After Pompey had conquered
Jerusalem, and Cassius had plundered it, Herod rebuilt the city and
the Temple. But soon afterwards--_i.e._ in A.D. 70, Jerusalem was
completely destroyed by Titus. Only nine years later Monte Somma
began to throw up fire as it had never done before, and by it
Pompeii and Herculaneum were both destroyed. Pompeii and Herculaneum
were Sodom and Gomorrah, and a temple in Pompeii contained an
image of Vespasian, who had laid waste part of Jerusalem before
Titus. It disappeared altogether. Do you think perhaps that the
Christians set Vesuvius on fire, as Nero believed they had fired
Rome in A.D. 64?"
Julian reflected: "There were nine years between," he said, "but it
seems strange."
"Yes," answered Maximus, "but precisely in the same year 70, in
which Titus destroyed the Temple, the Capitol was burnt."
"Then it is the gods who are warring, and we are only soldiers,"
exclaimed Julian.
Priscus the Sophist, who liked word-encounters, determined to stir
up the embers, as they seemed to be expiring: "But Christ has said
that one stone shall not remain upon another, and that the Temple
shall never be built again."
"Has Christ said that?" answered Julian. "Very well; then he shall
show whether he was a god, for I will build again the Temple of
Solomon.
Pages:
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152