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[342]
And thus were the Romans driven out, after they had possessed themselves
of the second wall. Whereupon the fighting men that were in the city were
lifted up in their minds, and were elevated upon this their good success,
and began to think that the Romans would never venture to come into the
city any more; and that if they kept within it themselves, they should
not be any more conquered. For God had blinded their minds for the transgressions
they had been guilty of, nor could they see how much greater forces the
Romans had than those that were now expelled, no more than they could discern
how a famine was creeping upon them; for hitherto they had fed themselves
out of the public miseries, and drank the blood of the city. But now poverty
had for a long time seized upon the better part, and a great many had died
already for want of necessaries; although the seditious indeed supposed
the destruction of the people to be an easement to themselves; for they
desired that none others might be preserved but such as were against a
peace with the Romans, and were resolved to live in opposition to them,
and they were pleased when the multitude of those of a contrary opinion
were consumed, as being then freed from a heavy burden. And this was their
disposition of mind with regard to those that were within the city, while
they covered themselves with their armor, and prevented the Romans, when
they were trying to get into the city again, and made a wall of their own
bodies over against that part of the wall that was cast down. Thus did
they valiantly defend themselves for three days; but on the fourth day
they could not support themselves against the vehement assaults of Titus
but were compelled by force to fly whither they had fled before; so he
quietly possessed himself again of that wall, and demolished it entirely.
And when he had put a garrison into the towers that were on the south parts
of the city, he contrived how he might assault the third wall.
1
1 TITUS WHEN THE JEWS WERE NOT AT ALL MOLLIFIED BY HIS LEAVING OFF THE SIEGE FOR A WHILE, SET HIMSELF AGAIN TO PROSECUTE THE SAME; BUT SOON SENT JOSEPHUS TO DISCOURSE WITH HIS OWN COUNTRYMEN ABOUT PEACE.
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