the wars of the jews-第94部分

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ere　not　then　put　in　use。　And　the　night　itself　had　much　ado　to　part　them；　when　they　began　to　fight　in　the　morning；　nay；　the　night　itself　was　passed　without　sleep　on　both　sides；　and　was　more　uneasy　than　the　day　to　them；　while　the　one　was　　　afraid　lest　the　wall　should　be　taken；　and　the　other　lest　the　Jews　should　make　sallies　upon　their　camps；　both　sides　also　lay　in　their　armor　during　the　night　time；　and　thereby　were　ready　at　the　first　appearance　of　light　to　go　to　the　battle。　Now　among　the　Jews　the　ambition　was　who　should　　　undergo　the　first　dangers；　and　thereby　gratify　their　　　commanders。　Above　all；　they　had　a　great　veneration　and　　　dread　of　Simon；　and　to　that　degree　was　he　regarded　by　　　every　one　of　those　that　were　under　him；　that　at　his　　　command　they　were　very　ready　to　kill　themselves　with　their　own　hands。　What　made　the　Romans　so　courageous　was　　　their　usual　custom　of　conquering　and　disuse　of　being　　　defeated；　their　constant　wars；　and　perpetual　warlike　　　exercises；　and　the　grandeur　of　their　dominion；　and　what　　　was　now　their　chief　encouragement　…Titus　who　was　present　every　where　with　them　all；　for　it　appeared　a　terrible　thing　to　grow　weary　while　Caesar　was　there；　and　fought　bravely　as　well　as　they　did；　and　was　himself　at　once　an　eye…witness　of　such　as　behaved　themselves　valiantly；　and　he　who　was　to　　　reward　them　also。　It　was；　besides；　esteemed　an　advantage　at　present　to　have　any　one's　valor　known　by　Caesar；　on　　　which　account　many　of　them　appeared　to　have　more　　　alacrity　than　strength　to　answer　it。　And　now；　as　the　Jews　were　about　this　time　standing　in　array　before　the　wall；　and　that　in　a　strong　body；　and　while　both　parties　were　throwing　their　darts　at　each　other；　Longinus；　one　of　the　equestrian　order；　leaped　out　of　the　army　of　the　Romans；　and　leaped　　　into　the　very　midst　of　the　army　of　the　Jews；　and　as　they　dispersed　themselves　upon　the　attack；　he　slew　two　of　their　men　of　the　greatest　courage；　one　of　them　he　struck　in　his　mouth　as　he　was　coming　to　meet　him；　the　other　was　slain　　　by　him　by　that　very　dart　which　he　drew　out　of　the　body　of　the　other；　with　which　he　ran　this　man　through　his　side　as　he　was　running　away　from　him；　and　when　he　had　done　　　this；　he　first　of　all　ran　out　of　the　midst　of　his　enemies　to　his　own　side。　So　this　man　signalized　himself　for　his　valor；　and　many　there　were　who　were　ambitious　of　gaining　the　like　　　reputation。　And　now　the　Jews　were　unconcerned　at　what　　　they　suffered　themselves　from　the　Romans；　and　were　only　　　solicitous　about　what　mischief　they　could　do　them；　and　　　death　itself　seemed　a　small　matter　to　them；　if　at　the　same　time　they　could　but　kill　any　one　of　their　enemies。　But　Titus　took　care　to　secure　his　own　soldiers　from　harm；　as　well　as　to　have　them　overcome　their　enemies。　He　also　said　that　　　inconsiderate　violence　was　madness；　and　that　this　alone　　　was　the　true　courage　that　was　joined　with　good　conduct。　　　He　therefore　commanded　his　men　to　take　care；　when　they　　　fought　their　enemies；　that　they　received　no　harm　from　them　at　the　same　time；　and　thereby　show　themselves　to　be　truly　valiant　men。　　　　　　4。　And　now　Titus　brought　one　of　his　engines　to　the　middle　tower　of　the　north　part　of　the　wall；　in　which　a　certain　crafty　Jew；　whose　name　was　Castor；　lay　in　ambush；　with　ten　　　others　like　himself；　the　rest　being　fled　away　by　reason　of　the　archers。　