driving them || leaped out, and of himself alone put the Jews temple; and the Jews were back to the tower of Antonia. In which battle the darts were on both sides useless, as well as the spears and both sides drew their swords, and fought it out hand to hand. Now during this struggle, the positions of the men were undistinguished on both sides, and they fought at random being intermixed one with another, and confounded, by reason of the narrowness of the place; while the noise that was made fell on the ear after an indistinct manner, because it was so very loud. Great slaughter was now made on both sides; and the combatants trod upon the bodies, and the armor of those that were dead, and dashed them to pieces. Accordingly, to which side soever the battle inclined, those that had the advantage exhorted one another to go on; as did those that were beaten make great lamentation. But still there was no room for flight, nor for pursuit, but disorderly revolutions and retreats while the armies were intermixed one with another. But those that were in the first ranks were under the necessity of killing or being killed, without any way for escaping. For those on both sides that came behind, forced those before them to go on; without leaving any space between the armies. At length the Jews' violent zeal was too hard for the Roman skill: and the battle already inclined entirely that way. For the fight had lasted from the ninth hour of the night, till the seventh hour of the day while the Jews came on in crowds, and had the danger the temple was in for their motive; the Romans having no more here than a part of their army. For those legions, on which the soldiers on that side depended, were not come up to them. So it was at present thought sufficient by the Romans to take possession of the tower of Antonia. But there was one Julian, a centurion, that came from Bithynia, a man of great reputation, whom I had formerly seen in that war, and one of the highest fame, both for his skill in war, his strength of body, and the courage of his soul. This man, seeing the Romans giving ground, and in a sad condition; (for he stood by Titus at the tower of Antonia,) * No wonder that this Julian, who had so many nails in his shoes, slipped upon the pavement of the temple, which was smooth, and laid with marble of different colors. 2 hurt, he had at last his throat cut, though not without some difficulty and left behind him a very great fame; not only among the Romans, and with Caesar himself, but among his enemies also. Then did the Jews catch up his dead body, and put the Romans to flight again, and shut them up in the tower of Antonia. Now those that most signalized themselves, and fought most zealously in this battle on the Jewish side, were one Alexas and Gyptheus of John's party; and of Simon's party were Malachias, and Judas the son of Merto, and James the son of Sosas, the commander of the Idumeans. And of the zealots, two brethren, Simon and Judas, the sons of Jairus. CHAP. II. TITUS GIVES ORDERS TO DEMOLISH THE TOWER ΤΟΝΙΑ ; AND THEN PERSUADES JOSEPHUS TO THE JEWS AGAIN TO A SURRENDER. NOW OF ANEXHORT TOW Titus gave orders to his soldiers that were with him to dig up the foundations of the tower of Antonia, and make him a ready passage for his army to come up. While he himself had Josephus brought to him; (for he had been informed that on that very day, * which was the seventeenth day of Panemus, or Tamuz, the sacrifice, called the daily sacrifice, had failed, and had not been offered to God, for the want of men to offer it; and that the people were grievously troubled at it:) and commanded him to say the same things to John, that he had said before: that if he had any malicious inclination for fighting, he might come out, with as many of his men as he pleased, in order to fight, without danger of destroying either his city or temple; but that he desired he would not defile the temple, nor thereby offend against God. That he might, if he pleased, offer the sacrifices which were now discontinued, by any of the Jews *This was a remarkable day indeed, the 17th of Panemus, or Tamuz, A. D. 70, when, according to Daniel's prediction, 606 years before, the Romans, "in half a week, caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease," Dan. ix. 27. For from the month of February, A. D. 66. about which time Vespasian entered on this war, to this very time was just three years and an half. See Bishop Lloyd's Tables of Chronology on this year. Nor is it to be omitted, what very nearly confirms this duration of the whom he should appoint. whom he should appoint. Upon this Josephus stood in a place where he might be heard, not by John only, but by many more; and then declared to them what Cæsar had given him in charge: and this in the Hebrew † language. So he earnestly prayed them, to spare their own city and to prevent that fire, which was just ready to seize upon the temple; and to offer their usual sacrifices therein. At these words of his, a great sadness and silence were observed among the people. But the tyrant himself cast many reproaches upon Josephus, with imprecations besides: and at last added, that he did never fear the taking of the city; because it was God's own city. In answer to which, Josephus said thus with a loud voice: "To be sure thou hast kept this city wonderful pure for God's sake: the temple also continues entirely unpolluted! Nor hast thou been guilty of any impiety against him for whose assistance thou hopest! He still receives his accustomed sacrifices! Vile wretch that thou art! If any one should deprive thee of thy daily food, thou wouldest esteem him to be an enemy to thee: but still thou hopest to have that God for thy supporter in this war, whom thou hast deprived of his worship: and thou imputest