the wars of the jews-第116章

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　of　them　at　one　blow。　Yet　did　not　the　Jews；　under　all　this　distress；　permit　the　Romans　to　raise　their　banks　in　quiet；　but　they　shrewdly　and　boldly　exerted　themselves；　and　repelled　them　both　by　night　and　by　day。　　　　　　4。　And　now；　upon　the　finishing　the　Roman　works；　the　　　workmen　measured　the　distance　there　was　from　the　wall；　　　and　this　by　lead　and　a　line；　which　they　threw　to　it　from　their　banks；　for　they　could　not　measure　it　any　otherwise；　　　because　the　Jews　would　shoot　at　them；　if　they　came　to　　　measure　it　themselves；　and　when　they　found　that　the　　　engines　could　reach　the　wall；　they　brought　them　thither。　Then　did　Titus　set　his　engines　at　proper　distances；　so　much　nearer　to　the　wall；　that　the　Jews　might　not　be　able　to　repel　them；　and　gave　orders　they　should　go　to　work；　and　when　　　thereupon　a　prodigious　noise　echoed　round　about　from　　　three　places；　and　that　on　the　sudden　there　was　a　great　　　noise　made　by　the　citizens　that　were　within　the　city；　and　no　less　a　terror　fell　upon　the　seditious　themselves；　whereupon　both　sorts；　seeing　the　common　danger　they　were　in；　　　contrived　to　make　a　like　defense。　So　those　of　different　　　factions　cried　out　one　to　another；　that　they　acted　entirely　as　in　concert　with　their　enemies；　whereas　they　ought　however；　notwithstanding　God　did　not　grant　them　a　lasting　concord；　in　their　present　circumstances；　to　lay　aside　their　enmities　one　against　another；　and　to　unite　together　against　the　　　Romans。　Accordingly；　Simon　gave　those　that　came　from　　　the　temple　leave；　by　proclamation；　to　go　upon　the　wall；　　　John　also　himself；　though　he　could　not　believe　Simon　was　in　earnest；　gave　them　the　same　leave。　So　on　both　sides　　　they　laid　aside　their　hatred　and　their　peculiar　quarrels；　and　formed　themselves　into　one　body；　they　then　ran　round　the　walls；　and　having　a　vast　number　of　torches　with　them；　they　threw　them　at　the　machines；　and　shot　darts　perpetually　　　upon　those　that　impelled　those　engines　which　battered　the　wall；　nay；　the　bolder　sort　leaped　out　by　troops　upon　the　hurdles　that　covered　the　machines；　and　pulled　them　to　　　pieces；　and　fell　upon　those　that　belonged　to　them；　and　beat　them；　not　so　much　by　any　skill　they　had；　as　principally　by　the　boldness　of　their　attacks。　However；　Titus　himself　still　sent　assistance　to　those　that　were　the　hardest　set；　and　　　placed　both　horsemen　and　archers　on　the　several　sides　of　the　engines；　and　thereby　beat　off　those　that　brought　the　fire　to　them；　he　also　thereby　repelled　those　that　shot　stones　or　darts　from　the　towers；　and　then　set　the　engines　to　work　in　good　earnest；　yet　did　not　the　wall　yield　to　these　blows；　excepting　where　the　battering　ram　of　the　fifteenth　legion　moved　the　corner　of　a　tower；　while　the　wall　itself　continued　unhurt；　for　the　wall　was　not　presently　in　the　same　danger　with　the　tower；　which　was　extant　far　above　it；　nor　could　the　fall　of　that　part　of　the　tower　easily　break　down　any　part　of　the　wall　itself　together　with　it。　　　　　　5。　And　now　the　Jews　intermitted　their　sallies　for　a　while；　but　when　they　observed　the　Romans　dispersed　all　abroad　at　　　their　works；　and　in　their　several　camps；　（for　they　thought　the　Jews　had　retired　out　of　weariness　and　fear；）　they　all　at　once　made　a　sally　at　the　tower　Hippicus；　through　an　　　obscure　gate；　and　at　the　same　time　brought　fire　to　burn　the　works；　and　went　boldly　up　to　the　Romans；　and　to　their　very　fortifications　themselves；　where；　at　the　cry　they　made；　　　those　that　were　near　them　came　presently　to　their　　　assistance；　and　those　farther　off　came　running　after　them；　and　here　the　boldness　of　the　Jews　was　too　hard　for　the　　　good　order　of　the　Romans；　and　as　they　beat　those　whom　　　they　first　fell　upon；　so　they　pressed　upon　those　that　were　now　gotten　together。　So　this　fight　about　the　machines　was　very　hot；　while　the　one　side　tried　hard　to　set　them　on　fire；　and　the　other　side　to　prevent　it；　on　both　sides　there　was　a　confused　cry　made；　and　many　of　those　in　the　forefront　of　the　battle　were　slain。　