132. SO Vespasian marched to the city Gadara, and took it upon the first onset, because he found it destitute of any considerable number of men grown up and fit for war. He came then into it, and slew all the youth, the Romans having no mercy on any age whatsoever; and this was done out of the hatred they bore the nation, and because of the iniquity they had been guilty of in the affair of Cestius. He also set fire not only to the city itself, but to all the villas and small cities that were round about it; some of them were quite destitute of inhabitants, and out of some of them he carried the inhabitants as slaves into captivity.
132. Οὐεσπασιανὸς δὲ τῇ πόλει τῶν Γαδάρων ἐπελθὼν αἱρεῖ τε κατὰ πρώτην ἔφοδον αὐτὴν μαχίμου πλήθους ἔρημον καταλαβών, καὶ παρελθὼν εἴσω πάντας ἡβηδὸν ἀναιρεῖ μηδεμιᾶς τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἡλικίας ἔλεον ποιουμένων μίσει πρὸς τὸ ἔθνος καὶ μνήμῃ τῆς κατὰ τὸν Κέστιον αὐτῶν παρανομίας. ἐμπίμπρησιν δὲ οὐ μόνον αὐτὴν τὴν πόλιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς πέριξ κώμας πάσας τε καὶ πολίχνας, ἃς μὲν παντελῶς ἐκλελειμμένας, ἔστιν δʼ ἃς αὐτὸς ἐξανδραποδιζόμενος.
135. As to Josephus, his retiring to that city which he chose as the most fit for his security, put it into great fear; for the people of Tiberias did not imagine that he would have run away, unless he had entirely despaired of the success of the war. And indeed, as to that point, they were not mistaken about his opinion; for he saw whither the affairs of the Jews would tend at last, and was sensible that they had but one way of escaping, and that was by repentance. However, although he expected that the Romans would forgive him, yet did he chose to die many times over, rather than to betray his country, and to dishonor that supreme command of the army which had been intrusted with him, or to live happily under those against whom he was sent to fight. He determined, therefore, to give an exact account of affairs to the principal men at Jerusalem by a letter, that he might not, by too much aggrandizing the power of the enemy, make them too timorous; nor, by relating that their power beneath the truth, might encourage them to stand out when they were perhaps disposed to repentance. He also sent them word, that if they thought of coming to terms, they must suddenly write him an answer; or if they resolved upon war, they must send him an army sufficient to fight the Romans. Accordingly, he wrote these things, and sent messengers immediately to carry his letter to Jerusalem.
135. Ὁ δʼ Ἰώσηπος ἣν πρὸς ἀσφάλειαν εἵλετο πόλιν αὐτὸς ἐνέπλησεν δέους καταφυγών. οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς Τιβεριάδος οὐκ ἄν, εἰ μὴ πρὸς τὸ πᾶν ἀπεγνώκει τὸν πόλεμον, τραπῆναί ποτε αὐτὸν ᾤοντο. καὶ κατὰ τοῦτό γε οὐ διημάρτανον αὐτοῦ τῆς γνώμης· ἑώρα μὲν γάρ, ποῖ ῥέψει τὰ Ἰουδαίων τέλους, καὶ μίαν αὐτῶν ᾔδει σωτηρίαν, εἰ μεταβάλοιντο. αὐτὸς δὲ καίπερ συγγνωσθήσεσθαι παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις προσδοκῶν, ὅμως τεθνάναι μᾶλλον εἵλετο πολλάκις ἢ καταπροδοὺς τὴν πατρίδα καὶ τὴν ἐμπιστευθεῖσαν αὐτῷ στρατηγίαν ὑβρίσας εὐτυχεῖν παρʼ οἷς πολεμήσων ἐπέμφθη. γράφειν οὖν τοῖς ἐν τέλει τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων διέγνω μετὰ ἀκριβείας τὰ πράγματα, ὡς μήτʼ ἐπὶ μεῖζον ἐξάρας τὴν τῶν πολεμίων ἰσχὺν αὖθις εἰς δειλίαν κακίζοιτο μήτε ἐνδεέστερον ἀπαγγείλας κἂν μετανοήσαντας ἴσως θρασύνοιεν, ἵνα τε ἢ σπονδὰς αἱρούμενοι ταχέως ἀντιγράψωσιν ἢ πολεμεῖν ἐγνωκότες πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἀξιόμαχον αὐτῷ πέμψωσι δύναμιν. ὁ μὲν οὖν ταῦτʼ ἐπιστείλας πέμπει διὰ τάχους ἐπὶ Ἱεροσολύμων τοὺς τὰ γράμματα κομίζοντας.
141. Now Vespasian was very desirous of demolishing Jotapata, for he had gotten intelligence that the greatest part of the enemy had retired thither, and that it was, on other accounts, a place of great security to them. Accordingly, he sent both foot-men and horsemen to level the road, which was mountainous and rocky, not without difficulty to be traveled over by footmen, but absolutely impracticable for horsemen. Now these workmen accomplished what they were about in four days’ time, and opened a broad way for the army. On the fifth day, which was the twenty-first of the month Artemisius, (Jyar,) Josephus prevented him, and came from Tiberias, and went into Jotapata, and raised the drooping spirits of the Jews. And a certain deserter told this good news to Vespasian, that Josephus had removed himself thither, which made him make haste to the city, as supposing that with taking that he should take all Judea, in case he could but withal get Josephus under his power. So he took this news to be of the vastest advantage to him, and believed it to be brought about by the providence of God, that he who appeared to be the most prudent man of all their enemies, had, of his own accord, shut himself up in a place of sure custody. Accordingly, he sent Placidus with a thousand horsemen, and Ebutius a decurion, a person that was of eminency both in council and in action, to encompass the city round, that Josephus might not escape away privately.
141. Οὐεσπασιανὸς δὲ ὡρμημένος ἐξαιρεῖν τὴν Ἰωταπάταν, πέπυστο γὰρ εἰς αὐτὴν πλείστους τῶν πολεμίων συμπεφευγέναι καὶ ἄλλως ὁρμητήριον ἰσχυρὸν οὖσαν αὐτῶν, πέμπει πεζούς τε καὶ ἱππεῖς τοὺς προεξομαλιοῦντας τὴν ὁδὸν ὀρεινὴν ὑπάρχουσαν καὶ πετρώδη, δύσβατον δὲ καὶ πεζοῖς, ἱππεῦσιν δʼ ἀμήχανον. οἱ μὲν οὖν τέσσαρσιν ἡμέραις ἐξειργάσαντο καὶ πλατεῖαν ἤνοιξαν τῇ στρατιᾷ λεωφόρον· τῇ πέμπτῃ δʼ ὁ Ἰώσηπος, αὕτη δʼ ἦν Ἀρτεμισίου μηνὸς μία καὶ εἰκάς, φθάνει παρελθὼν εἰς τὴν Ἰωταπάταν ἐκ τῆς Τιβεριάδος καὶ πεπτωκότα τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἐγείρει τὰ φρονήματα. Οὐεσπασιανῷ δέ τις εὐαγγελίζεται τὴν μετάβασιν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτόμολος καὶ κατήπειγεν ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ὡς μετʼ ἐκείνης αἱρήσοντα πᾶσαν Ἰουδαίαν, εἰ λάβοι τὸν Ἰώσηπον ὑποχείριον. ὁ δʼ ἁρπάσας ὥσπερ μέγιστον εὐτύχημα τὴν ἀγγελίαν, καὶ προνοίᾳ θεοῦ τὸν συνετώτατον εἶναι δοκοῦντα τῶν πολεμίων οἰόμενος εἰς εἱρκτὴν αὐθαίρετον παρελθεῖν, εὐθέως μὲν σὺν χιλίοις ἱππεῦσιν πέμπει Πλάκιδον καὶ δεκαδάρχην Αἰβούτιον, ἄνδρα τῶν ἐπισήμων κατὰ χεῖρα καὶ σύνεσιν, περικατασχεῖν κελεύσας τὴν πόλιν, ὡς μὴ λάθοι διαδρὰς ὁ Ἰώσηπος.
145. Vespasian also, the very next day, took his whole army and followed them, and by marching till late in the evening, arrived then at Jotapata; and bringing his army to the northern side of the city, he pitched his camp on a certain small hill which was seven furlongs from the city, and still greatly endeavored to be well seen by the enemy, to put them into a consternation; which was indeed so terrible to the Jews immediately, that no one of them durst go out beyond the wall. Yet did the Romans put off the attack at that time, because they had marched all the day, although they placed a double row of battalions round the city, with a third row beyond them round the whole, which consisted of cavalry, in order to stop up every way for an exit; which thing making the Jews despair of escaping, excited them to act more boldly; for nothing makes men fight so desperately in war as necessity.
