fands of the Jews, they had now paid their small share of the reckoning fo late; and as it is the part of weak people to be too much puffed up with good fuccefs, fo is it the part of cowards to be too much affrighted at that which is ill; for the change from the one to the other is fudden on both fides; and he is the best warrior who is of a fober mind under misfortunes, that he may continue in that temper, and cheerfully recover what had been loft formerly; and as for what had now happened, it was neither owing to their own effeminacy, nor to the valour of the Jews, but the difficulty of the place was the occafion of their advantage, and of our disappointment. Upon reflecting on which matter one might blame your zeal as perfectly ungovernable; for when the enemy had retired to their higheft faftneffes, you ought to have restrained yourfelves, and not, by prefenting yourfelves at the top of the city, to be expofed to dangers; but upon your having obtained the lower parts of the city, you ought to have provoked thofe that had retired thither to a late and fettled battle; whereas, in rushing fo haftily upon victory, you took no care of your fafety. But this incautioufneís in war, and this madness of zeal is not a Roman maxim, while we perform all that we attempt by skill and good order: That procedure is the part of barbarians, and is what the Jews chiefly fupport themselves by. We ought therefore to return to our own virtue, and to be rather angry than any longer dejected at this unlucky misfortune, and let every one feek for his own confolation from his own hand; for by this means he will avenge those that have been destroyed, and punish those that have killed them. For my felf I will endeavour, as I have now done, to go first before you against your enemies in every engagement, and to be the last that retires from it."

7. So Vefpafian encouraged his army by this fpeech: But for the people of Gamala, it happened that they took courage for a little while, upon fuch great and unaccountable fuccefs as they had had. But when they confidered with themfelves, that they had now no hopes of any terms of accommodation, and reflecting upon it that they could not get away, and that their provifions began already to be short, they were exceedingly caft down and their courage failed them; yet did they not neglect what might be for their prefervation, fo far as they were able, but the moft courageous among them guarded those parts of the wall that were beaten down, while the more infirm did the fame to the reft of the wall that ftill remained round the city. And as the Romans raised their banks, and attempted to get into the city a fecond time, a great many of them fled out of the city through impracticable vallies, where no guards were placed, as alfo through fubterraneous caverns; while those that were afraid of being caught, and for that reafon ftayed in the city, perifhed for want of food; for what food they had was brought together from all quarters, and referved for the fighting men.

8. And these were the hard circumftances the people of Gamala were in. But now Vefpafian went about another work by the by, during this fiege, and that was to fubdue those that had feized upon mount Tabor, a place that lies in the middle between the great plain and Scythopolis, whofe top is elevated as high as thirty furlongs, and is hardly to be afcended on its north fide; its top is a plain of twenty-fix furlongs, and all encompaffed with a wall. Now Jofephus erected this fo long a wall in forty days time, and furnished it with other materials, and with water from below, for the inhabitants only made ufe of rain water: As therefore there was a great multitude of people gotten together upon this mountain, Vefpalian fent Placidus, with fix hundred horsemen thither. Now as it was impoffible for him to afcend the mountain, he invited many of them to peace, by the offer of his right hand for their fecurity, and of his interceffion tor them. Accordingly they came down, but with a treacherous defign, as well he had the like treacherous defign upon them on the other fide; for Placidus fpoke mildly to them, as aiming to take them, when he got them into the plain; they alfo came down, as complying with his proposals, but it was in order to fall upon him when he was not aware of it: However, Placidus's ftratagem was too hard for theirs; for when the Jews began to fight he pretended to run away, and when they were in purfuit of the Romans, he enticed them a great way along the plain, and then made his horsemen turn back; whereupon he beat them, and flew a great number of them, and cut off the retreat of the rest of the multitude, and hindered their return. So they left Tabor, and fled to Jerufalem, while the people of the country came to terms with him, for their water failed them, and fo they delivered up the mountain and themselves to Placidus

9. But of the people of Gamala thofe that were of the bolder fort fled away and hid themfelves, while the more infirm perished by famine; but the men of war fuitained the fiege fill the two and twentieth day of the month Hyperbereteus, Tifri], when three foldiers of the fifteenth legion, about the morning watch, got under an high tower that was near them,

