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diff --git a/21614.txt b/21614.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..76e5436 --- /dev/null +++ b/21614.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13368 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of For the Temple, by G. A. Henty + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: For the Temple + A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem + +Author: G. A. Henty + +Release Date: May 26, 2007 [EBook #21614] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOR THE TEMPLE *** + + + + +Produced by Martin Robb. + + + + +For the Temple: +A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem +By G. A. Henty. + +Contents + +Preface. +Chapter 1: The Lake Of Tiberias. +Chapter 2: A Storm On Galilee. +Chapter 3: The Revolt Against Rome. +Chapter 4: The Lull Before The Storm. +Chapter 5: The Siege Of Jotapata. +Chapter 6: The Fall Of The City. +Chapter 7: The Massacre On The Lake. +Chapter 8: Among The Mountains. +Chapter 9: The Storming Of Gamala. +Chapter 10: Captives. +Chapter 11: A Tale Of Civil Strife. +Chapter 12: Desultory Fighting. +Chapter 13: The Test Of Devotion. +Chapter 14: Jerusalem. +Chapter 15: The Siege Is Begun. +Chapter 16: The Subterranean Passage. +Chapter 17: The Capture Of The Temple. +Chapter 18: Slaves. +Chapter 19: At Rome. + +Illustrations + +On the Sea of Galilee. +Heightening the Walls of Jotapata under Shelter of Ox Hides. +John Incites his Countrymen to Harass the Romans. +The Roman Camp Surprised and Set on Fire. +Mary and the Hebrew Women in the Hands of the Romans. +Titus Brings Josephus to See John. +John and his Band in Sight of Jerusalem. +Misery in Jerusalem During the Siege by Titus. +'Lesbia,' the Roman said, 'I have brought you two more slaves.' +The Return of John to his House on the Lake. + + + +Preface. + + +In all history, there is no drama of more terrible interest than +that which terminated with the total destruction of Jerusalem. Had +the whole Jewish nation joined in the desperate resistance made, by +a section of it, to the overwhelming strength of Rome, the world +would have had no record of truer patriotism than that displayed, +by this small people, in their resistance to the forces of the +mistress of the world. + +Unhappily, the reverse of this was the case. Except in the defense +of Jotapata and Gamala, it can scarcely be said that the Jewish +people, as a body, offered any serious resistance to the arms of +Rome. The defenders of Jerusalem were a mere fraction of its +population--a fraction composed almost entirely of turbulent +characters and robber bands, who fought with the fury of +desperation; after having placed themselves beyond the pale of +forgiveness, or mercy, by the deeds of unutterable cruelty with +which they had desolated the city, before its siege by the Romans. +They fought, it is true, with unflinching courage--a courage never +surpassed in history--but it was the courage of despair; and its +result was to bring destruction upon the whole population, as well +as upon themselves. + +Fortunately the narrative of Josephus, an eyewitness of the events +which he describes, has come down to us; and it is the storehouse +from which all subsequent histories of the events have been drawn. +It is, no doubt, tinged throughout by his desire to stand well with +his patrons, Vespasian and Titus; but there is no reason to doubt +the accuracy of his descriptions. I have endeavored to present you +with as vivid a picture as possible of the events of the war, +without encumbering the story with details and, except as regards +the exploits of John of Gamala, of whom Josephus says nothing, have +strictly followed, in every particular, the narrative of the +historian. + +G. A. Henty. + + + +Chapter 1: The Lake Of Tiberias. + + +"Dreaming, John, as usual? I never saw such a boy. You are always +in extremes; either tiring yourself out, or lying half asleep." + +"I was not half asleep, mother. I was looking at the lake." + +"I cannot see much to look at, John. It's just as it has been ever +since you were born, or since I was born." + +"No, I suppose there's no change, mother; but I am never tired of +looking at the sun shining on the ripples, and the fishermen's +boats, and the birds standing in the shallows or flying off, in a +desperate hurry, without any reason that I can make out. Besides, +mother, when one is looking at the lake, one is thinking of other +things." + +"And very often thinking of nothing at all, my son." + +"Perhaps so, mother; but there's plenty to think of, in these +times." + +"Plenty, John; there are baskets and baskets of figs to be stripped +from the trees, and hung up to dry for the winter and, next week, +we are going to begin the grape harvest. But the figs are the +principal matter, at present; and I think that it would be far more +useful for you to go and help old Isaac and his son, in getting +them in, than in lying there watching the lake." + +"I suppose it would, mother," the lad said, rising briskly; for his +fits of indolence were by no means common and, as a rule, he was +ready to assist at any work which might be going on. + +"I do not wonder at John loving the lake," his mother said to +herself, when the lad had hurried away. "It is a fair scene; and it +may be, as Simon thinks, that a change may come over it, before +long, and that ruin and desolation may fall upon us all." + +There were, indeed, few scenes which could surpass in tranquil +beauty that which Martha, the wife of Simon, was looking upon--the +sheet of sparkling water, with its low shores dotted with towns and +villages. Down the lake, on the opposite shore, rose the walls and +citadel of Tiberias, with many stately buildings; for although +Tiberias was not, now, the chief town of Galilee--for Sepphoris had +usurped its place--it had been the seat of the Roman authority, and +the kings who ruled the country for Rome generally dwelt there. +Half a mile from the spot where Martha was standing rose the +newly-erected walls of Hippos. + +Where the towns and villages did not engross the shore, the rich +orchards and vineyards extended down to the very edge of the water. +The plain of Galilee was a veritable garden. Here flourished, in +the greatest abundance, the vine and the fig; while the low hills +were covered with olive groves, and the corn waved thickly on the +rich, fat land. No region on the earth's face possessed a fairer +climate. The heat was never extreme; the winds blowing from the +Great Sea brought the needed moisture for the vegetation; and so +soft and equable was the air that, for ten months in the year, +grapes and figs could be gathered. + +The population, supported by the abundant fruits of the earth, was +very large. Villages--which would elsewhere be called towns, for +those containing but a few thousand inhabitants were regarded as +small, indeed--were scattered thickly over the plain; and few areas +of equal dimensions could show a population approaching that which +inhabited the plains and slopes between the Sea of Galilee and the +Mediterranean. None could then have dreamed of the dangers that +were to come, or believed that this rich cultivation and teeming +population would disappear; and that, in time, a few flocks of +wandering sheep would scarce be able to find herbage growing, on +the wastes of land which would take the place of this fertile soil. + +Certainly no such thought as this occurred to Martha, as she +re-entered the house; though she did fear that trouble, and ruin, +might be approaching. + +John was soon at work among the fig trees, aiding Isaac and his son +Reuben--a lad of some fifteen years--to pick the soft, luscious +fruit, and carry it to the little courtyard, shaded from the rays +of the sun by an overhead trellis work, covered with vines and +almost bending beneath the purple bunches of grapes. Miriam--the +old nurse--and four or five maid servants, under the eye of Martha, +tied them in rows on strings, and fastened them to pegs driven into +that side of the house upon which the sun beat down most hotly. It +was only the best fruit that was so served; for that which had been +damaged in the picking, and all of smaller size, were laid on trays +in the sun. The girls chatted merrily as they worked; for Martha, +although a good housewife, was a gentle mistress and, so long as +fingers were busy, heeded not if the tongue ran on. + +"Let the damsels be happy, while they may," she would say, if +Miriam scolded a little when the laughter rose louder than usual. +"Let them be happy, while they can; who knows what lies in the +future?" + +But at present, the future cast no shade upon the group; nor upon a +girl of about fourteen years old, who danced in and out of the +courtyard in the highest spirits, now stopping a few minutes to +string the figs, then scampering away with an empty basket which, +when she reached the gatherers, she placed on her head and +supported demurely, for a little while, at the foot of the ladder +upon which John was perched--so that he could lay the figs in it +without bruising them. But, long ere the basket was filled she +would tire of the work and, setting it on the ground, run back into +the house. + +"And so you think you are helping, Mary," John said, laughing, when +the girl returned for the fourth time, with an empty basket. + +"Helping, John! Of course I am--ever so much. Helping you, and +helping them at the house, and carrying empty baskets. I consider +myself the most active of the party." + +"Active, certainly, Mary! but if you do not help them, in stringing +and hanging the figs, more than you help me, I think you might as +well leave it alone." + +"Fie, John! That is most ungrateful, after my standing here like a +statue, with the basket on my head, ready for you to lay the figs +in." + +"That is all very fine!" John laughed; "but before the basket is +half full, away you go; and I have to get down the ladder, and +bring up the basket and fix it firmly, and that without shaking the +figs; whereas, had you left it alone, altogether, I could have +brought up the empty basket and fixed it close by my hand, without +any trouble at all." + +"You are an ungrateful boy, and you know how bad it is to be +ungrateful! And after my making myself so hot, too!" Miriam said. +"My face is as red as fire, and that is all the thanks I get. Very +well, then, I shall go into the house, and leave you to your own +bad reflections." + +"You need not do that, Mary. You can sit down in the shade there, +and watch us at work; and eat figs, and get yourself cool, all at +the same time. The sun will be down in another half hour, and then +I shall be free to amuse you." + +"Amuse me, indeed!" the girl said indignantly, as she sat down on +the bank to which John had pointed. "You mean that I shall amuse +you; that is what it generally comes to. If it wasn't for me I am +sure, very often, there would not be a word said when we are out +together." + +"Perhaps that is true," John agreed; "but you see, there is so much +to think about." + +"And so you choose the time when you are with me to think! Thank +you, John! You had better think, at present," and, rising from the +seat she had just taken, she walked back to the house again, +regardless of John's explanations and shouts. + +Old Isaac chuckled, on his tree close by. + +"They are ever too sharp for us, in words, John. The damsel is +younger than you, by full two years; and yet she can always put you +in the wrong, with her tongue." + +"She puts meanings to my words which I never thought of," John +said, "and is angered, or pretends to be--for I never know which it +is--at things which she has coined out of her own mind, for they +had no place in mine." + +"Boys' wits are always slower than girls'," the old man said. "A +girl has more fancy, in her little finger, than a boy in his whole +body. Your cousin laughs at you, because she sees that you take it +all seriously; and wonders, in her mind, how it is her thoughts run +ahead of yours. But I love the damsel, and so do all in the house +for, if she be a little wayward at times, she is bright and loving, +and has cheered the house since she came here. + +"Your father is not a man of many words; and Martha, as becomes her +age, is staid and quiet, though she is no enemy of mirth and +cheerfulness; but the loss of all her children, save you, has +saddened her, and I think she must often have pined that she had +not a girl; and she has brightened much since the damsel came here, +three years ago. + +"But the sun is sinking, and my basket is full. There will be +enough for the maids to go on with, in the morning, until we can +supply them with more." + +John's basket was not full, but he was well content to stop and, +descending their ladders, the three returned to the house. + +Simon of Gadez--for that was the name of his farm, and the little +fishing village close by, on the shore--was a prosperous and +well-to-do man. His land, like that of all around him, had come +down from father to son, through long generations; for the law by +which all mortgages were cleared off, every seven years, prevented +those who might be disposed to idleness and extravagance from +ruining themselves, and their children. Every man dwelt upon the +land which, as eldest son, he had inherited; while the younger +sons, taking their smaller share, would settle in the towns or +villages and become traders, or fishermen, according to their bent +and means. + +There were poor in Palestine--for there will be poor, everywhere, +so long as human nature remains as it is; and some men are idle and +self indulgent, while others are industrious and thrifty--but, +taking it as a whole there were, thanks to the wise provisions of +their laws, no people on the face of the earth so generally +comfortable, and well to do. They grumbled, of course, over the +exactions of the tax collectors--exactions due, not to the +contribution which was paid by the province to imperial Rome, but +to the luxury and extravagance of their kings, and to the greed and +corruption of the officials. But in spite of this, the people of +rich and prosperous Galilee could have lived in contentment, and +happiness, had it not been for the factions in their midst. + +On reaching the house, John found that his father had just returned +from Hippos, whither he had gone on business. He nodded when the +lad entered, with his basket. + +"I have hired eight men in the market, today, to come out tomorrow +to aid in gathering in the figs," he said; "and your mother has +just sent down, to get some of the fishermen's maidens to come in +to help her. It is time that we had done with them, and we will +then set about the vintage. Let us reap while we can, there is no +saying what the morrow will bring forth. + +"Wife, add something to the evening meal, for the Rabbi Solomon Ben +Manasseh will sup with us, and sleep here tonight." + +John saw that his father looked graver than usual, but he knew his +duty as a son too well to think of asking any questions; and he +busied himself, for a time, in laying out the figs on trays--knowing +that, otherwise, their own weight would crush the soft fruit before +the morning, and bruise the tender skins. + +A quarter of an hour later, the quick footsteps of a donkey were +heard approaching. John ran out and, having saluted the rabbi, held +the animal while his father assisted him to alight and, welcoming +him to his house, led him within. The meal was soon served. It +consisted of fish from the lake, kid's flesh seethed in milk, and +fruit. + +Only the men sat down; the rabbi sitting upon Simon's right hand, +John on his left, and Isaac and his son at the other end of the +table. Martha's maids waited upon them, for it was not the custom +for the women to sit down with the men and, although in the country +this usage was not strictly observed, and Martha and little Mary +generally took their meals with Simon and John, they did not do so +if any guest was present. + +In honor of the visitor, a white cloth had been laid on the table. +All ate with their fingers; two dishes of each kind being placed on +the table--one at each end. But few words were said during the +meal. After it was concluded, Isaac and his son withdrew and, +presently, Martha and Mary, having taken their meal in the women's +apartments, came into the room. Mary made a little face at John, to +signify her disapproval of the visitor, whose coming would compel +her to keep silent all the evening. But though John smiled, he made +no sign of sympathy for, indeed, he was anxious to hear the news +from without; and doubted not that he should learn much, from the +rabbi. + +Solomon Ben Manasseh was a man of considerable influence in +Galilee. He was a tall, stern-looking old man, with bushy black +eyebrows, deep-set eyes, and a long beard of black hair, streaked +with gray. He was said to have acquired much of the learning of the +Gentiles, among whom, at Antioch, he had dwelt for some years; but +it was to his powers as a speaker that he owed his influence. It +was the tongue, in those days, that ruled men; and there were few +who could lash a crowd to fury, or still their wrath when excited, +better than Solomon Ben Manasseh. + +For some time they talked upon different subjects: on the corn +harvest and vintage, the probable amount of taxation, the marriage +feast which was to take place, in the following week, at the house +of one of the principal citizens of Hippos, and other matters. But +at last Simon broached the subject which was uppermost in all their +thoughts. + +"And the news from Tiberias, you say, is bad, rabbi?" + +"The news from Tiberias is always bad, friend Simon. In all the +land there is not a city which will compare with it, in the +wrongheadedness of its people and the violence of its seditions; +and little can be hoped, as far as I can see, so long as our good +governor, Josephus, continues to treat the malefactors so +leniently. A score of times they have conspired against his life +and, as often, has he eluded them; for the Lord has been ever with +him. But each time, instead of punishing those who have brought +about these disorders, he lets them go free; trusting always that +they will repent them of their ways, although he sees that his +kindness is thrown away, and that they grow even bolder and more +bitter against him after each failure. + +"All Galilee is with him. Whenever he gives the word, every man +takes up his arms and follows him and, did he but give the order, +they would level those proud towns Tiberias and Sepphoris to the +ground, and tear down stone by stone the stronghold of John of +Gischala. But he will suffer them to do nothing--not a hair of +these traitors' heads is to be touched; nor their property, to the +value of a penny, be interfered with. + +"I call such lenity culpable. The law ordains punishment for those +who disturb the people. We know what befell those who rebelled +against Moses. Josephus has the valor and the wisdom of King David; +but it were well if he had, like our great king, a Joab by his +side, who would smite down traitors and spare not." + +"It is his only fault," Simon said. "What a change has taken place, +since he was sent hither from Jerusalem to take up our government! +All abuses have been repressed, extortion has been put down, taxes +have been lightened. We eat our bread in peace and comfort, and +each man's property is his own. Never was there such a change as he +has wrought and, were it not for John of Gischala, Justus the son +of Piscus, and Jesus the son of Sapphias, all would go quietly and +well; but these men are continually stirring up the people--who, in +their folly, listen to them--and conspiring to murder Josephus, and +seize upon his government." + +"Already he has had, more than once, to reduce to submission +Tiberias and Sepphoris; happily without bloodshed for, when the +people of these cities saw that all Galilee was with Josephus, they +opened their gates and submitted themselves to his mercy. Truly, in +Leviticus it is said: + +"'Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children +of thy people; but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' + +"But Josephus carries this beyond reason. Seeing that his +adversaries by no means observe this law, he should remember that +it is also said that 'He that taketh the sword shall fall by the +sword,' and that the law lays down punishments for the transgressors. +Our judges and kings slew those who troubled the land, and destroyed +them utterly; and Josephus does wrong to depart from their teaching." + +"I know not where he could have learned such notions of mercy to +his enemies, and to the enemies of the land," Simon said. "He has +been to Rome, but it is not among the Romans that he will have +found that it is right to forgive those who rise up in rebellion." + +"Yes, he was in Rome when he was twenty-six years old," Solomon +said. "He went thither to plead the cause of certain priests who +had been thrown into bonds, by Felix, and sent to Rome. It was a +perilous voyage, for his ship was wrecked in the Adriatic and, of +six hundred men who were on board, only eighty were picked +up--after floating and swimming all night--by a ship of Cyrene. He +was not long in Rome for, being introduced to Poppaea, the wife of +Caesar, he used his interest with her and obtained the release of +those for whose sake he went there. + +"No, if he gained these ideas from anyone, he learned them from one +Banus--an Ascetic, of the sect of the Essenes, who lived in the +desert with no other clothing than the bark and leaves of trees, +and no other food save that which grew wild. Josephus lived with +him, in like fashion, for three years and, doubtless, learned all +that was in his heart. Banus was a follower, they say, of that John +whom Herod put to death; and for aught I know, of that Jesus who +was crucified, two years afterwards, at Jerusalem, and in whom many +people believed, and who has many followers, to this day. I have +conversed with some of them and, from what they tell me, this Jesus +taught doctrines similar to those which Josephus practices; and +which he may have learned from Banus, without accepting the +doctrines which the members of this sect hold, as to their founder +being the promised Messiah who was to restore Israel." + +"I, too, have talked with many of the sect," Simon said; "and have +argued with them on the folly of their belief, seeing that their +founder by no means saved Israel, but was himself put to death. +From what I could see, there was much that was good in the +doctrines they hold; but they have exaggerated ideas, and are +opposed to all wars, even to fighting for their country. I hear +that, since there has been trouble with Rome, most of them have +departed altogether out of the land, so as to avoid the necessity +of fighting." + +"They are poor creatures," Solomon Ben Manasseh said, scornfully; +"but we need not talk of them now, for they affect us in no way, +save that it may be that Josephus has learned somewhat of their +doctrines, from Banus; and that he is thus unduly and, as I think, +most unfortunately for the country, inclined too much to mercy, +instead of punishing the evildoers as they deserve." + +"But nevertheless, rabbi, it seems to me that there has been good +policy, as well, in the mercy which Josephus has shown his foes. +You know that John has many friends in Jerusalem; and that, if he +could accuse Josephus of slaughtering any, he would be able to make +so strong a party, there, that he could obtain the recall of +Josephus." + +"We would not let him go," Solomon said, hotly. "Since the Romans +have gone, we submit to the supremacy of the council at Jerusalem, +but it is only on sufferance. For long ages we have had nothing to +do with Judah; and we are not disposed to put our necks under their +yoke, now. We submit to unity because, in the Romans, we have a +common foe; but we are not going to be tyrannized. Josephus has +shown himself a wise ruler. We are happier, under him, than we have +been for generations under the men who call themselves kings, but +who are nothing but Roman satraps; and we are not going to suffer +him to be taken from us. Only let the people of Jerusalem try that, +and they will have to deal with all the men of Galilee." + +"I am past the age at which men are bound to take up the sword, and +John has not yet attained it but, if there were need, we would both +go out and fight. What could they do, for the population of Galilee +is greater than that of Judah? And while we would fight, every man, +to the death; the Jews would, few of them, care to hazard their +lives only to take from us the man we desire to rule over us. +Still, Josephus does wisely, perhaps, to give no occasion for +accusation by his enemies. + +"There is no talk, is there, rabbi, of any movement on the part of +the Romans to come against us, in force?" + +"None, so far as I have heard," the rabbi replied. "King Agrippa +remains in his country, to the east; but he has no Roman force with +him sufficient to attempt any great enterprise and, so long as they +leave us alone, we are content." + +"They will come, sooner or later," Simon said, shaking his head. +"They are busy elsewhere. When they have settled with their other +enemies, they will come here to avenge the defeat of Cestius, to +restore Florus, and to reconquer the land. Where Rome has once laid +her paw, she never lets slip her prey." + +"Well, we can fight," Solomon Ben Manasseh said, sternly. "Our +forefathers won the land with the sword, and we can hold it by the +sword." + +"Yes," Martha said quietly, joining in the conversation for the +first time, "if God fights for us, as He fought for our +forefathers." + +"Why should He not?" the rabbi asked sternly. "We are still his +people. We are faithful to his law." + +"But God has, many times in the past, suffered us to fall into the +hands of our enemies as a punishment for our sins," Martha said, +quietly. "The tribes were carried away into captivity, and are +scattered we know not where. The temple was destroyed, and the +people of Judah dwelt long as captives in Babylon. He suffered us +to fall under the yoke of the Romans. + +"In his right time, He will fight for us again; but can we say that +that time has come, rabbi, and that He will smite the Romans, as He +smote the host of Sennacherib?" + +"That no man can say," the rabbi answered, gloomily. "Time only +will show but, whether or no, the people will fight valiantly." + +"I doubt not that they will fight," Simon said; "but many other +nations, to whom we are but as a handful, have fought bravely, but +have succumbed to the might of Rome. It is said that Josephus, and +many of the wisest in Jerusalem, were heartily opposed to the +tumults against the Romans, and that they only went with the people +because they were in fear of their lives; and even at Tiberias many +men of worth and gravity, such as Julius Capellus, Herod the son of +Miarus, Herod the son of Gamalus, Compsus, and others, are all +strongly opposed to hostility against the Romans. + +"And it is the same, elsewhere. Those who know best what is the +might and power of Rome would fain remain friendly with her. It is +the ignorant and violent classes have led us into this strait; from +which, as I fear, naught but ruin can arise." + +"I thought better things of you, Simon," the rabbi said, angrily. + +"But you yourself have told me," Simon urged, "that you thought it +a mad undertaking to provoke the vengeance of Rome." + +"I thought so, at first," Solomon admitted, "but now our hand is +placed on the plow, we must not draw back; and I believe that the +God of our fathers will show his might before the heathen." + +"I trust that it may be so," Simon said, gravely. "In His hand is +all power. Whether He will see fit to put it forth, now, in our +behalf remains to be seen. However, for the present we need not +concern ourselves greatly with the Romans. It may be long before +they bring an army against us; while these seditions, here, are at +our very door, and ever threaten to involve us in civil war." + +"We need fear no civil war," the rabbi said. "The people of all +Galilee, save the violent and ill disposed in a few of the towns, +are all for Josephus. If it comes to force, John and his party know +that they will be swept away, like a straw before the wind. The +fear is that they may succeed in murdering Josephus; either by the +knife of an assassin, or in one of these tumults. They would rather +the latter, because they would then say that the people had torn +him to pieces, in their fury at his misdoings. + +"However, we watch over him, as much as we can; and his friends +have warned him that he must be careful, not only for his own sake, +but for that of all the people; and he has promised that, as far as +he can, he will be on his guard against these traitors." + +"The governor should have a strong bodyguard," John exclaimed, +impetuously, "as the Roman governors had. In another year, I shall +be of age to have my name inscribed in the list of fighting men; +and I would gladly be one of his guard." + +"You are neither old enough to fight, nor to express an opinion +unasked," Simon said, "in the presence of your elders." + +"Do not check the boy," the rabbi said. "He has fire and spirit; +and the days are coming when we shall not ask how old, or how +young, are those who would fight, so that they can but hold arms. + +"Josephus is wise not to have a military guard, John, because the +people love not such appearance of state. His enemies would use +this as an argument that he was setting himself up above them. It +is partly because he behaves himself discreetly, and goes about +among them like a private person, of no more account than +themselves, that they love him. None can say he is a tyrant, +because he has no means of tyrannizing. His enemies cannot urge it +against him at Jerusalem--as they would doubtless do, if they +could--that he is seeking to lead Galilee away from the rule of +Jerusalem, and to set himself up as its master for, to do this, he +would require to gather an army; and Josephus has not a single +armed man at his service, save and except that when he appears to +be in danger many, out of love of him, assemble and provide him +escort. + +"No, Josephus is wise in that he affects neither pomp nor state; +that he keeps no armed men around him, but trusts to the love of +the people. He would be wiser, however, did he seize one of the +occasions when the people have taken up arms for him to destroy all +those who make sedition; and to free the country, once and for all, +from the trouble. + +"Sedition should be always nipped in the bud. Lenity, in such a +case, is the most cruel course; for it encourages men to think that +those in authority fear them, and that they can conspire without +danger; and whereas, at first, the blood of ten men will put an end +to sedition, it needs, at last, the blood of as many thousands to +restore peace and order. It is good for a man to be merciful, but +not for a ruler, for the good of the whole people is placed in his +hands. The sword of justice is given to him, and he is most +merciful who uses it the most promptly against those who work +sedition. The wise ruler will listen to the prayers of his people, +and will grant their petitions, when they show that their case is +hard; but he will grant nothing to him who asketh with his sword in +his hand, for he knows full well that when he yields, once, he must +yield always; until the time comes, as come it surely will, when he +must resist with the sword. Then the land will be filled with blood +whereas, in the beginning, he could have avoided all trouble, by +refusing so much as to listen to those who spoke with threats. + +"Josephus is a good man, and the Lord has given him great gifts. He +has done great things for the land; but you will see that many woes +will come, and much blood will be shed, from this lenity of his +towards those who stir up tumults among the people." + +A few minutes later the family retired to bed; the hour being a +late one for Simon's household, which generally retired to rest a +short time after the evening meal. + +The next day the work of gathering in the figs was carried on, +earnestly and steadily, with the aid of the workers whom Simon had +hired in the town and, in two days, the trees were all stripped, +and strings of figs hung to dry from the boughs of all the trees +round the house. + +Then the gathering of the grapes began. All the inhabitants of the +little fishing village lent their aid--men as well as women and +children--for the vintage was looked upon as a holiday; and Simon +was regarded as a good friend by his neighbors, being ever ready to +aid them when there was need, judging any disputes which arose +between them, and lending them money without interest if misfortune +came upon their boats or nets, or if illness befell them; while the +women, in times of sickness or trouble, went naturally to Martha +with their griefs, and were assured of sympathy, good advice, and +any drugs or dainty food suited to the case. + +The women and girls picked the grapes, and laid them in baskets. +These were carried by men, and emptied into the vat; where other +men trod them down, and pressed out the juice. Martha and her maids +saw to the cooking and laying out, on the great tables in the +courtyard, of the meals; to which all sat down, together. Simon +superintended the crushing of the grapes; and John worked now at +one task, and now at another. It was a pretty scene, and rendered +more gay by the songs of the women and girls, as they worked; and +the burst of merry laughter which, at times, arose. + +It lasted four days, by which time the last bunch, save those on a +few vines preserved for eating, was picked and crushed; and the +vats in the cellar, sunk underground for coolness, were full to the +brim. Simon was much pleased with the result; and declared that +never, in his memory, had the vine and fig harvest turned out more +abundant. The corn had long before been gathered, and there +remained now only the olives; but it would be some little time yet +before these were fit to be gathered, and their oil extracted, for +they were allowed to hang on the trees until ready to drop. + +The last basket of grapes was brought in with much ceremony; the +gatherers forming a little procession, and singing a thanksgiving +hymn as they walked. The evening meal was more bounteous, even, +than usual; and all who helped carried away with them substantial +proofs of Simon's thankfulness, and satisfaction. + +For the next few days Simon and his men, and Martha's maids, lent +their assistance in getting in the vintage of their neighbors; for +each family had its patch of ground, and grew sufficient grapes and +fruits for its own needs. Those in the village brought their grapes +to a vat, which they had in common; the measures of the grapes +being counted as they were put in, and the wine afterwards divided, +in like proportion--for wine, to be good, must be made in +considerable quantities. + +And now there was, for a time, little to do on the farm. Simon +superintended the men who were plowing up the corn stubbles, ready +for the sowing in the spring; sometimes putting his hand to the +plow, and driving the oxen. Isaac and his son worked in the +vineyard and garden, near the house; aided to some extent by John +who, however, was not yet called upon to take a man's share in the +work of the farm--he having but lately finished his learning, with +the rabbi, at the school in Hippos. Still, he worked steadily every +morning and, in the afternoon, generally went out on the lake with +the fishermen, with whom he was a great favorite. + +This was not to last long for, at seventeen, he was to join his +father, regularly, in the management of the farm and, indeed, the +Rabbi Solomon, who was a frequent guest, was of opinion that Simon +gave the boy too much license; and that he ought, already, to be +doing man's work. + +But Simon, when urged by him, said: + +"I know that, at his age, I was working hard, rabbi; but the lad +has studied diligently, and I have a good report of him; and I +think it well that, at his age, the bow should be unbent somewhat. + +"Besides, who knows what is before us! I will let the lad have as +much pleasure from his life as he can. The storm is approaching; +let him play, while the sun shines." + + + +Chapter 2: A Storm On Galilee. + + +One day, after the midday meal, John said: + +"Mary, Raphael and his brother have taken the big boat, and gone +off with fish to Tiberias; and have told me that I can take the +small boat, if I will. Ask my mother to let you off your task, and +come out with me. It is a fortnight since we had a row on the lake, +together." + +"I was beginning to think that you were never going to ask me +again, John; and, only I should punish myself, I would say you nay. +There have you been, going out fishing every afternoon, and leaving +me at home to spin; and it is all the worse because your mother has +said that the time is fast coming when I must give up wandering +about like a child, and must behave myself like a woman. + +"Oh, dear, how tiresome it will be when there will be nothing to do +but to sit and spin, and to look after the house, and to walk +instead of running when I am out, and to behave like a grown-up +person, altogether!" + +"You are almost grown up," John said; "you are taller, now, than +any of the maids except Zillah; but I shall be sorry to see you +growing staid and solemn. And it was selfish of me not to ask you +to go out before, but I really did not think of it. The fishermen +have been working hard, to make up for the time lost during the +harvest; and I have really been useful, helping them with their +nets, and this is the last year I shall have my liberty. + +"But come, don't let's be wasting time in talking; run in and get +my mother's permission, and then join me on the shore. I will take +some grapes down, for you to eat; for the sun is hot today, and +there is scarce a breath of wind on the water." + +A few minutes later, the young pair stood together by the side of +the boat. + +"Your mother made all sorts of objections," Mary said, laughing, +"and I do think she won't let me come again. I don't think she +would have done it, today, if Miriam had not stood up for me, and +said that I was but a child though I was so tall; and that, as you +were very soon going to work with your father, she thought that it +was no use in making the change before that." + +"What nonsense it all is!" John said. "Besides, you know it is +arranged that, in a few months, we are to be betrothed according to +the wishes of your parents and mine. It would have been done, long +ago, only my father and mother do not approve of young betrothals; +and think it better to wait, to see if the young ones like each +other; and I think that is quite right, too, in most cases--only, +of course, living here, as you have done for the last three +years--since your father and mother died--there was no fear of our +not liking each other." + +"Well, you see," Mary said, as she sat in the stern of the boat, +while John rowed it quietly along, "it might have been just the +other way. When people don't see anything of each other, till they +are betrothed by their parents, they can't dislike each other very +much; whereas, when they get to know each other, if they are +disagreeable they might get to almost hate each other." + +"Yes, there is something in that," John agreed. "Of course, in our +case it is all right, because we do like each other--we couldn't +have liked each other more, I think, if we had been brother and +sister--but it seems to me that, sometimes, it must be horrid when +a boy is told by his parents that he is to be betrothed to a girl +he has never seen. You see it isn't as if it were for a short time, +but for all one's life. It must be awful!" + +"Awful!" Mary agreed, heartily; "but of course, it would have to be +done." + +"Of course," John said--the possibility of a lad refusing to obey +his parents' commands not even occurring to him. "Still it doesn't +seem to me quite right that one should have no choice, in so +important a matter. Of course, when one's got a father and mother +like mine--who would be sure to think only of making me happy, and +not of the amount of dowry, or anything of that sort--it would be +all right; but with some parents, it would be dreadful." + +For some time, not a word was spoken; both of them meditating over +the unpleasantness of being forced to marry someone they disliked. +Then, finding the subject too difficult for them, they began to +talk about other things; stopping, sometimes, to see the fishermen +haul up their nets, for there were a number of boats out on the +lake. They rowed down as far as Tiberias and, there, John ceased +rowing; and they sat chatting over the wealth and beauty of that +city, which John had often visited with his father, but which Mary +had never entered. + +Then John turned the head of the boat up the lake and again began +to row but, scarcely had he dipped his oar into the water, when he +exclaimed: + +"Look at that black cloud rising, at the other end of the lake! Why +did you not tell me, Mary?" + +"How stupid of me," she exclaimed, "not to have kept my eyes open!" + +He bent to his oars, and made the boat move through the water at a +very different rate to that at which she had before traveled. + +"Most of the boats have gone," Mary said, presently, "and the rest +are all rowing to the shore; and the clouds are coming up very +fast," she added, looking round. + +"We are going to have a storm," John said. "It will be upon us long +before we get back. I shall make for the shore, Mary. We must leave +the boat there, and take shelter for a while, and then walk home. +It will not be more than four miles to walk." + +But though he spoke cheerfully, John knew enough of the sudden +storms that burst upon the Sea of Galilee to be aware that, long +before he could cross the mile and a half of water, which separated +them from the eastern shore, the storm would be upon them; and +indeed, they were not more than half way when it burst. + +The sky was already covered with black clouds. A great darkness +gathered round them; then came a heavy downpour of rain; and then, +with a sudden burst, the wind smote them. It was useless, now, to +try to row, for the oars would have been twisted from his hands in +a moment; and John took the helm, and told Mary to lie down in the +bottom of the boat. He had already turned the boat's head up the +lake, the direction in which the storm was traveling. + +The boat sprang forward, as if it had received a blow, when the +gale struck it. John had, more than once, been out on the lake with +the fishermen, when sudden storms had come up; and knew what was +best to be done. When he had laid in his oars, he had put them so +that the blades stood partly up above the bow, and caught the wind +somewhat; and he, himself, crouched down in the bottom, with his +head below the gunwale and his hand on the tiller; so that the +tendency of the boat was to drive straight before the wind. With a +strong crew, he knew that he could have rowed obliquely towards the +shore but, alone, his strength could have done nothing to keep the +heavy boat off her course. + +The sea rose, as if by magic, and the spray was soon dashing over +them; each wave, as it followed the boat, rising higher and higher. +The shores were no longer visible; and the crests of the waves +seemed to gleam, with a pallid light, in the darkness which +surrounded them. John sat quietly in the bottom of the boat, with +one hand on the tiller and the other arm round Mary, who was +crouched up against him. She had made no cry, or exclamation, from +the moment the gale struck them. + +Illustration: On the Sea of Galilee. + +"Are we getting near shore?" she asked, at last. + +"No, Mary; we are running straight before the wind, which is +blowing right up the lake. There is nothing to be done but to keep +straight before it." + +Mary had seen many storms on the lake, and knew into what a fury +its waters were lashed, in a tempest such as was now upon them. + +"We are in God's hands, John," she said, with the quiet resignation +of her race. "He can save us, if He will. Let us pray to him." + +John nodded and, for a few minutes, no word was spoken. + +"Can I do anything?" Mary asked, presently, as a wave struck the +stern, and threw a mass of water into the boat. + +"Yes," John replied; "take that earthen pot, and bale out the +water." + +John had no great hope that they would live through the gale, but +he thought it better for the girl to be kept busily employed. She +bailed steadily but, fast as she worked, the water came in faster; +for each wave, as it swept past them, broke on board. So rapidly +were they traveling that John had the greatest difficulty in +keeping the boat from broaching to--in which case the following +wave would have filled, or overturned, her. + +"I don't think it's any use, John," Mary said, quietly, as a great +wave broke on board; pouring in as much water, in a second, as she +could have baled out in ten minutes. + +"No use, dear. Sit quietly by me but, first, pull those oars aft. +Now, tie them together with that piece of rope. Now, when the boat +goes down, keep tight hold of them. + +"Cut off another piece of rope, and give it me. When we are in the +water, I will fasten you to the oars. They will keep you afloat, +easily enough. I will keep close to you. You know I am a good +swimmer and, whenever I feel tired, I can rest my hands on the +oars, too. + +"Keep up your courage, and keep as quiet as you can. These sudden +storms seldom last long; and my father will be sure to get the +boats out, as soon as he can, to look for us." + +John spoke cheerfully, but he had no great hopes of their being +able to live in so rough a sea. Mary had still less, but she +quietly carried out John's instructions. The boat was half-full of +water, now, and rose but heavily upon the waves. + +John raised himself and looked round; in hopes that the wind might, +unnoticed, have shifted a little and blown them towards the shore. +As he glanced around, him he gave a shout. Following almost in +their track, and some fifty yards away, was a large galley; running +before the wind, with a rag of sail set on its mast. + +"We are saved, Mary!" he exclaimed. "Here is a galley, close to +us." + +He shouted loudly, though he knew that his voice could not be +heard, many yards away, in the teeth of the gale but, almost +directly, he saw two or three men stand up in the bow of the +galley. One was pointing towards them, and he saw that they were +seen. + +In another minute the galley came sweeping along, close to the +boat. A dozen figures appeared over her side, and two or three +ropes were thrown. John caught one, twisted it rapidly round Mary's +body and his own, knotted it and, taking her in his arms, jumped +overboard. Another minute they were drawn alongside the galley, and +pulled on board. As soon as the ropes were unfastened, John rose to +his feet; but Mary lay, insensible, on the deck. + +"Carry the damsel into the cabin," a man, who was evidently in +authority said. "She has fainted, but will soon come round. I will +see to her, myself." + +The suddenness of the rescue, the plunge in the water, and the +sudden revulsion of his feelings affected John so much that it was +two or three minutes before he could speak. + +"Come along with me, lad," one of the sailors said, laying his hand +on his shoulder. "Some dry clothes, and a draught of wine will set +you all right again; but you have had a narrow escape of it. That +boat of yours was pretty nearly water logged and, in another five +minutes, we should have been too late." + +John hastily changed his clothes in the forecastle, took a draught +of wine, and then hurried back again towards the aft cabin. Just as +he reached it, the man who had ordered Mary to be carried in came +out. + +"The damsel has opened her eyes," he said, "and you need not be +uneasy about her. I have given her some woolen cloths, and bade her +take off her wet garments, and wrap herself in them. + +"Why did you not make for the shore, before the tempest broke? It +was foolish of you, indeed, to be out on the lake, when anyone +could see that this gale was coming." + +"I was rowing down, and did not notice it until I turned," John +replied. "I was making for the shore, when the gale struck her." + +"It was well, for you, that I noticed you. I was, myself, thinking +of making for the shore although, in so large and well-manned craft +as this, there is little fear upon the lake. It is not like the +Great Sea; where I, myself, have seen a large ship as helpless, +before the waves, as that small boat we picked you from. + +"I had just set out from Tiberias, when I marked the storm coming +up; but my business was urgent and, moreover, I marked your little +boat, and saw that you were not likely to gain the shore; so I bade +the helmsman keep his eye on you, until the darkness fell upon us; +and then to follow straight in your wake, for you could but run +before the wind--and well he did it for, when we first caught sight +of you, you were right ahead of us." + +The speaker was a man of about thirty years of age; tall, and with +a certain air of command. + +"I thank you, indeed, sir," John said, "for saving my life; and +that of my cousin Mary, the daughter of my father's brother. Truly, +my father and mother will be grateful to you, for having saved us; +for I am their only son. + +"Whom are they to thank for our rescue?" + +"I am Joseph, the son of Matthias, to whom the Jews have intrusted +the governorship of this province." + +"Josephus!" John exclaimed, in a tone of surprise and reverence. + +"So men call me," Josephus replied, with a smile. + +It was, indeed, the governor. Flavius Josephus, as the Romans +afterwards called him, came of a noble Jewish family--his father, +Matthias, belonging to the highest of the twenty-four classes into +which the sacerdotal families were divided. Matthias was eminent +for his attainments, and piety; and had been one of the leading men +in Jerusalem. From his youth, Josephus had carefully prepared +himself for public life, mastering the doctrines of the three +leading sects among the Jews--the Pharisees, Sadducees, and +Essenes--and having spent three years in the desert, with Banus the +Ascetic. The fact that, at only twenty-six years of age, he had +gone as the leader of a deputation to Rome, on behalf of some +priests sent there by Felix, shows that he was early looked upon as +a conspicuous person among the Jews; and he was but thirty when he +was intrusted with the important position of Governor of Galilee. + +Contrary to the custom of the times, he had sought to make no gain +from his position. He accepted neither presents, nor bribes; but +devoted himself entirely to ameliorating the condition of the +people, and in repressing the turbulence of the lower classes of +the great towns; and of the robber chieftains who, like John of +Gischala, took advantage of the relaxation of authority, caused by +the successful rising against the Romans, to plunder and tyrannize +over the people. + +The expression of the face of Josephus was lofty and, at the same +time, gentle. His temper was singularly equable and, whatever the +circumstances, he never gave way to anger, but kept his passions +well under control. His address was soft and winning, and he had +the art of attracting respect and friendship from all who came in +contact with him. Poppaea, the wife of Nero, had received him with +much favor and, bravely as he fought against them, Vespasian and +Titus were, afterwards, as much attached to him as were the Jews of +Galilee. There can be no doubt that, had he been otherwise placed +than as one of a people on the verge of destruction, Josephus would +have been one of the great figures of history. + +John had been accustomed to hear his father and his friends speak +in tones of such admiration for Josephus, as the man who was +regarded not only as the benefactor of the Jews of Galilee, but as +the leader and mainstay of the nation, that he had long ardently +desired to see him; and to find that he had now been rescued from +death by him, and that he was now talking to him face to face, +filled him with confusion. + +"You are a brave lad," Josephus said, "for you kept your head well, +in a time when older men might have lost their presence of mind. +You must have kept your boat dead before the wind; and you were +quick and ready, in seizing the rope and knotting it round +yourself, and the maid with you. I feared you might try and fasten +it to the boat. If you had, full of water as she was, and fast as +we were sailing before the wind, the rope would barely have stood +the strain." + +"The clouds are breaking," the captain of the boat said, coming up +to Josephus, "and I think that we are past the worst of the gale. +And well it is so for, even in so staunch a craft, there is much +peril in such a sea as this." + +The vessel, although one of the largest on the lake, was indeed +pitching and rolling very heavily; but she was light and buoyant +and, each time that she plunged bows under, as the following waves +lifted her stern high in the air, she rose lightly again; and +scarce a drop fell into her deep waist, the lofty erections, fore +and aft, throwing off the water. + +"Where do you belong, my lad?" Josephus asked. "I fear that it is +impossible for us to put you ashore, until we reach Capernaum; but +once there, I will see that you are provided with means to take you +home." + +"Our farm lies three miles above Hippos." + +"That is unfortunate," Josephus said, "since it lies on the +opposite side of the lake to Capernaum. However, we shall see. If +the storm goes down rapidly, I may be able to get a fishing boat to +take you across, this evening; for your parents will be in sore +trouble. If not, you must wait till early morning." + +In another hour they reached Capernaum. The wind had, by this time, +greatly abated; although the sea still ran high. The ship was soon +alongside a landing jetty, which ran out a considerable distance, +and formed a breakwater protecting the shipping from the heavy sea +which broke there when the wind was, as at present, from the south. + +Mary came out from the cabin, as the vessel entered the harbor, +wrapped up from head to foot in the woolen cloths with which she +had been furnished. John sprang to her side. + +"Are you quite well, Mary?" + +"Quite well," she said, "only very ashamed of having fainted, and +very uncomfortable in these wrappings. But, oh! John, how thankful +we ought to be, to God, for having sent this ship to our aid, just +when all seemed lost!" + +"We ought, indeed, Mary. I have been thanking him, as I have been +standing here watching the waves; and I am sure you have been doing +the same, in the cabin." + +"Yes, indeed, John. But what am I to do, now? I do not like going +on shore like this, and the officer told me I was, on no account, +to put on my wet clothes." + +"Do you know, it is Josephus himself, Mary--think of that--the +great Josephus, who has saved us! He marked our boat before the +storm broke and, seeing that we could not reach the shore, had his +vessel steered so as to overtake us." + +Mary was too surprised to utter more than an exclamation. The +thought that the man, who had been talking so kindly and pleasantly +to her, was the great leader of whom she had heard so much, quite +took away her breath. + +At that moment Josephus, himself, came up. + +"I am glad to see you have got your color again, maiden," he said. +"I am just going to land. Do you, with your cousin, remain on board +here. I will send a woman down, with some attire for you. She will +conduct you both to the house where I shall be staying. + +"The sea is going down, and the captain tells me that he thinks, in +another three or four hours, I shall be able to get a boat to send +you across to your home. It will be late, but you will not mind +that; for they are sure not to retire to rest, at home, but to be +up all night, searching for you." + +A crowd had assembled on the jetty, for Josephus was expected, and +the violent storm had excited the fears of all for his safety; and +the leading inhabitants had all flocked down to welcome him, when +his vessel was seen approaching. + +"Isn't he kind and good?" Mary said, enthusiastically, as she +watched the greeting which he received, as he landed. "He talked to +me, just as if he had been of my own family." + +"He is grand!" John agreed, with equal enthusiasm. "He is just what +I pictured to myself that a great leader would be; such as Joshua, +or Gideon, or the Prince of the Maccabees." + +"Yes; but more gentle, John." + +"Brave men should always be gentle," John said, positively. + +"They ought to be, perhaps," Mary agreed, "but I don't think they +are." + +They chatted, then, about the storm and the anxiety which they +would be feeling, at home; until an officer, accompanied by a woman +carrying attire for Mary, came on board. Mary soon came out of the +cabin, dressed; and the officer conducted them to the house which +had been placed at the disposal of Josephus. The woman led them up +to a room, where a meal had been prepared for them. + +"Josephus is in council, with the elders," she said. "He bade me +see that you had all that you required. He has arranged that a bark +shall start with you, as soon as the sea goes down; but if, by +eight o'clock, it is still too rough, I shall take the maiden home +to my house, to sleep; and they will arouse you, as soon as it is +safe to put out, whatever the hour may be, as your friends will be +in great anxiety concerning you." + +The sun had already set and, just as they finished their meal, the +man belonging to the boat came to say that it would be midnight +before he could put out. + +Mary then went over with the woman; and John lay down on some mats, +to sleep, until it was time to start. He slept soundly, until he +was aroused by the entry of someone, with lights. He started to his +feet, and found that it was Josephus, himself, with an attendant. + +"I had not forgotten you," he said, "but I have been, until now, in +council. It is close upon midnight, and the boat is in readiness. I +have sent to fetch the damsel, and have bidden them take plenty of +warm wraps, so that the night air may do her no harm." + +Mary soon arrived; and Josephus, himself, went down with them to +the shore, and saw them on board the boat--which was a large one, +with eight rowers. The wind had died away to a gentle breeze, and +the sea had gone down greatly. The moon was up, and the stars +shining brightly. Josephus chatted kindly to John, as they made +their way down to the shore. + +"Tell your father," he said, "that I hope he will come over to see +me, ere long; and that I shall bear you in mind. The time is coming +when every Jew who can bear arms will be needed in the service of +his country and, if your father consents, I will place you near my +person; for I have seen that you are brave and cool, in danger, and +you will have plenty of opportunities of winning advancement." + +With many thanks for his kindness, John and Mary took their places +in the stern of the boat. Mary enveloped herself in the wraps that +had been prepared for her, for the nights were chilly. Then the +sail was hoisted, and the boat sailed away from the land. The wind +had shifted round, somewhat, to the west, and they were able to lay +their course across towards Hippos; but their progress was slow, +and the master bade the crew get out their oars, and aid the sail. + +In three hours they neared the land, John pointing out the exact +position of the village; which was plainly enough marked out, by a +great fire blazing on the shore. As they approached it, they could +see several figures and, presently, there came a shout, which John +recognized as that of Isaac. + +"Any news?" + +"Here we are, Isaac, safe and well." + +There was a confused sound, of shouts and cries of pleasure. In a +few minutes, the boat grated on the shallow shore. The moment she +did so, John leaped out over the bow and waded ashore, and was at +once clasped in his mother's arms; while one of the fishermen +carried Mary to the land. She received, from