145. Αὐτὸς δὲ μετὰ μίαν ἡμέραν ἀναλαβὼν πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν εἵπετο καὶ μέχρι δείλης ὁδεύσας πρὸς τὴν Ἰωταπάταν ἀφικνεῖται. ἀναλαβὼν δὲ τὴν στρατιὰν εἰς τὸ προσάρκτιον αὐτῆς μέρος ἔν τινι λόφῳ στρατοπεδεύεται διέχοντι σταδίους ἑπτὰ τῆς πόλεως, πειρώμενος ὡς μάλιστα τοῖς πολεμίοις εὐσύνοπτος εἶναι πρὸς ἔκπληξιν· ἣ καὶ παραχρῆμα τοσαύτη τοὺς Ἰουδαίους κατέσχεν, ὡς μηδένα τοῦ τείχους τολμῆσαι προελθεῖν. Ῥωμαῖοι δʼ εὐθὺς μὲν ἀπώκνησαν προσβαλεῖν διʼ ὅλης ὡδευκότες ἡμέρας, διπλῇ δὲ τῇ φάλαγγι κυκλοῦνται τὴν πόλιν καὶ τρίτην ἔξωθεν περιιστᾶσιν τὴν ἵππον, πάσας ἀποφράσσοντες αὐτοῖς τὰς ἐξόδους. τοῦτʼ ἐν ἀπογνώσει σωτηρίας παρώξυνε τοὺς Ἰουδαίους πρὸς τόλμαν· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀνάγκης ἐν πολέμῳ μαχιμώτερον.
150. Now when the next day an assault was made by the Romans, the Jews at first staid out of the walls and opposed them, and met them, as having formed themselves a camp before the city walls. But when Vespasian had set against them the archers and slingers, and the whole multitude that could throw to a great distance, he permitted them to go to work, while he himself, with the footmen, got upon an acclivity, whence the city might easily be taken. Josephus was then in fear for the city, and leaped out, and all the Jewish multitude with him; these fell together upon the Romans in great numbers, and drove them away from the wall, and performed a great many glorious and bold actions. Yet did they suffer as much as they made the enemy suffer; for as despair of deliverance encouraged the Jews, so did a sense of shame equally encourage the Romans. These last had skill as well as strength; the other had only courage, which armed them, and made them fight furiously. And when the fight had lasted all day, it was put an end to by the coming on of the night. They had wounded a great many of the Romans, and killed of them thirteen men; of the Jews’ side seventeen were slain, and six hundred wounded.
150. Γενομένης δὲ μεθʼ ἡμέραν προσβολῆς τὸ μὲν πρῶτον Ἰουδαῖοι κατὰ χώραν μένοντες ἀντεῖχον ἀντικρὺ τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἐστρατοπεδευκότες πρὸ τοῦ τείχους· ὡς δὲ Οὐεσπασιανὸς τούτοις μὲν τοὺς τοξότας καὶ σφενδονήτας καὶ πᾶν τὸ τῶν ἑκηβόλων πλῆθος ἐπιστήσας ἐπέτρεψεν βάλλειν, αὐτὸς δὲ μετὰ τῶν πεζῶν εἰς τὸ πρόσαντες ἀνώθει καθʼ ὃ τὸ τεῖχος ἦν εὐάλωτον, δείσας ὁ Ἰώσηπος περὶ τῇ πόλει προπηδᾷ καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ πᾶν τὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων πλῆθος. συμπεσόντες δὲ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ἀθρόοι τοῦ μὲν τείχους ἀνέστειλαν αὐτούς, πολλὰ δʼ ἐπεδείκνυντο χειρῶν ἔργα καὶ τόλμης. οὐκ ἔλασσόν γε μὴν ὧν ἔδρων ἀντέπασχον· ὅσον γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἡ τῆς σωτηρίας ἀπόγνωσις, τοσοῦτο τοὺς Ῥωμαίους αἰδὼς παρεκρότει, καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἐμπειρία μετʼ ἀλκῆς, τοὺς δὲ θράσος ὥπλιζε τῷ θυμῷ στρατηγουμένους. παραταξάμενοι δὲ διʼ ὅλης ἡμέρας νυκτὶ διαλύονται, τρώσαντες μὲν πλείστους Ῥωμαίων, δεκατρεῖς δʼ ἀνελόντες· αὐτῶν δʼ ἔπεσον μὲν δεκαεπτά, τραυματίαι δʼ ἐγένοντο ἑξακόσιοι.
155. On the next day the Jews made another attack upon the Romans, and went out of the walls and fought a much more desperate battle with them titan before. For they were now become more courageous than formerly, and that on account of the unexpected good opposition they had made the day before, as they found the Romans also to fight more desperately; for a sense of shame inflamed these into a passion, as esteeming their failure of a sudden victory to be a kind of defeat. Thus did the Romans try to make an impression upon the Jews till the fifth day continually, while the people of Jotapata made sallies out, and fought at the walls most desperately; nor were the Jews affrighted at the strength of the enemy, nor were the Romans discouraged at the difficulties they met with in taking the city.
155. Τῇ δʼ ὑστεραίᾳ πάλιν προσβάλλουσι τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ἐπεξελθόντες καὶ πολὺ καρτερώτερον ἀντιπαρετάξαντο, θαρραλεώτεροι μὲν ἐκ τοῦ παρὰ λόγον ἀντισχεῖν τῇ προτέρᾳ γεγενημένοι, χρώμενοι δὲ καὶ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις μαχιμωτέροις· ὑπὸ γὰρ αἰδοῦς εἰς ὀργὴν ἐξεκαίοντο τὸ μὴ ταχέως νικᾶν ἧτταν ἡγούμενοι. καὶ μέχρι πέμπτης ἡμέρας προσβολαὶ μὲν ἐγίνοντο τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἀδιάλειπτοι, ἐκδρομαὶ δὲ τῶν Ἰωταπατηνῶν καὶ τειχομαχίαι καρτερώτεραι, καὶ οὔτε Ἰουδαῖοι τὴν τῶν πολεμίων ἰσχὺν κατωρρώδουν οὔτε Ῥωμαῖοι πρὸς τὸ τῆς πόλεως δυσάλωτον ἀπέκαμνον.
158. Now Jotapata is almost all of it built on a precipice, having on all the other sides of it every way valleys immensely deep and steep, insomuch that those who would look down would have their sight fail them before it reaches to the bottom. It is only to be come at on the north side, where the utmost part of the city is built on the mountain, as it ends obliquely at a plain. This mountain Josephus had encompassed with a wall when he fortified the city, that its top might not be capable of being seized upon by the enemies. The city is covered all round with other mountains, and can no way be seen till a man comes just upon it. And this was the strong situation of Jotapata.
158. Ἔστιν δʼ Ἰωταπάτα πλὴν ὀλίγου πᾶσα κρημνός, ἐκ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων μερῶν πάντοθεν φάραγξιν ἀπείροις ἀπότομος, ὡς τῶν κατιδεῖν πειρωμένων τὰς ὄψεις προεξασθενεῖν τοῦ βάθους, ἀπὸ βορέου δὲ προσιτὴ μόνον, καθʼ ὃ λήγοντι τῷ ὄρει πλαγίῳ προσέκτισται. καὶ τοῦτο δʼ ὁ Ἰώσηπος ἐμπεριειλήφει τειχίζων τὴν πόλιν, ὡς ἀκατάληπτον εἶναι πολεμίοις τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἀκρώρειαν. κυκλόθεν δʼ ἄλλοις ὄρεσιν καλυπτομένη, πρὶν εἰσαφίκοιτό τις εἰς αὐτήν, παντελῶς ἀόρατος ἦν. εἶχε μὲν οὖν οὕτως ὀχυρότητος Ἰωταπάτη·
161. Vespasian, therefore, in order to try how he might overcome the natural strength of the place, as well as the bold defense of the Jews, made a resolution to prosecute the siege with vigor. To that end he called the commanders that were under him to a council of war, and consulted with them which way the assault might be managed to the best advantage. And when the resolution was there taken to raise a bank against that part of the wall which was practicable, he sent his whole army abroad to get the materials together. So when they had cut down all the trees on the mountains that adjoined to the city, and had gotten together a vast heap of stones, besides the wood they had cut down, some of them brought hurdles, in order to avoid the effects of the darts that were shot from above them. These hurdles they spread over their banks, under cover whereof they formed their bank, and so were little or nothing hurt by the darts that were thrown upon them from the wall, while others pulled the neighboring hillocks to pieces, and perpetually brought earth to them; so that while they were busy three sorts of ways, nobody was idle. However, the Jews cast great stones from the walls upon the hurdles which protected the men, with all sorts of darts also; and the noise of what could not reach them was yet so terrible, that it was some impediment to the workmen.