These numbers in Jofephus of 30 furlongs afcent to the top of mount Tabor, whether we estimate it by winding and gradual, or by the perpendicular altitude, and of 26 furlongs circumference upon the top, as alfo the 15 furlongs for this alcent in Polybius, with Geminus's perpendicular altitude of almost 14 furlongs, here noted by Dr. Hudion, do none of them agree with the authentic teltimony of Mr. Maundrel, an eye witness, page 112 who fays, he was not an hour in getting up to the top of this mount Tabor, and that the area of the top is an oval of about two furlongs in length, and one in breadth. So I rather fuppofe Jofephus wrote 3 furlongs for the afcent or altitude, inftead of 30; and 6 furlongs for the circumference at the top, inftead of 26. Since a mountain of only 3 furlongs perpendi cular altitude may cafily require near an hour's afcent, and the circumference of an oval of the foregoing quantity is near 6 furlongs. Nor certainly could fuch a vast ircumference as 20 furlongs, or 3 1-4 miles at that height be encompaffed with wall, including a trench and other fortifications, perhaps thofe ftill remaining ibid. sen the small interval of 45 days, as Jofephus here lays they were by himself,

and undermined it, without making any noife; nor when they either came to it, which was in the night time, nor when they were under it, did thofe that guarded it perceive them. Thefe foldiers then upon their coming avoided making a noife, and when they had rolled away five of its ftrongeit ftones, they went away haftily; whereupon the tower fell down on a fudden, with a very great noife, and its guard fell headlong with it; fo that thofe that kept guard at other places were under fuch difturbance that they ran away; the Romans alfo flew many of thofe that ventured to oppofe them, among whom was Jofeph, who was flain by a dart, as he was running away over that part of the wall that was broken down; but as thofe that were in the city were greatly affrighted at the noife, they ran hither and thither, and a great confternation fell upon them, as though all the enemy had fallen in at once upon them. Then it was that Chares, who was ill and under the phyficians hands, gave up the ghoft, the fear he was in greatly contributing to make his diftemper fatal to him. But the Romans fo well remembered their former ill fuccefs, that they did not enter the city till the three and twentieth day of the forementioned month.

10. At which time Titus, who was now returned, out of the indication he had at the deftructions the Romans had undergone while he was absent, took two hundred chosen horsemen, and fome footmen with them, and entered without noise into the city. Now as the watch perceived that he was coming, they made a noife, and betook themfelves to their arms; and as that his entrance was prefently known to those that were in the city, fome of them caught hold of their children and their wives, and drew them after them, and fled away to the citadel, with lamentations and cries, while others of them went to meet Titus, and were killed perpetually; but fo many of them as were hindered from running up to the citadel, not knowing what in the world to do, fell among the Roman guards, while the groans of thofe that were killed were prodigioufly great every where, and blood run down over all the lower parts of the city, from the upper. But then Vefpafian himself came to his affiftance against thofe that had fled to the citadel, and brought his whole army with him; now this upper part of the city was every way rocky, and difficult of afcent, and elevated to a vaft altitude, and very full of people on all fides, and encompaffed with precipices, whereby the Jews cut off thofe that came up to them, and did much mischief to others by their darts, and the large ftones which they rolled down upon them, while they were themselves fo high that the enemies darts could hardly reach them. However, there arofe fuch a divine ftorm against them as was inftrumental to their deftruction; this carried the Roman darts upon them, and made thofe which they threw return back, and drove them obliquely away from them: Nor could the Jews indeed ftand upor