Martha, a full share +of her caresses; for she loved the girl almost as dearly as she did +her son. Then Miriam and the maids embraced and kissed her, while +Isaac folded John in his arms. + +"The God of Israel be thanked and praised, my children!" Martha +exclaimed. "He has brought you back to us, as from the dead, for we +never thought to see you again. Some of the fishermen returned, and +told us that they saw your boat, far on the lake, before the storm +burst; and none held out hope that you could have weathered such a +storm." + +"Where is father?" John asked. + +"He is out on the lake, as are all the fishermen of the village, +searching for you. + +"That reminds me, Isaac, set fire to the other piles of wood that +we have prepared. + +"If one of the boats returned, with any sure news of you, we were +to light them to call the others back--one fire if the news was +bad, two if it was good--but we hardly even dared to hope that the +second would be required." + +A brand from the fire was soon applied to the other piles, and the +three fires shone out across the lake, with the good news. In a +quarter of an hour a boat was seen approaching, and soon came a +shout: + +"Is all well?" + +"All is well," John shouted, in reply, and soon he was clasped in +his father's arms. + +The other boats came in, one by one; the last to arrive towing in +the boat--which had been found, bottom upwards, far up the lake, +its discovery destroying the last hope of its late occupants being +found alive. + +As soon as Simon landed, the party returned to the house. Miriam +and the maids hurried to prepare a meal--of which all were sorely +in need, for no food had been eaten since the gale burst on the +lake; while their three hours in the boat had again sharpened the +appetite of John and Mary. A quantity of food was cooked, and a +skin of old wine brought up from the cellar; and Isaac remained +down on the shore, to bid all who had been engaged in the search +come up and feast, as soon as they landed. + +John related to his parents the adventure which had befallen them, +and they wondered greatly at the narrowness of their deliverance. +When the feasting was over, Simon called all together, and solemnly +returned thanks to God for the mercies which He had given them. It +was broad daylight before all sought their beds, for a few hours, +before beginning the work of the day. + +A week later Josephus himself came to Hippos, bringing with him two +nobles, who had fled from King Agrippa and sought refuge with him. +He had received them hospitably, and had allotted a home to them at +Tarichea, where he principally dwelt. + +He had, just before, had another narrow escape, for six hundred +armed men--robbers and others--had assembled round his house, +charging him with keeping some spoils which had been taken, by a +party of men of that town, from the wife of Ptolemy--King Agrippa's +procurator--instead of dividing them among the people. For a time, +he pacified them by telling them that this money was destined for +strengthening the walls of their town, and for walling other towns +at present undefended; but the leaders of the evildoers were +determined to set his house on fire, and slay him. + +He had but twenty armed men with him. Closing the doors, he went to +an upper room, and told the robbers to send in one of their number +to receive the money. Directly he entered, the door was closed. One +of his hands was cut off, and hung round his neck; and he was then +turned out again. Believing that Josephus would not have ventured +to act so boldly, had he not had a large body of armed men with +him, the crowd were seized with panic and fled to their homes. + +After this, the enemies of Josephus persuaded the people that the +nobles he had sheltered were wizards; and demanded that they should +be given up to be slain, unless they would change their religion to +that of the Jews. Josephus tried to argue them out of their belief, +saying that there were no such things as wizards and, if the Romans +had wizards who could work them wrong, they would not need to send +an army to fight against them; but as the people still clamored, he +got the men privately on board a ship, and sailed across the lake +with them to Hippos; where he dismissed them, with many presents. + +As soon as the news came that Josephus had come to Hippos, Simon +set out with Martha, John, and Mary, to see him. Josephus received +them kindly, and would permit no thanks for what he had done. + +"Your son is a brave youth," he said to Simon, "and I would gladly +have him near me, if you would like to have it so. This is a time +when there are greater things than planting vineyards, and +gathering in harvests, to be done; and there is a need for brave +and faithful men. If, then, you and your wife will give the lad to +me, I will see to him, and keep him near me. I have need of +faithful men with me, for my enemies are ever trying to slay me. If +all goes well with the lad, he will have a good opportunity of +rising to honor. + +"What say you? Do not give an answer hastily, but think it over +among yourselves and, if you agree to my proposal, send him across +the lake to me." + +"It needs no thought, sir," Simon said. "I know well that there are +more urgent things, now, than sowing and reaping; and that much +trouble and peril threaten the land. Right glad am I that my son +should serve one who is the hope of Israel, and his mother will not +grudge him for such service. As to advancement, I wish nothing +better than that he should till the land of his fathers; but none +can say what the Lord has in store for us, or whether strangers may +not reap what I have sown. Thus, then, the wisdom which he will +gain, in being with you, is likely to be a far better inheritance +than any I can give him. + +"What say you, Martha?" + +"I say as you do, Simon. It will grieve me to part with him, but I +know that such an offer as that which my lord Josephus makes is +greatly for his good. Moreover, the manner in which he was saved +from death seems to show that the Lord has something for his hand +to do, and that his path is specially marked out for him. To refuse +to let him go would be to commit the sin of withstanding God-- + +"Therefore, my lord, I willingly give up my son to follow you." + +"I think that you have decided wisely," Josephus said. "I tarry +here, for tonight, and tomorrow cross to Tiberias; therefore, let +him be here by noon." + +Mary was the most silent of the party, on the way home. Simon and +his wife felt convinced the decision they had made was a wise one +and, although they were not ambitious, they yet felt that the offer +of Josephus was a most advantageous one, and opened a career of +honor to their son. + +John, himself, was in a state of the highest delight. To be about +the person of Josephus seemed, to him, the greatest honor and +happiness. It opened the way to the performance of great actions, +which would bring honor to his father's name; and although he had +been, hitherto, prepared to settle down to the life of a cultivator +of the soil, he had had his yearnings for one of more excitement +and adventure; and these were now likely to be gratified, to the +fullest. + +Mary, however, felt the approaching loss of her friend and playmate +greatly, though even she was not insensible to the honor which the +offer of Josephus conferred upon him. + +"You don't seem glad of my good fortune, Mary," John said as, after +they returned home, they strolled together, as usual, down to the +edge of the lake. + +"It may be your good fortune, but it's not mine," the girl said, +pettishly. "It will be very dull here, without you. I know what it +will be. Your mother will always be full of anxiety, and will be +fretting whenever we get news of any disturbances; and that is +often enough, for there seem to be disturbances, continually. Your +father will go about silently, Miriam will be sharper than usual +with the maids, and everything will go wrong. I can't see why you +couldn't have said that, in a year or two, you would go with the +governor; but that, at present, you thought you had better stop +with your own people." + +"A nice milksop he would have thought me!" John laughed. "No, if he +thought I was man enough to do him service, it would have been a +nice thing for me to say that I thought I was too young. + +"Besides, Mary, after all it is your good fortune, as well as mine; +for is it not settled that you are to share it? Josephus is all +powerful and, if I please him and do my duty, he can, in time, +raise me to a position of great honor. I may even come to be the +governor of a town, or a captain over troops, or a councilor." + +"No, no!" Mary laughed, "not a councilor, John. A governor, +perhaps; and a captain, perhaps; but never, I should say, a +councilor." + +John laughed good temperedly. + +"Well, Mary, then you shall look forward to be the wife of a +governor, or captain; but you see, I might even fill the place of a +councilor with credit, because I could always come to you for +advice before, I give an opinion--then I should be sure to be +right. + +"But, seriously, Mary, I do think it great honor to have had such +an offer made me, by the governor." + +"Seriously, so do I, John; though I wish, in my heart, he had not +made it. I had looked forward to living here, all my life, just as +your mother has done; and now there will be nothing fixed to look +forward to. + +"Besides, where there is honor, there is danger. There seem to be +always tumults, always conspiracies--and then, as your father says, +above all there are the Romans to be reckoned with and, of course, +if you are near Josephus you run a risk, going wherever he does." + +"I shall never be in greater risk, Mary, than we were, together, on +the lake the other day. God helped us, then, and brought us through +it; and I have faith that He will do so, again. It may be that I am +meant to do something useful, before I die. At any rate, when the +Romans come, everyone will have to fight; so I shall be in no +greater danger than any one else." + +"I know, John, and I am not speaking quite in earnest. I am sorry +you are going--that is only natural--but I am proud that you are to +be near our great leader, and I believe that our God will be your +shield and protector. + +"And now, we had better go in. Your father will, doubtless, have +much to say to you, this evening; and your mother will grudge every +minute you are out of her sight." + + + +Chapter 3: The Revolt Against Rome. + + +That evening the Rabbi Solomon Ben Manasseh came in, and was +informed of the offer which Josephus had made. + +"You were present, rabbi," Simon said, "at the events which took +place in Jerusalem, and at the defeat of Cestius. John has been +asking me to tell him more about these matters for, now that he is +to be with the governor, it is well that he should be well +acquainted with public affairs." + +"I will willingly tell him the history for, as you say, it is right +that the young man should be well acquainted with the public events +and the state of parties and, though the story must be somewhat +long, I will try and not make it tedious. + +"The first tumult broke out in Caesarea, and began by frays between +our people and the Syrian Greeks. Felix the governor took the part +of the Greeks; and many of our people were killed, and more +plundered. When Felix was recalled to Rome, we sent a deputation +there with charges against him; but the Greeks, by means of +bribery, obtained a decree against us, depriving the Jews of +Caesarea of rights of equal citizenship. From this constant +troubles arose but, outside Caesarea, Festus kept all quiet; +putting down robbers, as well as impostors who led the people +astray. + +"Then there came trouble in Jerusalem. King Agrippa's palace stood +on Mount Zion, looking towards the Temple; and he built a lofty +story, from whose platform he could command a view of the courts of +the Temple, and watch the sacrifices. Our people resented this +impious intrusion, and built a high wall to cut off the view. +Agrippa demanded its destruction, on the ground that it intercepted +the view of the Roman guard. We appealed to Nero, and sent to him a +deputation; headed by Ismael, the high priest, and Hilkiah, the +treasurer. They obtained an order for the wall to be allowed to +stand, but Ismael and Hilkiah were detained at Rome. Agrippa +thereupon appointed another high priest--Joseph--but, soon +afterwards, nominated Annas in his place. + +"When Festus--the Roman governor--was away, Annas put to death many +of the sect called Christians, to gratify the Sadducees. The people +were indignant, for these men had done no harm; and Agrippa +deprived him of the priesthood and appointed Jesus, son of Damnai. +Then, unhappily, Festus--who was a just and good governor--died, +and Albinus succeeded him. He was a man greedy of money, and ready +to do anything for gain. He took bribes from robbers, and +encouraged, rather than repressed, evil doers. There was open war, +in the streets, between the followers of various chief robbers. +Albinus opened the prisons, and filled the city with malefactors; +and, at the completion of the works at the Temple, eighteen +thousand workmen were discharged, and thus the city was filled with +men ready to sell their services to the highest bidders. + +"Albinus was succeeded by Gessius Florus, who was even worse than +Albinus. This man was a great friend of Cestius Gallus, who +commanded the Roman troops in Syria; and who, therefore, scoffed at +the complaints of the people against Florus. + +"At this time, strange prodigies appeared in Rome. A sword of fire +hung above the city, for a whole year. The inner gate of the +Temple--which required twenty men to move it--opened by itself; +chariots and armed squadrons were seen in the heavens and, worse +than all, the priests in the Temple heard a great movement, and a +sound of many voices, which said: + +"'Let us depart hence!' + +"So things went on, in Jerusalem, until the old feud at Caesarea +broke out afresh. The trouble, this time, began about one of our +synagogues. The land around it belonged to a Greek and, for this, +our people offered a high price. The heathen who owned it refused +and, to annoy us, raised mean houses round the synagogue. The +Jewish youths interrupted the workmen; and the wealthier of the +community--headed by John, a publican--subscribed eight talents, +and sent them to Florus as a bribe, that he might order the +building to be stopped. + +"Florus took the money, and made many promises; but the evil man +desired that a revolt should take place, in order that he might +gain great plunder. So he went away from Caesarea, and did nothing; +and a great tumult arose between the heathen and our people. In +this we were worsted, and went away from the city; while John, with +twelve of the highest rank, went to Samaria to lay the matter +before Florus; who threw them into prison--doubtless the more to +excite the people--and at the same time sent to Jerusalem, and +demanded seventeen talents from the treasury of the Temple. + +"The people burst into loud outcries, and Florus advanced upon the +city with all his force. But we knew that we could not oppose the +Romans; and so received Florus, on his arrival, with acclamations. +But this did not suit the tyrant. The next morning he ordered his +troops to plunder the upper market, and to put to death all they +met. The soldiers obeyed, and slew three thousand six hundred men, +women, and children. + +"You may imagine, John, the feelings of grief and rage which filled +every heart. The next day the multitude assembled in the +marketplace, wailing for the dead and cursing Florus. But the +principal men of the city, with the priests, tore their robes and +went among them, praying them to disperse and not to provoke the +anger of the governor. The people obeyed their voices, and went +quietly home. + +"But Florus was not content that matters should end so. He sent for +the priests and leaders, and commanded them to go forth and +receive, with acclamations of welcome, two cohorts of troops who +were advancing from Caesarea. The priests called the people +together in the Temple and, with difficulty, persuaded them to obey +the order. The troops, having orders from Florus, fell upon the +people and trampled them down and, driving the multitude before +them, entered the city; and at the same time Florus sallied out +from his palace, with his troops, and both parties pressed forward +to gain the Castle of Antonia, whose possession would lay the +Temple open to them, and enable Florus to gain the sacred treasures +deposited there. + +"But, as soon as the people perceived their object, they ran +together in such vast crowds that the Roman soldiers could not cut +their way through the mass which blocked up the streets; while the +more active men, going up on to the roofs, hurled down stones and +missiles upon the troops. + +"What a scene was that, John! I was on the portico near Antonia, +and saw it all. It was terrible to hear the shouts of the soldiers, +as they strove to hew their way through the defenseless people; the +war cries of our own youths, the shrieks and wailings of the women. +While the Romans were still striving, our people broke down the +galleries connecting Antonia with the Temple; and Florus, seeing +that he could not carry out his object, ordered his troops to +retire to their quarters and, calling the chief priests and the +rulers, proposed to leave the city, leaving behind him one cohort +to preserve the peace. + +"As soon as he had done so, he sent to Cestius Gallus lying +accounts of the tumults, laying all the blame upon us; while we and +Bernice, the sister of King Agrippa--who had tried, in vain, to +obtain mercy for the people from Florus--sent complaints against +him. Cestius was moving to Jerusalem--to inquire into the matter, +as he said, but really to restore Florus--when, fortunately, King +Agrippa arrived from Egypt. + +"While he was yet seven miles from the city, a procession of the +people met him, headed by the women whose husbands had been slain. +These, with cries and wailings, called on Agrippa for protection; +and related to a centurion, whom Cestius had sent forward, and who +met Agrippa on the way, the cruelty of Florus. When the king and +the centurion arrived in the city, they were taken to the +marketplace and shown the houses where the inhabitants had been +massacred. + +"Agrippa called the people together and, taking his seat on a lofty +dais, with Bernice by his side, harangued them. He assured them +that, when the emperor heard what had been done, he would send a +better governor to them, in the place of Florus. He told them that +it was vain to hope for independence, for that the Romans had +conquered all the nations in the world; and that the Jews could not +contend against them, and that war would bring about the +destruction of the city, and the Temple. The people exclaimed they +had taken up arms, not against the Romans, but against Florus. + +"Agrippa urged us to pay our tribute, and repair the galleries. +This was willingly done. We sent out leading men to collect the +arrears of tribute, and these soon brought in forty talents. All +was going on well, until Agrippa tried to persuade us to receive +Florus, till the emperor should send another governor. At the +thought of the return of Florus, a mad rage seized the people. They +poured abuse upon Agrippa, threw stones at him, and ordered him to +leave the city. This he did, and retired to his own kingdom. + +"The upper class, and all those who possessed wisdom enough to know +how great was the power of Rome, still strove for peace. But the +people were beyond control. They seized the fortress of Masada--a +very strong place near the Dead Sea--and put the Roman garrison to +the sword. But what was even worse, Eleazar--son of Ananias, the +chief priest--persuaded the priests to reject the offerings +regularly made, in the name of the emperor, to the God of the +Hebrews; and to make a regulation that, from that time, no +foreigner should be allowed to sacrifice in the Temple. + +"The chief priests, with the heads of the Pharisees, addressed the +people in the quadrangle of the Temple, before the eastern gate. I, +myself, was one of those who spoke. We told them that the Temple +had long benefited by the splendid gifts of strangers; and that it +was not only inhospitable, but impious, to preclude them from +offering victims, and worshiping God, there. We, who were learned +in the law, showed them that it was an ancient and immemorial usage +to receive the offerings of strangers; and that this refusal to +accept the Roman gifts was nothing short of a declaration of war. + +"But all we could do, or say, availed nothing. The influence of +Eleazar was too great. A madness had seized the people, and they +rejected all our words; but the party of peace made one more +effort. They sent a deputation--headed by Simon, son of Ananias--to +Florus, and another to Agrippa, praying them to march upon +Jerusalem, and reassert their authority, before it was too late. +Florus made no reply, for things were going just as he wished; but +Agrippa, anxious to preserve the city, sent three thousand +horsemen, commanded by Darius and Philip. When these troops +arrived, the party of peace took possession of the upper city; +while Eleazar and the war party held the Temple. + +"For a week, fighting went on between the two parties. Then, at the +festival of the Wood Carrying, great numbers of the poorer people +were allowed by the party of the chief priest to pass through their +lines; and go, as usual, to the Temple. When there, these joined +the party of Eleazar, and a great attack was made on the upper +city. The troops of Darius and Philip gave way. The house of +Ananias--the high priest--and the palaces of Agrippa and Bernice +were burned, and also the public archives. Here all the bonds of +the debtors were registered and, thus, at one blow the power of the +rich over the poor was destroyed. Ananias himself, and a few +others, escaped into the upper towers of the palace, which they +held. + +"The next day, Eleazar's party attacked the fortress of Antonia, +which was feebly garrisoned and, after two days' fighting, captured +it, and slew the garrison. Manahem, the son of Judas the Zealot, +arrived two days later, while the people were besieging the palace. +He was accepted as general, by them; and took charge of the siege. +Having mined under one of the towers, they brought it to the +ground, and the garrison asked for terms. Free passage was granted +to the troops of Agrippa, and the Jews; but none was granted to the +Roman soldiers, who were few in number and retreated to the three +great towers, Hippicus, Phasaelus, and Mariamne. + +"The palace was entered, and Ananias and Hezekiah--his +brother--were found in hiding, and put to death. Manahem now +assumed the state of a king; but Eleazar, unwilling that, after +having led the enterprise, the fruits should be gathered by +another, stirred up the people against him, and he was slain. The +three towers were now besieged; and Metilius--the Roman +commander--finding he could no longer hold out, agreed to +surrender, on the condition that his men should deliver up their +arms, and be allowed to march away, unharmed. + +"The terms were accepted and ratified but, as soon as the Roman +soldiers marched out, and laid down their arms, Eleazar and his +followers fell upon them and slew them; Metilius himself being, +alone, spared. After this terrible massacre, a sadness fell on the +city. All felt that there was no longer any hope of making +conditions with Rome. We had placed ourselves beyond the pale of +forgiveness. It was war, to the death, with Rome. + +"Up to this time, as I have told you, I was one of those who had +labored to maintain peace. I had fought in the palace, by the side +of Ananias; and had left it only when the troops, and we of their +party, were permitted to march out when it surrendered. But, from +this time, I took another part. All hope of peace, of concessions, +or of conditions was at an end. There remained nothing now but to +fight and, as the vengeance of Rome would fall on the whole Jewish +people, it was for the whole Jewish people to unite in the struggle +for existence. + +"On the very day and hour in which the Romans were put to death, +retribution began to fall upon the nation; for the Greeks of +Caesarea rose suddenly, and massacred the Jews. Twenty thousand +were slain, in a single day. The news of these two massacres drove +the whole people to madness. They rose throughout the land, laid +waste the country all round the cities of Syria--Philadelphia, +Sebonitis, Gerasa, Pella, and Scythopolis--and burned and destroyed +many places. + +"The Syrians, in turn, fell upon the Jewish inhabitants of all +their towns; and a frightful carnage, everywhere, took place. Then, +our people made an inroad into the domains of Scythopolis but, +though the Jewish inhabitants there joined the Syrians in defending +their territory, the Syrians doubted their fidelity and, falling +upon them in the night, slew them all, and seized their property. +Thirteen thousand perished here. In many other cities, the same +things were done; in Ascalon, two thousand five hundred were put to +the sword; in Ptolemais, two thousand were killed. The land was +deluged with blood, and despair fell upon all. + +"Even in Alexandria, our countrymen suffered. Breaking out into a +quarrel with the Greeks, a tumult arose; and Tiberias Alexander, +the governor--by faith a Jew--tried to pacify matters; but the +madness which had seized the people, here, had fallen also upon the +Jews of Alexandria. They heaped abuse upon Alexander, who was +forced to send the troops against them. The Jews fought, but +vainly; and fifty thousand men, women, and children fell. + +"While blood was flowing over the land, Cestius Gallus--the +prefect--was preparing for invasion. He had with him the Twelfth +Legion, forty-two hundred strong; two thousand picked men, taken +from the other legions; six cohorts of foot, about twenty-five +hundred; and four troops of horse, twelve hundred. Of allies he +had, from Antiochus, two thousand horse and three thousand foot; +from Agrippa, one thousand horse and three thousand foot; Sohemus +joined him with four thousand men--a third of whom were horse, the +rest archers. Thus he had ten thousand Roman troops, and thirteen +thousand allies; besides many volunteers, who joined him from the +Syrian cities. + +"After burning and pillaging Zebulon, and wasting the district, +Cestius returned to Ptolemais, and then advanced to Caesarea. He +sent forward a part of his army to Joppa. The city was open, and no +resistance was offered; nevertheless, the Romans slew all, to the +number of eight thousand five hundred. The cities of Galilee opened +their gates, without resistance, and Cestius advanced against +Jerusalem. + +"When he arrived within six miles of the town, the Jews poured out; +and fell upon them with such fury that, if the horse and light +troops had not made a circuit, and fallen upon us in the rear, I +believe we should have destroyed the whole army. But we were forced +to fall back, having killed over five hundred. As the Romans moved +forward, Simon--son of Gioras--with a band, pressed them closely in +rear; and slew many, and carried off numbers of their beasts of +burden. + +"Agrippa now tried, once more, to make peace, and sent a deputation +to persuade us to surrender--offering, in the name of Cestius, +pardon for all that had passed--but Eleazar's party, fearing the +people might listen to him, fell upon the deputation, slew some, +and drove the others back. + +"Cestius advanced within a mile of Jerusalem and--after waiting +three days, in hopes that the Jews would surrender, and knowing +that many of the chief persons were friendly to him--he advanced to +the attack, took the suburb of Bezetha, and encamped opposite the +palace in the upper city. The people discovered that Ananias and +his friends had agreed to open the gates; and so slew them, and +threw the bodies over the wall. The Romans for five days attacked +and, on the sixth, Cestius, with the flower of his army made an +assault; but the people fought bravely and, disregarding the +flights of arrows which the archers shot against them, held the +walls, and poured missiles of all kinds upon the enemy; until at +last, just as it seemed to all that the Romans would succeed in +mining the walls, and firing the gates, Cestius called off his +troops. + +"Had he not done so, he would speedily have taken the city; for the +peace party were on the point of seizing one of the gates, and +opening it. I no longer belonged to this party; for it seemed to me +that it was altogether too late, now, to make terms; nor could we +expect that the Romans would keep to their conditions, after we had +set them the example of breaking faith. + +"Cestius fell back to his camp, a mile distant, but he had no rest +there. Exultant at seeing a retreat from their walls, all the +people poured out, and fell upon the Romans with fury. + +"The next morning Cestius began to retreat; but we swarmed around +him, pressing upon his rear, and dashing down from the hills upon +his flanks, giving him no rest. The heavy-armed Romans could do +nothing against us; but marched steadily on--leaving numbers of +dead behind them--till they reached their former camp at Gabao, six +miles away. Here Cestius waited two days but, seeing how the hills +around him swarmed with our people, who flocked in from all +quarters, he gave the word for a further retreat; killing all the +beasts of burden, and leaving all the baggage behind, and taking on +only those animals which bore the arrows and engines of war. Then +he marched down the valley, towards Bethoron. + +"The multitude felt now that their enemy was delivered into their +hands. Was it not in Bethoron that Joshua had defeated the +Canaanites, while the sun stayed his course? Was it not here that +Judas, the Maccabean, had routed the host of Nicanor? As soon as +the Romans entered the defile, the Jews rushed down upon them, sure +of their prey. + +"The Roman horse were powerless to act. The men of the legions +could not climb the rocky sides and, from every point, javelins, +stones, and arrows were poured down upon them; and all would have +been slain, had not night come on and hidden them from us, and +enabled them to reach Bethoron. + +"What rejoicings were there not, on the hills that night, as we +looked down on their camp there; and thought that, in the morning, +they would be ours! Fires burned on every crest. Hymns of praise, +and exulting cries, arose everywhere in the darkness; but the watch +was not kept strictly enough. Cestius left four hundred of his +bravest men to mount guard, and keep the fires alight--so that we +might think that all his army was there--and then, with the rest, +he stole away. + +"In the morning, we saw that the camp was well-nigh deserted and, +furious at the escape of our foes, rushed down, slew the four +hundred whom Cestius had left behind, and then set out in pursuit. +But Cestius had many hours' start and, though we followed as far as +Antipatris, we could not overtake him; and so returned, with much +rich spoil, and all the Roman engines of war, to Jerusalem--having, +with scarcely any loss, defeated a great Roman army, and slain five +thousand three hundred foot, and three hundred and eighty horse. + +"Such is the history of events which have brought about the present +state of things. As you see, there is no hope of pardon, or mercy, +from Rome. We have offended beyond forgiveness. But the madness +against which I fought so hard, at first, is still upon the people. +They provoked the power of Rome; and then, by breaking the terms, +and massacring the Roman garrison, they went far beyond the first +offense of insurrection. By the destruction of the army of Cestius, +they struck a heavy blow against the pride of the Romans. For +generations, no such misfortune had fallen upon their arms. + +"What, then, would a sane people have done since? Surely they would +have spent every moment in preparing themselves for the struggle. +Every man should have been called to arms. The passes should have +been all fortified, for it is among the hills that we can best cope +with the heavy Roman troops. The cities best calculated for defense +should have been strongly walled; preparations made for places of +refuge, among the mountains, for the women and children; large +depots of provisions gathered up, in readiness for the strife. That +we could ever, in the long run, hope to resist, successfully, the +might of Rome was out of the question; but we might so sternly, and +valiantly, have resisted as to be able to obtain fair terms, on our +submission. + +"Instead of this, men go on as if Rome had no existence; and we +only show an energy in quarreling among ourselves. At bottom, it +would seem that the people rely upon our God doing great things for +us, as he did when he smote the Assyrian army of Sennacherib; and +such is my hope, also, seeing that, so far, a wonderful success has +attended us. And yet, how can one expect the Divine assistance, in +a war so begun and so conducted--for a people who turn their swords +against each other, who spend their strength in civil feuds, who +neither humble themselves, nor repent of the wickedness of their +ways? + +"Alas, my son, though I speak brave words to the people, my heart +is very sad; and I fear that troubles, like those which fell upon +us when we were carried captive into Babylon, await us now!" + +There was silence, as the rabbi finished. John had, of course, +heard something of the events which had been taking place but, as +he now heard them, in sequence, the gravity and danger of the +situation came freshly upon him. + +"What can be done?" he asked, after a long pause. + +"Nothing, save to pray to the Lord," the rabbi said, sorrowfully. +"Josephus is doing what he can, towards building walls to the +towns; but it is not walls, but soldiers that are wanted and, so +long as the people remain blind and indifferent to the danger, +thinking of naught save tilling their ground, and laying up money, +nothing can be done." + +"Then will destruction come upon all?" John asked, looking round in +a bewildered and hopeless way. + +"We may hope not," the rabbi said. "Here in Galilee, we have had no +share in the events in Jerusalem; and many towns, even now, are +faithful to the Romans. Therefore it may be that, in this province, +all will not be involved in the lot of Jerusalem. There can be, +unless a mighty change takes place, no general resistance to the +Romans; and it may be, therefore, that no general destruction will +fall upon the people. As to this, none can say. + +"Vespasian--the Roman general who has been charged, by Nero, with +the command of the army which is gathering against us--is said to +be a merciful man, as well as a great commander. The Roman mercies +are not tender, but it may be that the very worst may not fall upon +this province. The men of spirit and courage will, doubtless, +proceed to Jerusalem to share in the defense of the Holy City. If +we cannot fight with success, here, it is far better that the men +should fight at Jerusalem; leaving their wives and families here, +and doing naught to call down the vengeance of the Romans upon this +province. + +"In Galilee there have, as elsewhere, been risings against the +Romans; but these will count for little, in their eyes, in +comparison to the terrible deeds at Jerusalem; and I pray, for the +sake of all my friends here, that the Romans may march through the +land, on their way to Jerusalem, without burning and wasting the +country. Here, on the eastern shore of Galilee, there is much more +hope of escape than there is across the lake. Not only are we out +of the line of the march of the army, but there are few important +cities on this side; and the disposition of the people has not been +so hostile to the Romans. + +"My own opinion is that, when the Romans advance, it will be the +duty of every Jew who can bear arms to go down to the defense of +the Holy City. Its position is one of vast strength. We shall have +numbers, and courage, though neither order nor discipline; and it +may be that, at the last, the Lord will defend his sanctuary, and +save it from destruction at the hands of the heathen. Should it not +be so, we can but die; and how could a Jew better die than in +defense of God's Temple?" + +"It would have been better," Simon said, "had we not, by our evil +doings, have brought God's Temple into danger." + +"He has suffered it," the rabbi said, "and his ways are not the +ways of man. It may be that He has suffered such madness to fall +upon, us in order that His name may, at last, be glorified." + +"May it be so!" Simon said piously; "and now, let us to bed, for +the hour is growing late." + +The following morning Simon, his wife, and the whole household +accompanied John to the shore; as Simon had arranged with one of +the boatmen to take the lad to Hippos. The distance was but short; +but Simon, when his wife had expressed surprise at his sending John +in a boat, said: + +"It is not the distance, Martha. A half-hour's walk is naught to +the lad; but I had reasons, altogether apart from the question of +distance. John is going out to play a man's part. He is young but, +since my lord Josephus has chosen to place him among those who form +his bodyguard, he has a right to claim to be regarded as a man. +That being so, I would not accompany him to Hippos; for it would +seem like one leading a child, and it were best to let him go by +himself. + +"Again, it were better to have but one parting. Here he will +receive my blessing, and say goodbye to us all. Doubtless he will +often be with us, for Tiberias lies within sight and, so long as +Josephus remains in Galilee, he will never be more than a long +day's journey from home. The lad loves us, and will come as often +as he can but, surrounded as Josephus is by dangers, the boy will +not be able to get away on his own business. He must take the +duties, as well as the honor of the office; and we must not blind +ourselves to the fact that, in one of these popular tumults, great +danger and even death may come upon him. + +"This seems to you terrible," he went on, in answer to an +exclamation of alarm from Martha; "but it does not seem so terrible +to me. We go on planting, and gathering in, as if no danger +threatened us, and the evil day were far off; but it is not so. The +Roman hosts are gathering, and we are wasting our strength, in +party strife, and are doing naught to prepare against the storm. We +have gone to war, without counting the cost. We have affronted and +put to shame Rome, before whom all nations bow and, assuredly, she +will take a terrible vengeance. Another year, and who can say who +will be alive, and who dead--who will be wandering over the wasted +fields of our people, or who will be a slave, in Rome! + +"In the times that are at hand, no man's life will be worth +anything; and therefore I say, wife, that though there be danger +and peril around the lad, let us not trouble overmuch; for he is, +like all of us, in God's hands." + +Therefore, the parting took place on the shore. Simon solemnly +blessed John, and his mother cried over him. Mary was a little +surprised at these demonstrations, at what she regarded as a very +temporary separation; but her merry spirits were subdued at the +sight of her aunt's tears, although she, herself, saw nothing to +cry about. + +She brightened up, however, when John whispered, as he said goodbye +to her: + +"I shall come across the lake, as often as I can, to see how you +are getting on, Mary." + +Then he took his place in the stern of the boat. The fishermen +dipped their oars in the water, and the boat drew away from the +little group, who stood watching it as it made its way across the +sparkling water to Hippos. + +Upon landing, John at once went to the house where Josephus was +lodging. The latter gave him in charge to the leader of the little +group of men who had attached themselves to him, as his bodyguard. + +"Joab," he said, "this youth will, henceforth, make one of your +party. He is brave and, I think, ready and quick witted. Give him +arms and see that he has all that is needful. Being young, he will +be able to mingle unsuspected among the crowds; and may obtain +tidings of evil intended me, when men would not speak, maybe, +before others whom they might judge my friends. He will be able to +bear messages, unsuspected; and may prove of great service to the +cause." + +John found, at once, that there was nothing like discipline, or +regular duties, among the little band who constituted the bodyguard +of Josephus. They were simply men who, from affection for the +governor, and a hatred for those who, by their plots and +conspiracies, would undo the good work he was accomplishing, had +left their farms and occupations to follow and guard him. + +Every Jewish boy received a certain training in the use of weapons, +in order to be prepared to fight in the national army, when the day +of deliverance should arrive; but beyond that, the Jews had no +military training, whatever. Their army would be simply a gathering +of the men capable of bearing arms, throughout the land--each ready +to give his life, for his faith and his country; relying, like +their forefathers, on the sword of the Lord and Israel, but without +the slightest idea of military drill, discipline, or tactics. Such +an army might fight bravely, might die nobly, but it could have +little chance of victory over the well-trained legions of imperial +Rome. + +At noon, Josephus embarked in a galley with his little band of +followers--eight in number--and sailed across the lake to Tiberias. +Here they landed, and went up to the house in which Josephus always +dwelt, when in that city. His stay there was generally short, +Tarichea being his general abode--for there he felt in safety, the +inhabitants being devoted to him; while those of Tiberias were ever +ready to follow the advice of the disaffected, and a section were +eager for the return of the Romans, and the renewal of the business +and trade which had brought wealth to the city, before the troubles +began. + +That evening, Josephus sent for John, and said: + +"I purpose, in two days, to go to Tarichea, where I shall spend the +Sabbath. I hear that there is a rumor that many of the citizens +have, privately, sent to King Agrippa asking him to send hither +Roman troops, and promising them a good reception. The men with me +are known, to many in the city, and would be shunned by my enemies, +and so would hear naught of what is going on; therefore, I purpose +to leave you here. + +"In the morning, go early to the house of Samuel, the son of +Gideon. He dwells in the street called that of Tarichea, for it +leadeth in the direction of that town. He is a tanner, by trade; +and you will have no difficulty in finding it. He has been here, +this evening, and I have spoken to him about you and, when you +present yourself to him, he will take you in. Thus, no one will +know that you are of my company. + +"Pass your time in the streets and, when you see groups of people +assemble, join yourself to them and gather what they are saying. If +it is ought that is important for me to know, come here and tell me +or, if it be after I have departed for Tarichea, bring me the news +there. It is but thirty furlongs distant." + +John followed up the instructions given him, and was hospitably +received by Samuel the tanner. + +In the course of the day, a number of the citizens called upon +Josephus and begged him, at once, to set about building walls for +the town, as he had already built them for Tarichea. When he +assured them that he had already made preparations for doing so, +and that the builders should set to work, forthwith, they appeared +satisfied; and the city remained perfectly tranquil until Josephus +left, the next morning, for Tarichea. + + + +Chapter 4: The Lull Before The Storm. + + +The galley which carried Josephus from Tiberias was scarcely out of +sight when John, who was standing in the marketplace watching the +busy scene with amusement, heard the shout raised: + +"The Romans are coming!" + +At once, people left their business, and all ran to the outskirts +of the city. John ran with them and, on arriving there, saw a party +of Roman horsemen riding along, at no great distance. The people +began to shout loudly to them to come into the town, calling out +that all the citizens were loyal to King Agrippa and the Romans, +and that they hated the traitor Josephus. + +The Romans halted, but made no sign of entering the town; fearing +that treachery was intended, and remembering the fate of their +comrades, who had trusted to Jewish faith when they surrendered the +towers of Hippicus, Phasaelus, and Mariamne. The movement, however, +spread through the city. The people assembled in crowds, shouting +"Death to Josephus!" and exclaiming for the Romans, and King +Agrippa. Such as were loyal to Josephus did not venture to raise +their voices, so numerous and furious were the multitude; and the +whole city was soon in open revolt, the citizens arming themselves +in readiness for war. + +As soon as he saw the course which affairs were taking, John made +his way out of the town, and ran at the top of his speed to +Tarichea, where he arrived in a little over half an hour. He was +directed at once to the house of Josephus, who rose in surprise, at +the table at which he was seated, writing, at John's entry. + +"Scarcely had you left, my lord, than some Roman horsemen +approached near the town; whereupon the whole city rose in revolt, +shouting to them to enter and take possession, in the name of the +king, and breathing out threats against yourself. The Romans had +not entered, as I came away; but the populace were all in arms, and +your friends did not venture to lift up a voice. Tiberias has +wholly revolted to the Romans." + +"This is bad news, indeed," Josephus said, gravely. "I have but the +seven armed men who accompanied me from Tiberias, here. All those +who were assembled in the city I bade disperse, so soon as I +arrived; in order that they might go to their towns, or villages, +for the Sabbath. Were I to send round the country, I could speedily +get a great force together but, in a few hours, the Sabbath will +begin; and it is contrary to the law to fight upon the Sabbath, +even though the necessity be great. + +"And yet, if the people of Tiberias march hither, we can hardly +hope to resist successfully; for the men of the town are too few to +man the full extent of the walls. It is most necessary to put down +this rising, before King Agrippa can send large numbers of troops +into Tiberias; and yet, we can do nothing until the Sabbath is +past. + +"Nor would I shed blood, if it can be avoided. Hitherto I have put +down every rising, and caused Sepphoris, Tiberias, and other cities +to expel the evildoers, and return to obedience, by tact--and by +the great force which I could bring against them--and without any +need of bloodshed. But this time, I fear, great trouble will come +of it; since I cannot take prompt measures, and the enemy will have +time to organize their forces, and to receive help from John of +Gischala and other robbers--to say nothing of the Romans." + +Josephus walked up and down the room, in agitation, and then stood +looking out into the harbor. + +"Ah!" he exclaimed suddenly, "we may yet frighten them into +submission. Call in Joab." + +When Joab entered Josephus explained to him, in a few words, the +condition of things at Tiberias; and then proceeded: + +"Send quickly to the principal men of the town, and bid them put +trusty men at each of the gates, and let none pass out. Order the +fighting men to man the walls, in case those of Tiberias should +come hither, at once. Then let one or two able fellows embark on +board each of the boats and vessels in the port, taking with them +two or three of the infirm and aged men. Send a fast galley across +to Hippos; and bid the fishermen set out, at once, with all their +boats, and join us off Tiberias. We will not approach close enough +to the city for the people to see how feebly we are manned but, +when they perceive all these ships making towards them, they will +think that I have with me a great army, with which I purpose to +destroy their city." + +The orders were very quickly carried out. Josephus embarked, with +his eight companions, in one ship and, followed by two hundred and +thirty vessels, of various sizes, sailed towards Tiberias. + +As they approached the town, they saw a great movement among the +population. Men and women were seen, crowding down to the +shore--the men holding up their hands, to show that they were +unarmed; the women wailing, and uttering loud cries of lamentation. + +Josephus waited for an hour, until the ships from Hippos also came +up, and then caused them all to anchor off the town--but at such a +distance that the numbers of those on board could not be seen. Then +he advanced, in his own ship, to within speaking distance of the +land. The people cried out to him to spare the city, and their +wives and children; saying that they had been misled by evil men, +and regretted bitterly what they had done. + +Josephus told them that, assuredly, they deserved that the city +should be wholly destroyed; for that now, when there was so much +that had to be done to prepare for the war which Rome would make +against the country, they troubled the country with their +seditions. The people set up a doleful cry for mercy; and Josephus +then said that, this time, he would spare them; but that their +principal men must be handed over to him. + +To this the people joyfully agreed; and a boat, with ten of their +senate, came out to the vessel. Josephus had them bound, and sent +them on board one of the other ships. Another and another boat load +came off; until all the members of the senate, and many of the +principal inhabitants, were prisoners. Some of the men had been +drawn from the other ships, and put on board those with the +prisoners; and these then sailed away to Tarichea. + +The people of Tiberias--terrified at seeing so many taken away, and +not knowing how many more might be demanded--now denounced a young +man, named Clitus, as being the leader of the revolt. Seven of the +bodyguard of Josephus had gone down the lake, with the prisoners; +and one Levi, alone, remained. Josephus told him to go ashore, and +to cut off one of the hands of Clitus. + +Levi was, however, afraid to land, alone, among such a number of +enemies; whereupon Josephus addressed Clitus, and told him that he +was worthy of death, but that he would spare his life, if his two +hands were sent on board a ship. Clitus begged that he might be +permitted to keep one hand, to which Josephus agreed. Clitus then +drew his sword, and struck off his left hand. Josephus now +professed to be satisfied and, after warning the people against +again listening to evil advisers, sailed away with the whole fleet. +Josephus, that evening, entertained the principal persons among the +prisoners and, in the morning, allowed all to return to Tiberias. + +The people there had already learned that they had been duped; but +with time had come reflection and, knowing that in a day or two +Josephus could have assembled the whole population of Galilee +against them, and have destroyed them before any help could come, +there were few who were not well content that their revolt had been +so easily, and bloodlessly, repressed; and Josephus rose, in their +estimation, by the quickness and boldness of the stratagem by which +he had, without bloodshed save in the punishment of Clitus, +restored tranquillity. + +Through the winter, Josephus was incessantly active. He endeavored +to organize an army, enrolled a hundred thousand men, appointed +commanders and captains, and strove to establish something like +military drill and order. But the people were averse to leaving +their farms and occupations, and but little progress was made. +Moreover, a great part of the time of Josephus was occupied in +suppressing the revolts, which were continually breaking out in +Sepphoris, Tiberias, and Gamala; and in thwarting the attempts of +John of Gischala, and his other enemies, who strove by means of +bribery, at Jerusalem, to have him recalled--and would have +succeeded, had it not been that the Galileans, save those of the +great cities, were always ready to turn out, in all their force, to +defend him and, by sending deputations to Jerusalem, counteracted +the efforts, there, of his enemies. + +John was incessantly engaged, as he accompanied Josephus in his +rapid journeys through the province, either to suppress the risings +or to see to the work of organization; and only once or twice was +he able to pay a short visit to his family. + +"You look worn and fagged, John," his cousin said, on the occasion +of his last visit, when spring was close at hand. + +"I am well in health, Mary; but it does try one, to see how all the +efforts of Josephus are marred by the turbulence of the people of +Tiberias and Sepphoris. All his thoughts and time are occupied in +keeping order, and the work of organizing the army makes but little +progress. + +"Vespasian is gathering a great force, at Antioch. His son Titus +will soon join him, with another legion; and they will, together, +advance against us." + +"But I hear that the walling of the cities is well-nigh finished." + +"That is so, Mary, and doubtless many of them will be able to make +a long defense but, after all, the taking of a city is a mere +question of time. The Romans have great siege engines, which +nothing can withstand but, even if the walls were so strong that +they could not be battered down, each city could, in time, be +reduced by famine. It is not for me, who am but a boy, to judge the +doings of my elders; but it seems to me that this walling of cities +is altogether wrong. They can give no aid to each other and, one by +one, must fall; and all within perish, or be made slaves, for the +Romans give no quarter when they capture a city by storm. + +"It seems to me that it would be far better to hold Jerusalem, +only, with a strong force of fighting men; and for all the rest of +the men capable of carrying arms to gather among the hills, and +there to fight the Romans. When the legion of Cestius was destroyed +we showed that, among defiles and on rocky ground, our active, +lightly-armed men were a match for the Roman soldiers, in their +heavy armor; and in this way I think that we might check even the +legions of Vespasian. The women and the old men and children could +gather in the cities, and admit the Romans when they approached. In +that case they would suffer no harm; for the Romans are clement, +when not opposed. + +"As it is, it seems to me that, in the end, destruction will fall +on all alike. Here in Galilee we have a leader, but he is hampered +by dissensions and jealousies. Samaria stands neutral. Jerusalem, +which ought to take the lead, is torn by faction. There is war in +her streets. She thinks only of herself, and naught of the country; +although she must know that, when the Romans have crushed down all +opposition elsewhere she must, sooner or later, fall. The country +seems possessed with madness, and I see no hope in the future." + +"Save in the God of Israel," Mary said, gently; "that is what Simon +and Martha say." + +"Save in him," John assented; "but, dear, He suffered us to be +carried away into Babylon; and how are we to expect His aid +now--when the people do naught for themselves, when His city is +divided in itself, when its streets are wet with blood, and its +very altars defiled by conflict? When evil men are made high +priests, and all rule and authority is at an end, what right have +we to expect aid at the hands of Jehovah? + +"My greatest comfort, Mary, is that we lie here on the east of the +lake, and that we are within the jurisdiction of King Agrippa. On +this side, his authority has never been altogether thrown off; +though some of the cities have made common cause with those of the +other side. Still, we may hope that, on this side of Jordan, we may +escape the horrors of war." + +"You are out of spirits, John, and take a gloomy view of things; +but I know that Simon, too, thinks that everything will end badly, +and I have heard him say that he, too, is glad that his farm lies +on this side of the lake; and that he wishes Gamala had not thrown +off the authority of the king, so that there might be naught to +bring the Romans across Jordan. + +"Our mother is more hopeful. She trusts in God for, as she says, +though the wealthy and powerful may have forsaken Him, the people +still cling to Him; and He will not let us fall into the hands of +our enemies." + +"I hope it will be so, Mary; and I own I am out of spirits, and +look at matters in the worst light. However, I will have a talk +with father, tonight." + +That evening, John had a long conversation with Simon, and repeated +the forebodings he had expressed to Mary. + +"At any rate, father, I hope that when the Romans approach you will +at least send away my mother, Mary, and the women to a place of +safety. We are but a few miles from Gamala and, if the Romans come +there and besiege it, they will spread through the country; and +will pillage, even if they do not slay, in all the villages. If, as +we trust, God will give victory to our arms, they can return in +peace; if not, let them at least be free from the dangers which are +threatening us." + +"I have been thinking of it, John. A fortnight since, I sent old +Isaac to your mother's brother--whose farm, as you know, lies upon +the slopes of Mount Hermon, a few miles from Neve, and very near +the boundary of Manasseh--to ask him if he will receive Martha, and +Mary, and the women, until the troubles are over. He will gladly do +so; and I purpose sending them away, as soon as I hear that the +Romans have crossed the frontier." + +"I am, indeed, rejoiced to hear it, father; but do not let them +tarry for that, let them go as soon as the snows have melted on +Mount Hermon, for the Roman cavalry will spread quickly over the +land. Let them go as soon as the roads are fit for travel. I shall +feel a weight off my mind, when I know that they are safe. + +"And does my mother know what you have decided?" + +"She knows, John, but in truth she is reluctant to go. She says, at +present, that if I stay she also will stay." + +"I trust, father, that you will overrule my mother; and that you +will either go with her or, if you stay, you will insist upon her +going. Should you not overcome her opposition, and finally suffer +her, with Miriam and the older women, to remain with you, I hope +that you will send Mary and the young ones to my uncle. The danger, +with them, is vastly greater. The Romans, unless their blood is +heated by opposition, may not interfere with the old people--who +are valueless as slaves--but the young ones--" and he stopped. + +"I have thought it over, my son, and even if your mother remains +here with me, I will assuredly send off Mary, and the young +maidens, to the mountain. Make your mind easy, on that score. We +old people have taken root on the land which was our fathers'. I +shall not leave, whatever may befall--and it may be that your +mother will tarry here, with me--but the young women shall +assuredly be sent away, until the danger is over. + +"Not that I think the peril is as great as it seems, to you. Our +people have ever shown themselves courageous, in great danger. They +know the fate that awaits them, after provoking the anger of Rome. +They know they are fighting for faith, for country, and their +families, and will fight desperately. They greatly outnumber the +Romans--at least, the army by which we shall first be attacked--and +maybe, if we can resist that, we may make terms with Rome for, +assuredly, in the long run she must overpower us." + +"I should think with you, father," John said, shaking his head, "if +I saw anything like union among the people; but I lose all heart, +when I see how divided they are, how blind to the storm that is +coming against us, how careless as to anything but the trouble of +the day, how intent upon the work of their farms and