of a second
tyrant into the city; which resolution they brought to perfection, and
sent Matthias, the high priest, to beseech this Simon to come ill to
them, of whom they had so often been afraid. Those also that had fled
from the zealots in Jerusalem joined in this request to him, out of
the desire they had of preserving their houses and their effects.
Accordingly he, in an arrogant manner, granted them his lordly
protection, and came into the city, in order to deliver it from the
zealots. The people also made joyful acclamations to him, as their
savior and their preserver; but when he was come in, with his army, he
took care to secure his own authority, and looked upon those that had
invited him in to be no less his enemies than those against whom the
invitation was intended.

12. And thus did Simon get possession of Jerusalem, in the third year
of the war, in the month Xanthicus [Nisan]; whereupon John, with his
multitude of zealots, as being both prohibited from coming out of the
temple, and having lost their power in the city, [for Simon and
his party had plundered them of what they had,] were in despair of
deliverance. Simon also made an assault upon the temple, with the
assistance of the people, while the others stood upon the cloisters and
the battlements, and defended themselves from their assaults. However,
a considerable number of Simon's party fell, and many were carried off
wounded; for the zealots threw their darts easily from a superior place,
and seldom failed of hitting their enemies; but having the advantage of
situation, and having withal erected four very large towers aforehand,
that their darts might come from higher places, one at the north-east
corner of the court, one above the Xystus, the third at another corner
over against the lower city, and the last was erected above the top of
the Pastophoria, where one of the priests stood of course, and gave a
signal beforehand, with a trumpet [19] at the beginning of every seventh
day, in the evening twilight, as also at the evening when that day was
finished, as giving notice to the people when they were to leave off
work, and when they were to go to work again. These men also set their
engines to cast darts and stones withal, upon those towers, with their
archers and slingers. And now Simon made his assault upon the temple
more faintly, by reason that the greatest part of his men grew weary of
that work; yet did he not leave off his opposition, becaus