161. Οὐεσπασιανὸς δὲ τῇ τε φύσει τοῦ χωρίου καὶ ταῖς τόλμαις τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀντιφιλονεικῶν ἔγνω καρτερώτερον ἅπτεσθαι τῆς πολιορκίας, καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος τοὺς ὑπʼ αὐτὸν ἡγεμόνας ἐβουλεύετο περὶ τῆς προσβολῆς. δόξαν δὲ χῶσαι τὸ προσιτὸν τοῦ τείχους ἐπὶ συγκομιδὴν ὕλης ἐκπέμπει πᾶν τὸ στράτευμα, καὶ κοπέντων τῶν περὶ τὴν πόλιν ὀρῶν συναλισθείσης τε ἅμα τοῖς ξύλοις ἀπείρου χερμάδος, οἱ μὲν πρὸς ἀλεωρὰν τῶν ὕπερθεν ἀφιεμένων βελῶν γέρρα διατείναντες ὑπὲρ χαρακωμάτων ἔχουν ὑπʼ αὐτοῖς οὐδὲν ἢ μικρὰ βλαπτόμενοι ταῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους βολαῖς· οἱ δὲ τοὺς πλησίον ὄχθους ἀνασπῶντες γῆν αὐτοῖς ἀδιαλείπτως ἔφερον, καὶ τριχῆ διῃρημένων ἀργὸς ἦν οὐδείς. οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι πέτρας τε μεγάλας ἀπὸ τῶν τειχῶν τοῖς σκεπάσμασιν αὐτῶν ἐπηφίεσαν καὶ πᾶν εἶδος βελῶν· ἦν δὲ καὶ μὴ διικνουμένων πολὺς ὁ ψόφος καὶ φοβερὸς ἐμπόδιον τοῖς ἐργαζομένοις.
166. Vespasian then set the engines for throwing stones and darts round about the city. The number of the engines was in all a hundred and sixty, and bid them fall to work, and dislodge those that were upon the wall. At the same time such engines as were intended for that purpose threw at once lances upon them with a great noise, and stones of the weight of a talent were thrown by the engines that were prepared for that purpose, together with fire, and a vast multitude of arrows, which made the wall so dangerous, that the Jews durst not only not come upon it, but durst not come to those parts within the walls which were reached by the engines; for the multitude of the Arabian archers, as well also as all those that threw darts and slung stones, fell to work at the same time with the engines. Yet did not the otters lie still, when they could not throw at the Romans from a higher place; for they then made sallies out of the city, like private robbers, by parties, and pulled away the hurdles that covered the workmen, and killed them when they were thus naked; and when those workmen gave way, these cast away the earth that composed the bank, and burnt the wooden parts of it, together with the hurdles, till at length Vespasian perceived that the intervals there were between the works were of disadvantage to him; for those spaces of ground afforded the Jews a place for assaulting the Romans. So he united the hurdles, and at the same time joined one part of the army to the other, which prevented the private excursions of the Jews.
166. Οὐεσπασιανὸς δὲ ἐν κύκλῳ τὰς ἀφετηρίους μηχανὰς ἐπιστήσας, τὰ πάντα δʼ ἦν ἑκατὸν ἑξήκοντα ὄργανα, βάλλειν ἐκέλευσεν τοὺς ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους. ὁμοῦ δὲ οἵ τε καταπέλται τὰς λόγχας ἀνερροίζουν καὶ ταλαντιαῖοι λίθοι μέγεθος ἐκ τῶν πετροβόλων ἐβάλλοντο πῦρ τε καὶ πλῆθος ἀθρόων οἰστῶν, ἅπερ οὐ μόνον τὸ τεῖχος ἀνεπίβατον τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἐποίησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἐντὸς ὅσης ἐφικνεῖτο χώρας· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ τῶν Ἀράβων τοξοτῶν πλῆθος ἀκοντισταί τε καὶ σφενδονῆται πάντες ἅμα τοῖς μηχανήμασιν ἔβαλλον. οὐ μὴν εἰργόμενοι τῆς καθύπερθεν ἀμύνης ἠρέμουν· ἐκτρέχοντες γὰρ λῃστρικώτερον κατὰ λόχους περιέσπων τε τῶν ἐργαζομένων τὰς σκέπας καὶ τοὺς γυμνουμένους ἔπαιον, καὶ καθʼ ὃ παρείκοιεν ἐκεῖνοι διερρίπτουν τε τὸ χῶμα καὶ τὰ χαρακώματα σὺν τοῖς γέρροις ἐνεπίμπρασαν, μέχρι συνεὶς Οὐεσπασιανὸς τὴν διαίρεσιν τῶν ἔργων αἰτίαν εἶναι τῆς βλάβης, τὰ γὰρ διαστήματα τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις προσβολῆς παρεῖχεν τόπον, ἑνοῖ τὰ σκεπάσματα, καὶ συναφθείσης ἅμα αὐτοῖς τῆς δυνάμεως ἀνείρχθησαν αἱ τῶν Ἰουδαίων παραδύσεις.
171. And when the bank was now raised, and brought nearer than ever to the battlements that belonged to the walls, Josephus thought it would be entirely wrong in him if he could make no contrivances in opposition to theirs, and that might be for the city's preservation; so he got together his workmen, and ordered them to build the wall higher; and while they said that this was impossible to be done while so many darts were thrown at them, he invented this sort of cover for them: He bid them fix piles, and expand before them the raw hides of oxen newly killed, that these hides by yielding and hollowing themselves when the stones were thrown at them might receive them, for that the other darts would slide off them, and the fire that was thrown would be quenched by the moisture that was in them. And these he set before the workmen, and under them these workmen went on with their works in safety, and raised the wall higher, and that both by day and by night, fill it was twenty cubits high. He also built a good number of towers upon the wall, and fitted it to strong battlements. This greatly discouraged the Romans, who in their own opinions were already gotten within the walls, while they were now at once astonished at Josephus's contrivance, and at the fortitude of the citizens that were in the city.
171. Ἐγειρομένου δὲ τοῦ χώματος ἤδη καὶ ταῖς ἐπάλξεσιν ὅσον οὔπω πλησιάζοντος δεινὸν ὁ Ἰώσηπος νομίσας, εἰ μηδὲν ἀντιμηχανήσαιτο τῇ πόλει σωτήριον, συναθροίζει τέκτονας καὶ τὸ τεῖχος ἐκέλευσεν ὑψοῦν. τῶν δʼ ἀδύνατον εἶναι φαμένων οἰκοδομεῖν τοσούτοις βέλεσι βαλλομένους, σκέπην αὐτοῖς ἐπινοεῖ τοιάνδε· δρυφάκτους πήξασθαι κελεύσας ἐμπετάσαι τε βύρσας νεοδόρους βοῶν, ὡς ἀναδέχοιντο μὲν τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν πετροβόλων λίθους κολπούμεναι, περιολισθάνοι δὲ ἀπʼ αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ βέλη καὶ τὸ πῦρ ὑπὸ τῆς ἰκμάδος εἴργοιτο, προανίστησιν τῶν τεκτόνων. ὑφʼ οἷς ἀσφαλῶς ἐργαζόμενοι διʼ ἡμέρας τε καὶ νυκτὸς τὸ τεῖχος ἤγειραν εἰς εἴκοσι πήχεις τὸ ὕψος, καὶ συχνοὺς μὲν πύργους ἐνῳκοδόμησαν αὐτῷ, καρτερὰν δὲ ἔπαλξιν ἐφηρμόσαντο. τοῦτο τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ἤδη τῆς πόλεως ἐντὸς οἰομένοις εἶναι πολλὴν ἐποίησεν ἀθυμίαν, καὶ πρός τε τὴν ἐπίνοιαν τοῦ Ἰωσήπου καὶ τὸ παράστημα τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς πόλεως κατεπλάγησαν.
