ews, with missiles and sorties, hindered their approach; until the
banks had approached so close to the walls that the battering rams
would be within striking distance. Then the towers were brought up
and the rams began to strike their mighty blows upon the wall
while, from the top of the lofty towers, and from the stories
below, the archers and war machines poured a storm of missiles down
upon the defenders of the walls.

As it was evident, now, that the danger lay solely in this quarter;
and that the whole strength of the besieged was needed here; Simon
sent to John of Gischala, to urge that the line of demarcation
agreed upon by them between their respective troops should no
longer be observed. John would not trust himself in the power of
Simon, but gave leave to his soldiers to go down and aid in the
defense; and they, who had been chafing at their forced inactivity,
while Simon's men were bearing the brunt of the fighting, went down
to take their share in the struggle.

Regardless of the storm of missiles, the Jews maintained their
place upon the walls, shooting blazing arrows and hurling
combustibles down upon the Roman works; and executing such frequent
and desperate sorties that Titus was obliged to keep the greater
part of his force constantly under arms, and to gather round the
towers large bodies of archers and horsemen, to repel the attacks.
At length, a corner tower fell before one of the battering rams;
but the wall behind stood firm, and no breach was effected.
Nevertheless, the Jews appeared dispirited at this proof of the
power of the battering rams, and fell back into the city.

The Roman legionaries, under the belief that the fighting was over,
for the evening, were drawn back into their camps. Suddenly, from a
small gate hitherto unnoticed by the Romans--situated at the foot
of the tower of Hippicus--the Jews poured out, with flaming brands
in their hands, and dashed at the Roman banks; sweeping the
defenders of the works before them, swarming up the banks, and
surrounding the towers, to which they endeavored to set fire. They
were, however, plated with iron outside, and the beams inside were
of so massive a description that the Jews were unable to set light
to them.

While some of the Jews were striving to do this, the rest fell with
such fury upon the Roman troops--who hurried up to the protection
of their works--that they were driven back. A body of Alexandrian
troops only, posted near the t