reatest care and caution and,
having made a circuit of the city, he perceived that it was
impregnable, save on the north and northwestern sides--that is, the
part defended by the third wall. He therefore, reluctantly, gave
orders that all the villas, mansions, gardens, and groves standing
between that wall and the foot of Mount Scopus should be destroyed
and, placing strong bodies of troops opposite the gates, to prevent
any sortie of the defenders, he set the whole of the three legions
encamped on that side to carry out the work of destruction.

A feeling of grief and dismay filled the city, at the sight of the
devastation that was being wrought; and there were very many among
the multitude who would gladly have avoided further evils, by
submitting to the Romans. But such an idea did not enter the heads
of the military leaders, and Simon determined upon another sortie.

A number of the citizens were ordered to take their places upon the
walls, and to cry out to the Romans that they desired peace, and to
implore them to enter the town and take possession. In the
meantime, a number of Simon's men issued out from the Women's Gate
in confusion, as if expelled by the peace party. They appeared to
be in a state of extreme terror: sometimes advancing towards the
Romans, as if to submit to them; at other times retreating towards
the wall, as if afraid of putting themselves into the hands of the
Romans--but, as they neared the walls, they were assailed by a
shower of missiles from above.

Titus suspected that a trick was being played, and ordered the
troops to stand fast; but the battalion facing the gate, seeing it
stand open, were unable to resist the impulse to rush in and take
possession. They therefore advanced, through the crowd of Jews
outside, until close to the gate. Then Simon's men drew out their
concealed weapons, and fell upon them in the rear; while a fresh
body of armed men rushed out from the gate, and attacked them in
front while, from the two flanking towers, a storm of javelins,
arrows, and stones was poured upon them. The Romans fought
desperately, but numbers of them were slain; and the rest took to
flight, pursued by the Jews, and did not halt until they reached
the tombs of Helen, half a mile from the walls; while the Jews,
with shouts of triumph, re-entered the city.

John had taken no part in this sortie. He had lost more than fifty
men, in the fight on the Mount of Olives; and determined to hold