businesses, +how disinclined to submit to discipline, and to prepare themselves +for the day of battle." + +"You are young, my son, and full of enthusiasm; but it is hard to +stir men, whose lives have traveled in one groove, from their +ordinary course. In all our history, although we have been ready to +assemble and meet the foe, we have ever been ready to lay by the +sword, when the danger is past, and to return to our homes and +families. We have been a nation of fighting men, but never a nation +with an army." + +"Yes, father, because we trusted in God to give us victory, on the +day of battle. He was our army. When He fought with us, we +conquered; when He abstained, we were beaten. He suffered us to +fall into the hands of the Romans and, instead of repenting of our +sins, we have sinned more and more. + +"The news from Jerusalem is worse and worse. There is civil war in +its streets. Robbers are its masters. The worst of the people sit +in high places." + +"That is so, my son. God's anger still burns fiercely, and the +people perish; yet it may be that He will be merciful, in the end." + +"I hope so, father, for assuredly our hope is only in Him." + +Early in the spring, Vespasian was joined by King Agrippa, with all +his forces; and they advanced to Ptolemais and, here, Titus joined +his father, having brought his troops from Alexandria by sea. The +force of Vespasian now consisted of the Fifth, Tenth, and Fifteenth +Legions. Besides these he had twenty-three cohorts; ten of which +numbered a thousand footmen, the rest, each, six hundred footmen +and a hundred and fifty horse. The allied force, contributed by +Agrippa and others, consisted of two thousand archers, and a +thousand horse; while Malchus, King of Arabia, sent a thousand +horse, and five thousand archers. The total force amounted to sixty +thousand regular troops, besides great numbers of camp followers--who +were all trained to military service, and could fight, in case of need. + +Vespasian had encountered no resistance, on his march down to +Ptolemais. The inhabitants of the country through which he passed +forsook the villages and farms; and retired, according to the +orders they had received, to the fortified towns. There was no army +to meet the Romans in the field. The efforts at organization which +Josephus had made bore no fruit, whatever. No sooner had the +invader entered the country, than it lay at his mercy; save only +the walled cities into which the people had crowded. + +In the range of mountains stretching across Upper Galilee were +three places of great strength: Gabara, Gischala, and Jotapata. The +last named had been very strongly fortified, by Josephus himself; +and here he intended to take up his own position. + +"It is a pitiful sight, truly," Joab remarked to John, as they saw +the long line of fugitives--men, women, and children--with such +belongings as they could carry on their own backs, and those of +their beasts of burden. "It is a pitiful sight, is it not?" + +"It is a pitiful sight, Joab, and one that fills me with +foreboding, as well as with pity. What agonies may not these poor +people be doomed to suffer, when the Romans lay siege to Jotapata?" + +"They can never take it," Joab said, scornfully. + +"I wish I could think so, Joab. When did the Romans ever lay siege +to a place, and fail to capture it? Once, twice, three times they +may fail but, in the end, they assuredly will take it." + +"Look at its position. See how wild is the country through which +they will have to march." + +"They have made roads over all the world, Joab. They will make very +short work of the difficulties here. It may take the Romans weeks, +or months, to besiege each of these strong places; but they will +assuredly carry them, in the end--and then, better a thousand times +that the men had, in the first place, slain the women, and rushed +to die on the Roman swords." + +"It seems to me, John," Joab said stiffly, "that you are over bold, +in thus criticising the plans of our general." + +"It may be so," John said, recklessly, "but methinks, when we are +all risking our lives, each man may have a right to his opinions. I +am ready, like the rest, to die when the time comes; but that does +not prevent me having my opinions. Besides, it seems to me that +there is no heresy in questioning the plans of our general. I love +Josephus, and would willingly give my life for him. He has shown +himself a wise ruler, firm to carry out what is right, and to +suppress all evildoers but, after all, he has not served in war. He +is full of resources, and will, I doubt not, devise every means to +check the Romans but, even so, he may not be able to cope, in war, +with such generals as theirs, who have won their experience all +over the world. Nor may the general's plan of defense, which he has +adopted, be the best suited for the occasion. + +"Would you have us fight the Romans in the open?" Joab said, +scornfully. "What has been done in the south? See how our people +marched out from Jerusalem--under John the Essene, Niger of Peraea, +and Silas the Babylonian--to attack Ascalon, held by but one cohort +of Roman foot, and one troop of horse. What happened? Antoninus, +the Roman commander, charged the army without fear, rode through +and through them, broke them up into fragments, and slew till night +time--when ten thousand men, with John and Silas, lay dead. + +"Not satisfied with this defeat, in a short time Niger advanced +again against Ascalon; when Antoninus sallied out again, and slew +eight thousand of them. Thus, eighteen thousand men were killed, by +one weak cohort of foot and a troop of horse; and yet you say we +ought not to hide behind our walls, but to meet them in the open!" + +"I would not meet them in the open, where the Roman cavalry could +charge--at any rate, not until our people have learned discipline. +I would harass them, and attack them in defiles, as Cestius was +attacked; harassing them night and day, giving them no peace or +rest, never allowing them to meet us in the plains, but moving +rapidly hither and thither among the mountains--leaving the women +in the cities, which should offer no resistance, so that the Romans +would have no point to strike at--until at length, when we have +gained confidence and discipline and order, we should be able to +take bolder measures, gradually, and fight them hand to hand." + +"Maybe you are right, lad," Joab said, thoughtfully. "I like not +being cooped up in a stronghold, myself; and methinks that a +mountain warfare, such as you speak of, would suit the genius of +the people. We are light limbed and active--inured to fatigue, for +we are a nation of cultivators--brave, assuredly, and ready to give +our lives. + +"They say that, in the fight near Ascalon, not a Jew fled. Fight +they could not, they were powerless against the rush of the heavy +Roman horse; but they died as they stood, destroyed but not +defeated. Gabara and Gischala and Jotapata may fall but, lad, it +will be only after a defense so desperate that the haughty Romans +may well hesitate; for if such be the resistance of these little +mountain towns, what will not be the task of conquering Jerusalem, +garrisoned by the whole nation?" + +"That is true," John said, "and if our deaths here be for the +safety of Jerusalem, we shall not have died in vain. But I doubt +whether such men as those who have power in Jerusalem will agree to +any terms, however favorable, that may be offered. + +"It may be that it is God's will that it should be so. Two days +ago, as I journeyed hither, after going down to Sepphoris with a +message from the general to some of the principal inhabitants +there, I met an old man, traveling with his wife and family. I +asked him whether he was on his way hither, but he said 'No,' he +was going across Jordan, and through Manasseh, and over Mount +Hermon into Trachonitis. He said that he was a follower of that +Christ who was put to death, in Jerusalem, some thirty-five years +since, and whom many people still believe was the Messiah. He says +that he foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, by the Romans; and +warned his followers not to stay in the walled cities, but to fly +to the deserts when the time came." + +"The Messiah was to save Israel," Joab said, scornfully. "Christ +could not save even himself." + +"I know not," John said, simply. "I have heard of him from others; +and my father heard him preach, several times, near the lake. He +says that he was a man of wondrous power, and that he preached a +new doctrine. He says that he did not talk about himself, or claim +to be the Messiah; but that he simply told the people to be kind +and good to each other, and to love God and do his will. My father +said that he thought he was a good and holy man, and full of the +Spirit of God. He did works of great power, too; but bore himself +meekly, like any other man. My father always regards him as a +prophet; and said that he grieved, when he heard that he had been +put to death at Jerusalem. If he were a prophet, what he said about +the destruction of Jerusalem should have weight with us." + +"All who heard him agreed that he was a good man," Joab assented. +"I have never known one of those who heard him say otherwise, and +maybe he was a prophet. Certainly, he called upon the people to +repent and turn from their sins and, had they done as he taught +them, these evils might not have fallen upon us, and God would +doubtless have been ready to aid his people, as of old. + +"However, it is too late to think about it, now. We want all our +thoughts for the matter we have in hand. We have done all that we +can to put this town into a state of defense and, methinks, if the +Romans ever penetrate through these mountains and forests, they +will see that they have a task which will tax all their powers, +before they take Jotapata." + +The position of the town was, indeed, immensely strong. It stood on +the summit of a lofty mass of rock which, on three sides, fell +abruptly down into the deep and almost impassable ravines which +surrounded it. On the north side, alone, where the ridge sloped +more gradually down, it could be approached. The town extended part +of the way down this declivity and, at its foot, Josephus had built +a strong wall. On all sides were lofty mountains, covered with +thick forests; and the town could not be seen by an enemy, until +they were close at hand. + +As soon as Vespasian had arrived at Ptolemais (on the site of which +city stands the modern Acre) he was met by a deputation from +Sepphoris. That city had only been prevented from declaring for the +Romans by the exertions of Josephus, and the knowledge that all +Galilee would follow him to attack it, should it revolt. But as +soon as Vespasian arrived at Ptolemais, which was scarce twenty +miles away, they sent deputies with their submission to him; +begging that a force might be sent, to defend them against any +attack by the Jews. + +Vespasian received them with courtesy; and sent Placidus, with a +thousand horse and six thousand foot, to the city. The infantry +took up their quarters in the town; but the horsemen made raids +over the plains, burning the villages, slaying all the men capable +of bearing arms, and carrying off the rest of the population as +slaves. + +The day after the conversation between Joab and John, a man brought +the news to Jotapata that Placidus was marching against it. +Josephus at once ordered the fighting men to assemble and, marching +out, placed them in ambuscade, in the mountains, on the road by +which the Romans would approach. + +As soon as the latter had fairly entered the pass, the Jews sprang +to their feet, and hurled their javelins and shot their arrows +among them. The Romans, in vain, endeavored to reach their +assailants; and numbers were wounded, as they tried to climb the +heights, but few were killed--for they were so completely covered, +by their armor and shields, that the Jewish missiles, thrown from a +distance, seldom inflicted mortal wounds. They were, however, +unable to make their way further; and Placidus was obliged to +retire to Sepphoris, having failed, signally, in gaining the credit +he had hoped for, from the capture of the strongest of the Jewish +strongholds in Upper Galilee. + +The Jews, on their part, were greatly inspirited by the success of +their first encounter with the Romans; and returned, rejoicing, to +their stronghold. + +All being ready at Jotapata, Josephus--with a considerable number +of the fighting men--proceeded to Garis, not far from Sepphoris, +where the army had assembled. But no sooner had the news arrived, +that the great army of Vespasian was in movement, than they +dispersed in all directions; and Josephus was left with a mere +handful of followers, with whom he fled to Tiberias. Thence he +wrote earnest letters to Jerusalem; saying that, unless a strong +army was fitted out and put in the field, it was useless to attempt +to fight the Romans; and that it would be wiser to come to terms +with them, than to maintain a useless resistance, which would bring +destruction upon the nation. He remained a short time, only, at +Tiberias; and thence hurried up with his followers to Jotapata, +which he reached on the 14th of May. + +Vespasian marched first to Gadara--which was undefended, the +fighting men having all gone to Jotapata--but, although no +resistance was offered, Vespasian put all the males to the sword; +and burned the town and all the villages in the neighborhood, and +then advanced against Jotapata. For four days, the pioneers of the +Roman army had labored incessantly--cutting a road through the +forests, filling up ravines, and clearing away obstacles--and, on +the fifth day, the road was constructed close up to Jotapata. + +On the 14th of May, Placidus and Ebutius were sent forward by +Vespasian, with a thousand horse, to surround the town and cut off +all possibility of escape. On the following day Vespasian himself, +with his whole army, arrived there. The defenders of Jotapata could +scarcely believe their eyes when they saw the long, heavy +column--with all its baggage, and siege engines--marching along a +straight and level road, where they had believed that it would be +next to impossible for even the infantry of the enemy to make their +way. If this marvel had been accomplished in five days, what hope +was there that the city would be able to withstand this force, +which had so readily triumphed over the defenses of nature? + + + +Chapter 5: The Siege Of Jotapata. + + +"Well, Joab, what do you think, now?" John said, as he stood on the +wall with his older companion, watching the seemingly endless +column of the enemy. "It seems to me that we are caught here, like +rats in a trap, and that we should have done better, a thousand +times, in maintaining our freedom of movement among the mountains. +It is one thing to cut a road; it would be another to clear off all +the forests from the Anti-Libanus and, so long as there was a +forest to shelter us, the Romans could never have overtaken us. +Here, there is nothing to do but to die." + +"That is so, John. I own that the counsel you urged would have been +wiser than this. Here are all the best fighting men in Galilee, +shut up without hope of succor, or of mercy. Well, lad, we can at +least teach the Romans the lesson that the Jews know how to die; +and the capture of this mountain town will cost them as much as +they reckoned would suffice for the conquest of the whole country. +Jotapata may save Jerusalem, yet." + +John was no coward, and was prepared to fight to the last; but he +was young, and the love of life was strong within. He thought of +his old father and mother, who had no children but him; of his +pretty Mary--far away now, he hoped, on the slopes of Mount +Hermon--and of the grief that his death would cause to them; and he +resolved that, although he would do his duty, he would strain every +nerve to preserve the life so dear to them. + +He had no longer any duties to perform, other than those common to +all able to bear arms. When the Romans attacked, his place would be +near Josephus or, were a sally ordered, he would issue out with the +general; but until then, his time was his own. There was no mission +to be performed, now, no fear of plots against the life of the +general; therefore, he was free to wander where he liked. Save the +newly erected wall, across the neck of rock below the town, there +were no defenses; for it was deemed impossible for man to climb the +cliffs that fell, sheer down, at every other point. + +John strolled quietly round the town; stopping, now and then, to +look over the low wall that bordered the precipice--erected solely +to prevent children from falling over. The depth was very great; +and it seemed to him that there could be no escape, anywhere, save +on that side which was now blocked by the wall--and which would, +ere long, be trebly blocked by the Romans. + +The town was crowded. At ordinary times, it might contain near +three or four thousand inhabitants; now, over twenty-five thousand +had gathered there. Of these, more than half were men; but many had +brought their wives and children with them. Every vacant foot of +ground was taken up. The inhabitants shared their homes with the +strangers, but the accommodation was altogether insufficient; and +the greater part of the newcomers had erected little tents, and +shelters, of cloths or blankets. + +In the upper part of the town there were, at present, comparatively +few people about; for the greater part had gone to the slope, +whence they watched, with terror and dismay, the great Roman column +as it poured down, in an unbroken line, hour after hour. The news +of the destruction which had fallen on Gadara had been brought in, +by fugitives; and all knew that, although no resistance had been +offered there, every male had been put to death, and the women +taken captives. + +There was naught, then, to be gained by surrender; even had anyone +dared to propose it. As for victory, over such a host as that which +was marching to the assault, none could hope for it. For, hold out +as they might, and repel every assault on the wall, there was an +enemy within which would conquer them. + +For Jotapata possessed no wells. The water had, daily, to be +fetched by the women from the stream in the ravine and, although +stores of grain had been collected, sufficient to last for many +months, the supply of water stored up in cisterns would scarce +suffice to supply the multitudes gathered on the rock for a +fortnight. + +Death, then, certain and inevitable, awaited them; and yet, an +occasional wail from some woman, as she pressed her children to her +breast, alone told of the despair which reigned in every heart. The +greater portion looked out, silent, and as if stupefied. They had +relied, absolutely, on the mountains and forests to block the +progress of the invader. They had thought that, at the worst, they +would have had to deal with a few companies of infantry, only. +Thus, the sight of the sixty thousand Roman troops--swelled to nigh +a hundred thousand, by the camp followers and artificers--with its +cavalry and machines of war, seemed like some terrible nightmare. + +After making the circuit of the rock, and wandering for some time +among the impromptu camps in the streets, John returned to a group +of boys whom he had noticed, leaning against the low wall with a +carelessness, as to the danger of a fall over the precipice, which +proved that they must be natives of the place. + +"If there be any possible way of descending these precipices," he +said to himself, "it will be the boys who will know of it. Where a +goat could climb, these boys, born among the mountains, would try +to follow; if only to excel each other in daring, and to risk +breaking their necks." + +Thus thinking, he walked up to the group, who were from twelve to +fifteen years old. + +"I suppose you belong to the town?" he began. + +There was a general assent from the five boys, who looked with +considerable respect at John--who, although but two years the +senior of the eldest among them, wore a man's garb, and carried +sword and buckler. + +"I am one of the bodyguard of the governor," John went on, "and I +dare say you can tell me all sorts of things, about this country, +that may be useful for him to know. Is it quite certain that no one +could climb up these rocks from below; and that there is no fear of +the Romans making a surprise, in that way?" + +The boys looked at each other, but no one volunteered to give +information. + +"Come!" John went on, "I have only just left off being a boy, +myself, and I was always climbing into all sorts of places, when I +got a chance; and I have no doubt it's the same, with you. When you +have been down below, there, you have tried how far you can get up. + +"Did you ever get up far, or did you ever hear of anyone getting up +far?" + +"I expect I have been up as far as anyone," the eldest of the boys +said. "I went up after a young kid that had strayed away from its +mother. I got up a long way--half way up, I should say--but I +couldn't get any further. I was barefooted, too. + +"I am sure no one with armor on could have got up anything like so +far. I don't believe he could get up fifty feet." + +"And have any of you ever tried to get down from above?" + +They shook their heads. + +"Jonas the son of James did, once," one of the smaller boys said. +"He had a pet hawk he had tamed, and it flew away and perched, a +good way down; and he clambered down to fetch it. He had a rope +tied round him, and some of the others held it, in case he should +slip. I know he went down a good way, and he got the hawk; and his +father beat him for doing it, I know." + +"Is he here, now?" John asked. + +"Yes, he is here," the boy said. "That's his father's house, the +one close to the edge of the rock. I don't know whether you will +find him there, now. He ain't indoors more than he can help. His +own mother's dead, and his father's got another wife, and they +don't get on well together." + +"Well, I will have a chat with him, one of these days. And you are +all quite sure that there is no possible path up, from below?" + +"I won't say there isn't any possible path," the eldest boy said; +"but I feel quite sure there is not. I have looked, hundreds of +times, when I have been down below; and I feel pretty sure that, if +there had been any place where a goat could have got up, I should +have noticed it. But you see, the rock goes down almost straight, +in most places. Anyhow, I have never heard of anyone who ever got +up and, if anyone had done it, it would have been talked about, for +years and years." + +"No doubt it would," John agreed. "So I shall tell the governor +that he need not be in the least uneasy about an attack, except in +front." + +So saying, he nodded to the boys, and walked away again. + +In the evening, the whole of the Roman army had arrived; and +Vespasian drew up his troops on a hill, less than a mile to the +north of the city, and there encamped them. The next morning, a +triple line of embankments was thrown up, by the Romans, around the +foot of the hill where, alone, escape or issue was possible; and +this entirely cut off those within the town from any possibility of +flight. + +The Jews looked on at these preparations as wild animals might +regard a line of hunters surrounding them. But the dull despair of +the previous day had now been succeeded by a fierce rage. Hope +there was none. They must die, doubtless; but they would die +fighting fiercely, till the last. Disdaining to be pent up within +the walls, many of the fighting men encamped outside, and boldly +went forward to meet the enemy. + +Vespasian called up his slingers and archers, and these poured +their missiles upon the Jews; while he himself, with his heavy +infantry, began to mount the slope towards the part of the wall +which appeared the weakest. Josephus at once summoned the fighting +men in the town and, sallying at their head through the gate, +rushed down and flung himself upon the Romans. Both sides fought +bravely; the Romans strong in their discipline, their skill with +their weapons, and their defensive armor; the Jews fighting with +the valor of despair, heightened by the thought of their wives and +children in the town, above. + +The Romans were pushed down the hill, and the fight continued at +its foot until darkness came on, when both parties drew off. The +number of killed on either side was small, for the bucklers and +helmets defended the vital points. The Romans had thirteen killed +and very many wounded, the Jews seventeen killed and six hundred +wounded. + +John had fought bravely by the side of Josephus. Joab and two +others of the little band were killed. All the others were wounded, +more or less severely; for Josephus was always in the front, and +his chosen followers kept close to him. In the heat of the fight, +John felt his spirits rise higher than they had done since the +troubles had begun. He had fought, at first, so recklessly that +Josephus had checked him, with the words: + +"Steady, my brave lad. He fights best who fights most coolly. The +more you guard yourself, the more you will kill." + +More than once, when Josephus--whose commanding figure, and evident +leadership, attracted the attention of the Roman soldiers--was +surrounded and cut off, John, with three or four others, made their +way through to him, and brought him off. + +When it became dark, both parties drew off; the Romans sullenly, +for they felt it a disgrace to have been thus driven back, by foes +they despised; the Jews with shouts of triumph, for they had proved +themselves a match for the first soldiers in the world, and the +dread with which the glittering column had inspired them had passed +away. + +The following day, the Jews again sallied out and attacked the +Romans as they advanced and, for five days in succession, the +combat raged--the Jews fighting with desperate valor, the Romans +with steady resolution. At the end of that time, the Jews had been +forced back behind their wall, and the Romans established +themselves in front of it. + +Vespasian, seeing that the wall could not be carried by assault, as +he had expected, called a council of war; and it was determined to +proceed by the regular process of a siege, and to erect a bank +against that part of the wall which offered the greatest facility +for attack. Accordingly the whole army, with the exception of the +troops who guarded the banks of circumvallation, went into the +mountains to get materials. Stone and timber, in vast quantities, +were brought down and, when these were in readiness, the work +commenced. + +A sort of penthouse roofing, constructed of wattles covered with +earth, was first raised, to protect the workers from the missiles +of the enemy upon the wall; and here the working parties labored +securely, while the rest of the troops brought up earth, stone, and +wood for their use. The Jews did their best to interfere with the +work, hurling down huge stones upon the penthouse; sometimes +breaking down the supports of the roof and causing gaps, through +which they poured a storm of arrows and javelins, until the damage +had been repaired. + +To protect his workmen, Vespasian brought up his siege engines--of +which he had a hundred and sixty--and, from these, vast quantities +of missiles were discharged at the Jews upon the walls. The +catapults threw javelins, balls of fire, and blazing arrows; while +the ballistae hurled huge stones, which swept lanes through the +ranks of the defenders. At the same time the light-armed troops, +the Arab archers, and those of Agrippa and Antiochus kept up a rain +of arrows, so that it became impossible for the Jews to remain on +the walls. + +But they were not inactive. Sallying out in small parties, they +fell with fury upon the working parties who, having stripped off +their heavy armor, were unable to resist their sudden onslaughts. +Driving out and slaying all before them, the Jews so often applied +fire to the wattles and timbers of the bank that Vespasian was +obliged to make his work continuous, along the whole extent of the +wall, to keep out the assailants. + +But, in spite of all the efforts of the Jews, the embankment rose +steadily, until it almost equaled the height of the wall; and the +struggle now went on between the combatants on even terms, they +being separated only by the short interval between the wall and +bank. Josephus found that in such a conflict the Romans--with their +crowd of archers and slingers, and their formidable machines--had +all the advantage; and that it was absolutely necessary to raise +the walls still higher. + +He called together a number of the principal men, and pointed out +the necessity for this. They agreed with him, but urged that it was +impossible for men to work, exposed to such a storm of missiles. +Josephus replied that he had thought of that. A number of strong +posts were prepared and, at night, these were fixed securely, +standing on the wall. Along the top of these, a strong rope was +stretched; and on this were hung, touching each other, the hides of +newly-killed oxen. These formed a complete screen, hiding the +workers from the sight of those on the embankment. + +Illustration: Heightening the Walls of Jotapata under Shelter of Ox +Hides. + +The hides, when struck with the stones from the ballistae, gave way +and deadened the force of the missiles; while the arrows and +javelins glanced off from the slippery surface. Behind this +shelter, the garrison worked night and day, raising the posts and +screens as their work proceeded, until they had heightened the wall +no less than thirty-five feet; with a number of towers on its +summit, and a strong battlement facing the Romans. + +The besiegers were much discouraged at their want of success, and +enraged at finding the efforts of so large an army completely +baffled by a small town, which they had expected to carry at the +first assault; while the Jews proportionately rejoiced. Becoming +more and more confident, they continually sallied out in small +parties, through the gateway or by ladders from the walls, attacked +the Romans upon their embankment, or set fire to it. And it was the +desperation with which these men fought, even more than their +success in defending the wall, that discouraged the Romans; for the +Jews were utterly careless of their lives, and were well content to +die, when they saw that they had achieved their object of setting +fire to the Roman works. + +Vespasian, at length, determined to turn the siege into a blockade; +and to starve out the town which he could not capture. He +accordingly contented himself by posting a strong force to defend +the embankment, and withdrew the main body of the army to their +encampment. He had been informed of the shortness of the supply of +water; and had anticipated that, in a very short time, thirst would +compel the inhabitants to yield. + +John had taken his full share in the fighting, and had frequently +earned the warm commendation of Josephus. His spirits had risen +with the conflict; but he could not shut his eyes to the fact that, +sooner or later, the Romans must become masters of the place. One +evening, therefore, when he had done his share of duty on the +walls, he went up to the house which had been pointed out to him as +that in which lived the boy who had descended the face of the +rocks, for some distance. + +At a short distance from the door, a lad of some fifteen years old, +with no covering but a piece of ragged sackcloth round the loins, +was crouched up in a corner, seemingly asleep. At the sound of +John's footsteps, he opened his eyes in a quick, watchful way, that +showed that he had not been really asleep. + +"Are you Jonas, the son of James?" John asked. + +"Yes I am," the boy said, rising to his feet. "What do you want +with me?" + +"I want to have a talk with you," John said. "I am one of the +governor's bodyguard; and I think, perhaps, you may be able to give +us some useful information." + +"Well, come away from here," the boy said, "else we shall be having +her--" and he nodded to the house, "--coming out with a stick." + +"You have rather a hard time of it, from what I hear," John began, +when they stopped at the wall, a short distance away from the +house. + +"I have that," the boy said. "I look like it, don't I?" + +"You do," John agreed, looking at the boy's thin, half-starved +figure; "and yet, there is plenty to eat in the town." + +"There may be," the boy said; "anyhow, I don't get my share. Father +is away fighting on the wall, and so she's worse than ever. She is +always beating me, and I dare not go back, now. I told her, this +morning, the sooner the Romans came in, the better I should be +pleased. They could only kill me, and there would be an end of it; +but they would send her to Rome for a slave, and then she would see +how she liked being cuffed and beaten, all day." + +"And you are hungry, now?" John asked. + +"I am pretty near always hungry," the boy said. + +"Well, come along with me, then. I have got a little room to +myself, and you shall have as much to eat as you like." + +The room John occupied had formerly been a loft over a stable, in +the rear of the house in which Josephus now lodged; and it was +reached by a ladder from the outside. He had shared it, at first, +with two of his comrades; but these had both fallen, during the +siege. After seeing the boy up into it, John went to the house and +procured him an abundant meal; and took it, with a small horn of +water, back to his quarters. + +"Here's plenty for you to eat, Jonas, but not much to drink. We are +all on short allowance, the same as the rest of the people; and I +am afraid that won't last long." + +There was a twinkle of amusement in the boy's face but, without a +word, he set to work at the food, eating ravenously all that John +had brought him. The latter was surprised to see that he did not +touch the water; for he thought that if his stepmother deprived him +of food, of which there was abundance, she would all the more +deprive him of water, of which the ration to each person was so +scanty. + +"Now," John said, "you had better throw away that bit of sackcloth, +and take this garment. It belonged to a comrade of mine, who has +been killed." + +"There's too much of it," the boy said. "If you don't mind my +tearing it in half, I will take it." + +"Do as you like with it," John replied; and the boy tore the long +strip of cotton in two, and wrapped half of it round his loins. + +"Now," he said, "what do you want to ask me?" + +"They tell me, Jonas, that you are a first-rate climber, and can go +anywhere?" + +The boy nodded. + +"I can get about, I can. I have been tending goats, pretty well +ever since I could walk and, where they can go, I can." + +"I want to know, in the first place, whether there is any possible +way by which one can get up and down from this place, except by the +road through the wall?" + +The boy was silent. + +"Now look here, Jonas," John went on, feeling sure that the lad +could tell something, if he would, "if you could point out a way +down, the governor would be very pleased; and as long as the siege +lasts you can live here with me, and have as much food as you want, +and not go near that stepmother of yours, at all." + +"And nobody will beat me, for telling you?" the boy asked. + +"Certainly not, Jonas." + +"It wouldn't take you beyond the Romans. They have got guards, all +round." + +"No, but it might enable us to get down to the water," John urged, +the sight of the unemptied horn causing the thought to flash +through his mind that the boy had been in the habit of going down, +and getting water. + +"Well, I will tell you," the boy said. "I don't like to tell, +because I don't think there's anyone here knows it, but me. I found +it out, and I never said a word about it, because I was able to +slip away when I liked; and no one knows anything about it. But it +doesn't make much difference, now, because the Romans are going to +kill us all. So I will tell you. + +"At the end of the rock, you have to climb down about fifty feet. +It's very steep there, and it's as much as you can do to get down; +but when you have got down that far, you get to the head of a sort +of dried-up water course, and it ain't very difficult to go down +there and, that way, you can get right down to the stream. It don't +look, from below, as if you could do it; and the Romans haven't put +any guards on the stream, just there. I know, because I go down +every morning, as soon as it gets light. I never tried to get +through the Roman sentries; but I expect one could, if one tried. + +"But I don't see how you are to bring water up here, if that's what +you want. I tell you, it is as much as you can do to get up and +down, and you want both your hands and your feet; but I could go +down and bring up a little water for you, in a skin hanging round +my neck, if you like." + +"I am afraid that wouldn't be much good, Jonas," John said; "but it +might be very useful to send messages out, that way." + +"Yes," the boy said; "but you see I have always intended, when the +Romans took the place, to make off that way. If other people go, +it's pretty sure to be found out, before long; and then the Romans +will keep watch. But it don't much matter. I know another place +where you and I could lie hidden, any time, if we had got enough to +eat and drink. I will show you but, mind, you must promise not to +tell anyone else. There's no room for more than two; and I don't +mean to tell you, unless you promise." + +"I will promise, Jonas. I promise you, faithfully, not to tell +anyone." + +"Well, the way down ain't far from the other one. I will show it +you, one of these days. I went down there, once, to get a hawk I +had taken from the nest, and tamed. I went down, first, with a rope +tied round me; but I found I could have done it without that--but I +didn't tell any of the others, as I wanted to keep the place to +myself. + +"You climb down about fifty feet, and then you get on a sort of +ledge, about three feet wide and six or seven feet long. You can't +see it from above, because it's a hollow, as if a bit of rock had +fallen out. Of course, if you stood up you might be seen by someone +below, or on the hill opposite; but it's so high it is not likely +anyone would notice you. Anyhow, if you lie down there, no one +would see you. I have been down there, often and often, since. When +she gets too bad to bear, I go down there and take a sleep; or lie +there and laugh, when I think how she is hunting about for me to +carry down the pails to the stream, for water." + +"I will say nothing about it, Jonas, you may be quite sure. That +place may save both our lives. But the other path I will tell +Josephus about. He may find it of great use." + +Josephus was indeed greatly pleased, when he heard that a way +existed by which he could send out messages. Two or three active +men were chosen for the work; but they would not venture to descend +the steep precipice, by which Jonas made his way down to the top of +the water course, but were lowered by ropes to that point. Before +starting they were sewn up in skins so that, if a Roman sentry +caught sight of them making their way down the water course, on +their hands and feet, he would take them for dogs, or some other +animals. Once at the bottom, they lay still till night, and then +crawled through the line of sentries. + +In this way Josephus was able to send out dispatches to his friends +outside, and to Jerusalem; imploring them to send an army, at once, +to harass the rear of the Romans, and to afford an opportunity for +the garrison of Jotapata to cut their way out. Messages came back +by return and, for three weeks, communications were thus kept up; +until one of the messengers slipped while descending the ravine +and, as he rolled down, attracted the attention of the Romans who, +after that, placed a strong guard at the foot of the water course. + +Until this discovery was made, Jonas had gone down regularly, every +morning, and drank his fill; and had brought up a small skin of +water to John, who had divided it among the children whom he saw +most in want of it--for the pressure of thirst was now heavy. The +Romans, from rising ground at a distance, had noticed the women +going daily with jugs to the cistern, whence the water was doled +out; and the besiegers directed their missiles to that point, and +many were killed, daily, while fetching water. + +A dull despair now seized the Jews. So long as they were fighting, +they had had little time to think of their situation; but now that +the enemy no longer attacked, and there was nothing to do but to +sit down and suffer, the hopelessness of their position stared them +in the face. But there was no thought of surrender. They knew too +well the fate that awaited them, at the hands of the Romans. + +They were therefore seized with rage, and indignation, when they +heard that Josephus and some of the principal men were thinking of +making an endeavor to escape. John, who had hitherto regarded his +leader with a passionate devotion--although he thought that he had +been wrong in taking to the fortified towns, instead of fighting +among the mountains--shared in the general indignation at the +proposed desertion. + +"It is he who has brought us all here," he said to Jonas--who had +attached himself to him with dog-like fidelity--"and now he +proposes to go away, and leave everyone here to be massacred! I +cannot believe it." + +The news was, however, well founded for, when the inhabitants +crowded down to the house--the women weeping and wailing, the men +sullen and fierce--to beg Josephus to abandon his intention, the +governor attempted to argue that it was for the public good that he +should leave them. He might, he said, hurry to Jerusalem, and bring +an army to the rescue. The people, however, were in no way +convinced. + +"If you go," they said, "the Romans will speedily capture the city. +We are ready to die, all together--to share one common fate--but do +not leave us." + +As Josephus saw that, if he did not accede to the prayers of the +women, the men would interfere by force to prevent his carrying out +his intentions, he told them he would remain with them; and +tranquillity was at once restored. The men, however, came again and +again to him, asking to be led out to attack the Romans. + +"Let us die fighting," was the cry. "Let us die among our foes, and +not with the agonies of thirst." + +"We must make them come up to attack us, again," Josephus said. "We +shall fight to far greater advantage, so, than if we sallied out to +attack them in their own intrenchments--when we should be shot down +by their archers and slingers, before ever we should reach them." + +"But how are we to make them attack us? We want nothing better." + +"I will think it over," Josephus said, "and tell you in the +morning." + +In the morning, to the surprise of the men, they were ordered to +dip large numbers of garments into the precious supply of water, +and to hang them on the walls. Loud were the outcries of the women, +as they saw the scanty store of water, upon which their lives +depended, so wasted; but the orders were obeyed, and the Romans +were astonished at seeing the long line of dripping garments on the +wall. + +The stratagem had its effect. Vespasian thought that the news he +had received, that the place was ill supplied with water, must be +erroneous; and ordered the troops again to take their station on +the walls, and renew the attack. Great was the exultation among the +Jews, when they saw the movement among the troops; and Josephus, +ordering the fighting men together, said that now was their +opportunity. There was no hope of safety, in passive resistance; +therefore they had best sally out and, if they must die, leave at +least a glorious example to posterity. + +The proposal was joyfully received, and he placed himself at their +head. The gates were suddenly opened, and they poured out to the +attack. So furious was their onslaught that the Romans were driven +from the embankment. The Jews pursued them, crossed the lines of +circumvallation, and attacked the Romans in their camp; tearing up +the hides and penthouses behind which the Romans defended +themselves, and setting fire to the lines in many places. + +The fight raged all day. The Jews then retired to the city, only to +sally out again, the following morning. For three days the attacks +were continued; the Jews driving in the Romans, each day, and +retiring when Vespasian brought up heavy columns--who were unable, +from the weight of their armor, to follow their lightly-armed +assailants. Vespasian then ordered the regular troops to remain in +camp, the assaults being repelled by the archers and slingers. + +Finding that the courage of the Jews was unabated, and that his +troops were losing heavily in this irregular fighting, he +determined to renew the siege, at all hazards, and bring the matter +to a close. The heavy-armed troops were ordered to be in readiness, +and to advance against the walls with the battering ram. This was +pushed forward by a great number of men; being covered, as it +advanced, with a great shield constructed of wattles and hides. As +it was brought forward, the archers and slingers covered its +advance by a shower of missiles against the defenders of the wall; +while all the war machines poured in their terrible shower. + +The Jews, unable to show themselves above the battlements, or to +oppose the advance of the terrible machine, crouched in shelter +until the battering ram was placed in position. + +Then the ropes by which it swung from the framework overhead were +seized, by a number of soldiers, and the first blow was delivered +at the wall. It quivered beneath the terrible shock, and a cry of +dismay arose from the defenders. Again and again the heavy ram +struck, in the same place. The wall tottered beneath the blows; and +would soon have fallen, had not Josephus ordered a number of sacks +to be filled with straw, and let down by ropes from the walls, so +as to deaden the blows of the ram. + +For a time the Romans ceased work; and then, fastening scythes to +the ends of long poles, cut the ropes. The Jews were unable to show +themselves above the walls, or to interfere with the men at work. +In a few minutes the sacks were cut down, and the ram recommenced +its work of destruction. + + + +Chapter 6: The Fall Of The City. + + +The Roman soldiers--seeing the wall of Jotapata tremble beneath the +blows of the battering ram, whose iron head pounded to powder the +stones against which it struck--redoubled their efforts when, +suddenly, from three sally ports which they had prepared, the Jews +burst out; carrying their weapons in their right hands, and blazing +torches in their left. As on previous occasions, their onslaught +was irresistible. They swept the Romans before them; and set fire +to the engines, the wattles, and the palisades, and even to the +woodwork of the embankment. The timber had by this time dried and, +as bitumen and pitch had been used as cement in the construction of +the works, the flames spread with great rapidity; and the work of +many days was destroyed, in an hour. All the engines and +breastworks of the Fifth and Tenth Legions were entirely consumed. + +Just as the attack began, Eleazar--the son of Sameas, a +Galilean--with an immense stone from the wall, struck the iron head +of the battering ram, and knocked it off. He then leaped down from +the wall, seized the iron head, and carried it back into the city. +He was pierced by five arrows. Still, he pressed on and regained +the walls; and held up the iron head in the sight of all, and then +fell down dead. + +Such was the spirit with which the Jews were animated; and the +Roman soldiers, trained as they were to conflict among many +peoples, were yet astounded by the valor displayed by the race that +they had considered as unwarlike peasants. But the Romans were not +discouraged. Heavy masses of troops were brought up, the Jews were +driven within their walls and, towards evening, the ram was again +in position. + +While Vespasian was directing the attack, he was struck by a +javelin in the heel. The Romans ceased from the attack and crowded +round their general but, as soon as they ascertained that his wound +was not serious, they returned to the attack with redoubled fury. + +All that night, the contest raged unceasingly. The Roman engines +swept the walls with missiles. The towers came crashing down, under +the blows of the huge stones; while the javelins, arrows, and the +stones from the slings created terrible havoc among the defenders +of the wall. But, as fast as these fell, fresh combatants took +their places; and they continued hurling down stones, and blazing +brands, upon the freshly-erected wattles round the battering ram. +The Romans had the advantage in this strife for, while the fires on +the walls--at which the Jews lighted their brands, and boiled the +pitch and sulphur in which these were dipped--enabled them to aim +accurately, they themselves worked in deep shadow, at the foot of +the wall. + +The night was a terrible one. The bolts, stones, and arrows which +passed over the wall spread ruin and death over the town. The din +was unceasing. The thundering noise of the great stones; the dull, +deep sound as the ram struck the wall; the fierce shouts of the +combatants, as they fought hand to hand--for the corpses were, in +places, piled so thick that the assailants could mount upon them to +the top of the walls--the shrieks of the women, and the screams of +the children, combined in one terrible and confused noise; which +was echoed back, and multiplied, by the surrounding mountains. + +Morning was just breaking when the shaken wall gave way, and fell, +with a crash. Vespasian called off his weary troops, and allowed +them a short time for refreshment; then he prepared to storm the +breach. He brought up, first, a number of his bravest horsemen; +dismounted, and clad in complete armor. They were provided with long +pikes, and were to charge forward, the instant the machines for +mounting the breach were fixed. Behind these were the best of his +infantry, while in their rear were the archers and slingers. Other +parties, with scaling ladders, were to attack the uninjured part of +the wall, and to draw off the attention of the besiegers. The rest +of the horse extended all over the hills round the town, so that +none might make their escape. + +Josephus prepared to receive the attack. He placed the old, infirm, +and wounded to repel the attack on the uninjured parts of the wall. +He then chose the five strongest and bravest men and, with them, +took his place to form the front line of the defenders of the +breach. He told them to kneel down and cover their heads with their +bucklers, until the enemy's archers had emptied their quivers and, +when the Romans had fixed the machines for mounting, they were to +leap down among the enemy and fight to the last; remembering that +there was now no hope of safety, naught but to revenge the fate +which was impending over them, their wives and children. + +As the Romans mounted to the assault, a terrible cry broke out from +the women. They saw the Romans still manning the lines which cut +off all escape, and they believed that the end was now at hand. +Josephus, fearing that their cries would dispirit the men, ordered +them all to be locked up in their houses, and then calmly awaited +the assault. + +The trumpet of the legion sounded, and the whole Roman host set up +a terrible shout while, at the same moment, the air was darkened by +the arrows of their bowmen. Kneeling beneath their bucklers, the +Jews remained calm and immovable; and then, before the Romans had +time to set foot upon the breach, with a yell of fury they rushed +upon them, and threw themselves into the midst of their assailants. +For a time, the Romans could make no way against the desperate +courage of the Jews but, as fast as the leading files fell, fresh +troops took their places; while the Jews, who were vastly reduced +by their losses, had no fresh men to take the place of those who +died. + +At last, the solid phalanx of the Romans drove back the defenders, +and entered the breach. But as they did so, from the walls above +and from the breach in front, vessels filled with boiling oil were +hurled down upon them. The Roman ranks were broken; and the men, in +agony, rolled on the ground, unable to escape the burning fluid +which penetrated through the joints of their armor. Those who turned +to fly were pierced by the javelins of the Jews; for the Romans +carried no defensive armor on their backs, which were never +supposed to be turned towards an enemy. + +Fresh troops poured up the breach, to take the place of their +agonized comrades; but the Jews threw down, upon the planks, +vessels filled with a sort of vegetable slime. Unable to retain +their footing upon the slippery surface, the Romans fell upon each +other, in heaps. Those rolling down carried others with them, and a +terrible confusion ensued, the Jews never ceasing to pour their +missiles upon them. + +When evening came, Vespasian called off his men. He saw that, to +overcome the desperate resistance of the defenders, fresh steps +must be taken before the assault was repeated; and he accordingly +gave orders that the embankment should be raised, much higher than +before; and that upon it three towers, each fifty feet high and +strongly girded with iron, should be built. + +This great work was carried out, in spite of the efforts of the +besieged. In the towers, Vespasian placed his javelin men, archers, +and light machines and, as these now looked down upon the wall, +they were enabled to keep up such a fire upon it that the Jews +could no longer maintain their footing; but contented themselves +with lying behind it, and making desperate sallies whenever they +saw any parties of Romans approaching the breach. + +In the meantime, a terrible calamity had befallen the neighboring +town of Japha. Emboldened by the vigorous defense of Jotapata, it +had closed its gates to the Romans. Vespasian sent Trajan, with two +thousand foot and a thousand horse, against it. + +The city was strongly situated, and surrounded by a double wall. +Instead of waiting to be attacked, the people sallied out and fell +upon the Romans. They were, however, beaten back; and the Romans, +pressing on their heels, entered with them through the gates of the +outside walls. The defenders of the gates through the inner walls, +fearing that these, too, would be carried by the mob, closed them; +and all those who had sallied out were butchered by the Romans. + +Trajan, seeing that the garrison must now be weak, sent to +Vespasian, and asked him to send his son to complete the victory. +Titus soon arrived, with a thousand foot and five hundred horse +and, at once, assaulted the inner walls. The defense was feeble. +The Romans effected their entry but, inside the town, a desperate +conflict took place; the inhabitants defending every street, with +the energy of despair, while the women aided their efforts by +hurling down stones, and missiles, from the roofs. The battle +lasted six hours, when all who could bear arms were slain. The rest +of the male population were put to death, the women taken as +slaves. In all, fifteen thousand were killed, two thousand one +hundred and thirty taken prisoners. + +In another direction, a heavy blow had also been struck by the +Romans. The Samaritans had not openly joined the revolt, but had +gathered in great force on Mount Gerizim. Cerealis was sent by +Vespasian, with three thousand infantry and six hundred horse, +against them. He surrounded the foot of the mountain, and abstained +from an assault until the Samaritans were weakened by thirst--many +dying from want of water. Cerealis then mounted the hill, and sent +to them to throw down their arms. On their refusal, he charged them +from all sides, and put every soul--in number, eleven thousand six +hundred--to the sword. + +The situation of the defenders of Jotapata was now pitiable, +indeed. Scarce a man but had received wounds, more or less severe, +in the desperate combats. All were utterly worn out with fatigue; +for they were under arms, day and night, in readiness to repel the +expected attack. Numbers of the women and children had died of +thirst, and terror. Save the armed men lying in groups near the +foot of the wall, in readiness to repel an assault, scarce a soul +was to be seen in the lately-crowded streets. + +The houses were now ample to contain the vastly diminished number. +Here the women and children crouched, in utter prostration. The +power of suffering was almost gone. Few cared how soon the end +came. + +The siege had now continued for forty-seven days; and the Roman +army, strong in numbers, in discipline, and in arms, and commanded +by one of its best generals, had yet failed to capture the little +town--which they had expected to take within a few hours of their +appearance before it--and so fierce was the valor of the besieged, +that Vespasian did not venture to order his legions forward to +renew the assault. But now, a deserter informed him that the +garrison was greatly exhausted, that the men on guard could not +keep awake; and that the breach could be carried, at night, by a +sudden assault. + +Vespasian prepared for the assault, which was to take place at +daybreak. A thick mist enveloped the town, and the sleeping +sentries were not aroused by the silent steps of the approaching +Romans. Titus was the first to enter the breach, followed by a +small number of troops. These killed the sleeping guards, and the +main body of the Romans then poured in. Before the Jews were +conscious of their danger, the whole of the Roman army was upon +them. + +Then the slaughter commenced. Many of the Jews killed each other, +rather than fall into the hands of the Romans. Many threw +themselves over the precipices, numbers took refuge in the deep +caverns under the city. That day, all in the streets or houses were +killed; the next, the Romans searched the caverns and underground +passages, slaughtering all the men and boys, and sparing none but +infants and women. During the siege and capture, forty thousand men +fell. Only twelve hundred women and children were spared. So +complete was the surprise, and so unresistingly did the Jews submit +to slaughter, that only one Roman was killed. + +This was Antoninus, a centurion. He came upon a Jew in a deep +cavern, and told him he would spare his life, if he would +surrender. The Jew asked him to give him his hand, as a pledge of +his faith, and to help him out of the cave. Antoninus did so, and +the Jew at once ran him through with a spear. + +John was asleep when the Romans entered. He was aroused by Jonas +rushing into the room. The boy was at all times restless, and +suffered less than most of those within the walls; for there was an +abundance of grain up to the end of the siege and, until the Romans +had discovered the way down to the water, he had not suffered in +any way from thirst. He was considered too young to take part in +the actual fighting; but had labored with the rest in repairing the +defenses, carrying food to men on the walls, and carrying away the +dead and wounded. + +"Get up, John!" he exclaimed. "In the mist I have just run upon a +mass of Roman soldiers, ranged in order. The town is taken. Quick, +before they scatter and begin to slay!" + +John caught up his sword, and ran out. Just as he did so, a +terrible shout was heard, followed by shrieks and cries. The work +of butchery had begun. + +John's plans had been laid for some time. At night Jonas had +frequently descended to the ledge, taking with him food, and jars +of the water he brought up from below; and once or twice John had +descended, Jonas fastening a rope round his body, and lowering it +gradually for, active as he was, John could not get down without +such assistance. Indeed, to any one who looked casually over the +top, the descent appeared absolutely impossible. + +At the top of their speed, the lads ran to the spot at which the +descent had to be made. The rope was hidden close at hand. John +slipped the noose at the end over his shoulders. Jonas twisted the +rope once round a stunted tree, which grew close by, and allowed it +to go out gradually. As soon