this foreign war, now suddenly
come upon them after a violent manner, put the first stop to their
contentions one against another; and as the seditious now saw with
astonishment the Romans pitching three several camps, they began to
think of an awkward sort of concord, and said one to another, "What do
we here, and what do we mean, when we suffer three fortified walls to be
built to coop us in, that we shall not be able to breathe freely? while
the enemy is securely building a kind of city in opposition to us, and
while we sit still within our own walls, and become spectators only of
what they are doing, with our hands idle, and our armor laid by, as if
they were about somewhat that was for our good and advantage. We are, it
seems, [so did they cry out,] only courageous against ourselves,
while the Romans are likely to gain the city without bloodshed by our
sedition." Thus did they encourage one another when they were gotten
together, and took their armor immediately, and ran out upon the tenth
legion, and fell upon the Romans with great eagerness, and with a
prodigious shout, as they were fortifying their camp. These Romans were
caught in different parties, and this in order to perform their several
works, and on that account had in great measure laid aside their arms;
for they thought the Jews would not have ventured to make a sally upon
them; and had they been disposed so to do, they supposed their sedition
would have distracted them. So they were put into disorder unexpectedly;
when some of hem left their works they were about, and immediately
marched off, while many ran to their arms, but were smitten and slain
before they could turn back upon the enemy. The Jews became still more
and more in number, as encouraged by the good success of those that
first made the attack; and while they had such good fortune, they seemed
both to themselves and to the enemy to be many more than they really
were. The disorderly way of their fighting at first put the Romans also
to a stand, who had been constantly used to fight skillfully in good
order, and with keeping their ranks, and obeying the orders that were
given them; for which reason the Romans were caught unexpectedly, and
were obliged to give way to the assaults that were made upon them. Now
when these Romans were overtaken, and turned back upon the Jews, they
put a stop to their career; yet when they did not take care enough of
themselves through the vehemency of their pursui