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[71]
Now when hitherto the several parties in the city had been dashing
one against another perpetually, this foreign war, now suddenly come upon
them after a violent manner, put the first stop to their contentions one
against another; and as the seditious now saw with astonishment the Romans
pitching three several camps, they began to think of an awkward sort of
concord, and said one to another, "What do we here, and what do we
mean, when we suffer three fortified walls to be built to coop us in, that
we shall not be able to breathe freely? while the enemy is securely building
a kind of city in opposition to us, and while we sit still within our own
walls, and become spectators only of what they are doing, with our hands
idle, and our armor laid by, as if they were about somewhat that was for
our good and advantage. We are, it seems, (so did they cry out,) only courageous
against ourselves, while the Romans are likely to gain the city without
bloodshed by our sedition." Thus did they encourage one another when
they were gotten together, and took their armor immediately, and ran out
upon the tenth legion, and fell upon the Romans with great eagerness, and
with a prodigious shout, as they were fortifying their camp. These Romans
were caught in different parties, and this in order to perform their several
works, and on that account had in great measure laid aside their arms;
for they thought the Jews would not have ventured to make a sally upon
them; and had they been disposed so to do, they supposed their sedition
would have distracted them. So they were put into disorder unexpectedly;
when some of hem left their works they were about, and immediately marched
off, while many ran to their arms, but were smitten and slain before they
could turn back upon the enemy. The Jews became still more and more in
number, as encouraged by the good success of those that first made the
attack; and while they had such good fortune, they seemed both to themselves
and to the enemy to be many more than they really were. The disorderly
way of their fighting at first put the Romans also to a stand, who had
been constantly used to fight skillfully in good order, and with keeping
their ranks, and obeying the orders that were given them; for which reason
the Romans were caught unexpectedly, and were obliged to give way to the
assaults that were made upon them. Now when these Romans were overtaken,
and turned back upon the Jews, they put a stop to their career; yet when
they did not take care enough of themselves through the vehemency of their
pursuit, they were wounded by them; but as still more and more Jews sallied
out of the city, the Romans were at length brought into confusion, and
put to fight, and ran away from their camp. Nay, things looked as though
the entire legion would have been in danger, unless Titus had been informed
of the case they were in, and had sent them succors immediately. So he
reproached them for their cowardice, and brought those back that were running
away, and fell himself upon the Jews on their flank, with those select
troops that were with him, and slew a considerable number, and wounded
more of them, and put them all to flight, and made them run away hastily
down the valley. Now as these Jews suffered greatly in the declivity of
the valley, so when they were gotten over it, they turned about, and stood
over against the Romans, having the valley between them, and there fought
with them. Thus did they continue the fight till noon; but when it was
already a little after noon, Titus set those that came to the assistance
of the Romans with him, and those that belonged to the cohorts, to prevent
the Jews from making any more sallies, and then sent the rest of the legion
to the upper part of the mountain, to fortify their camp.
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