as the strain upon it ceased, and he +knew John was upon the ledge, he loosened the rope and dropped the +end over; and then began, himself, to descend, his bare feet and +hands clinging to every inequality, however slight, in the rock. + +He presently stood by the side of John. The latter had coiled up +the rope, and laid it by him; and had then thrown himself down, and +was sobbing bitterly. Jonas sat down quietly beside him, till he +had recovered his composure. + +"It is no use fretting," he said, philosophically. "There's no one +you care about, particularly, up there; and I am sure there's no +one I care about--only I should like to have peeped in, and have +seen her face, when the Romans burst open the door. I don't suppose +she was very sorry, though, for it will be better to be a Roman +slave than to be going through what they have been, for the last +month." + +"It is horrible!" John said, "Horrible! However, Jonas, let us +thank God for having thus preserved our lives, when all besides are +in such terrible danger of death." + +For a time, the two lads sat silent. John was the first to speak. + +"I am thankful," he said, "that, owing to our being down the face +of the rock, the sound is carried away above our heads, and we can +hear but little of what is going on there. It seems a confusion of +sounds, and comes to us rather as an echo from the hills, yonder, +than directly from above." + +Sometimes, indeed, thrilling screams and shouts were heard but, for +the most part, the sounds were so blended together that they could +not be distinguished one from another. As soon as the mist cleared +off, the lads lay down, as far back from the ledge as they could +get. + +"We must not lift up a head, today," John said. "The guards below, +and on the hills, will have their eyes fixed on the rock, on the +lookout for fugitives and, until nighttime, we must not venture to +sit up. Fortunately, that outer edge of the shelf is a good deal +higher than it is, back here; and I don't think that even those on +the mountain, opposite, could see us as we lie." + +"I should think a good many may escape, like us," Jonas said, +presently. "There are numbers of caverns and passages, from which +they have dug the stone for the building of the houses. A lot of +the people are sure to hide away, there." + +"I daresay they will," John agreed; "but I fear the Romans will +hunt them all out." + +"How long do you think we shall have to stay here, John?" + +"Till the Romans go, whether it is one week or two; but I do not +think they will stay here many days. The town is so full of dead +that, in this hot weather, it will be unbearable before long. At +any rate, we shall be able to pass a good deal of time in sleep. We +have not had much of it, lately. Till last night, I have not been +in the house, at night, for over a fortnight. But I felt, last +night, as if I must have a sleep, whatever came of it. I suppose +the guards at the breach must have felt the same, or the Romans +could never have got in without the alarm being given." + +For a few minutes, John lay thinking of the terrible scenes that +must be passing, on the rock above; then his drowsiness overcame +him, and he was soon fast asleep. + +It was dark when he woke. As he moved, Jonas spoke. + +"Are you awake, John? Because if you are, let us have something to +eat. I have been awake the last four hours, and I have been wishing +you would stir." + +"There was no occasion to wait for my waking, Jonas. There are the +grain and the water, close at hand; and no cooking is required." + +"I wasn't going to eat till you woke, if it had been all night," +Jonas said. "Still, I am glad you are awake; they are quiet now, up +above, and I have heard the Roman trumpets sounding. I expect that +most of them have marched back to their camp." + +The next day passed like the first. Occasionally cries of agony +were heard. Sometimes bodies were hurled from the top of the rock, +but a short distance from where they were lying. + +The next two days passed more quietly, but upon that following a +murmur, as of a multitude of men working, was heard. From time to +time there were heavy crashes, as masses of stones, hurled down the +precipice, struck against its face as they fell; and then bounded, +far out beyond the stream, at its foot. All these sounds were +echoed back by the surrounding hills, until it seemed as if a storm +was raging, far away in the heart of the mountains. + +"They are destroying the town," John said, in answer to his +companion's question as to the cause of the uproar. "That is the +best thing possible for us. Had it remained standing, they might +have left a garrison here, to prevent our people reoccupying it. If +they destroy it, it is a sign that they intend to march away, +altogether." + +Several times Jonas wished to climb up, at night, to ascertain what +was going on; but John would not hear of it. + +"There is nothing to find out, Jonas. We know what they did at +Gadara, where they slew all the males and carried off all the +women, although no resistance was offered. We may be sure that +there will be no more mercy shown at Jotapata, which has affronted +the Roman power by keeping their great army at bay, for nearly +seven weeks, and whose capture has cost them thousands of men. We +know what has happened--they have slain every soul, save a few +young women, who were worth money as slaves. Now they are leveling +the town to its foundations. The place that defied them will cease +to exist. + +"And yet, they talk of Roman magnanimity! Would we had five +thousand fighting men, hidden here with us. We would climb then, +Jonas, and fall upon them in the night, and take a mighty vengeance +for the woes they have inflicted. But, being alone, we will remain +here till we have reason to believe that the last Roman has left. +Did one of them catch sight of you, our fate would be sealed. They +have no boys among them, and the slightest glimpse of your figure +would be enough to tell them that you were a Jew who had been in +hiding and, in their fear that one man should escape their +vengeance, they would hunt you down, as a pack of wolves might hunt +down a solitary lamb." + +"They could never get down here, John." + +"Not by the way you came; but they would lower a cage full of armed +men, from above, and slay us without pity." + +"But if I were found out, John, I would not lead them here. I would +throw myself over the precipice, rather than that risk should come +to you!" + +"But I don't want you to throw yourself over the precipice, Jonas. +I want to keep you with me: in the first place because we are great +friends now; in the second because, if you were killed, I might as +well throw myself over, at once--for I do not think I could ever +climb up this rock, without your assistance." + +"It is much easier going up than coming down, John." + +"That may be and, indeed, I have no doubt it is so; but I would +rather not put the matter to the test. No; we have provision and +water here, enough to last us for ten days and, until they are +consumed, it were best not to stir from here." + +Four days later, however, they heard the sound of the Roman +trumpets and, on raising their heads carefully a few inches, saw +that the guards on the opposite hills had all been withdrawn. +Having now less fear of being seen, they raised their heads still +further, and looked up the valley to the great camp on the hillside +where, at night, they had seen the fires of the Romans, blazing +high. + +"They are going!" Jonas exclaimed, joyously. "Look at the sun +sparkling on the long lines of arms and armor. Not a sound is to be +heard, above--the work is done. They are about to march away." + +"Do not let us expose ourselves further," John said. "It may be +that they have left a few watchers, to see if any who have eluded +their search may show themselves, believing that they have gone. I +have no doubt they are going and, by tomorrow, it will be safe for +us to move." + +All day they heard the sound of trumpets, for the great host took a +long time getting into motion but, gradually, the sound grew +fainter and fainter, as the rear guard of the army took the road +which they had cut through the mountains, eight weeks before. + +That night, when darkness fell, and the two lads sat up on their +ledge and looked round, not a light was to be seen; and not a sound +broke the silence of the night. + +"At daybreak tomorrow, Jonas, as soon as it becomes light enough +for you to see your way, you shall go up and look round. They may +have left a guard behind, but I should hardly think so. After the +wholesale slaughter at Gadara, and here, the hatred of the Romans +will be so intense that, confident as they are in their arms and +discipline, they would hardly venture to leave a small body of men, +in the heart of these mountains." + +As soon as it was daylight, Jonas prepared to climb up to the +plateau above. He took with him the rope; arranging that, if he +found that the place was absolutely deserted, he would lower one +end to John and fasten the other to the tree above; and that he +would then aid John, as much as his strength would permit, in +making his way up the rock. + +John watched his companion making his way up, and observed exactly +where he placed his feet and hands, until he was out of sight. Then +he waited. In about a quarter of an hour, the end of the rope fell +in front of him. He fastened it securely under his arms and then, +taking off his sandals, began the ascent. It was not so difficult +as it had looked; and the steady strain which Jonas kept on the +rope, from above, aided him and gave him confidence. In three or +four minutes, he gained the top of the rock. + +"There is not a soul to be seen," Jonas said. "The town has gone, +and the people, and the Romans. All is desolation!" + +The scene was indeed changed, since John had last looked upon it. +Not a wall, in the so-lately busy little town, had been left +standing. The whole area was covered, three or four feet deep with +a chaos of stones, mortar, and beams; forming a great grave, below +which lay the bodies of forty thousand of the defenders of the +place. The walls so bravely defended had disappeared; and the +embankment, whose erection had cost the Romans so much labor and +bloodshed, had been destroyed by fire. A dead silence hung over the +place, and the air was tainted with a terrible odor of corruption. + +The desolation and solitude of the scene overpowered John, and he +sat down on a fragment of masonry and wept, unrestrainedly, for +some time. He roused himself, at last, as Jonas touched him. + +"I shall go down again, and get what grain there is left," the boy +said. "There is no chance of finding anything to eat within a day's +march of here. The Roman horse will have destroyed every village +within a wide circuit." + +"But I cannot let you go down again, Jonas. The danger is too +great." + +"But I have been up and down, lots of times," Jonas said. + +"That may be, Jonas, but you might be dashed to pieces, this time." + +"Well, if you like I will fasten the rope round me; then, if I +should slip, I shall be safe." + +John consented with some reluctance, but he was so nervous and +shaken that he walked some distance away, and did not turn round +until he heard Jonas' footsteps again approaching him. + +"Now we can start," the boy said. "We have got grain here, enough +for three days; and tonight we will crush it, and cook it. I have +had enough of eating raw grain, for a long time to come." + +The boy's cheerfulness restored the tone of John's nerves +and--making their way with some difficulty over the chaos of stone +and timber, until they arrived at the pile of charred timber, which +marked the spot where the Roman embankment had stood--they stepped +out briskly, descended the hill, crossed the deserted lines of +circumvallation; and then began to ascend the mountains, which had, +for some distance, been stripped of their timber for the purposes +of the siege. In another hour's walking they reached the forest, +and pressed on until the afternoon. Not that there was any need for +speed, now, but John felt a longing to place as wide a gap as +possible between himself and the great charnel ground which, alone, +marked the spot where Jotapata had stood. + +At length, Jonas urged the necessity for a halt, for rest and food. +They chose a spot at the foot of a great tree, and then set to work +to collect a store of firewood. John took out the box of tinder +which, in those days, everyone carried about with him, and a fire +was soon lighted. Jonas then looked for two large flat stones, and +set to work to grind some grain. + +The halting place had been chosen from the vicinity of a little +spring, which rose a few yards distant. With this the pounded grain +was moistened and, after kneading it up, Jonas rolled it in balls +and placed them in the hot ashes of the fire. In half an hour they +were cooked, and the meal was eaten with something like +cheerfulness. + +Another day's walking brought them to a little village, nestled in +the forest. Here they were kindly received, though the people +scarce believed them when they said that they were survivors of the +garrison of Jotapata. The news of the capture of the town, and the +destruction of its defenders, had already spread through the +country; and John now learned, for the first time, the fate which +had befallen Japha and the Samaritans on Mount Gerizim--events +which filled him with consternation. + +The folly of the tactics which had been pursued--of cooping all the +fighting men up in the walled cities, to be destroyed one after the +other by the Romans--was more than ever apparent. He had never, +from the first, been very hopeful of the result of the struggle; +but it seemed, now, as if it could end in nothing but the total +destruction of the Jewish race of Palestine. + +John stayed for two days in the little mountain village and then, +with a store of provisions sufficient to last him for some days, +pursued his way; following the lines of the Anti-Libanus, until +that range of hills joined the range of Mount Hermon, north of the +sources of the Jordan. + +He had stopped for a day at Dan, high up among the hills. Here the +people had no fear of Roman vengeance; for the insurrection had not +extended so far north, and the Roman garrison of Caesarea Philippi +overawed the plains near the upper waters of the Jordan. +Determined, however, to run no unnecessary risks, John and his +companion pursued their way on the lower slopes of the hills until, +after six days' walking, they arrived at Neve. + +Here they learned where the farm of John's kinsman was situated, +and made their way thither. As they came up to the house a woman +came out, gazed intently at John and, with a scream of terror, ran +back into the house. It was one of Martha's maids. John stood +irresolute, fearing that his sudden appearance might startle the +other inmates when, suddenly, Mary appeared at the door, looking +pale but resolute. She, too, gazed fixedly at John; and her lips +moved, but no sound came from them. + +"Don't you know me, Mary?" John said. + +The girl gave a scream of joy, and threw herself into his arms. A +moment later Martha, followed by Miriam and the other servants, +came out. + +"It is no spirit, mother, it is John, himself," Mary exclaimed and, +the next moment, John was clasped in his mother's arms. + +It was not surprising that the first who saw John had thought that +he was a spirit. The news had already been received that the whole +of the garrison of Jotapata had been put to the sword; and John's +appearance was changed so greatly, within the last three months, +that he would scarce have been known. Fatigue, anxiety, and the +loss of blood--from several wounds which he had received, in the +course of the siege--had so pulled him down that he was but a +shadow of his former self. His clothes were in rags. He had washed +them at the village where he had first stopped for, before that, +they had been stiffened with blood; and even now, stained and +ragged as they were, they gave him the appearance of a mendicant. + +Jonas had held back a little, while the first joyful greeting was +going on, but John soon turned to him. + +"Mother," he said, "this must be as another son to you for, next to +the protection of God, it is to him I owe my life." + +Martha welcomed the young stranger affectionately. + +"Before you tell us aught that has befallen you, John, go and +change your garments, and wash, while we prepare a meal for you. +The clothes of your uncle's son Silas, who is about your age, will +fit you; and those of his younger brother will do for your friend." + +"Was the last news of my father good?" John asked. + +"Yes, the Lord be praised, he was well when we heard of him, a week +since!" + +The travelers were at once conducted to a room, and supplied with +water and clean garments. By the time they had changed, and +returned to the general room, John's uncle and cousin had been +fetched in from the farm, and he received another hearty welcome. + +It almost seemed to him, as he sat down to a comfortable meal, with +Mary and his mother waiting upon him, that the events of the past +two months had been a hideous dream; and that he had never left his +comfortable home on the shore of the Lake of Galilee. As to Jonas, +unaccustomed to kind treatment, or to luxury of any kind, he was +too confused to utter a word. When the meal was over, John was +asked to tell his news; and he related all the stirring incidents +of the siege, and the manner in which he and his companion had +effected his escape. + +"We are, no doubt," he concluded, "the sole male survivors of the +siege." + +"Not so, my son," Martha said. "There is a report that Josephus has +survived the siege; and that he is a prisoner, in the hands of the +Romans." + +"It may be that they have spared him, to grace Vespasian's triumph, +at Rome," John said. "It is their custom, I believe, to carry the +generals they may take in war to Rome, to be slain there." + +It was not until some time afterwards that John learned the +particulars of the capture of Josephus. When he saw that all was +lost, Josephus had leaped down the shaft of a dry well, from the +bottom of which a long cavern led off, entirely concealed from the +sight of those above. Here he found forty of the leading citizens, +who had laid in a store of food sufficient to last for many days. +Josephus, at least, who gives his account of all these circumstances, +says that he quite unexpectedly found these forty citizens in hiding +there; but this is improbable in the extreme, and there can be little +doubt that he had, long before, prepared this refuge with them, when +he found that the people would not allow them to attempt to make +their escape from the city. + +At night Josephus came up from the well and tried to make his +escape but, finding the Romans everywhere vigilant, he returned to +the place of concealment. On the third day a woman, who was aware +of the hiding place, informed the Romans of it--probably in return +for a promise of freedom, for the Romans were searching high and +low for Josephus; who could not, they were convinced, have escaped +through their lines. Vespasian immediately sent two tribunes, +Paulinus and Gallicanus, to induce him to surrender by promise of +his life. + +Josephus refused to come out, and Vespasian sent another tribune, +Nicanor, a personal friend of Josephus, to assure him of his +safety, if he would surrender. In the account Josephus gives of the +transaction, he says that at this moment he suddenly remembered a +dream--in which it was revealed to him that all these calamities +should fall upon the Jews, that he himself should be saved, and +that Vespasian should become emperor--and that, therefore, if he +passed over to the Romans he would do so not as a renegade, but in +obedience to the voice of God. + +It was certainly a happy coincidence that the dream should have +occurred to him, at this moment. He at once announced his readiness +to surrender; but his forty companions did not see the matter in +the same light. The moment Josephus left them, the Roman soldiers +would throw combustibles down the well, and suffocate them, if they +did not come out and submit to slaughter. + +They urged upon Josephus that he was their leader; that they had +all followed his orders, and cast in their lot with his; and that +it would be treacherous and base, in the extreme, for him now to +save his life by going over to the Romans, when all the inferior +people had slain themselves, or had submitted to slaughter, rather +than beg their lives of the Romans. Josephus argued with them, at +length, but they were not convinced and, drawing their swords, +threatened to kill him, if he tried to leave them. They would all +die together, they said. + +Josephus then proposed that, in order to avoid the sin of suicide, +they should draw lots which should kill each other. To this they +assented; and they continued to draw lots as to which should slay +the other, until only Josephus and one other remained alive. + +This is the story that Josephus tells. He was, of course, +endeavoring to put his own case in the best light, and to endeavor +to prove that he was not--as the Jews universally regarded him--a +traitor to his country. It need hardly be said that the story is +improbable, in the extreme; and that, had any one of the forty men +survived and written the history, he would probably have told a +very different tale. + +The conduct of Josephus, from the first outbreak of the trouble, +showed that he was entirely adverse to the rising against the +Romans. He himself, having been to Rome, had seen her power and +might; and had been received with great favor by Poppaea, the wife +of Nero, and had made many friends there. He had, therefore, at the +outset, opposed as far as he was able, without going so far as to +throw suspicion on his patriotism, the rebellion against the +Romans. During the events in Galilee, he had shown himself anxious +to keep in favor with the Romans. He had rebuked those who had +attacked the soldiers traveling as an escort, with a large amount +of treasure belonging to King Agrippa; and would have sent back the +spoils taken, had not the people risen against it. He affected +great indignation at the plunder of Agrippa's palace at Tiberias +and, gathering all he could of the spoils, had handed them over to +the care of the chief of Agrippa's friends there. He had protected +the two officers of Agrippa, whom the Jews would have killed--had +released and sent them back to the king; and when John of Gischala +wished to carry off large quantities of grain, stored by the Romans +in Upper Galilee, Josephus refused to allow him to do so, saying +that it should be kept for its owners. + +It is almost certain that Josephus must, in some way, have entered +into communication with the Romans; for how otherwise could he, +with the principal inhabitants, have proposed to make their escape, +when every avenue was closed? Josephus was a man of great talent +and energy, full of resources, and of great personal bravery--at +least, if his own account of his conduct during the siege is to be +believed. But no one can read his labored excuses for his own +conduct without feeling sure that he had, all along, been in +correspondence with the Romans; and that he had, beforehand, been +assured that his life should be spared. + +He had, from the first, despaired of successful resistance to the +Romans; and his conduct in throwing himself, at the last moment, +into a town about to be besieged and, as he must have known, +captured--for the want of water, alone, rendered its fall a mere +question of time--when his presence and leadership was so urgently +required among the people to whose command he had been appointed, +seems to prove that he wished to fall into their hands. + +It would not be just to brand Josephus as a traitor. He had done +his best to induce the Galileans to form themselves into an army, +and to defend the province; and it was only when that army +dispersed, at the approach of the Romans, that he went to Jotapata. +It was his leadership that enabled that city to continue its heroic +defense. It cannot, therefore, be said that Josephus in any way +betrayed the trust confided to him by the council at Jerusalem. But +the conclusion can hardly be avoided that, from the first, +foreseeing that utter ruin and destruction would fall upon the +Jews, he had set himself to work to prepare a way of pardon and +escape, for himself; and that he thought a position of honor, among +the Romans, vastly preferable to an unknown grave among the +mountains of Galilee. + +Upon being taken out of the well, Josephus was taken to Vespasian +and, in the presence only of the general, his son Titus, and two +other officers, announced that he was endowed with prophetic +powers, and that he was commissioned by God to tell Vespasian that +he would become emperor, and that he would be succeeded by his son +Titus. The prophecy was one that required no more penetration than +for any person, in the present day, to predict that the most rising +man in a great political party would one day become prime minister. +The emperor was hated, and it was morally certain that his fall +would not long be delayed; and in that case the most popular +general in the Roman army would, almost certainly, be chosen to +succeed him. + +Vespasian, himself, was not greatly affected by the prophecy. But +Josephus declared that he had, all along, predicted the success of +the Romans, the fall of the town after forty-six days' siege, and +his own safety; and as some of the female captives were brought up +and, on Josephus appealing to them whether this was not so, +naturally replied in the affirmative, Josephus says that Vespasian +was then satisfied of his prisoner's divine mission, and henceforth +treated him with great honor. + +It is much more easy to believe that an agreement already existed +between Vespasian and Josephus; and that the latter only got up +this story to enable him to maintain that he was not a traitor to +his country, but acting in accordance with the orders of God. +Certain it is that no similar act of clemency was shown, by +Vespasian, to any other Jew; that no other thought of pity or mercy +entered his mind, during the campaign, that he spared no man who +fell alive into his hands, and that no more ruthless and wholesale +extermination than that which he inflicted upon the people of +Palestine was ever carried out, by the most barbarous of +conquerors. + +To this day, the memory of Josephus is hated among the Jews. + + + +Chapter 7: The Massacre On The Lake. + + +John remained for three weeks at his uncle's. A messenger, with the +news of his safe arrival there, had been sent off to his father; +who came up to see him, three days later. The formal act of +betrothal between John and his cousin took place. Simon and Martha +would have been willing that the full ceremony of marriage should +take place, and the latter even urged this upon her son. + +"You are now more than seventeen, John, and have taken your place +among men; and may well take to yourself a wife. Mary is nigh +fifteen, and many maidens marry earlier. You love each other. Why, +then, should you not be married? It would cheer the old age of your +father, and myself, to see our grandchildren growing up around us." + +"Had the times been different, mother, I would gladly have had it +so; but with the land torn by war, with our brethren being +slaughtered everywhere, with Jerusalem and the Temple in danger, it +is no time for marrying and giving in marriage. Besides, the law +says that, for a year after marriage, a man shall not go to the war +or journey upon business; but shall remain at home, quiet, with his +wife. I could not do that, now. Did the news come, tomorrow, that +the Romans were marching upon Jerusalem, assuredly I should do my +duty, and take up arms and go to the defense of the Holy City; and +maybe Mary would be left a widow, before the days of rejoicing for +the marriage were over. + +"No, mother; the life of no man who can wield a weapon is his own, +at present. The defense of the Temple is the first, and greatest, +of duties. If I fall there, you will adopt Mary as your child; and +marry her to someone who will take my place, and be a son to you. +Mary will grieve for me, doubtless, for a time; but it will be the +grief of a sister for a brother, not that of a wife for her husband +and, in time, she will marry the man to whom you shall give her, +and will be happy. Even for myself, I would rather that it were so +left. I shall feel more free from cares and responsibilities; and +though, if you and my father lay your orders upon me, I shall of +course obey them, I pray you that, in this matter, you will suffer +me to have my way." + +Martha talked the matter over with her husband; and they agreed +that John's wishes should be carried out, and that the marriage +should be postponed until the troubles were over. Neither of them +believed that John would fall in the struggle. They regarded his +escape from Jotapata as well-nigh miraculous, and felt assured that +God, having specially protected him through such great danger, +would continue to do so to the end. + +Contrary to expectation, Vespasian had not followed up his success +at Jotapata by a march against Jerusalem. His army had suffered +very heavy losses in the siege; and the desperate valor which the +defenders of the town had shown had, doubtless, impressed upon his +mind the formidable nature of the task he had undertaken. + +If a little mountain town had cost him so dearly, what would not be +the loss which would be entailed by the capture of a city like +Jerusalem, with its position of vast natural strength, its solid +and massive fortifications; and defended, as it would be, by the +whole strength of the Jewish nation, fighting with the fury of +religious fanaticism and despair! His army, strong as it was, would +doubtless capture the city, but at such a cost that it might be +crippled for further action; and Vespasian was keeping one eye upon +Rome, and wished to have his army complete, and in perfect order, +in readiness for anything that might occur there. + +Therefore, after the fall of Jotapata he marched first to Caesarea +and, after a short halt there, passed north to Caesarea +Philippi--where the climate, cooled by the breezes from the +mountains, was pleasant and healthful--and here he gave the army +twenty days to rest, and recover from their wounds and fatigues. He +then marched south again to Scythopolis, or Bethsan, lying just +within the borders of Samaria, and not far from the Jordan. Here +Titus, with a detached force, joined him; and they prepared to +reduce the cities near the lake. + +Simon had by this time returned home, accompanied by John and +Jonas. Simon tried to persuade his son to remain with his mother, +but John had entreated that he might accompany him. + +"The war may last for a long time, father; and the land must be +tilled, else why should you yourself return home? We are in the +province of King Agrippa and, after what has befallen Jotapata and +Japha, it is not likely that the people of Hippos, or of other +towns, will venture to show disaffection--therefore there is no +reason why the Romans should carry fire and sword through Agrippa's +country, east of Jordan. It is well that my mother and Mary should +not return for, if evil days should come, they could not save +themselves by rapid flight; besides we risk but death, and death +were a thousand times better than slavery among the Romans. If we +find that they are approaching, and are wasting the land, we can +fly. The boats are close by; and we can take to the lake, and land +where we will, and make our way back here." + +"And you will not seek, John, when the Romans approach, to enter +Tiberias or Gamala, or any other cities that may hold out against +the Romans?" + +"No, father. I have had my share of defending a walled city and, +save for Jerusalem, I will fight no more in cities. All these +places must fall, sooner or later, if the Romans sit down before +them. I will not be cooped up again. If any leader arises, and +draws together a band in the mountains to harass and attack the +Romans, I will join him--for it has always seemed to me that in +that way, only, can we successfully fight against them--but if not, +I will aid you in the labors of the farm, until the Romans march +against Jerusalem." + +Simon yielded to his son's wishes, for the events of the last year +had aged him much, and he felt the need of assistance on the farm. +The men who had worked for him had--save Isaac, and one or two of +the older men--gone away to Jerusalem, or to Gamala, or one or +other of the fortified towns. The time for the harvest was at hand, +and there would be few to gather it in. + +Martha would fain have accompanied them, but Simon would not hear +of this. + +"You are in a safe refuge here, wife, and rather than that you +should leave it, I would abandon our farm, altogether. If you come, +Mary and the women must come also and, even for us men, the danger +would be greater than were we alone." + +Mary also tried her power of persuasion, but Simon was not to be +moved; and the three set off together--for Jonas, as a matter of +course, accompanied John wherever he went. + +The three weeks' kindness, rest, and good feeding had done wonders +for him. The wild, reckless expression, which John had noticed when +he had first met him, had well-nigh disappeared; his bones had +become better covered, and his cheeks filled out and, comfortably +clothed as he now was, few would have recognized in him the wild +goatherd of Jotapata. + +Simon was mounted on a donkey, the others walked. + +"It is well that I am off again," Jonas said. "Another month there, +and I should have got fat and lazy, and should have almost +forgotten how to run and climb, and should have grown like the +dwellers on the plains." + +"There will be plenty of work for you, on the farm, Jonas," Simon +said. "You need not be afraid of growing fat and lazy, there." + +"I don't think I am fond of work," Jonas said, thoughtfully, "not +of steady work, but I will work hard now, Simon; you have all been +so good to me that I would work till I dropped for you. I wouldn't +have worked before, not if they had beaten me ever so much; because +they were always unkind to me, and why should one work, for those +who do nothing for you but beat and ill-use you?" + +"You should always do your duty, Jonas," Simon said. "If others do +not do their duty to you, so much the worse for them; but that is +no excuse for your not doing your duty, as far as you can." + +Jonas, being a little behind Simon, made a little face expressive +of his disagreement with this opinion; but he said nothing. + +They followed the course of the river Hieromax down to Capitolias; +where they slept, that night, in the house of some friends of Simon +and, on the following evening, arrived at the farm. John received a +hearty greeting, from Isaac and the other men; and several of the +fishermen, when they heard of his return, came in to see him. + +For the next fortnight, John and Jonas worked from daylight till +dark and, by the end of that time, the greater part of the corn was +gathered in the granary. A portion was stored away in a deep pit, +straw being laid over it when the hole was nearly full, and earth +being thrown in level to the surface; so that, should the Romans +come and sack the granary, there should still remain a store which +would carry them on until the next harvest. + +Then the news came, from across the lake, that the Romans were +breaking up their camp at Scythopolis, and were moving towards +Tiberias. No resistance was expected to be offered there. The +greater part of the inhabitants had, all along, been well affected +to the Romans; and had only been compelled, by a small faction in +the city and by the fear of the country people of Galilee, to join +in the insurrection. It was, too, the richest city in the dominions +of King Agrippa for, although these lay for the most part east of +Jordan, the towns of Tiberias and Tarichea were included in them. + +Tiberias was, in fact, his chief city. Here he had his richest +palace; and the city, which greatly benefited by being the seat of +his government, was Roman rather than Jewish in its hopes and +feelings. So confident was Vespasian that no resistance would be +offered that, when he arrived within half a mile of the town, he +sent forward an officer, with fifty horse, to exhort the people to +open their gates. + +When he got near the town, the officer dismounted and went forward +to speak; when a party of the war faction, headed by Jesus the son +of Shaphat, charged out upon him. The officer, having had no orders +to fight the Jews, fled on foot; with five of his men, who had also +dismounted. Their assailants seized the horses, and carried them in +triumph into the city. + +The senate of Tiberias at once issued out from the city, and +hurried to the camp of Vespasian; and implored him not to visit the +crime of a small body of desperate men upon the whole city, whose +inhabitants had always been favorably disposed towards Rome. +Agrippa added his entreaties to theirs; and Vespasian, who had just +given orders for the troops to advance to storm and sack the city, +recalled them. The insurgents under Jesus fled to Tarichea and, the +gates being opened, the Romans entered Tiberias; Vespasian issuing +strict orders against plundering, and the ill treatment of the +inhabitants. + +At Tarichea were assembled not only the insurgents from Tiberias, +but fighting men from all the towns on the lake, and from the +country on the east. The city had been carefully fortified by +Josephus and, as the inhabitants had a very large number of vessels +in the port, they relied upon these for escape, in case the town +should be reduced to extremities. No sooner did the Romans appear +before their walls, and begin to lay out their siege works, than +the Tiberians and others, under the command of Jesus, sallied out +and dispersed the workmen. + +When the Roman troops advanced, in regular order, some of the Jews +retired into the city. Others made for their boats, which were +ranged along on the shore; and in these, putting out a little +distance, they cast anchor, and opened fire with their missiles +upon the Romans. + +In the meantime, a large number of Jews had just arrived from the +farther side of Jordan. Vespasian sent Titus, with six hundred +chosen horse, to disperse them. The number of the Jews was so large +that Titus sent for further succor, and was reinforced by Trajan, +with four hundred horse; while Antonius Silo, with two thousand +archers, was sent by Vespasian to the side of a hill opposite the +city, to open fire thence upon the defenders of the walls, and thus +prevent them from harassing the Roman horsemen as they advanced. + +The Jews resisted the first charge of the cavalry; but they could not +long withstand the long spears, and the weight and impetus of the +horses, and fled in disorder towards the town. The cavalry pursued +and tried to cut them off from it but, although great numbers were +slaughtered, the rest--by pure weight of numbers--broke through, +and reached the city. + +A great dissension arose within the walls. The inhabitants of the +town--dismayed by the defeat inflicted, by a small number of +Romans, upon the multitude in the field--were unwilling to draw +upon themselves the terrible fate which had befallen the towns +which had resisted the Romans, and therefore clamored for instant +surrender. The strangers--great numbers of whom were mountaineers +from Peraea, Ammonitis, and the broken country of Mount Galaad and +the slopes of Hermon, who knew little of what had been passing in +Galilee--were for resistance, and a fray arose in the town. + +The noise of the tumult reached Titus; who called upon his men to +seize the moment, while the enemy were engaged in civil discord, to +attack. Then, leading his men, he dashed on horseback into the +lake, passed round the end of the wall, and entered the city. + +Consternation seized the besieged. The inhabitants attempted no +resistance, still hoping that their peaceful character would save +them from ill treatment; and many allowed themselves to be +slaughtered, unresistingly. Jesus and his followers, however, +fought gallantly; striving, but in vain, to make their way down to +the ships in the port. Jesus himself, and many of his men, were +killed. + +Titus opened the gates, and sent word to his father that the city +was captured; and the Roman army at once entered. Vespasian placed +a number of his troops in the large vessels in the port, and sent +them off to attack those who had first fled to the boats. These +were, for the most part, fishermen from the various towns on the +lake. The cavalry were sent all round the lake, to cut off and slay +those who sought to gain the land. + +The battle--or rather the slaughter--went on for some time. The +fishermen, in their light boats, could do nothing against the +soldiers in the large vessels. These slew them with arrows or +javelins, from a distance; or ran them down, and killed them as +they struggled in the water. Many of the boats were run ashore; but +the occupants were slain, there, by the soldiers on the lookout for +them. Altogether, six thousand perished in the slaughter. + +In the meantime, Vespasian had set up a tribunal in Tarichea. The +inhabitants of the town were separated from the strangers. +Vespasian himself was, as Josephus said, unwilling to shed more +blood--as he had promised, when he had entered the city, to spare +the lives of all--but he yielded to the arguments of those who said +that the strangers were mountain robbers, the foes of every man. +Accordingly, they were ordered to leave the city, by the road to +Tiberias. + +As soon as they had left the town, the troops surrounded them, +headed by Vespasian in person. Twelve hundred of the aged and +helpless he ordered to be slain, at once; six thousand of the most +able-bodied he sent to Nero, to be employed on the canal he was +digging across the isthmus of Corinth; thirty thousand four hundred +were sold as slaves; and a large number were bestowed upon Agrippa, +who also sold them as slaves. This act, after the formal promise of +pardon, disgraces the memory of Vespasian even more than the +wholesale massacres of the garrisons of the towns which resisted to +the last. + +The news of this act of wholesale vengeance spread such terror +through the land that the whole of the cities of Galilee at once +opened their gates; and sent deputations to Vespasian to offer +their submission, and ask for pardon. Gamala, Gischala, and +Itabyrium--a town on Mount Tabor, which had been strongly fortified +by Josephus--alone held out. Itabyrium lay some ten miles to the +west of Tiberias. + +Standing back among the trees, at a short distance from the lake, +Simon, John, and the workers on the farm watched with horror the +slaughter of the fishermen on the lake. None of their neighbors +were among those who had gone out to aid in the defense of +Tarichea; for Simon had gone among them, to dissuade them from +launching their boats and joining the flotilla, as it proceeded +down the lake in the morning. He urged upon them that, if they took +part in the affair, they would only bring down vengeance upon +themselves and their families. + +"There is no lack of men," he said, "in Tiberias and Tarichea. Such +aid as you can give would be useless and, whether the cities fall +at once, or whether they resist, the vengeance of the Romans will +fall upon you. In a few hours, their horsemen can ride round the +shores of the lake, and cut off all who are absent from returning +to their homes, and give the villages to fire and sword. Those who +can point to their boats, drawn up at the side of the lake, will be +able to give proof to the Romans that they have not taken part +against them. So far, we have escaped the horrors of war on this +side of Jordan. + +"If the strong cities of Galilee cannot resist the Roman arms, what +hope should we have on this side, where the population is +comparatively scanty, and where there are few strong places? Do not +let us provoke the Romans, my friends. If they go up against +Jerusalem, let those who will, go, and die in defense of the +Temple; but it would be worse than folly to provoke the wrath of +the Romans, by thrusting yourselves into the quarrel here." + +Warmly did the fishermen congratulate themselves, when they saw the +combat proceeding on the lake, and when a strong body of Roman +horse rode along the shore, leaving parties at regular intervals to +cut off those who might try and land. A body of twenty were posted +down by the boats, and two came into the village and demanded food +for the party. Simon, when he saw them coming, ordered all the +able-bodied men to retire, and remain in the olive groves on the +slopes, at a distance from the lake, until the Romans had gone; +while he, and Isaac, and some other old men, went down and met the +soldiers. + +"Are any of the people of this place out there on the lake?" the +officer in command of the twenty men asked; as Simon and his party, +bringing bread, fruit, and wine, came down to the waterside. + +"No, sir," Simon replied. "We have but eight boats belonging to the +village, and they are all there. We are peaceable people, who till +the soil and fish the lake, and take no part in the doings of the +great towns. We are subjects of King Agrippa, and have no cause for +discontent with him." + +"A great many other people have no cause for discontent, old man," +the officer said; "but they have, nevertheless, risen in rebellion. +However, as your boats are here, and your people seem to have taken +no part in this matter, I have naught to say against you; +especially as your wine is good, and you have brought down plenty +of it." + +Simon and his companions withdrew and, with aching hearts, watched +from a distance the massacre upon the lake. The fury, however, +produced among the men in the towns and villages on the shore, at +the sight of the numerous corpses washed ashore, was so great that +many of the young men left their avocations and started for Gamala; +which, relying upon the strength of its position--which was even +stronger than that of Jotapata--was resolved to resist to the last. + +Several of the young men of the village, and many from the villages +near, were determined to take this course, maddened by the +slaughter of many friends and relations. John himself was as +furious as any, especially when the news came of the violation of +faith at Tarichea, and of the selling of nigh forty thousand men +into slavery. + +"Father," he said, that evening, "I had thought to stay quietly +with you, until the Romans advanced against Jerusalem; but I find I +cannot do so. The massacre at Jotapata was bad enough, but the +slaughter of defenseless men, on the lake, is worse. I pray you, +let me go." + +"Would you go into Gamala, and die there, John?" Simon asked. +"Better to die at the Temple, than to throw away your life here." + +"I do not intend to go into Gamala, father, nor to throw away my +life--though I care little for it, except for the sake of you and +my mother and Mary--but I would do something; and I would save the +sons of our neighbors, and others, from the fate that assuredly +waits them if they enter Gamala. They know not, as I do, how surely +the walls will go down before the Roman engines; but even did they +know it, so determined are they to fight these slayers of our +countrymen that they would still go. + +"What I propose to do is to carry out what I have always believed +to be the true way of fighting the Romans. I will collect a band, +and take to the mountains, and harass them whenever we may find +opportunity. I know the young men from our village will follow me, +if I will lead them; and they will be able to get their friends +along the shore to do the like. In that way the danger will not be +so great for, in the mountains, the Romans would have no chance of +overtaking us while, if we are successful, many will gather round +us, and we may do good service." + +"I will not stay you, John, if you feel that the Lord has called +upon you to go; and indeed, you may save, as you say, the lives of +many of our neighbors, by persuading them to take to the hills with +you, instead of shutting themselves up in Gamala. Go down, then, to +the village, and talk to them; and see what they say to your plan." + +John had little doubt as to his proposal being accepted by the +younger men of the village. The fact that he had been chosen as one +of the bodyguard of Josephus had, at once, given him importance in +the eyes of his neighbors; and that he should have passed through +the siege of Jotapata, and had escaped, had caused them to regard +him not only as a valiant fighter, but as one under the special +protection of God. Since his return, scarce an evening had passed +without parties coming, from one or other of the villages along the +shore, to hear from his lips the story of the siege. + +As soon, then, as he went down to the fishing village, and told the +young men who had determined to leave for Gamala that he thought +badly of such action--but that he intended to raise a band, and +take to the mountains and harass the Romans--they eagerly agreed to +follow him, and to obey his orders. There were eight of them, and +John at once made them take an oath of obedience and fellowship; +swearing in all things to obey his orders, to be true to each other +to death, to be ready to give their lives, when called upon, for +the destruction of the Romans; and never, if they fell into the +hands of the enemy, to betray the secrets of the band, whatever +might be the tortures to which they were exposed. + +John could have obtained more than eight men in the village, but he +would only take quite young men. + +"I want only men who can undergo fatigue and watching; who can +climb mountains, and run as fast as the Roman horse can gallop. +Besides, for work like this it is necessary that there should be +one leader, and that he should be promptly obeyed. If I take older +men, they will naturally wish to have a voice in the ordering of +things. I have seen enough of military matters to know that, for +prompt decision and swift execution, one head--and one head +only--is necessary. Besides, we may find difficulties in the way of +getting food and, at first, I wish for only a small band. If +success attends us, we shall increase rapidly. Twenty will be quite +enough, to begin with." + +As soon as the eight young men--of whom all but two were under +twenty years old--had taken the oath, they started at once to the +villages round. + +"Do each of you gather in two, but no more," John said; "and let +them be those whom you know to be strong and active. Do not bring +more; and if four of you bring but one, so much the better. If you +find many more eager to join, you can tell them that we will send +for them, when the time comes, to increase our numbers; and pray +them to abide here, and not to go into Gamala. + +"Let each bring his arms and a bag of meal; and meet me, tomorrow +evening at sundown, on the Hieromax River, three miles below +Capitolias--that will be opposite to Abila, which lies on the +mountain side. Let all travel singly, for the Roman horse may be +about. However, as we shall be walking east, while Gamala lies to +the west of south, they will not take us--should we come upon +them--for men going thither to aid in the defense of the town." + +The young men started at once on their missions, full of confidence +in John; and feeling certain that, under his leadership, they +should soon come to blows with the Romans; being also, in their +hearts, well satisfied that their warfare would be in the open +country, and they should not be called upon to fight pent up in +walls from which there was no escape. + +Having seen his followers off, John returned home, and told Simon +the progress he had made. The old man sighed. + +"I do not seek to keep you, John; for your duty to your country +stands, now, in the first rank of all; and it may be that the Lord +preserved you, at Jotapata, because he intends you to do great +deeds for him, here. I do not say spare yourself, or avoid danger, +for our sakes. I only say, do not throw away your life by rashness. +Remember that, young as you are, you are a leader, and be prudent +as well as brave. + +"After Gamala has fallen--as fall I fear it will--and the Romans +have moved away from these parts--as they will then do, for there +is no resistance to them, on this side of Jordan, save at that +town--I shall bring your mother and Mary back again; and you will +find us waiting here to welcome you, if you return. If not, my son, +I shall mourn for you, as Jacob mourned for Joseph--and more, +seeing that you are the only prop of my old age--but I shall have +the consolation of knowing that you died for your country." + +"You will find in Mary a daughter, father; and you must find a +husband for her, who will take my place. But it may be that if the +Romans march not direct upon Jerusalem--and they say that Vespasian +has arranged that two of the legions shall winter on the sea coast, +at Caesarea, and the third at Scythopolis--it is probable that he +will not move against Jerusalem till the spring. In that case I may +be often here, during the winter. For I will not go down to +Jerusalem until the last thing; for there all is turmoil and +disturbance and, until the time comes when they must lay aside +their private feuds and unite to repel the invader, I will not go +down." + +Father and son talked until late in the night. In the morning John +made his preparations for departure. He had told Jonas of his +intentions. The boy listened silently, only saying, "Wherever you +go, John, I am ready to go with you; it makes no difference to me;" +and afterwards went down to the lake side, where he filled his +pouch with smooth pebbles, each of which he selected with great +care for, when herding his goats among the mountains, Jonas had +been always practicing with a sling, and many a cony had fallen +before his unerring aim. + +All the lads in the mountains were accustomed to the use of the +sling, but none in Jotapata had approached Jonas in their skill +with this weapon. During the siege he had often astonished John by +the accuracy of his aim; and had several times compelled the Romans +to cease working one of their machines, which specially harassed +the defenders of the wall, by striking down one after another of +those who directed it--his stones seldom failing to strike them +full in the face, the only spot unprotected by their armor. + +In the morning, John prepared to start. He and Jonas each carried a +small sack, supported by a strap passing over the shoulders, and +containing some eight pounds of meal and a gourd of water. Jonas +carried no weapon, save a long knife hidden under his garment, and +his sling and pouch of stones. John carried a sword and buckler, +and a horn. Before they started, John knelt before his father and +received his blessing; and Simon, as he bade him adieu, gave him a +small bag of money. + +"You will need to buy things in the mountains, lad; and I would not +that you should be driven, like the robber bands, to take food by +force. It is true that they who go not to the war should support +those who risk their lives for their country; but there are many +aged men who, like myself, cannot fight, there are many women whose +husbands are away in Gamala or Jerusalem, and these may not be able +to afford to assist others. Therefore, it is well that you should +have means of paying for what you require; otherwise the curse of +the widow and fatherless may fall upon you. + +"And now, farewell, my son! May God have you in his keeping, and +send you home safe to your mother and me!" + + + +Chapter 8: Among The Mountains. + + +Jonas was in high spirits as they started from the farm. He was +leaving no friends behind and, so long as he had John with him, he +was perfectly contented. He was delighted to be on the move again +for, although he had worked steadily in getting in the harvest, +regular labor was distasteful to him and, accustomed as he had been +to wander, for weeks, free and unchecked with his goats among the +mountains, the regular life and order of the farm were irksome to +him. + +John, on the other hand, was silent; replying briefly to the boy's +questions. He felt the danger of the enterprise upon which he had +embarked, and his responsibility as leader; and the thought of the +grief which his father and mother would feel, did ought befall him, +weighed on his mind. Presently, however, he roused himself. + +"Now, Jonas, you must keep a sharp lookout round for, if we see any +Roman soldiers in the distance, I must hide my sword and buckler +before they discover us, and you must stow away your sling and +pouch; then we will walk quietly on. If they question us, we are +going to stay with friends at Capitolias and, as there will be +nothing suspicious about us, they will not interfere with us. After +they have passed on, we will go back for our arms. We are not +traveling in the direction of Gamala, and they will have no reason +to doubt our story." + +They did not, however, meet any of the parties of Roman horse who +were scouring the country, carrying off grain and cattle for the +use of the army; and they arrived, in the afternoon, on the bank of +the Hieromax. Upon the other side of the river rose the steep +slopes of Mount Galaad, high up on whose side was perched the +little town of Abila. + +"Here we can wait, Jonas. We are nearly opposite the town. The +others will, doubtless, soon be here." + +It was not long before the band made their appearance, coming along +in twos and threes as they had met on the river bank. By sunset the +last had arrived, and John found that each of his first recruits +had brought two others. + +He looked with satisfaction at the band. The greater part of them +had been fishermen. All were strong and active; and John saw that +his order that young men, only, should be taken had been obeyed, +for not one of them was over the age of twenty-three and, as he had +laid it down, as an absolute rule, all were unmarried. All were, +like himself, armed with sword and buckler; and several had brought +with them bags with javelin heads, to be fitted to staves, later +on. All their faces bore a look of determination and, at the same +time, of gladness. + +The massacre on the lake had excited the inhabitants of the shore +to fury, and even those who had hitherto held back from the +national cause were now eager to fight against the Romans; but many +shrunk from going to Gamala--which was, indeed, already as full of +fighting men as it could hold--and John's proposal to form a band, +for warfare in the mountains, had exactly suited the more +adventurous spirits. + +All present were known to John, personally. Many of them were sons +of friends of Simon; and the others he had met at village +gatherings, or when fishing on the lake. There were warm greetings, +as each accession to the party arrived; and each member of the band +felt his spirits rise higher, at finding that so many of those he +knew, personally, were to be his comrades in the enterprise. + +When the last comer had arrived, John said: + +"We will now be moving forward. We had best get well up the +mountain, before night falls. It matters not much where we camp, +tonight; tomorrow we can choose a good spot for our headquarters." + +It being now the height of the dry season, the river was low, and +they had no difficulty in wading across. Then they struck up the +hill, to the right of Abila, until they had fairly entered the +forests which clothed the lower slopes of the mountains. Then John +gave the word for a halt. + +Dead wood was soon collected, and a fire made. Cakes of meal were +baked in the ashes and, after these had been eaten, the party lay +round the fire and, a few minutes later, John rose to his feet. + +Illustration: John Incites his Countrymen to Harass the Romans. + +"You all know the reason for which we are gathered together here. +We all long for vengeance on the oppressors of our country, the +murderers of our kinsmen and friends, the men who carry