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Now, so long as he rode along the straight road which led to the
wall of the city, nobody appeared out of the gates; but when he went out
of that road, and declined towards the tower Psephinus, and led the band
of horsemen obliquely, an immense number of the Jews leaped out suddenly
at the towers called the "Women's Towers," through that gate
which was over against the monuments of queen Helena, and intercepted his
horse; and standing directly opposite to those that still ran along the
road, hindered them from joining those that had declined out of it. They
intercepted Titus also, with a few other. Now it was here impossible for
him to go forward, because all the places had trenches dug in them from
the wall, to preserve the gardens round about, and were full of gardens
obliquely situated, and of many hedges; and to return back to his own men,
he saw it was also impossible, by reason of the multitude of the enemies
that lay between them; many of whom did not so much as know that the king
was in any danger, but supposed him still among them. So he perceived that
his preservation must be wholly owing to his own courage, and turned his
horse about, and cried out aloud to those that were about him to follow
him, and ran with violence into the midst of his enemies, in order to force
his way through them to his own men. And hence we may principally learn,
that both the success of wars, and the dangers that kings
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are in, are under the providence of God; for while such a number of darts
were thrown at Titus, when he had neither his head-piece on, nor his breastplate,
(for, as I told you, he went out not to fight, but to view the city,) none
of them touched his body, but went aside without hurting him; as if all
of them missed him on purpose, and only made a noise as they passed by
him. So he diverted those perpetually with his sword that came on his side,
and overturned many of those that directly met him, and made his horse
ride over those that were overthrown. The enemy indeed made a shout at
the boldness of Caesar, and exhorted one another to rush upon him. Yet
did these against whom he marched fly away, and go off from him in great
numbers; while those that were in the same danger with him kept up close
to him, though they were wounded both on their backs and on their sides;
for they had each of them but this one hope of escaping, if they could
assist Titus in opening himself a way, that he might not be encompassed
round by his enemies before he got away from them. Now there were two of
those that were with him, but at some distance; the one of which the enemy
compassed round, and slew him with their darts, and his horse also; but
the other they slew as he leaped down from his horse, and carried off his
horse with them. But Titus escaped with the rest, and came safe to the
camp. So this success of the Jews' first attack raised their minds, and
gave them an ill-grounded hope; and this short inclination of fortune,
on their side, made them very courageous for the future.