rare thing in that country to have rain in summer.* And at this season, during the siege, they were in great distress for some contrivance to satisfy their thirst. And they were very sad at this time particularly, as if they were already in want of water entirely. For Josephus seeing that the city abounded with other necessaries, and that the men were of good courage; and being desirous to protract the siege to the Romans longer than they expected, ordered their drink to be given them by measure. But this scanty distribution of water was deemed by them as a thing more hard than the want of it. And their not being able to drink as much as they would, made them more desirous of drinking than they had otherwise been. Nay, they were as much disheartened thereby, as if they were come to the last degree of thirst. Nor were the Romans unacquainted with the state they were in. For when they stood over against them, beyond the wall, they could see them running together, and taking their water by measure which made them throw their javelins thither, the place being within their reach, and kill a great many of them. Hereupon Vespasian hoped that their receptacles of water would in no long time be emptied, and that they would be forced to deliver up the city to him. But Josephus being desirous of frustrating that hope, gave command that they should wet a great many of their clothes, and hang them about the battlements, till the entire wall was of a sudden all wet with the running down of the water. At this At this sight the Romans were discouraged, and under consternation, when they saw them able to throw away in sport so much water, when they supposed them not to have enough to drink themselves. This made the Roman general despair of taking the city by their want of necessaries; and to betake himself again to arms, and to try to force them to surrender: which was what the Jews greatly desired. For as they despaired of either themselves or their city's being able to escape, they preferred a death in battle, before one by hunger and thirst. However, Josephus contrived another stratagem, besides the foregoing, to get plenty of what they wanted. There was a certain rough and uneven place that could hardly be ascended; and on that account was not guarded by the soldiers. So Josephus sent out certain persons along the western parts of the valley, and by them sent letters to whom he pleased of the Jews that were out of the city, and procured from them abundance of what necessaries they wanted in the city; he enjoined them also to creep generally along by the watch as they came into the city, and to cover their backs with such sheep skins as had their wool upon them; that if any one should spy them out in the night time, they might be believed to be dogs. This was done till the watch perceived the contrivance, and encompassed that rough place about themselves. And now it was that Josephus perceived that the city could not hold out long; and that his own life would be in doubt, if he continued in it. So he consulted how he, and the most potent men of the city, might flee out of it. When the multitude understood this, they came all round about him, and begged of him, not to overlook them while they entirely depended on him, and him alone. For that there was still hope of the city's deliverance, if he would stay with them: because every body would undertake any pains. with great cheerfulness on his account; and in that case there would be some comfort, though they should be taken. That it became him neither to flee from his enemies, nor to desert his friends; nor to leap out of that city, as out of a ship that was sinking in a storm, into which he came when it was quiet and in a calm. For that by going away, be would be the cause of drowning the city: because nobody would then venture to oppose the enemy, when he was once gone upon whom they wholly confided. Hereupon Josephus avoided letting them know that he was to go away to provide for his own safety: but told them, that he would go out of the city for their sakes for that if * The Eastern countries are so frequently and copiously replenished with dew, that rain is not essential to their fertility. B, he 1. Hanner of wearing Cloth used by the Ancients, 2.2.. Chrith used by the Ancients. 2.2. A Tewish Thekel). 3. Curious Chupiters of Tachin & Bouz. 4. The Bruzen Sea their banks, and set fire to their works. And this was the manner in which he never left off fighting, neither the next day, nor that after it; but went on with it for a considerable number both of days and nights. he staid with them he should be able to do them little good, while they were in a safe condition and that if they were once taken, he should only perish with them, to no purpose. But that if he were once gotten free from this siege, he should be able to bring Upon this Vespasian, when he saw the Rothem very great relief. For that he would mans distressed by these sallies, (though they immediately get the Galileans together, out were ashamed to be made to run away by the of the country, in great multitudes, and draw Jews; and when at any time they made the the Romans off their city by another war.Jews run away, their heavy armor would not That he did not see what advantage he could bring to them now, by staying among them, but only provoke the Romans to besiege them more closely, as esteeming it a most valuable let them pursue them far: while the Jews, when they had performed any action, and before they could be hurt themselves, still retired into the city ;) ordered his armed men it out with thing to them to take him. But that if they to avoid their onsets, and not fight? men under desperation: while nothing is more courageous than despair. But that their violence would be quenched, when they saw they failed of their purpose; as fire is quenched when it wants fuel. And that it was proper for the Romans to gain their victories as cheap as they could, since they were not forced to fight, but only to enlarge their own dominions. So he repelled the Jews in great measure by the Arabian archers, and the Syrian slingers, and by those who threw stones at them. Nor was there any intermission of the great number of their offensive engines. Now the Jews suffered greatly by those engines, without being were once informed that he was fled out of the city, they would greatly remit of their eagerness against it. Yet did not this plea move the people; but inflamed them the more to hang about him. Accordingly both the children, and the old men, and the women, with their