176. And now Vespasian was plainly irritated at the great subtlety of this stratagem, and at the boldness of the citizens of Jotapata; for taking heart again upon the building of this wall, they made fresh sallies upon the Romans, and had every day conflicts with them by parties, together with all such contrivances, as robbers make use of, and with the plundering of all that came to hand, as also with the setting fire to all the other works; and this till Vespasian made his army leave off fighting them, and resolved to lie round the city, and to starve them into a surrender, as supposing that either they would be forced to petition him for mercy by want of provisions, or if they should have the courage to hold out till the last, they should perish by famine: and he concluded he should conquer them the more easily in fighting, if he gave them an interval, and then fell upon them when they were weakened by famine; but still he gave orders that they should guard against their coming out of the city.
176. Οὐεσπασιανὸς δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸ πανοῦργον τοῦ στρατηγήματος καὶ πρὸς τὰς τόλμας παρωξύνετο τῶν Ἰωταπατηνῶν· πάλιν γὰρ ἀναθαρσήσαντες ἐπὶ τῷ τειχισμῷ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ἐπεξέθεον, καὶ καθʼ ἡμέραν ἐγίνοντο συμπλοκαὶ κατὰ λόχους ἐπίνοιά τε λῃστρικὴ πᾶσα καὶ τῶν προστυχόντων ἁρπαγαὶ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἔργων πυρπολήσεις, ἕως Οὐεσπασιανὸς ἀναπαύσας τὴν στρατιὰν μάχης διέγνω προσκαθεζόμενος σπάνει τῶν ἐπιτηδείων αἱρεῖν τὴν πόλιν· ἢ γὰρ ἀναγκαζομένους ταῖς ἀπορίαις ἱκετεύσειν αὐτὸν ἢ μέχρι παντὸς ἀπαυθαδισαμένους διαφθαρήσεσθαι λιμῷ. πολύ τε ῥᾴοσιν αὐτοῖς ἠξίου χρήσεσθαι κατὰ τὴν μάχην, εἰ διαλιπὼν αὖθις ἐκτετρυχωμένοις ἐπιπέσοι. φρουρεῖν δὴ πάσας αὐτῶν ἐκέλευσεν τὰς ἐξόδους.
181. Now the besieged had plenty of corn within the city, and indeed of all necessaries, but they wanted water, because there was no fountain in the city, the people being there usually satisfied with rain water; yet is it a 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 by measure was deemed by them as a thing more hard upon them 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 otherwise had been; nay, they were as much disheartened hereby 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.
181. Τοῖς δὲ σίτου μὲν πλῆθος ἦν ἔνδον καὶ τῶν ἄλλων πλὴν ἁλὸς ἁπάντων, ἔνδεια δὲ ὕδατος ὡς ἂν πηγῆς μὲν οὐκ οὔσης κατὰ τὴν πόλιν, τῷ δʼ ὀμβρίῳ διαρκουμένων τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ· σπάνιον δʼ εἴ ποτε τὸ κλίμα θέρους ὕεται. καὶ κατὰ ταύτην τὴν ὥραν πολιορκουμένων ἀθυμία δεινὴ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ δίψους ἐπίνοιαν ἦν, ἀσχαλλόντων ἤδη ὡς καθάπαν ἐπιλελοιπότος ὕδατος· ὁ γὰρ Ἰώσηπος τήν τε πόλιν ὁρῶν τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιτηδείων εὔπορον καὶ τὰ φρονήματα γενναῖα τῶν ἀνδρῶν, βουλόμενός τε παρʼ ἐλπίδα τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ἐκτεῖναι τὴν πολιορκίαν, μέτρῳ τὸ ποτὸν αὐτοῖς διένειμεν εὐθέως. οἱ δὲ τὸ ταμιεύεσθαι χαλεπώτερον ἐνδείας ὑπελάμβανον, καὶ τὸ μὴ αὐτεξούσιον αὐτῶν πλέον ἐκίνει τὴν ὄρεξιν, καὶ καθάπερ εἰς ἔσχατον ἤδη δίψους προήκοντες ἀπέκαμνον. διακείμενοι δὲ οὕτως οὐκ ἐλάνθανον τοὺς Ῥωμαίους· ἀπὸ γὰρ τοῦ κατάντους ἑώρων αὐτοὺς ὑπὲρ τὸ τεῖχος ἐφʼ ἕνα συρρέοντας τόπον καὶ μετρουμένους τὸ ὕδωρ, ἐφʼ ὃν καὶ τοῖς ὀξυβελέσιν ἐξικνούμενοι πολλοὺς ἀνῄρουν.
186. 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 minded to break such his hope, gave command that they should wet a great many of their clothes, and hang them out about the battlements, till the entire wall was of a sudden all wet with the running down of the water. 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 being able to escape, they preferred a death in battle before one by hunger and thirst.
186. Καὶ Οὐεσπασιανὸς μὲν οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν τῶν ἐκδοχείων κενωθέντων ἤλπιζεν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης αὐτῷ παραδοθήσεσθαι τὴν πόλιν· ὁ δὲ Ἰώσηπος κλάσαι τὴν ἐλπίδα ταύτην αὐτῷ προαιρούμενος ἐμβρέξαι κελεύει πλείστους τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ κατακρεμάσαι περὶ τὰς ἐπάλξεις, ὥστε περιρρεῖσθαι πᾶν ἐξαπίνης τὸ τεῖχος. πρὸς τοῦτʼ ἀθυμία τῶν Ῥωμαίων καὶ κατάπληξις ἦν θεασαμένων εἰς χλεύην τοσοῦτον παραναλίσκοντας ὕδατος οὓς οὐδὲ ποτὸν ἔχειν ὑπελάμβανον, ὥστε καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν ἀπογνόντα τὴν διʼ ἐνδείας ἅλωσιν τρέπεσθαι πάλιν πρὸς ὅπλα καὶ βίαν. ὃ δὴ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις διʼ ἐπιθυμίας ἦν· ἀπεγνωκότες γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τὴν πόλιν πρὸ λιμοῦ καὶ δίψης τὸν ἐν πολέμῳ θάνατον ᾑροῦντο.
190. 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 what necessaries soever they wanted in the city in abundance; 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 their contrivance, and encompassed that rough place about themselves.
190. Ὁ μέντοι γε Ἰώσηπος πρὸς τῷδε τῷ στρατηγήματι καὶ ἕτερον ἐπενόησεν εἰς περιουσίαν αὐτῷ· διά τινος χαράδρας δυσβάτου καὶ διὰ τοῦθʼ ὑπὸ τῶν φυλάκων ἀμελουμένης κατὰ τὰ πρὸς δύσιν μέρη τῆς φάραγγος ἐκπέμπων τινὰς γράμματά τε πρὸς οὓς ἠβούλετο τῶν ἔξω Ἰουδαίων διεπέμψατο καὶ παρʼ αὐτῶν ἐλάμβανεν, παντός τε ἐπιτηδείου τῶν ἀνὰ τὴν πόλιν ἐπιλελοιπότων εὐπόρησεν, ἕρπειν τὰ πολλὰ παρὰ τὰς φυλακὰς κελεύσας τοῖς ἐξιοῦσιν καὶ τὰ νῶτα καλύπτειν νάκεσιν, ὡς εἰ καὶ κατίδοι τις αὐτοὺς νύκτωρ, φαντασίαν παρέχοιεν κυνῶν, μέχρι συναισθόμενοι τὴν ἐπίνοιαν οἱ φρουροὶ περιίσχουσιν τὴν χαράδραν.
193. 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 fly 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 for them also, though they should be taken: that it became him neither to fly 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 he 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.
193. Καὶ τόθʼ ὁ Ἰώσηπος μὲν τὴν πόλιν οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ὁρῶν ἀνθέξειν, ἐν ἀπόρῳ δὲ τὴν ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίαν εἰ μένοι, δρασμὸν ἅμα τοῖς δυνατοῖς ἐβουλεύετο. συναισθόμενοι δὲ τὸ πλῆθος καὶ περιχυθὲν αὐτῷ κατηντιβόλουν μὴ σφᾶς περιιδεῖν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ μόνῳ κειμένους· εἶναι γὰρ τῇ πόλει καὶ σωτηρίας μὲν ἐλπὶς παραμένων, παντὸς ἀγωνισομένου διʼ αὐτὸν προθύμως, κἂν ἁλῶσιν δέ, παραμυθίαν. πρέπειν δʼ αὐτῷ μήτε φυγεῖν τοὺς ἐχθροὺς μήτʼ ἐγκαταλιπεῖν τοὺς φίλους μήτʼ ἀποπηδᾶν ὥσπερ χειμαζομένης νεώς, εἰς ἣν ἐν γαλήνῃ παρῆλθεν· ἐπιβαπτίσειν γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὴν πόλιν μηδενὸς ἔτι τοῖς πολεμίοις τολμῶντος ἀνθίστασθαι διʼ ὃν ἂν θαρσοῖεν οἰχομένου.
