it, as did those do to such as were under
them. By this means a vast number of the Romans perished; for they were
so terribly distressed, that although they saw the houses subsiding,
they were compelled to leap upon the tops of them; so that a great many
were ground to powder by these ruins, and a great many of those that
got from under them lost some of their limbs, but still a greater number
were suffocated by the dust that arose from those ruins. The people
of Gamala supposed this to be an assistance afforded them by God, and
without regarding what damage they suffered themselves, they pressed
forward, and thrust the enemy upon the tops of their houses; and when
they stumbled in the sharp and narrow streets, and were perpetually
falling down, they threw their stones or darts at them, and slew them.
Now the very ruins afforded them stones enow; and for iron weapons,
the dead men of the enemies' side afforded them what they wanted; for
drawing the swords of those that were dead, they made use of them to
despatch such as were only half dead; nay, there were a great number
who, upon their falling down from the tops of the houses, stabbed
themselves, and died after that manner; nor indeed was it easy for those
that were beaten back to fly away; for they were so unacquainted with
the ways, and the dust was so thick, that they wandered about without
knowing one another, and fell down dead among the crowd.

5. Those therefore that were able to find the ways out of the city
retired. But now Vespasian always staid among those that were hard set;
for he was deeply affected with seeing the ruins of the city falling
upon his army, and forgot to take care of his own preservation. He went
up gradually towards the highest parts of the city before he was aware,
and was left in the midst of dangers, having only a very few with him;
for even his son Titus was not with him at that time, having been then
sent into Syria to Mucianus. However, he thought it not safe to fly,
nor did he esteem it a fit thing for him to do; but calling to mind the
actions he had done from his youth, and recollecting his courage, as if
he had been excited by a divine fury, he covered himself and those that
were with him with their shields, and formed a testudo over both their
bodies and their armor, and bore up against the enemy's attacks, who
came running down from the top of the city; and without showing any
dread at the multitude of the men or of their dart