off our +women to shame and slavery in Rome. We are all ready to die, for +our country and our God; but we would fain die doing as much harm +to the Romans as we can, fighting like freemen in the open, instead +of rats slaughtered in a cage. That is why, instead of going into +Gamala, we have gathered here. + +"I am the youngest among you; but I have so far assumed the +leadership because, in the first place, I have been much with +Josephus, who--although he may now, most unworthily, have gone over +to the Romans to save his life--was yet a wise governor, and a +great leader. From him, I have learned much of the Romans. In the +second place, I have seen more of their warfare than any of you, +having passed through the terrible siege of Jotapata. Lastly, I +believe that God, having saved me almost alone of all the host that +defended the town, has intended me as an instrument for his +service. + +"Therefore have I taken upon myself the command, in the first +place, of this band; but at the same time, if you think that I am +too young, and would rather place another at your head, I will +stand aside, and release from their oath those who have already +sworn. I am not self seeking. I crave not the leadership over you, +and will obey whomsoever you may choose for your chief. But to +whomsoever is the leader, prompt obedience must be given; for there +must, even in a band like this, be order and discipline. We work +for a common good, but we must yield to the direction of one will, +and one head. + +"Now, what say you? I will walk away, to leave you free to consult +one with another; and will abide by your decision, whatever it be. +Only the decision, once made, must be adhered to. There must be no +after grumbling, no hesitation or drawing back. You must have +absolute confidence, and give absolute obedience, to him whom you +choose. For only so can we hope to succeed in our enterprises." + +John had gone but a short way among the trees, when he was called +back again. All had come prepared to follow him. His father had +always been a man of weight and position among the villagers on the +shore and, democratic as were the Jewish institutions, there was +yet a certain respect paid to those of position above their +fellows. John's experience and, especially, his escape from +Jotapata, seemed specially to mark him as one destined to play an +important part. And his quiet resolute bearing, now--the feeling +that he knew what was to be done, and how to do it; that he was, in +fact, their natural leader--came home to all, and it was with +sincerity that they assured him that they accepted him as their +leader. + +"Very well," John said, quietly. "Then let those who have not +already taken the oath stand up, and do so." + +This was done, and John then said: + +"Now, I will tell you more of my plans; although these, of course, +cannot be in any way settled until we see how things turn out. It +is by watching for opportunities and seizing the right moment, +only, that we can hope for success. We are all ready to give our +lives for our country, but we do not wish to throw them away. We +want each of us to do as much as possible. We want to live, so as +to share in the defense of the Temple; therefore, we have to +combine prudence with daring. + +"As for an attack upon any strong body of Roman troops, it would be +impossible--unless they attempt to follow us among the mountains. +One of our first duties will be to learn the country well, so that +we may know where to defend ourselves, should they come up after +us; where, from eminences, we can cast down rocks upon them; where +there are crags which we can climb, but up which their heavy-armed +soldiers cannot follow us. This is our first task for, as yet, they +have not commenced the siege of Gamala. When they do so, we must +draw down near them and hide ourselves, mark the position of their +camp, see how their tents are arranged, and where their sentries +are placed. + +"Then we can begin work: sometimes falling upon their guards; at +other times creeping in past their sentries, scattering through the +camp and, at a given signal, firing their tents with the brands +from their fires; slaying those who first rush out, and then making +off again to the hills. + +"Then, too, they will be sending great numbers of men up the hills, +to cut timber and branches for their embankments, their +breastworks, and the construction of the wattles to protect their +machines. We shall be in hiding and, when a party of men separates +from the rest, we will fall upon these; we will harass their +workers from a distance, always avoiding a regular combat, but +hindering their work, and wearing them out. Thus we may do better +service, to the defenders of Gamala, than if we were within the +walls. + +"At present we have only swords, but we must get bows and arrows. +It would not have been safe to have carried them across the plains; +but we can procure them at Abila, or Jabez Galaad. I fear that we +shall not be able to interfere with the provisioning of the +army--for upon the plains we shall have no chance with their +cavalry--but, here in these mountains, stretching away over Peraea +into Arabia and Moab, we can laugh at pursuit by the Romans; and +even Agrippa's light-armed Arabs will have difficulty in following +us, and of them we need have little fear. At Jotapata we proved +ourselves a match for the Romans; and their light-armed troops will +not care to venture against us, alone, as they will not know our +numbers, and will fear being led into ambushes. + +"There is one question which we have to consider, and that is food; +as to flesh, we shall have it in abundance. There will be many +flocks of goats, belonging to those in Gamala, straying among the +mountains without an owner; therefore of goats' milk and flesh we +can take abundance, but there will be a scarcity of grain. I have +some money with me, with which we can purchase it at Abila, and the +villages. As for Jabez Galaad, it is too close to Gamala; and the +Romans will probably ascend the hill and destroy it, or place a +guard there. At any rate, the money will be sufficient to purchase +meal for us, for some time--much longer, probably, than Gamala will +be able to hold out--and when that has fallen, it will be time to +arrange about the future. Only let us take nothing without payment; +let us not be like the robber bands, which prey upon the people, +until they long for the Romans as masters. + +"Only we must remember that, while we desire now to do the Romans +as much harm as possible, this is but the beginning of our work; +and that we must save ourselves for the future. Gamala is but one +town; and we shall have plenty of opportunities for striking at the +enemy, in the future. We have put our hands to the plow now and, so +long as the war lasts, we will not look back. It may be that our +example may lead others to follow it and, in that case, the Romans' +difficulties will thicken, every day. Were there scores of bands of +determined men, like us, hanging around them; ready to attack small +bodies, whenever they venture away from their camps to gather in +provisions and forage, and to harass them, at night, by constant +alarms, we could wear them out. + +"Only, we must always avoid a pitched battle. In irregular fighting +we are as good as they--better, for we can move more quickly--but +when it comes to fighting in order of battle, we have no chance +with them, whatever. Their cavalry, the other day outside Tarichea, +were like wolves among a flock of sheep. Nothing but disaster can +come of fighting in the plain. Every people should fight in the way +that suits them best, and an attempt to meet an enemy in their own +way of fighting is sure to lead to disaster. Let the Roman keep the +plain, with his cavalry and his heavy infantry; let the Jew, light +footed and swift, keep to the hills. He is as much superior, there, +as is the Roman in the plains. + +"And now, we must establish signals. We will get horns, at Abila; +and I will fix upon signals. One long note will mean, gather to me; +two, fall back gradually; three, retire at once with all speed, to +the spot agreed upon, before setting out in the morning. Two short +notes will mean, advance and attack in the manner arranged; one +short note, oft repeated, will tell you the Romans are advancing, +sound your horns--for it were well that each provided himself with +a cow's horn, so that the signals can be repeated. If we are +scattered over a hillside among the trees, and the Romans hear +horns sounded in many quarters, they will think that there must be +a large body of men assembled. This will make them slow and +cautious in all their movements; will force many to stand prepared, +with their arms, to guard those at work; and will altogether +confuse and puzzle them. + +"And now, we will lie down and sleep; as soon as it is dawn, we +will be on foot again." + +The next two days were spent in exploring that part of the +mountains: examining the direction, and extent, of each valley and +ravine; seeing where steep precipices afforded an opportunity for +rolling down rocks upon an enemy passing along the valley, or +trying to storm the height; in searching for pools in dried +watercourses; and in deciding upon a spot favorable for the camp. +They fixed upon a spot high up on the mountains, two miles east of +Abila, as their headquarters. It was in a pass between two peaks, +and gave them the option of descending either to the north or +south, or of skirting along the mountains towards the sources of +the Jabbok river, and thence crossing the Hermon range beyond the +limits of Peraea. + +Jonas was sent, the first thing, to discover whether the Romans had +taken possession of Jabez Galaad; which lay but five miles from +Gamala, and on the southern side of the range of hills on whose +western spur Gamala was built. He returned, in a short time, saying +that he had found the inhabitants in a state of great alarm; for +that a Roman force could be seen, coming up the road from the +plain. Most of the fighting men of the town were in Gamala; the +rest, with the young women, were leaving, so that only old people +and children would be found in the town when the Romans arrived. +Jonas also brought word that Vespasian's whole army was moving +against Gamala. + +John had given Jonas money, before he started, to purchase bows and +arrows. He had brought back bows for the whole party, and as many +arrows as he could carry. + +"I paid nothing for them," he said, as he threw them down. "The man +who sold them was praying those who were leaving the town to take +them--for he thought that, if the Romans found them in his house, +they would destroy it--but no one listened. All were too busy, in +carrying off such of their household goods as they could take, to +burden themselves further; so he gladly gave me as many as I could +take. I carried off nearly all his bows; and I left him breaking up +the rest, and his store of arrows, in order to burn them before the +Romans arrived. + +"A boy, carrying a bag of arrowheads, came with me some little +distance. I paid the man for them, and they are now hidden in the +forest. You can fetch them when you will, but I could not carry +more with me than I have got." + +"You have done well, Jonas," John said, as the men seized each a +bow, and divided the arrows among them; and then stood waiting, +expecting orders from John to proceed, at once, to harass the Roman +column as it ascended the hill. + +John said, in answer to their looks: + +"We will not meddle with them, today. Did we shoot at them, they +would suppose that we belonged to Jabez Galaad; and would, in +revenge, destroy the town and all those they may find within it; +and our first essay against them would bring destruction upon +thousands of our countrymen." + +The others saw the justness of his reasoning, and their faith in +him as their leader was strengthened by his calmness, and readiness +of decision. + +"Is the bag of arrowheads heavy, Jonas?" + +"It is as much as the boy, who was about my own age, could carry," +Jonas replied. + +"Then do you, Phineas, and you, Simeon, go with Jonas to the place +where the bag is hidden, and carry it to the place we have fixed +upon for our camp. If, on the way, you come across a herd of goats, +shoot two or three of them and take them with you, and get fires +ready. The day is getting on, but we will go across the mountains, +and see where the Romans are pitching their camp and, by sunset, we +will be with you." + +Making their way along the mountain the band came, after an hour's +walking, to a point where they could obtain a view of Gamala. The +city stood on the western extremity of the hill which, after +sloping gradually down, rose suddenly in a sharp ridge like the +hump of a camel--from which the town had its name, Gamala. On both +sides, this rock ended abruptly in a precipitous chasm; in which +ran the two branches of the Hieromax, which met at the lower end of +the ridge, and ran together into the end of the lake at Tarichea, +three miles away. + +Thus, Gamala was only accessible from behind, where the ridge +joined the mountains. Across this neck of land a deep fosse had +been dug, so as to cut off all approach. The houses were crowded +thickly on the steep slope of the ridge, which was so abrupt that +the houses seemed to overhang one another. On the southern crag, +which was of immense height, was the citadel of the town. There was +a spring, supplying abundance of water, within the walls. Had it +been defended by a garrison as brave and numerous as that of +Jotapata, it would have been well-nigh impregnable; but Cheres and +Joseph, who commanded, had none of the genius of Josephus, although +they were brave and determined. + +The city was crowded with fugitives from all parts; and had +already, for seven months, resisted a besieging force which Agrippa +had sent against it. It was impossible to blockade the whole +circuit of the town; but Vespasian took possession of all the +neighboring heights, and established his camp, with that of the +Fifteenth Legion, on the hill facing the city to the east. The +Fifth Legion threw up works, opposite the center of the city; while +the Tenth set to work to fill up ditches and ravines, in order to +facilitate the approaches. + +Agrippa approached the wall, to persuade the inhabitants to +surrender; but was struck on the right elbow by a stone from a +sling, and forced to retire. This insult to the native king, who +came in the character of an ambassador, enraged the Romans; and +they set about the operations for the siege with great vigor. In +spite of the efforts of the Jews, the fosse which protected the +wall on the east was speedily filled up; and the Romans then began, +as at Jotapata, to raise an embankment facing the wall. + +The day after the Romans had established their camp, John and his +followers advanced along the mountain until they could look down +upon it and, for a long time, watched the Romans at work, and +learned all the details of the camp. + +"You must fix them in your minds," John said, "in order that, even +on a dark night, you may be able to make your way about it without +difficulty; so that you may be able, after striking a blow, to fly +directly to the mountain--for any who get confused, and miss their +way, will assuredly be killed. You see, the enemy have placed a +strong guard, halfway up the hillside, in order to protect +themselves from surprise; but it will be possible, by moving down +to the streams, and then mounting again, to reach the camp without +passing through them. And by the same way we must make our retreat +for, if we succeed in setting the camp on fire, the flames will +enable the guard on the mountains to see us approaching them. + +"I had hoped that we might be able to penetrate, unobserved, to the +tent of Vespasian, and to slay him and some of his generals but, by +the bustle that we see round that tower on the hillside, and by the +strong force of cavalry picketed round it, it is evident that he +has taken up his quarters there and, indeed, from the top of the +tower he can look down upon the town, and on all that is passing +there, and issue his directions to his troops accordingly; so we +must give up that idea. Another time, we may be more fortunate. + +"But see, a great number of troops are ascending the hill towards +us, doubtless to cut timber for their works. As soon as they are at +work, we will attack them." + +The party retired into the forest and, as soon as they heard the +sound of the Roman axes, they crept quietly forward; moving +noiselessly, with their sandaled feet, among the trees. When within +a short distance of the Romans, John ordered them to halt; and +crept forward, with Jonas, to reconnoiter. There was little fear of +their being heard, for several hundred men were at work, felling +trees; a line of sentries, at ten paces apart, standing under arms +to prevent a surprise. The Romans were working too thickly to +permit of any successful action, by so small a party; and John saw +that the idea of an attack must be abandoned, and that he must +confine himself, for the present, to harassing the sentries. + +Rejoining his men, he told them what he had discovered; and bade +them scatter along the line and, crawling up under the protection +of the trees, to approach as near as they could to the line of +sentries; and then to shoot at them--or at the workmen, many of +whom, having thrown off their heavy armor to enable them the better +to work, offered more favorable marks for the arrows than the +sentries--whose faces, only, were exposed. + +They were on no account to come to close quarters with the Romans. +If the latter advanced, they were instantly to retire, approaching +again as soon as the Romans recommenced their work; and so to +continue, until he blew the signal for them to draw off, +altogether. They were not to begin until they heard his signal for +attack. + +After allowing some little time to elapse for the men to get into +position, John blew his horn. A moment, and cries and shouts were +heard along the whole Roman line. The sound of chopping instantly +ceased, and the Roman trumpets blew to arms. + +John had advanced sufficiently near to see the Roman workmen before he +gave the signal. Jonas was a little in advance of him and, as the horn +sounded, he saw him step out from behind a tree, whirl his sling round +his head and discharge a stone and, almost simultaneously, a Roman +sentinel, some forty paces away, fell with a crash upon the ground. + +The Roman soldiers who had retained their armor ran instantly +forward, to support their sentries. The others hastily buckled on +their breastplates, caught up their bucklers and helmets, and +joined their comrades. Arrows continued to fall among them from +their invisible foes and, although most of these fell harmless from +their armor, several soldiers fell, in addition to the seven or +eight who had been killed by the first volley. + +The centurion in command soon saw that the number of his assailants +was small but, afraid of being drawn into an ambush, he hesitated +to give orders for an advance; but dispatched a messenger instantly +to camp, contenting himself with throwing out strong parties a +hundred yards in advance of his line. These now became the objects +of attack, while arrows ceased to fall among the main body of the +troops. + +John moved round the flank, till he gained a position whence he +could observe the camp. The trumpets above had been heard there, +and the troops had already taken up their position under arms. As +he looked on, he saw the messenger run up to a party of mounted +officers. A minute later a trumpet sounded, and a strong body of +Arabian archers advanced, at a run, up the slope. John at once +withdrew to his first position, and sounded the order for instant +retreat; and then, hurrying back half a mile, sounded the note for +his followers to assemble at the spot where he was standing. + +In a few minutes, all had joined him. They were in high spirits at +the success of this first skirmish; and wondered why they had been +so suddenly called off, when the Romans had shown no signs of +advancing against them. + +"There are fully a thousand Arab archers in the forest, by this +time," John said. "They are as fleet of foot as we are, and it +would be madness to remain. We have stopped their work, for a time; +and have killed many, without a scratch to ourselves. That is well +enough, for today. Tomorrow we will beat them up, again." + +At daybreak, two of the party were sent forward to the edge of the +wood, to see with what force the Romans went out to work. They +brought back the report that they were accompanied by a strong body +of archers; and that, as soon as they reached the forest, the +archers were scattered in front of them for a long distance, and +that it would be impossible to approach them, unobserved. + +On the previous afternoon, John had dispatched Jonas to Abila, and +he had returned with a number of cows' horns. Round the fire in the +evening, the men had set to work to pierce the points with heated +arrowheads, and had converted them into instruments capable of +giving a deep, prolonged sound. On the return of the scouts, John +set his men in motion. + +"We cannot fight them, today, but we can hinder their work. We will +scatter through the forest and, as we approach them, each is to +sound his horn; and continue to do so, from time to time. The +Romans will think that a great force is advancing against them." + +This was done, with the effect John had anticipated. Hearing the +sound of horns, all over the mountainside, the Romans concluded +that a great force was advancing to attack them; and the archers +were at once recalled. The troops all stood to arms and, for +several hours, remained waiting an attack. Then, after strong +bodies of heavy-armed troops--preceded by the archers, skirmishing +before them--had pushed some distance into the forest without +meeting with an enemy, the work recommenced; a considerable number +still standing to their arms, as protectors to the rest. + +Although a certain amount of time had been gained, for the city, by +the interruption of the work of bringing in timber, John had +undertaken these sham attacks rather with the purpose of +accustoming his band to work together, and to give them confidence, +than with the view of troubling the Romans. In this he was +perfectly successful. The band, when they reached their camp, that +evening, were in high spirits. They had, for two days, puzzled and +baffled a large Roman force; had inflicted some loss upon them, and +forced them to desist from their work. They were pleased with +themselves, and their leader; and had lost much of the dread of the +Romans which the capture of Jotapata, Japha, and Tarichea, and the +tales of their cruelty and ferocity, had excited among the whole +population. + +A reverse, at the commencement of their work, would have been +fatal; and John had felt that, however earnest the men were, in +their determination to die fighting for their country, the loss of +a few of their number at the outset would have so dispirited the +rest that the probability was that the band would disperse--or +would, at any rate, be unwilling to undertake any desperate +operation. But in their present mood they were ready for any +enterprise upon which he might lead them; and he, accordingly, told +them that he should abstain, next day, from a continuance of his +attacks upon the working party; but that, at night, he would carry +out the design of setting fire to their camp. + +Accordingly, the following day, the Romans pursued their work +unmolested; although they still continued the precaution of keeping +a force of archers, and parties of heavy-armed troops, in advance +of those working in the wood. John did not move till the afternoon; +and then, descending the hill to the right, he skirted along in the +lower forest until within two miles of Gamala. Here he halted until +nightfall. + +While waiting for the hour of action, he gave final instructions to +his men, and assigned to them the order in which they should ascend +from the river towards the rear of the camp. When they approached +the spot where they would probably find Roman sentries posted, they +were to advance singly, crawling along upon the ground. Those who +first went through were to keep straight on until they reached the +further end of the camp; stopping, as near as they could judge, +fifty paces apart. They were then to wait for half an hour, so as +to be sure that all would have gained their allotted positions. +Then, when they saw a certain star sink below the horizon (a method +of calculating time to which all were accustomed) they were to +creep forward into the Roman camp; and each to make his way, as +noiselessly as possible, until he came within a few paces of one of +the smoldering fires of the Romans, and to wait until they heard a +single note from John's horn. + +Each was at once to spring forward, seize a lighted brand and fire +the nearest tent; and then to crawl away--cutting, as they went, +the ropes of the tents, so as to bring them down, and create as +much confusion as possible. Then, either by crawling or, if +discovered, by leaping to their feet and making a sudden rush, all +were to make their way down to the river again; to follow its banks +for half a mile, and then wait in a body for an hour. At the end of +that time they were to make their way back to their camp in the +mountain; certain, by that time, that all who were alive would have +rejoined them. Should he himself not be with the party, they were +at once to proceed to the election of another leader. + +At about ten o'clock they again moved forward and, descending to +the river, followed its banks until they arrived at the spot they +had fixed on; then, in single file, they began to climb the hill. +John placed himself in the middle of the line, in order to have a +central position when the attack began. As soon as they reached the +top of the slope, they lay down and, one by one, crawled forward +into the darkness; two or three minutes being allowed to elapse +between the departure of each man. They could hear the call of the +Roman sentries as they answered each other, every half hour; and +knew that the line was but a hundred yards or so in front of them. +The night was very dark, and no sudden shout proclaimed that those +ahead had been noticed. + +When John's turn came to advance, Jonas was to follow next behind +him. All had left their bows, arrows, bucklers, and swords behind +them, and carried only their knives; for they had not come to +fight, and the knives were required only for cutting the tent ropes +or, in case of discovery, to enable them to take a life or two +before they fell, fighting. Each had sworn to kill himself, if he +found escape impossible, in order to escape a death by torture if +he fell alive into the hands of the Romans. + +John, on approaching the line of sentries, was guided by sound, +only, in trying to avoid them. He could not see their figures; but +could hear the sound of their footsteps, and the clash of their +arms, as they tramped a few yards backwards and forwards. He was, +like his comrades, stripped to the waist--having only on a short +garment, reaching halfway down the knee--as it was upon speed, and +activity, that his life would depend. + +Without interruption, he crawled through the lines of sentries and +continued his course until he was, as near as he could tell, +opposite the center of the long line of tents; then he lay quiet, +watching the setting of the star. No sound was heard from the camp +in front; although from down the hillside beyond it came a confused +noise, as of a host of men at work; and the glare of many fires +reddened the skies for, there, five thousand men were at work +raising the embankment against the doomed city; while the archers +and slingers maintained a never-ceasing conflict, of missiles, with +the defenders on the walls. + +The star seemed, to John, as if it hung on its course; so long was +it in sinking to the horizon. But at last it sank; and John, +crawling noiselessly forward, made his way into the Roman camp. It +was arranged with wide and regular streets, laid out with +mechanical accuracy. Here and there, in front of a tent of a +commanding officer, sentries paced to and fro; the sound of their +footsteps and the clash of their arms, each time they turned, +giving warning of their positions. In the center of the streets the +fires--round which the soldiers had, shortly before, been +gathered--still glowed and flickered for, although the days were +hot, the cold at night rendered fires desirable; and there was an +abundance of fuel to be obtained, from the hills. + +John crawled along with the greatest care. He had no fear of being +seen, but had he come roughly against a tent-rope he might have +brought out some wakeful occupant of the tent to see who was +moving. + +He continued his course until he found himself opposite a fire, in +which some of the brands were burning brightly; while there was no +sentry on guard, within a distance of fifty yards. So far, +everything had gone well; neither in passing through the lines of +the sentries, nor in making their way into the camp, had any of the +band been observed. It was certain now that some, at least, would +succeed in setting fire to the tents, before they were discovered; +and the wind, which was blowing briskly from the mountains, would +speedily spread the flames; and a heavy blow would be inflicted +upon the enemy. + + + +Chapter 9: The Storming Of Gamala. + + +At last, John made sure that all his followers must have taken up a +favorable position. Rising to his feet he sounded a short note on +his horn; then sprang forward and seized one of the blazing brands, +and applied it to a tent. The canvas, dried by the scorching sun, +lit in an instant and, as the flame leaped up, John ran further +among the tents, lighted another and, leaving the brand there, +sprang twenty yards away and then threw himself down. + +By this time, although not twenty seconds had elapsed since he had +given the signal, a sudden uproar had succeeded the stillness which +had reigned in the camp. The sentries had started on their posts, +as they heard the note of the horn; but had stood a moment, +irresolute, not knowing what it meant. Then, as the first flash of +flame shot up, a simultaneous shout had arisen from every man on +guard; rising louder and louder as the first flame was followed, +almost instantly, by a score of others in different parts of the +camp. + +It was but a few seconds later that the first trumpeter who rushed +from his tent blew the alarm. Before its notes ceased, it was +answered all over the camp and, with a start, the sleeping soldiers +sprang up, caught up their arms, and rushed out of their tents. +Startled, as they were, with the suddenness of the awaking, and the +sight of the blazing tents, there was none of that confusion that +would have occurred among troops less inured to warfare. Each man +did his duty and--buckling on their arms as best they might, +stumbling over the tent ropes in the darkness, amazed by the sound +of the fall of tents, here and there, expecting every moment to be +attacked by their unseen foe--the troops made their way speedily to +the wide streets, and there fell in together, in military array, +and waited for orders. + +These were not long in coming. As soon as the generals reached the +spot, they told off a number of men to endeavor to extinguish the +flames; sent other parties to scour the camp, and search for the +enemy; while the rest, in solid order, awaited any attack that +might be made upon them. + +But, short as was the time that had elapsed since the first alarm, +it had sufficed to give the flames such hold and power that they +were beyond control. With extraordinary rapidity the fire had +leaped from tent to tent, and threatened to overwhelm the whole +camp. The soldiers tried, in vain, to arrest the progress of the +flames; rushing among the blazing tents, cutting the ropes to bring +them to the ground, and trying to beat out the masses of fire as +they fell. Many were terribly burnt, in their endeavors, but in +vain; and the officers soon called them off, and set them to work +pulling down the tents which the fire had not yet reached. But even +this was useless: the flakes of fire, driven before the wind, fell +on the heaps of dried canvas; and the flames spread almost as +rapidly as they had done when the tents were standing. + +Nor were the parties in search of the incendiaries more successful. +John had lain quiet, where he threw himself down, for a minute or +two; by which time the tents had emptied of their occupants. Then, +pausing only occasionally to circle a tent and cut away its ropes, +he made his way to the edge of the camp. By this time the sheet of +flame had extended well-nigh across the camp; extending high above +it, and lighting it almost as if by day. But between him and the +fire lay, still, a dark mass of tents; for the wind was blowing in +the opposite direction and, light as it was elsewhere, in the black +shadow of the tents it was still dark in the extreme. + +John made his way along, until he came to the end of the next +street, and then paused. Already, three or four active figures had +run past him at the top of their speed, and he wished to be the +last to retreat. He stayed till he heard the tramp of troops coming +down--driven out by the spreading flames--and then sprang across +the end of the road and dashed along at full speed, still keeping +close to the line of tents. + +A shout, which rose from the leading files of the Roman column, +showed that he was seen. As he neared the end of the next opening, +the Roman soldiers were pouring out; and he turned in among the tents +again. Through these he made his way; dashing across the open spaces +and, once, rushing through the midst of a Roman column--through which +he passed before the troops had time to strike at, or seize him. + +At last, he reached the extremity of the camp. The slope down to +the river was but fifty yards away and, once over the brow, he +would be in darkness and safe from pursuit. But already the Romans +had drawn up a column of men along the edge of the plateau, to cut +off any who might try to pass. John paused among the last row of +the tents, hesitating what course to adopt. He could not make +directly up the mountain, for the space between it and the camp was +now covered by the Roman cavalry--the greater portion of their +infantry being still engaged in trying to save at least some +portion of the camp. + +Suddenly he heard a footstep among the tents, close behind him. He +drew back into the tent by which he was standing, and peered +cautiously out. A Roman soldier came hastily along, and entered the +next tent--doubtless to fetch some article of value, which he had +left behind him as he rushed out, on the first alarm. + +A sudden idea flashed across John's brain. He waited till the +soldier came out, followed him with silent steps; and then sprang +upon him at a bound, hurling him to the ground, and burying his +knife again and again in his body. + +Illustration: The Roman Camp Surprised and Set on Fire. + +Not a cry had escaped the Roman. The instant he was sure he was +dead, John rose to his feet, placed the helmet of the fallen man on +his head, secured the breastplate by a single buckle round his +neck, took up his buckler and sword; and then, emerging from one of +the tents, ran towards the Roman line, making for one of the narrow +openings between the different companies. Several other +soldiers--who had, like the man whom John had killed, gone back to +their tents to fetch armor, or arms, left there--were also hurrying +to take their places in the ranks. Therefore, no special attention +was paid to John until he was within a few yards of the opening. + +Then a centurion at the end of the line said sternly: + +"You will be punished, tomorrow, for not being in your place. What +is your name?" for, as John was between him and the sheet of flame +rising from the camp, the Roman was unable to see his face. + +Instead of halting, as he expected, John sprang past him and, +throwing down his helmet and buckler, dashed through the space +between the companies. + +"Seize him! Cut him down!" the centurion shouted; but John was +already descending the slope. + +As he ran, he swung the loosely buckled breastplate round on to his +back; and it was well he did so for, a moment later, a Roman +javelin rang against it, the force of the blow almost throwing him +on his face. But, in a moment, he continued his course. He was in +total darkness now and, though the javelins were flying around him, +they were thrown at random. But the descent had now become so steep +he was obliged to pause in his course, and to make his way +cautiously. + +He undid the buckle, and left the breastplate behind him; threw +down the sword; and climbed down until he stood by the side of the +river. He could hear shouts above him, and knew that the Romans +were searching the hillside, hoping that he had been killed or +wounded by their darts. But he had no fear of pursuit. He swam the +river--for he had struck upon a deep spot--and then, at full speed, +ran along on the bank--knowing that some of the Roman cavalry were +encamped upon the plain, and would soon be on the spot. + +However, all was quiet, and he met no one until he arrived opposite +the place where it had been arranged that the party should meet. +Then he waded across. + +"Is that you, John?" a voice exclaimed. + +"It is I, Jonas. Thank God, you have got back safely! How many are +with you?" + +There was a loud cry of satisfaction and, as he made his way up the +bank, a number of his followers crowded round him; all in the +highest state of delight at his return. Jonas threw his arms round +his neck, crying with joy. + +"I thought you must have fallen, John. I have been here ten +minutes. Most of the others were here before me. Only three have +arrived since and, for the last five minutes, none have come." + +"I fear no more will come," John said. "The Romans have cut off all +retreat. + +"How many are missing?" + +"We were nineteen, here, before you came," one of the men replied. + +"Then there are six missing," John said. "We will not give them up. +Some may have made their way straight up the mountain, fearing to +be seen as they passed the ends of the open spaces. Some may have +made their way, down the opposite slope, to the other arm of the +river. But, even if all are killed, we need not repine. They have +died as they wished--taking vengeance upon the Romans. + +"It has been a glorious success. More than half the Roman camp is +assuredly destroyed; and they must have lost a prodigious quantity +of stores, of all kinds. + +"Who are missing?" + +He heard the names of those absent. + +"I trust we may see some of them, yet," he said; "but if not, +Jonas, tomorrow, shall carry to their friends the news of their +death. They will be wept; but their parents will be proud that +their sons have died in striking so heavy a blow upon our +oppressors. They will live, in the memory of their villages, as men +who died doing a great deed; and women will say: + +"'Had all done their duty, as they did, the Romans would never have +enslaved our nation.' + +"We will wait another half hour, here; but I fear that no more will +join us, for the Romans are drawn up all along the line where, +alone, a descent could be made in the valley." + +"Then how did you escape, John," Jonas asked; "and how is it that +you were not here, before? Several of those who were in the line +beyond you have returned." + +"I waited till I hoped that all had passed," John said. "Each one +who ran past the open spaces added to the danger--for the Romans +beyond could not but notice them, as they passed the spaces lighted +by the flames--and it was my duty, as leader, to be the last to +go." + +"Six of those who were beyond you have joined us," one of the men +said. "The other six are those that are missing." + +"That is what I feared," John answered. "I felt sure that those +behind me would have got safely away, before the Romans recovered +from their first confusion. The danger was, of course, greater in +proportion to the distance from the edge of the slope." + +"But how did you get through, John, since you say that all escape +is cut off?" + +John related how he had slain the Roman soldier, and escaped with +his armor; and the recital raised him still higher in the +estimation of his followers--for the modern feeling, that it is +right to kill even the bitterest enemy only in fair fight, was +wholly unknown in those days when, as was done by the Romans at +Jotapata, men would cut the throat of a sleeping foe, with no more +compunction than if they were slaughtering a fowl. + +Perceiving, by John's narration, that there was no chance of any of +their comrades getting through to join them, now, the party struck +off into the hills and, after three hours' march, reached their +encampment. They gave a shout of joy, as they approached it; for a +fire was burning brightly, and they knew that some of their +comrades must have reached the spot before them. + +Four men rose, as they approached, and joyful greetings were +exchanged. Their stories were soon told. As soon as they heard--by +the shouts of the Romans on the hillside, and of the outer +sentries--that they were discovered as they passed the spaces lit +up by flames, they had turned back. Two of them had made their way +up a deep watercourse, past the Roman guard on the hill--the +attention of the soldiers being fixed upon the camp. The other two +had climbed down the precipitous rocks on the other side of the +hill. + +"It was terrible work, in the darkness," one of them said. "I fell, +once, and thought I had broken my leg; but, fortunately, I had +caught on a ledge, and was able to go on after a time. I think two +of our party must have perished there; for twice, as I was +descending, I heard a sudden cry, and then a sound as of a body +falling from rock to rock." + +"Better so than to have fallen into the hands of the Romans," John +said, "and to have been forced to slay themselves by their own +hands, as we agreed to do. + +"Well, my friends, we have done a glorious deed. We have begun +well. Let us trust that we may strike many more such blows against +our tyrants. Now, let us thank God that he has fought by our hands, +and that He has brought so many of us back from so great a danger! + +"Simeon, you are the oldest of the party; do you lift up your voice +for us all." + +The party all stood listening reverently, while Simeon said a +prayer of thanksgiving. Then one of them broke out into one of the +psalms of triumph, and all joined at once. When this was done, they +gathered round the fire, prepared their cakes of meal, and put meat +on long skewers on the flames. Having eaten, they talked for hours, +each in turn giving his account of his share in the adventure. + +They then talked of their missing friends; those from the same +village telling what they knew of them, and what relations they had +left behind. At last, just as morning was breaking, they retired +into the little bowers of boughs that had been erected to keep off +the cold--which was, at this elevation, sharp at nights. They were +soon fast asleep. + +The first thing the next morning, Jonas set off to explore the foot +of the precipices on the south side of the Roman camp, and to +search for the bodies of their two missing comrades. He found one, +terribly crushed; of the other he could find no sign, whatever. On +his returning to the mountain camp, one of the young men was sent +off to bear, to the relatives of the man whose body had been found, +the certain news of his death; and to inquire, of the friends of +the other, whether he had any relations living near the mountains +to whom he might have made his way, if hurt or disabled by his +fall. + +The messenger returned, on the following day, with the news that +their missing comrade had already arrived at his home. His fall had +not been a very deep one and, when he recovered consciousness, some +hours before daybreak, he found that one of his legs was useless, +and an arm broken. Thinking that, in the morning, the Romans might +search the foot of the precipices, he dragged himself with the +greatest difficulty a few hundred yards and, there, concealed +himself among some bushes. + +A man came along, in search of an ass that had strayed. He called +to him and, on the man hearing that he was one of the party who had +caused the great fire in the Roman camp--the sight of whose flames +had caused such exultation in the heart of every Jew in the plains +around--he hurried away, and fetched another with a donkey. Upon +this the injured man was lifted, and carried down to the lake; +passing, on the way, several parties of Roman soldiers, to whom the +idea did not occur that the sick man was one of the party who had +inflicted such a terrible blow upon them on the previous night. +Once by the side of the lake, there was no difficulty in getting +him on board a boat, in which he was carried to his native village. + +The Romans were furious at the blow which had been struck them. +More than half their camp and camp equipage had been destroyed; a +great part of the baggage of the officers and soldiers had been +burned, and each man had to deplore losses of his own, as well as +the destruction of the public property. But, more than this, they +felt the blow to their pride. There was not a soldier but felt +humiliated at the thought that a number of the enemy--for, from the +fire breaking out simultaneously, it was certain at least a score +of men must have been engaged in the matter--should penetrate +unseen into the midst of their camp; and worse still that, after +effecting all this damage, all should have succeeded in making +their escape--for, so far as they knew, the whole of the Jews got +safely away. + +But not for a moment did they relax their siege operations. The +troops engaged upon the embankment were relieved at the usual hour; +and half a legion went up into the mountains, as usual, to procure +timber; while four thousand archers, divided into parties two +hundred strong, extended themselves all over the hills, and +searched the forest for miles for some sign of their enemy--who +were, they were now convinced, comparatively few in numbers. + +The news of the daring attack on the Roman camp spread far and wide +among the towns and villages of the plains; and aroused the +drooping spirits of the people, who had begun to think that it +would be worse than useless to offer any opposition to the Roman +power. Whence came the party which had accomplished the deed, or +who was its leader, none knew; and the inhabitants of the villages +near Hippos who, alone, could have enlightened them, were careful +to maintain an absolute silence; for they knew that if, by any +chance, a rumor reached the Romans of the locality from which their +assailants had come, they would have carried fire and sword among +all the villages by the lake. + +Titus was away, being absent on a mission in Syria; and Vespasian +himself went among the troops, exhorting them not to be downcast at +the disaster that had befallen them, for that the bravest men were +subject to sudden misfortunes of this kind; and exhorted them to +push on the siege with all the more vigor, in order that they might +the sooner remove to camping grounds where they would not be +exposed to such attacks by a lurking foe. + +The soldiers replied with cheers; and the next day, the embankment +being completed, they opened so terrible a fire from their war +engines upon the defenders of the walls that these were forced to +retire into the city. The Romans at once pushed forward their +battering rams to the walls and, setting to work with the greatest +vigor, speedily made three breaches; through which they rushed, +with exulting shouts. The Jews ran down to oppose them, and a +desperate conflict took place in the narrow streets; but the +Romans, pouring in in great numbers through the breaches, pressed +them step by step up the steep hill. + +The Jews, animated by despair, again turned, and fell upon them +with such fury that the Romans could not withstand the assault, and +were driven down the steep lanes and paths, with great slaughter. +But those who fled were stopped by the crowd of their own men, +pressing up the hill from below; and the Roman soldiers--jammed, as +it were, between the Jews above, and their own countrymen +below--took refuge in the houses, in great numbers. + +But these were not constructed to bear the weight of so many men, +in heavy armor. The floors fell in and, as many of the Romans +climbed up on to the flat roofs, these also fell, bringing the +walls down with them. Standing, as they did, almost one above +another, each house that fell brought down the one below it and, +thus, the ruin spread--as one house of cards brings down +another--until the whole of the town standing on the steep +declivity, on its eastern side, was a mass of ruins. + +The confusion was tremendous. The dust of the falling houses so +thickened the air that men could not see a yard in front of them. +Hundreds of the Roman soldiers were buried among the ruins. Some +were killed, at once. Others, jammed between fallen timbers, strove +in vain to extricate themselves, and shouted to their comrades to +come to their assistance; but these--enveloped in darkness, +ignorant of the ground, half suffocated with dust--were powerless +to aid them. + +In the confusion, Romans fell by the swords of Romans. Many who +could not extricate themselves slew themselves, with their own +swords; while the exulting Jews--seeing, in this terrible disaster, +a miracle effected in their favor--crowded down from above, slaying +with their swords, hurling masses of stone down on the foe, killing +those unable to retreat, and adding to the confusion and terror +with their yells of triumph, which rose high above the confused +shouts of the Romans. + +Vespasian himself, who had entered the town with his soldiers, and +had pushed forward with them up the hill, was nearly involved in +the common destruction; but, as the houses came crashing down +around him, he shouted loudly to the soldiers near to gather round +him, and to lock their shields together to form a testudo. +Recognizing the voice of their beloved general, the soldiers near +rallied round him and, sheltered beneath their closely-packed +shields, resisted the storm of darts and stones from above and, +gradually and in good order, made their way down over the ruins and +issued safely from the walls. + +The loss of the Romans was great. The soldiers were greatly +dispirited by their defeat, and especially by the thought that they +had deserted their general in their retreat. Vespasian, however, +was wise enough to see that this was no time for rebuke; and he +accordingly addressed them in language of approbation. He said that +their repulse was in no way due to want of valor on their part, but +to an accident such as none could foresee; and which had been +brought about, to some extent, by their too impetuous ardor, which +led them to fight rather with the desperate fury of the Jews than +with the steady discipline that distinguished Roman soldiers. + +The defenders of the city were full of exultation at their success +and, setting to work with ardor, soon repaired the breaches and +strengthened the walls. But all knew that, in spite of their +momentary success, their position was desperate, for their +provisions were almost exhausted. The stores which had been laid up +were very large; but the siege had lasted for many months before +the arrival of the Romans, and the number of the people assembled +within the walls far exceeded the usual population. + +The Romans, on their part, increased the height of their +embankment, and prepared for a second assault. + +In the meantime, Itabyrium had fallen. The hill of Tabor was +inaccessible, except on the north side; and the level area, on the +top, was surrounded by a strong wall. Placidus had been sent, with +six hundred horse, against the place; but the hill was so steep, +and difficult, that he hesitated to attack it. Each party pretended +to be anxious to treat, each intending to take advantage of the +other. Placidus invited the garrison to descend the hill, and +discuss terms with him. The Itabyrians accepted the invitation, +with the design of assailing the Romans, unawares. Placidus, who +was on his guard, feigned a retreat. The Itabyrians boldly pursued +on to the plain; when the Roman horse, wheeling round, dashed among +them, inflicting terrible slaughter and cutting off their retreat +towards the city. Those who escaped the slaughter fled to +Jerusalem. + +The town, weakened by the loss of so many fighting men, and being +much distressed by want of water, again opened negotiations; and +surrendered upon the promise that the lives of all within it should +be spared. + +Hunger was now doing its work among the people of Gamala. The +inhabitants suffered terribly, for the provisions were all taken +for the use of the fighting men; and the rest had to subsist, as +best they could, on any little hoards they might have hidden away, +or on garbage of all kinds. Numbers made their escape through the +sewers and passages which led into the ravines, where the Romans +had placed no guards. + +Still the assaults of the Romans were bravely repelled until, on +the night of the 22d of September, two soldiers of the Fifteenth +Legion contrived to creep, unobserved, to the foot of one of the +highest towers of the wall; and began, silently, to undermine its +foundations. Before morning broke, they had got in so far that they +could not be perceived from the walls. Still they worked in, +leaving a few stones in their place, to support the tower until the +last moment. Then they struck these away, and ran for their lives. + +The tower fell with a terrible crash, with the guards upon it. In +their terror, the defenders of the walls leaped up and fled in all +directions; and many were killed by the Romans' darts--among them +Josephus, one of their two leaders--while Chares, who was lying in +the height of a fever, expired from the excitement of the calamity. + +The confusion in the town was terrible. Deprived of their two +leaders, and with the town open to assault, none knew what was to +be done. All expected instant destruction, and the air was filled +with the screams and wailings of the women; but the Romans, mindful +of their last repulse, did not at once advance to the assault. But +in the afternoon Titus--who had now returned--taking two hundred +horse, and a force of infantry, crossed the breach and entered the +town. + +Some of the defenders rushed to meet him. Others, catching up their +children, ran with their wives to the citadel. The defenders fought +bravely, but were driven steadily up the hill by the Romans--who +were now reinforced by the whole strength of the army, led by +Vespasian. Quarter was neither asked nor given. The defenders +contested every foot of the hill, until the last defender of +Gamala, outside, the citadel had fallen. + +Then Vespasian led his men against the citadel itself. It stood on +a rugged rock, of great height, offering tremendous difficulties to +the assailants. The Jews stood upon the summit, rolling down great +stones and darts upon the Romans, as they strove to ascend. But the +very heavens seemed to fight against the unfortunate Jews, for a +terrific tempest suddenly broke upon the city. So furious was the +wind that the Jews could no longer stand on the edge of the crag, +or oppose the progress of the enemy; while the Romans, sheltered +from the wind by the rock, itself, were able to press upwards. + +The platform once gained, they rushed upon the Jews, slaying all +they met, men, women, and children. Vast numbers of the Jews, in +their despair, threw themselves headlong, with their wives and +children, over the precipices and, when the butchery was complete, +five thousand bodies were found at the foot of the rocks. Four +thousand lay dead on the platform above. Of all those in Gamala +when the Romans entered, two women, alone, escaped. They were the +sisters of Philip, a general in Agrippa's army. They managed to +conceal themselves until the carnage was over, and the fury of the +Romans had subsided; and then showed themselves, and proclaimed who +they were. + +Gischala now, alone of the cities of Galilee, defied the Roman +arms. The people themselves were, for the most part, tillers of the +soil, and were anxious to make their submission; but John--the +rival and bitter enemy of Josephus--with the robber band he had +collected, was master of the town, and refused to allow any talk of +submission. The city had none of the natural strength of Jotapata +and Gamala, and Vespasian sent Titus against it with a thousand +horse; while he ordered the Tenth Legion to take up its winter +quarters at Scythopolis; and himself moved, with the other two +legions, to Caesarea. + +Titus, on his arrival before Gischala, saw that the city could be +easily taken by assault but, desirous of avoiding any more shedding +of blood, and learning that the inhabitants were desirous of +surrendering, he sent an officer before it to offer terms of +capitulation. The troops of John of Gischala manned the walls and, +when the summons of Titus was proclaimed, John answered that the +garrison accepted willingly the generous terms that were offered; +but that, the day being the Sabbath, nothing could be concluded, +without an infringement of the law, until the next day. + +Titus at once granted the delay, and drew off his troops to a +neighboring town. In the night, John of Gischala marched away with +all his armed men; followed by many of the inhabitants, with their +wives and children--fearing to remain in the city, exposed to the +anger of Titus, when he found he had been duped. The women and +children soon began to drop behind; but the men pressed on, leaving +the helpless and despairing women behind them. + +In the morning, when Titus appeared before the town, it opened its +gates to him at once; the people hailing him as their deliverer +from the oppression they had so long suffered, at the hands of John +and his bands of ruffians. Titus entered Gischala amidst the +acclamations of the people; and behaved with great moderation, +injuring no one, and contenting himself with throwing down a +portion of the walls; and warning the inhabitants that, if they +again rose in rebellion, the same mercy would not be extended to +them. + +He had at once dispatched a troop of horse in pursuit of the +fugitives. They overtook them, and slew six thousand of the men, +and brought three thousand women and children back into the city. +John himself, with the strongest of his band, were not overtaken, +but made their way to Jerusalem. + +The fame of the successful exploit, of the destruction of the Roman +camp, brought large numbers of young men flocking to the hills, as +soon as the Romans retired from Gamala, all eager to join the band; +and John could have recruited his numbers to any extent but, now +that all Galilee had fallen, and the Romans retired to their winter +quarters, he did not see that there was anything to be done, until +the spring. It would be madness to attack either of the great Roman +camps, at Scythopolis or Caesarea; and although, doubtless, the +garrisons left in Tiberias, Tarichea, and other towns might have +been driven out, this would only have brought upon those cities the +anger of the Romans, and involved them in ruin and destruction. + +Still less would it have been of any advantage to go down, at +present, into Judea. That province was suffering woes, as great as +the Romans could inflict upon it, from the action of the factions. +Under the pretense of punishing all who were supposed to be +favorable to making terms with Rome, bands of armed men pervaded +the whole country, plundering and slaying the wretched inhabitants. + +Law and order were at an end. Those in Jerusalem who claimed, for +themselves, the chief authority in the country had done nothing to +assist their countrymen, in the north, in their struggle with the +Romans. Not a man had been dispatched to Galilee. The leaders