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[177]
BUT now the seditious that were in the temple did every day openly
endeavor to beat off the soldiers that were upon the banks, and on the
twenty-seventh day of the forenamed month [Panemus or Tamuz] contrived
such a stratagem as this: They filled that part of the western cloister
1 which
was between the beams, and the roof under them, with dry materials, as
also with bitumen and pitch, and then retired from that place, as though
they were tired with the pains they had taken; at which procedure of theirs,
many of the most inconsiderate among the Romans, who were carried away
with violent passions, followed hard after them as they were retiring,
and applied ladders to the cloister, and got up to it suddenly; but the
prudent part of them, when they understood this unaccountable retreat of
the Jews, stood still where they were before. However, the cloister was
full of those that were gone up the ladders; at which time the Jews set
it all on fire; and as the flame burst out every where on the sudden, the
Romans that were out of the danger were seized with a very great consternation,
as were those that were in the midst of the danger in the utmost distress.
So when they perceived themselves surrounded with the flames, some of them
threw themselves down backwards into the city, and some among their enemies
[in the temple]; as did many leap down to their own men, and broke their
limbs to pieces; but a great number of those that were going to take these
violent methods were prevented by the fire; though some prevented the fire
by their own swords. However, the fire was on the sudden carried so far
as to surround those who would have otherwise perished. As for Caesar himself,
he could not, however, but commiserate those that thus perished, although
they got up thither without any order for so doing, since there was no
way of giving the many relief. Yet was this some comfort to those that
were destroyed, that every body might see that person grieve, for whose
sake they came to their end; for he cried out openly to them, and leaped
up, and exhorted those that were about him to do their utmost to relieve
them; So every one of them died cheerfully, as carrying along with him
these words and this intention of Caesar as a sepulchral monument. Some
there were indeed who retired into the wall of the cloister, which was
broad, and were preserved out of the fire, but were then surrounded by
the Jews; and although they made resistance against the Jews for a long
time, yet were they wounded by them, and at length they all fell down dead.
1 Of the court of the Gentiles.
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