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[265]
But this calamity of the Jews' friends, who fell in this battle,
grieved them, as did also this plundering of the money dedicated to God
in the temple. Accordingly, that body of them which continued best together,
and was the most warlike, encompassed the palace, and threatened to set
fire to it, and kill all that were in it. Yet still they commanded them
to go out presently, and promised, that if they would do so, they would
not hurt them, nor Sabinus neither; at which time the greatest part of
the king's troops deserted to them, while Rufus and Gratus, who had three
thousand of the most warlike of Herod's army with them, who were men of
active bodies, went over to the Romans. There was also a band of horsemen
under the command of Ruffis, which itself went over to the Romans also.
However, the Jews went on with the siege, and dug mines under the palace
walls, and besought those that were gone over to the other side not to
be their hinderance, now they had such a proper opportunity for the recovery
of their country's ancient liberty; and for Sabinus, truly he was desirous
of going away with his soldiers, but was not able to trust himself with
the enemy, on account of what mischief he had already done them; and he
took this great [pretended] lenity of theirs for an argument why he should
not comply with them; and so, because he expected that Varus was coming,
he still bore the siege.
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