These　men　lay　still　for　a　while；　as　in　great　fear；　under　their　breastplates；　but　when　the　tower　was　shaken；　they　arose；　and　Castor　did　then　stretch　out　his　hand；　as　a　petitioner；　and　called　for　Caesar；　and　by　his　voice　moved　his　compassion；　and　begged　of　him　to　have　mercy　upon　　　them；　and　Titus；　in　the　innocency　of　his　heart；　believing　him　to　be　in　earnest；　and　hoping　that　the　Jews　did　now　repent；　stopped　the　working　of　the　battering　ram；　and　forbade　them　to　shoot　at　the　petitioners；　and　bid　Castor　say　what　he　had　a　mind　to　say　to　him。　He　said　that　he　would　come　down；　if　he　would　give　him　his　right　hand　for　his　security。　To　which　Titus　replied；　that　he　was　well　pleased　with　such　his　　　agreeable　conduct；　and　would　be　well　pleased　if　all　the　　　Jews　would　be　of　his　mind；　and　that　he　was　ready　to　give　the　like　security　to　the　city。　Now　five　of　the　ten　dissembled　with　him；　and　pretended　to　beg　for　mercy；　while　the　rest　cried　out　aloud　that　they　would　never　be　slaves　to　the　　　Romans；　while　it　was　in　their　power　to　die　in　a　state　of　freedom。　Now　while　these　men　were　quarrelling　for　a　long　while；　the　attack　was　delayed；　Castor　also　sent　to　Simon；　and　told　him　that　they　might　take　some　time　for　consultation　about　what　was　to　be　done；　because　he　would　elude　the　　　power　of　the　Romans　for　a　considerable　time。　And　at　the　　　same　time　that　he　sent　thus　to　him；　he　appeared　openly　to　exhort　those　that　were　obstinate　to　accept　of　Titus's　hand　for　their　security；　but　they　seemed　very　angry　at　it；　and　brandished　their　naked　swords　upon　the　breast…works；　and　struck　themselves　upon　their　breast；　and　fell　down　as　if　they　had　been　slain。　Hereupon　Titus；　and　those　with　him；　were　amazed　at　the　courage　of　the　men；　and　as　they　were　　　not　able　to　see　exactly　what　was　done；　they　admired　at　　　their　great　fortitude；　and　pitied　their　calamity。　During　this　interval；　a　certain　person　shot　a　dart　at　Castor；　and　　　wounded　him　in　his　nose；　whereupon　he　presently　pulled　　　out　the　dart；　and　showed　it　to　Titus；　and　complained　that　this　was　unfair　treatment；　so　Caesar　reproved　him　that　shot　the　dart；　and　sent　Josephus；　who　then　stood　by　him；　to　　　give　his　right　hand　to　Castor。　But　Josephus　said　that　he　would　not　go　to　him；　because　these　pretended　petitioners　meant　nothing　that　was　good；　he　also　restrained　those　　　friends　of　his　who　were　zealous　to　go　to　him。　But　still　there　was　one　Eneas；　a　deserter；　who　said　he　would　go　to　him。　　　Castor　also　called　to　them；　that　somebody　should　come　　　and　receive　the　money　which　he　had　with　him；　this　made　　　Eneas　the　more　earnestly　to　run　to　him　with　his　bosom　　　open。　Then　did　Castor　take　up　a　great　stone；　and　threw　it　at　him；　which　missed　him；　because　he　guarded　himself　　　against　it；　but　still　it　wounded　another　soldier　that　was　coining　to　him。　When　Caesar　understood　that　this　was　a　　　delusion；　he　perceived　that　mercy　in　war　is　a　pernicious　thing；　because　such　cunning　tricks　have　less　place　under　the　exercise　of　greater　severity。　So　he　caused　the　engine　to　work　more　strongly　than　before；　on　account　of　his　anger　at　the　deceit　put　upon　him。　But　Castor　and　his　companions　　　set　the　tower　on　fire　when　it　began　to　give　way；　and　leaped　through　the　flame　into　a　hidden　vault　that　was　under　it；　which　made　the　Romans　further　suppose　that　they　were　　　men　of　great　courage；　as　having　cast　themselves　into　the　fire。　　　　　　CHAPTER　8。　　　　　　　　　　　　How　The　Romans　Took　The　Second　Wall　Twice；　　　And　Got　All　Ready　For　Taking　The　Third　Wall。　　　　　　1。　