THE WARS OF THE JEWS
OR
THE HISTORY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM
Book V: Chapter 9
TITUS WHEN THE JEWS WERE NOT AT ALL
MOLLIFIED BY HIS LEAVING OFF THE SIEGE FOR A WHILE,
SET HIMSELF AGAIN TO PROSECUTE THE SAME; BUT SOON SENT
JOSEPHUS TO DISCOURSE WITH HIS OWN COUNTRYMEN ABOUT
PEACE.
1. A RESOLUTION was now taken by Titus to relax the
siege for a little while, and to afford the seditious
an interval for consideration, and to see whether the
demolishing of their second wall would not make them a
little more compliant, or whether they were not
somewhat afraid of a famine, because the spoils they
had gotten by rapine would not be sufficient for them
long; so he made use of this relaxation in order to
compass his own designs. Accordingly, as the usual
appointed time when he must distribute subsistence
money to the soldiers was now come, he gave orders
that the commanders should put the army into
battle-array, in the face of the enemy, and then give
every one of the soldiers their pay. So the soldiers,
according to custom, opened the cases wherein their
arms before lay covered, and marched with their
breastplates on, as did the horsemen lead their horses
in their fine trappings. Then did the places that were
before the city shine very splendidly for a great way;
nor was there any thing so grateful to Titus's own
men, or so terrible to the enemy, as that sight. For
the whole old wall, and the north side of the temple,
were full of spectators, and one might see the houses
full of such as looked at them; nor was there any part
of the city which was not covered over with their
multitudes; nay, a very great consternation seized
upon the hardiest of the Jews themselves, when they
saw all the army in the same place, together with the
fineness of their arms, and the good order of their
men. And I cannot but think that the seditious would
have changed their minds at that sight, unless the
crimes they had committed against the people had been
so horrid, that they despaired of forgiveness from the
Romans; but as they believed death with torments must
be their punishment, if they did not go on in the
defense of the city, they thought it much better to
die in war. Fate also prevailed so far over them, that
the innocent were to perish with the guilty, and the
city was to be destroyed with the seditious that were
in it.
2. Thus did the Romans spend four days in bringing
this subsistence-money to the several legions. But on
the fifth day, when no signs of peace appeared to come
from the Jews, Titus divided his legions, and began to
raise banks, both at the tower of Antonia and at
John's monument. Now his designs were to take the
upper city at that monument, and the temple at the
tower of Antonia; for if the temple were not taken, it
would be dangerous to keep the city itself; so at each
of these parts he raised him banks, each legion
raising one. As for those that wrought at John's
monument, the Idumeans, and those that were in arms
with Simon, made sallies upon them, and put some stop
to them; while John's party, and the multitude of
zealots with them, did the like to those that were
before the tower of Antonia. These Jews were now too
hard for the Romans, not only in direct fighting,
because they stood upon the higher ground, but because
they had now learned to use their own engines; for
their continual use of them one day after another did
by degrees improve their skill about them; for of one
sort of engines for darts they had three hundred, and
forty for stones; by the means of which they made it
more tedious for the Romans to raise their banks. But
then Titus, knowing that the city would be either
saved or destroyed for himself, did not only proceed
earnestly in the siege, but did not omit to have the
Jews exhorted to repentance; so he mixed good counsel
with his works for the siege. And being sensible that
exhortations are frequently more effectual than arms,
he persuaded them to surrender the city, now in a
manner already taken, and thereby to save themselves,
and sent Josephus to speak to them in their own
language; for he imagined they might yield to the
persuasion of a countryman of their own.
3. So Josephus went round about the wall, and tried
to find a place that was out of the reach of their
darts, and yet within their hearing, and besought
them, in many words, to spare themselves, to spare
their country and their temple, and not to be more
obdurate in these cases than foreigners themselves;
for that the Romans, who had no relation to those
things, had a reverence for their sacred rites and
places, although they belonged to their enemies, and
had till now kept their hands off from meddling with
them; while such as were brought up under them, and,
if they be preserved, will be the only people that
will reap the benefit of them, hurry on to have them
destroyed. That certainly they have seen their
strongest walls demolished, and that the wall still
remaining was weaker than those that were already
taken. That they must know the Roman power was
invincible, and that they had been used to serve them;
for, that in case it be allowed a right thing to fight
for liberty, that ought to have been done at first;
but for them that have once fallen under the power of
the Romans, and have now submitted to them for so many
long years, to pretend to shake off that yoke
afterward, was the work of such as had a mind to die
miserably, not of such as were lovers of liberty.
