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Proceed with the history of the siege.

In spite of all the efforts of the Jews, the siege advanced; a vast battering-ram was brought forwards upon the embankment; the first blow of this tremendous engine caused the wall to shake to its foundations, and a wail of terror ascended from the terrified inhabitants of the city. But confidence was soon restored; sacks filled with straw were let down from the battlements to break the force of the blows; and by a desperate sally, the Jews succeeded in burning many of the offensive engines of the Romans. It was on this occasion, that Eleazar, a Galilean, the son of Sameas, devoted himself with heroic valour to die for his country. Hurling a great stone from the wall with the utmost precision, he struck off the iron head of the battering-ram, and though totally destitute of defensive armour, he instantly leaped from the wall into the very midst of the enemy to obtain the possession of his prize. Though wounded by five arrows, he succeeded in again reaching his companions on the wall, where with the head of the battering-ram still clasped in his arms he dropped down dead, to the admiration both of his enemies and friends. The rest of the siege consisted of a repetition of desperate attacks by the Romans, repelled by proportionate resolution on the part of the besieged. On one occasion, Vespasian himself was wounded, and his whole army were actuated by an overwhelming desire to avenge themselves for their sufferings and fatigue, by the destruction of the band of warriors, who had so often baffled all their skill and successfully resisted all their power. A furious_attempt of the Romans to enter the city was baffled as much by the contrivance of Josephus as by the bravery of his troops. When his men were almost overpowered, boiling oil, which he had in readiness, was poured upon the column of the Romans, many of whom died the most horrible death. The planks, too, upon which the enemy was advancing, Josephus had covered with a liquid prepared from a kind of herb, which rendered them so slippery, that it was equally impossible to advance or to retreat. These stratagems gave such advantage to the Jews, that the indignant Romans were in the end compelled to retire to their camp, with the loss of a great number of their men.

How was Jotapata taken by the Romans?

Vast towers were erected upon the great embankment considerably higher than the wall, and none of the Jews could appear without being killed by the constant shower of darts and stones. Their numbers were fearfully reduced; they were exhausted by the watching of the night and the fighting of the day; and though they still sternly resisted the immense army of the besiegers, it was evident that their efforts were only the last convulsive struggles of despair. A deserter acquainted Vespasian with the defenceless condition of the Jews; and though the traitor was suspected, his information was confirmed by so many circumstances, that the very next morning was appointed for the final assault. Concealed by a thick mist, the Romans silently approached the city; Titus, the son, and afterwards the successor, of Vespasian, was the foremost in the assault; the shouts of the soldiers within the walls, and the actual commencement of the carnage, aroused the wearied Jews from their slumbers; the citadel was taken; the Romans, exasperated by the obstinate defence of the besieged, furiously charged along the streets of the city; numbers of the Jews were hurled down the precipices or suffocated in the narrow lanes; others destroyed each other or themselves to escape from the sword of the conquerors, and every man, woman, and child who could be found, were numbered with the dead. The next day the carnage was renewed. A considerable number of the Jews had concealed themselves in caverns, the Romans diligently sought them out, killed all the men, and made the women and children prisoners.

What became of Josephus on the capture of Jotapata?

Josephus had not, however, yet been discovered. When he perceived that all resistance was unavailing, and that he was on the point of perishing in the promiscuous massacre, he leaped into a dry well, and found a cavern branching from the side, in which forty citizens of Jotapata had taken refuge, and stored their hiding-place with provisions sufficient for several days. On the first night, he stole out into the city, hoping to discover some avenue for escape, the vigilance of the

