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[207]
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.
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