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[527]
But now Cestius, observing that the disturbances that were begun
among the Jews afforded him a proper opportunity to attack them, took his
whole army along with him, and put the Jews to flight, and pursued them
to Jerusalem. He then pitched his camp upon the elevation called Scopus,
[or watch-tower,] which was distant seven furlongs from the city; yet did
not he assault them in three days' time, out of expectation that those
within might perhaps yield a little; and in the mean time he sent out a
great many of his soldiers into neighboring villages, to seize upon their
corn. And on the fourth day, which was the thirtieth of the month Hyperbereteus,
[Tisri,] when he had put his army in array, he brought it into the city.
Now for the people, they were kept under by the seditious; but the seditious
themselves were greatly affrighted at the good order of the Romans, and
retired from the suburbs, and retreated into the inner part of the city,
and into the temple. But when Cestius was come into the city, he set the
part called Bezetha, which is called Cenopolis, [or the new city,] on fire;
as he did also to the timber market; after which he came into the upper
city, and pitched his camp over against the royal palace; and had he but
at this very time attempted to get within the walls by force, he had won
the city presently, and the war had been put an end to at once; but Tyrannius
Priseus, the muster-master of the army, and a great number of the officers
of the horse, had been corrupted by Florus, and diverted him from that
his attempt; and that was the occasion that this war lasted so very long,
and thereby the Jews were involved in such incurable calamities.
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