him an army sufficient
to fight the Romans. Accordingly, he wrote these things, and sent
messengers immediately to carry his letter to Jerusalem.

3. Now Vespasian was very desirous of demolishing Jotapata, for he had
gotten intelligence that the greatest part of the enemy had retired
thither, and that it was, on other accounts, a place of great security
to them. Accordingly, he sent both foot-men and horsemen to level the
road, which was mountainous and rocky, not without difficulty to be
traveled over by footmen, but absolutely impracticable for horsemen. Now
these workmen accomplished what they were about in four days' time,
and opened a broad way for the army. On the fifth day, which was the
twenty-first of the month Artemisius, [Jyar,] Josephus prevented him,
and came from Tiberias, and went into Jotapata, and raised the drooping
spirits of the Jews. And a certain deserter told this good news to
Vespasian, that Josephus had removed himself thither, which made him
make haste to the city, as supposing that with taking that he should
take all Judea, in case he could but withal get Josephus under his
power. So he took this news to be of the vastest advantage to him, and
believed it to be brought about by the providence of God, that he who
appeared to be the most prudent man of all their enemies, had, of his
own accord, shut himself up in a place of sure custody. Accordingly, he
sent Placidus with a thousand horsemen, and Ebutius a decurion, a person
that was of eminency both in council and in action, to encompass the
city round, that Josephus might not escape away privately.

4. Vespasian also, the very next day, took his whole army and followed
them, and by marching till late in the evening, arrived then at
Jotapata; and bringing his army to the northern side of the city, he
pitched his camp on a certain small hill which was seven furlongs from
the city, and still greatly endeavored to be well seen by the enemy, to
put them into a consternation; which was indeed so terrible to the Jews
immediately, that no one of them durst go out beyond the wall. Yet did
the Romans put off the attack at that time, because they had marched all
the day, although they placed a double row of battalions round the
city, with a third row beyond them round the whole, which consisted of
cavalry, in order to stop up every way for an exit; which thing making
the Jews despair of escaping, excited them to act more boldly; for
nothing makes men