hey had built walls on three
sides of the temple round about, from the bottom of the hill, and had
performed a work that was greater than could be hoped for, [in which
work long ages were spent by them, as well as all their sacred treasures
were exhausted, which were still replenished by those tributes which
were sent to God from the whole habitable earth,] they then encompassed
their upper courts with cloisters, as well as they [afterward] did the
lowest [court of the] temple. The lowest part of this was erected to the
height of three hundred cubits, and in some places more; yet did not
the entire depth of the foundations appear, for they brought earth, and
filled up the valleys, as being desirous to make them on a level with
the narrow streets of the city; wherein they made use of stones of forty
cubits in magnitude; for the great plenty of money they then had, and
the liberality of the people, made this attempt of theirs to succeed to
an incredible degree; and what could not be so much as hoped for as ever
to be accomplished, was, by perseverance and length of time, brought to
perfection.

2. Now for the works that were above these foundations, these were not
unworthy of such foundations; for all the cloisters were double, and
the pillars to them belonging were twenty-five cubits in height, and
supported the cloisters. These pillars were of one entire stone each of
them, and that stone was white marble; and the roofs were adorned with
cedar, curiously graven. The natural magnificence, and excellent polish,
and the harmony of the joints in these cloisters, afforded a prospect
that was very remarkable; nor was it on the outside adorned with any
work of the painter or engraver. The cloisters [of the outmost court]
were in breadth thirty cubits, while the entire compass of it was by
measure six furlongs, including the tower of Antonia; those entire
courts that were exposed to the air were laid with stones of all sorts.
When you go through these [first] cloisters, unto the second [court of
the] temple, there was a partition made of stone all round, whose height
was three cubits: its construction was very elegant; upon it stood
pillars, at equal distances from one another, declaring the law of
purity, some in Greek, and some in Roman letters, that "no foreigner
should go within that sanctuary" for that second [court of the] temple
was called "the Sanctuary," and was ascended to by fourteen steps from
the first court. This