But the struggle was not to be deferred1 the morning.
Night had just spread her veil of darkness over earth, and Simon, prudently2 reserving his strength for the expected fatigues3 of the coming day, had wrapped himself in his mantle4, and stretched himself on the ground to snatch some hours of repose5, when he was roused by the touch of a hand on his shoulder. Opening his eyes, Simon saw, by the red light of a torch, which the armour-bearer of Judas was holding aloft, that Maccabeus was before him.
"Awake, arise, my brother; this is no time for sleep," said the leader. Simon was on his feet in a moment, an attentive6 listener, as Maccabeus continued: "A scout7 has just brought in tidings from the Syrian camp that Nicanor has detached five thousand of his foot-soldiers and a thousand chosen horsemen, under the command of Giorgias, to attack us this night, and take us by surprise."
"They will find us prepared," said Simon, as he girded on his sword.
"Nay8; they will find their prey9 flown," replied Maccabeus, his features relaxing into a stern smile; "we will fall on the Syrian camp in their absence, teach the enemy his own lesson, and transfer the surprise to our foes10."
"Well thought of!" exclaimed Simon; "darkness also will serve to hide the weakness of our force."
"Our brethren are now marshalling our warriors11," said Judas; "all, under God, depends upon silence, promptitude, decision. We fight for our lives and our laws."
The leader turned to depart, but as he did so accidentally dropped something on the ground. He stooped to raise and twist it rapidly round his left arm, under the sleeve. The incident was so very trifling12 that it scarcely drew the notice of Simon, though the thought did flit across his mind that it was strange that his brother, on the eve of battle, could pause to pick up anything so utterly13 valueless as a slight skein of unbleached flax. It was valueless indeed, save from the associations which, in the mind of him who wore it, were entwined with every thread. That flax had been once used to tie together some flowers long since dead; the flowers had been dropped into a grave of martyrs14; the light skein had fallen on the upturned sod unnoticed save by the eyes of one. Perhaps it was from remembrance of the dead, or perhaps it was because hopes regarding the living (hopes brighter and sweeter than the flowers had been) seemed now bound up in that flaxen strand15, that Maccabeus fastened that skein round his arm as a precious thing, when he would not have stooped to pick up a chaplet of pearls.
By the exertions16 of the five Asmonean brethren, the little Hebrew army was rapidly put under arms, and prepared for the night attack. The whole force was united as one forlorn hope. As moves the dark cloud in the sky, so darkly and silently moved on the band of heroes, and, like that cloud, they bore the thunderbolt with them.
Most of the Syrians on that eventful night were sunk in sleep, but not all; in their camp some kept up their revels17 till late. All the luxuries which fancy could devise or wealth could purchase were gathered together at Emmaus to hide the grim front of war, so that the camp by daylight presented the motley appearance of a bazaar18 with the gay magnificence of a court. There sherbet sparkled in vases of silver, and the red wine was poured into golden cups, chased and embossed, in tents stretched out with silken cords. Garments bright with all the varied19 tints20 of the rainbow, rich productions of Oriental looms21, robes from Tyre, shawls from Cashmere, blended with instruments of warfare22, swords, spears, and bucklers, the battle-axe and the helmet. The sentry23, pacing his rounds, paused to listen to wild bursts of merriment, the loud oath and light song from some gay pavilion, where young Syrian nobles were exchanging jests, and indulging in deep carousals. Yonder, in the glaring torch-light, sat a group of officers, engaged in some game of chance, and their stakes were the captives whom they were to drag at their chariot-wheels on the morrow. Each throw of the dice24 decided25 the fate of a Hebrew; at least, so deemed the merry gamesters.
