obulus came down to Pompey and when he had made a long
defence of the justness of his rule, he returned to the fortress. Pompey
however commanded him to give up his fortified places and forced him to
write to each of his governors to surrender. Accordingly he did what he
was ordered to do, but being displeased, he retired to Jerusalem and
prepared to fight with Pompey.

[Sidenote: Jos. War, I, 6:6-7:2b]
But Pompey gave him no time to make any preparations and followed at his
heels. And Aristobulus was so frightened at his approach that he came and
met him as a suppliant. He also promised him money and to deliver up both
himself and the city. Yet he did not keep any one of his promises. At this
treatment Pompey was very angry and took Aristobulus into custody. And
when he had entered the city he looked about to see where he might make
his attack, for he saw that the walls were so firm that it would be hard
to overcome them and the valley before the walls was terrible and the
temple which was in that valley was itself surrounded by such a strong
wall that if the city was taken the temple would be a second place of
refuge for the enemy. Inasmuch as Pompey deliberated a long time, a
sedition arose among the people within the city. Aristobulus's party was
willing to fight to save their king, while the party of Hyrcanus was ready
to open the gates to Pompey. Then Aristobulus's party was defeated and
retired into the temple and cut off the communications between the temple
and the city by breaking down the bridge which joined them together, and
they prepared to resist to the utmost.

[Sidenote: Jos. War, I, 7:3]
Pompey himself filled up the ditch which was on the north side of the
temple and the entire valley also, the army being obliged to carry the
material for this purpose. Indeed, it was difficult to fill up that valley
because of its great depth and especially as the Jews from their superior
position used all possible means to repel them. As soon as Pompey had
filled up the valley, he erected high towers upon the bank.

[Sidenote: Jos. War, I, 7:4, 5]
Now Pompey admired not only the other examples of the Jews' fortitude, but
especially that they did not at all intermit their religious services,
even when they were surrounded with darts on all sides; for, as if the
city were in full peace, their daily sacrifices and purifications and all
their religious rites were still carried out before God with the utmost
exactness.