the wars of the jews-第104节

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nd　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　wall　opened　the　gates；　and　received　all　the　army　within　it。　And　thus　did　the　Romans　get　possession　of　this　first　wall；　on　the　fifteenth　day　of　the　siege；　which　was　the　seventh　day　of　the　month　Artemisius；　＇Jyar；＇　when　they　　　demolished　a　great　part　of　it；　as　well　as　they　did　of　the　northern　parts　of　the　city；　which　had　been　demolished　also　by　Cestius　formerly。　　　　　　3。　And　now　Titus　pitched　his　camp　within　the　city；　at　that　place　which　was　called　〃the　Camp　of　the　Assyrians；〃　having　seized　upon　all　that　lay　as　far　as　Cedron；　but　took　care　to　be　out　of　the　reach　of　the　Jews'　darts。　He　then　presently　began　his　attacks；　upon　which　the　Jews　divided　themselves　into　several　bodies；　and　courageously　defended　that　wall；　while　John　and　his　faction　did　it　from　the　tower　of　Antonia；　and　from　the　northern　cloister　of　the　temple；　and　fought　the　Romans　before　the　monuments　of　king　Alexander；　and　　　Sireoh's　army　also　took　for　their　share　the　spot　of　ground　that　was　near　John's　monument；　and　fortified　it　as　far　as　to　that　gate　where　water　was　brought　in　to　the　tower　Hippicus。　However；　the　Jews　made　violent　sallies；　and　that　frequently　also；　and　in　bodies　together　out　of　the　gates；　and　there　fought　the　Romans；　and　when　they　were　pursued　all　　　together　to　the　wall；　they　were　beaten　in　those　fights；　as　wanting　the　skill　of　the　Romans。　But　when　they　fought　them　from　the　walls；　they　were　too　hard　for　them；　the　Romans　　　being　encouraged　by　their　power；　joined　to　their　skill；　as　were　the　Jews　by　their　boldness；　which　was　nourished　by　　　the　fear　they　were　in；　and　that　hardiness　which　is　natural　to　our　nation　under　calamities；　they　were　also　encouraged　still　by　the　hope　of　deliverance；　as　were　the　Romans　by　their　　　hopes　of　subduing　them　in　a　little　time。　Nor　did　either　side　grow　weary；　but　attacks　and　rightings　upon　the　wall；　and　perpetual　sallies　out　in　bodies；　were　there　all　the　day　long；　nor　were　there　any　sort　of　warlike　engagements　that　were　not　then　put　in　use。　And　the　night　itself　had　much　ado　to　part　them；　when　they　began　to　fight　in　the　morning；　nay；　the　night　itself　was　passed　without　sleep　on　both　sides；　and　was　more　uneasy　than　the　day　to　them；　while　the　one　was　　　afraid　lest　the　wall　should　be　taken；　and　the　other　lest　the　Jews　should　make　sallies　upon　their　camps；　both　sides　also　lay　in　their　armor　during　the　night　time；　and　thereby　were　ready　at　the　first　appearance　of　light　to　go　to　the　battle。　Now　among　the　Jews　the　ambition　was　who　should　　　undergo　the　first　dangers；　and　thereby　gratify　their　　　commanders。　Above　all；　they　had　a　great　veneration　and　　　dread　of　Simon；　and　to　that　degree　was　he　regarded　by　　　every　one　of　those　that　were　under　him；　that　at　his　　　command　they　were　very　ready　to　kill　themselves　with　their　own　hands。　What　made　the　Romans　so　courageous　was　　　their　usual　custom　of　conquering　and　disuse　of　being　　　defeated；　their　constant　wars；　and　perpetual　warlike　　　exercises；　and　the　grandeur　of　their　dominion；　and　what　　　was　now　their　chief　encouragement　…Titus　who　was　present　every　where　with　them　all；　for　it　appeared　a　terrible　thing　to　grow　weary　while　Caesar　was　there；　and　fought　bravely　as　well　as　they　did；　and　was　himself　at　once　an　eye…witness　of　such　as　behaved　themselves　valiantly；　and　he　who　was　to　　　reward　them　also。　It　was；　besides；　esteemed　an　advantage　at　present　to　have　any　one's　valor　known　by　Caesar；　on　　　which　account　many　of　them　appeared　to　have　more　　　alacrity　than　strength　to　answer　it。　And　now；　as　the　Jews　were　about　this　time　standing　in　array　before　the　wall；　and　that　in　a　strong　body；　and　while　both　parties　were　throwing　their　darts　at　each　other；　Longinus；　one　of　the　equestrian　order；　leaped　out　of　the　army　of　the　Romans；　and　leaped　　　into　the　very　midst　of　the　army　of　the　Jews；　and　as　they　dispersed　themselves　upon　the　attack；　he　slew　two　of　their　men　of　the　greatest　courage；　one　of　them　he　struck　in　his　mouth　as　he　was　coming　to　meet　him；　the　other　was　slain　　　by　him　by　that　very　dart　which　he　drew　out　of　the　body　of　the　other；　with　which　he　ran　this　man　through　his　side　as　he　was　running　away　from　him；　and　when　he　had　done　　　this；　he　first　of　all　ran　out　of　the　midst　of　his　enemies　to　his　own　side。　