Now　Caesar　took　this　wall　there　on　the　fifth　day　after　he　had　taken　the　first；　and　when　the　Jews　had　fled　from　him；　he　entered　into　it　with　a　thousand　armed　men；　and　those　of　his　choice　troops；　and　this　at　a　place　where　were　the　　　merchants　of　wool；　the　braziers；　and　the　market　for　cloth；　and　where　the　narrow　streets　led　obliquely　to　the　wall。　　　Wherefore；　if　Titus　had　either　demolished　a　larger　part　of　the　wall　immediately；　or　had　come　in；　and；　according　to　the　law　of　war；　had　laid　waste　what　was　left；　his　victory　would　not；　I　suppose；　have　been　mixed　with　any　loss　to　himself。　But　now；　out　of　the　hope　he　had　that　he　should　make　the　　　Jews　ashamed　of　their　obstinacy；　by　not　being　willing；　when　he　was　able；　to　afflict　them　more　than　he　needed　to　do；　he　did　not　widen　the　breach　of　the　wall；　in　order　to　make　a　safer　retreat　upon　occasion；　for　he　did　not　think　they　would　lay　snares　for　him　that　did　them　such　a　kindness。　When　　　therefore　he　came　in；　he　did　not　permit　his　soldiers　to　kill　any　of　those　they　caught；　nor　to　set　fire　to　their　houses　neither；　nay；　he　gave　leave　to　the　seditious；　if　they　had　a　mind；　to　fight　without　any　harm　to　the　people；　and　promised　to　restore　the　people's　effects　to　them；　for　he　was　very　desirous　to　preserve　the　city　for　his　own　sake；　and　the　　　temple　for　the　sake　of　the　city。　As　to　the　people；　he　had　them　of　a　long　time　ready　to　comply　with　his　proposals；　but　as　to　the　fighting　men；　this　humanity　of　his　seemed　a　mark　of　his　weakness；　and　they　imagined　that　he　made　these　　　proposals　because　he　was　not　able　to　take　the　rest　of　the　city。　They　also　threatened　death　to　the　people；　if　they　　　should　any　one　of　them　say　a　word　about　a　surrender。　　　They　moreover　cut　the　throats　of　such　as　talked　of　a　peace；　and　then　attacked　those　Romans　that　were　come　within　the　wall。　Some　of　them　they　met　in　the　narrow　streets；　and　　　some　they　fought　against　from　their　houses；　while　they　　　made　a　sudden　sally　out　at　the　upper　gates；　and　assaulted　such　Romans　as　were　beyond　the　wall；　till　those　that　　　guarded　the　wall　were　so　aftrighted；　that　they　leaped　down　from　their　towers；　and　retired　to　their　several　camps：　upon　which　a　great　noise　was　made　by　the　Romans　that　were　　　within；　because　they　were　encompassed　round　on　every　　　side　by　their　enemies；　as　also　by　them　that　were　without；　because　they　were　in　fear　for　those　that　were　left　in　the　city。　Thus　did　the　Jews　grow　more　numerous　perpetually；　　　and　had　great　advantages　over　the　Romans；　by　their　full　　　knowledge　of　those　narrow　lanes；　and　they　wounded　a　　　great　many　of　them；　and　fell　upon　them；　and　drove　them　　　out　of　the　city。　Now　these　Romans　were　at　present　forced　to　make　the　best　resistance　they　could；　for　they　were　not　able；　in　great　numbers；　to　get　out　at　the　breach　in　the　wall；　it　was　so　narrow。　It　is　also　probable　that　all　those　that　were　gotten　within　had　been　cut　to　pieces；　if　Titus　had　not　sent　them　succors；　for　he　ordered　the　archers　to　stand　at　the　upper　ends　of　these　narrow　lakes；　and　he　stood　himself　　　where　was　the　greatest　multitude　of　his　enemies；　and　with　his　darts　he　put　a　stop　to　them；　as　with　him　did　Domitius　Sabinus　also；　a　valiant　man；　and　one　that　in　this　battle　appeared　so　to　be。　Thus　did　Caesar　continue　to　shoot　darts　at　the　Jews　continually；　and　to　hinder　them　from　coming　　　upon　his　men；　and　this　until　all　his　soldiers　had　retreated　out　of　the　city。　　　　　　2。　And　thus　were　the　Romans　driven　out；　after　they　had　　　possessed　themselves　of　the　second　wall。　Whereupon　the　　　fighting　men　that　wer