the wars of the jews-第97章

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　them；　nor　escape　the　force　of　their　own　men　that　were　forcing　their　way　forward；　they　were　　　compelled　to　fly　into　their　enemies'　houses；　which　were　low；　but　these　houses　being　thus　full；　of　soldiers；　whose　weight　they　could　not　bear；　fell　down　suddenly；　and　when　one　house　fell；　it　shook　down　a　great　many　of　those　that　were　under　it；　as　did　those　do　to　such　as　were　under　them。　By　this　means　a　vast　number　of　the　Romans　perished；　for　they　were　so　　　terribly　distressed；　that　although　they　saw　the　houses　　　subsiding；　they　were　compelled　to　leap　upon　the　tops　of　　　them；　so　that　a　great　many　were　ground　to　powder　by　these　ruins；　and　a　great　many　of　those　that　got　from　under　them　lost　some　of　their　limbs；　but　still　a　greater　number　were　suffocated　by　the　dust　that　arose　from　those　ruins。　The　　　people　of　Gamala　supposed　this　to　be　an　assistance　afforded　them　by　God；　and　without　regarding　what　damage　they　　　suffered　themselves；　they　pressed　forward；　and　thrust　the　enemy　upon　the　tops　of　their　houses；　and　when　they　　　stumbled　in　the　sharp　and　narrow　streets；　and　were　　　perpetually　falling　down；　they　threw　their　stones　or　darts　at　them；　and　slew　them。　Now　the　very　ruins　afforded　them　　　stones　enow；　and　for　iron　weapons；　the　dead　men　of　the　　　enemies'　side　afforded　them　what　they　wanted；　for　drawing　the　swords　of　those　that　were　dead；　they　made　use　of　them　to　despatch　such　as　were　only　half　dead；　nay；　there　were　a　great　number　who；　upon　their　falling　down　from　the　tops　of　the　houses；　stabbed　themselves；　and　died　after　that　manner；　nor　indeed　was　it　easy　for　those　that　were　beaten　back　to　fly　away；　for　they　were　so　unacquainted　with　the　ways；　and　the　dust　was　so　thick；　that　they　wandered　about　without　knowing　one　another；　and　fell　down　dead　among　the　crowd。　　　　　　5。　Those　therefore　that　were　able　to　find　the　ways　out　of　the　city　retired。　But　now　Vespasian　always　staid　among　those　that　were　hard　set；　for　he　was　deeply　affected　with　seeing　the　ruins　of　the　city　falling　upon　his　army；　and　forgot　to　take　care　of　his　own　preservation。　He　went　up　gradually　towards　the　highest　parts　of　the　city　before　he　was　aware；　and　was　left　in　the　midst　of　dangers；　having　only　a　very　few　with　him；　for　even　his　son　Titus　was　not　with　him　at　that　time；　having　been　then　sent　into　Syria　to　Mucianus。　However；　he　thought　it　not　safe　to　fly；　nor　did　he　esteem　it　a　fit　thing　for　him　to　do；　but　calling　to　mind　the　actions　he　had　done　from　his　youth；　and　recollecting　his　courage；　as　if　he　had　been　excited　by　a　divine　fury；　he　covered　himself　and　those　that　were　with　him　with　their　shields；　and　formed　a　testudo　over　both　their　bodies　and　their　armor；　and　bore　up　against　the　enemy's　attacks；　who　came　running　down　from　the　top　of　the　city；　and　without　showing　any　dread　at　the　multitude　of　the　men　or　of　their　darts；　he　endured　all；　until　the　enemy　took　notice　of　that　divine　courage　that　was　within　him；　and　remitted　of　their　attacks；　and　when　they　pressed　less　zealously　upon　him；　he　retired；　though　without　showing　his　back　to　them　till　he　was　gotten　out　of　the　walls　of　the　city。　Now　a　great　number　of　the　Romans　fell　in　this　battle；　among　whom　was　Ebutius；　the　　　decurion；　a　man　who　appeared　not　only　in　this　engagement；　wherein　he　fell；　but　every　where；　and　in　former　engagements；　to　be　of　the　truest　courage；　and　one　that　had　done　very　great　mischief　to　the　Jews。　But　there　was　a　centurion　whose　name　was　Gallus；　who；　during　this　disorder；　being　encompassed　about；　he　and　ten　other　soldiers　privately　crept　into　the　house　of　a　certain　person；　where　he　heard　them　talking　at　supper；　what　the　people　intended　to　do　against　the　Romans；　or　about　themselves　（for　both　the　man　himself　and　those　with　him　　　were　Syrians）。　