However；　the　Jews　were　now　too　hard　for　the　Romans；　by　the　furious　assaults　they　made　like　　　madmen；　and　the　fire　caught　hold　of　the　works；　and　both　all　those　works；　and　the　engines　themselves；　had　been　in　　　danger　of　being　burnt；　had　not　many　of　these　select　　　soldiers　that　came　from　Alexandria　opposed　themselves　to　prevent　it；　and　had　they　not　behaved　themselves　with　　　greater　courage　than　they　themselves　supposed　they　could　have　done；　for　they　outdid　those　in　this　fight　that　had　　　greater　reputation　than　themselves　before。　This　was　the　　　state　of　things　till　Caesar　took　the　stoutest　of　his　horsemen；　and　attacked　the　enemy；　while　he　himself　slew　twelve　of　　　those　that　were　in　the　forefront　of　the　Jews；　which　death　of　these　men；　when　the　rest　of　the　multitude　saw；　they　gave　way；　and　he　pursued　them；　and　drove　them　all　into　the　city；　and　saved　the　works　from　the　fire。　Now　it　happened　at　this　fight　that　a　certain　Jew　was　taken　alive；　who；　by　Titus's　order；　was　crucified　before　the　wall；　to　see　whether　the　rest　of　them　would　be　aftrighted；　and　abate　of　their　obstinacy。　But　after　the　Jews　were　retired；　John；　who　was　commander　of　the　Idumeans；　and　was　talking　to　a　certain　soldier　of　his　acquaintance　before　the　wall；　was　wounded　by　a　dart　shot　at　him　by　an　Arabian；　and　died　immediately；　leaving　the　　　greatest　lamentation　to　the　Jews；　and　sorrow　to　the　　　seditious。　For　he　was　a　man　of　great　eminence；　both　for　his　actions　and　his　conduct　also。　　　　　　CHAPTER　7。　　　　　　　　　　　　How　One　Of　The　Towers　Erected　By　The　Romans　Fell　　　Down　Of　Its　Own　Accord；　And　How　The　Romans　After　　　Great　Slaughter　Had　Been　Made　Got　Possession　Of　The　　　First　Wall。　How　Also　Titus　Made　His　Assaults　Upon　The　　　Second　Wall；　As　Also　Concerning　Longinus　The　Roman；　　　And　Castor　The　Jew。　　　　　　1。　Now；　on　the　next　night；　a　surprising　disturbance　fell　upon　the　Romans；　for　whereas　Titus　had　given　orders　for　the　　　erection　of　three　towers　of　fifty　cubits　high；　that　by　setting　men　upon　them　at　every　bank；　he　might　from　thence　drive　　　those　away　who　were　upon　the　wall；　it　so　happened　that　　　one　of　these　towers　fell　down　about　midnight；　and　as　its　fall　made　a　very　great　noise；　fear　fell　upon　the　army；　and　they；　supposing　that　the　enemy　was　coming　to　attack　them；　ran　　　all　to　their　arms。　Whereupon　a　disturbance　and　a　tumult　　　arose　among　the　legions；　and　as　nobody　could　tell　what　　　had　happened；　they　went　on　after　a　disconsolate　manner；　　　and　seeing　no　enemy　appear；　they　were　afraid　one　of　　　another；　and　every　one　demanded　of　his　neighbor　the　　　watchword　with　great　earnestness；　as　though　the　Jews　had　invaded　their　camp。　And　now　were　they　like　people　under　a　panic　fear；　till　Titus　was　informed　of　what　had　happened；　and　gave　orders　that　all　should　be　acquainted　with　it；　and　then；　though　with　some　difficulty；　they　got　clear　of　the　disturbance　they　had　been　under。　　　　　　2。　Now　these　towers　were　very　troublesome　to　the　Jews；　　　who　otherwise　opposed　the　Romans　very　courageously；　for　　　they　shot　at　them　out　of　their　lighter　engines　from　those　towers；　as　they　did　also　by　those　that　threw　darts；　and　the　archers；　and　those　that　flung　stones。　For　neither　could　the　Jews　reach　those　that　were　over　them；　by　reason　of　their　height；　and　it　was　not　practicable　to　take　them；　nor　to　　　overturn　them；　they　were　so　heavy；　nor　to　set　them　on　fire；　because　they　were　covered　with　plates　of　iron。　So　they　　　retired　out　of　the　reach　of　the　darts；　and　did　no　longer　endeavor　to　hinder　the　impression　of　their　rams；　which；　by　continually　beating　upon　the　wall；　did　gradually　prevail　against　it；　so　that　the　wall　already　gave　way　to　the　Nico；　for　by　that　name　did　the　Jews　themselves　call　the　greatest　of　their　engines；　because　it　conquered　all　things。　And　now　　　they　were　for　a　long　while　grown　weary　of　fighting；　and　of　keeping　guards；　and　were　retired　to　lodge　in　the　night　time　at　a　distance　from　the　wall。　It　was　on　other　accounts　also　thought　by　them　to　be　superfluous　to　guard　the　wall；　there　being　besides　that　two　other　fortifications　still　remaining；　and　they　being　slothful；　and　their　counsels　having　been　ill　concerted　on　all　occasions；　so　a　great　many　grew　lazy　and　retired。　Then　the　Romans　mounted　the　breach；　where　Nico　　　had　made　one；　and　all　the　Jews　left　the　guarding　that　wall；　and　retreated　to　the　second　wall；　so　those　that　had　gotten　over　that　wal