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[258]
But Josephus, understanding the meaning of Vespasian's contrivance,
set the old men, together with those that were tired out, at the sound
parts of the wall, as expecting no harm from those quarters, but set the
strongest of his men at the place where the wall was broken down, and before
them all six men by themselves, among whom he took his share of the first
and greatest danger. He also gave orders, that when the legions made a
shout, they should stop their ears, that they might not be affrighted at
it, and that, to avoid the multitude of the enemy's darts, they should
bend down on their knees, and cover themselves with their shields, and
that they should retreat a little backward for a while, till the archers
should have emptied their quivers; but that When the Romans should lay
their instruments for ascending the walls, they should leap out on the
sudden, and with their own instruments should meet the enemy, and that
every one should strive to do his best, in order not to defend his own
city, as if it were possible to be preserved, but in order to revenge it,
when it was already destroyed; and that they should set before their eyes
how their old men were to be slain, and their children and wives were to
be killed immediately by the enemy; and that they would beforehand spend
all their fury, on account of the calamities just coming upon them, and
pour it out on the actors.
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