curses would be as effective as prayers. Therefore they pressed him to curse Aristobulus, and all who were with him. The old man, pressed by their importunities, lifted up his hand toward heaven, and prayed thus: "0 Lord God, creator of the univerte, since thote who are with us are thy people, and they who are betieged in thy temple are thy priettt, I pray that thou tcouldtt hear the prayer of neither of them againxt the other." The multitude became enraged, and Atoned to death the good Onlafl. The Romans were largely bribed by Aristobulus. Thoy forced ArCtas to raise the siege. Aristobulus pursued, routed, and slew great numbers of the army of Hyrcanus. Pompoy, the celebrated Roman general, was now at Damascus. Hyrcanus and Aristobulus pleaded their causes before him, first by their ambassadors, afterwards in person. The people declared against both. They said they were not to be governed by kings, but by the priests of God. Pompey hesitated. Aristobulus prepared for war. Pompey seized him in one of his castles, confined him m prison, and laid siege to Jerusalem. He was received in the city by the party of Hyrcanus. He besieged the temple and the Castle Baris, and took them in three months time. Though the Jews had observed, during the Maccabean wars, the law which they had made to fight, if attacked, on the Sabbath, they considered that they were not attacked when they aw the Romans arranging for attack their works...