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[213]
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.
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