Romans rendered this impossible, and he was compelled to return. The capture of a woman, who had been in the cavern, betrayed his lurking place. Vespasian instantly sent two tribunes to offer him life and friendship, on condition of his surrender. But he refused. A third tribune was sent, Nicanor, with whom he had been formerly acquainted. Josephus found that he had no time for delay, for the Roman soldiers were preparing to suffocate all the inmates of the cavern by throwing fire into the well. He consented to surrender. But his companions became enraged; they accused him of baseness and of treachery; they told him, that now was the time for him to prove the sincerity of his former protestations of patriotism and religion; and they threatened him with instant death if he attempted to escape. If his own account of this extraordinary affair is to be credited, he appears to have retained, in the most signal manner, his presence of mind on this most appalling emergency. He first attempted to entice them from their bloody purpose by arguing upon the sin and folly of suicide; but the Jotapatans were in no humour to be either affected by his declamation or convinced by his arguments; as a last resource, he proposed that they should cast lots who should kill his companion, until they were all exterminated. They accepted the proposal, they were all slain, with the exception of Josephus and one other man. This survivor was induced to accept the proffered mercy of the Romans, and both immediately gave themselves up to the party waiting to receive them. Josephus was instantly conducted to Vespasian, and the whole army crowded to gaze upon the distinguished man who, for the period of forty-seven days, aided by troops into whom he had inspired his own ardour, had arrested the career of the most powerful army, and of the most celebrated general of the Roman world. The personal appearance of Josephus corresponded with his heroic actions, and he seems directly to have conciliated the regard of Titus, and of the principal generals of the army. His conduct when he was admitted into the presence of Vespasian, proves that he was either an enthusiast, a courtier, or a prophet. He at once assumed the power of predicting future events; he opposed to the decision of Ves

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pasian to send him to Nero at Rome, an authoritative declaration, that both the general and his son Titus would be elevated to the imperial throne; "Keep me,' said he, as your prisoner, and if you find that I have abused God's name in promising you from him the empire of the world, then punish me with the severest death." Vespasian was either gratified with flattery so adroitly administered, or designed to render Josephus useful to him in the prosecution of the war; for he instantly acceded to his request, and though he retained him a close prisoner, he treated him with remarkable kindness and generosity.

What is to be understood of this prediction of Josephus concerning the exaltation of Vespasian to the imperial power?

That Josephus was no enthusiast, is evident from the whole tenor of his character, and from his adaptation of every event to the accomplishment of his personal designs-that he was not a prophet, requires no demonstration; his sagacity, his knowledge of the actual state of the Roman empire, and of the universal detestation which prevailed against Nero, so execrable as a monarch and a man, might easily induce him most confidently to assert the certain imperial elevation of a man like Vespasian, possessed at that time of the greatest military talents, the most splendid military reputation, and the most formidable military power in the world-the fact must have been, that he assumed a character to which he had no claim; that he made a blasphemous use of the name of God; and that a transaction of such a character, and for such a purpose, tarnishes his memory with the darkest dishonour.

SECTION V.

THE SAME CONTINUED.

WHAT events followed the capture of Jotapata?

THE storm and slaughter of Jotapata in which forty thousand Jews had fallen, were preceded by other events most disastrous in themselves, and ominous to the nation. Vespatian sent Trajan, one of his generals, to form the siege of Japha, a city strongly situated and fortified. The inhabitants boldly came out from their gates to assail the Romans; they were put to flight and chased with great slaughter; the city was encompassed with two walls; the fugitives hastily got within the first, when they perceived that their fellow-townsmen had closed the gates of the second to prevent the entrance of the Romans; a horrible scene of desperation, carnage, and suicide ensued, and twelve thousand men were slain. Trajan, perceiving that the town could not hold out, in consequence of the destruction of so large a portion of the garrison, sent for Titus to receive the honour of its final reduction. The Romans advanced to the assault, and the besieged abandoned the wall in dismay. But a desperate struggle took place in the streets; for six whole hours the Japhians maintained the bloody conflict with unshrinking resolution; their defeat was followed by another massacre, and upwards of fifteen thousand Galileans were again destroyed.

Were the Samaritans exempt from the calamities of the Jews?

The Samaritans were not exempt from the calamities of the Jews. Upon mount Gerizim they assembled to defend themselves from the invading Romans. Cerealis, at the head of a powerful detachment of the Romans, completely surrounded them; it was the heat of summer; there was no water upon the mountain; many of the miserable Samaritans died in the torments of raging thirst; and the remainder, to the number of eleven

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