h at his hesitation; "or two, or six, if you like."

But John of Gischala knew that the eyes of the soldiers on both
sides of the bridge were upon him and, having faith in the oath of
Simon, he again advanced.

John looked with curiosity at the man of whom he had heard so much;
and who, having been a scourge to Upper Galilee with his horde of
robbers, had now brought such misery upon Jerusalem. Without
approaching his rival in size and strength, John of Gischala was a
powerfully-built man. He did not shrink from danger, and had upon
occasion shown great bravery; but he relied upon craft, more than
force, to gain his ends. He possessed great power of oratory, could
rouse men's passions or calm them, at will. He could cajole or
threaten, persuade or deceive, with equal facility; was always
ready to break an oath, if it was inconvenient to keep it. Although
fond of power, he was still more greedy of gain. But in one
respect, he and Simon agreed: both hated the Romans, with an
intense and bitter hatred; both were ready to die in defense of
Jerusalem.

"I think it is time, John," Simon said, "to cease from our strife,
for the present, and to make common cause against the enemy. If we
continue our dissensions, and the Romans in consequence take the
city, our names will be accursed, in all generations, as the men
who gave Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans."

"I am ready to agree to a truce," John of Gischala said. "It is you
who have been attacking me, not I who have been attacking you; but
we need not talk of that, now. Is it to be an understood thing
that, if the Romans retire, we shall both occupy the positions we
hold now, whatever changes may have taken place; and we can then
either come to an understanding, or fight the matter out?"

"Yes, that is what I would propose," Simon replied. "Whatever
changes may take place, when the Romans retire we occupy exactly
the positions we hold now. Will you swear to that, by the Temple?"

"I will," John said.

The two men each took a solemn oath to carry out the terms they
agreed upon and, throughout the siege, to put aside all enmity
towards each other; and to act together, in all things, for the
defense of the city. They then arranged as to the portion of the
wall which each should occupy, these corresponding very nearly to
the lines which they at present held.

Simon held the whole of the third wall which, commencing from
Hippicus, the tower at the north corner of t