us indeed supposed the destruction of
the people to be an easement to themselves, for they desired that none
others might be preserved but such as were against a peace with the
Romans, and were resolved to live in opposition to them, and they were
pleased when the multitude of those of a contrary opinion were consumed,
as being then freed from a heavy burden. And this was their disposition
of mind with regard to those that were within the city, while they
covered themselves with their armor, and prevented the Romans, when they
were trying to get into the city again, and made a wall of their own
bodies over against that part of the wall that was cast down.

Thus did they valiantly defend themselves for three days; but on the
fourth day they could not support themselves against the vehement
assaults of Titus, but were compelled by force to fly whither they had
fled before; so he quietly possessed himself again of that wall and
demolished it entirely. And when he had put a garrison into the towers
that were on the south parts of the city, he contrived how he might
assault the third wall.

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 his
pay.

The Romans spent 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