197. 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 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 them very great relief; for that he would then immediately get the Galileans together, out of the country, in great multitudes, and draw the Romans off their city by another war. That he did not see what advantge 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 thing to take him; but that if they 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 misfortune, provided Josephus would but stay with them.
197. Ὁ δὲ Ἰώσηπος τὸ κατʼ αὐτὸν ἀσφαλὲς ὑποστελλόμενος ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἔφασκεν ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἔξοδον· μένων μὲν γὰρ οὔτʼ ἂν ὠφελῆσαί τι μέγα σωζομένους, κἂν ἁλίσκωνται, συναπολεῖσθαι περιττῶς, ἐκδὺς δὲ τῆς πολιορκίας ἔξωθεν αὐτοὺς ὠφελήσειν μέγιστα· τούς τε γὰρ ἐκ τῆς χώρας Γαλιλαίους συναθροίσειν ᾗ τάχος καὶ Ῥωμαίους ἑτέρῳ πολέμῳ τῆς πόλεως αὐτῶν ἀντιπερισπάσειν. οὐχ ὁρᾶν δέ, τί παρακαθεζόμενος αὐτοῖς χρήσιμος εἴη νῦν, πλὴν εἰ μὴ Ῥωμαίους παροξύνων μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τὴν πολιορκίαν, οὓς περὶ πλείστου ποιεῖσθαι λαβεῖν αὐτόν· εἰ δʼ ἐκδράντα πύθοιντο, πολὺ τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ὁρμῆς ἀνήσειν. οὐκ ἔπειθεν δὲ τούτοις, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐξέκαυσεν τὸ πλῆθος αὐτοῦ περιέχεσθαι· παιδία γοῦν καὶ γέροντες καὶ γύναια μετὰ νηπίων ὀδυρόμενα προσέπιπτον αὐτῷ καὶ τοῖς ποσὶν ἐμπλεκόμενοι πάντες εἴχοντο, καὶ μετὰ κωκυτῶν κοινωνὸν σφίσι τῆς τύχης μένειν ἱκέτευον, οὐ φθόνῳ τῆς ἐκείνου σωτηρίας, ἔμοιγε δοκεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἐλπίδι τῆς ἑαυτῶν· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἠξίουν πείσεσθαι δεινὸν Ἰωσήπου μένοντος.
203. 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 that 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 deliverance left. It is a brave thing to prefer glory before life, and to set about some such noble undertaking as may be remembered by late posterity.” Having said this, he fell to work immediately, and made a sally, and dispersed the enemies’ out-guards, and ran as far as the Roman camp itself, and pulled the coverings of their tents to pieces, that were upon 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 the day after it, but went on with it for a considerable number of both days and nights.
203. Ὁ δὲ πειθομένῳ μὲν ἱκετηρίαν ταῦτα νομίσας, βιαζομένῳ δὲ φρουράν, πολὺ δʼ αὐτοῦ τῆς εἰς τὴν ἀπόλειψιν ὁρμῆς καὶ ὁ τῶν ὀδυρομένων ἔκλασεν οἶκτος, μένειν τε ἔγνω, καὶ τὴν κοινὴν τῆς πόλεως ἀπόγνωσιν ὁπλισάμενος, νῦν καιρός, εἰπών, ἄρχεσθαι μάχης, ὅτʼ ἐλπὶς οὐκ ἔστι σωτηρίας· καλὸν εὔκλειαν ἀντικαταλλαξάμενον τοῦ βίου καὶ δράσαντά τι γενναῖον εἰς μνήμην ὀψιγενῶν πεσεῖν, ἐπʼ ἔργα τρέπεται. καὶ προελθὼν μετὰ τῶν μαχιμωτάτων διεσκίδνα τε τοὺς φρουροὺς καὶ μέχρι τοῦ στρατοπέδου τῶν Ῥωμαίων κατέτρεχεν, καὶ τὰς μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν χωμάτων δέρρεις, αἷς ὑπεσκήνουν, διέσπα, τοῖς δὲ ἔργοις ἐνέβαλλεν πῦρ. τῇ τε ἑξῆς ὁμοίως καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ καὶ ἐπὶ συχνὰς ἡμέρας καὶ νύκτας πολεμῶν οὐκ ἔκαμνεν.
207. Upon this, Vespasian, when he saw the Romans distressed by these sallies, (though they were ashamed to be made to run away by the Jews; and when at any time they made the Jews run away, their heavy armor would not 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 to avoid their onset, and not fight it out with men under desperation, while nothing is more courageous than despair; but that their violence would be quenched when they saw they failed of their purposes, 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 are 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 that threw stones at them, nor was there any intermission of the great number of their offensive engines. Now the Jews suffered greatly by these engines, without being able to escape from them; and when these 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 succoring another by turns, when it was tired down.
207. Οὐεσπασιανὸς δὲ τῶν [τε] Ῥωμαίων κακουμένων ταῖς ἐκδρομαῖς, τρέπεσθαί τε γὰρ ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων ᾐδοῦντο καὶ τραπέντων ἐπιδιώκειν βάρει τῶν ὅπλων ἦσαν βραδεῖς, οἵ τε Ἰουδαῖοι πρίν τι παθεῖν ἀεὶ δρῶντες ἀνέφευγον εἰς τὴν πόλιν, τοῖς μὲν ὁπλίταις τὰς ὁρμὰς αὐτῶν ἐκκλίνειν ἐκέλευσεν καὶ μὴ συμπλέκεσθαι θανατῶσιν ἀνθρώποις· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀλκιμώτερον εἶναι τῆς ἀπογνώσεως, περισβέννυσθαι δὲ αὐτῶν τὰς ὁρμὰς σκοπῶν ἀπορουμένας ὥσπερ ὕλης τὸ πῦρ· προσήκειν γε μὴν καὶ Ῥωμαίοις μετὰ ἀσφαλείας καὶ τὸ νικᾶν, ὡς ἂν οὐκ ἐξ ἀνάγκης πολεμοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ προσκτωμένοις. τοῖς δὲ τῶν Ἀράβων τοξόταις καὶ τοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς Συρίας σφενδονήταις καὶ λιθοβόλοις τὰ πολλὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἀνέστελλεν· ἠρέμει δὲ οὐδὲ τῶν ἀφετηρίων ὀργάνων τὸ πλῆθος. οἱ δὲ τούτοις μὲν εἶκον κακούμενοι, τῶν δὲ πόρρω βαλλομένων ἐνδοτέρω γινόμενοι προσέκειντο τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις χαλεποὶ καὶ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος ἀφειδοῦντες ἐμάχοντο, ἐκ διαδοχῆς ἑκάτεροι τὸ κεκμηκὸς ἑαυτῶν ἀναλαμβάνοντες.
213. 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 battering ram is a vast beam of wood like the mast of a ship, its forepart is armed with a thick piece of iron at the head of it, which is so carved as to be like the head of a ram, whence its name is taken. This ram is slung in the air by ropes passing over its middle, and is hung like the balance in a pair of scales from another beam, and braced by strong beams that pass on both sides of it, in the nature of a cross. When this ram is pulled backward 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 all are 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 city; but found lying in the 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 wall, and endeavored to frustrate their attempts; these threw stones and javelins 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 that was cased with hurdles all over, and in the tipper 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.
