o more than generals
of the army. But when the government was devolved upon us, and all other
people did thereupon lie quiet, and even foreign nations sent embassies,
and congratulated our access to the government, then did you Jews show
yourselves to be our enemies. You sent embassies to those of your nation
that are beyond Euphrates to assist you in your raising disturbances;
new walls were built by you round your city, seditions arose, and one
tyrant contended against another, and a civil war broke out among you;
such indeed as became none but so wicked a people as you are. I then
came to this city, as unwillingly sent by my father, and received
melancholy injunctions from him. When I heard that the people were
disposed to peace, I rejoiced at it; I exhorted you to leave off these
proceedings before I began this war; I spared you even when you had
fought against me a great while; I gave my right hand as security to the
deserters; I observed what I had promised faithfully. When they fled
to me, I had compassion on many of those that I had taken captive; I
tortured those that were eager for war, in order to restrain them. It
was unwillingly that I brought my engines of war against your walls; I
always prohibited my soldiers, when they were set upon your slaughter,
from their severity against you. After every victory I persuaded you
to peace, as though I had been myself conquered. When I came near your
temple, I again departed from the laws of war, and exhorted you to spare
your own sanctuary, and to preserve your holy house to yourselves. I
allowed you a quiet exit out of it, and security for your preservation;
nay, if you had a mind, I gave you leave to fight in another place. Yet
have you still despised every one of my proposals, and have set fire
to your holy house with your own hands. And now, vile wretches, do you
desire to treat with me by word of mouth? To what purpose is it that you
would save such a holy house as this was, which is now destroyed? What
preservation can you now desire after the destruction of your temple?
Yet do you stand still at this very time in your armor; nor can you
bring yourselves so much as to pretend to be supplicants even in this
your utmost extremity. O miserable creatures! what is it you depend on?
Are not your people dead? is not your holy house gone? is not your city
in my power? and are not your own very lives in my hands? And do you
still deem it a part of valor to die? However, I