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[410]
These things were told Vespasian by deserters; for although the seditious
watched all the passages out of the city, and destroyed all, whosoever
they were, that came thither, yet were there some that had concealed themselves,
and when they had fled to the Romans, persuaded their general to come to
their city's assistance, and save the remainder of the people; informing
him withal, that it was upon account of the people's good-will to the Romans
that many of them were already slain, and the survivors in danger of the
same treatment. Vespasian did indeed already pity the calamities these
men were in, and arose, in appearance, as though he was going to besiege
Jerusalem, but in reality to deliver them from a [worse] siege they were
already under. However, he was obliged first to overthrow what remained
elsewhere, and to leave nothing out of Jerusalem behind him that might
interrupt him in that siege. Accordingly, he marched against Gadara, the
metropolis of Perea, which was a place of strength, and entered that city
on the fourth day of the month Dystrus [Adar]; for the men of power had
sent an embassage to him, without the knowledge of the seditious, to treat
about a surrender; which they did out of the desire they had of peace,
and for saving their effects, because many of the citizens of Gadara were
rich men. This embassy the opposite party knew nothing of, but discovered
it as Vespasian was approaching near the city. However, they despaired
of keeping possession of the city, as being inferior in number to their
enemies who were within the city, and seeing the Romans very near to the
city; so they resolved to fly, but thought it dishonorable to do it without
shedding some blood, and revenging themselves on the authors of this surrender;
so they seized upon Dolesus, (a person not only the first in rank and family
in that city, but one that seemed the occasion of sending such an embassy,)
and slew him, and treated his dead body after a barbarous manner, so very
violent was their anger at him, and then ran out of the city. And as now
the Roman army was just upon them, the people of Gadara admitted Vespasian
with joyful acclamations, and received from him the security of his right
hand, as also a garrison of horsemen and footmen, to guard them against
the excursions of the runagates; for as to their wall, they had pulled
it down before the Romans desired them so to do, that they might thereby
give them assurance that they were lovers of peace, and that, if they had
a mind, they could not now make war against them.
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