e stone; its height was twelve, and
its breadth eight cubits; there were also erected upon that wall
thirty-eight towers, each of them fifty cubits high; out of which you
might pass into lesser edifices, which were built on the inside, round
the entire wall; for the king reserved the top of the hill, which was of
a fat soil, and better mould than any valley for agriculture, that such
as committed themselves to this fortress for their preservation might
not even there be quite destitute of food, in case they should ever be
in want of it from abroad. Moreover, he built a palace therein at the
western ascent; it was within and beneath the walls of the citadel, but
inclined to its north side. Now the wall of this palace was very high
and strong, and had at its four corners towers sixty cubits high. The
furniture also of the edifices, and of the cloisters, and of the
baths, was of great variety, and very costly; and these buildings were
supported by pillars of single stones on every side; the walls and also
the floors of the edifices were paved with stones of several colors. He
also had cut many and great pits, as reservoirs for water, out of the
rocks, at every one of the places that were inhabited, both above and
round about the palace, and before the wall; and by this contrivance
he endeavored to have water for several uses, as if there had been
fountains there. Here was also a road digged from the palace, and
leading to the very top of the mountain, which yet could not be seen by
such as were without [the walls]; nor indeed could enemies easily
make use of the plain roads; for the road on the east side, as we have
already taken notice, could not be walked upon, by reason of its nature;
and for the western road, he built a large tower at its narrowest place,
at no less a distance from the top of the hill than a thousand cubits;
which tower could not possibly be passed by, nor could it be easily
taken; nor indeed could those that walked along it without any fear
[such was its contrivance] easily get to the end of it; and after such
a manner was this citadel fortified, both by nature and by the hands of
men, in order to frustrate the attacks of enemies.

4. As for the furniture that was within this fortress, it was still more
wonderful on account of its splendor and long continuance; for here was
laid up corn in large quantities, and such as would subsist men for a
long time; here was also wine and oil in abundance, with all