1. THUS did the miseries of Jerusalem grow worse and worse every day, and the seditious were still more irritated by the calamities they were under, even while the famine preyed upon themselves, after it had preyed upon the people. And indeed the multitude of carcasses that lay in heaps one upon another was a horrible sight, and produced a pestilential stench, which was a hinderance to those that would make sallies out of the city, and fight the enemy: but as those were to go in battle-array, who had been already used to ten thousand murders, and must tread upon those dead bodies as they marched along, so were not they terrified, nor did they pity men as they marched over them; nor did they deem this affront offered to the deceased to be any ill omen to themselves; but as they had their right hands already polluted with the murders of their own countrymen, and in that condition ran out to fight with foreigners, they seem to me to have cast a reproach upon God himself, as if he were too slow in punishing them; for the war was not now gone on with as if they had any hope of victory; for they gloried after a brutish manner in that despair of deliverance they were already in. And now the Romans, although they were greatly distressed in getting together their materials, raised their banks in one and twenty days, after they had cut down all the trees that were in the country that adjoined to the city, and that for ninety furlongs round about, as I have already related. And truly the very view itself of the country was a melancholy thing; for those places which were before adorned with trees and pleasant gardens were now become a desolate country every way, and its trees were all cut down: nor could any foreigner that had formerly seen Judea and the most beautiful suburbs of the city, and now saw it as a desert, but lament and mourn sadly at so great a change: for the war had laid all the signs of beauty quite waste: nor if any one that had known the place before, had come on a sudden to it now, would he have known it again; but though he were at the city itself, yet would he have inquired for it notwithstanding.
1. Τὰ μὲν οὖν τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων πάθη προύκοπτεν καθʼ ἡμέραν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον τῶν τε στασιαστῶν μᾶλλον παροξυνομένων ἐν ταῖς συμφοραῖς καὶ τοῦ λιμοῦ μετὰ τὸν δῆμον ἤδη κἀκείνους νεμομένου. τό γε μὴν πλῆθος τῶν σεσωρευμένων ἀνὰ τὴν πόλιν πτωμάτων ὄψει τε φρικῶδες ἦν καὶ λοιμώδη προσέβαλλεν ὀσμὴν πρός τε τὰς ἐκδρομὰς ἐμπόδιον τοῖς μαχομένοις· ὥσπερ γὰρ διὰ παρατάξεως φόνῳ μυρίῳ γεγυμνασμένης χωροῦντας ἔδει τὰ σώματα πατεῖν. οἱ δʼ ἐπιβαίνοντες οὔτʼ ἔφριττον οὔτʼ ἠλέουν οὔτε κλῃδόνα κακὴν σφῶν αὐτῶν ὑπελάμβανον τὴν εἰς τοὺς κατοιχομένους ὕβριν, πεφυρμένοι δʼ ὁμοφύλῳ φόνῳ τὰς δεξιὰς ἐπὶ τὸν πρὸς τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους πόλεμον ἐξέθεον, ὀνειδίζοντες, ἔμοιγε δοκεῖν, τὸ θεῖον εἰς βραδυτῆτα τῆς ἐπʼ αὐτῶν κολάσεως· οὐ γὰρ ἐλπίδι νίκης ὁ πόλεμος, ἤδη δὲ ἀπογνώσει σωτηρίας ἐθρασύνετο. Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ καίτοι πολλὰ περὶ τὴν τῆς ὕλης συγκομιδὴν ταλαιπωρούμενοι τὰ χώματα διήγειραν μιᾷ καὶ εἴκοσιν ἡμέραις, κείραντες, ὡς προείρηται, τὴν περὶ τὸ ἄστυ χώραν ἐπʼ ἐνενήκοντα σταδίους ἐν κύκλῳ πᾶσαν. ἦν δʼ ἐλεεινὴ καὶ τῆς γῆς ἡ θέα· τὰ γὰρ πάλαι δένδρεσι καὶ παραδείσοις κεκοσμημένα τότε πανταχόθεν ἠρήμωτο καὶ περικέκοπτο τὴν ὕλην, οὐδείς τε τὴν πάλαι Ἰουδαίαν καὶ τὰ περικαλλῆ προάστεια τῆς πόλεως ἑωρακὼς ἀλλόφυλος, ἔπειτα τὴν τότε βλέπων ἐρημίαν οὐκ ὠλοφύρατο καὶ κατεστέναξεν τὴν μεταβολὴν παρʼ ὅσον γένοιτο· πάντα γὰρ ἐλυμήνατο τὰ σημεῖα τοῦ κάλλους ὁ πόλεμος, καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις ἐξαπίνης ἐπιστὰς τῶν προεγνωκότων ἐγνώρισε τὸν τόπον, ἀλλὰ παρὼν ἐζήτει τὴν πόλιν.
9. And now the banks were finished, they afforded a foundation for fear both to the Romans and to the Jews; for the Jews expected that the city would be taken, unless they could burn those banks, as did the Romans expect that, if these were once burnt down, they should never be able to take it; for there was a mighty scarcity of materials, and the bodies of the soldiers began to fail with such hard labors, as did their souls faint with so many instances of ill success; nay, the very calamities themselves that were in the city proved a greater discouragement to the Romans than those within the city; for they found the fighting men of the Jews to be not at all mollified among such their sore afflictions, while they had themselves perpetually less and less hopes of success, and their banks were forced to yield to the stratagems of the enemy, their engines to the firmness of their wall, and their closest fights to the boldness of their attack; and, what was their greatest discouragement of all, they found the Jews’ courageous souls to be superior to the multitude of the miseries they were under, by their sedition, their famine, and the war itself; insomuch that they were ready to imagine that the violence of their attacks was invincible, and that the alacrity they showed would not be discouraged by their calamities; for what would not those be able to bear if they should be fortunate, who turned their very misfortunes to the improvement of their valor! These considerations made the Romans to keep a stronger guard about their banks than they formerly had done.
9. Ῥωμαίοις δὲ καὶ Ἰουδαίοις τὸ τέλος τῶν χωμάτων ἴσην ἐνεποίει δέους ἀρχήν· οἱ μὲν γάρ, εἰ μὴ καὶ ταῦτα καύσειαν, ἁλώσεσθαι τὴν πόλιν προσεδόκων, Ῥωμαῖοι δʼ οὐκ [ἂν] ἔθʼ αἱρήσειν κἀκείνων διαφθαρέντων. ὕλης τε γὰρ ἦν ἀπορία, καὶ τῶν μὲν πόνων ἤδη τὸ σῶμα, τῶν δὲ ἐπαλλήλων πταισμάτων αἱ ψυχαὶ τοῖς στρατιώταις ἐλείποντο. τάς γε μὴν κατὰ τὴν πόλιν συμφορὰς Ῥωμαίοις πλέον εἶναι συνέβαινε πρὸς ἀθυμίας ἢ τοῖς ἐν αὐτῇ· παρὰ γὰρ τὰ τηλικαῦτα πάθη τοῖς μαχομένοις οὐδὲν ἐχρῶντο μαλακωτέροις, ἀλλʼ ἐθραύοντο πάντοτε τὰς ἐλπίδας, τῶν μὲν χωμάτων ταῖς ἐπιβουλαῖς, τῶν δʼ ὀργάνων στερρότητι τοῦ τείχους, τῆς δὲ κατὰ χεῖρα μάχης ταῖς τῶν συμπλεκομένων τόλμαις πλεονεκτούμενοι, τὸ δὲ μέγιστον, στάσεώς τε καὶ λιμοῦ καὶ πολέμου καὶ τοσούτων κακῶν εὑρίσκοντες ἐπάνω τὸ παράστημα τῆς ψυχῆς Ἰουδαίους ἔχοντας. ὑπελάμβανόν τε τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀμάχους μὲν τὰς ὁρμάς, ἀνάλωτον δὲ τὴν ἐπὶ συμφοραῖς εὐθυμίαν εἶναι· τί γὰρ ἂν μὴ ὑποστῆναι δεξιᾷ τύχῃ χρωμένους τοὺς ὑπὸ κακῶν πρὸς ἀλκὴν τρεπομένους; οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐρρωμενεστέρας διὰ ταῦτα τῶν χωμάτων ἐποιοῦντο τὰς φυλακάς.
