somuch that the entire height added together
amounted to fourscore cubits. The second tower, which he named from his
brother Phasaelus, had its breadth and its height equal, each of them
forty cubits; over which was its solid height of forty cubits; over
which a cloister went round about, whose height was ten cubits, and it
was covered from enemies by breast-works and bulwarks. There was also
built over that cloister another tower, parted into magnificent rooms,
and a place for bathing; so that this tower wanted nothing that
might make it appear to be a royal palace. It was also adorned with
battlements and turrets, more than was the foregoing, and the entire
altitude was about ninety cubits; the appearance of it resembled the
tower of Pharus, which exhibited a fire to such as sailed to Alexandria,
but was much larger than it in compass. This was now converted to a
house, wherein Simon exercised his tyrannical authority. The third tower
was Mariamne, for that was his queen's name; it was solid as high as
twenty cubits; its breadth and its length were twenty cubits, and were
equal to each other; its upper buildings were more magnificent, and had
greater variety, than the other towers had; for the king thought it most
proper for him to adorn that which was denominated from his wife, better
than those denominated from men, as those were built stronger than this
that bore his wife's name. The entire height of this tower was fifty
cubits.

4. Now as these towers were so very tall, they appeared much taller by
the place on which they stood; for that very old wall wherein they were
was built on a high hill, and was itself a kind of elevation that was
still thirty cubits taller; over which were the towers situated, and
thereby were made much higher to appearance. The largeness also of the
stones was wonderful; for they were not made of common small stones,
nor of such large ones only as men could carry, but they were of white
marble, cut out of the rock; each stone was twenty cubits in length, and
ten in breadth, and five in depth. They were so exactly united to
one another, that each tower looked like one entire rock of stone, so
growing naturally, and afterward cut by the hand of the artificers into
their present shape and corners; so little, or not at all, did their
joints or connexion appear low as these towers were themselves on the
north side of the wall, the king had a palace inwardly thereto adjoined,
which exceeds all