Besides, men may well enough grudge at the dishonor of
owning ignoble masters over them, but ought not to do
so to those who have all things under their command;
for what part of the world is there that hath escaped
the Romans, unless it be such as are of no use for
violent heat, or for violent cold? And evident it is
that fortune is on all hands gone over to them; and
that God, when he had gone round the nations with this
dominion, is now settled in Italy. That, moreover, it
is a strong and fixed law, even among brute beasts, as
well as among men, to yield to those that are too
strong for them; and to stiffer those to have the
dominion who are too hard for the rest in war; for
which reason it was that their forefathers, who were
far superior to them, both in their souls and bodies,
and other advantages, did yet submit to the Romans,
which they would not have suffered, had they not known
that God was with them. As for themselves, what can
they depend on in this their opposition, when the
greatest part of their city is already taken? and when
those that are within it are under greater miseries
than if they were taken, although their walls be still
standing? For that the Romans are not unacquainted
with that famine which is in the city, whereby the
people are already consumed, and the fighting men will
in a little time be so too; for although the Romans
should leave off the siege, and not fall upon the city
with their swords in their hands, yet was there an
insuperable war that beset them within, and was
augmented every hour, unless they were able to wage
war with famine, and fight against it, or could alone
conquer their natural appetites. He added this
further, how right a thing it was to change their
conduct before their calamities were become incurable,
and to have recourse to such advice as might preserve
them, while opportunity was offered them for so doing;
for that the Romans would not be mindful of their past
actions to their disadvantage, unless they persevered
in their insolent behavior to the end; because they
were naturally mild in their conquests, and preferred
what was profitable, before what their passions
dictated to them; which profit of theirs lay not in
leaving the city empty of inhabitants, nor the country
a desert; on which account Caesar did now offer them
his right hand for their security. Whereas, if he took
the city by force, he would not save any of them, and
this especially, if they rejected his offers in these
their utmost distresses; for the walls that were
already taken could not but assure them that the third
wall would quickly be taken also. And though their
fortifications should prove too strong for the Romans
to break through them, yet would the famine fight for
the Romans against them.
4. While Josephus was making this exhortation to
the Jews, many of them jested upon him from the wall,
and many reproached him; nay, some threw their darts
at him: but when he could not himself persuade them by
such open good advice, he betook himself to the
histories belonging to their own nation, and cried out
aloud, "O miserable creatures! are you so unmindful of
those that used to assist you, that you will fight by
your weapons and by your hands against the Romans?
When did we ever conquer any other nation by such
means? and when was it that God, who is the Creator of
the Jewish people, did not avenge them when they had
been injured? Will not you turn again, and look back,
and consider whence it is that you fight with such
violence, and how great a Supporter you have profanely
abused? Will not you recall to mind the prodigious
things done for your forefathers and this holy place,
and how great enemies of yours were by him subdued
under you? I even tremble myself in declaring the
works of God before your ears, that are unworthy to
hear them; however, hearken to me, that you may be
informed how you fight not only against the Romans,
but against God himself. In old times there was one
Necao, king of Egypt, who was also called Pharaoh; he
came with a prodigious army of soldiers, and seized
queen Sarah, the mother of our nation. What did
Abraham our progenitor then do? Did he defend himself
from this injurious person by war, although he had
three hundred and eighteen captains under him, and an
immense army under each of them? Indeed he deemed them
to be no number at all without God's assistance, and
only spread out his hands towards this holy place,
which you have now polluted, and reckoned upon him as
upon his invincible supporter, instead of his own
army. Was not our queen sent back, without any
defilement, to her husband, the very next evening? -
while the king of Egypt fled away, adoring this place
which you have defiled by shedding thereon the blood
of your own countrymen; and he also trembled at those
visions which he saw in the night season, and bestowed
both silver and gold on the Hebrews, as on a people
beloved by God. Shall I say nothing, or shall I
mention the removal of our fathers into Egypt, who,
when they were used tyrannically, and were fallen
under the power of foreign kings for four hundred ears
together, and might have defended themselves by war
and by fighting, did yet do nothing but commit
themselves to God! Who is there that does not know
that Egypt was overrun with all sorts of wild beasts,
and consumed by all sorts of distempers? how their
land did not bring forth its fruit? how the Nile
failed of water? how the ten plagues of Egypt followed