15. But now John and his party took care for securing themselves afterward, even in case this wall should be thrown down, and fell to their work before the battering rams were brought against them. Yet did they not compass what they endeavored to do, but as they were gone out with their torches, they came back under great discouragement before they came near to the banks; and the reasons were these: that, in the first place, their conduct did not seem to be unanimous, but they went out in distinct parties, and at distinct intervals, and after a slow manner, and timorously, and, to say all in a word, without a Jewish courage; for they were now defective in what is peculiar to our nation, that is, in boldness, in violence of assault, and in running upon the enemy all together, and in persevering in what they go about, though they do not at first succeed in it; but they now went out in a more languid manner than usual, and at the same time found the Romans set in array, and more courageous than ordinary, and that they guarded their banks both with their bodies and their entire armor, and this to such a degree on all sides, that they left no room for the fire to get among them, and that every one of their souls was in such good courage, that they would sooner die than desert their ranks; for besides their notion that all their hopes were cut off, in case these their works were once burnt, the soldiers were greatly ashamed that subtlety should quite be too hard for courage, madness for armor, multitude for skill, and Jews for Romans. The Romans had now also another advantage, in that their engines for sieges co-operated with them in throwing darts and stones as far as the Jews, when they were coming out of the city; whereby the man that fell became an impediment to him that was next to him, as did the danger of going farther make them less zealous in their attempts; and for those that had run under the darts, some of them were terrified by the good order and closeness of the enemies’ ranks before they came to a close fight, and others were pricked with their spears, and turned back again; at length they reproached one another for their cowardice, and retired without doing any thing. This attack was made upon the first day of the month Panemus [Tamuz.] So when the Jews were retreated, the Romans brought their engines, although they had all the while stones thrown at them from the tower of Antonia, and were assaulted by fire and sword, and by all sorts of darts, which necessity afforded the Jews to make use of; for although these had great dependence on their own wall, and a contempt of the Roman engines, yet did they endeavor to hinder the Romans from bringing them. Now these Romans struggled hard, on the contrary, to bring them, as deeming that this zeal of the Jews was in order to avoid any impression to be made on the tower of Antonia, because its wall was but weak, and its foundations rotten. However, that tower did not yield to the blows given it from the engines; yet did the Romans bear the impressions made by the enemies’ darts which were perpetually cast at them, and did not give way to any of those dangers that came upon them from above, and so they brought their engines to bear. But then, as they were beneath the other, and were sadly wounded by the stones thrown down upon them, some of them threw their shields over their bodies, and partly with their hands, and partly with their bodies, and partly with crows, they undermined its foundations, and with great pains they removed four of its stones. Then night came upon both sides, and put an end to this struggle for the present; however, that night the wall was so shaken by the battering rams in that place where John had used his stratagem before, and had undermined their banks, that the ground then gave way, and the wall fell down suddenly.
15. Οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην κατὰ τὴν Ἀντωνίαν ἅμα καὶ πρὸς τὸ μέλλον, εἰ καταρριφθείη τὸ τεῖχος, ἠσφαλίζοντο καὶ πρὶν ἐπιστῆναι τοὺς κριοὺς ἐπέθεντο τοῖς ἔργοις. οὐ μὴν ἐκράτησάν γε τῆς ἐπιχειρήσεως, ἀλλὰ προελθόντες μετὰ λαμπάδων πρὶν ἐγγίσαι τοῖς χώμασι ψυχρότεροι τῆς ἐλπίδος ὑπέστρεψαν. πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ οὐδʼ ὁμονοεῖν ἡ σκέψις αὐτῶν ἐῴκει κατὰ μέρος ἐκπηδώντων κἀκ διαλειμμάτων καὶ μεμελλημένως μετὰ δέους καθόλου τε εἰπεῖν οὐκ Ἰουδαϊκῶς· τὰ γὰρ ἴδια τοῦ ἔθνους ὑστέρητο ἅμα ἡ τόλμα καὶ ὁρμὴ καὶ δρόμος ὁμοῦ πάντων καὶ τὸ μηδὲ πταίοντας ἀναστρέφειν. ἀτονώτεροι δʼ ἑαυτῶν προελθόντες καὶ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους εὗρον ἐρρωμενέστερον τοῦ συνήθους παρατεταγμένους· τοῖς μέν γε σώμασι καὶ ταῖς πανοπλίαις οὕτως ἐφράξαντο τὰ χώματα πάντοθεν ὡς τῷ πυρὶ μηδαμόθεν καταλιπεῖν παράδυσιν, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν ἐτόνωσαν ἕκαστος μὴ μετακινηθῆναι τῆς τάξεως πρὸ θανάτου. πρὸς γὰρ τῷ πάσας αὐτῶν ὑποκόπτεσθαι τὰς ἐλπίδας, εἰ κἀκεῖνα καταφλεγείη τὰ ἔργα, δεινὴ τοὺς στρατιώτας εἶχεν αἰδώς, εἰ πάντα κρατήσειαν πανουργία μὲν ἀρετῆς, ἀπόνοια δʼ ὅπλων, πλῆθος δʼ ἐμπειρίας, Ἰουδαῖοι δὲ Ῥωμαίων. ἅμα δὲ τἀφετήρια συνήργει τῶν προπηδώντων ἐφικνούμενα, καὶ πεσών τις τῷ μεθʼ αὑτὸν ἐμπόδιον ἦν, ὅ τε κίνδυνος τοῦ πρόσω χωρεῖν ἐποίει μαλακωτέρους. τῶν δʼ ἐνδοτέρω βέλους ὑποδραμόντων οἱ μὲν πρὶν εἰς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν τὴν εὐταξίαν καὶ τὸ πύκνωμα τῶν πολεμίων καταπλαγέντες, οἱ δὲ νυττόμενοι τοῖς ξυστοῖς ἐπαλινδρόμουν· καὶ τέλος ἀλλήλους κακίζοντες εἰς δειλίαν ἀνεχώρουν ἄπρακτοι. νουμηνίᾳ Πανέμου μηνὸς ἡ ἐπιχείρησις ἦν. ἀναχωρησάντων δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων προσῆγον οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι τὰς ἑλεπόλεις, βαλλόμενοι πέτραις τε ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀντωνίας καὶ πυρὶ καὶ σιδήρῳ καὶ παντὶ τῷ χορηγουμένῳ Ἰουδαίοις ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης βέλει· καίπερ γὰρ πολὺ τῷ τείχει πεποιθότες καὶ τῶν ὀργάνων καταφρονοῦντες ὅμως ἐκώλυον τοὺς Ῥωμαίους προσάγειν. οἱ δὲ τὴν σπουδὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων τοῦ μὴ πληγῆναι τὴν Ἀντωνίαν ὑπολαμβάνοντες γίνεσθαι διʼ ἀσθένειαν τοῦ τείχους καὶ σαθροὺς ἐλπίσαντες εἶναι τοὺς θεμελίους ἀντεφιλονείκουν. οὐ μὴν ὑπήκουε τὸ τυπτόμενον, ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν συνεχῶς βαλλόμενοι καὶ πρὸς μηδένα τῶν καθύπερθεν κινδύνων ἐνδιδόντες ἐνεργοὺς παρεῖχον τὰς ἑλεπόλεις· ὡς δʼ ἦσαν ἐλάττους καὶ περιεθραύοντο ταῖς πέτραις, ἕτεροι τοὺς θυρεοὺς ὀροφώσαντες ὑπὲρ τῶν σωμάτων χερσὶ καὶ μοχλοῖς ὑπώρυττον τοὺς θεμελίους, καὶ τέσσαράς γε λίθους προσκαρτερήσαντες ἐξέσεισαν. ἀνέπαυσε δὲ νὺξ ἑκατέρους, κἀν ταύτῃ τὸ τεῖχος ὑπὸ τῶν κριῶν σεσαλευμένον, καὶ καθʼ ὃ τοῖς προτέροις ἐπιβουλεύων χώμασιν ὁ Ἰωάννης ὑπώρυξεν ἐνδούσης τῆς διώρυχος, ἐξαπίνης κατερείπεται.
29. When this accident had unexpectedly happened, the minds of both parties were variously affected; for though one would expect that the Jews would be discouraged, because this fall of their wall was unexpected by them, and they had made no provision in that case, yet did they pull up their courage, because the tower of Antonia itself was still standing; as was the unexpected joy of the Romans at this fall of the wall soon quenched by the sight they had of another wall, which John and his party had built within it. However, the attack of this second wall appeared to be easier than that of the former, because it seemed a thing of greater facility to get up to it through the parts of the former wall that were now thrown down. This new wall appeared also to be much weaker than the tower of Antonia, and accordingly the Romans imagined that it had been erected so much on the sudden, that they should soon overthrow it: yet did not any body venture now to go up to this wall; for that such as first ventured so to do must certainly be killed.
