by these
sallies, [though they were ashamed to be made to run away by the Jews;
and when at any time they made the Jews run away, their heavy armor
would not let them pursue them far; while the Jews, when they had
performed any action, and before they could be hurt themselves, still
retired into the city,] ordered his armed men to avoid their onset,
and not fight it out with men under desperation, while nothing is more
courageous than despair; but that their violence would be quenched when
they saw they failed of their purposes, as fire is quenched when
it wants fuel; and that it was proper for the Romans to gain their
victories as cheap as they could, since they are not forced to fight,
but only to enlarge their own dominions. So he repelled the Jews in
great measure by the Arabian archers, and the Syrian slingers, and by
those that threw stones at them, nor was there any intermission of the
great number of their offensive engines. Now the Jews suffered greatly
by these engines, without being able to escape from them; and when these
engines threw their stones or javelins a great way, and the Jews were
within their reach, they pressed hard upon the Romans, and fought
desperately, without sparing either soul or body, one part succoring
another by turns, when it was tired down.

19. When, therefore, Vespasian looked upon himself as in a manner
besieged by these sallies of the Jews, and when his banks were now not
far from the walls, he determined to make use of his battering ram.
This battering ram is a vast beam of wood like the mast of a ship, its
forepart is armed with a thick piece of iron at the head of it, which
is so carved as to be like the head of a ram, whence its name is taken.
This ram is slung in the air by ropes passing over its middle, and is
hung like the balance in a pair of scales from another beam, and braced
by strong beams that pass on both sides of it, in the nature of a cross.
When this ram is pulled backward by a great number of men with united
force, and then thrust forward by the same men, with a mighty noise, it
batters the walls with that iron part which is prominent. Nor is there
any tower so strong, or walls so broad, that can resist any more than
its first batteries, but all are forced to yield to it at last. This was
the experiment which the Roman general betook himself to, when he was
eagerly bent upon taking the city; but found lying in the field so
long to be to his disadvantage, becaus