m there and, leaving six
thousand chosen men on guard in the cloisters, and arranging that
these should be regularly relieved, retired.

"Such was the state of things, when John of Gischala arrived. He at
once professed complete agreement with the party of Ananus, and was
admitted into all their councils; but all the time, as we
afterwards learned, he was keeping up a secret correspondence with
the Zealots, and betrayed to them all that took place at the
council. There was some distrust of him but, in addition to the
party that had entered the city with him, he had speedily gathered
together many others and, distracted as we already were with our
troubles, none cared to add to the number of their enemies by
openly distrusting John--who took many solemn oaths of fidelity to
the cause of order.

"He at length volunteered to enter the inner Temple, on a mission
to the Zealots; and to persuade them to surrender, and leave the
city. But no sooner was he among them than he threw off the mask,
and told the Zealots that the offers to allow them to depart in
peace were blinds, and that they would at once be massacred if they
surrendered. He therefore advised them to resist, and to send for
assistance without--recommending them especially to send to the
Idumeans. Eleazar and Zacharias--the chiefs of the Zealots--felt
sure that they, above all, would be sacrificed if they surrendered;
and they embraced John's counsel, and sent off swift-footed
messengers to the Idumeans, urging them to come to their
assistance.

"The Idumeans had, since their conquest by Hyrcanus, been
incorporated with the Jews. They were a fierce and warlike
people--of Arab descent--and, immediately the messengers of the
Zealots arrived, they embraced the proposal, anticipating the
acquisition of great plunder in Jerusalem. Marching with all speed,
they appeared, twenty thousand strong, before the walls of
Jerusalem.

"Although taken completely by surprise--for none knew that
messengers had gone over to the Idumeans--the people manned the
walls; and Jesus, a colleague of Ananus, addressed the Idumeans. He
asked them to take one of three courses: either to unite with the
people, in punishing the notorious robbers and assassins who were
desecrating the Temple; or to enter the city unarmed, and arbitrate
between the conflicting parties; or to depart, and leave the city
to settle its own difficulties. Simon, the leader of the Idumeans,
answered that they cam