29. Τούτου συμβάντος παραδόξως ἑκατέροις διετέθη τὰ φρονήματα· Ἰουδαίους μὲν γάρ, οὓς ἀθυμεῖν εἰκὸς ἦν, τῷ μὴ παρʼ ἐλπίδα γενέσθαι τὸ πτῶμα καὶ προησφαλίσθαι πρὸς αὐτὸ θαρρεῖν ὡς μενούσης συνέβαινε τῆς Ἀντωνίας· Ῥωμαίων δέ γε τὴν παρʼ ἐλπίδα χαρὰν ἐπὶ τῷ καταρριφθέντι ταχέως ἔσβεσεν ὄψις ἑτέρου τείχους, ὅπερ ἔνδοθεν οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην ἀντῳκοδομήκεσαν. εὐμαρεστέρα γε μὴν τῆς πρότερον ἡ προσβολὴ κατεφαίνετο· τό τε γὰρ ἀναβῆναι διὰ τῶν καταρριφθέντων ῥᾷον ἐδόκει, καὶ τὸ τεῖχος ἀσθενέστερόν τε πολλῷ τῆς Ἀντωνίας καὶ ταχέως τῷ πρόσκαιρον εἶναι λύειν ὑπελάμβανον. οὐ μὴν ἐτόλμα τις ἀναβῆναι· προῦπτος γὰρ τοῖς ἀρξαμένοις ἦν ἀπώλεια.
33. And now Titus, upon consideration that the alacrity of soldiers in war is chiefly excited by hopes and by good words, and that exhortations and promises do frequently make men to forget the hazards they run, nay, sometimes to despise death itself, got together the most courageous part of his army, and tried what he could do with his men by these methods. “O fellow soldiers,” said he, “to make an exhortation to men to do what hath no peril in it, is on that very account inglorious to such to whom that exhortation is made; and indeed so it is in him that makes the exhortation, an argument of his own cowardice also. I therefore think that such exhortations ought then only to be made use of when affairs are in a dangerous condition, and yet are worthy of being attempted by every one themselves; accordingly, I am fully of the same opinion with you, that it is a difficult task to go up this wall; but that it is proper for those that desire reputation for their valor to struggle with difficulties in such cases will then appear, when I have particularly shown that it is a brave thing to die with glory, and that the courage here necessary shall not go unrewarded in those that first begin the attempt. And let my first argument to move you to it be taken from what probably some would think reasonable to dissuade you, I mean the constancy and patience of these Jews, even under their ill successes; for it is unbecoming you, who are Romans and my soldiers, who have in peace been taught how to make wars, and who have also been used to conquer in those wars, to be inferior to Jews, either in action of the hand, or in courage of the soul, and this especially when you are at the conclusion of your victory, and are assisted by God himself; for as to our misfortunes, they have been owing to the madness of the Jews, while their sufferings have been owing to your valor, and to the assistance God hath afforded you; for as to the seditions they have been in, and the famine they are under, and the siege they now endure, and the fall of their walls without our engines, what can they all be but demonstrations of God's anger against them, and of his assistance afforded us? It will not therefore be proper for you, either to show yourselves inferior to those to whom you are really superior, or to betray that Divine assistance which is afforded you. And, indeed, how can it be esteemed otherwise than a base and unworthy thing, that while the Jews, who need not be much ashamed if they be deserted, because they have long learned to be slaves to others, do yet despise death, that they may be so no longer; and do make sallies into the very midst of us frequently, no in hopes of conquering us, but merely for a demonstration of their courage; we, who have gotten possession of almost all the world that belongs to either land or sea, to whom it will be a great shame if we do not conquer them, do not once undertake any attempt against our enemies wherein there is much danger, but sit still idle, with such brave arms as we have, and only wait till the famine and fortune do our business themselves, and this when we have it in our power, with some small hazard, to gain all that we desire! For if we go up to this tower of Antonia, we gain the city; for if there should be any more occasion for fighting against those within the city, which I do not suppose there will, since we shall then be upon the top of the hill and be upon our enemies before they can have taken breath, these advantages promise us no less than a certain and sudden victory. As for myself, I shall at present wave any commendation of those who die in war, and omit to speak of the immortality of those men who are slain in the midst of their martial bravery; yet cannot I forbear to imprecate upon those who are of a contrary disposition, that they may die in time of peace, by some distemper or other, since their souls are condemned to the grave, together with their bodies. For what man of virtue is there who does not know, that those souls which are severed from their fleshly bodies in battles by the sword are received by the ether, that purest of elements, and joined to that company which are placed among the stars; that they become good demons, and propitious heroes, and show themselves as such to their posterity afterwards? while upon those souls that wear away in and with their distempered bodies comes a subterranean night to dissolve them to nothing, and a deep oblivion to take away all the remembrance of them, and this notwithstanding they be clean from all spots and defilements of this world; so that, in this ease, the soul at the same time comes to the utmost bounds of its life, and of its body, and of its memorial also. But since he hath determined that death is to come of necessity upon all men, a sword is a better instrument for that purpose than any disease whatsoever. Why is it not then a very mean thing for us not to yield up that to the public benefit which we must yield up to fate? And this discourse have I made, upon the supposition that those who at first attempt to go upon this wall must needs be killed in the attempt, though still men of true courage have a chance to escape even in the most hazardous undertakings. For, in the first place, that part of the former wall that is thrown down is easily to be ascended; and for the new-built wall, it is easily destroyed. Do you, therefore, many of you, pull up your courage, and set about this work, and do you mutually encourage and assist one another; and this your bravery will soon break the hearts of your enemies; and perhaps such a glorious undertaking as yours is may be accomplished without bloodshed. For although it be justly to be supposed that the Jews will try to hinder you at your first beginning to go up to them; yet when you have once concealed yourselves from them, and driven them away by force, they will not be able to sustain your efforts against them any longer, though but a few of you prevent them, and get over the wall. As for that person who first mounts the wall, I should blush for shame if I did not make him to be envied of others, by those rewards I would bestow upon him. If such a one escape with his life, he shall have the command of others that are now but his equals; although it be true also that the greatest rewards will accrue to such as die in the attempt.”