213. Οὐεσπασιανὸς δὲ ἡγούμενος τῷ μήκει τοῦ χρόνου καὶ ταῖς ἐκδρομαῖς ἀντιπολιορκεῖσθαι, τῶν χωμάτων ἤδη τοῖς τείχεσι πελαζόντων προσάγειν ἔγνω τὸν κριόν. ὁ δʼ ἐστὶν ὑπερμεγέθης δοκὸς ἱστῷ νηὸς παραπλήσιος· ἐστόμωται δὲ παχεῖ σιδήρῳ κατʼ ἄκρον εἰς κριοῦ προτομήν, ἀφʼ οὗ καὶ καλεῖται, τετυπωμένῳ. καταιωρεῖται δὲ κάλοις μέσος ὥσπερ ἀπὸ πλάστιγγος ἑτέρας δοκοῦ, σταυροῖς ἑκατέρωθεν ἑδραίοις ὑπεστηριγμένης. ἀνωθούμενος δὲ ὑπὸ πλήθους ἀνδρῶν εἰς τὸ κατόπιν, τῶν αὐτῶν ἀθρόως πάλιν εἰς τοὔμπροσθεν ἐπιβρισάντων τύπτει τὰ τείχη τῷ προανέχοντι σιδήρῳ. καὶ οὐδεὶς οὕτως καρτερὸς πύργος ἢ περίβολος πλατύς, ὃς κἂν τὰς πρώτας πληγὰς ἐνέγκῃ κατίσχυσεν τῆς ἐπιμονῆς. ἐπὶ ταύτην τὴν πεῖραν ὁ στρατηγὸς τῶν Ῥωμαίων μετέβαινεν βίᾳ τὴν πόλιν ἑλεῖν σπεύδων, ὡς τὸ προσκαθέζεσθαι βλαβερὸν ἦν Ἰουδαίων οὐκ ἠρεμούντων. οἱ μὲν οὖν τούς τε καταπέλτας καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν ἀφετηρίων, ὡς ἐξικνοῖτο τῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους κωλύειν πειρωμένων, ἔγγιον προσαγαγόντες ἔβαλλον· ὁμοίως δὲ συνήγγιζον οἱ τοξόται καὶ σφενδονῆται. διὰ δὲ ταῦτα μηδενὸς τῶν περιβόλων ἐπιβῆναι τολμῶντος προσῆγον ἕτεροι τὸν κριὸν γέρροις τε διηνεκέσι καὶ καθύπερθεν πεφραγμένον δέρρει πρός τε αὐτῶν καὶ τοῦ μηχανήματος ἀσφάλειαν. καὶ κατὰ τὴν πρώτην πληγὴν διεσείσθη μὲν τὸ τεῖχος, κραυγὴ δὲ μεγίστη παρὰ τῶν ἔνδον ἤρθη καθάπερ ἑαλωκότων ἤδη.
222. And 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 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 recovered its force, and the wall having been but newly built, was giving way, Josephus and those about him had afterward immediate recourse to fire, to defend themselves withal; whereupon they took what materials soever they had that were but 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 consternation at the Jews’ boldness, and being prevented by the flames from coming to their assistance; for the materials being dry with the bitumen and pitch that were among them, as was brimstone also, the fire caught hold of every thing immediately, and what cost the Romans a great deal of pains was in one hour consumed.
222. Πολλάκις δὲ εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν παίοντας τόπον ὁ Ἰώσηπος ὁρῶν ὅσον οὔπω καταρριφθησόμενον τὸ τεῖχος, σοφίζεται κατʼ ὀλίγον τὴν βίαν τοῦ μηχανήματος. σάκκους ἀχύρων πληρώσαντας ἐκέλευσεν καθιμᾶν καθʼ ὃ φερόμενον ἀεὶ τὸν κριὸν ὁρῷεν, ὡς πλάζοιτό τε ἡ ἐμβολή, καὶ δεχόμενοι τὰς πληγὰς ἐκκενοῖεν τῇ χαυνότητι. τοῦτο πλείστην διατριβὴν παρέσχεν τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις, καθʼ ὃ μὲν τρέποιεν τὴν μηχανὴν ἀντιπαραγόντων τοὺς σάκκους τῶν ὕπερθεν, ὑποβαλλόντων δὲ ταῖς ἐμβολαῖς, ὡς μηδὲν κατʼ ἀντιτυπίαν βλάπτεσθαι τὸ τεῖχος· ἕως ἀντεπινοήσαντες κοντοὺς οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι μακροὺς καὶ δρέπανα δήσαντες ἐπʼ ἄκρων τοὺς σάκους ἀπέτεμνον. ἐνεργοῦς δὲ οὕτω τῆς ἑλεπόλεως γενομένης καὶ τοῦ τείχους, νεοπαγὲς γὰρ ἦν, ἐνδιδόντος ἤδη, τὸ λοιπὸν ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκ πυρὸς ἄμυναν οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἰώσηπον ὥρμησαν. ἁψάμενοι δὲ ὅσον αὔης εἶχον ὕλης τριχόθεν ἐπεκθέουσιν, καὶ τά τε μηχανήματα καὶ τὰ γέρρα καὶ τὰ χώματα τῶν Ῥωμαίων ὑπεπίμπρασαν. οἱ δὲ κακῶς ἐπεβοήθουν πρός τε τὴν τόλμαν αὐτῶν καταπεπληγότες καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς φλογὸς τὰς ἀμύνας φθανόμενοι· ξηρᾶς γὰρ ὕλης, πρὸς δὲ ἀσφάλτου τε καὶ πίσσης, ἔτι δὲ θείου διίπτατο τὸ πῦρ ἐπινοίας τάχιον, καὶ τὰ πολλῷ καμάτῳ πεπονημένα τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις ἐπὶ μιᾶς ὥρας ἐνέμετο.
229. And here a certain Jew appeared worthy of our relation and 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 broke 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 he 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 drew himself on a heap with his wounds upon him, and fell down together with the head of the ram. Next to him, two brothers showed their courage; their names were Netir and Philip, both of them 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.
229. Ἔνθα καὶ ἀνήρ τις ἐξεφάνη Ἰουδαίων λόγου καὶ μνήμης ἄξιος· Σαμίου μὲν παῖς ἦν, Ἐλεάζαρος δὲ ἐκαλεῖτο, Σαβὰ δὲ πατρὶς αὐτῷ τῆς Γαλιλαίας· ὑπερμεγέθη δὲ πέτραν ἀράμενος ἀφίησιν ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους ἐπὶ τὴν ἑλέπολιν μετὰ τοσαύτης βίας, ὥστε ἀπορρῆξαι τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ μηχανήματος, ἣν καὶ καταπηδήσας ἐκ μέσων αἴρεται τῶν πολεμίων καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς ἀδείας ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος ἔφερεν. σκοπὸς δὲ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς γενόμενος καὶ γυμνῷ τῷ σώματι τὰς πληγὰς δεξάμενος πέντε μὲν διαπείρεται βέλεσιν, πρὸς οὐδὲν δὲ τούτων ἐπιστραφείς, ὅτε τὸ τεῖχος ἀνέβη καὶ περίοπτος πᾶσιν τῆς εὐτολμίας ἔστη, τότε ἰλυσπώμενος ὑπὸ τῶν τραυμάτων μετὰ τοῦ κριοῦ κατέπεσεν. ἄριστοι μετʼ αὐτὸν ἐφάνησαν ἀδελφοὶ δύο Νετείρας καὶ Φίλιππος, ἀπὸ Ῥούμας κώμης, Γαλιλαῖοι καὶ αὐτοί, οἳ προπηδῶσι μὲν εἰς τοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ δεκάτου τάγματος, τοσούτῳ δὲ ῥοίζῳ καὶ βίᾳ τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις συνέπεσον, ὡς διαρρῆξαί τε τὰς τάξεις καὶ τρέψασθαι καθʼ οὓς ἐφορμήσειαν ἅπαντας.
234. 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 to the fifth and to the tenth legion, which they put to flight; when others followed them immediately, and buried those instruments and all their materials under ground. However, about the evening, the Romans erected the battering ram again, against that part of the wall which had suffered before; where a certain Jew that defended the city from the Romans hit Vespasian with a dart in his foot, and wounded him a little, the distance being so great, that no mighty impression could be made by the dart thrown so far off. However, this caused the greatest disorder among the Romans; for when those who stood near him saw his blood, they were disturbed at it, and a report went abroad, through the whole army, that the general was wounded, while the greatest part left the siege, and came running together with surprise and fear to the general; and before them all came Titus, out of the concern he had for his father, insomuch that the multitude were in great confusion, and this out of the regard they had for their general, and by reason of the agony that the son was in. Yet did the father soon put an end to the son's fear, and to the disorder the army was under, for being superior to his pains, and endeavoring soon to be seen by all that had been in a fright about him, he excited them to fight the Jews more briskly; for now every body was willing to expose himself to danger immediately, in order to avenge their general; and then they encouraged one another with loud voices, and ran hastily to the walls.