infants, came mourning to him, and fell down before him, and all of them caught hold of his feet, and held him fast, and besought him, with great lamentations, that he would take his share with them in their fortune. And I think they did this, not that they envied his deliverance, but that they hoped for their own for they could not think they should suffer any great misfor-able to escape from them. And when these tune, provided Josephus would but stay with them. engines threw their stones or javelins a great way, and the Jews were within their reach, they pressed hard upon the Romans, and fought desperately, without sparing either soul or body: one part succouring another by turns, when it was tired down. When, therefore, Vespasian looked upon himself as in a manner besieged by these sallies of the Jews; and when his banks were now not far from the walls, he determined to make use of his battering ram. This ram is Now Josephus thought, that if he resolved to stay it would be ascribed to their entreaties; and if he resolved to go away by force, he should be put into custody. His commiseration also of the people under their lamentations had much broken his eagerness to leave them. So he resolved to stay and arming himself with the common despair of the citizens, he said to them,,"Now is the time to begin to fight in earnest, when there is no hope of de-a vast beam of wood, like the mast of a ship. liverance left. It is a brave thing to prefer Its forepart is armed with a thick piece of glory before life, and to set about some such iron at the head of it, which is so carved as to noble undertaking as may be remembered by resemble the head of a ram whence its name late posterity." Having said this, he fell to is taken. This ram is slung in the air by work immediately, and made a sally, and dis- ropes, passing over its middle, and is hung persed the enemies' out-guards, and ran as far like the balance in a pair of scales from anas the Roman camp itself, and pulled the co- other beam, and braced by strong beams that verings of their tents to pieces, that were upon pass on both sides of it, in the nature of a See Matt. xxviii. 9. cross. When this instruntent is pulled back- || recovered its force, and the wall, having been newly built, was giving way, Josephus and those about him had afterward immediate recourse to fire to defend themselves. Accordingly they took whatsoever they had that was dry, and made a sally three ways, and set fire to the machines and the hurdles, and the banks of the Romans themselves. Nor did the Romans well know how to come to their assistance: being at once under a ward by a great number of men, with united force, and then thrust forward, by the same men, with a mighty noise, it batters the walls with that iron part which is prominent. Nor is there any tower so strong, or walls so broad, that can resist any more than its first batteries: but are all forced to yield to it at last. This was the experiment which the Roman general betook himself to, when he was eagerly bent upon taking the field so long to city, but found lying in the consternation at the Jews' boldness; and be field so long to be to his disadvantage: because the Jews would never let him be quiet. So these Romans brought the several engines for galling an enemy nearer to the walls, that they might reach such as were upon the walls: and endeavored to frustrate their attempts; while these threw stones and javelines at them. In the like manner did the archers and slingers come both together closer to the wall. This brought matters to such a pass, that none of the Jews durst mount the walls. And then it was that the other Romans brought the battering ram, which was cased with hurdles all over, and in the upper part was secured by skins that covered it; and this both for the security of themselves, and of the engine. Now at the very first stroke of this engine the wall was shaken: and a terrible clamor was raised by the people within the city, as if they were already taken. Now when Josephus saw this ram still battering the same place, and that the wall would quickly be thrown down by it, he resolved to elude, for a while, the force of the engine. With this design he gave orders to fill sacks with chaff, and to hang them down before that place where they saw the ram always battering, that the stroke might be turned aside; or that the place might feel less of the strokes by the yielding nature of the chaff. This contrivance very much delayed the attempts of the Romans: because let them remove their engine to what part they pleased, those that were above it removed their sacks, and placed them over against the strokes it made; insomuch that the wall was no way hurt, and this by the diversion of the strokes; till the Romans made an opposite contrivance of long poles, and by tying hooks at their ends cut off the sacks. Now when the battering ram thus ing prevented by the flames from coming to their assistance. For the materials being dry, with the bitumen, pitch, and brimstone that were among them, the fire caught hold of every thing immediately and what cost the Romans a great deal of pains, was in one hour consumed. And here a certain Jew appeared worthy of commendation. He was the son of Sameas, and was called Eleazar; and was born at Saab in Galilee. This man took up a stone of a vast bigness, and threw it down from the wall upon the ram; and this with so great a force, that it brake off the head of the engine. He also leaped down, and took up the head of the ram, from the midst of them; and, without any concern, carried it to the top of the wall: and this while he stood as a fit mark to be pelted by all his enemies. Accordingly he received the strokes upon his naked body, and was wounded with five darts. Nor did he mind any of them, while he went up to the top of the wall; where he stood in the sight of them all, as an instance of the greatest boldness. After which he threw himself on a heap with his wounds upon him, and fell down together with the head of the ram, Next to him two brothers shewed their courage. Their names were Netir and Philip, both of the village Ruma, and both of them Galileans also. These men leaped upon the soldiers of the tenth legion, and fell upon the Romans with such a noise and force, as to disorder their ranks, and to put to flight all upon whomsoever they made their assaults. After these men's performances, Josephus, and the rest of the multitude with him, took a great deal of fire, and burnt both the machines, and their coverings; with the works belonging |