33. Νομίζων δὲ ὁ Τίτος ἐγείρεσθαι μάλιστα τὰς τῶν πολεμούντων προθυμίας ἐλπίδι καὶ λόγῳ, τάς τε προτροπὰς καὶ τὰς ὑποσχέσεις πολλάκις μὲν λήθην ἐνεργάζεσθαι τῶν κινδύνων, ἔστι δʼ ὅτε καὶ θανάτου καταφρόνησιν, συναγαγὼν ἐπὶ ταὐτὸ τοὺς ἀλκίμους ἐπειρᾶτο τῶν ἀνδρῶν, ὦ συστρατιῶται, λέγων, τὸ μὲν παρακελεύειν ἐπὶ τὰ μὴ φέροντα κίνδυνον αὐτόθεν τοῖς παρακελευομένοις ἀκλεές, ἀμέλει δὲ καὶ τῷ παρακελεύοντι φέρει κατάγνωσιν ἀνανδρίας. δεῖ δέ, οἶμαι, προτροπῆς εἰς μόνα τὰ σφαλερὰ τῶν πραγμάτων, ὡς ἐκεῖνά γε καθʼ αὑτοὺς πράττειν ἄξιον. ὥστʼ ἔγωγε τὸ μὲν ὑπάρχειν χαλεπὴν τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος ἄνοδον αὐτὸς ὑμῖν προτίθημι· τὸ δʼ ὅτι μάλιστα προσήκει μάχεσθαι τοῖς δυσκόλοις τοὺς ἀρετῆς ἐφιεμένους καὶ ὅτι καλὸν ἐν εὐκλείᾳ τελευτὴ καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἄκαρπον ἔσται τοῖς καταρξαμένοις τὸ γενναῖον, διέξειμι. πρῶτον μὲν οὖν ὑμῶν γενέσθω προτροπὴ τό τινας ἴσως ἀποτρέπον, ἡ Ἰουδαίων μακροθυμία καὶ τὸ καρτερικὸν ἐν οἷς κακοπαθοῦσιν· αἰσχρὸν γὰρ Ῥωμαίους τε ὄντας καὶ στρατιώτας ἐμούς, καὶ διδακτὸν μὲν ἐν εἰρήνῃ τὸ πολεμεῖν, ἔθιμον δὲ ἐν πολέμῳ τὸ κρατεῖν ἔχοντας, ἡττᾶσθαι κατὰ χεῖρα Ἰουδαίων ἢ κατὰ ψυχήν, καὶ ταῦτα πρὸς τῷ τέλει τῆς νίκης καὶ συνεργουμένους ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ. τὰ γὰρ ἡμέτερα πταίσματα τῆς Ἰουδαίων ἐστὶν ἀπονοίας, τὰ δʼ ἐκείνων πάθη ταῖς τε ὑμετέραις ἀρεταῖς καὶ ταῖς τοῦ θεοῦ συνεργίαις αὔξεται· στάσις γὰρ καὶ λιμὸς καὶ πολιορκία καὶ δίχα μηχανημάτων πίπτοντα τείχη τί ἂν ἀλλʼ ἢ θεοῦ μὲν εἴη μῆνις ἐκείνοις, βοήθεια δὲ ἡμετέρα; τὸ τοίνυν μὴ μόνον ἐλαττοῦσθαι χειρόνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν θείαν συμμαχίαν προδιδόναι πρὸς ἡμῶν οὐκ ἂν εἴη. πῶς δʼ οὐκ αἰσχρὸν Ἰουδαίους μέν, οἷς οὐ πολλὴν αἰσχύνην φέρει τὸ λείπεσθαι μαθοῦσι δουλεύειν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ μηκέτι τοῦτο πάσχειν θανάτου καταφρονεῖν καὶ πολλάκις εἰς μέσους ἡμᾶς ἐκτρέχειν, οὐκ ἐλπίδι τοῦ κρατήσειν ἀλλὰ διὰ ψιλὴν ἐπίδειξιν ἀνδρείας· ὑμᾶς δὲ τοὺς γῆς ὀλίγου δεῖν ἁπάσης καὶ θαλάσσης κρατοῦντας, οἷς καὶ τὸ μὴ νικᾶν ὄνειδος, μηδʼ ἅπαξ εἰς τοὺς πολεμίους παραβάλλεσθαι, περιμένειν δὲ τὸν λιμὸν κατʼ αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν τύχην ἀργοὺς καθεζομένους μετὰ τοιούτων ὅπλων, καὶ ταῦτα διʼ ὀλίγου τοῦ παραβόλου τὸ πᾶν κατορθῶσαι δυναμένους; ἀναβάντες γοῦν ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀντωνίαν ἔχομεν τὴν πόλιν· καὶ γὰρ ἂν γίνηταί τις ἔτι πρὸς τοὺς ἔνδον, ὅπερ οὐκ οἶμαι, μάχη, τό γε κατὰ κορυφὴν εἶναι καὶ ταῖς ἀναπνοαῖς ἐπικαθῆσθαι τῶν πολεμίων ταχέως τὴν ὁλοσχερῆ νίκην ἐγγυᾶται. καὶ ἔγωγε τὸ μὲν ὑμνεῖν ἄρτι τὴν ἐν πολέμῳ τελευτὴν καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀρειμανίοις πεσοῦσιν ἀθανασίαν παραλιπὼν ἐπαρασαίμην ἂν τοῖς ἄλλως ἔχουσι τὸν κατʼ εἰρήνην ἐκ νόσου θάνατον, οἷς μετὰ τοῦ σώματος καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ τάφῳ κατακρίνεται. τίς γὰρ οὐκ οἶδε τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν ὅτι τὰς μὲν ἐν παρατάξει ψυχὰς σιδήρῳ τῶν σαρκῶν ἀπολυθείσας τὸ καθαρώτατον στοιχεῖον αἰθὴρ ξενοδοχῶν ἄστροις ἐγκαθιδρύει, δαίμονες δʼ ἀγαθοὶ καὶ ἥρωες εὐμενεῖς ἰδίοις ἐγγόνοις ἐμφανίζονται, τὰς δὲ ἐν νοσοῦσι τοῖς σώμασι συντακείσας, κἂν τὰ μάλιστα κηλίδων ἢ μιασμάτων ὦσι καθαραί, νὺξ ὑπόγειος ἀφανίζει καὶ λήθη βαθεῖα δέχεται, λαμβανούσας ἅμα τοῦ τε βίου καὶ τῶν σωμάτων ἔτι δὲ τῆς μνήμης περιγραφήν; εἰ δὲ κέκλωσται μὲν ἀνθρώποις ἀναγκαία τελευτή, κουφότερον δὲ εἰς αὐτὴν νόσου πάσης σίδηρος ὑπηρέτης, πῶς οὐκ ἀγεννὲς μὴ διδόναι ταῖς χρείαις ὃ τῷ χρεὼν ἀποδώσομεν; καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὡς οὐ δυναμένων σωθῆναι τῶν ἐπιχειρησόντων διεξῆλθον· ἔνεστι δὲ σώζεσθαι τοῖς ἀνδριζομένοις κἀκ τῶν σφαλερωτάτων. πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ τὸ καταρριφθὲν εὐεπίβατον, ἔπειτα πᾶν τὸ οἰκοδομηθὲν εὐδιάλυτον, ὑμεῖς τε πλείους θαρσήσαντες ἐπὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν ἀλλήλοις προτροπὴ καὶ βοήθεια γίνεσθε, καὶ τοῖς πολεμίοις τὸ ὑμέτερον παράστημα ταχέως κλάσει τὰ φρονήματα. καὶ τάχα ἂν ὑμῖν ἀναίμακτον τὸ κατόρθωμα γένοιτο μόνον καταρξαμένοις· ἀναβαίνοντας μὲν γὰρ κωλύειν πειράσονται κατὰ τὸ εἰκός, λαθόντας δὲ καὶ βιασαμένους ἅπαξ οὐκ ἂν ὑποσταῖεν ἔτι, κἂν ὀλίγοι φθάσητε. τὸν δὲ καταρξάμενον αἰσχυνοίμην ἂν εἰ μὴ ποιήσαιμι ζηλωτὸν ἐν ταῖς ἐπικαρπίαις, καὶ ὁ μὲν ζῶν ἄρξει τῶν νῦν ὁμοίων, μακαριστὰ δʼ ἀκολουθήσει καὶ τοῖς πεσοῦσι τὰ ἀριστεῖα.
54. Upon this speech of Titus, the rest of the multitude were aftrighted at so great a danger. But there was one, whose name was Sabinus, a soldier that served among the cohorts, and a Syrian by birth, who appeared to be of very great fortitude, both in the actions he had done, and the courage of his soul he had shown; although any body would have thought, before he came to his work, that he was of such a weak constitution of body, that he was not fit to be a soldier; for his color was black, his flesh was lean and thin, and lay close together; but there was a certain heroic soul that dwelt in this small body, which body was indeed much too narrow for that peculiar courage which was in him. Accordingly he was the first that rose up, when he thus spake: “I readily surrender up myself to thee, O Caesar; I first ascend the wall, and I heartily wish that my fortune may follow my courage and my resolution And if some ill fortune grudge me the success of my undertaking, take notice that my ill success will not be unexpected, but that I choose death voluntarily for thy sake.” When he had said this, and had spread out his sheild over his head with his left hand, and hill, with his right hand, drawn his sword, he marched up to the wall, just about the sixth hour of the day. There followed him eleven others, and no more, that resolved to imitate his bravery; but still this was the principal person of them all, and went first, as excited by a divine fury. Now those that guarded the wall shot at them from thence, and cast innumerable darts upon them from every side; they also rolled very large stones upon them, which overthrew some of those eleven that were with him. But as for Sabinus himself, he met the darts that were cast at him and though he was overwhelmed with them, yet did he not leave off the violence of his attack before he had gotten up on the top of the wall, and had put the enemy to flight. For as the Jews were astonished at his great strength, and the bravery of his soul, and as, withal, they imagined more of them had got upon the wall than really had, they were put to flight. And now one cannot but complain here of fortune, as still envious at virtue, and always hindering the performance of glorious achievements: this was the case of the man before us, when he had just obtained his purpose; for he then stumbled at a certain large stone, and fell down upon it headlong, with a very great noise. Upon which the Jews turned back, and when they saw him to be alone, and fallen down also, they threw darts at him from every side. However. be got upon his knee, and covered himself with his shield, and at the first defended himself against them, and wounded many of those that came near him; but he was soon forced to relax his right hand, by the multitude of the wounds that had been given him, till at length he was quite covered over with darts before he gave up the ghost. He was one who deserved a better fate, by reason of his bravery; but, as might be expected, he fell under so vast an attempt. As for the rest of his partners, the Jews dashed three of them to pieces with stones, and slew them as they were gotten up to the top of the wall; the other eight being wounded, were pulled down, and carried back to the camp. These things were done upon the third day of the month Panemus [Tamuz].