234. Μετὰ τούτους ὅ τε Ἰώσηπος καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν πλῆθος ἀράμενοι πῦρ πάλιν τὰ μηχανήματα καὶ τὰς ὑποδύσεις ἅμα τοῖς ἔργοις ὑφῆψαν τοῦ τε πέμπτου καὶ τοῦ δεκάτου τραπέντος τάγματος, οἱ λοιποὶ δὲ φθάσαντες καὶ τὰ ὄργανα καὶ πᾶσαν ὕλην κατέχωσαν. περὶ δὲ δείλην πάλιν ἀναστήσαντες προσῆγον τὸν κριὸν ᾗ προπεπονήκει τυπτόμενον τὸ τεῖχος. ἔνθα τις τῶν ἀμυνομένων ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ βάλλει τὸν Οὐεσπασιανὸν βέλει κατὰ τὸν ταρσὸν τοῦ ποδὸς καὶ τιτρώσκει μὲν ἐπιπολαίως προεκλύσαντος τὸ βληθὲν τοῦ διαστήματος, μέγιστον δὲ θόρυβον ἐνεποίησεν τοῖς Ῥωμαίοις· πρὸς γὰρ τὸ αἷμα ταραχθέντων τῶν πλησίον φήμη διὰ παντὸς ἐπῄει τοῦ στρατοῦ, καὶ τῆς πολιορκίας οἱ πλείους ἀφέμενοι μετʼ ἐκπλήξεως καὶ δέους ἐπὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν συνέθεον. πρὸ δὲ πάντων Τίτος δείσας περὶ τῷ πατρὶ παρῆν, ὡς τὸ πλῆθος καὶ τῇ πρὸς τὸν ἡγούμενον εὐνοίᾳ καὶ τῇ τοῦ παιδὸς ἀγωνίᾳ συγχυθῆναι. ῥᾷστα μέντοι τόν τε υἱὸν ὁ πατὴρ δεδιότα καὶ τὴν στρατιὰν ἔπαυσεν τοῦ θορύβου· τῶν γὰρ ἀλγηδόνων ἐπάνω γενόμενος καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐπτοημένοις διʼ αὐτὸν ὀφθῆναι σπουδάσας χαλεπώτερον Ἰουδαίοις ἐπῆρεν τὸν πόλεμον· ἕκαστος γὰρ ὡς τιμωρὸς τοῦ στρατηγοῦ προκινδυνεύειν ἤθελεν, καὶ βοῇ παρακροτοῦντες ἀλλήλους ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος ὥρμων.
240. But still Josephus and those with him, although they fell down dead one upon another by the darts and stones which the engines threw upon them, yet did not they desert the wall, but fell upon those who managed the ram, under the protection of the hurdles, with fire, and iron weapons, and stones; and these could do little or nothing, but fell themselves perpetually, while they were seen by those whom they could not see, for the light of their own flame shone about them, and made them a most visible mark to the enemy, as they were in the day time, while the engines could not be seen at a great distance, and so what was thrown at them was hard to be avoided; for the force with which these engines threw stones and darts made them hurt several at a time, and the violent noise of the stones that were cast by the engines was so great, that they carried away the pinnacles of the wall, and broke off the corners of the towers; for no body of men could be so strong as not to be overthrown to the last rank by the largeness of the stones. And any one may learn the force of the engines by what happened this very night; for as one of those that stood round about Josephus was near the wall, his head was carried away by such a stone, and his skull was flung as far as three furlongs. In the day time also, a woman with child had her belly so violently struck, as she was just come out of her house, that the infant was carried to the distance of half a furlong, so great was the force of that engine. The noise of the instruments themselves was very terrible, the sound of the darts and stones that were thrown by them was so also; of the same sort was that noise the dead bodies made, when they were dashed against the wall; and indeed dreadful was the clamor which these things raised in the women within the city, which was echoed back at the same time by the cries of such as were slain; while the whole space of ground whereon they fought ran with blood, and the wall might have been ascended over by the bodies of the dead carcasses; the mountains also contributed to increase the noise by their echoes; nor was there on that night any thing of terror wanting that could either affect the hearing or the sight: yet did a great part of those that fought so hard for Jotapata fall manfully, as were a great part of them wounded. However, the morning watch was come ere the wall yielded to the machines employed against it, though it had been battered without intermission. However, those within covered their bodies with their armor, and raised works over against that part which was thrown down, before those machines were laid by which the Romans were to ascend into the city.
240. Οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἰώσηπον καίπερ ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοις πίπτοντες ὑπὸ τῶν καταπελτικῶν καὶ τῶν πετροβόλων, ὅμως οὐκ ἀπετρέποντο τοῦ τείχους, ἀλλὰ πυρὶ καὶ σιδήρῳ καὶ πέτροις τοὺς ἐπὶ τὰ γέρρα τὸν κριὸν ἐπιβρίθοντας ἔβαλλον. καὶ ἤνυον μὲν οὐδὲν ἢ μικρόν, αὐτοὶ δὲ ἀδιαλείπτως ἔπιπτον ὑπὸ μὴ βλεπομένων καθορώμενοι· αὐτοί τε γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς σφετέρας περιλαμπόμενοι φλογὸς σκοπὸς ἦσαν τοῖς πολεμίοις εὐσύνοπτος ὥσπερ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ τῶν ὀργάνων πόρρωθεν μὴ βλεπομένων δυσφύλακτον ἦν τὸ βαλλόμενον. ἥ τε οὖν τῶν ὀξυβελῶν καὶ καταπελτῶν βία πολλοὺς ἅμα διήλαυνεν, καὶ τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς μηχανῆς ἀφιεμένων πετρῶν ὁ ῥοῖζος ἐπάλξεις τε ἀπέσυρεν καὶ γωνίας ἀπέθρυπτε πύργων. ἀνδρῶν μὲν γὰρ † οὕτως ἰσχυρὸν στῖφος, ὃ μὴ μέχρις ἐσχάτης στρώννυται φάλαγγος βίᾳ τε καὶ μεγέθει τοῦ λίθου. μάθοι δʼ ἄν τις τὴν τοῦ μηχανήματος ἀλκὴν ἐκ τῶν ἐπὶ τῆσδε τῆς νυκτὸς γενομένων· πληγεὶς γάρ τις ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ τῶν περὶ τὸν Ἰώσηπον ἑστώτων ἀνὰ τὸ τεῖχος ἀπαράσσεται τὴν κεφαλὴν ὑπὸ τῆς πέτρας, καὶ τὸ κρανίον ἀπὸ τριῶν ἐσφενδονήθη σταδίων. γυναικός τε μεθʼ ἡμέραν ἐγκύμονος πληγείσης τὴν γαστέρα, προῄει δὲ νέον ἐξ οἰκίας, ἐξέσεισεν ἐφʼ ἡμιστάδιον τὸ βρέφος· τοσαύτη ἦν ἡ τοῦ λιθοβόλου βία. τῶν οὖν ὀργάνων φοβερώτερος ὁ ῥοῖζος, τῶν δὲ βαλλομένων ἦν [ὁ] ψόφος. ἐπάλληλοι δὲ ἐκτύπουν οἱ νεκροὶ κατὰ τοῦ τείχους ῥιπτόμενοι, καὶ δεινὴ μὲν ἔνδοθεν κραυγὴ γυναικῶν ἠγείρετο, συνήχουν δʼ ἔξωθεν οἰμωγαὶ φονευομένων. αἵματι δʼ ἐρρεῖτο πᾶς ὁ πρὸ τῆς μάχης περίβολος, καὶ προσβατὸν ὑπὸ πτωμάτων τὸ τεῖχος ἐγίνετο. φοβερωτέραν δὲ ἐποίουν τὴν βοὴν περιηχοῦντα τὰ ὄρη, καὶ οὐδὲν ἐπʼ ἐκείνης τῆς νυκτὸς οὔτε εἰς ἀκοῆς οὔτε εἰς ὄψεως κατάπληξιν ἀπελείπετο. πλεῖστοι μέν γε τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς Ἰωταπάτης ἀγωνιζόμενοι γενναίως ἔπεσον, πλεῖστοι δʼ ἐγένοντο τραυματίαι, καὶ μόλις περὶ τὴν ἑωθινὴν φυλακὴν ἐνδίδωσι τοῖς μηχανήμασι τὸ τεῖχος ἀδιαλείπτως τυπτόμενον· οἱ δὲ φραξάμενοι τοῖς σώμασι καὶ τοῖς ὅπλοις τὸ καταρριφθὲν ἀντωχύρωσαν πρὶν βληθῆναι τὰς ἐπιβατηρίους ὑπὸ τῶν Ῥωμαίων μηχανάς.
