the wars of the jews-第86章

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rom　below；　for　the　inhabitants　only　made　use　of　rain　water。　As　therefore　there　was　a　great　multitude　of　people　gotten　together　upon　this　mountain；　Vespasian　sent　Placidus　with　six　hundred　　　horsemen　thither。　Now；　as　it　was　impossible　for　him　to　　　ascend　the　mountain；　he　invited　many　of　them　to　peace；　by　the　offer　of　his　right　hand　for　their　security；　and　of　his　intercession　for　them。　Accordingly　they　came　down；　but　with　a　treacherous　design；　as　well　as　he　had　the　like　treacherous　design　upon　them　on　the　other　side；　for　Placidus　spoke　　　mildly　to　them；　as　aiming　to　take　them；　when　he　got　them　into　the　plain；　they　also　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　stratagem　was　too　hard　for　theirs；　for　when　the　Jews　began　to　fight；　he　pretended　to　run　away；　and　when　they　were　in　pursuit　of　the　Romans；　he　enticed　them　a　great　way　along　the　plain；　and　then　made　his　horsemen　turn　back；　whereupon　he　beat　them；　and　slew　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　Jerusalem；　while　the　people　of　the　country　came　to　terms　with　him；　for　their　water　failed　them；　and　so　they　delivered　up　the　mountain　and　themselves　to　Placidus。　　　　　　9。　But　of　the　people　of　Gamala；　those　that　were　of　the　bolder　sort　fled　away　and　hid　themselves；　while　the　more　infirm　perished　by　famine；　but　the　men　of　war　sustained　the　siege　till　the　two　and　twentieth　day　of　the　month　Hyperberetmus；　＇Tisri；＇　when　three　soldiers　of　the　fifteenth　legion；　about　the　morning　watch；　got　under　a　high　tower　that　was　near　them；　and　undermined　it；　without　making　any　noise；　nor　when　they　either　came　to　it；　which　was　in　the　night　time；　nor　when　they　were　under　it；　did　those　that　guarded　it　perceive　them。　These　soldiers　then　upon　their　coming　avoided　making　a　noise；　and　when　they　had　rolled　away　five　of　its　strongest　stones；　they　went　away　hastily；　whereupon　the　tower　fell　down　on　a　　　sudden；　with　a　very　great　noise；　and　its　guard　fell　headlong　with　it；　so　that　those　that　kept　guard　at　other　places　were　under　such　disturbance；　that　they　ran　away；　the　Romans　also　slew　many　of　those　that　ventured　to　oppose　them；　among　　　whom　was　Joseph；　who　was　slain　by　a　dart；　as　he　was　running　away　over　that　part　of　the　wall　that　was　broken　down：　but　as　those　that　were　in　the　city　were　greatly　aftrighted　at　the　noise；　they　ran　hither　and　thither；　and　a　great　consternation　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　physician's　hands；　gave　up　the　ghost；　the　fear　he　was　in　greatly　contributing　to　make　his　distemper　fatal　to　him。　But　the　Romans　so　well　remembered　their　former　ill　success；　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　indignation　he　had　at　the　destruction　the　Romans　had　　　undergone　while　he　was　absent；　took　two　hundred　chosen　　　horsemen　and　some　footmen　with　him；　and　entered　without　　　noise　into　the　city。　Now　as　the　watch　perceived　that　he　was　coming；　they　made　a　noise；　and　betook　themselves　to　their　arms；　and　as　that　his　entrance　was　presently　known　to　those　that　were　in　the　city；　some　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　so　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　those　that　were　killed　were　prodigiously　great　every　where；　and　blood　ran　down　　　over　all　the　lower　parts　of　the　city；　from　the　upper。　But　then　Vespasian　himself　came　to　his　assistance　against　those　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　ascent；　and　elevated　to　a　vast　altitude；　and　very　full　of　people　on　all　sides；　and　encompassed　with　precipices；　whereby　the　Jews　cut　off　those　that　came　up　to　them；　and　did　much　mischief　to　others　by　their　darts；　and　the　large　stones　which　they　rolled　down　upon　them；　while　they　were　　　themselves　so　high　that　the　enemy's　darts　could　hardly　reach　them。　However；　there　arose　such　a　Divine　storm　against　them　as　was　instrumental　to　their　destruction；　this　carried　the　Roman　darts　upon　them；　and　made　those　which　they　threw　　　return　back；　and　drove　them　obliquely　away　from　them；　nor　could　the　Jews　indeed　stand　upon　their　precipices；　by　reason　of　the　violence　of　the　wind；　having　nothing　that　was　stable　to　stand　upon；　nor　could　they　see　those　that　were　ascending　up　to　them；　so　the　Romans　got　up　and　surrounded　them；　and　　　some　they　slew　before　they　could　defend　themselves；　and　　　others　as　they　were　delivering　up　themselves；　and　the　　　remembrance　of　those　that　were　slain　at　their　former　　　entrance　into　the　city　increased　their　rage　against　them　now；　a　great　number　also　of　those　that　were　surrounded　on　every　side；　and　despaired　of　escaping；　threw　their　children　and　their　wives；　and　themselves　also；　down　the　precipices；　into　the　valley　beneath；　which；　near　the　citadel；　had　been　dug　hollow　to　a　vast　depth；　but　so　it　happened；　that　the　anger　of　the　Romans　appeared　not　to　be　so　extravagant　as　was　the　　　madness　of　those　that　were　now　taken；　while　the　Romans　　　slew　but　four　thousand；　whereas　the　number　of　those　that　had　thrown　themselves　down　was　found　to　be　five　thousand：　nor　did　any　one　escape　except　two　women；　who　were　the　　　daughters　of　Philip；　and　Philip　himself　was　the　son　of　a　certain　eminent　man　called　Jacimus；　who　had　been　general　of　king　Agrippa's　army；　and　these　did　therefore　escape；　because　they　lay　concealed　from　the　rage　of　the　Romans　when　the　　　city　was　taken；　for　otherwise　they　spared　not　so　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　Hyperberetens；　＇Tisri；＇　whereas　the　city　had　first　revolted　on　the　four　and　twentieth　day　of　the　month　Gorpieus　＇Elul＇。　　　　　　　CHAPTER　2。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Surrender　Of　Gischala；　While　John　Flies　Away　From　It　To　　　　　　　Jerusalem。　　　　　　　　　　　　1。　Now　no　place　of　Galilee　remained　to　be　taken　but　the　　　small　city　of　Gischala；　whose　multitude　yet　were　desirous　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　some　of　the　governing　part　of　the　citizens　were　sick　of　the　same　distemper。　It　was　John；　the　son　of　a　certain　man　whose　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　shapes；　very　rash　in　expecting　great　things；　and　very　sagacious　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　seditious　part　of　the　people　of　Gischala　were　under　his　management；　by　whose　means　the　populace；　who　seemed　　　ready　to　send　ambassadors　in　order　to　a　surrender；　waited　for　the　coming　of　the　Romans　in　battle…array。　Vespasian　sent　against　them　Titus；　with　a　thousand　horsemen；　but　withdrew　the　tenth　legion　to　Scythopolis；　while　he　returned　to　Cesarea　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　those　cities　would　improve　their　bodies　and　their　spirits；　against　the　difficulties　they　were　to　go　through　afterwards；　for　he　saw　there　would　be　occasion　for　great　pains　about　Jerusalem；　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　also　naturally　strong；　and　the　walls　that　were　built　round　it　made　him　not　a　little　concerned　about　it。　Moreover；　he　esteemed　the　men　that　were　in　it　to　be　so　　　courageous　and　bold；