54. Τοιαῦτα τοῦ Τίτου διεξιόντος τὸ μὲν ἄλλο πλῆθος ἔδεισε τοῦ κινδύνου τὸ μέγεθος, τῶν δʼ ἐν ταῖς σπείραις στρατευομένων Σαβῖνος τοὔνομα, γένος ἀπὸ Συρίας, ἀνὴρ καὶ κατὰ χεῖρα καὶ κατὰ ψυχὴν ἄριστος ἐφάνη. καίτοι προϊδὼν ἄν τις αὐτὸν ἀπό γε τῆς σωματικῆς ἕξεως οὐδʼ εἰκαῖον εἶναι στρατιώτην ἔδοξε· μέλας μὲν γὰρ ἦν τὴν χροίαν, ἰσχνός, τὴν σάρκα πεπιλημένος, ἀλλʼ ἐνῴκει τις ἡρωικὴ ψυχὴ λεπτῷ σώματι καὶ πολὺ τῆς ἰδίας ἀλκῆς στενοτέρῳ. πρῶτος γοῦν ἀναστάς ἐπιδίδωμί σοι, Καῖσαρ, ἔφη, προθύμως ἐμαυτόν. πρῶτος ἀναβαίνω τὸ τεῖχος. καὶ εὔχομαι μέν μου τῇ τε ἰσχύι καὶ τῇ γνώμῃ τὴν σὴν ἀκολουθῆσαι τύχην, εἰ δὲ νεμεσηθείην τῆς ἐπιβολῆς, ἴσθι μή με πταίσαντα παρʼ ἐλπίδας, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ σοῦ κρίσει τὸν θάνατον ᾑρημένον. ταῦτα εἰπὼν καὶ τῇ μὲν ἀριστερᾷ χειρὶ τὸν θυρεὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀνατείνας, τῇ δεξιᾷ δὲ τὸ ξίφος σπασάμενος ἐχώρει πρὸς τὸ τεῖχος περὶ ὥραν μάλιστα τῆς ἡμέρας ἕκτην. εἵποντο δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἕνδεκα μόνοι ζηλωταὶ τῆς ἀνδρείας γενόμενοι· προῆγε δὲ πολὺ πάντων ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁρμῇ τινι δαιμονίῳ χρώμενος. οἱ φρουροὶ δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ τείχους κατηκόντιζόν τε αὐτοὺς καὶ βέλεσι πάντοθεν ἀπείροις ἔβαλλον καὶ πέτρας ἐξαισίους κατεκύλιον, αἳ ἐκ τῶν μὲν ἕνδεκα παρέσυραν ἐνίους, ὁ δὲ Σαβῖνος ἀπαντῶν τοῖς ἀφιεμένοις καὶ καταχωννύμενος ὑπὸ τῶν βελῶν οὐ πρότερον ἐπέσχε τὴν ὁρμὴν ἢ γενέσθαι τε ἐπʼ ἄκρῳ καὶ τρέψασθαι τοὺς πολεμίους· καταπλαγέντες γὰρ αὐτοῦ τήν τε δύναμιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ τὸ παράστημα τῆς ψυχῆς, ἅμα δὲ καὶ πλείους ἀναβεβηκέναι δόξαντες ἐτράπησαν. ἔνθα δὴ καταμέμψαιτʼ ἄν τις ὡς φθονερὰν ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀρεταῖς τὴν τύχην καὶ κωλύουσαν ἀεὶ τὰ παράδοξα τῶν κατορθωμάτων. ὁ γοῦν ἀνὴρ οὗτος ὅτʼ ἐκράτησε τῆς ἐπιβολῆς, ἐσφάλη καὶ πταίσας πρός τινι πέτρᾳ πρηνὴς ἐπʼ αὐτὴν μετὰ μεγίστου ψόφου κατέπεσεν· ἐπιστραφέντες δὲ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ κατιδόντες μόνον τε αὐτὸν καὶ πεπτωκότα, πάντοθεν ἔβαλλον. ὁ δʼ ἐς γόνυ διαναστὰς καὶ προκαλυψάμενος τὸν θυρεὸν τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἠμύνετο καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν πλησιασάντων ἔτρωσεν· αὖθις δʼ ὑπὸ πλήθους τραυμάτων παρῆκε τὴν δεξιὰν καὶ τέλος πρὶν ἀποδοῦναι τὴν ψυχὴν κατεχώσθη τοῖς βέλεσιν, ἀνὴρ ἄξιος μὲν ἀμείνονι χρῆσθαι διʼ ἀνδρείαν καὶ τύχῃ, πεσὼν δὲ τῆς ἐπιβολῆς ἀναλόγως. τῶν δὲ ἄλλων τρεῖς μὲν τοὺς ἤδη πρὸς τοῖς ἄκροις ὄντας συντρίψαντες ἀπέκτειναν τοῖς λίθοις, οἱ δὲ ὀκτὼ τραυματίαι κατασυρέντες ἀνεκομίσθησαν εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν τρίτῃ μηνὸς Πανέμου ἐπράχθη.
68. Now two days afterward twelve of those men that were on the forefront, and kept watch upon the banks, got together, and called to them the standard-bearer of the fifth legion, and two others of a troop of horsemen, and one trumpeter; these went without noise, about the ninth hour of the night, through the ruins, to the tower of Antonia; and when they had cut the throats of the first guards of the place, as they were asleep, they got possession of the wall, and ordered the trumpeter to sound his trumpet. Upon which the rest of the guard got up on the sudden, and ran away, before any body could see how many they were that were gotten up; for, partly from the fear they were in, and partly from the sound of the trumpet which they heard, they imagined a great number of the enemy were gotten up. But as soon as Caesar heard the signal, he ordered the army to put on their armor immediately, and came thither with his commanders, and first of all ascended, as did the chosen men that were with him. And as the Jews were flying away to the temple, they fell into that mine which John had dug under the Roman banks. Then did the seditious of both the bodies of the Jewish army, as well that belonging to John as that belonging to Simon, drive them away; and indeed were no way wanting as to the highest degree of force and alacrity; for they esteemed themselves entirely ruined if once the Romans got into the temple, as did the Romans look upon the same thing as the beginning of their entire conquest. So a terrible battle was fought at the entrance of the temple, while the Romans were forcing their way, in order to get possession of that temple, and the Jews were driving them back to the tower of Antonia; in which battle the darts were on both sides useless, as well as the spears, and both sides drew their swords, and fought it out hand to hand. Now during this struggle the positions of the men were undistinguished on both sides, and they fought at random, the men being intermixed one with another, and confounded, by reason of the narrowness of the place; while the noise that was made fell on the ear after an indistinct manner, because it was so very loud. Great slaughter was now made on both sides, and the combatants trod upon the bodies and the armor of those that were dead, and dashed them to pieces. Accordingly, to which side soever the battle inclined, those that had the advantage exhorted one another to go on, as did those that were beaten make great lamentation. But still there was no room for flight, nor for pursuit, but disorderly revolutions and retreats, while the armies were intermixed one with another; but those that were in the first ranks were under the necessity of killing or being killed, without any way for escaping; for those on both sides that came behind forced those before them to go on, without leaving any space between the armies. At length the Jews’ violent zeal was too hard for the Romans’ skill, and the battle already inclined entirely that way; for the fight had lasted from the ninth hour of the night till the seventh hour of the day, While the Jews came on in crowds, and had the danger the temple was in for their motive; the Romans having no more here than a part of their army; for those legions, on which the soldiers on that side depended, were not come up to them. So it was at present thought sufficient by the Romans to take possession of the tower of Antonia.