were +occupied in their own desperate feuds, and battles took place in +the streets of the city. The peaceful inhabitants were plundered +and ill treated, and the condition of those within the walls was as +terrible as was that of those without. Anarchy, plunder, and +carnage extended throughout Judea and, while the destruction of +Jerusalem was threatened by the Roman army in the north, the Jews +made no preparation, whatever, for its defense, but spent their +whole time and energy in civil strife. + +When, therefore, the numerous band who had now gathered round him +urged him to lead them down to Jerusalem, John refused to do so. +Getting upon an elevated spot, where his voice could be heard by +them all, he said: + +"My friends, you have heard, as well as I, what is taking place in +Jerusalem and the country round it. Did we go down there, what good +could we do? We should be drawn into the strife, on one side or +another; and the swords which should be kept for the defense of the +Temple against the Romans would be stained with Jewish blood. +Moreover, we should aid to consume the food stored away in the +granaries. + +"Nor can we, through the winter, attempt any enterprise against the +Romans here. The woes of Galilee are over. Tens of thousands have +fallen, but those that survive can go about their business and till +their fields in peace. Were we to renew the war, here, we should +bring upon them a fresh outburst of the Roman vengeance. + +"Therefore, there is naught for us to do, now; but in the spring, +when the Romans get into motion against Jerusalem, we will march to +its defense. We have naught to do with the evil deeds that are being +performed there; we have but to do our duty, and the first duty of +every Jew is to die, if need be, in the defense of the Temple. +Therefore, let us now disperse to our homes. When the first news +comes that the Romans are stirring, those of you who are disposed +to follow me, and obey my orders, can assemble here. + +"But let only such come. Let the rest make their way, singly, to +Jerusalem. I am resolved to have only such with me who will follow +me as one man. You know how the factions rage in the city. A +compact body of men, true to themselves and their leader, can +maintain themselves aloof from the strife, and make themselves +respected by both parties; but single men must take sides with one +faction or other, or be ill treated by both. + +"We are wanted, at home. The fields are lying untilled, for want of +hands; therefore let us lay aside our arms until the spring, and do +our duty to our families until we are called upon to aid in the +defense of the Temple. When the hour comes, I shall be ready to +lead, if you are ready to follow." + +John's address received general approval, and the gathering +dispersed; all vowing that they would assemble in the spring, and +follow John wherever he chose to lead them--for he was already +regarded with an almost superstitious admiration in the country +around. His deliverance at Jotapata and the success that he, alone +of the Jewish leaders, had gained over the Romans, marked him in +their eyes as one specially chosen by God to lead them to victory; +and in a few hours the hill above Gamala was deserted, and John and +his followers were all on their way towards their homes. + + + +Chapter 10: Captives. + + +John was received with great joy by his father; who had already +heard the story brought by the injured member of the band from +Gamala, and was filled with pride that his son should so have +distinguished himself. He at once agreed to John's proposal that he +should start, on the following day, to fetch the women from Neve, +as there was no longer any fear of trouble from the Romans. Galilee +was completely subdued and, whatever events might take place in +Judea, those in the north would be unaffected by them. + +The day after his return, then, John set out with Jonas for Neve. +John charged his companion on no account to say anything of their +doings at the siege of Gamala; and as communication was difficult, +and they had not heard from Simon since John had left him, his +friends at Neve were not aware that he had been absent from the +farm. Martha and Mary were delighted to see him, and to hear that +all was well at home. They had been greatly alarmed at the news of +the slaughter of the fishermen on the lake, fearing that John might +have gone across to Tarichea with some of his friends in the +village. Their fears on this head, however, abated as time passed +on and they did not hear from Simon; who, they felt assured, would +have brought the news to Martha, had aught happened to their son. + +They had mourned over the siege and massacre of Gamala, and had +been filled with joy when the news had arrived, three days before, +that the Roman army had marched away to take up its quarters for +the winter; and they had looked for the summons, which John +brought, for their return home. + +"And does your father think, John, that there will be trouble again +in the spring? Shall we have to leave home again, as soon as the +winter is past?" + +"He hopes not, mother. Gamala was the only town on this side of the +Jordan that resisted the Roman authority and, as all the +territories of Agrippa are now peaceful, there is no reason why the +Romans should enter these again; and indeed, all Galilee has now +surrendered. As Vespasian moved towards the sea, deputies came to +him from every town and village; and I think, now, that there will +be no more trouble there." + +"It has been terrible enough, my son. What tens of thousands of men +have perished, what destruction has been wrought! We have been +mourning, for months now, for the woes which have fallen upon our +people." + +"It has been most terrible, mother; and yet, it might have been +worse. Nigh a hundred and fifty thousand have fallen, at Gadara, +Jotapata, Japha, Tarichea, and Gamala; besides those who were slain +in the villages that had been sacked, and destroyed. Still, +considering all things, it might have been worse and, were it all +over now--did no more dangers threaten our nation--we might even +rejoice that no greater evils have befallen us, for our revolt +against Rome. But what has been done is but a preparation for the +siege of Jerusalem. + +"However, do not let us begin to mourn over the future. The storm +has, for the present, passed away from us and, whatever misfortunes +have befallen our countrymen, we have happily escaped. The farm +stands uninjured, and no harm has come to any of us." + +"And all the villagers have escaped, John? Did none of our +neighbors go out in their boats to Tarichea? We feared, when we +heard of the sea fight, that some must have fallen." + +"No, mother. Fortunately, they listened to the counsels of my +father, who implored them not to put out on the lake for that, did +they do so, they would only bring misfortune and ruin upon +themselves." + +"And have you heard, John," Mary asked, "anything of the champion +who they say has arisen? We have heard all sorts of tales of +him--how he harassed the Romans before Gamala and, with his +followers, burned their camp one night and well nigh destroyed +them; and how, when he goes into the fight, the Roman javelins drop +off without harming him; and how, when he strikes, the Romans fall +before his blows like wheat before a sickle." + +John burst into a laugh. + +"I wonder, Mary, that the reports didn't say also that he could fly +through the air when he chose; could render himself invisible to +the enemy; and could, by a wave of his hand, destroy them as the +hosts of Sennacherib were destroyed. The Romans were harassed +somewhat, at Gamala, by John and his followers, who crept into +their camp at night and set it on fire, and had a few skirmishes +with their working parties; but when you have said that, you have +said all that there is to say about it." + +"That is not like you, John," Mary said, indignantly, for the tales +that had circulated through the province had fired her imagination. +"Everyone is talking of what he has done. He, alone of all our +leaders, has checked the Romans; and has shown wisdom, as well as +valor, in fighting. I should have thought you would have been one +of the first to praise him. Everyone is talking about him and, +since we heard of what he has been doing, mother and I pray for +him, daily, as we pray for you and your father; and now you want to +make out he has done nothing." + +"I do not want to make out that he has done nothing, Mary, for +doubtless the Lord has been with him, and has enabled him to give +some trouble to the Romans; but I was laughing at the fables you +have heard about him, and at the reports which had converted his +skirmishes with the Romans into all sorts of marvelous actions." + +"I believe they were marvelous actions," Mary said. "Why should +what people say be all wrong? + +"We believe in him, don't we, mother?" + +"Yes, Mary. It is true that the tales we have heard may be, as John +says, exaggerated; but assuredly this new champion of our people +must be a man of wisdom and valor, and I see not why, as God raised +up champions for Israel in the old time, he should not do so now, +when our need is so great." + +"There is no reason, mother," John said, more quietly, "but I fear +that the champion of Israel is not yet forthcoming. We have heard +of the doings of this John and, as I said, he has merely had some +skirmishes with the Romans--his band being too small to admit of +any regular fighting. He interrupted their work, and gave them some +trouble; and his men, creeping down into the camp, set it on fire, +and so caused them a good deal of loss; but more than this cannot +be said of him." + +"At any rate," Mary said disdainfully, "he has done more than your +Josephus, John--for he brought ruin on all who took his advice, and +went into the cities he had fortified. It may please you to make +little of what this champion has done. Others do not think so. +Everywhere he is talked of, and praised--the old men are talking of +him, the Jewish maidens are singing songs in his honor. I heard +them, yesterday, gathered round a well near Neve. His father must +rejoice, and his mother be proud of him, if they are alive. + +"What do they say down by the lake, Jonas, of this captain? Are not +the tales we have heard believed, there?" + +"I have heard nothing about the Roman javelins not harming him," +Jonas said; "but he certainly got safely out of the hands of the +Romans, when they had well-nigh taken him; and all say that he is +brave and prudent, and men have great confidence and trust in him." + +"Ridiculous, Jonas!" John exclaimed angrily, and Mary and his +mother looked at him in surprise. + +"Truly, John," his mother said, "what Mary said is just. This is +not like you. I should have thought you would have been one of the +first to admire this new leader, seeing that he is fighting in the +way I have heard you advocate as being that in which the Romans +should be fought, instead of the Jews being shut up in the cities." + +"Quite so, mother! No doubt he is adopting the proper way of +fighting, and therefore has naturally had some success. I am only +saying that he has done nothing wonderful; but has given the Romans +some trouble by refusing to fight, and by merely trying to harass +them. If there were a thousand men who would gather small bands +together, and harass the Romans night and day in the same manner, +they would render it well-nigh impossible for them to make any +progress. As it was, he merely aided in delaying the fall of Gamala +by a day or two. + +"And now, let us talk of something else. Our father has succeeded +in getting in the principal part of the harvest, but I fear that +this year you will be short of fruit. We have had no time to gather +in the figs, and they have all fallen from the trees; and although +we have made enough wine for our own use, there will be but little +to sell." + +"It matters not at all," Martha said. "God has been very merciful +towards us and, so that we have but bread to eat and water to +drink, until next harvest, we shall have nothing to repine about, +when ruin and destruction have fallen upon so many." + +That evening, when Mary and Martha had retired to their apartments, +the former, who had been very silent all the evening, said: + +"I cannot understand, mother, why John speaks so coldly of the +doings of this brave leader; and why he was almost angry at our +praises of him. It seems altogether unlike him." + +"It is unlike him, Mary; but you must never be surprised at men, +they do not like to hear each other praised; and though I should +have thought, from what I know of my son, that he was above the +feeling of jealousy, I cannot but think that he showed some signs +of that feeling today." + +"But it seems absurd, mother. I can understand John being jealous +of any one his own age who surpassed him in any exercises--though I +never saw him so for, when in rowing on the lake, or in shooting +with bows and arrows, or in other sports, some of our neighbors' +sons have surpassed him, he never seemed to mind at all; and it +seems almost absurd to think that he could be jealous of a great +leader, who has done brave deeds for our people." + +"It does seem so, Mary, and I wonder myself; but it has been ever +one of our national faults to be jealous of our leaders. From the +time the people vexed Moses and Aaron, in the wilderness, it has +ever been the same. I grieve to see it in John, who has +distinguished himself greatly for his age, and of whom we are +proud; but no one is perfect, my child, and you must not trouble +because you find that your betrothed husband is not free from all +weaknesses." + +"I don't expect him to be free from all weaknesses, mother; but +this is one of the last weaknesses I should have expected to find +in him, and it troubles me. When everything seemed so dark, it was +a pleasure to think that a hero, perhaps a deliverer, had arisen; +and now John seems to say that he has done nothing." + +"My dear child," Martha said, "something may have occurred to vex +John on the way and, when men are put out, they will often show it +in the strangest manner. Probably John will, another time, speak +just as warmly in praise of our new leader as you would, yourself." + +"Perhaps it may be so, mother," Mary assented. "I can hardly +believe that John is jealous--it does seem so unlike himself." + +"I would not speak on the subject again, Mary, if I were you; +unless he, himself, brings it up. A wise woman keeps silence on +subjects which may lead to disagreement. You will learn, when you +have married, that this is the easiest and best way." + +"I suppose so, mother," Mary said, in a tone of disappointment; +"but somehow it never seemed to me, before, that John and I could +have any subject on which there would be disagreement." + +"My dear Mary," Martha said, smiling, "John and you are both +mortal; and although you may truly love each other--and will, I +trust, be very happy as husband and wife--subjects will occur upon +which you will differ; and then, as you know, the wisest plan is +for the wife to be silent. It is the wife's duty always to give way +to the husband." + +Mary gave a little shrug of her shoulders, as if to intimate that +she did not regard altogether favorably this view of a wife's +duties; however, she said no more, but kissed Martha, and retired +to bed. + +The next morning they started early, and journeyed to Capitolias, +where they stayed at the house of some friends. In the evening, the +talk again turned upon the new leader, who had burned the Roman +camp. When they did so, John at once made some excuse, and went +out. He regretted, now, that he had not at once told his mother +what he had been doing. He had intended, in the first place, to +give her a little surprise; but had no idea of the exaggerated +reports that had been spread about and, when Mary broke out into +praise of the unknown leader, it seemed to him that it would have +been absurd to say that he, himself, was the person of whom she had +formed so fantastically exalted an opinion. Not having said so at +first, he did not see how he could say so, afterwards; and so left +the matter as it stood, until they should return home. + +While John was out, he heard news which caused him some uneasiness. +It was said that parties of Roman horse, from Scythopolis, had been +scouring the country; burning many villages--under the pretext that +some Roman soldiers, who had straggled away marauding on their own +account, had been killed by the peasants--slaughtering the people, +and carrying off as slaves such young women and men as were likely +to fetch good prices. + +He told his mother what he had heard; and asked her whether she did +not think that it would be better to stay where they were, for a +time, or return to Neve. But Martha was anxious to be at home, +again; and the friend with whom they were stopping said that these +reports were a week old, and that doubtless the Romans had returned +to their camp. She determined, therefore, that she and Mary would +continue their journey; but that the maids should remain with their +friend, at Capitolias, until the Roman excursions ceased. + +They accordingly set out in the morning, as before--the two women +riding, and John and Jonas walking by the side of the donkeys. +Following the road by the side of the Hieromax they kept on, +without meeting anything to cause alarm, until they reached the +angle of the stream, where the road to Hippos branched off from +that which followed the river down to Tarichea. They had gone but a +short distance, when they saw a cloud of dust rising along the road +in front of them, and the sparkle of arms in the sun. + +"Turn aside, mother," John exclaimed. "Those must be the Romans +ahead." + +Turning aside, they rode towards some gardens and orchards at no +great distance but, before they reached them, two Roman soldiers +separated themselves from the rest, and galloped after them. + +"Fly, John!" Martha said, hurriedly. "You and Jonas can escape." + +"It would only ensure evil to you if we did, mother. No, we will +keep together." + +The Roman soldiers rode up, and roughly ordered the party to +accompany them back to the main body, which consisted of fifty men. +The leader, a young officer whose garments and armor showed that he +belonged to a family of importance, rode forward a few paces to +meet them. + +"Some more of this accursed race of rebels!" he exclaimed. + +"We are quiet travelers," John said, "journeying from Capitolias to +Tarichea. We have harmed no one, my lord." + +"You are all the same," the Roman said, scowling. "You speak us +fair one day, and stab us in the back the next. + +"Pomponius," he said to a sergeant, "put these two lads with the +rest. They ought to fetch a good price, for they are strong and +active. As to the girl, I will make a present of her, to the +general, to send to his wife in Rome. She is the prettiest Jewess I +have seen, since I entered the country. The old woman can go. She +is of no use to anyone." + +Illustration: Mary and the Hebrew Women in the Hands of the Romans. + +Martha threw her arms round Mary; and would have striven to resist, +with her feeble strength, the carrying out of the order, when John +said in Hebrew: + +"Mother, you will ruin us all, and lose your own life! Go home +quietly, and trust to me to save Mary." + +The habit of submitting to her husband's will, which Martha had +practiced all her life, asserted itself. She embraced Mary +passionately, and drew aside as the Roman soldiers approached; and +then, tottering away a short distance, sank weeping on the ground. +Mary shed no tear but, pale as death, walked by the side of a +soldier, who led her to the rear of the cavalcade, where four or +five other young women were standing, in dejected attitudes. + +John and Jonas were similarly placed, with some young men, in the +midst of the Roman soldiers. Their hands were tied behind them, and +the troop resumed its way. They were traveling by the road along +which the little party had just come. Whenever a house or small +village was seen, half of the troop galloped off. Flames were soon +seen to rise, and parties of wretched captives were driven in. + +When about halfway to Capitolias, the troop halted. The horses were +turned into a field of ripe corn, to feed. Half the men sat down to +a meal, while the remainder stood on guard over the captives. John +had whispered to Jonas to work his hands so as to loosen his cords, +if possible; and the lad, whose bones were very small, soon said +that he could slip the ropes off without difficulty. + +It was harder work for John and, indeed, while on the march he did +not venture to exert himself, fearing that the movements would be +noticed by his guards. But when they halted, he got into the middle +of the group of captives, and tried his best to loosen the cords. +Jonas was close beside him. + +"It is of no use, Jonas," he said. "The cords are cutting into my +flesh, and they will not yield in the slightest." + +"Let me try, John. + +"Stand round close," Jonas said to the other captives, in Hebrew. +"I want to loosen my friend's knots. If he can get away, he will +bring rescue to you all." + +The others moved so as to completely cover the movements of Jonas; +and the lad, stooping down, applied his teeth to the knot in John's +cords, and soon succeeded in loosening it. + +"That will be enough, Jonas. I can draw my hand through, now." + +Jonas again stood up. + +"When I make an effort to escape, Jonas, do you dash between the +horsemen, and run for it. In the confusion you will get a start, +and they will not overtake you until you are across the river. Once +on the hill, you are safe. If you remain behind and I get away, as +likely as not one of the soldiers would send a javelin through you, +as being my companion." + +After half an hour's halt, the Romans again mounted their horses +and turned to retrace their steps. Two Romans rode on either side +of the captives, who were about fifty in number; and John gradually +made his way to the front of the party, between the two leading +horsemen. + +The officer, talking to his sergeant, rode a few paces ahead, in +the middle of the road. Since the cords had been loosened, John had +continued to work his fingers until the circulation was restored. +Suddenly he slipped his hands from their fastenings, gave three +bounds forward, and vaulted on to the back of the horse behind the +officer. He had drawn the knife which had been hidden in his +girdle; and he threw one arm round the officer, while he struck the +knife deep into the horse's flank. The animal reared in the air and +then, at a second application of the knife, sprang forward at the +top of his speed, before the astonished Roman knew what had +happened. John held him in his arms like a vice and, exerting all +his strength, lifted him from the saddle and hurled him headlong to +the ground; where he lay, bleeding and insensible. + +John had now time to look round. Struck with astonishment at the +sudden incident which had passed under their eyes, the Romans had, +at first, instinctively reined in their horses. The sergeant had +been the first to recover himself and, shouting to the five leading +soldiers on each side to follow him, had spurred in pursuit, just +as his officer was hurled to the ground. But John was already some +fifty yards away, and felt sure that he could not be overtaken. + +He had remarked the horse ridden by the officer, while they were +eating; and saw that it was of far higher blood and swifter pace +than any of those ridden by the soldiers. His own weight, too, was +far less than that of the heavy-armed men in pursuit of him and, +with a shout of scornful defiance, and a wave of his hand, he +continued his course. Before a mile had been passed he had left his +pursuers far in the rear and, seeing the hopelessness of the +pursuit, they presently reined up and returned to the main body. + +Jonas had carried out John's instructions and, the instant the +latter sprang on the officer, he slipped under the belly of the +horse next to him and ran, at the top of his speed, for the river. +It was but a hundred yards away, and he had gone three quarters the +distance before any of the soldiers--confused at the attack upon +their officer, doubtful whether the whole of the captives were not +about to fall upon them, and without orders how to act, set out in +pursuit. + +Jonas plunged into the stream, dived to the other side, and then +sprang forward again, just as three or four soldiers reached the +bank he had left. Their javelins were hurled after him, but without +effect and, with a shout of triumph, he sprang up the hillside, and +was soon safe from pursuit. + +As soon as he saw that the Romans had turned back, John sprang from +his horse, unstrapped the heavy armor which covered its chest and +sides, and flung it away; and then, mounting, resumed his course. +At the first house he came to he borrowed a shepherd's horn and, as +he approached the first village, sounded his signal for the assembly. + +Two or three young men ran out from their houses, as he dashed up; +for there was not a village in those parts from which some of the +young men had not gone up to the mountains to join him, after the +fall of Gamala, and all were ready to follow him anywhere. He +rapidly gave them orders to go to all the villages round; and +instruct the young men to assemble, with all speed possible, at +their old trysting place near Jabez Galaad; and to spread the news +as they went, some from each village being sent as messengers to +others. Then he pursued his way at full speed and, by sunset, had +issued his orders in some twenty villages. + +Being convinced that, by night, a sufficient number of men would +have gathered in the mountain for his purpose, he rode back to the +river, swam his horse across; and then, leaving it to shift for +itself, made his way up the mountain. Some seventy or eighty men +had already arrived at the appointed place, and fresh parties were +coming in every minute. Jonas was already there, John having +arranged with him to watch the movements of the Romans until the +sun set, and then to bring word to the place of meeting as to their +movements. + +"Well, Jonas, what is your news?" + +"The Romans have halted, for the night, at a spot about a mile this +side of where we left them. They remained where they were, until +the party who had ridden after you returned; then they went slowly +back, after having made a litter with their spears, on which four +of them carried the officer you threw from his horse--what a crash +he made! I heard the clang of his arms, as I was running. They +stopped near one of the villages they burned as we went past; and +when I turned to make my way here their fires were burning, so +there's no doubt they mean to halt there for the night." + +"That is good news, indeed!" John said. "Before morning we will +rouse them up in a way they little expect." + +John's followers arrived eager for the fight, for the news of the +devastations committed by this party of Romans had roused the whole +district to fury. As a rule the Romans, except when actually on a +campaign, abstained from all ill treatment of the inhabitants--the +orders against plundering and injuring the people being here, as in +other countries held by the Roman arms, very stringent. In the +present case, there was no doubt that Roman soldiers had been +killed; but these had brought their fate upon themselves, by their +ill treatment and insult of the villagers, and no notice would have +been taken of the slaying of men while acting in disobedience of +orders, had it not been that they belonged to the company of +Servilius Maro. + +He was a young noble, possessed of great influence in Rome, and of +a ferocious and cruel disposition; and he had urged the general so +strongly to allow him to go out, to inflict punishment upon the +country people, that consent had reluctantly been given. But even +at this time, although the Jews were not aware of it, a messenger +was on his way to Servilius with peremptory orders to him to return +at once to Scythopolis, as most serious reports as to his cruelty +to peaceful inhabitants had come to the general's ears. + +But that message Servilius was never to receive. By midnight, +upwards of four hundred men had gathered at the rendezvous in the +mountains. John divided the force into four bodies, and gave each +their orders as to the part that they were to take; and then +marched down the hill, crossed the river, and advanced towards the +Roman bivouac. + +When within a quarter of a mile of the fires, the band broke up +into sections and proceeded to surround the enemy. When each +company reached the position John had marked out for it, the men +began to crawl slowly forward towards the Romans. John sounded a +note on his horn and, with a shout, the whole band rushed to their +feet and charged down upon the enemy. Before the latter could +spring to their feet, and mount their horses, the Jews were among +them. + +John, with a picked band of twenty men, at once made his way to the +center of the camp; where the captives, ignorant of the cause of +this sudden alarm, stood huddled together. Placing his men around +them, to prevent any Roman soldier injuring them, John joined in +the fray. + +It was short. Taken by surprise, unable to get together and form in +order of defense, the Roman soldiers were surrounded and cut down, +each man fighting stubbornly to the last. One of the first to fall +was their leader who, springing to his feet at the alarm, had +rushed just as he was, without helmet or armor, among his soldiers, +and was stabbed in a dozen places before he had time to draw his +sword. + +The moment the conflict was over, and the last Roman had fallen, +John ordered his men to disperse, at once. + +"Regain your homes before morning," he said. "There may be other +parties of Romans out, and it is as well that none, even of your +friends, should see you return; and then the Romans will have no +clue as to those who have taken part in this night's business. Take +not any of their arms, or spoils. We have fought for vengeance, and +to relieve our friends, not for plunder. It is well that the Romans +should see that, when they hear of the disaster and march out to +bury the dead." + +The men were already crowding round the captives, relieving them +from their bonds and, in many cases, embracing and weeping on their +necks, for among them were many friends and relations of the +rescuing party. + +John soon found Mary. + +"Is this a miracle you have performed, John?" the girl said. "Can +it be true that our captors have been slain, and that we are free?" + +"Yes, dear, we can continue our journey." + +"But how has it happened, John; how has it all come about?" + +"Jonas and I escaped, as I suppose you know, Mary." + +"There was a great confusion and stir upon the road," Mary said, +"but I did not know what had happened, until we got here. Then some +of the men said that two of the captives had escaped; and that one +of them jumped on to the horse of the officer and overthrew him, +and had ridden off. They said they were both young and, as I missed +you both from among the party, I thought it must have been you. + +"But how did all these men come together?" + +"I rode round the country, calling upon the young men in the +villages to take up arms, to rescue their friends who had been +carried away captive into slavery, and to revenge the destruction +which this band of ruffians had caused. There were plenty of brave +men ready to undertake the task and, as you see, we have carried it +out. + +"And now, Mary, we had best be going. You see, the others are +dispersing fast; and it is as well to be as far from here, by +morning, as possible. A troop of Roman horse may come along, +journeying between Scythopolis and Capitolias; and if they came +upon this camp, they might scour all the country." + +"I am ready, John. What a fate you have saved me from! I have +seemed in a dream, ever since the Romans met us this afternoon. I +have tried to think of what my life was going to be, but could not. +When we got here I tried to weep, but no tears would come. I have +been sitting there, as still and cold as if frozen, till I heard +the notes of a horn. + +"Oh, John, do you know John of Gamala was there?" + +"How do you know, Mary?" John asked, in surprise. + +"One of the young men who was a captive was lying near, and he +leaped to his feet when the horn sounded, and shouted, 'There is +John of Gamala's horn; we are saved.' Did you know he was with +you?" + +"Yes, I knew he was," John said. + +"You won't say anything against him, again," Mary said. "Why did +you not bring him here to us, that we might thank him?" + +"Certainly I will not say anything against him, in future, Mary. + +"And now, let us be going. I am very anxious about my poor mother. +We will follow the road to the spot where we left her. By the time +we get there, morning will be breaking. We will inquire for her, at +every village we pass through; for I am sure she cannot have gone +far. The Romans did not take the asses but, even with them, she +could not have traveled far, and probably took shelter at the first +place which she came to." + +This proved to be the case. At the first village they arrived at +after passing the spot at which they had been taken captives, they +heard that, late the evening before, a woman had arrived in sore +distress. She was leading two asses, which she seemed too feeble to +mount. She stated that her son and daughter had been carried away +by the Romans; and she had been received, for the night, in the +principal house in the village. + +Martha's delight, when John and Mary entered the house where she +had been sheltered, was beyond words. She fell on their neck and +kissed them, with broken sentences of thankfulness to God at their +deliverance; and it was some time before she was sufficiently calm +to hear how their escape had been effected, by the night attack +upon the Romans by the country people. She was scarcely surprised +when she heard that John had effected his escape, and summoned the +people to rise to rescue them. + +"You told me to trust to you to save Mary, John; and I have kept on +saying your words, over and over again, to myself. It seemed to me +as if I did not quite understand them, and yet there was comfort in +them. I could not even think what you could do to help Mary; and +yet it appeared as if you, yourself, must have some hope." + +As soon as Martha was sufficiently recovered from her emotions to +resume their journey, the party again started. They made a detour +to avoid Hippos for, as John said, there might be inquiries as to +everyone who was noticed coming from the direction of the scene of +the struggle. They made many halts by the way, for Martha was +scarcely able to retain her seat on the donkey, and even Mary was +greatly shaken by the event of her captivity and rescue. During the +heat of the day they remained under the shade of some trees, and +the sun was setting when they approached the farm. + +Simon and the men hurried out, when the sound of the asses' feet +was heard. Martha burst into tears, as he assisted her to alight. + +"What ails you, wife? I trust that no evil has befallen you by the +way. Where are the maids? + +"Why, Mary, my child, you look pale, too!" + +"No wonder, uncle, that aunt is shaken, and that I look pale. For +John, and I, and Jonas were taken captives by the Romans, who +carried us off to sell as slaves, leaving poor mother behind." + +"And how then have you escaped, child?" + +"John and Jonas got away from them, and raised all the country; for +the Romans had done much harm, killing, and carrying away captives, +and burning. So when he called them the men took up arms, and fell +upon the Romans at night and slew them all, and rescued me, and +some fifty other captives who had fallen into their hands." + +Simon asked no further questions, for the time, but helped Martha +into the house, and then handed her over to the care of Mary and, +half an hour later, she had recovered sufficiently to return to the +room; and sit there, holding Simon's hand in quiet happiness, and +watching Mary as she resumed her accustomed tasks, and assisted old +Isaac in preparing supper. + +"Everything looks just as it was, mother. I could hardly have +believed things would have got on so well, without me to look after +them. And there are quantities of grapes on the vines, still. They +are too ripe for wine, but they will last us, for eating, for +months, and that is ever so much better than making them into +wine--" + +She stopped, for Simon had taken his place at the head of the +table; and offered up thanks, in the name of the whole household, +for the mercies that had been vouchsafed to them; and especially +that they were all, once again, assembled together in their house, +without there being one vacant place. + +Then the meal began. While it was eaten, many questions were asked, +on both sides; Simon inquiring about his brother-in-law, and his +family, and the life they had led at the farm; Martha asking after +their neighbors--who had suffered, and who had escaped without loss +or harm. When Isaac and the men retired, Jonas rose also to go, but +Simon stopped him. + +"Remain with us, Jonas. Your life has been strangely cast in that +of John's, and I would that, henceforth, you take your place as one +of the family. You saved his life at Jotapata, and you will +henceforth be as an adopted son to me. + +"Martha, I know that you will spare some of your affection for the +lad, who is as a younger brother to John; and who would, I +believe--nay I feel sure--if need be, give his life for his +friend." + +"I would do so, indeed," Jonas said, simply. "He found me an +outcast, whom none cared for. He has treated me like a brother, and +I would gladly die for him." + +Martha said a few kind words to Jonas, whose quiet and somewhat +subdued manner, and whose evident affection for John, had greatly +pleased her; and Mary gave him a little nod, which signified that +she gladly accepted him as one of the family. + +"And now, Martha," Simon said, "you have not yet told me how proud +you must feel, in the doings of our son. Our friends here are never +weary of congratulating me; and truly I feel thankful that a son of +mine should have done such deeds, and that the Lord should have +chosen him, to use him as an instrument of his will." + +"My dear father," John interrupted, "I have told you that there is +nothing at all out of the way in what we have done. Jonas and the +others did just as much as I did, and methinks that some of them +make much more than is needful of our skirmishes, and praise me +because in so doing they praise themselves, who did as much as I +did." + +"But I do not understand you, Simon," Martha said. "I know that +John fought bravely at Jotapata, and that it was marvelous that he +and Jonas escaped, when so many fell. Is it this that you are +speaking of?" + +"What! Has John said nothing about what he has been doing, since?" +Simon asked, in surprise. + +"No, father, I said nothing about it," John said, before his mother +could speak. "I thought, in the first place, that you would like to +tell them; and in the next, the people there had heard such +magnified reports that I could not, for very shame, lay claim to be +the hero they had pictured to themselves." + +"But what has he done?" Martha asked, more and more surprised; +while Mary, at his last words, sprang to her feet, and stood +looking at him with an intent and eager face. + +"He should have told you, Martha," Simon said. "It is no light +thing that this son of ours has done. Young as he is, the eyes of +the people are upon them. For with a small band, which he gathered +here, he harassed the enemy several days and, boldly entering their +camp, destroyed it by fire." + +"Oh, John!" Mary said, in a low voice; while Martha exclaimed: + +"What! Is the John, of whom we have heard so much--the young man, +of whom the people speak as their future leader--our boy? You +cannot mean it, Simon!" + +"There is no mistake about it, Martha. The lad came to me; and said +he thought that, with a small band, he could cause much trouble to +the Romans. So I told him he could go, not knowing whether he spoke +from the restlessness of youth, or because it was the will of the +Lord that he should go and fight for the country. Indeed, it seemed +to many that his marvelous escape from Jotapata showed that God had +need of him. So I did not withstand him. There were many from the +villages round who were ready to join themselves to him, and follow +him, for the fame of his escape had made him much talked of. + +"So he went, with twenty-four followers and, of course, Jonas here; +and truly he did, as all men say, great things. And though he saved +not Gamala--as indeed could not have been done, save by a miracle +of God, with so small a band--he did much and, by the burning of +their camp, not only struck a heavy blow upon the Romans, but he +inspired the people with hope. + +"Before, it seemed that to resist the Romans was to bring certain +destruction upon those who adventured it; now men see that with +prudence, united with bravery, much may be done and, in the spring, +John will be followed by a great gathering of fighting men, from +all the country round." + +Martha sat, in speechless surprise, looking at her son. + +"My dear mother," John said, "what I told you before, when you were +praising the unknown John, is equally true now that it is John your +son. We acted with common sense which, so far, no one seems to have +exercised in our struggle with the Romans. We just kept out of +their reach, and took good care never to come to actual blows with +them. We constantly threatened them; and compelled them, who knew +nothing of our numbers or strength, to cease working. + +"As to the burning their camp, of course there was a certain amount +of danger in it, but one cannot make war without danger. We crept +through their sentries into the camp, in the night, and set it on +fire; and then made our escape, as best we could. As only one of +our number was killed; and he from falling over a precipice, and +not by the sword of the Romans, you see the peril could not have +been very great. + +"It was just as I said, that because we did not throw away our +lives, but were prudent and cautious, we succeeded. People have +made a great fuss about it, because it is the only success, however +small, that we have gained over the Romans but, as my father says, +it has certainly had a good effect. It has excited a feeling of +hopefulness and, in the spring, many will take the field with the +belief that, after all, the Romans are not invincible; and that +those who fight against them are not merely throwing away their +lives." + +It was some time before Martha could realize that the hero, of +which she had heard so much, was the quiet lad standing before +her--her own son John. + +"Simon," she said, at last, "morning and night I have prayed God to +protect him of whom we heard so much, little thinking that it was +my own son I was praying for. Tonight, I will thank him that he has +so blessed me. Assuredly, God's hand is with him. The dangers he +has run and the success that he has gained may, as he says, be +magnified by report; nevertheless he has assuredly withstood the +Romans, even as David went out against Goliath. Tomorrow I will +hear more of this; but I feel shaken with the journey, and with +this strange news. + +"Come, Mary, let us to bed!" + +But Mary had already stolen away, without having said a single +word, after her first exclamation. + +John was at work soon after daybreak, next morning, for there was +much to be done. The men were plowing up the stubble, ready for the +sowing, Jonas had gone off, with Isaac, to drive in some cattle +from the hills; and John set to work to dig up a patch of garden +ground, near the house. He had not been long at work, when he saw +Mary approaching. She came along quietly and slowly, with a step +altogether unlike her own. + +"Why, Mary, is that you?" he said, as she approached. "Why, Miriam +herself could not walk slower. + +"Are you ill this morning, child?" he asked, with a change of +voice, as he saw how pale she was looking. + +Mary did not speak until she came quite close; then she stopped, +and looked at him with eyes full of tears. + +"Oh, John," she began, "what can I say?" + +"Why, my dear Mary, what on earth is the matter with you?" he said, +throwing down his spade, and taking her hands in his. + +"I am so unhappy, John." + +"Unhappy!" John repeated. "What is making you unhappy, child?" + +"It is so dreadful," she said, "to think that I, who ought to have +known you so well--I, your betrothed wife--have been thinking that +you were so mean as to be jealous; for I did think it was that, +John, when you made light of the doings of the hero I had been +thinking about so much, and would not allow that he had done +anything particular. I thought that you were jealous, John; and now +I know what you have done, and why you spoke so, I feel I am +altogether unworthy of you." + +"Well, Mary, I never thought you were a little goose, before. What +nonsense you are talking! It was only natural you should have +thought I was jealous; and I should have been jealous, if it had +been anyone else you were praising so much. It was my fault, for +not telling you at once. Concealments are always stupid; but I had +thought that it would give you a pleasant surprise, when you got +home, to hear about it; but instead of causing you pleasure, I have +caused you pain. I was not vexed, in the slightest; I was rather +amused, when you answered me so curtly." + +"I think it was cruel of you, John, to let me go on thinking badly +of you, and showing yourself in so unworthy a light. That does not +make it any the less wrong of me. I ought to have believed in you." + +"You are making a mountain out of a molehill, Mary, and I won't +hear any such nonsense. You heard an absurd story, as to what +someone had been doing, and you naturally made a hero of him. You +were hurt by my speaking slightingly of this hero of yours, and +naturally thought I was jealous at hearing such praises of another +from my betrothed wife. It was all perfectly natural. I was not in +the least offended with you, or put out in any way; except that I +was vexed with myself for not telling you, at once, that all these +fables related to your cousin John. + +"Now, dry your eyes, and don't think any more about it. Go and pick +two of the finest bunches of grapes you can find, and we will eat +them together." + +But it was some time before Mary recovered her brightness. The +changes which the last few months had made almost depressed her. It +was but a year ago that John and she had been boy and girl, +together; now he had become a man, had done great deeds, was looked +upon by many as one chosen for the deliverance of the nation. Mary +felt that she, too, had aged; but the change in her was as nothing +to that in her old playfellow. It was but a year ago she had been +gravely advising him; treating him, sometimes, as if she had been +the elder. + +She would have treated him now, if he would have let her, with +something of the deference and respect which a Jewish maiden would +usually pay to a betrothed husband--one who was shortly to become +her lord. But the first time he detected this manner, John simply +laughed at her, and said: + +"My dear Mary, do not let us have any nonsense of this sort. We +have been always equals, you and I; friends and companions. You +know, just as well as I do, that in all matters which we have had +in common, you have always had quite as much sense as I and, on a +great many matters, more sense. + +"Nothing has occurred since then to alter that. I have grown into a +young man, you into a young woman; but we have advanced equally. On +matters concerning warfare, I have gained a good deal of knowledge; +in other matters, doubtless, you have gained knowledge. And if, +dear, it is God's will that I pass through the troubles and dangers +that lie before us, and we become man and wife, I trust that we +shall always be the friends and comrades that we have been, as boy +and girl together. + +"It is all very well, when young men and maidens have seen nothing +of each other until their parents bring them together as man and +wife, for the bride to affect a deep respect--which I have not the +least doubt she is generally far from feeling, in her heart--for +the man to whom she is given. Happily, this has not been the way +with us. We have learned to know each other well; and to know that, +beyond the difference in strength which a man has over a woman, +there is no difference between us--that one will rule the house, +and the other will rule the farm, but that in all things, I trust, +we shall be companions and equals. I do hope, Mary, that there will +be no change in our ways, the few months we have to be together, +now. + +"In the spring, I go up to help to defend Jerusalem; and it is no +use hiding the fact from ourselves that there is but little chance +of my returning. We know what has befallen those who have, +hitherto, defended cities against the Romans; and what has happened +at Jotapata, and Gamala, will probably happen at Jerusalem. But for +this reason, let us have no change; let us be as brother and sister +to one another, as we have been, all along. If God brings me back +safe to you, and you become my wife, there will be plenty of time +to settle exactly how much deference you shall pay me; but I shall +expect that, when the novelty of affecting the wifely obedience, +which is enjoined upon the females of our race, is past, you will +be quite ready to take up that equality which is, after all, the +rule in practice." + +"I shall remember your words," Mary said, saucily, "when the time +comes. It may be you will regret your expressions about equality, +some day." + +So, during the winter, Mary tried to be bright and cheerful; and +Martha, whose heart was filled with anxiety as to the dangers and +trials which lay before them--Jerusalem and the Temple threatened, +and John away, engaged in desperate enterprises--often wondered to +herself, when she heard the girl's merry laugh as she talked with +John, and saw how completely she seemed to put aside every sort of +anxiety; but she did not know how Mary often spent the entire night +in weeping and prayer, and how hard was her struggle to keep up the +brave appearance which was, she knew, a pleasure to John. + +He was not much at home, being often absent for days together. +Strangers came and went, frequently. John had long conversations +with them; and sometimes went away with them, and did not return +for three or four days. No questions were asked, by his parents, as +to these visitors or his absence. They knew that they had reference +to what they considered his mission; and as, when he returned home, +he evidently wished to lay aside all thought of other things, and +to devote himself to his life with them, they asked no questions as +to what he was doing. + +He spoke, sometimes, of these things to Mary, when they were +together alone. She knew that numbers of young men were only +waiting his signal to join him; that parties of them met him among +the hills, and were there organized into companies, each with +officers of their own choice over them; and that, unknown to the +Romans at Scythopolis, there were daily held, throughout the +country on both sides of the Jordan, meetings where men practiced +with their arms, improved their skill with the bow and arrow, and +learned to obey the various signals of the bugle, which John had +now elaborated. + +John was resolute in refusing to accept any men with wives and +families. There were other leaders, he said, under whom these could +fight; he was determined to have none but men who were ready to +sacrifice their lives, and without the care of others dependent +upon them. He was ready to accept youths of fifteen, as well as men +of five-and-twenty; believing that, in point of courage, the one +were equal to the other. But each candidate had to be introduced by +others, who vouched for his activity, hardihood, and courage. + +One of his objects was to avoid increasing his band to too great +dimensions. The number of those ready to go up to defend Jerusalem, +and eager to enroll themselves as followers of this new +leader--whose mission was now generally believed in, in that part +of the country--was very large; but John knew that a multitude +would be unwieldy; that he would find it impossible to carry out, +with thousands of men, tactics dependent for success upon celerity +of movement; and, moreover, that did he arrive in Jerusalem with so +great a following, he would at once become an object of jealousy to +the leaders of the factions there. + +He therefore limited the number to four hundred men; urging upon +all others who presented themselves, or sent messages to him, to +form themselves into similar bands; to choose leaders, and to act +as independent bodies, hanging upon the rear of the Romans, +harassing them with frequent night alarms, cutting off their +convoys, attacking their working parties; and always avoiding +encounters with strong bodies of the Romans, by retreating into the +hills. He said that, although he would not receive more men into +his own force than he thought could be easily handled, he should be +glad to act in concert with the other leaders so that, at times, +the bands might all unite in a common enterprise; and especially +that, if they entered Jerusalem, they might hold together, and thus +be enabled to keep aloof from the parties of John of Gischala, or +Eleazar, who were contending for the mastery of the city. + +His advice was taken, and several bands similar to his own were +formed; but their leaders felt that they needed the prestige and +authority which John had gained, and that their followers would not +obey their orders with the faith which was inspired, in the members +of John's own band, by their belief in his special mission. Their +representations on this subject were so urgent that John, at their +request, attended a meeting at which ten of these chiefs were +present. + +It was held in a farmhouse, not far from the spot where Gamala had +stood. John was embarrassed at the respect which these men, all of +them several years older than himself, paid him; but he accepted +the position quietly, for he felt that the belief that existed, as +to his having a special mission, added greatly to his power of +utility. He listened to their representations as to their want of +authority, and to the rivalries and jealousies which already +existed among those who had enrolled themselves. When they had +finished, he said: + +"I have been thinking the matter well over. I am convinced that it +is absolutely necessary that none of the commands shall exceed the +numbers I have fixed upon--namely, four hundred men, divided into +eight companies, each with a captain--but at the same time, I do +not see any reasons why all our corps should not be nominally under +one leader. If, then, you think it will strengthen your position, I +am ready to accept the general leadership, and to appoint you each +as commanders of your troops. Then you will hold my commissions; +and I will support you, in your commands, with any authority I may +have. + +"At the same time you will understand that you will, in reality, +act altogether independently of me; save and except when, it seems +to me, that we can unite in any enterprise. If we enter Jerusalem, +we will then hold together for mutual protection from the factions; +but even there you will each command independently for, did I +assume a general command, it would excite the jealousy of the +leaders of the factions, and we should be forced to take part in +the civil strife which is devastating the city." + +A cordial consent to this proposition was given by the other +leaders, who said that the knowledge that they were John's officers +would add immensely to their authority; and would also raise the +courage and devotion of their men, who would not believe that they +were being led to victory, unless they were acting under the orders +of John, himself. + +"Remember," John said, "that if misfortune befalls us, I have never +laid claim to any divine commission. We are all agents of God, and +it may be that he has specially chosen me as one of his +instruments; but this I cannot say, beyond the fact that, so far, I +have been carried safely through great dangers, and have been +enabled to win successes over the Romans. But I do not set up as a +specially-appointed leader. + +"I say this for two reasons: in the first place, that you should +not think that I am claiming authority and command on grounds which +may not be justified; and in the second place that, if I should +fall early in the fighting, others should not be disheartened, and +believe that the Lord has deserted them. + +"I am but a lad among you, and I recognize that it is God who has +so strangely brought me into eminence but, having done that much, +he may now choose some other instrument. If this should be so--if, +as may well be, one of you should obtain far greater success than +may attend me--I shall be only too glad to lay aside this authority +over the rest, with which you are willing to invest me, and to +follow him as cheerfully as you now propose to follow me." + +The meeting soon afterwards broke up, and the news that John of +Gamala--as he was generally called, from the success he had gained +over the Romans before that town--had assumed the supreme command +of the various bands which were being raised, in eastern Galilee +and on the east of Jordan, spread rapidly; and greatly increased +the popular feeling of hope, and confidence. Fresh bands were +formed, the leaders all receiving their appointments from him. +Before the spring arrived, there were twenty bands formed and +organized, in readiness to march down towards Jerusalem, as soon as +the Roman legions got into motion. + + + +Chapter 11: A Tale Of Civil Strife. + + +Towards the spring, Simon and his family were surprised by a visit +from the Rabbi Solomon Ben Manasseh. It was a year since they had +last seen him, when he called to take leave of them, on starting +for Jerusalem. They scarcely recognized him as he entered, so old +and broken did he look. + +"The Lord be praised that I see you all, safe and well!" he said, +as they assisted him to dismount from the donkey that he rode. "Ah, +my friends, you are happy, indeed, in your quiet farm; free from +all the distractions of this terrible time! Looking round here, and +seeing you just as I left you--save that the young people have +grown, somewhat--I could think that I left you but yesterday, and +that I have been passing through a hideous nightmare. + +"Look at me! My flesh has fallen away, and my strength has gone. I +can scarce stand upon my legs, and a young child could overthrow +me. I have wept, till my tears are dried up, over the misfortunes +of Jerusalem; and yet no enemy has come within sight of her walls, +or dug a trench against her. She is devoured by her own children. +Ruin and desolation have come upon her." + +The old man was assisted into the house, and food and wine placed +before him. Then he was led into the guest chamber, and there slept +for some hours. In the evening, he had recovered somewhat of his +strength, and joined the party at their meal. + +When it was concluded, and the family were alone, he told them what +had happened in Jerusalem during the past year. Vague rumors of +dissension, and civil war, had reached them; but a jealous watch +was set round the city, and none were suffered to leave, under the +pretext that all who wished to go out were deserters who sought to +join the Romans. + +"I passed through, with difficulty," the rabbi said, "after bribing +John of Gischala, with all my worldly means, to grant me a pass +through the guards; and even then should not have succeeded, had he +not known me in old times, when I looked upon him as one zealous +for the defense of the country against the Romans--little thinking, +then, that the days would come when he would grow into an oppressor +of the people, tenfold as cruel and pitiless as the worst of the +Roman tribunes. + +"Last autumn when, with