But the destined26 slaves were coming to the market sooner than their expectant masters dreamed or desired, and the price for each Hebrew would be exacted, not in gold, but in blood. Suddenly the gamesters at their play, the revellers at the board, the slumberers on their couches, were startled by the blare of trumpets27 and a ringing war-cry, "The sword of the Lord and Maccabeus!" The full goblet28 was dashed from the lip, the dice from the hand; there were wild shouts and cries, and rushing to and fro, soldiers snatching up weapons, merchants flying hither and thither29 for safety, stumbling over tent-ropes in the darkness. There were confused noises of terror, trampling30 of feet, snorting of horses, calls to arms, clashing of weapons, with all the horrors of sudden panic spreading like an epidemic31 through the mighty32 host of Syria. The few remained to oppose the unseen assailants, the many took to flight; the ground was soon strewn with treasure, dropped by terrified fugitives33, and weapons thrown down by warriors who had not the courage to use them. Tents were speedily blazing, and horses, terrified by the sudden glare and maddened by the scorching34 heat, prancing35, plunging36, rushing wildly through the camp, added to the fearful confusion. Maccabeus, with the sword of Apollonius in his hand, pressed on to victory over heaps of prostrate37 foes. Terror was sent as a herald38 before him, and success followed wherever he trode. It seemed as if the Lord of Hosts were fighting for Israel, as in the old days of Gideon.
Hot was the pursuit after the flying Syrians; Maccabeus and his warriors followed hard on their track to Gazora, Azotus, and Jamnia, and that southern part of Judaea lying between the Red Sea and Sodom, to which, from its having been colonized39 by Edomites, had been given the name of Idumea. For many a mile the track of the fugitives was marked by their dead.
But as the morning dawned after that terrible though glorious night, the trumpets of Maccabeus sounded to call his troops together. The leader had not forgotten--though some of his eager followers40 might have done so--that Giorgias, with an army of chosen warriors, doubling their own in number, and comparatively fresh, was yet to be encountered. With stern displeasure Maccabeus saw his own men, grim with blood and dust, loading themselves with the rich plunder41 which lay on the road; like fruit under orchard42 trees after a wild tornado43.
"Be not greedy of the spoils," cried the leader, "inasmuch as there is a battle before us; but stand ye now against our enemies, and overcome them, and after this ye may boldly take the spoils."
It is a more difficult task to call hounds off the prey that they have run down, than to let them slip from the leashes44 when the quarry45 first is in sight. It needed such moral influence over his men as was possessed46 by Maccabeus to enforce instant obedience47 when wealth was at their feet, and needed but the gathering48 up.
It was speedily seen, however, that the warning of the Asmonean chief had not been unnecessary. But a few minutes elapsed after the utterance49 of that warning, when the vanguard of the forces of Giorgias appeared on the crest50 of a hill at some distance, the live-long night having been spent by them in a vain attempt to discover the camp of the Hebrews. After a long, tedious march, Giorgias found himself on a commanding height, from whence at dawn he had an extensive view of the surrounding country.
"The slaves have fled--they have made their escape to the mountains," exclaimed Giorgias, as he dismounted from his weary war-horse, when the first bar of golden light appeared in the orient sky.
"Then they have left marks of their handiwork behind them," said a horseman, pointing in the direction in which lay what had been the camp of Nicanor, now suddenly visible to the Syrians from the summit of the hill. "See you yon smoke arising from smouldering heaps? There has been a battle at Emmaus. The lion has broken through the toils51. Maccabeus has not been sleeping through the night."
"Nay, my Lord Pollux; it is impossible. The Hebrews would never dare to attack a force so greatly outnumbering their own," exclaimed Giorgias, unwilling52 to believe the evidence of his own senses. But as the light more clearly revealed the tokens of flight and disaster in the far distance, where the smoke of ruin was rising into the calm morning air, conviction of the terrible truth forced itself on the general's mind, and, with mingled53 astonishment54 and dismay, he exclaimed, "Where are the hosts of Nicanor?"
"Yonder are those who can give an account of them," said Pollux, turning to the south, where in a valley the Hebrews might be seen marshalled around their loader. "There, I ween, is the insolent55 outlaw56 who has been making a shambles57 of our camp. See you the glitter of the spears? Maccabeus is setting his men in battle array. There is but a handful of them. Shall we charge down upon them, and sweep them from the face of the earth?"
