the wars of the jews-第59部分

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gin　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。

18。　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。

19。　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。

20。　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。

21。　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。

22。　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。

23。　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；　an