the band of horsemen, with steeds weary +with hard riding, he arrived before the gates of Jerusalem--saying +that they had come to defend the city, thinking it not worth while +to risk their lives in the defense of a mere mountain town, like +Gischala--the people poured out to meet him, and do him honor. +Terrible rumors of slaughter and massacre, in Galilee, had reached +us, but none knew the exact truth. Moreover, John had been an enemy +of Josephus and, since Josephus had gone over to the Romans, his +name was hated and accursed among the people; and thus they were +favorably inclined towards John. + +"I don't think anyone was deceived by the story he told, for it was +evident that John and his men had fled before the Romans. Still, +the tidings he brought were reassuring, and he was gladly received +in the city. He told us that the Romans had suffered very heavily +at the sieges of Jotapata and Gamala, that they were greatly +dispirited by the desperate resistance they had met with, that a +number of their engines of war had been destroyed, and that they +were in no condition to undertake the siege of a strong city like +Jerusalem. But though all outwardly rejoiced, many in their hearts +grieved at the news, for they thought that even an occupation by +the Romans would be preferable to the suffering they were +undergoing. + +"For months, bands of robbers, who called themselves Zealots, had +ravaged the whole country; pillaging, burning, and slaying, under +the pretense that those they assaulted were favorable to the cause +of Rome. Thus, gradually, the country people all forsook their +homes, and fled to Jerusalem for refuge and, when the country was +left a desert and no more plunder was to be gained, these robber +bands gradually entered Jerusalem. As you know, the gates of the +holy city were always open to all the Jewish people; and none +thought of excluding the strangers who entered, believing that +every armed man would add to the power of resistance, when the +Romans appeared before it. + +"The robbers, who came singly or in small parties from all parts of +the country, soon gathered themselves together in the city, and +established a sort of terror over the peaceable inhabitants. Men +were robbed, and murdered, openly in the street; houses were broken +open, and pillaged; none dare walk in the street, without the risk +of insult or assault. Antipas, Levias, and Saphias--all of royal +blood--were seized, thrown into prison, and there murdered; and +many others of the principal people were slain. + +"Then the robbers proceeded to further lengths. They took upon +themselves to appoint a high priest; selected a family which had no +claim whatever to the distinction and, drawing lots among them, +chose as high priest one Phannias--a country priest, ignorant, +boorish, and wholly unable to discharge the function of the office. +Hitherto, the people had submitted to the oppression of the +Zealots, but this desecration of the holy office filled them with +rage and indignation; and Ananus--the oldest of the chief priests, +a man of piety and wisdom--was the head of the movement and, +calling the people together, exhorted them to resist the tyranny +which oppressed them, and which was now desecrating the Temple--for +the Zealots had taken refuge there, and made the holy place their +headquarters. + +"The people seized their arms, but before they were ready for the +attack the Zealots, learning what was going on, took the initiative +and fell upon them. The people were less accustomed to arms than +their foes, but they had the superiority of numbers, and fought +with fury. At first the Zealots gained the advantage, but the +people increased in numbers. Those behind pressed those in front +forward, and the Zealots were driven back into the Temple, and the +Quadrangle of the Gentiles was taken. + +"The Zealots fled into the inner court, and closed the gates. +Thither their wounded had already been carried, and the whole place +was defiled with their blood. But Ananus, having the fear of God +before his eyes, did not like to attack them there and, leaving six +thousand chosen men on guard in the cloisters, and arranging that +these should be regularly relieved, retired. + +"Such was the state of things, when John of Gischala arrived. He at +once professed complete agreement with the party of Ananus, and was +admitted into all their councils; but all the time, as we +afterwards learned, he was keeping up a secret correspondence with +the Zealots, and betrayed to them all that took place at the +council. There was some distrust of him but, in addition to the +party that had entered the city with him, he had speedily gathered +together many others and, distracted as we already were with our +troubles, none cared to add to the number of their enemies by +openly distrusting John--who took many solemn oaths of fidelity to +the cause of order. + +"He at length volunteered to enter the inner Temple, on a mission +to the Zealots; and to persuade them to surrender, and leave the +city. But no sooner was he among them than he threw off the mask, +and told the Zealots that the offers to allow them to depart in +peace were blinds, and that they would at once be massacred if they +surrendered. He therefore advised them to resist, and to send for +assistance without--recommending them especially to send to the +Idumeans. Eleazar and Zacharias--the chiefs of the Zealots--felt +sure that they, above all, would be sacrificed if they surrendered; +and they embraced John's counsel, and sent off swift-footed +messengers to the Idumeans, urging them to come to their +assistance. + +"The Idumeans had, since their conquest by Hyrcanus, been +incorporated with the Jews. They were a fierce and warlike +people--of Arab descent--and, immediately the messengers of the +Zealots arrived, they embraced the proposal, anticipating the +acquisition of great plunder in Jerusalem. Marching with all speed, +they appeared, twenty thousand strong, before the walls of +Jerusalem. + +"Although taken completely by surprise--for none knew that +messengers had gone over to the Idumeans--the people manned the +walls; and Jesus, a colleague of Ananus, addressed the Idumeans. He +asked them to take one of three courses: either to unite with the +people, in punishing the notorious robbers and assassins who were +desecrating the Temple; or to enter the city unarmed, and arbitrate +between the conflicting parties; or to depart, and leave the city +to settle its own difficulties. Simon, the leader of the Idumeans, +answered that they came to take the part of the true patriots, +against men who were conspiring basely to sell the people into the +hands of the Romans. + +"At this answer Jesus left the wall, and we held debate upon the +situation. Before the arrival of this new enemy, we felt certain of +overpowering the Zealots; and Ananus would, ere long, have been +persuaded to lay aside his scruples and attack them for, as they +were desecrating the sanctuary, it would be better to shed their +blood there and, when these wicked men were slain, to offer up +atonement and purify the Temple--as had been done before, in the +days of the Maccabees, after the Temple had been defiled. + +"We redoubled our guards round the Temple, so that none could issue +out thence to communicate with the Idumeans. At night a terrible +storm set in, with lightning, thunder, and rain, so that the very +earth seemed to shake. A great awe fell upon all, within and +without the city. To all, it seemed a sign of the wrath of God at +the civil discords; but though, doubtless, it was the voice of the +Almighty, it was rather a presage of further evils. + +"Under shelter of the storm--which drove all the guards to take +refuge--some of the Zealots cut asunder the bars of the gate, and +crept along the street to the wall. Then they sawed through the +bars of the gate that faced the Idumeans, who were trembling with +terror in the storm. Unseen by anyone, the Idumeans entered the +gate, marched through the city, and approached the Temple. Then +they fell upon our guards, while the Zealots attacked them from +behind. + +"Furious at the hours they had passed exposed to the tempest, +ashamed of their fears, and naturally pitiless and cruel, the +Idumeans gave no quarter; and a terrible carnage took place among +the ten thousand men who had been placed in the outer court of the +Temple. Some fought desperately, others threw themselves down from +the wall into the city and, when morning dawned, eight thousand +five hundred of our best fighting men had been slain. + +"As soon as it was daylight, the Idumeans broke into the city, +pillaging and slaying. The high priests, Ananus and Jesus, were +among those who were slain; and in that terrible night were +extinguished the last hopes of saving Jerusalem. + +"Ananus was a man of the highest character. He had labored +unceasingly to place the city in a posture of defense; believing, +and rightly, that the stronger were its walls, and the more +formidable the resistance it could offer, the better chance there +was of obtaining favorable terms from the Romans. Ananus was the +leader and hope of the peace party, which comprised all the +respectable classes, and all the older and wiser men in Jerusalem. +His death left the conduct of affairs in the hands of the +thoughtless, the rash, and the desperate. + +"The massacre continued for days, the Idumeans hunting the citizens +in the streets. Vast numbers were killed, without question. The +young men of the upper classes were dragged to prison, and were +there scourged and tortured to force them to join the Zealots, but +not one would do so. All preferred death. Thus perished twelve +thousand of the best and wisest in Jerusalem. + +"Then the Zealots set up a tribunal and, by proclamation, assembled +seventy of the principal citizens remaining to form a court; and +before it brought Zacharias, the son of Baruch--an upright, +patriotic, and wealthy man. Him they charged with entering into +correspondence with the Romans, but produced no shadow of evidence +against him. Zacharias defended himself boldly, clearly +establishing his own innocence, and denouncing the iniquities of +his accusers. The seventy unanimously acquitted the prisoner, +preferring to die with him, to condemning an innocent man. The +Zealots rushed forward, with cries of rage, and slew Zacharias and, +with blows and insults, turned the judges out of the Temple. + +"The Idumeans at length began to weary of massacre, and were sated +with pillage and, declaring that they had been deceived by the +Zealots, and that they believed no treason had been intended, they +left the city; first opening the prisons, and releasing two +thousand persons confined there, who fled to Simon the son of +Gioras, who was wasting the country toward Idumea. + +"The Zealots, after their departure, redoubled their iniquities; +and seemed as if they would leave none alive, save the lowest of +the people. Gorion, a great and distinguished man, was among the +slain. Niger of Peraea, who had been the leader in the attack on +the Romans at Ascalon--a noble and true-hearted patriot--was also +murdered. He died calling upon the Romans to come to avenge those +who had been thus murdered; and denouncing famine, pestilence, and +civil massacre, as well as war, against the accursed city. + +"I had lain hidden, with an obscure family, with whom I had lodged +during these terrible times. So great was the terror and misery in +the city that those who lived envied the dead. It was death to bury +even a relative, and both within and without the city lay heaps of +bodies, decaying in the sun. + +"Even among the Zealots themselves, factions arose. John of +Gischala headed one party, and that the more violent. Over these he +ruled with absolute authority, and occupied one portion of the +city. The other party acknowledged no special leader. Sometimes, +then, the factions fought among themselves; but neither side ceased +from plundering and murdering the inhabitants. + +"Such, my friends, was the condition of Jerusalem when I left it; +having, as I told you, purchased a permission from John of Gischala +to pass through the guards at the gates. + +"As I traveled here, I learned that another danger threatens us. +The sect called the Assassins, as you know, seized the strong +fortress of Masada, near the Dead Sea, at the beginning of the +troubles. Until lately, they have been content to subsist on the +plunder of the adjacent country but, on the night of the Passover, +they surprised Engaddi, dispersed all who resisted, and slew seven +hundred women and children who could not escape. They carried off +the contents of the granaries, and are now wasting the whole +region. + +"What hope can there be of success, my friends, when, with an enemy +close to their gates, the Jews are slaying more of their fellow +countrymen than the Romans themselves? Did ever a country present +so humiliating and terrible a spectacle? Were such atrocities ever +perpetrated by men upon their brothers? And yet, the madmen still +believe that the Almighty will deliver them--will save from +destruction that Temple which they have polluted, the altars that +they have deluged with blood." + +When the rabbi had finished his narration, there was a long +silence. Martha was in tears, at the recital of the misery which +was endured by the inhabitants of Jerusalem; Simon sat with his +face covered with his hands; John had scarce moved, since the rabbi +had begun his story, but sat with a heavy frown on his face, +looking straight before him; while Mary anxiously watched him, to +see the effect of the recital upon him. + +Simon was the first to speak. + +"It is a tale of mourning, lamentation, and woe that you have told +us, rabbi. Not even in the days of our captivity in Babylon were +the Jewish people fallen so low. Let us to bed now. These things +are too terrible to speak of, until we have laid them before the +Lord, and asked his guidance. I wonder not, now, rabbi, that years +seem to have rolled over your head since we last met." + +The others rose. Mary, as she passed John, laid her hands on his +shoulder with a caressing action--which was very rare to her, for +she generally behaved to him as to a brother, holding any +exhibition of greater affection unmaidenly, until the days of +betrothal were ended. The action seemed to recall John from his +gloomy thought, and he smiled down at her anxious face; then, when +the others went off to their apartments, he went out into the night +air and stood for hours, nearly immovable, with his eyes fixed on +the stars. + +In the morning, Mary joined him in the garden; as had come to be +their custom, this being the only time in the day when they were +alone together. + +"Well, John?" she asked. + +He understood her question. + +"I have thought it over, Mary, in every way; but I cannot see that +my duty is changed by what we heard last night. Affection for you, +and my parents, would keep me here; and I wish that I could see +that my duty could go hand in hand with my wishes. I have been +sorely tempted to yield--to resign the struggle, to remain here in +peace and quiet--but I should never be happy. I do not believe that +I am, as so many think, specially called to be a deliverer--though +God has assuredly specially protected and aided me--but, did I draw +back now, it would be a grievous discouragement to many. I have put +my hand to the plow, and cannot look back. + +"God has permitted these miseries to fall upon Jerusalem, +doubtless, as a punishment for the sins of the people. It may be +yet that his wrath will be abated, and that he will remember the +mercies of old. He has suffered his Temple to be profaned, but it +may not be his purpose to allow it to be destroyed, utterly. The +evil doings, therefore, of evil men do not release us from our +duty; and it has always been held the chief duty of all Jews to +die, if need be, in defense of the Temple. Never, so long as that +stands, can we say that the Lord has wholly turned his face from +us--that he purposes another period of exile, and captivity, to +befall his people. + +"Therefore, Mary, I shall go on as I have intended; warring against +the Romans, and doing what I can to hinder their advance against +Jerusalem. I think that the war may last longer than I had +expected. Vespasian will have heard--from those who, like the +rabbi, have escaped from Jerusalem--what is going on within the +city; and knowing the great strength of its walls; and judging, +from what he saw at Jotapata and Gamala, how desperate would be its +resistance, were he to appear before it, he may well decide to +leave it for the present; suffering the population to prey upon +each other, to consume their provisions and waste their strength +till, when he marches against it, there will be no longer men left +to man the walls." + +"I thought you would decide so, John," Mary said, quietly; "and +much as I love you--for I do love you, John--I would rather part +with you so, never to see you again, than that you should draw back +now. I set you up on a pedestal, before I knew that it was you who +was my hero; and I would not have it said that he, of whom such +high hopes were cherished, drew back from the enterprise he had +taken up. Rather would I mourn for you, all my life, than that men +should say of you: + +"'This is he of whom we said, he is the deliverer; but who shrank +from the dangers of battle, and threw down his country's sword.'" + +"Thank you, Mary. I am glad to hear you say so. I thought that I +was right, but it was very hard so to decide. And, now that you +agree with me, my chief cause for hanging back is removed. +Henceforth, I shall trouble no more over it. My conscience tells me +that I am right to go. You say go, also. Therefore now, whatever +betides, I shall not blame myself; but shall feel that I could not +have taken any other course." + +"I have faith, John, that you will come back to me, when the +troubles are over. I believe that, whatever may happen at +Jerusalem, you will be spared to me. I think that it was either for +the country, or for me, that your life was spared, alone of all +those that fought at Jotapata; and I mean to keep on thinking so. +It will keep up my spirits, while you are away, and will help me to +cheer our mother." + +"If the Romans do not move upon Jerusalem, I may be able to be +often at home. Our policy will be to strike a blow; and then, when +the Romans gather in force, to scatter and disappear; so that I may +often be home, until the time comes when the enemy gather round +Jerusalem. + +"But at any rate, Mary, I shall try and believe that your hope is +well founded; and that, in the end, I shall return alive to you. +Certainly I shall not spare my life; for, when one takes up the +post of a leader of his fellows, he must never hang back from +danger, but must be always in the front. At the same time, I shall +never forget that you are thinking and praying for me, and will +never throw away my life recklessly; and if the time comes when I +see that all is lost--that fighting is no longer of avail--I will +neither rush into the enemy's ranks to die, nor will I throw down +my arms and die unresisting, nor will I slay myself with my own +weapons; but I will strive, in every way, to save my life for your +sake, having done all that I could for our country, and the +Temple." + +"That is all I ask, John. I am quite content to wait here, until +the day comes that you shall return; and then, though our cause be +lost, our country ruined, and God's Temple destroyed, we can yet +feel that God has been good and merciful to us--even if we be +driven out of our home, and have to become exiles, in a far land." + +A week later, the news came that the Romans were preparing to take +the field. The young men of the village at once started, as +messengers, through the country. At night, a vast pile of brushwood +was lighted on the hill above Gamala; and answering fires soon +blazed out from other heights. At the signal, men left their homes +on the shores of Galilee, in the cities of the plains, in the +mountains of Peraea and Batanaea. Capitolias, Gerisa and Pella, +Sepphoris, Caphernaum and Tiberias--and even the towns and villages +almost within sight of Caesar's camp, at Caesarea--sent their +contingents and, in twenty-four hours, eight thousand armed men +were gathered on the slopes of Mount Galaad. + +Each man brought with him grain, sufficient for a week's +consumption; and all had, according to their means, brought money, +in accordance with the instructions John and the other commanders +had issued. For John held that although--as they were fighting for +the country--they must, if necessary, live upon the country; yet +that, as far as possible, they should abstain from taking food +without payment, and so run the risk of being confounded with the +bands who, under the cloak of patriotism, plundered and robbed the +whole country. + +The bands assembled, each under their leaders. It was easy to see +that they had come from different localities. Tarichea and Tiberias +had both sent two companies, and the aspect of these differed +widely from that of the companies of peasants, raised in the +villages on the slopes of Hermon or among the mountains of Peraea; +but all seemed animated by an equal feeling of devotion, and of +confidence in their young leader. + +John, after carefully inspecting his own band, visited the camps of +the other companies; and was everywhere received with acclamations. +He addressed each company in turn--not only urging them to show +bravery, for that every Jew had shown, who had fought against the +Romans--but pointing out that far more than this was required. +While they must be ready to give their lives, when need be; they +must be equally ready to shun the fight, to scatter and fly, when +their leaders gave the orders. It was not by bravery that they +could hope to overcome the Romans; but by harassing them night and +day, by attacking their camps, cutting off their convoys, and +giving them no rest. Above all, obedience was required. + +"Look at the Roman soldiers," he said. "They have no wills of their +own. They advance, or retreat; they attack, when they know that +those who first attack must die; they support all hardships and +fatigues; they accomplish marvels, in the way of work; they give +themselves up, in fact, to obey the orders given them, never +questioning whether those orders are the best, but blindly obeying +them; and so it must be, here, if we are to fight the Romans with a +chance of success. + +"The most useful man here--the man who will do best service to his +country--is not he who is strongest, or bravest, but he who is most +prompt in his obedience to orders. The true hero is he who gives up +his will and, if need be, his life, at the order of his leader. You +have chosen your own officers, and I have confirmed the choice that +you have made. It is for you, now, to give them your support and +assistance. There will be hardships, these must be borne without +complaint; there will be delays, these must be supported with +patience; there will be combats and dangers, these must be met with +confidence and courage--believing that God will give you success; +and that, although the issue of the strife is in his hands, each of +you should do his best, by his conduct and courage, to gain +success. + +"We shall not act in one great body, for we could not find food, in +the villages, for so large a number. Moreover, to do so would be to +give the Romans an opportunity of massing their forces against us, +of surrounding and destroying us. On great occasions, and for a +great object, we may gather together and unite our forces. At other +times, although acting upon a general plan, and in concert with +each other, each company will work independently. So we shall elude +the Romans. When they strike at us, we shall be gone. When they try +to inclose us, we shall disperse. When they pursue one body, others +will fall upon them. When they think that we are in one part of the +country, we will be striking a blow in another. When they fancy +themselves in security, we will fall upon them. We will give them +no rest, or peace." + +John's addresses were received with shouts of approval. By the +great majority of those present, he was now seen for the first +time; but his appearance, the tone of authority with which he +spoke, his air of confidence, and the manner in which he had +evidently thought out the plans of action, and prepared for all +contingencies, confirmed the reports which they had heard of him; +and the conviction that he was a specially appointed leader was +deepened, and strengthened. How otherwise could one who was a mere +youth speak with such firmness, and authority? + +The memories of the Jews were stored with legends of the prowess of +Judas the Maccabean, and his brothers; and of other leaders who +had, from time to time, arisen and enabled them to clear their +country of oppressors; and they were thus prepared to accept, +willingly, those who appeared to them specially sent as leaders, +and the question of age and experience weighed but little with +them. Moreover, as none had been trained as soldiers, there were +none who had to set aside superior claims. + +Samuel had been chosen as a child, Saul was the youngest of his +brethren, and David a lad when he slew the champion of the +Philistines. Such being the case, the youth of John was no +drawback, in the eyes of his followers; and indeed the fact that, +being still a youth, he had yet escaped from Jotapata, where all +his elders had died; and that he had inflicted a heavy blow upon +the Romans, when all others who had opposed them had perished, +seemed in itself a proof that he was under special protection. + +John probably believed in himself less than did any man among his +followers. Piously and devoutly brought up, he saw in the two +escapes that he had had, from death at the hands of the Romans, +signs of a special protection of God. But, while he hoped that he +might be able to do the Romans much harm, he had not any conviction +that he was destined to deliver his country. He had none of the +fervent enthusiasm of men who are convinced that they have a divine +mission, and that miracles would be wrought in his favor. + +He had seen the tremendous strength of the Roman army, as it +defiled from the mountains before Jotapata. He had learned the +power of their war engines, and had evidence of their discipline, +their bravery and perseverance; and had no idea that such a force +as that gathered round him could cope with the legions of Rome. +Still, that firm and pious belief, which was so deeply ingrained in +the heart of the Jews, that God specially interested himself in +them--that he personally directed everything that befell them, and +intervened in every incident of their history--had its natural +effect upon him. + +His training taught him that he was an instrument in God's hands +and, although he hardly even hoped that he was destined to be a +deliverer of Jerusalem, he thought that God might intend him to do +great things for his people. At any rate, while never claiming any +special authority--or to have, more than those around him, any +special mission--he was careful not to damp the enthusiasm of his +followers, by disclaiming the mission they attributed to him; +knowing how much such a belief added to his authority, and to the +efficiency of the force under his command. + + + +Chapter 12: Desultory Fighting. + + +After having gone through the camps of the whole of the companies, +John assembled the leaders round him, and held a council as to +future operations. It was agreed that it would be best to leave +alone, for the present, the legion at Scythopolis; for rumors of +the gathering would almost certainly have reached that city, and +the Romans might be on their guard against attack. It was resolved, +therefore, to cross the Jordan a few miles below Tarichea, to +traverse the hills between Endor and Gelbus and, by a long march, +to gain the range of hills extending from Carmel to Samaria, and +forming the boundary between the latter province and Galilee. They +would then be looking down upon the camp of Vespasian, at Caesarea. + +The country, between these hills and the city, was too flat for +them to engage with any hopes of success; for although, by a +surprise, they might inflict great damage on the Romans, they would +be wholly unable to withstand the charges of the Roman horse. They +would, therefore, maintain a lookout from the mountains; and attack +the Roman camp the first time it was pitched on ground whence a +rapid retreat could be effected, to the hills. + +As the Jordan was unfordable, between Scythopolis and the lake, all +who could not swim were ordered to carry with them, on their march +down to the river, logs of light wood sufficient to support them in +crossing. Those who could swim were to assist in piloting over +those unable to do so. This would be a work of no great difficulty, +for the width of the Jordan is not great, and it was only for a +short distance in the center that it would be unfordable. As was to +be expected, the companies raised near the shores of the lake +contained but few men unable to swim, while those from the mountain +districts were almost wholly ignorant of the art. + +The bands were, therefore, linked together for the purpose of +crossing; one of those from the plains, and a company of +mountaineers, marching down to the stream together. The +preparations were all complete by the afternoon and, just as it was +becoming twilight, the leading bands arrived on the banks of the +Jordan. The crossing was effected without difficulty and, in two +hours, all were over. Then the companies formed up under their +leaders, and started independently; men who knew the country well +being assigned, as guides, to each. + +They crossed the hill between Endor and Gelbus, marched through +Jezrael; and then, just as morning was breaking, ascended the +slopes of Mount Carmel, leaving Legio on their right. It was a +march of about fifty miles; but the men were all active and +vigorous, lightly armed, and sustained by enthusiasm and +excitement, and not a man dropped behind during the journey. Once +among the hills, they threw themselves down for a rest of some +hours. From the crest of the hill, it was but some twelve miles +down to Caesarea; and the blue line of the sea extended, right and +left, as far as the eye could reach. + +In the afternoon Jonas was sent down to the city, to learn how +matters stood there, and when Vespasian was going to move. He was +to remain there that night, and return with the news on the +following morning. He came back, however, at midnight; saying that +the Romans had marched on the previous day, that they had taken the +southern road which skirted the mountains for some distance, and +would probably cross the central range at Sichem, and either +proceed to Scythopolis, or join the legion thence on the plain of +Aulon, west of the Jordan. + +This was a disappointment but, at daybreak, the companies were +afoot. It was decided they should march separately; each taking its +own line to the east, following unfrequented roads, and keeping +among the hills as far as possible, so that no report of the +passage of any large gathering of men should reach the Romans. +Although no time had been lost, John, when he approached the +Jordan, learned that Vespasian had already joined the legion from +Scythopolis, and had crossed the river into Peraea, and was +marching with all speed against Gadara, its chief city. + +Halting for the night near the Jordan; John crossed the river by a +ford, next morning, and then moved forward, cautiously, to commence +operations as soon as the Romans were engaged upon the siege of the +city. But, ere many hours had passed, he learned that the +inhabitants had sent forward a deputation to Vespasian; and that +the war party, taken by surprise by the rapid advance of the +Romans, had hastily evacuated the city, after slaying many of those +who were willing to admit the Romans. When Vespasian arrived, he +had been received with acclamations by the inhabitants; who had +already destroyed a portion of their walls, to prove that they +never thought of resistance. + +Having thus established the Roman authority in Peraea, Vespasian +left a garrison there; and set out, with the main body of his army, +for Caesarea, leaving a garrison in the town; and dispatching +Placidus, with five hundred horse and three thousand foot, in +pursuit of the fugitives who had fled from Gadara before he entered +it. + +As Vespasian marched back, the band under John began their work. +Wherever the road led through the mountains, they rolled down rocks +upon the column. The light-armed allies of the Romans were sent out +on each flank and, climbing the hills, attacked their assailants. +As soon, however, as they neared the crests--which were, as they +believed, held by small parties, only, of the enemy--the Jews +rushed upon them with fury, overthrew them, and drove them down the +hills; until the heavy-armed troops were obliged to advance to +their assistance, upon which the Jews at once fell back to the +higher slopes. + +Growing bolder by success, they even ventured to rush down upon the +baggage; breaking through its guard, and killing great numbers of +the animals. A party of Roman horse which came up at full gallop +was charged, just as they reached the spot, by two more companies +from the hill; and these, before the Romans could face about and +oppose their line of long spears to their assailants, were among +them--stabbing the horses, leaping up behind the soldiers and +slaying them with their knives, and throwing the whole into +confusion. Then the sound of a horn was heard on the hillside, and +the whole of the Jews instantly relinquished their work and took to +the mountains, just as a large body of cavalry, headed by Titus, +came thundering up. + +At night, the Romans were disturbed by constant alarms. Men crept +up to the sentries, and slew them in the darkness. Numbers of the +enemy penetrated into the camp; killing the soldiers as they slept, +hocking the horses, and setting fire to the camp in several places; +and it was not until the whole army got under arms that the attack +ceased. The next day, they were similarly harassed upon the march; +and it was not until they had crossed the mountains, and descended +on to the western plain, that the Jews drew off, highly satisfied +with the result of their first encounter with the Romans. + +Their loss had been slight--not more than twenty having +fallen--while they had killed more than two hundred of the +light-armed troops, had inflicted some loss upon the Romans +themselves, had slain numbers of baggage animals; and had shown the +enemy that, however formidable the Roman soldiers might be on the +plains, the legions of Vespasian were no more invincible than was +that of Cestius, among the hills. + +They regretted however that, instead of engaging the main army, +they had not followed the force under Placidus--of whose dispatch +from Gadara they had not learned, until it was too late. The +fugitives, of whom Placidus was in pursuit, had taken possession of +the village of Bethennabris. He pursued the stratagem which had +already succeeded so well. He feigned a retreat, and the Jews +sallied out and attacked him. He cut off the greater part from +returning to the village and, at night, attacked Bethennabris, +captured it, and put all within it to the sword. + +Those who had escaped were joined by great numbers of the country +people; and made for the Jordan, intending to cross by the ford +opposite Jericho. But the river was swollen with rain, and they +were unable to cross. Placidus overtook and attacked them. Vast +numbers were killed, and more were driven into the river and +drowned. Fifteen thousand fell. Two thousand five hundred were +taken prisoners, with a vast number of animals, of all kinds. +Placidus then reduced the whole of Peraea, and the coast of the +Dead Sea, as far as Machaerus. + +Vespasian soon moved down from Caesarea, keeping near the sea, and +capturing Antipatris, Lydda, and Thamna, and blocking Emmaus. Then, +continuing his course southward, he wasted the country to the +frontier of Idumea, and captured the towns Betaris and Caphartobas, +putting to the sword about ten thousand men. Then he marched back, +by Emmaus and Sichem, descended the hills and marched to Jericho; +where he was joined by Placidus, with the troops from Peraea. + +The city had been deserted by its inhabitants, and the Roman army +rested here for some time until, just as Vespasian was about to +march upon Jerusalem, the news arrived of the death of Nero and, +unwilling to weaken his army by besieging the city--strong in +itself, and defended by a host--Vespasian withdrew to Caesarea and, +for another two years, Jerusalem had time for preparation, or +submission. + +As Vespasian's march had, except when he was crossing the mountains +from Emmaus to Sichem, lain entirely in the plains, John had been +able to do but little. Half the force had been sent across the +Jordan, and its operations had greatly added to the difficulties +Placidus had met with in subduing Peraea. The other companies had +closely followed the march of Vespasian, had made many attacks upon +parties dispatched to pillage the country and, after the Romans +marched north again, besieged and captured some of the small places +in which they had left garrisons. + +They had united when the two Roman armies met at Jericho; and were +prepared to defend, desperately, the rugged mountain roads leading +thence to Jerusalem when, to their surprise, they saw the Roman +host moving away to the north again. + +As soon as they ascertained that Vespasian had, for the present, +entirely abandoned the idea of attacking Jerusalem, and that his +troops had gone into permanent quarters, John held a council with +the other commanders. Some were in favor of remaining in arms, and +of constantly attacking the Roman garrisons. Others were for +scattering and returning to their homes--from which they had now +been absent three months--until the Romans again set themselves in +motion against Jerusalem. Opinions were about equally divided, and +John remained silent until all had spoken. Then he said: + +"I think that we had better disperse. If we remained in arms, we +might gain some successes, we might surprise and slay some Roman +garrisons; but the others would speedily prepare themselves against +attack, by strengthening their walls and taking every precaution. +But, did we succeed in destroying the garrisons in every one of the +towns they have captured, of what benefit would it be? It would +rather excite the Romans yet more against the people. Yet more +would they march through the land, burning, destroying, and +slaying. They would turn the country into a desert; and either +slay, or carry away all the people captives. We should irritate +without seriously injuring the Romans; and the very people, whose +sufferings we should heighten by our work, would turn against us. + +"Now that the whole country has been scoured, all the towns which +have resisted destroyed, and all the men who defended them put to +the sword, there may be breathing space for the land, until the +Romans advance against Jerusalem. It may be that those in Jerusalem +may come to terms with the Romans, in which case there need not be +any more bloodshed. Therefore, I say that it seems to me that it +would be wrong to continue the war, so long as the Romans rest +peacefully in their camps; but should Jerusalem have need of us in +her defense, every one of us will again take the field." + +John's counsel was finally adopted. Many of the men were longing to +return to their homes, where they knew that they would be welcomed, +and honored, for the deeds they had performed; for although they +had achieved no grand successes, they had done much by compelling +the Romans to keep together, and had thus saved many towns from +plunder and destruction. Their operations, too, had created a fresh +sensation of hope, and had aroused the people from the dull despair +in which they were sinking. + +Had messengers been now sent out on all sides, a great multitude of +men would have collected; but John knew well that numbers would be +of no avail, and that in a pitched battle the Romans could defeat +many times their number of the undisciplined and ill-armed Jews. + +John himself stood even higher, in the estimation of his followers, +than he did at the commencement of the campaign. His own band had +been particularly successful, and had several times encountered +parties of the Romans almost equal to themselves in numbers. His +plans had been always well laid, and on no occasion had the Romans +cut off and killed any numerous parties. Altogether, the justness +of his views had been established by experience, the men had gained +confidence in themselves and in him, and now only regretted that +they had had no opportunity of attacking the Romans in anything +like equal numbers. + +Therefore, when the news spread that John was of opinion that the +wisest course was for them to return to their homes, and there to +hold themselves in readiness to reassemble, whenever the Romans +moved against Jerusalem; the decision was willingly accepted and, a +few hours after the Roman column had marched out from Jericho, the +Jewish companies started for their respective homes, all promising +to take up arms again, when the signal was given. Although the +success that had attended them had not been so great as they had +hoped, it had been sufficiently marked to inspire them with +confidence in themselves, and their leader. But few lives had been +lost; and they had learned that, so long as they persisted in the +tactics their leader had laid down, there was but little chance of +the Romans striking a heavy blow at them. + +Surprise was mingled with joy, in the greetings John received on +his return home. + +"No disaster has befallen your bands, I hope, John?" Simon asked, +anxiously. "We heard that the Romans had reached Jericho; and we +have been praying the Lord, night and day, for his protection for +you--believing that you would doubtless fall upon the enemy, as +they marched through the mountains towards Jerusalem." + +"We should have done so, father, and already had taken up a +position on the heights commanding the roads; but there was no +fighting, simply because Vespasian has marched away with his army +to Caesarea, and will not, as we believe, make any movement against +Jerusalem this year." + +"The Lord be praised!" Simon said, piously. "There is time yet for +the city to repent, in sackcloth and ashes, for its sins; and to +come to such terms with the Romans as may save the Temple." + +"So far as I have heard, father, Jerusalem is little likely either +to repent or to negotiate. The news of what is passing there is +even worse than that which the Rabbi Solomon told us; but I will +not pain you by talking of these matters, now. + +"You have heard what we have been doing. We have done no great +deeds, but we have harassed the Romans sorely, so that they could +not say that they held the country beyond the flight of their +arrows. We have taken many cities where they had left small +garrisons. We have cut off very many small parties, have captured +many flocks and herds which they had carried off, and have lost but +few men while inflicting much damage. Moreover, we have gained +experience and confidence and, when the time comes for fighting +hand-to-hand with the Romans, we shall enter upon the struggle +without fear." + +"But what can have induced the Romans to retire, when almost within +sight of Jerusalem?" + +"Partly, no doubt, because Vespasian considered it better to let +the Jews go on slaying each other, than to waste his strength in +killing them; but partly, I believe, because of news from Rome. We +heard a rumor that a messenger had arrived in the Roman camp, with +news that Nero is dead; and Vespasian may well wish to keep his +army together, to watch the course of events." + +This was, indeed, Vespasian's main object in retiring; and for +nearly two years he kept his army in hand, waiting for his +opportunity, while Galba, Otho, and Vitellius in turn gained and +lost the imperial crown. John remained at home, except that he went +out with the companies in the spring of 69; when Vespasian, for a +time, set his troops in motion. As before, the Romans marched down +into the south of Judea, and reduced the country on the western +shore of the Dead Sea; while Cerealis entered Idumea and completely +subdued it, so that there now remained only the towns of Herodium, +Masada, Machaerus, and Jerusalem itself which still remained +unconquered. + +John's troops had pursued precisely the same tactics as in the +previous year; and had contented themselves with harassing the +Romans whenever the latter entered difficult country, and in +preventing them from sending out small foraging parties. John +himself would not have called his men under arms, as he saw that no +real advantage was gained; but the men were eager to go, and he saw +that there was a considerable advantage in their continued practice +in arms, in the quickness with which they worked together, and in +the confidence which they had in themselves. + +The company suffered but slight loss in the operations; but John, +himself, had an adventure which nearly cost him his life. +Vespasian, with the bulk of his army, was encamped at Hebron; while +Titus was at Carmelia, near the Dead Sea. John's company were in +the hills near Hebron; and he, wishing to examine the Roman +position at Carmelia, and the road between the two towns, started +by himself. He carried, as usual, his buckler, two light javelins, +and a sword. The road led down a series of precipitous valleys; and +John, knowing that he could instantly gain the hills, out of reach +of danger, did not hesitate to descend into it. + +He was now nineteen, strong, active, and sinewy. The position in +which he had been placed had given him the habit of command, and +the heavy responsibility which had devolved upon him had added two +or three years to his apparent age. He was taller than most of his +countrymen, broad across the shoulders, and a match for any single +man under his command. + +As he walked along, he heard the sound of a horse's footsteps, +coming up the valley. He sprang a short distance up the craggy +hillside, and then paused as a single horseman came in sight. As he +came a little nearer John saw, by the splendor of his armor, and +that of the horse he was riding, that he was an officer of rank and +distinction. John scorned to fly before a single foe, and stood +quietly watching him, till he came nearly abreast of him. The +horseman reined up his charger and, without a word, seized his +javelin and hurled it at the armed figure, standing on the hillside +some thirty feet above him. John sprang lightly aside, and the +missile struck the rock with a sharp clang, close to him. In +return, he threw a javelin at the Roman, which struck him on the +armor and fell, blunted. + +"Well thrown!" the Roman said, calmly, and hurled a second javelin. + +The stroke was too swift to avoid; but John threw up his buckler so +as to receive it at an angle, and the javelin glanced off, and flew +far up the hillside. This time John sprang down the rocks, with the +activity of a goat, till within a few feet of the Roman. Then he +threw his javelin at the horse, with so true an aim that it struck +at a spot unprotected by armor, and the animal fell. + +With an exclamation of anger, the Roman threw himself off, as the +animal sank beneath his legs. He had already drawn his sword, as +John approached, and stood at once on the defensive. Without a +moment's hesitation John sprang at him, and the combat commenced. +John trusted to his activity, while the Roman had an immense +advantage in his heavy armor--John being unprotected, save by his +buckler. The Roman stood calm and confident, while John +attacked--moving quickly, round and round him; springing in to +deliver a blow, and then bounding out of reach of the sweep of the +heavy Roman sword. For some time the combat continued. John had +received two or three severe wounds while, although the Roman was +bleeding, his armor protected him from any serious hurt. + +Suddenly John sprang in at the Roman, throwing himself with all his +force against him. He partially warded, with his sword, the blow +which the Roman struck at him as he came in; but his weapon was +beaten down, and the Roman blade cut through his thick headdress. +But the impetus of his spring was sufficient. The Roman, taken by +surprise by this sudden attack, tottered, and then fell with a +crash, John falling on the top of him. + +John was almost blinded by the blood which streamed down his +forehead, from the blow he had last received; but he dashed it +aside, seized his long knife and, in another moment, would have +slain his enemy, had not the latter exclaimed: + +"Strike, Jew! I am Titus." + +John was confused by the last blow he had received, but a thousand +thoughts whirled in his brain. For an instant he grasped the knife +more firmly, to slay the son of the chief enemy of his country; +then the possibility of carrying him away a captive occurred to +him, but he saw that this was out of the question. Then another +thought dashed across his brain. + +"Swear," he said, in Greek, for he was ignorant of Latin, "by your +gods, to spare the Temple, or I will kill you." + +There was a moment's hesitation. The knife was already descending, +when Titus exclaimed, in the same language: + +"I swear to do all in my power to save the Temple." + +John's knife fell from his hand. He tried to rise to his feet; then +everything seemed to swim round, and he fell, insensible. Titus +rose to his feet. He was shaken by the fall; and he, too, had lost +much blood. Panting from his exertions, he looked down upon his +prostrate foe; and the generosity which was the prevailing feature +of his character, except when excited in battle, mastered him. + +"By Hercules," he exclaimed, "that is a gallant youth; though he is +a Jew, and he has well-nigh made an end of me! What will Vespasian +say, when he hears that I have been beaten in fair fight, and owe +my life to the mercy of a Jew? How they think of their temple, +these Jews! Why, I would not injure it, were it in my power to do +so. Have not our emperors sent offerings there? Besides, we war not +with the gods of the people we conquer. + +"Ah, here come Plancus and the others! This will be a lesson to me +not to trust myself, alone, among these mountains again. It is the +first time I have done so, and it shall be the last." + +A messenger had, in fact, arrived at Carmelia, with an order from +Vespasian for him to go to Hebron--as he had a desire to speak with +him--and ordering Plancus, a centurion, to follow with his troop, +Titus had sprung on his horse, and ridden off at once. + +The Romans were soon upon the spot, and were loud in exclamation of +surprise and grief at seeing their commander covered with dust, and +bleeding from several wounds, while his horse lay dead beside him. +To their inquiries whether he was seriously wounded, Titus replied, +lightly: + +"I am more dirty than hurt. Though, had it not been for my armor, +there would have been a different tale to tell, for these Jews +fight like demons. As you see, he first slew my horse with his +javelin, and then we fought it out on foot." + +"Was there only this one?" the centurion asked, in surprise, +pointing to John's body. + +"Only that one," Titus said, "and he nearly got the best of it. +Fighting with these Jews is like fighting with wild cats, so fierce +are they in the attack, and so quick are their movements. I tell +you that, for a moment, my life was at his mercy. + +"See if he is dead, Plancus." + +"No, he breathes," Plancus said, stooping over him. + +"Let four of the men make a litter, with their spears," Titus said; +"and take him down to Carmelia, and let my own leech attend him. I +would gladly save his life, if I can. I began the fray and, truly, +he has shown himself so gallant a young man that I would not that +he should die." + +Accordingly, when John opened his eyes, he found himself lying in a +Roman tent, where an old man was sitting by his couch; and a Roman +sentry pacing, backwards and forwards, before the entrance of the +tent. + +"Drink this," the old man said, placing a cordial to his lips. "You +need have no fear, you are in the camp of Titus; and he, himself, +has ordered that all attention shall be paid to you." + +John was too weak from loss of blood, and confused from the effects +of the blow on his head, even to feel the sensation of wonder. He +drank the potion, and closed his eyes again, and went off into a +sleep which lasted for many hours. It was not until the next day +that he thoroughly awoke. The leech continued to attend him and, at +the end of four days, he was able to sit up. + +Illustration: Titus Brings Josephus to See John. + +In the afternoon, he heard a clash of arms as the sentry gave the +military salute and, a moment later, Titus entered, accompanied by +one whom John instantly recognized as Josephus. John rose to his +feet. + +"I told you he was but a young man," Titus said to Josephus; "but +now that I can see him more nearly or, at any rate, more calmly, I +can see that he is little more than a lad; and yet, as you have +heard me say, he is a man of valor, and defeated me in fair fight." + +"I seem to know his face," Josephus said, and then addressed John +in Hebrew. + +"Who are you, young man?" + +"I am that John whom you saved in the storm, on the Sea of Galilee, +and who fought with you at Jotapata." + +"Is it possible?" Josephus exclaimed, in surprise. "I thought that +I, alone, was saved there." + +"I lay hidden with the boy Jonas, who told us of the track down to +the water," John said, quietly, "and have since then been fighting +the Romans. While you--" + +"While I have been their prisoner," Josephus broke in. "I know that +all my countrymen are enraged against me but, truly, without a +cause." + +Josephus then translated to Titus what John had told him, adding +that the young man had served him with zeal and devotion, and that +he had an affection for him. + +"Then I am the more glad that he has not lost his life," Titus +said, courteously. + +"And now, my antagonist," he said, in Greek, to John, "I would tell +you that I bear you no malice; though you have shed my blood, and +brought somewhat of disgrace upon me--for truly it is a disgrace +for a Roman soldier, in heavy armor, to be overthrown by one who +carries but a light buckler as his protection. But I love a brave +man, even though he be a foe; and I honor those who are fighting +for what they believe to be the cause of their country. If I let +you go free, will you promise me not to bear arms again, against +Rome?" + +"I could not promise that, Titus," John said, quietly, "even were +you to order me, now, to be taken out and slain. It is the first +duty of all Jews to fight for the Holy City and, so long as I live, +and the Holy City is in danger, so long I must fight for her. These +are the commands of my religion; and I cannot, even to save my +life, disobey them." + +"I will not press you to do so," Titus said; "though Josephus, +here, will tell you that Rome is not an unkind lord, even to those +who have most withstood it. When you are well enough to leave us, +you shall go unharmed; though, could you have seen your way to +desist from hostility to us, I would have been a good friend to +you; and have promoted you to posts of honor, and that in countries +where you would not have been opposed to your countrymen. But if +you will not have it so, you are free to go; and remember that, at +any time, you have a friend in Titus; and that when this war is +over, and peace restored, if you come to me I will repeat the offer +that I have now made. + +"Moreover, you may rely upon it that, in the last extremity, I will +do all in my power to save the Temple; and indeed, in no case would +I have injured a building so venerable and holy." + +Titus then left the tent, but Josephus remained for some time, +talking with John. + +"I suppose you, like all others, have looked upon me as a traitor, +John?" he began. + +"Not so," John replied. "I knew that you fought bravely, at +Jotapata; and risked your life many times in its defense I knew, +too, that you from the first opposed the revolt against the Romans, +and it is not for me to judge as to your position among them." + +"I am a prisoner," Josephus said. "I am kindly treated, indeed, and +Vespasian frequently asks my opinion of matters connected with the +country; but surely I am doing more good to my countrymen, by +softening his heart towards them, than if I had died at +Jotapata--still more if I had been, like John of Gischala, a +scourge to it. I trust even yet that, through my influence, +Jerusalem may be saved. When the time comes Vespasian will, I hope, +grant terms; and my only fear is that the madness of the people +will lead them to refuse all accommodation, and so force him into +taking the city by storm--in which case it cannot but be that +terrible misery will fall upon it, and that vast numbers will lose +their lives. + +"And now, tell me how you are, at home, and what you have been +doing since I last saw you." + +John thought it as well not to mention, to Josephus, the prominent +part which he had taken among those who had so harassed the Romans; +but he said that he had joined the bands raised in Galilee, and had +been among those who had hung upon the Roman flank and rear, +wherever they marched. + +"The Jews have behaved with prudence and valor," Josephus said, +"and I now see that it would have been far better had I trusted +more in mountain warfare, than in fenced cities; but it would have +been the same, in the end. I know the Jews. They would have fought +bravely, for a time; but the thought of each would have turned to +his farm and his vineyard, and they would never have kept the field +for any length of time. The Romans therefore would, in the end, +have tired them out and, perhaps, the fate which has befallen the +cities that resisted would have fallen upon all the land. + +"And now remember that, although but a prisoner, I have much +influence with Vespasian; and that at any time, should you fall +into their hands again, I will exert that influence in your favor." + +John remained about ten days at Carmelia. Titus had several +interviews with him, and at the last of these said: + +"I have conceived a strong friendship for you, young man, and would +willingly do you service. Take this signet ring. At all times, and +in all places, it will pass you to my presence. If a Roman sword be +raised to strike you, and you show this ring, it will be lowered. +That you should fight against us to the last is, as you believe, +your duty; and as I myself would so fight for Rome, I seek not +further to dissuade you. But when resistance is at an end, and it +is useless any longer to hold the sword, your death cannot benefit +your country. Therefore, when that time comes--if not before--use +this ring, and come to me; and I will grant you not only your own +life, but that of such friends as you may wish to save. + +"I do not forget that you had my life in your hands, and that you +spared it. It is a life that may yet be valuable to Rome; and +though even now, when I speak of it, my cheek flushes with +humiliation, I am none the less grateful. It pleases me to see +that, in the conversations you have had with my officers, you have +borne yourself so modestly, and have made no mention of this; for +although I, myself, do not hesitate to speak of the mishap which +befell me, it is pleasant for me that it is not spoken of by +others. Believe me, then, that at all times you will find a sincere +friend in Titus." + +John replied in suitable terms; thanking Titus for the promises he +had made, and disclaiming any merit in his success--which was but +the last effort of a beaten man, and was the result of the sudden +surprise, and not of any skill or bravery. + +Upon the following morning, Titus furnished him with an escort far +beyond the confines of the camp; and then, taking to the hills, +John rejoined his companions, who