one upon another? and how by those means our fathers
were sent away under a guard, without any bloodshed,
and without running any dangers, because God conducted
them as his peculiar servants? Moreover, did not
Palestine groan under the ravage the Assyrians made,
when they carried away our sacred ark? as did their
idol Dagon, and as also did that entire nation of
those that carried it away, how they were smitten with
a loathsome distemper in the secret parts of their
bodies, when their very bowels came down together with
what they had eaten, till those hands that stole it
away were obliged to bring it back again, and that
with the sound of cymbals and timbrels, and other
oblations, in order to appease the anger of God for
their violation of his holy ark. It was God who then
became our General, and accomplished these great
things for our fathers, and this because they did not
meddle with war and fighting, but committed it to him
to judge about their affairs. When Sennacherib, king
of Assyria, brought along with him all Asia, and
encompassed this city round with his army, did he fall
by the hands of men? were not those hands lifted up to
God in prayers, without meddling with their arms, when
an angel of God destroyed that prodigious army in one
night? when the Assyrian king, as he rose the next
day, found a hundred fourscore and five thousand dead
bodies, and when he, with the remainder of his army,
fled away from the Hebrews, though they were unarmed,
and did not pursue them. You are also acquainted with
the slavery we were under at Babylon, where the people
were captives for seventy years; yet were they not
delivered into freedom again before God made Cyrus his
gracious instrument in bringing it about; accordingly
they were set free by him, and did again restore the
worship of their Deliverer at his temple. And, to
speak in general, we can produce no example wherein
our fathers got any success by war, or failed of
success when without war they committed themselves to
God. When they staid at home, they conquered, as
pleased their Judge; but when they went out to fight,
they were always disappointed: for example, when the
king of Babylon besieged this very city, and our king
Zedekiah fought against him, contrary to what
predictions were made to him by Jeremiah the prophet,
he was at once taken prisoner, and saw the city and
the temple demolished. Yet how much greater was the
moderation of that king, than is that of your present
governors, and that of the people then under him, than
is that of you at this time! for when Jeremiah cried
out aloud, how very angry God was at them, because of
their transgressions, and told them they should be
taken prisoners, unless they would surrender up their
city, neither did the king nor the people put him to
death; but for you, (to pass over what you have done
within the city, which I am not able to describe as
your wickedness deserves,) you abuse me, and throw
darts at me, who only exhort you to save yourselves,
as being provoked when you are put in mind of your
sins, and cannot bear the very mention of those crimes
which you every day perpetrate. For another example,
when Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, lay before
this city, and had been guilty of many indignities
against God, and our forefathers met him in arms, they
then were slain in the battle, this city was plundered
by our enemies, and our sanctuary made desolate for
three years and six months. And what need I bring any
more examples? Indeed what can it be that hath stirred
up an army of the Romans against our nation? Is it not
the impiety of the inhabitants? Whence did our
servitude commence? Was it not derived from the
seditions that were among our forefathers, when the
madness of Aristobulus and Hyrcanus, and our mutual
quarrels, brought Pompey upon this city, and when God
reduced those under subjection to the Romans who were
unworthy of the liberty they had enjoyed? After a
siege, therefore, of three months, they were forced to
surrender themselves, although they had not been
guilty of such offenses, with regard to our sanctuary
and our laws, as you have; and this while they had
much greater advantages to go to war than you have. Do
not we know what end Antigonus, the son of Aristobulus,
came to, under whose reign God provided that this city
should be taken again upon account of the people's
offenses? When Herod, the son of Antipater, brought
upon us Sosius, and Sosius brought upon us the Roman
army, they were then encompassed and besieged for six
months, till, as a punishment for their sins, they
were taken, and the city was plundered by the enemy.
Thus it appears that arms were never given to our
nation, but that we are always given up to be fought
against, and to be taken; for I suppose that such as
inhabit this holy place ought to commit the disposal
of all things to God, and then only to disregard the
assistance of men when they resign themselves up to
their Arbitrator, who is above. As for you, what have
you done of those things that are recommended by our
legislator? and what have you not done of those things
that he hath condemned? How much more impious are you
than those who were so quickly taken! You have not
avoided so much as those sins that are usually done in
secret; I mean thefts, and treacherous plots against
men, and adulteries. You are quarrelling about rapines
and murders, and invent strange ways of wickedness.