253. In the morning Vespasian got his army together, in order to take the city [by storm], after a little recreation upon the hard pains they had been at the night before; and as he was desirous to draw off those that opposed him from the places where the wall had been thrown down, he made the most courageous of the horsemen get off their horses, and placed them in three ranks over against those ruins of the wall, but covered with their armor on every side, and with poles in their hands, that so these might begin their ascent as soon as the instruments for such ascent were laid; behind them he placed the flower of the footmen; but for the rest of the horse, he ordered them to extend themselves over against the wall, upon the whole hilly country, in order to prevent any from escaping out of the city when it should be taken; and behind these he placed the archers round about, and commanded them to have their darts ready to shoot. The same command he gave to the slingers, and to those that managed the engines, and bid them to take up other ladders, and have them ready to lay upon those parts of the wall which were yet untouched, that the besieged might be engaged in trying to hinder their ascent by them, and leave the guard of the parts that were thrown down, while the rest of them should be overborne by the darts cast at them, and might afford his men an entrance into the city.
253. Ὑπὸ δὲ τὴν ἕω Οὐεσπασιανὸς ἐπὶ τὴν κατάληψιν τῆς πόλεως συνῆγεν τὴν στρατιὰν ὀλίγον ἀπὸ τοῦ νυκτερινοῦ πόνου διαναπαύσας. βουλόμενος δʼ ἀπὸ τῶν καταρριφθέντων περισπάσαι τοὺς εἴργοντας τοὺς μὲν γενναιοτάτους τῶν ἱππέων ἀποβήσας [τῶν ἵππων] τριχῇ διέταξεν κατὰ τὰ πεπτωκότα τοῦ τείχους, πάντοθεν πεφραγμένους τοῖς ὅπλοις καὶ τοὺς κοντοὺς προΐσχοντας, ὡς ὁπότε τὰς ἐπιβατηρίους βάλλοιεν μηχανὰς κατάρχοιντο τῆς εἰσόδου· κατόπιν δὲ αὐτῶν ἔταξεν τοῦ πεζοῦ τὸ ἀκμαιότατον, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ἱππικὸν ἀντιπαρεξέτεινεν τῷ τείχει κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν ὀρεινὴν πρὸς τὸ μηδένα τῶν ἀναφευγόντων ἐκ τῆς ἁλώσεως διαλαθεῖν. κατόπιν δὲ τούτων περιέστησεν τοὺς τοξότας ἔχειν κελεύσας ἕτοιμα τὰ βέλη πρὸς ἄφεσιν, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ σφενδονήτας καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν μηχανημάτων, ἑτέρους δὲ κλίμακας ἀραμένους προσφέρειν ἐπάνω τοῖς ἀκεραίοις τείχεσιν, ἵνʼ οἱ μὲν τούτους κωλύειν πειρώμενοι καταλίποιεν τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς καταρριφθεῖσιν φυλακήν, οἱ λοιποὶ δὲ ὑπʼ ἀθρόων βιαζόμενοι τῶν βελῶν εἴξωσιν τῆς εἰσόδου.
258. But Josephus, understanding the meaning of Vespasian's contrivance, set the old men, together with those that were tired out, at the sound parts of the wall, as expecting no harm from those quarters, but set the strongest of his men at the place where the wall was broken down, and before them all six men by themselves, among whom he took his share of the first and greatest danger. He also gave orders, that when the legions made a shout, they should stop their ears, that they might not be affrighted at it, and that, to avoid the multitude of the enemy's darts, they should bend down on their knees, and cover themselves with their shields, and that they should retreat a little backward for a while, till the archers should have emptied their quivers; but that When the Romans should lay their instruments for ascending the walls, they should leap out on the sudden, and with their own instruments should meet the enemy, and that every one should strive to do his best, in order not to defend his own city, as if it were possible to be preserved, but in order to revenge it, when it was already destroyed; and that they should set before their eyes how their old men were to be slain, and their children and wives were to be killed immediately by the enemy; and that they would beforehand spend all their fury, on account of the calamities just coming upon them, and pour it out on the actors.
258. Ἰώσηπος δὲ συνιεὶς τὴν ἐπίνοιαν ἐπὶ μὲν τοῦ μένοντος τείχους σὺν τοῖς κεκμηκόσιν ἵστησι τοὺς γηραιοὺς ὡς μηδὲν ταύτῃ βλαβησομένους, εἰς δὲ τὰ παρερρωγότα τοῦ τείχους τοὺς δυνατωτάτους καὶ πρὸ πάντων ἀνὰ ἓξ ἄνδρας, μεθʼ ὧν καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς τὸ προκινδυνεύειν ἐκληρώσατο. ἐκέλευσέν τε πρὸς μὲν τὸν ἀλαλαγμὸν τῶν ταγμάτων ἀποφράξαι τὰς ἀκοάς, ὡς ἂν μὴ καταπλαγεῖεν, πρὸς δὲ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν βελῶν συνοκλάσαντας καλύψασθαι καθύπερθεν τοῖς θυρεοῖς ὑποχωρῆσαί τε πρὸς ὀλίγον, ἕως τὰς φαρέτρας κενώσωσιν οἱ τοξόται. βαλλόντων δὲ τὰς ἐπιβατηρίους μηχανὰς αὐτοὺς προπηδᾶν καὶ διὰ τῶν ἰδίων ὀργάνων ἀπαντᾶν τοῖς πολεμίοις, ἀγωνίζεσθαί τε ἕκαστον οὐχ ὡς ὑπὲρ σωθησομένης, ἀλλʼ ὡς ὑπὲρ ἀπολωλυίας ἤδη τῆς πατρίδος ἀμυνόμενον, λαμβάνειν τε πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν σφαγησομένους γέροντας καὶ τέκνα καὶ γυναῖκας ἀναιρεθησομένας ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ὅσον οὐδέπω, καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ ταῖς μελλούσαις συμφοραῖς θυμὸν προαλίσαντας ἐναφεῖναι τοῖς δράσουσιν αὐτάς.
262. And thus did Josephus dispose of both his bodies of men; but then for the useless part of the citizens, the women and children, when they saw their city encompassed by a threefold army, (for none of the usual guards that had been fighting before were removed,) when they also saw, not only the walls thrown down, but their enemies with swords in their hands, as also the hilly country above them shining with their weapons, d the darts in the hands of the Arabian archers, they made a final and lamentable outcry of the destruction, as if the misery were not only threatened, but actually come upon them already. But Josephus ordered the women to be shut up in their houses, lest they should render the warlike actions of the men too effeminate, by making them commiserate their condition, and commanded them to hold their peace, and threatened them if they did not, while he came himself before the breach, where his allotment was; for all those who brought ladders to the other places, he took no notice of them, but earnestly waited for the shower of arrows that was coming.
262. Ἔταξεν μὲν οὖν οὕτως ἑκάτερον· τὸ δʼ ἀργὸν ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως· πλῆθος, γύναια καὶ παῖδες, ὡς ἐθεάσαντο τριπλῇ μὲν φάλαγγι τὴν πόλιν ἐζωσμένην, οὐδὲν γὰρ εἰς τὴν μάχην μετακεκίνητο τῶν πάλαι φυλακῶν, πρὸς δὲ τοῖς βεβλημένοις τείχεσιν τοὺς πολεμίους ξιφήρεις καὶ τὴν καθύπερθεν ὀρεινὴν λαμπομένην ὅπλοις, τά τε βέλη τοῖς τοξόταις ἐπανέχοντα τῶν Ἀράβων, ὕστατόν τινα κωκυτὸν ἁλώσεως συνήχησαν ὡς οὐκ ἀπειλουμένων ἔτι τῶν κακῶν ἀλλʼ ἤδη παρόντων. ὁ δὲ Ἰώσηπος τὰς μὲν γυναῖκας, ὡς μὴ θηλύνοιεν οἴκτῳ τὰς ὁρμὰς τῶν σφετέρων, κατακλείει ταῖς οἰκίαις μετʼ ἀπειλῆς ἡσυχάζειν κελεύσας· αὐτὸς δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐρειφθέντων ᾗ ἔλαχεν παρῄει. τοῖς μὲν οὖν καθʼ ἕτερα προσφέρουσι τὰς κλίμακας οὐ προσεῖχεν, ἀπεκαραδόκει δὲ τὴν ὁρμὴν τῶν βελῶν.