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the wars of the jews-第127章

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was desirous to   bring the baggage of the army; with the rest of the   multitude that followed him; safely to the camp; he set the strongest part of his army over against that wall which lay on the north quarter of the city; and over against the   western part of it; and made his army seven deep; with the foot…men placed before them; and the horsemen behind   them; each of the last in three ranks; whilst the archers stood in the midst in seven ranks。 And now as the Jews   were prohibited; by so great a body of men; from making   sallies upon the Romans; both the beasts that bare the   burdens; and belonged to the three legions; and the rest of the multitude; marched on without any fear。 But as for Titus himself; he was but about two furlongs distant from the   wall; at that part of it where was the corner (10) and over against that tower which was called Psephinus; at which   tower the compass of the wall belonging to the north   bended; and extended itself over against the west; but the other part of the army fortified itself at the tower called Hippicus; and was distant; in like manner; by two furlongs from the city。 However; the tenth legion continued in its own place; upon the Mount of Olives。      CHAPTER 4。            The Description Of Jerusalem。      1。 The city of Jerusalem was fortified with three walls; on such parts as were not encompassed with unpassable   valleys; for in such places it had but one wall。 The city was built upon two hills; which are opposite to one another; and have a valley to divide them asunder; at which valley the corresponding rows of houses on both hills end。 Of these hills; that which contains the upper city is much higher; and in length more direct。 Accordingly; it was called the   〃Citadel;〃 by king David; he was the father of that Solomon who built this temple at the first; but it is by us called the 〃Upper Market…place。〃 But the other hill; which was called 〃Acra;〃 and sustains the lower city; is of the shape of a moon when she is horned; over against this there was a   third hill; but naturally lower than Acra; and parted formerly from the other by a broad valley。 However; in those times when the Asamoneans reigned; they filled up that valley   with earth; and had a mind to join the city to the temple。 They then took off part of the height of Acra; and reduced it to be of less elevation than it was before; that the temple might be superior to it。 Now the Valley of the   Cheesemongers; as it was called; and was that which we   told you before distinguished the hill of the upper city from that of the lower; extended as far as Siloam; for that is the name of a fountain which hath sweet water in it; and this in great plenty also。 But on the outsides; these hills are   surrounded by deep valleys; and by reason of the   precipices to them belonging on both sides they are every where unpassable。      2。 Now; of these three walls; the old one was hard to be taken; both by reason of the valleys; and of that hill on which it was built; and which was above them。 But besides that great advantage; as to the place where they were   situated; it was also built very strong; because David and Solomon; and the following kings; were very zealous about this work。 Now that wall began on the north; at the tower called 〃Hippicus;〃 and extended as far as the 〃Xistus;〃 a place so called; and then; joining to the council…house; ended at the west cloister of the temple。 But if we go the other way westward; it began at the same place; and   extended through a place called 〃Bethso;〃 to the gate of the Essens; and after that it went southward; having its bending above the fountain Siloam; where it also bends again   towards the east at Solomon's pool; and reaches as far as a certain place which they called 〃Ophlas;〃 where it was joined to the eastern cloister of the temple。 The second wall took its beginning from that gate which they called   〃Gennath;〃 which belonged to the first wall; it only   encompassed the northern quarter of the city; and reached as far as the tower Antonia。 The beginning of the third wall was at the tower Hippicus; whence it reached as far as the north quarter of the city; and the tower Psephinus; and then was so far extended till it came over against the   monuments of Helena; which Helena was queen of   Adiabene; the daughter of Izates; it then extended further to a great length; and passed by the sepulchral caverns of the kings; and bent again at the tower of the corner; at the monument which is called the 〃Monument of the Fuller;〃   and joined to the old wall at the valley called the 〃Valley of Cedron。〃 It was Agrippa who encompassed the parts added   to the old city with this wall; which had been all naked before; for as the city grew more populous; it gradually crept beyond its old limits; and those parts of it that stood northward of the temple; and joined that hill to the city; made it considerably larger; and occasioned that hill; which is in number the fourth; and is called 〃Bezetha;〃 to be   inhabited also。 It lies over against the tower Antonia; but is divided from it by a deep valley; which was dug on purpose; and that in order to hinder the foundations of the tower of Antonia from joining to this hill; and thereby affording an opportunity for getting to it with ease; and hindering the security that arose from its superior elevation; for which reason also that depth of the ditch made the elevation of the towers more remarkable。 This new…built part of the city was called 〃Bezetha;〃 in our language; which; if interpreted in the Grecian language; may be called 〃the New City。〃   Since; therefore; its inhabitants stood in need of a covering; the father of the present king; and of the same name with him; Agrippa; began that wall we spoke of; but he left off building it when he had only laid the foundations; out of the fear he was in of Claudius Caesar; lest he should suspect that so strong a wall was built in order to make some   innovation in public affairs; for the city could no way have been taken if that wall had been finished in the manner it was begun; as its parts were connected together by stones twenty cubits long; and ten cubits broad; which could never have been either easily undermined by any iron tools; or shaken by any engines。 The wall was; however; ten cubits wide; and it would probably have had a height greater than that; had not his zeal who began it been hindered from   exerting itself。 After this; it was erected with great diligence by the Jews; as high as twenty cubits; above which it had battlements of two cubits; and turrets of three cubits   altitude; insomuch that the entire altitude extended as far as twenty…five cubits。      3。 Now the towers that were upon it were twenty cubits in breadth; and twenty cubits in height; they were square and solid; as was the wall itself; wherein the niceness of the joints; and the beauty of the stones; were no way inferior to those of the holy house itself。 Above this solid altitude of the towers; which was twenty cubits; there were rooms of great magnificence; and over them upper rooms; and   cisterns to receive rain…water。 They were many in number; and the steps by which you ascended up to them were   every one broad: of these
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