mantle wildly and, at the
signal, the Jews again burst down upon their foes, and fresh forces
poured down from the gates to their assistance. In vain, the Roman
line tried to hold the bottom of the valley. The Jews burst through
them, and drove them in disorder up the hill; Titus alone, with a
few followers, making a stand on the lower slopes. The Jews,
rushing on, surrounded his party and fell upon him from all sides,
while their main body swarmed up the hill, and the Romans, panic
stricken, dispersed in all directions.

Victory seemed in the hands of the Jews, when some of the Romans
discovered that Titus was not with them; but was cut off, and
surrounded, at the bottom of the hill. They shouted to others, and
the news rapidly spread through the fugitives. Overwhelmed with
shame at having deserted their general, and knowing the severe
punishment which, according to Roman military law, would befall
them for their cowardice, the Romans paused in their flight.

Their discipline came to their aid, and they quickly fell in, in
companies and, with a shout of fury, advanced upon the scattered
Jews; who, although vastly superior in numbers, had no order or
formation which would enable them to resist the downward impetus of
the solid masses of heavy-armed Romans. Again they were driven down
the hill; and the Romans, pressing upon them, found to their
delight that Titus and his band had successfully resisted the
attacks of their foes.

The Jews were driven some distance up the side of the slope; and
there the combat was renewed until, seeing that they could make no
further impression upon the enemy, the Jews retired sullenly
through their gates into the city. They were, however, well
satisfied with their day's work. Numbers had fallen, but they had
inflicted heavy loss upon the Romans. They had forced one of the
legions to retreat, in fair fight; had all but captured Titus; and
had proved, to the Romans, the formidable nature of the task they
had undertaken.

The next day, the 13th of April, was the day of the Passover; and
all Jerusalem prepared, as usual, to celebrate the day of the great
sacrifice. The gates of the Temple were, as usual, thrown open; and
the multitude thronged in to worship. John of Gischala had sworn to
Eleazar, as he had to Simon, to lay aside all hostility but, as
usual, he did not allow his oath to prevent him from carrying out
his designs. A number of his men concealed their arms under their
garm