Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

The Wars of the Jews; or the history of the destruction of Jerusalem by Flavius Josephus
page 344 of 753 (45%)
the coverings of their tents to pieces, that were upon their
banks, and set fire to their works. And this was the manner in
which he never left off fighting, neither the next day, nor the
day after it, but went on with it for a considerable number of
both days and nights.

18. Upon this, Vespasian, when he saw the Romans distressed by
these sallies, (though they were ashamed to be made to run away
by the Jews; and when at any time they made the Jews run away,
their heavy armor would not let them pursue them far; while the
Jews, when they had performed any action, and before they could
be hurt themselves, still retired into the city,) ordered his
armed men to avoid their onset, and not fight it out with men
under desperation, while nothing is more courageous than despair;
but that their violence would be quenched when they saw they
failed of their purposes, as fire is quenched when it wants fuel;
and that it was proper for the Romans to gain their victories as
cheap as they could, since they are not forced to fight, but only
to enlarge their own dominions. So he repelled the Jews in great
measure by the Arabian archers, and the Syrian slingers, and by
those that threw stones at them, nor was there any intermission
of the great number of their offensive engines. Now the Jews
suffered greatly by these engines, without being able to escape
from them; and when these engines threw their stones or javelins
a great way, and the Jews were within their reach, they pressed
hard upon the Romans, and fought desperately, without sparing
either soul or body, one part succoring another by turns, when it
was tired down.

19. When, therefore, Vespasian looked upon himself as in a manner
DigitalOcean Referral Badge