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[128]
These harangues of John's corrupted a great part of the young men,
and puffed them up for the war; but as to the more prudent part, and those
in years, there was not a man of them but foresaw what was coming, and
made lamentation on that account, as if the city was already undone; and
in this confusion were the people. But then it must be observed, that the
multitude that came out of the country were at discord before the Jerusalem
sedition began; for Titus went from Gischala to Cesates, and Vespasian
from Cesarea to Jamnia and Azotus, and took them both; and when he had
put garrisons into them, he came back with a great number of the people,
who were come over to him, upon his giving them his right hand for their
preservation. There were besides disorders and civil wars in every city;
and all those that were at quiet from the Romans turned their hands one
against another. There was also a bitter contest between those that were
fond of war, and those that were desirous for peace. At the first this
quarrelsome temper caught hold of private families, who could not agree
among themselves; after which those people that were the dearest to one
another brake through all restraints with regard to each other, and every
one associated with those of his own opinion, and began already to stand
in opposition one to another; so that seditions arose every where, while
those that were for innovations, and were desirous of war, by their youth
and boldness, were too hard for the aged and prudent men. And, in the first
place, all the people of every place betook themselves to rapine; after
which they got together in bodies, in order to rob the people of the country,
insomuch that for barbarity and iniquity those of the same nation did no
way differ from the Romans; nay, it seemed to be a much lighter thing to
be ruined by the Romans than by themselves.
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