68. Μετὰ δʼ ἡμέρας δύο τῶν προκοιτούντων τινὲς ἐπὶ τοῖς χώμασι φυλάκων εἴκοσι συνελθόντες προσποιοῦνται μὲν τὸν τοῦ πέμπτου τάγματος σημαιαφόρον καὶ δύο τινὰς τῶν ἐν ταῖς ἴλαις ἱππέων καὶ σαλπικτὴν ἕνα, κατὰ δὲ ὥραν τῆς νυκτὸς ἐνάτην προσβαίνουσι μὲν ἡσυχῆ διὰ τῶν ἐρειπίων ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀντωνίαν, ἀποσφάξαντες δὲ τοὺς πρώτους τῶν φρουρῶν κοιμωμένους κρατοῦσι τοῦ τείχους καὶ τῷ σαλπικτῇ σημαίνειν ἐκέλευσαν. πρὸς ὃ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων φυλάκων ἐξανάστασις αἰφνίδιος ἦν καὶ φυγὴ πρίν τινα τὸ πλῆθος ἐπιδεῖν τῶν ἐπιβεβηκότων· ὅ τε γὰρ φόβος καὶ ἡ σάλπιγξ φαντασίαν αὐτοῖς τοῦ πλῆθος ἀναβεβηκέναι πολεμίων παρεῖχε. Καῖσαρ δὲ τοῦ σημείου κατακούσας ἐξοπλίζει τήν τε δύναμιν διὰ τάχους καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἡγεμόνων πρῶτος ἀναβαίνει τοὺς ἐπιλέκτους ἔχων. καταπεφευγότων δὲ Ἰουδαίων εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ αὐτοὶ διὰ τῆς διώρυγος εἰσέπιπτον, ἣν ὁ Ἰωάννης ἐπὶ τὰ χώματα τῶν Ῥωμαίων ὑπώρυξε. καὶ διαστάντες ἀπʼ ἀμφοτέρων οἱ στασιασταὶ τῶν ταγμάτων, τοῦ τε Ἰωάννου καὶ τοῦ Σίμωνος, εἶργον αὐτοὺς οὐδεμίαν οὔτε ἰσχύος οὔτε προθυμίας ἐλλείποντες ὑπερβολήν· πέρας γὰρ ἁλώσεως ὑπελάμβανον τὸ Ῥωμαίους παρελθεῖν εἰς τὸ ἅγιον, ὃ δὴ κἀκεῖνοι τοῦ κρατεῖν ἀρχήν. συρρήγνυται δὲ περὶ τὰς εἰσόδους μάχη καρτερά, τῶν μὲν καταλαβέσθαι καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν εἰσβιαζομένων, τῶν δὲ Ἰουδαίων ἐξωθούντων αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀντωνίαν. καὶ τὰ βέλη μὲν ἦν ἀμφοτέροις ἄχρηστα καὶ τὰ δόρατα, σπασάμενοι δὲ τὰ ξίφη συνεπλέκοντο, καὶ περὶ τὴν συμβολὴν ἄκριτον ἦν ὁποτέρωθεν ἕκαστοι μάχοιντο, πεφυρμένων μὲν τῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ περὶ τὴν στενοχωρίαν διηλλαγμένων, τῆς δὲ βοῆς ἀσημάντου προσπιπτούσης διὰ τὸ μέγεθος. φόνος τε ἦν ἑκατέρωθεν πολύς, καὶ τῶν πεσόντων τά τε σώματα καὶ τὰς πανοπλίας πατοῦντες ἔθραυον οἱ μαχόμενοι. ἀεὶ δʼ ἐφʼ ὁπότερον βρίσειεν ῥέων ὁ πόλεμος, παρακέλευσις μὲν ἦν τῶν πλεονεκτούντων, οἰμωγαὶ δὲ τῶν τρεπομένων. οὔτε δὲ αἱ φυγαὶ τόπον εἶχον οὔτε αἱ διώξεις, ἀλλʼ ἀγχώμαλοι ῥοπαὶ καὶ μετακλίσεις μεμιγμένης ἐγίνοντο τῆς παρατάξεως. τοῖς δʼ ἔμπροσθεν γινομένοις ἢ τοῦ θνήσκειν ἢ τοῦ κτείνειν ἀνάγκη παρῆν οὐκ οὔσης ἀναφυγῆς· οἱ γὰρ κατὰ νώτου πρόσω βιαζόμενοι τοὺς σφετέρους παρʼ ἀμφοῖν οὐδὲ τῇ μάχῃ μεταίχμιον κατέλειπον. πλεονεκτούντων δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων τοῖς θυμοῖς τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἐμπειρίαν καὶ κλινομένης καθάπαν ἤδη τῆς παρατάξεως, ἀπὸ γὰρ ἐνάτης ὥρας τῆς νυκτὸς εἰς ἑβδόμην τῆς ἡμέρας ἐπολέμουν, οἱ μὲν ἀθρόοι καὶ τὸν τῆς ἁλώσεως κίνδυνον ἔχοντες ἀνδρείας ἐφόδιον Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ μέρει τῆς δυνάμεως, οὔπω γὰρ ἐπαναβεβήκει τὰ τάγματα, κἀκείνοις ἐπανεῖχον οἱ μαχόμενοι τότε, κρατεῖν τῆς Ἀντωνίας ἀποχρῆν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἐδόκει.
81. But there was one Julian, a centurion, that came from Eithynia, a man he was of great reputation, whom I had formerly seen in that war, and one of the highest fame, both for his skill in war, his strength of body, and the courage of his soul. This man, seeing the Romans giving ground, and ill a sad condition, (for he stood by Titus at the tower of Antonia,) leaped out, and of himself alone put the Jews to flight, when they were already conquerors, and made them retire as far as the corner of the inner court of the temple; from him the multitude fled away in crowds, as supposing that neither his strength nor his violent attacks could be those of a mere man. Accordingly, he rushed through the midst of the Jews, as they were dispersed all abroad, and killed those that he caught. Nor, indeed, was there any sight that appeared more wonderful in the eyes of Caesar, or more terrible to others, than this. However, he was himself pursued by fate, which it all not possible that he, who was but a mortal man, should escape; for as he had shoes all full of thick and sharp nails as had every one of the other soldiers, so when he ran on the pavement of the temple, he slipped, and fell down upon his back with a very great noise, which was made by his armor. This made those that were running away to turn back; whereupon those Romans that were in the tower of Antonia set up a great shout, as they were in fear for the man. But the Jews got about him in crowds, and struck at him with their spears and with their swords on all sides. Now he received a great many of the strokes of these iron weapons upon his shield, and often attempted to get up again, but was thrown down by those that struck at him; yet did he, as he lay along, stab many of them with his sword. Nor was he soon killed, as being covered with his helmet and his breastplate in all those parts of his body where he might be mortally wounded; he also pulled his neck close to his body, till all his other limbs were shattered, and nobody durst come to defend him, and then he yielded to his fate. Now Caesar was deeply affected on account of this man of so great fortitude, and especially as he was killed in the sight of so many people; he was desirous himself to come to his assistance, but the place would not give him leave, while such as could have done it were too much terrified to attempt it. Thus when Julian had struggled with death a great while, and had let but few of those that had given him his mortal wound go off unhurt, he had at last his throat cut, though not without some difficulty, and left behind him a very great fame, not only among the Romans, and with Caesar himself, but among his enemies also; then did the Jews catch up his dead body, and put the Romans to flight again, and shut them up in the tower of Antonia. Now those that most signalized themselves, and fought most zealously in this battle of the Jewish side, were one Alexas and Gyphtheus, of John's party, and of Simon's party were Malachias, and Judas the son of Merto, and James the son of Sosas, the commander of the Idumeans; and of the zealots, two brethren, Simon and Judas, the sons of Jairus.
81. Ἰουλιανὸς δέ τις ἑκατοντάρχης τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς Βιθυνίας, οὐκ ἄσημος ὢν ἀνήρ, ὧν ἐγὼ κατʼ ἐκεῖνον ἱστόρησα τὸν πόλεμον ὅπλων τε ἐμπειρίᾳ καὶ ἀλκῇ σώματος καὶ ψυχῆς παραστήματι πάντων ἄριστος, ὁρῶν τοὺς Ῥωμαίους ἐνδιδόντας ἤδη καὶ κακῶς ἀμυνομένους, παρειστήκει δὲ Τίτῳ κατὰ τὴν Ἀντωνίαν, προπηδᾷ καὶ νικῶντας ἤδη τοὺς Ἰουδαίους τρέπεται μόνος μέχρι τῆς τοῦ ἐνδοτέρω ἱεροῦ γωνίας. ἔφευγε δὲ τὸ πλῆθος ἄθρουν, οὔτε τὴν ἰσχὺν οὔτε τὴν τόλμαν ἀνθρωπίνην ὑπολαμβάνοντες. ὁ δὲ διὰ μέσων τῶν σκεδαννυμένων ἄλλοτε ἄλλῃ διᾴττων ἐφόνευε τοὺς καταλαμβανομένους, καὶ τῆς ὄψεως ἐκείνης οὐδὲν οὔτε τῷ Καίσαρι θαυμασιώτερον οὔτε τοῖς ἄλλοις παρέστη φρικωδέστερον. ἐδιώκετο δὲ ἄρα καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπὸ τῆς εἱμαρμένης, ἣν ἀμήχανον διαφυγεῖν θνητὸν ὄντα. τὰ γὰρ ὑποδήματα πεπαρμένα πυκνοῖς καὶ ὀξέσιν ἥλοις ἔχων, ὥσπερ τῶν ἄλλων στρατιωτῶν ἕκαστος, καὶ κατὰ λιθοστρώτου τρέχων ὑπολισθάνει, πεσὼν δὲ ὕπτιος μετὰ μεγίστου τῆς πανοπλίας ἤχου τοὺς φεύγοντας ἐπιστρέφει. καὶ τῶν μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀντωνίας Ῥωμαίων ἤρθη βοὴ περὶ τἀνδρὶ δεισάντων, οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι περιστάντες αὐτὸν ἀθρόοι τοῖς τε ξυστοῖς καὶ ταῖς ῥομφαίαις πάντοθεν ἔπαιον. ὁ δὲ πολὺν μὲν τῷ θυρεῷ σίδηρον ἐξεδέχετο, πολλάκις δὲ ἀναστῆναι πειράσας ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν τυπτόντων ἀνετράπη, καὶ κείμενος δʼ ὅμως ἔνυττε τῷ ξίφει πολλούς· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀνῃρέθη ταχέως τῷ τε κράνει καὶ τῷ θώρακι πεφραγμένος πάντα τὰ καίρια πρὸς σφαγὴν καὶ τὸν αὐχένα συνέλκων· μέχρι κοπτομένων αὐτῷ τῶν ἄλλων μελῶν καὶ μηδενὸς προσαμῦναι τολμῶντος ἐνέδωκε. δεινὸν δὲ πάθος εἰσῄει Καίσαρα ἀνδρὸς οὕτως ἐναρέτου καὶ ἐν ὄψει τοσούτων φονευομένου· καὶ αὐτὸν μὲν ὁ τόπος διέκλειε βοηθεῖν θέλοντα, τοὺς δυναμένους δὲ κατάπληξις. Ἰουλιανὸς μὲν οὖν πολλὰ δυσθανατήσας καὶ τῶν κτεινόντων ὀλίγους ἀπλῆγας καταλιπὼν μόλις ἀποσφάττεται, μέγιστον οὐ παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις καὶ Καίσαρι μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς πολεμίοις κλέος καταλιπών· Ἰουδαῖοι δὲ καὶ τὸν νεκρὸν ἁρπασάμενοι πάλιν τοὺς Ῥωμαίους τρέπονται καὶ κατακλείουσιν εἰς τὴν Ἀντωνίαν. ἠγωνίσαντο δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐπισήμως κατὰ ταύτην τὴν μάχην Ἀλεξᾶς μέν τις καὶ Γυφθέος τοῦ Ἰωάννου τάγματος, ἐκ δὲ τῶν περὶ Σίμωνα Μαλαχίας τε καὶ ὁ τοῦ Μέρτωνος Ἰούδας, καὶ Σωσᾶ υἱὸς Ἰάκωβος τῶν Ἰδουμαίων ἡγεμών, τῶν δὲ ζηλωτῶν ἀδελφοὶ δύο, παῖδες Ἀρί, Σίμων τε καὶ Ἰούδης.