So　he　got　up　in　the　night　time；　and　cut　all　their　throats；　and　escaped；　together　with　his　soldiers；　to　the　Romans。　　　　　　6。　And　now　Vespasian　comforted　his　army；　which　was　much　　　dejected　by　reflecting　on　their　ill　success；　and　because　they　had　never　before　fallen　into　such　a　calamity；　and　besides　this；　because　they　were　greatly　ashamed　that　they　had　left　their　general　alone　in　great　dangers。　As　to　what　concerned　himself；　he　avoided　to　say　any　thing；　that　he　might　by　no　means　seem　to　complain　of　it；　but　he　said　that　〃we　ought　to　bear　manfully　what　usually　falls　out　in　war；　and　this；　by　considering　what　the　nature　of　war　is；　and　how　it　can　never　be　that　we　must　conquer　without　bloodshed　on　our　own　side；　for　there　stands　about　us　that　fortune　which　is　of　its　own　nature　mutable；　that　while　they　had　killed　so　many　ten　thousands　of　the　Jews；　they　had　now　paid　their　small　share　of　the　reckoning　to　fate；　and　as　it　is　the　part　of　weak　people　to　be　too　much　puffed　up　with　good　success；　so　is　it　the　part　of　cowards　to　be　too　much　aftrighted　at　that　which　is　ill；　for　the　change　from　the　one　to　the　other　is　sudden　on　both　sides；　and　he　is　the　best　warrior　who　is　of　a　sober　mind　under　misfortunes；　that　he　may　　　continue　in　that　temper；　and　cheerfully　recover　what　had　been　lost　formerly；　and　as　for　what　had　now　happened；　it　was　neither　owing　to　their　own　effeminacy；　nor　to　the　valor　of　the　Jews；　but　the　difficulty　of　the　place　was　the　occasion　of　their　advantage；　and　of　our　disappointment。　Upon　reflecting　on　which　matter　one　might　blame　your　zeal　as　perfectly　　　ungovernable；　for　when　the　enemy　had　retired　to　their　　　highest　fastnesses；　you　ought　to　have　restrained　yourselves；　and　not；　by　presenting　yourselves　at　the　top　of　the　city；　to　be　exposed　to　dangers；　but　upon　your　having　obtained　the　lower　parts　of　the　city；　you　ought　to　have　provoked　those　that　had　retired　thither　to　a　safe　and　settled　battle；　whereas；　in　rushing　so　hastily　upon　victory；　you　took　no　care　of　your　safety。　But　this　incautiousness　in　war；　and　this　madness　of　zeal；　is　not　a　Roman　maxim。　While　we　perform　all　that　we　attempt　by　skill　and　good　order；　that　procedure　is　the　part　of　barbarians；　and　is　what　the　Jews　chiefly　support　themselves　by。　We　ought　therefore　to　return　to　our　own　virtue；　and　to　be　rather　angry　than　any　longer　dejected　at　this　unlucky　misfortune；　and　let　every　one　seek　for　his　own　consolation　from　his　own　hand；　for　by　this　means　he　will　avenge　those　that　have　been　　　destroyed；　and　punish　those　that　have　killed　them。　For　　　myself；　I　will　endeavor；　as　I　have　now　done；　to　go　first　before　you　against　your　enemies　in　every　engagement；　and　to　be　the　last　that　retires　from　it。〃　　　　　　7。　So　Vespasian　encouraged　his　army　by　this　speech；　but　for　the　people　of　Gamala；　it　happened　that　they　took　courage　for　a　little　while；　upon　such　great　and　unaccountable　success　as　they　had　had。　But　when　they　considered　with　themselves　that　they　had　now　no　hopes　of　any　terms　of　accommodation；　and　reflecting　upon　it　that　they　could　not　get　away；　and　that　their　provisions　began　already　to　be　short；　they　were　exceedingly　cast　down；　and　their　courage　failed　them；　yet　did　they　not　neglect　what　might　be　for　their　preservation；　so　far　as　they　were　able；　but　the　most　courageous　among　them　guarded　　　those　parts　of　the　wall　that　were　beaten　down；　while　the　more　infirm　did　the　same　to　the　rest　of　the　wall　that　still　remained　round　the　city。　And　as　the　Romans　raised　their　　　banks；　and　attempted　to　get　into　the　city　a　second　time；　a　great　many　of