those sins to the Romans, who to this very time take care to have our laws observed; and almost compel these sacrifices to be still offered to God, which have by thy means been intermitted. Who is there that can avoid groans and lamentations at the amazing change that is made in this city? since even foreigners and enemies do now correct that impiety which thou hast occasioned while thou, who art a Jew, and wast educated in our laws, art become a greater enemy to them than the others. But still, John, it is never dishonorable to repent, and amend what hath been done amiss, even at the last extremity. Thou hast an instance before thee in Jeconiah, the king of the Jews, if thou hast a mind war, that four years before the war begun, was somewhat above seven years and five months before the destruction of Jerusalem, chap. 5. †The same that is always so called in the New Testa ment, and was the common language of the Jews in Judea; which was the Syriac dialect. Our present copies of the Old Testament want this encomium upon king Jechoniah, or Jehoiachin: which, it seems, was in Josephus's copy. to save thy city: who, when the king of Baby- As Josephus spake these words, with groans lon made war against him, did, of his own and tears in his eyes, his voice was interruptaccord, go out of this city, before it was taken; || ed by sobs: so that the Romans could not but and did undergo a voluntary captivity, with pity the affliction he was under, and wonder his family, that the sanctuary might not be at his conduct. But for John, and those that delivered up to the enemy; and that he might were with him, they were but the more exnot see the house of God set on fire. On which asperated against the Romans on this account, account he is celebrated among all the Jews, and were desirous to get Josephus also into in their sacred memorials; and his memory is their power. Yet did that discourse influence become immortal; and will be conveyed many of the better sort. And truly some of down to our posterity through all ages. This them were so afraid of the guards set by the is an excellent example in such a time of dan- seditious, that they tarried where they were; ger. And I dare venture to promise, that the but still were satisfied that both they and the Romans shall still forgive thee. And take city were doomed to destruction. Some also notice, that I who make this exhortation to there were who, watching a proper opportu thee am one of thine own nation: I, who amnity, when they might quietly get away, fled a Jew, make this promise to thee. And it will become thee to consider, who I am that give thee this counsel; and whence I am derived. For while I am alive, I shall never be in such slavery, as to forego my own kindred, or forget the laws of our forefathers. Thou hast indignation at me again, and makest a clamor at me, and reproachest me. Indeed I cannot deny but I am worthy of worse treatment than all this amounts to, because, in opposition to fate, I make this kind invitation to thee; and endeavor to force deliverance upon those whom God hath condemned. And who is there that does not know what the writings of the ancient prophets contain in them? and particularly that oracle which is just now going to be fulfilled upon this miserable city. For they foretold, that this city should be then taken, when somebody should begin the slaughter of his own countrymen. And are not both the city and the entire temple now full of the dead bodies of your countrymen? It is † God, therefore, it is God himself that is bringing on this fire to purge the city and temple by means of the Romans; and is going to pluck up this city, which is full of your pollutions.' Of this oracle, see the note on Book IV. chap. 6. + Josephus, both here, and in many places elsewhere, speaks so, that it is evident he was fully satisfied, that God was on the Romans' side; and made use of them now for the destruction of that wicked nation of the Jews: which was, for certain, the true state of this matter: as the prophet Daniel first, and our Saviour himself after wards, had clearly foretold. See Lit. Accompl. of Proph. page 64, &c. to the Romans. Of whom were the highpriests Joseph and Jesus: and of the sons of high-priests, three; whose father was Ishmael, who was beheaded in Cyrene, and four sons of Matthias and also one son of the ‡ other Matthias, who ran away § after his father's death; and whose father was slain by Simon, the son of Gioras, with three of his sons, as I have already related. Many also of the other nobility went over to the Romans, together with the high-priests. Now Cæsar not only received these men very kindly, in other respects; but, knowing they would not willingly live after the customs of other nations, he sent them to Gophna, and desired. them to remain there for the present; and told them, that when he had finished this war, he would restore each of them their possessions again. So they cheerfully retired to that small city which was allotted them, without fear of any danger. But as they did not appear, the seditious gave out again, that these deserters were slain by the Romans: which was done in order to deter the rest from running away, by fear of similar treatment. However, when Titus had recalled those men from Gophna, he gave orders that they Josephus had before told us, V. 13. that this fourth son of Matthias ran away to the Romans, before his father's and brethren's slaughter; and not after it, as here.. The former account is, in all probability, the most accurate. For had not that fourth son escaped before the other were caught, and put to death, he had been caught and put to death with them. This last account, therefore, looks like an instance of a small inadvertence of, Josephus's in the place before us.. § See Book V. chap. 13. |