93. AND now Titus gave orders to his soldiers that were with him to dig up the foundations of the tower of Antonia, and make him a ready passage for his army to come up; while he himself had Josephus brought to him, (for he had been informed that on that very day, which was the seventeenth day of Panemus, [Tamuz,] the sacrifice called “the Daily Sacrifice” had failed, and had not been offered to God, for want of men to offer it, and that the people were grievously troubled at it,) and commanded him to say the same things to John that he had said before, that if he had any malicious inclination for fighting, he might come out with as many of his men as he pleased, in order to fight, without the danger of destroying either his city or temple; but that he desired he would not defile the temple, nor thereby offend against God. That he might, if he pleased, offer the sacrifices which were now discontinuned by any of the Jews whom he should pitch upon. Upon this Josephus stood in such a place where he might be heard, not by John only, but by many more, and then declared to them what Caesar had given him in charge, and this in the Hebrew language. So he earnestly prayed them to spare their own city, and to prevent that fire which was just ready to seize upon the temple, and to offer their usual sacrifices to God therein. At these words of his a great sadness and silence were observed among the people. But the tyrant himself cast many reproaches upon Josephus, with imprecations besides; and at last added this withal, that he did never fear the taking of the city, because it was God's own city. In answer to which Josephus said thus with a loud voice: “To be sure thou hast kept this city wonderfully pure for God's sake; the temple also continues entirely unpolluted! Nor hast thou been guilty of ally impiety against him for whose assistance thou hopest! He still receives his accustomed sacrifices! Vile wretch that thou art! if any one should deprive thee of thy daily food, thou wouldst esteem him to be an enemy to thee; but thou hopest to have that God for thy supporter in this war whom thou hast deprived of his everlasting worship; and thou imputest those sins to the Romans, who to this very time take care to have our laws observed, and almost compel these sacrifices to be still offered to God, which have by thy means been intermitted! Who is there that can avoid groans and lamentations at the amazing change that is made in this city? since very foreigners and enemies do now correct that impiety which thou hast occasioned; while thou, who art a Jew, and wast educated in our laws, art become a greater enemy to them than the others. But still, John, it is never dishonorable to repent, and amend what hath been done amiss, even at the last extremity. Thou hast an instance before thee in Jechoniah, the king of the Jews, if thou hast a mind to save the city, who, when the king of Babylon made war against him, did of his own accord go out of this city before it was taken, and did undergo a voluntary captivity with his family, that the sanctuary might not be delivered up to the enemy, and that he might not see the house of God set on fire; on which account he is celebrated among all the Jews, in their sacred memorials, and his memory is become immortal, and will be conveyed fresh down to our posterity through all ages. This, John, is an excellent example in such a time of danger, and I dare venture to promise that the Romans shall still forgive thee. And take notice that I, who make this exhortation to thee, am one of thine own nation; I, who am a Jew, do make this promise to thee. And it will become thee to consider who I am that give thee this counsel, and whence I am derived; for while I am alive I shall never be in such slavery, as to forego my own kindred, or forget the laws of our forefathers. Thou hast indignation at me again, and makest a clamor at me, and reproachest me; indeed I cannot deny but I am worthy of worse treatment than all this amounts to, because, in opposition to fate, I make this kind invitation to thee, and endeavor to force deliverance upon those whom God hath condemned. And who is there that does not know what the writings of the ancient prophets contain in them, - and particularly that oracle which is just now going to be fulfilled upon this miserable city? For they foretold that this city should be then taken when somebody shall begin the slaughter of his own countrymen. And are not both the city and the entire temple now full of the dead bodies of your countrymen? It is God, therefore, it is God himself who is bringing on this fire, to purge that city and temple by means of the Romans, and is going to pluck up this city, which is full of your pollutions.”
93. Τίτος δὲ τοῖς μὲν σὺν αὐτῷ στρατιώταις κατασκάπτειν προσέταξε τοὺς θεμελίους τῆς Ἀντωνίας καὶ τῇ δυνάμει πάσῃ ῥᾳδίαν τὴν ἄνοδον εὐτρεπίζειν, αὐτὸς δὲ τὸν Ἰώσηπον παραστησάμενος· ἐπέπυστο γὰρ ἐπʼ ἐκείνης τῆς ἡμέρας, Πανέμου δʼ ἦν ἑπτακαιδεκάτη, τὸν ἐνδελεχισμὸν καλούμενον ἀνδρῶν ἀπορίᾳ διαλελοιπέναι τῷ θεῷ καὶ τὸν δῆμον ἐπὶ τούτῳ δεινῶς ἀθυμεῖν· λέγειν τῷ Ἰωάννῃ πάλιν ἐκέλευσεν ἃ καὶ πρότερον, ὡς εἰ καί τις αὐτὸν ἔρως κακὸς ἔχοι τοῦ μάχεσθαι, προελθόντι μεθʼ ὅσων βούλεται πολεμεῖν ἐξείη δίχα τοῦ συναπολέσθαι τήν τε πόλιν καὶ τὸν ναὸν αὐτῷ, μηκέτι μέντοι μιαίνειν τὸ ἅγιον μηδὲ εἰς τὸν θεὸν πλημμελεῖν, παρεῖναι δʼ αὐτῷ τὰς ἐπιλελοιπυίας θυσίας ἐκτελεῖν διʼ ὧν ἂν ἐπιλέξηται Ἰουδαίων. καὶ ὁ Ἰώσηπος, ὡς ἂν εἴη μὴ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς πολλοῖς ἐν ἐπηκόῳ, τά τε τοῦ Καίσαρος διήγγελλεν ἑβραΐζων, καὶ πολλὰ προσηντιβόλει φείσασθαι τῆς πατρίδος καὶ διασκεδάσαι τοῦ ναοῦ γευόμενον ἤδη τὸ πῦρ, τούς τʼ ἐναγισμοὺς ἀποδοῦναι τῷ θεῷ. πρὸς ταῦτα τοῦ δήμου μὲν ἦν κατήφεια καὶ σιγή, πολλὰ δʼ ὁ τύραννος λοιδορηθείς τε τῷ Ἰωσήπῳ καὶ καταρασάμενος τὸ τελευταῖον προσέθηκεν, ὡς οὐκ ἄν ποτε δείσειεν ἅλωσιν· θεοῦ γὰρ ὑπάρχειν τὴν πόλιν. καὶ ὁ Ἰώσηπος πρὸς ταῦτα ἀνέκραγεν πάνυ γοῦν καθαρὰν τῷ θεῷ τετήρηκας