So　this　man　signalized　himself　for　his　valor；　and　many　there　were　who　were　ambitious　of　gaining　the　like　　　reputation。　And　now　the　Jews　were　unconcerned　at　what　　　they　suffered　themselves　from　the　Romans；　and　were　only　　　solicitous　about　what　mischief　they　could　do　them；　and　　　death　itself　seemed　a　small　matter　to　them；　if　at　the　same　time　they　could　but　kill　any　one　of　their　enemies。　But　Titus　took　care　to　secure　his　own　soldiers　from　harm；　as　well　as　to　have　them　overcome　their　enemies。　He　also　said　that　　　inconsiderate　violence　was　madness；　and　that　this　alone　　　was　the　true　courage　that　was　joined　with　good　conduct。　　　He　therefore　commanded　his　men　to　take　care；　when　they　　　fought　their　enemies；　that　they　received　no　harm　from　them　at　the　same　time；　and　thereby　show　themselves　to　be　truly　valiant　men。　　　　　　4。　And　now　Titus　brought　one　of　his　engines　to　the　middle　tower　of　the　north　part　of　the　wall；　in　which　a　certain　crafty　Jew；　whose　name　was　Castor；　lay　in　ambush；　with　ten　　　others　like　himself；　the　rest　being　fled　away　by　reason　of　the　archers。　These　men　lay　still　for　a　while；　as　in　great　fear；　under　their　breastplates；　but　when　the　tower　was　shaken；　they　arose；　and　Castor　did　then　stretch　out　his　hand；　as　a　petitioner；　and　called　for　Caesar；　and　by　his　voice　moved　his　compassion；　and　begged　of　him　to　have　mercy　upon　　　them；　and　Titus；　in　the　innocency　of　his　heart；　believing　him　to　be　in　earnest；　and　hoping　that　the　Jews　did　now　repent；　stopped　the　working　of　the　battering　ram；　and　forbade　them　to　shoot　at　the　petitioners；　and　bid　Castor　say　what　he　had　a　mind　to　say　to　him。　He　said　that　he　would　come　down；　if　he　would　give　him　his　right　hand　for　his　security。　To　which　Titus　replied；　that　he　was　well　pleased　with　such　his　　　agreeable　conduct；　and　would　be　well　pleased　if　all　the　　　Jews　would　be　of　his　mind；　and　that　he　was　ready　to　give　the　like　security　to　the　city。　Now　five　of　the　ten　dissembled　with　him；　and　pretended　to　beg　for　mercy；　while　the　rest　cried　out　aloud　that　they　would　never　be　slaves　to　the　　　Romans；　while　it　was　in　their　power　to　die　in　a　state　of　freedom。　Now　while　these　men　were　quarrelling　for　a　long　while；　the　attack　was　delayed；　Castor　also　sent　to　Simon；　and　told　him　that　they　might　take　some　time　for　consultation　about　what　was　to　be　done；　because　he　would　elude　the　　　power　of　the　Romans　for　a　considerable　time。　And　at　the　　　same　time　that　he　sent　thus　to　him；　he　appeared　openly　to　exhort　those　that　were　obstinate　to　accept　of　Titus's　hand　for　their　security；　but　they　seemed　very　angry　at　it；　and　brandished　their　naked　swords　upon　the　breast…works；　and　struck　themselves　upon　their　breast；　and　fell　down　as　if　they　had　been　slain。　Hereupon　Titus；　and　those　with　him；　were　amazed　at　the　courage　of　the　men；　and　as　they　were　　　not　able　to　see　exactly　what　was　done；　they　admired　at　　　their　great　fortitude；　and　pitied　their　calamity。　During　this　interval；　a　certain　person　shot　a　dart　at　Castor；　and　　　wounded　him　in　his　nose；　whereupon　he　presently　pulled　　　out　the　dart；　and　showed　it　to　Titus；　and　complained　that　this　was　unfair　treatment；　so　Caesar　reproved　him　that　shot　the　dart；　and　sent　Josephus；　who　then　stood　by　him；　to　　　give　his　right　hand　to　Castor。　But　Josephus　said　that　he　would　not　go　to　him；　because　these　pretended　petitioners　meant　nothing　that　was　good；　he　also　restrained　those　　　friends　of　his　who　were　zealous　to　go　to　him。　But　still　there　was　one　Eneas；　a　deserter；　who　said　he　would　go　to　him。　　　Castor　also　called　to　them；　that　somebody　should　come　　　and　receive　the　money　which　he　had　with　him；　this　made　　　Eneas　the　more　earnestly　to　run　to　him　with　his　bosom　　　open。　Then　did　Castor　take　up　a　great　stone；　and　threw　it　at　him；　which　missed　him；　because　he　guarded　himself　　　against　it；　but　still　it　wounded　another　soldier　that　was　coining　to　him。　When　Caesar　understood　that　this　was　a　　　delusion；　he　perceived　that　mercy　in　war　is　a　pernicious　thing；　because　such　cunning　tr