Giorgias glanced again northward58 at Emmaus and the smoking ruins of the Syrian camp; then southward, where the little compact force in the valley was clustering round the standard of Maccabeus. Though the troops under the command of Giorgias doubled the Hebrews in number, he dared not try the issue of battle with those who had so lately discomfited59 Nicanor's formidable hosts. Had the Syrian leader been animated60 by such a fearless spirit as characterized his opponent, in all human probability the victory of the night might have been, to Judas and his gallant61 little band, succeeded by the defeat of the morning. But Giorgias showed an unusual amount of caution on the present occasion; and Pollux, though he assumed a tone of defiance62, was secretly by no means desirous to measure swords with Maccabeus.
The Hebrews were weary with conquering and pursuing. Their spirit was unbroken, but their strength was exhausted63. It was with some anxiety that the eagle eye of Judas watched the movements of the enemy on the heights, momentarily expecting an attack which he knew that his band of heroes was so little able to sustain.
"They will be down upon us soon," said Simon, as he leaned wearily on his spear.
"Nay; behold64, they are vanishing over the crest of the mountain!" triumphantly65 exclaimed Eleazar. "The cowards! only brave over the wine-bowl! Not a stain on their swords! not a dint66 on their shields! They are fleeing when no man pursues! Oh, that we had but strength to follow, and chase the dastards even up to the walls of Jerusalem!"
"God hath put fear into their hearts. To Him be the glory!" said Maccabeus, as he sheathed67 his heavy sword.
And after this--to transcribe68 the words of the ancient Hebrew historian, describing the triumphs of his countrymen--"they went home, and sung a song of thanksgiving, and praised the Lord in heaven, because He is good, because His mercy endureth for ever."
收听单词发音 |
1
deferred
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| adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从 | |
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2
prudently
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| adv. 谨慎地，慎重地 | |
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fatigues
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| n.疲劳( fatigue的名词复数 )；杂役；厌倦；（士兵穿的）工作服 | |
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mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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13
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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martyrs
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| n.martyr的复数形式；烈士( martyr的名词复数 )；殉道者；殉教者；乞怜者（向人诉苦以博取同情） | |
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15
strand
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| vt.使（船）搁浅，使（某人）困于（某地） | |
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exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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revels
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| n.作乐( revel的名词复数 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉v.作乐( revel的第三人称单数 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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bazaar
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| n.集市，商店集中区 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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tints
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| 色彩( tint的名词复数 )； 带白的颜色； （淡色）染发剂； 痕迹 | |
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looms
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| n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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sentry
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| n.哨兵，警卫 | |
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dice
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| n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险 | |
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25
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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27
trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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goblet
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| n.高脚酒杯 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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trampling
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| 踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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epidemic
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| n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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scorching
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| adj. 灼热的 | |
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prancing
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| v.（马）腾跃( prance的现在分词 ) | |
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plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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37
prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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38
herald
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| vt.预示...的来临，预告，宣布，欢迎 | |
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39
colonized
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| 开拓殖民地，移民于殖民地( colonize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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41
plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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42
orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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43
tornado
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| n.飓风，龙卷风 | |
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44
leashes
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| n.拴猎狗的皮带( leash的名词复数 ) | |
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45
quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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46
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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47
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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48
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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49
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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50
crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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51
toils
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| 网 | |
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52
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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53
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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54
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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55
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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56
outlaw
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| n.歹徒，亡命之徒；vt.宣布…为不合法 | |
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57
shambles
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| n.混乱之处；废墟 | |
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58
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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59
discomfited
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| v.使为难( discomfit的过去式和过去分词)；使狼狈；使挫折；挫败 | |
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60
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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61
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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62
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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63
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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64
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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65
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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66
dint
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| n.由于，靠；凹坑 | |
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67
sheathed
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| adj.雕塑像下半身包在鞘中的；覆盖的；铠装的；装鞘了的v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的过去式和过去分词 )；包，覆盖 | |
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68
transcribe
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| v.抄写，誉写；改编(乐曲)；复制，转录 | |
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