Nay, the temple itself is become the receptacle of
all, and this Divine place is polluted by the hands of
those of our own country; which place hath yet been
reverenced by the Romans when it was at a distance
from them, when they have suffered many of their own
customs to give place to our law. And, after all this,
do you expect Him whom you have so impiously abused to
be your supporter? To be sure then you have a right to
be petitioners, and to call upon Him to assist you, so
pure are your hands! Did your king [Hezekiah] lift up
such hands in prayer to God against the king of
Assyria, when he destroyed that great army in one
night? And do the Romans commit such wickedness as did
the king of Assyria, that you may have reason to hope
for the like vengeance upon them? Did not that king
accept of money from our king on this condition, that
he should not destroy the city, and yet, contrary to
the oath he had taken, he came down to burn the
temple? while the Romans do demand no more than that
accustomed tribute which our fathers paid to their
fathers; and if they may but once obtain that, they
neither aim to destroy this city, nor to touch this
sanctuary; nay, they will grant you besides, that your
posterity shall be free, and your possessions secured
to you, and will preserve our holy laws inviolate to
you. And it is plain madness to expect that God should
appear as well disposed towards the wicked as towards
the righteous, since he knows when it is proper to
punish men for their sins immediately; accordingly he
brake the power of the Assyrians the very first night
that they pitched their camp. Wherefore, had he judged
that our nation was worthy of freedom, or the Romans
of punishment, he had immediately inflicted punishment
upon those Romans, as he did upon the Assyrians, when
Pompey began to meddle with our nation, or when after
him Sosius came up against us, or when Vespasian laid
waste Galilee, or, lastly, when Titus came first of
all near to this city; although Magnus and Sosius did
not only suffer nothing, but took the city by force;
as did Vespasian go from the war he made against you
to receive the empire; and as for Titus, those springs
that were formerly almost dried up when they were
under your power since he is come, run more
plentifully than they did before; accordingly, you
know that Siloam, as well as all the other springs
that were without the city, did so far fail, that
water was sold by distinct measures; whereas they now
have such a great quantity of water for your enemies,
as is sufficient not only for drink both for
themselves and their cattle, but for watering their
gardens also. The same wonderful sign you had also
experience of formerly, when the forementioned king of
Babylon made war against us, and when he took the
city, and burnt the temple; while yet I believe the
Jews of that age were not so impious as you are.
Wherefore I cannot but suppose that God is fled out of
his sanctuary, and stands on the side of those against
whom you fight. Now even a man, if he be but a good
man, will fly from an impure house, and will hate
those that are in it; and do you persuade yourselves
that God will abide with you in your iniquities, who
sees all secret things, and hears what is kept most
private? Now what crime is there, I pray you, that is
so much as kept secret among you, or is concealed by
you? nay, what is there that is not open to your very
enemies? for you show your transgressions after a
pompous manner, and contend one with another which of
you shall be more wicked than another; and you make a
public demonstration of your injustice, as if it were
virtue. However, there is a place left for your
preservation, if you be willing to accept of it; and
God is easily reconciled to those that confess their
faults, and repent of them. O hard-hearted wretches as
you are! cast away all your arms, and take pity of
your country already going to ruin; return from your
wicked ways, and have regard to the excellency of that
city which you are going to betray, to that excellent
temple with the donations of so many countries in it.
Who could bear to be the first that should set that
temple on fire? who could be willing that these things
should be no more? and what is there that can better
deserve to be preserved? O insensible creatures, and
more stupid than are the stones themselves! And if you
cannot look at these things with discerning eyes, yet,
however, have pity upon your families, and set before
every one of your eyes your children, and wives, and
parents, who will be gradually consumed either by
famine or by war. I am sensible that this danger will
extend to my mother, and wife, and to that family of
mine who have been by no means ignoble, and indeed to
one that hath been very eminent in old time; and
perhaps you may imagine that it is on their account
only that I give you this advice; if that be all, kill
them; nay, take my own blood as a reward, if it may
but procure your preservation; for I am ready to die,
in case you will but return to a sound mind after my
death."
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