a great excavation was hollowed out; the roof being supported
by huge beams, between which were piled up pitch and other
combustibles. When the Romans were seen advancing to the attack,
fire was applied and, as soon as the supports of the roof were
burned away, the ground, with the embankments upon it, fell in.

Simon, on his side, was equally ready to receive the enemy, but he
trusted rather to valour than stratagem; and as soon as the Roman
engines facing the towers began to shake the walls, Tepthaus,
Megassar, and Chagiras rushed out, with torches in their hands,
followed by a crowd of Simon's soldiers. They drove the Romans
before them, and set fire to the great machine.

The Romans crowded up to the assistance of the working parties but,
as they advanced, they were received with showers of missiles from
the walls; and attacked fiercely by the Jews, who poured out from
the city in a continuous stream. The flames spread rapidly and,
seeing no hope of saving their engines and embankments, the Romans
retreated to their camp. The triumphant Jews pressed hard on their
rear, rushed upon the intrenchments, and assailed the guards.
Numbers of these were killed, but the rest fought resolutely, while
the engines on the works poured showers of missiles among the Jews.

Careless of death, the assailants pressed forward, stormed the
intrenchment; and the Romans were on the point of flight when
Titus, who had been absent upon the other side, arrived with a
strong body of troops, and fell upon the Jews. A desperate contest
ensued, but the Jews were finally driven back into the city.

Their enterprise had, however, been crowned with complete success.
The embankments, which had occupied the Romans seventeen days in
building, were destroyed; and with them the battering rams, and the
greater part of their engines. The work of reconstruction would be
far more difficult and toilsome than at first, for the country had
been denuded of timber, for many miles off. Moreover, the soldiers
were becoming greatly disheartened by the failure of all their
attacks upon the city.

Titus summoned a council, and laid before them three plans: one for
an attempt to take the city by storm; the second to repair the
works and rebuild the engines; the third to blockade the city, and
starve it into surrender. The last was decided upon and, as a first
step, the whole army was set to work, to build a trench and wall
round the city. The work was carried o