their precipices, by reafon of the violence of the wind, ha ving nothing that was ftable to ftand upon, nor could they fee thofe that were afcending up to them; fo the Romans got up and furrounded them, and fome they flew before they could defend themselves, and others as they were delivering up themselves; and the remembrance of those that were flain at their former entrance into the city increased their rage against them now: A great number alfo of thofe that were furrounded on every fide, and defpaired of escaping, threw their children and their wives, and themfelves alfo down the precipices. into the valley beneath, which, near the citadel, had been dug hollow to a vaft depth; but fo it happened that the anger of the Romans appeared not to be fo extravagant as was the madness of thofe that were now taken, while the Romans flew but four thoufand, whereas the number of thofe that had thrown themselves down was found to be five thousand Nor did any one escape except two women, who were daughters of Philip, and Philip himself was the son of a certain eminent man called Jafimus, who had been general of king Agrippa's army; and thefe did therefore escape, because they lay concealed from the rage of the Romans, when the city was taken; for otherwise they spared not fo much as the infants, of which many were flung down by them from the citadel. And thus was Gamala taken, on the three and twentieth day of the month Hyperbereteus, [Tifri], whereas the city had first revolted on the four and twentieth day of the month Gorpieus, [Elul].

CHA P. II.

The Surrender of Gifchala; when John flies away from it to

Jerufalem.

§ 1. OW no place of Galilee remained to be taken but the small city of Gifchala, whofe multitude yet were defirous of peace; for they were generally husbandmen, and always applied themselves to cultivate the fruits of the earth. However, there were a great number that belonged to a band of robbers, that were already corrupted, and had crept in among them, and fome of the governing part of the citizens were fick of the fame diftemper. It was John, the fon of a certain man whofe name was Levi, that drew them into this rebellion, and encouraged them in it. He was a cunning knave, and of a temper that could put on various fhapes; very rash in expecting great things, and very fagacious in bringing about what he hoped for. It was known to every body that he was fond of war, in order to thrust himself into authority; and the feditious part of the people of Gifchala were under his management, by whofe means the populace, who seemed

ready to fend ambaffadors in order to a furrender, waited for the coming of the Romans in battle array. Vefpafian sent against them Titus, with a thoufand horfemen, but withdrew the tenth legion to Scythopolis, while he returned to Cefarea with the two other legions, that he might allow them to refresh themselves after their long and hard campaign, thinking withal that the plenty which was in thofe cities would improve their bodies and their fpirits, against the difficulties they were to go through afterwards; for he faw there would be occafion for great pains about Jerufalem, which was not yet taken, because it was the royal city, and the principal city of the whole nation, and because those that had run away from the war in other places got all together thither. It was alfo naturally ftrong, and the walls that were built round it made him not a little concerned about it. Moreover, he efteemed the men that were in it to be to courageous and bold, that even without the confideration of the walls, it would be hard to fubdue them; for which reafon he took care of, and exercised his foldiers beforehand for the work, as they do wrestlers before they begin their undertaking.

2. Now Titus, as he rode up to Gifchala, found it would be eafy for him to take the city upon the firft onfet; but knew withal, that if he took it by force, the multitude would be de ftroyed by the foldiers without mercy. (Now he was already fatiated with the fhedding of blood, and pitied the major part, who would then perifh, without diftin&tion, together with the guilty) So he was rather defirous the city might be furrendered up to him on terms. Accordingly, when he faw the wall full of thofe men that were of the corrupted party, he faid to them, That he could not but wonder, what it was they depended on, when they alone ftaid to fight the Romans, after every other city was taken by them, elpecially when they have feen cities much better fortified than theirs is, overthrown by a fingle attack upon them; while as many as have intrufted themfelves to the fecurity of the Romans right hands, which he now offers to them, without regarding their former infolence, do enjoy their own poffeffions in fafety; for that while they had hopes of recovering their liberty, they might be pardoned; but that their continuance ftill in their oppofition, when they faw that to be impoffible, was inexcufable: For that, if they will not comply with fuch humane offers, and right hands for fecurity, they fhould have experi ence of fuch a war as would fpare nobody, and should foon be made fenfible, that their wall would be but a trifle when battered by the Roman machines; in depending on which, they demonftrate themselves to be the only Galileans that were no better than arrogant flaves and captives.".

3. Now none of the populace durft not only make a reply, but durft not so much as get upon the wall, for it was all tak en up by the robbers, who were also the guard at the gates, in VOL. III.

Hh