αὐτήν, ἀμίαντον δὲ μένει τὸ ἅγιον, εἰς ὅν τʼ ἐλπίζεις σύμμαχον οὐδὲν ἠσέβησας, τὰς δʼ ἐθίμους θυσίας ἀπολαμβάνει. κἂν μὲν σοῦ τις ἀφέλῃ τὴν καθʼ ἡμέραν τροφήν, ἀσεβέστατε, τοῦτον ἥγησαι πολέμιον, αὐτὸν δʼ ὃν τῆς αἰωνίου θρησκείας ἐστέρησας θεὸν ἐλπίζεις σύμμαχον ἔχειν ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ; καὶ Ῥωμαίοις τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἀνατίθης, οἳ μέχρι νῦν κήδονται τῶν ἡμετέρων νόμων καὶ τὰς ὑπὸ σοῦ διακοπείσας θυσίας ἀποδίδοσθαι τῷ θεῷ βιάζονται; τίς οὐκ ἂν στενάξειε καὶ κατολοφύραιτο τῆς παραδόξου μεταβολῆς τὴν πόλιν, εἴ γε ἀλλόφυλοι μὲν καὶ πολέμιοι τὴν σὴν ἀσέβειαν ἐπανορθοῦνται, σὺ δʼ ὁ Ἰουδαῖος, ὁ τοῖς νόμοις ἐντραφείς, κἀκείνων πρὸς αὐτοὺς γίνῃ χαλεπώτερος; ἀλλά τοι, Ἰωάννη, καὶ μετανοῆσαι μὲν ἐκ κακῶν οὐκ αἰσχρὸν ἐν ἐσχάτοις καὶ καλὸν ὑπόδειγμα βουλομένῳ σώζειν τὴν πατρίδα σοι πρόκειται βασιλεὺς Ἰουδαίων Ἰεχονίας, ὅς ποτε στρατεύσαντι τῷ Βαβυλωνίῳ διʼ αὐτὸν ἑκὼν ἐξέστη πρὶν ἁλῶναι τῆς πόλεως καὶ μετὰ γενεᾶς αἰχμαλωσίαν ὑπέμεινεν ἐθελούσιον ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ παραδοῦναι ταῦτα πολεμίοις τὰ ἅγια καὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ περιιδεῖν φλεγόμενον. διὰ τοῦτο λόγος τε αὐτὸν πρὸς ἁπάντων Ἰουδαίων ἱερὸς ὑμνεῖ καὶ μνήμη ῥέουσα διʼ αἰῶνος ἀεὶ νέα τοῖς ἐπιγινομένοις παραδίδωσιν ἀθάνατον. καλόν, ὦ Ἰωάννη, ὑπόδειγμα, κἂν προσῇ κίνδυνος· ἐγὼ δέ σοι καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ Ῥωμαίων συγγνώμην ἐγγυῶμαι. μέμνησο δʼ ὡς ὁμόφυλος ὢν παραινῶ καὶ Ἰουδαῖος ὢν ἐπαγγέλλομαι, καὶ χρὴ σκοπεῖν τίς ὁ συμβουλεύων καὶ πόθεν. μὴ γὰρ ἔγωγέ ποτε γενοίμην ζῶν οὕτως αἰχμάλωτος, ἵνα παύσωμαι τοῦ γένους ἢ τῶν πατρίων ἐπιλάθωμαι. πάλιν ἀγανακτεῖς καὶ κέκραγάς μοι λοιδορούμενος, ἀξίῳ γε καὶ χαλεπωτέρων, ὃς ἀντικρὺς εἱμαρμένης τι παραινῶ καὶ τοὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ βιάζομαι κατακρίτους σώζειν. τίς οὐκ οἶδεν τὰς τῶν παλαιῶν προφητῶν ἀναγραφὰς καὶ τὸν ἐπιρρέποντα τῇ τλήμονι πόλει χρησμὸν ἤδη ἐνεστῶτα; τότε γὰρ ἅλωσιν αὐτῆς προεῖπον, ὅταν ὁμοφύλου τις ἄρξῃ φόνου. τῶν ὑμετέρων δὲ πτωμάτων οὐχ ἡ πόλις καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν δὲ πᾶν πεπλήρωται; θεὸς ἄρα, θεὸς αὐτὸς ἐπάγει μετὰ Ῥωμαίων κάθαρσιν αὐτῷ πῦρ καὶ τὴν τοσούτων μιασμάτων γέμουσαν πόλιν ἀναρπάζει.
111. As Josephus spoke these words, with groans and tears in his eyes, his voice was intercepted by sobs. However, the Romans could not but pity the affliction he was under, and wonder at his conduct. But for John, and those that were with him, they were but the more exasperated against the Romans on this account, and were desirous to get Josephus also into their power: yet did that discourse influence a great many of the better sort; and truly some of them were so afraid of the guards set by the seditious, that they tarried where they were, but still were satisfied that both they and the city were doomed to destruction. Some also there were who, watching a proper opportunity when they might quietly get away, fled to the Romans, of whom were the high priests Joseph and Jesus, and of the sons of high priests three, whose father was Ishmael, who was beheaded in Cyrene, and four sons of Matthias, as also one son of the other Matthias, who ran away after his father's death, and whose father was slain by Simon the son of Gioras, with three of his sons, as I have already related; many also of the other nobility went over to the Romans, together with the high priests. Now Caesar not only received these men very kindly in other respects, but, knowing they would not willingly live after the customs of other nations, he sent them to Gophna, and desired them to remain there for the present, and told them, that when he was gotten clear of this war, he would restore each of them to their possessions again; so they cheerfully retired to that small city which was allotted them, without fear of any danger. But as they did not appear, the seditious gave out again that these deserters were slain by the Romans, which was done in order to deter the rest from running away, by fear of the like treatment. This trick of theirs succeeded now for a while, as did the like trick before; for the rest were hereby deterred from deserting, by fear of the like treatment.
111. Ταῦτα λέγων ὁ Ἰώσηπος μετʼ ὀδυρμοῦ καὶ δακρύων λυγμῷ τὴν φωνὴν ἐνεκόπη. καὶ Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν ᾤκτειράν τε τοῦ πάθους καὶ τῆς προαιρέσεως αὐτὸν ἐθαύμασαν, οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἰωάννην παρωξύνοντο μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τοὺς Ῥωμαίους ἐπιθυμοῦντες ἐγκρατεῖς γενέσθαι κἀκείνου. τῶν γε μὴν εὐγενῶν πολλοὺς ἐκίνησεν ὁ λόγος, καὶ τινὲς μὲν ὀρρωδοῦντες τὰς φυλακὰς τῶν στασιαστῶν κατὰ χώραν ἔμενον, ἀπώλειαν μέντοι σφῶν τε αὐτῶν καὶ τῆς πόλεως κατεγνώκεσαν, εἰσὶ δὲ οἳ καιροφυλακήσαντες ἄδειαν ἀναχωρήσεως πρὸς τοὺς Ῥωμαίους κατέφυγον. ὧν ἦσαν ἀρχιερεῖς μὲν Ἰώσηπός τε καὶ Ἰησοῦς, υἱοὶ δὲ ἀρχιερέων τρεῖς μὲν Ἰσμαήλου τοῦ καρατομηθέντος ἐν Κυρήνῃ, καὶ τέσσαρες Ματθίου καὶ εἷς ἑτέρου Ματθίου, διαδρὰς μετὰ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς ἀπώλειαν, ὃν ὁ τοῦ Γιώρα Σίμων ἀπέκτεινεν σὺν τρισὶν υἱοῖς, ὡς προείρηται. πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων εὐγενῶν τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσι συμμετεβάλοντο. Καῖσαρ δὲ αὐτοὺς τά τε ἄλλα φιλοφρόνως ἐδέξατο καὶ γινώσκων ἀλλοφύλοις ἤθεσιν ἀηδῆ τὴν διατριβὴν ἕξειν ἀπέπεμψεν αὐτοὺς εἰς Γόφναν, τέως ἐκεῖ παραινῶν μένειν· ἀποδώσειν γὰρ ἑκάστῳ τὰς κτήσεις κατὰ σχολὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ πολέμου γενόμενος. οἱ μὲν οὖν εἰς τὸ δοθὲν πολίχνιον μετὰ πάσης ἀσφαλείας ἀνεχώρουν ἄσμενοι· μὴ φαινομένων δὲ αὐτῶν διεφήμισαν οἱ στασιασταὶ πάλιν ὡς ἀποσφαγεῖεν ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων οἱ αὐτόμολοι, δηλονότι τοὺς λοιποὺς ἀποτρέποντες τῷ φόβῳ διαδιδράσκειν. ἤνυστο δʼ ὡς καὶ πρότερον αὐτοῖς τὸ πανοῦργον πρὸς καιρόν· ἐπεσχέθησαν γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ δέους αὐτομολεῖν.