had long since given him up as +dead. They could scarce credit him, when he told them that he had +been lying wounded, in the hands of the Romans; and were still more +surprised at hearing that he had been engaged in a personal +encounter with Titus. Of this John gave no details, beyond the fact +that, after throwing their javelins, the horse of Titus had fallen, +and they had fought hand to hand until, at last, he had fallen, +bleeding from a severe wound; and that Titus himself had been +wounded. + +"But how was it he did not slay you?" was the question. "It seems +almost a miracle, especially after wounding Titus, himself." + +"Doubtless the Lord put it into his heart to spare me," John said. +"Titus only said that he preserved my life as that of a brave foe. +The Romans esteem bravery and, as I had withstood Titus for some +time, he was pleased to think that I had done well." + +"Ah, if you had killed him, what rejoicings there would have been +in the land!" + +"No," John said earnestly, "there would have been mourning. You may +be sure that Vespasian would have avenged his blood upon all the +people. It would have been a misfortune, indeed, had Titus fallen. +It is well that it ended as it did." + +John was, however, far too weak to be able to accompany his band +upon its rapid marches; and therefore, for a time, resigned its +command to one of his captains. He determined to go, until his +strength returned to him, to a small community of which he had +heard as dwelling in an almost inaccessible valley on the shore of +the Dead Sea. He was told that they took no part in the commotion +of the times, and that they lived in such poverty that even the +robbers of Simon had not cared to interfere with them. They +practiced hospitality to strangers, and spent their lives in +religious observances. As John had often heard from his father of +this sect--which was at one time numerous in the land, but had been +sorely persecuted by the priests and Pharisees--he determined to +stop for a time among them, and learn somewhat of their doctrines. + +Accompanied by Jonas, he made his way across the mountains to the +valley where they dwelt. As wounded, and a stranger, he was +received without question among them; and a little hut, similar to +that in which they all lived, was placed at his disposal. These +huts were ranged in a square, in the center of which stood a larger +building, used as their synagogue. Here John remained nearly a +month; and was greatly struck by their religious fervor, the +simplicity and austerity of their lives, and the doctrines which +they held. He learned that the more rigorous of the sect abstained, +altogether, from the use of meat and wine; and that celibacy was +strictly enjoined. Those who married did not separate themselves +from the sect, but were considered as occupying an inferior +position in it. Their food was of the simplest kind, and only +sufficient to sustain life. The community raised the grain and +vegetables necessary for their use. + +But it was the religious doctrines which they held which most +greatly surprised John. They attached no importance, whatever, to +the ceremonial law of the Jewish Scriptures; maintaining, in the +first place, that the Scriptures had a spiritual signification +wholly apart from the literal meaning, alone understood by the +world; and that this spiritual meaning could only be attained by +those who, after long probation, were initiated into the inner +mysteries of the sect. + +In the second place, they held that the written law had been +altogether superseded by the coming of the great prophet, Christ, +who had been put to death by the Jewish priests. John learned that +there were already large numbers of Jews who had accepted the +doctrines taught by this Christ, although they did not all embrace +the strict rules and modes of life of the ascetics. John was +greatly struck with their doctrines, although he did not hear +enough to do more than to dimly understand their meaning. He +determined however that, if he went safely through the war, he +would inquire further into these mysteries. + +At the end of the four weeks, his strength being comparatively +restored, he took his leave of the community, and rejoined his +band. + + + +Chapter 13: The Test Of Devotion. + + +Although John was able to join his companions, he was still far +from strong; and was glad to have a valid excuse for handing over +his command to his lieutenant, and returning home. The campaign was +nearly over; and he could not have followed those rapid marches +through the hills which enabled the band to appear, now on one +side, now on the other of the Romans, and to keep them in a +constant state of watchfulness. + +At the same time, he was glad of the excuse to leave for, although +he had declared to Titus that he would fight again in defense of +Jerusalem, he felt that, after the kind treatment he had met with, +he could not take part in the daily skirmishes with the Romans. + +Mounting a donkey, which was among the many animals captured in the +attacks upon the Romans' baggage train, John bade adieu to his +comrades; and with Jonas, now grown into a sturdy young fellow, +started for home. He journeyed by the road to the west of +Jerusalem, in order to avoid the bandits of Simon son of Gioras; +who still scourged the neighborhood of Masada and Herodium, lying +between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. He avoided all the towns in +which there were Roman garrisons; for the bandages on his head +would have shown, at once, that he had been engaged in fighting. He +traveled slowly, and was six days before he arrived home. + +"This time, my son, you have not come home unharmed," Simon said. +"Truly you are a shadow of your former self." + +"I shall soon be strong again, father; and these are honorable +scars, for I had them in single combat with Titus, himself, in the +valley between Hebron and Carmelia." + +"Then how is it that you live to tell the tale, my son?" Simon +asked, while exclamations of wonder broke from Mary and Martha. +"Surely God did not deliver him into your hands?" + +"I wish not to boast, father, and I have told the true story to +none; but truly God did deliver him into my hands." + +"And he is dead?" Simon exclaimed. + +"No, father, he lives, for I spared him." + +"Spared him!" Simon exclaimed. "What, you did not avenge the +miseries of our people upon the son of the oppressor?" + +"No, father; and I rejoice that I did not for, had I done so, +surely the Romans would have avenged his death upon all the land. +But I thought not of that, at the time. I was sore wounded, and +bleeding, and my sense was well-nigh gone; but as I knelt upon him, +and lifted my hand to slay him, a thought--surely sent by God, +himself--came into my mind, and I said: + +"'Swear by your gods that you will spare the Temple, or I slay +you;' and he swore that, so far as lay in his power, he would spare +the Temple." + +An exclamation of joy burst from his hearers, and Simon said: + +"Verily, my son, God has raised you up as a deliverer of his +Temple; not, as some hoped, by defeating our oppressors, but by +binding one of their mightiest ones to do it no harm." + +"I pray, father, say naught of this to anyone. It is between +ourselves, and Titus, and the Lord; and I would not that any man +should know of it. Moreover, Titus behaved with the greatest +generosity to me. + +"My victory over him was but a surprise. I was sorely wounded, +while he was almost unharmed, when I sprang upon him and, by the +sudden impulse, threw him to the ground, he being burdened with his +heavy armor I had but strength to hear him swear, and then I fell +as one dead. Titus might have slain me, as I lay; but he not only +did me no harm but, when his soldiers came up, he gave me into +their care, and directed me to be carried down to his camp, placed +in a tent, and tended by his own leech and, when I recovered, he +let me go free." + +"Truly it is a marvelous tale, John. That you should have fallen +into the hands of the Romans, and come forth unharmed after +discomfiting their leader, is as marvelous to me as Daniel coming +unharmed from the lions' den. We will say naught of your story, my +son. Tell us only what you told your own companions, so that we may +know what to say, when we are questioned." + +"I told them the truth, father, although not all the truth. I said +that I met Titus, and fought with him; that I wounded him somewhat; +but that, by virtue of his armor, I did him no great harm, while he +wounded me so seriously that I fell down as one dead; that he, +feeling that I had fought like a brave foeman, had me carried to +his tent, and tended and cared for until I was able to go forth; +when he sent me away free, and unharmed." + +"Truly men say of Titus that he is clement and merciful, and +therein differs much from Vespasian his father; and the clemency +which he showed to the people of Gischala, and other places which +he has taken, proves that is so; but this deed of his to you shows +that he must have a great heart, for few men of rank, and warlike +fame, who had been discomfited by one yet scarce a man, but would +have left him by the road to die, so that none might know what had +happened." + +"Titus made no secret of it, father," John said. "He told Josephus, +in my hearing, that I had spared his life. He said naught of the +oath which he had taken; but I know that he will keep it as far, as +he said, lies in his power." + +"What is he like?" Mary asked. + +"He is not of very tall stature, but stoutly built, and strong. His +face--clean shaved, as is their custom--has a pleasant and kindly +expression, that tallies with his disposition, for he is greatly +beloved by his soldiers. In action they say he is brave to +rashness, quick to anger, but as quickly appeased. Had he been in +command of the Roman legions, they would have been not less +formidable in the fight and, perhaps, when the passions of Titus +were roused, not less savage; but they would not have wrought such +wholesale cruelty and destruction as they have done." + +"It is rarely that pity enters into the heart of a Roman," Simon +said; "and yet, it is hardly for us to complain for, when we +crossed over the Jordan and conquered Canaan, we put all to the +sword, and spared none. It may be that in future times, if wars do +not altogether cease in the world, they will be waged in another +spirit; but so far, from the commencement of the world until now, +it has ever been the same--war has brought desolation and +destruction upon the vanquished." + +The next morning John went early into the garden; not that he was +strong enough for heavy work, but in order that Mary might, as +usual, join him there. + +"Do you know, John," she said, after their first greeting, "you +have made me happier than I have been, for some time." + +"How is that, Mary?" + +"It seemed to me, John, that you were getting away from me." + +"Getting away, Mary!" he repeated; "how do you mean?" + +"You were becoming a great leader, John. I was proud that it should +be so, proud to think that you might become a deliverer of the +nation; and then it would have been meet and right that you should +take to yourself, as a wife, a daughter of one of the great ones of +the land." + +"Mary!" John exclaimed, indignantly. + +"It might have been necessary, John. The tillers of the soil can +marry where they please. Those who have power must wed for other +reasons than that of love. They must make alliances that will +strengthen their position, and it would have been your duty to have +sacrificed your love for the sake of your country. I should have +been the first to bid you do so. I should have been content to make +my sacrifice, too, on the altar of our country; content with +knowing that you, the deliverer of Israel, would have chosen me +from among all other women, had you only had your own pleasure and +happiness to consult. + +"But after what you told us yesterday, I think, perhaps, that this +need not be so; and that the way in which you were to save the +Temple was not the way we thought. Your mission has been +fulfilled--not by great victories, which would have made you the +hero of Israel--but in that contest in the valley, where no eyes +but those of God beheld you; and should the Temple be saved, no one +will know that you were its savior, save we who love you. +Therefore, John, once again I can look forward to the time when you +and I can dwell, together, in the house of your fathers." + +Mary was so earnest that John did not attempt to laugh her out of +her fancies, as was his usual way. He only said, quietly: + +"Perhaps you are right, Mary, as to my mission; but I do not think, +dear, that even had I been made ruler of Israel, I would have gone +elsewhere for a wife; but as you say, circumstances might have been +too strong for me and, at any rate, I am well pleased that there is +no chance of my happiness being set in one scale, and the good of +my country in another." + +"And now, John, I believe that you will come back to me, even if +Jerusalem falls. This is the third time your life has been spared +and, if we count that day when we were so nearly drowned together +on the lake, we may say that four times your life has been saved, +when it seemed all but lost; and I believe, now, that it will be +saved to the end." + +"I hope for your sake, Mary, and for my father and mother's, that +it may be so. I have so much to make my life happy that I will +assuredly do all in my power to save it. As you know, I have never +held with those who would destroy themselves, when all seemed lost. +My idea is: a man should fight until the last; but should, if +possible, provide some way of escape, when fighting is no longer of +avail. + +"Fortunately, if I do not fall in battle, I have a talisman which +will bring me safe to you. Titus has given me a signet ring which +will, at all times, procure me access to him. He has promised that, +at all times, he will be my friend and, should I fall into the +hands of his soldiers again, he will let me go free, and will give +me the lives of any who may be dear to me." + +"This Titus must be a noble enemy," Mary said, with tears in her +eyes. "He is strong, and kind, and generous. Had such a man been +raised up as the leader of our people, instead of the leader of our +foes, how different it might have been!" + +"Yes, indeed," John agreed; "truly we are sheep without a shepherd; +nay, we are sheep whose leaders are ravening wolves, who devour +their own flock." + +The time passed, quietly and happily save for the grief which the +tidings of the terrible doings in Jerusalem caused. The two years' +respite which the city had obtained, when Vespasian marched away +from Jericho, instead of being turned to good account, had brought +even greater evils than before. Simon son of Gioras, having wasted +all the country towards Idumea, began to threaten Jerusalem. The +Zealots marched out against him, but were driven back to the city. +Simon--thinking that the Idumeans, believing him to be occupied +with Jerusalem, would have grown careless--suddenly entered their +country at the head of twenty thousand men. + +The Idumeans flew to arms, and met him with twenty-five thousand +men; and a furious battle ensued, in which neither party gained the +advantage. Simon retreated, and the Idumeans dispersed. Simon +raised an even larger force than before, and advanced with forty +thousand irregular troops, besides his heavy-armed soldiers. They +took Hebron, and wasted Idumea with fire and sword. + +The Zealots, in Simon's absence, succeeded in capturing his wife; +and carried her off to Jerusalem, hoping by this means to force him +to come to terms. On receiving the news he hurried back with his +forces, surrounded Jerusalem, and slew everyone who ventured to +leave the city--except some whom he sent back, having cut off their +hands, to tell those within that, unless his wife were returned, he +would storm the city and slay every man within it. Even the Zealots +were alarmed at his threats and fury, and restored his wife; +whereupon he withdrew. + +This had happened in the previous year, before Cerealis and +Vespasian had entered Idumea. As soon as the Romans had retired, +Simon again sallied forth from Masada, collected a great number of +Idumeans, and drove them before him into Jerusalem. Then he +encamped before the city, and slew all who quitted the protection +of its walls. + +Thus, within, John of Gischala and his followers tyrannized over +the people, murdering and plundering till they were sated with +blood, and knew not what to do with their booty; while Simon cut +off all flight beyond its walls. But at length the party of John +became divided. The Idumeans, who were in considerable numbers in +the city, rose and drove John and the Zealots into the palace built +by Grapte; which had served them as their headquarters, and the +storehouse where they piled up the treasure which they had amassed +by the plunder of the people. But the Idumeans attacked them here, +and drove them into the Temple--which adjoined the palace--and took +possession of all the plunder that they had amassed. The Zealots, +however, were in great force in the Temple, and threatened to pour +out and destroy the whole city by fire. The Idumeans called an +assembly of the chief priests, and they decided to admit Simon +within the gates. + +The high priest, Matthias, went out in person to invite him to +enter and, amidst the joyful greetings of the population, Simon +marched through the gates with his followers, and took possession +of the upper city. This was the last and most fatal mistake of the +people of Jerusalem. The sheep had invited a tiger to save them +from a wolf; and now two tyrants, instead of one, lorded it over +the city. As soon as Simon entered, he proceeded to attack the +Zealots in the Temple; but the commanding position of that building +enabled them to defend themselves with success. + +To obtain still further advantage, they reared four strong towers; +and on these placed their military engines and bowmen, and so swept +the approaches to the Temple that Simon was forced to desist from +the attack. All through the winter, fighting went on without +intermission, and the streets of Jerusalem ran with blood. + +A further division took place among the Zealots. Eleazar--who had +been their head before the arrival of John of Gischala--jealous of +the supremacy of that leader, got together a party and suddenly +seceded from the main band, and seized the inner court of the +Temple. Now, fighting went on within as well as without the holy +buildings. The party of Eleazar were well supplied with provisions, +for the stores in the Temple were of immense extent. They were too +few in numbers to sally out to attack the party of John; but they +were strong enough to defend the walls of the inner court, which +looked down upon the rest of the Temple, and enabled them to +command the positions of John's troops. + +Day and night the struggle went on. The inner court of the Temple +was desecrated by blood--dying men lay on the steps of the altar, +and the shouts and songs of the savage soldiery rose, where the +hymns of praise of the Levites had been wont to ascend. + +John's troops continued their attacks upon the inner court, while +they successfully resisted the assaults of Simon; who tried to take +advantage of the internecine strife raging between the two parties +of Zealots, but the superior height of the positions held by John's +men enabled them to defend themselves as successfully as did those +of Eleazar against their attacks. + +And yet, during all this terrible strife, the services of the +Temple were continued, in the midst of blood and carnage. Free +ingress and egress were, as at all times, permitted to the pious; +who made their way unharmed through the fierce combatants, passed +over the pavement slippery with blood, and laid their offering on +the altars--often paying with their lives for their pious services, +being smitten down, even as they prayed at the altar, by the +missiles which the followers of John poured incessantly into the +inner court. + +Sometimes, drunk with the wine obtained from the abundant stores of +the Temple, the followers of Eleazar would sally out against John. +Sometimes John would pour out against Simon, wasting and destroying +the city as far as his troops could penetrate. Thus, the Temple +became surrounded by a waste of ruins, held in turn by one or other +of the factions. Even the rites of burial, so dear to the Jews, +were neglected; and the bodies of the slain lay, unburied, where +they fell, And yet, the forces of the three factions which thus +desolated the city were comparatively small and, had the wretched +population who were tyrannized over by them possessed any +unanimity, or been led by any man of courage, they could easily +have overthrown them all; for Simon's force amounted to about +fifteen thousand, that of John to six thousand, while Eleazar could +count but two thousand four hundred men, and yet in Jerusalem were +gathered a population amounting, with the original inhabitants and +the fugitives from the country around, to over a million people. + +At length, the long interval of suspense was drawing to an end. At +the death of Vitellius, Vespasian had been called upon, by the +general voice of the people, to ascend the throne; and had, some +time before, left for Rome to assume the imperial purple. He was +joyfully acknowledged by the whole Roman empire; who had groaned +under a succession of brutal tyrants, and now hailed the accession +of one who was, at once, a great general and an upright and able +man; and who would rule the empire with a firm, just, and moderate +hand. When winter was over, Vespasian sent Titus--who had, in the +meantime, gone to Egypt--back to Palestine, and ordered him to +complete the conquest of Judea. + +The Twelfth Legion--that which had been defeated, when under the +command of Cestius--was ordered to reinforce the three already in +Judea; and the gaps made in the ranks during the war, and by the +withdrawal of the men who had accompanied Vespasian to Rome, were +filled by an addition of two thousand picked troops from +Alexandria, and three thousand from the legions stationed on the +Euphrates. The Syrian kings sent large contingents; and Tiberius +Alexander--an intimate friend of Titus, a man of wisdom and +integrity--was appointed to high command. His knowledge of the +country, which he had once governed, added to his value in the +Roman councils. + +As soon as the news spread that the Roman army was collecting for +its march against Jerusalem, the signal fires were kindled on the +hills above Gamala; and John, after a tender farewell to his +parents and Mary, set out with Jonas. In twenty-four hours, the +band had again assembled. When they were gathered, John addressed +them. He pointed out to them that the campaign that they were now +about to undertake differed widely from those which had preceded +it. + +"Hitherto," he said "you have but skirmished around the Romans, and +have run but comparatively little danger; but now, those who go +with me must make up their minds that they are going to Jerusalem +to die. It may be that the Lord will yet deliver the Holy City from +her enemies, as he delivered it in days of old. But you know what +has been doing in Jerusalem, for the last four years; that not only +the streets, but the altar itself have been flooded with the blood +of the people, how the Jews themselves have desecrated the Temple, +and how wickedness of all kinds has prevailed in the city. + +"Thus, you can judge for yourselves what chance there is that God +will interfere on behalf of the people who have forsaken and +insulted him. If he does not interfere, in my opinion the fate of +the city is sealed. I have seen the Romans at work, at Jotapata and +Gamala; and I know how the strongest walls go down before their +engines and battering rams. Moreover I hear that, in the wars which +have been raging within the gates, the magazines--which contain +sufficient food to last even her great population for years--have +been entirely destroyed; and thus those who go to defend her have +to face not the Roman sword only, but famine. + +"Therefore, I say that those who go up to defend the Temple must +make up their minds that they go to die for the Temple. It is for +each of you to ask yourselves whether you are ready to do this. I +ask no one to go with me. Let each, before it is too late, ask +himself whether he is ready to do this thing. I blame none who find +the sacrifice too great. It is between them and their conscience. + +"Therefore, I pray you, let all tonight disperse among the hills, +each by himself, so that you may think over what I have said; and +let all who may come to the conclusion that they are not called +upon to go to certain death, in defense of the Temple, depart to +their homes without reproach from their comrades. Each man here has +done his duty, so long as hope remained. Now it is for each to +decide, for himself, whether he feels called upon to give his life +for the Temple." + +Silently the crowd dispersed, and John joined the captains, and +passed the night with them. + +"I fear we shall have but a small gathering in the morning," one of +them said, as they sat down by the fire. "Many will fight as long +as there is hope, but few will go down to certain death." + +"It is better so," John said. "Misery and ruin have fallen upon the +country. As you saw for yourselves, Judea and Idumea are but +deserts, and more have fallen by famine and misery than by the +sword. We would not have our nation blotted out; and as, in the +days after the captivity in Babylon, God again collected his people +and restored their land to them, so it may be his intention to do, +now, when they have paid the full penalty of their disobedience and +wickedness. Therefore, I would not that any should go down to die, +save those who feel that God has called them to do so. + +"Already the victims who have fallen in these four years are +well-nigh countless; and in Jerusalem there are a million +people--sufficient, if they have spirit and strength and the Lord +is with them--to defend the walls. Thus, then, however small the +number of those who may gather tomorrow, I shall be content. Had +the Romans advanced against Jerusalem at the commencement of the +war, there was not a Jew capable of bearing arms but would have +gone up to the defense of the Holy City; but now, their spirit is +broken by the woes that have come upon them, and still more by the +civil wars in Jerusalem herself. A spirit of hopelessness and +despair has come upon us. It is not that men fear to die, or that +they care to live; it is that they say: + +"'What matters it whether we live or die? All is lost. Why should +we trouble as to what may come upon us?'" + +"Then you no longer believe in your mission, John?" one of the +party said, gloomily. + +"I have never proclaimed a mission," John said. "Others have +proclaimed it for me. I simply invited a score of men to follow me, +to do what we could to hinder the Romans; and because God gave us +success, others believed that I was sent as a deliverer. + +"And yet, I believe that I had a mission, and that mission has been +fulfilled. I told you not, before; but I tell you now, for your +comfort, what happened between me and Titus--but I wish not that it +should be told to others. I told you that I fought with him; and +that, being wounded and insensible, I was carried into his +tent--but that was not all. When we fought, although sorely +wounded, I sprang upon him and we fell to the ground, I uppermost. +I drew my knife, and would have slain him; when the Lord put a +thought into my mind, and I called upon him to swear that he would +spare the Temple. + +"He swore that, if it lay in his power, he would do so. Then he was +but in inferior command. Now he is general of the army, and should +be able to keep his oath. Thus, if I had a mission to save the +Temple, I trust that I have fulfilled it; and that, whatever fate +may fall upon the city, the Temple will yet remain erect and +unharmed." + +John's words gave new life and energy to the before dispirited men +gathered round him. It seemed to them not only that the Temple +would be saved, but that their belief in their leader's mission as +a deliverer was fully justified; and a feeling of enthusiasm +succeeded that of depression. + +"Why did you not tell us before? Why did you not let all your +followers know what a great thing you had done, John?" one of them +asked, presently. + +"For two reasons," John replied. "I did not wish to seem to exalt +myself, or to boast of the success which God had given me over the +Roman; for it was assuredly his strength, and not mine, for I +myself could do naught against the strength and skill of Titus and, +as I told you, was wounded nigh to death, while he received small +hurt. In the next place I thought that, if I made it public, it +would be noised abroad through the land; and that Titus, when he +heard that all men knew that he had been worsted in fight with a +Jew, might repent of his oath--or might even ask to be sent to some +other command, so that he might not be called upon to keep it." + +John's companions agreed that the second reason was a valid one, +though they did not agree that the first should have weighed with +him. + +"It is not by hiding a light under a bushel," one of them said, +"that men gain the confidence of their followers. The more men +believe in their leaders, the more blindly will they follow him, +the greater the efforts they will make for him. It was the belief +in your mission which gathered eight thousand men on these +mountains to follow you; and the proof that you have given us that +that belief was well founded, and that you had a mission to save +the Temple--the knowledge that you had, single handed, forced the +Roman general to swear an oath to save the Temple--would have so +heightened that enthusiasm that they would have followed you, had +you bidden them attack the whole Roman army. I agree that, for your +second reason, it was wise to say nothing of what took place; but +your first was, I think, a mistaken one." + +"At any rate," another said, "the hand of God is plainly marked in +the matter; for it has placed Titus in full command, and has thus +given him the power of carrying out the oath which he swore. Now, +my friends, we can go up with light hearts with John to Jerusalem +for, though we may die, yet do we feel assured that the Lord +purposes to save the Temple; and that, one day, he will restore the +glories of Judah." + +In the morning, as John had expected, the number of those who +gathered at the sound of the trumpet was comparatively small. The +night's reflection, the feeling that the sacrifice of their lives +would be of no avail, and the dull despair that had seized the +whole nation had had their effect and, of the eight thousand men +who had gathered there the night before, but six hundred now obeyed +the summons. + +These gathered, stern and silent, but with an expression of +desperate resolution on their faces. At the earnest request of his +captains, John allowed them to go among the men and to tell them +that, although the manner in which it was done was a secret, John +had given to them undoubted proofs that he had a mission from God; +and that they believed that, whatever might happen to Jerusalem, it +was the Lord's will that the Temple should be saved. The joyous +expression of their leaders' faces, even more than their words, +assured their followers of their sincerity. Their spirit rose, and +a renewed feeling of enthusiasm seized them; and when, an hour +later, John took his place on a rock to address them, the shouts of +greeting which broke forth showed him how great was the change in +their spirit. + +"My friends," he said, "I greet you who have decided to die with +me, if need be, in defense of Jerusalem. I blame not those who have +gone. They would not have gone, had the Lord required them to stay; +but to you he has spoken, and has told you that he has need of your +services. Henceforward, we will act as one band--a band of men +inspired with one thought, and one aim. And now, though our numbers +may not be great, yet a force so composed of men who hold their +lives as naught may do wonders. You remember how Gideon sent the +greater part of his army away and, with a mere handful, defeated +the hosts of the enemy! + +"We look not for victory; but we will show the Romans what men can +do to avenge their bleeding country--what deeds Jews can perform, +when fighting for the Temple. We shall go into Jerusalem. There we +will hold aloof from all parties. If we are attacked, we will +defend ourselves. But our aim will be to act as a body apart from +others, ready to undertake the most desperate services, and to set +an example of courage and devotion. + +"Now let us count our numbers, and arrange ourselves anew into +companies." + +It was found that the bands composed of men from Tiberias, and the +other cities of the lake, had entirely disappeared; and that those +who had stayed were principally hardy dwellers among the hills. +They were again divided into twenty companies of thirty men each +and, after examining their arms, and seeing that all were well +provided, John gave the order, and the band set off. + +Keeping on the eastern side of Jordan they stopped at a large +village, near the ford opposite Jericho; and here a quantity of +grain was purchased, and was made up into sacks, each weighing +fifty pounds. + +"The granaries that remain will be principally in the hands of the +troops of John, or Simon," John said; "and it is as well that we +should have our own store to depend upon. So long as we can buy +food, we will do so; and we can fall back upon our own magazine, if +necessary. It will be best for two or three of us to go into the +city, first, and find a quarter where we can lodge close together, +and as far removed as possible from the factions. Simon holds the +upper town, and John the Temple; therefore we will establish +ourselves in the lower town. We will not go in in a body, for they +might refuse us admittance; but as the Romans approach there will +be a stream of fugitives entering the city. We will mingle with +them, and pass in unobserved. + +"Many of the fugitives will be carrying the goods they most value; +and many, doubtless, will take in provisions with them. Therefore, +our sacks of grain will not excite attention." + +It was five years since John had journeyed up with his parents to +Jerusalem, and he therefore knew but little of the city. Some of +his followers, however, had been there more recently; and he picked +out four of these, one of whom was a captain of a company, to enter +the city and find a suitable post for them. The whole band crossed +the Jordan together, and made a detour to avoid Jericho, where the +Tenth Legion had been quartered during the winter. Then they took +their way up the steep road through the hills until, passing +through Bethany, they came out on the crest of the hill looking +down upon the Valley of Jehoshaphat; with the Temple rising +immediately opposite to them, and the palace of Agrippa, and the +crowded houses of the city, in the background. + +Illustration: John and his Band in Sight of Jerusalem. + +The men laid down their sacks, and stood for a long time, looking +at Jerusalem. Many were moved to tears, as they looked on the +stately beauty of the Holy City, and thought how low it had fallen; +with civil tumult within, and a terrible enemy approaching from +without. Even now, there is no fairer scene in the world than the +view of Jerusalem from the spot where they were standing--called +then, as now, the Mount of Olives--and it must have been superb, +indeed, in the days when the Temple stood intact, and the palaces +of Agrippa and Herod rose on the brow of Mount Zion. + +After a long pause they resumed their way, crossed the upper end of +the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and established themselves for the night +in a grove of trees near the Grotto of Jeremiah; four chosen men at +once entering the city, by the Old Gate on the north side of the +city. The country here--and indeed, all the hills around +Jerusalem--were covered with the houses of the wealthy, surrounded +by gardens and orchards. They belonged not only to the Jews of the +city; but to those who dwelt in foreign countries, and who were +accustomed each year to come to Jerusalem for the Passover, and to +spend some time there before they returned to their distant homes. +Even now, undismayed by the dangers of the times, and the knowledge +that the Romans would shortly besiege the city, pilgrims were +arriving from all the cities of Asia Minor, Greece, and Egypt, for +the time of the Passover was close at hand. + +At the foot of the walls, and on the slopes around, large numbers +of pilgrims were encamped--the rich in gorgeous tents, the poor in +shelters constructed of boughs or carpets. This overflow of people +was an occurrence which was witnessed every year, on the same +occasion; but its proportions were this time of greater magnitude +than usual, partly owing to the difficulty of procuring lodgings in +the town, owing to the crowds of fugitives there, partly because +many thought it safer to camp outside, and to enter the city only +to pay their devotions, and take part in the ceremonial, than to +put themselves wholly into the power of the ruffians of Simon and +John. + +In the following morning the men returned, and reported that they +had found a spot in the inner lower town, between the Corner Gate +and the Gate of Ephraim in the second wall, where was a large +house, inhabited now but by two or three persons. Here a great +number of them could take up their quarters, while the others could +find lodging near. The reason why so many houses were empty there +was that it was somewhat exposed to the irruptions of Simon's men +from the upper town, as they frequently came down and robbed those +who entered the city at the Damascus Gate, from which led the great +north road. + +Crowds of fugitives were making their way by this road to the city, +flying before the advance of the Romans; who were, they said, but a +few hours' march in their rear. Many were men, coming to take their +part in the defense of the city; but the great proportion were old +men, women, and children, flying for refuge. John shook his head, +as he watched the stream of fugitives, for he well knew the horrors +that would befall the besieged town. + +"Better a thousand times," he said to Jonas, "that these poor +people should have remained in their villages. They have nothing +which would tempt the cupidity of the Roman soldiers, and no evil +might have befallen them; whereas now they will perish by famine or +disease, or be slain by the Romans, besides consuming the food +which would have sustained the fighting men. Were I master of +Jerusalem I would, when I heard the Romans were approaching, have +cleared out from the city all who could not aid in the defense. It +would have seemed a harsh action; but it would have been a merciful +one, and would greatly strengthen the power of resistance." + + + +Chapter 14: Jerusalem. + + +Mingling with the crowd, John and his followers made their way +through the Damascus Gate into Jerusalem, and followed the Damascus +Street to the Gate of Ephraim. An air of sombre misery pervaded the +whole population. In their hearts the greater portion of the +population had, for many months, been longing for the approach of +the Romans. Even death would be preferable to the misery which they +suffered. There were but few people in the streets; for all +remained in their houses, with closed doors, save when necessity +drove them out to make purchases. Turning sharp round by the wall, +the members of the band made their way along by it, until they were +met by one or other of those who had gone on in advance, and were +conducted to the house which had been hired for them. + +The inhabitants of the houses near looked out of their windows in +alarm, when they saw so many armed men arriving; but they gained +courage, on observing their quiet and orderly demeanor; and doors +were presently unbolted, and men came out to inquire who were the +newcomers. When they were told that they were from Galilee and +Peraea, and had come down only to fight for the Holy City--that +they would harm no one, and had nothing in common with any of the +factions--confidence was restored, and offers were at once made to +take in ten, fifteen, or twenty men, according to the size of the +houses; for the people soon saw that the new arrivals would prove a +protection from the attacks and insults of small numbers of Simon's +men--who had hitherto pervaded the lower town, breaking into +houses, robbing and murdering wheresoever they chose. + +The grain was all stored in the house that had been hired; and here +John took up his quarters, with the men of his own company and +those of Asher, one of his bravest and most determined captains. +The rest were all accommodated in houses in the same street. And as +this, like most of the streets of Jerusalem, was very narrow, John +felt that it could be defended against an attack by a greatly +superior force. + +It was but half an hour after the band had been settled in their +quarters that a shriek was heard at the end of the street. John ran +out in time to see a woman struck down; while a body of some twenty +half-drunken soldiers, with drawn swords, were trying to force in +the door of a house. John sounded his bugle, and there was a rush +of armed men into the street. John put himself at the head of the +two companies with him, and advanced against the soldiers, and +sternly ordered them to desist. The soldiers, astonished by the +sudden appearance of so large a body of armed men, drew back in +astonishment. + +"Who are you?" one, who seemed to be their leader, asked. + +"It matters not who I am," John said, quietly. "It is enough, as +you see, that I have a force here sufficiently strong to make +myself obeyed. This street, henceforth, is mine; and beware of +attempting plunder or violence here, for whoever does so surely +dies!" + +Muttering threats below their breath, the soldiers sullenly +withdrew. An hour later, one of the inhabitants ran in to inform +John that a large body of men were coming down from the upper city. +John immediately called his men to arms and, at their head, took up +his position at the end of the street. + +Ere long, a crowd of soldiers were seen approaching. At their head +strode one whom John at once guessed to be Simon, himself. When he +arrived within ten paces Simon stopped, surprised at the compact +order and resolute appearance of the band which filled the street. + +"Who are you?" he asked John, imperiously. + +"My name is John, and I am generally called John of Gamala, +although that is not my birthplace." + +Simon uttered an exclamation of astonishment; for the tales of +John's attack upon the Roman camp at Gamala, and of his subsequent +actions against the Romans, were well known in Jerusalem. + +"You are but a lad," Simon said, contemptuously, "and John of +Gamala must be a warrior!" + +"I am John of Gamala," John repeated, quietly, "and these men are +part of my band. We have come down to defend Jerusalem, since there +is no more to be done in the open country. We wish to interfere +with none, to take part with no faction, but simply to defend the +city. We war with the Romans, and not with Jews. We assault no one, +but woe be to him who assaults us! Here are six hundred of us, each +man ready to die; and though you have twenty men to one, yet will +we withstand you, if you meddle with us. + +"By tonight, the Romans will be outside the walls. Is this the time +that Jews should fall upon each other, like wild beasts?" + +Simon hesitated. The idea of opposition excited him, as usual, to +fury but, upon the other hand, he saw that this determined body +were not to be overcome, save with great loss, and he wanted his +men for his struggles with the Zealots. + +"You are not in correspondence with John of Gischala?" he asked, +doubtfully. + +"I am in correspondence with none," John said. "As I have told you, +we come only to fight for Jerusalem; and will take no part, on one +side or other, in your dissensions. We have taken up this street, +between this gate and the Corner Gate, and this street we will +hold." + +Simon still hesitated. He saw that, round this nucleus of +determined men, the whole of the citizens of the lower town might +gather; and that he might be forced to confine himself to the upper +town. This, however, would be of no great importance, now. The +inner, lower town was the poor quarter of Jerusalem. Here dwelt the +artisans and mechanics, in the narrow and tortuous lanes; while the +wealthier classes resided either in the upper town, where stood the +palaces of the great; or in the new town, between the second and +third walls. + +The new town had, indeed, until lately been a suburb outside the +walls. Agrippa had begun the third wall--which was to inclose +this--and, had he been allowed to build it according to his design, +he would have made Jerusalem absolutely impregnable, save by +famine; but the authorities at Rome, knowing how turbulent were the +population of Jerusalem, and foreseeing that at some time they +might have to lay siege to the city, had forbidden its construction; +and the new wall had been hastily erected by the Jews, themselves, +after they had risen and defeated Cestius, four years before. This +wall inclosed a vast number of villas, with gardens and open spaces, +now thickly tenanted by the temporary habitations of the fugitives +and pilgrims. + +The lower town, then, contained but little to tempt the cupidity of +Simon's troops. Its houses had, indeed, been ransacked over and +over again; and Simon reflected that, even should his men be +prevented from descending into it, it would matter but little +while, as it was separated from the upper town by the Tyropoeon +Valley, and the first wall, no rising there could be a formidable +danger to him. Still, it galled him to be resisted and, had it not +been that the Romans were close at hand, he would at once have +given his men orders to attack the strangers. + +He stood for some minutes, stroking his beard, and then said: + +"I will give you no answer, now. I will think over what you say, +till tomorrow, then we will talk again." + +"I doubt not what your decision will be," John said. "You are a +brave man, Simon; and although you have done much harm to the Jews, +yet I know that you will defend Jerusalem, to the end, against the +Romans. You need feel no jealousy of me. I aspire to no leadership, +or power. I am here only to fight, and six hundred such men as mine +are not to be despised in the day of trial. Should the Romans march +away, baffled, before the walls, I, too, shall leave; and you, who +remain, can resume your mad struggles, if you will. But I think +that, in the presence of the enemy, all strife within the city +should cease; and that we should be as one man, in the face of the +Romans." + +Simon looked with surprise, and some admiration, at the young man +who so boldly addressed him. Savage and cruel as he was, Simon was +a man of the greatest bravery. He had none of the duplicity and +treachery which characterized John of Gischala, but was +straightforward and, in his way, honest. As only his picture has +come down to us, as described by the pen of Josephus who, at the +time of his writing his history, had become thoroughly a Roman, and +who elevated Titus and his troops at the expense of his own +countrymen, great allowance must be made for the dark colors in +which he is painted. The fact that he was regarded with affection +and devotion by his troops, who were willing to go to certain death +at his orders, shows that at least there must have been many good +qualities in him; and history records no instance of more desperate +and sustained bravery than he exhibited in defense of Jerusalem. + +The frankness of John's speech, instead of angering him, pleased +him much. + +"Enough," he said. "I need no further time to reflect. A man who +had thought of treachery would not speak so boldly, and fearlessly, +as you do. Let us be friends. + +"I have often wondered what sort of man was the John of Gamala of +whom I have heard so much, and who has so long kept the field +against the Romans; and although I wonder greatly at seeing you so +young a man, yet I rejoice that so valiant a fighter should be +here, to aid us in the struggle. Here is my hand, in token of +amity." + +John took the hand held out to him, and a shout of satisfaction +rose from the armed men on either side--the followers of John being +rejoiced that they would not be called upon to engage in civil +strife, those of Simon well satisfied that they were not to be +called upon to attack a body of men who looked such formidable +antagonists. + +Just at this moment, a man rode in at the gate, saying that the +Romans were but two miles distant, and would speedily make their +appearance over the Hill of Scopus. Simon ordered a party of his +men to proceed at once to Damascus Gate, and to close it as soon as +the Romans were visible. Then he turned again to John. + +"Come up with me," he said, "to the Palace of Herod. From its +summit, we can see the enemy approaching." + +Giving orders to his men to lay aside their arms, and calling Jonas +to accompany him, John without hesitation turned to accompany +Simon. The latter had hardly expected him to accept his invitation, +and the readiness with which he did so at once pleased and +gratified him. It was a proof of fearlessness, and a testimony to +John's belief in his faith and honor. John of Gischala, treacherous +himself, would not have placed himself in his power, whatever the +guarantee he gave for his safety; while he himself would not have +confided himself to John of Gischala, though the latter had sworn +to his safety with his hand on the altar. + +John, himself, was struck with the rugged grandeur of Simon's +appearance. He was far above the stature of ordinary men, and of +immense strength; and there was, nevertheless, an ease and +lightness in his carriage which showed that he was no less active +than strong. His face was leonine in expression. His long hair fell +back from his forehead, his eyebrows were heavy, his eyes were gray +and clear; with a fierce and savage expression when his brows met +in a frown, and his lips were firmly set; but at other times frank, +open, and straightforward in their look. The mouth was set and +determined, without being hard; and a pleasant smile, at times, lit +up his features. He was a man capable of strong affections, and +generous impulses. + +He was cruel, at times; but it was an age of cruelty; and Titus +himself, who is held up as a magnanimous general, was guilty of far +more hideous cruelties than any committed by Simon. Had the latter +been master of Jerusalem from the first, and had not the granaries +been destroyed in the civil war, the legions of Titus would never +have achieved the conquest of the city. + +Ascending the steep slope of the valley, they passed through the +gate in the first wall and, turning to the right, entered the +Palace of Herod, which was at once a royal dwelling, and a fortress +of tremendous strength. Much as John's thoughts were otherwise +occupied, he could not help being struck by the magnificence and +splendor of this noble building; but he said nothing as Simon +strode along through the forum, passed out beyond the palace +itself, entered the strong and lofty tower of Phasaelus, and +ascended to its summit. + +An involuntary exclamation burst from John, as he gained the +platform. From the point on which he stood, he commanded a view of +the whole city, and of the country round. Far below, at his feet, +lay the crowded streets of the inner town; between which and the +outer wall the ground was thickly occupied by houses of the better +class, standing half-embowered in trees. Close beside him rose the +stately towers of Hippicus and Mariamne. Behind him was the Palace +of Herod, standing on the ground once occupied by the Castle of +David. On the east the Palace of Agrippa partly obscured the view +of the Temple; but a portion of the building could be seen, +standing on its platform on the summit of Mount Moriah. To its +left, and connected with it by two lines of cloisters, was the +castle of Antonia while, still further along, was the fort known as +Acra. Behind the Palace of Herod, and its superb gardens, were +scattered the palaces and mansions of the wealthy Jews and +strangers which, with their gardens, occupied the whole of the +upper part of Mount Zion. On the lower slope of Mount Moriah, lying +between the Valley of Jehoshaphat and that of the Tyropoeon, was a +densely-populated suburb known as the New Town. Westward, beyond +the Tower of Hippicus, lay the valley of Hinnom, with the Dragon +Pool glistening in the sun while, at a distance of four or five +miles, to the southward could be seen the village of Bethlehem. The +whole country outside the walls was a garden, with countless +villas, mansions, and groves of trees. + +For some minutes, John looked round in admiration of the scene, +while Simon stood with his eyes fixed upon the road crossing Mount +Scopus. Suddenly he uttered an exclamation, and John joined him, +and looked in the direction in which he was gazing. The white line +of the road was darkened by a moving mass, sparkling as the sun +shone on arms and armor. + +"They come, at last," Simon said and, as he spoke, cries of wailing +and lamentation were heard from the walls, far below them. + +The four years that had elapsed, since danger first threatened +Jerusalem, had deepened the impression in the minds of the Jews +that the enemy would not be permitted to approach the Holy City. It +was true that their faith had been sorely shaken, by many strange +prodigies. A strange light had shone about the altar and the +Temple, and it was said that voices had been heard from the Holy of +Holies, saying, "Let us depart hence." The Beautiful Gate of the +Temple, which required the strength of twenty men to close it, had +opened of its own accord. War chariots and armies had been seen +contending in the clouds; and for months a great comet, in shape +like a flaming sword, had hung over the city. Still men had hoped, +and the cry from the watchers that the Roman army was in sight +struck dismay among the inhabitants. There were still many without +the walls. Some of these rushed wildly into the gates, and entered +the city; while the wiser fled away to the hills, and made their +way to their homes. + +Titus, as he reached the brow of Mount Scopus, reined in his horse +and looked for some time, in silence, at the great and magnificent +city which extended before him; and there can be little doubt that +he would fain have spared it, had it been possible. Even a Roman +could not gaze on the massive beauty of the Temple, unmoved. It was +the most famous religious edifice in the world. From all parts, +pilgrims flocked to it; and kings made offerings to it. It was +believed by the Jews to be the special seat of their deity; and the +Romans, partly from policy, partly from superstition, paid respect +and reverence to the gods of all the nations they subdued, and +annual offerings had been sent by Rome to the Temple. + +Titus may well have wished to spare the city the ruin and misery of +a siege, to preserve the Temple intact, and to hand over to King +Agrippa, uninjured, his palace and capital. In all the wide +dominions of Rome, there was not a city which approached Jerusalem +in beauty and grandeur; and Titus must have felt that whatever +honor would accrue to him, from its conquest, would be dearly +purchased by the linking of his name, to all time, as the destroyer +of so magnificent a city. Similar emotions were felt by the group +of officers who rode with Titus, and who reined up their horses as +he did so. With them, the military point of view was doubtless the +most prominent; and as they saw, from their lofty vantage ground, +how the deep valleys of Hinnom and Jehoshaphat girt the city in on +either side, and how stately and strong were the walls and towers, +they may well have felt how mighty was the task which they had +before them. + +The scene was calm and peaceful. No sound of warlike trumpets came +from the walls, no signs of an enemy appeared without; and Titus +rode on, past the deserted villas and beautiful grounds that +bordered the road, until he neared the Damascus Gate. He was +accompanied by six hundred horse, for the legions had encamped in +the Valley of Thorns, near the village of Gaboth Saul, some four +miles from Jerusalem. + +The walls appeared deserted; but Titus, having experience of the +desperate courage of the Jews, paused at some little distance from +the gate and, turning to the right, entered a lane which ran +parallel to the wall, and made his way towards the Tower of +Psephinus--or the Rubble Tower--at the north-eastern angle of the +outer wall. Suddenly, a gate near the Tower of the Women was thrown +open, and a crowd of armed men dashed out. Rushing forward at the +top of their speed, some threw themselves across the road which +Titus was following; but most of them rushed in behind him, cutting +him off from the main body of his cavalry, and leaving him isolated +with but a few followers. + +The main body of Roman cavalry, furiously assailed, and ignorant +that Titus was cut off from them, turned and fled. Titus hesitated +a moment. In front of him was an unknown country. He knew not +whither the lane he was following led. Hedges rose on either side +and, even did he burst through the crowd in front of him, he might +be overwhelmed by missiles, as he rode on. Therefore, calling upon +his men to follow him, he turned round and dashed into the crowd +which barred his retreat. + +He wore neither helmet nor breastplate for, as he had only advanced +to reconnoiter, and with no thought of fighting, these had been +left behind. Yet, though javelins flew around him in showers, and +arrows whizzed close to him, not one touched him as he struck, +right and left, among those who barred his passage; while his +warhorse, excited by the shouts and tumult, trampled them under his +feet. + +In vain the Jews, astonished at his bravery, and still more so at +his immunity from harm amid the shower of missiles, strove to seize +him. He and his little band cut his way onward, those in front +drawing back with almost superstitious fear from his attack. Two, +only, of his followers were slain. One fell, pierced with numerous +javelins. Another was pulled from his horse and killed but, with +the rest, he emerged unharmed from among his assailants, and +reached his camp in safety. + +The soldiers of Simon--for it was his men who guarded this part of +the wall--returned with mingled feelings. They were triumphant that +they had caused the son of Caesar, himself, to fly before them. +They were humiliated that so great a prize should have escaped +them, when he seemed in their hands; and they had a superstitious +feeling that he had been divinely protected from their assaults. + +From their lookout, Simon and John had seen the Roman cavalry turn +off from the Damascus road into the lane, and had then lost sight +of them. Then they heard the sudden din of battle, and the shouts +of the combatants, and saw the Roman cavalry riding off in full +speed; but the clamor had continued and, in a short time, another +little party of horsemen were seen to issue from the lane, and +follow their companions. + +Simon laughed, grimly. + +"We have taught the Romans, early, that the wasps have stings and +that, if they think they are going to take the nest without +trouble, they will be mistaken. + +"And now, John, what do you advise? You were, they say, at Jotapata +and Gamala; and you have since shown how well you understand the +Roman tactics. I am a soldier, with an arm to strike but, so far, I +have not had experience in the Roman tactics at sieges. Tell me, +what would you do first, were you commander of this city?" + +"There is no doubt what is the first thing to be done," John said. +"It is the duty of all within this city to lay aside their feuds, +and unite in her defense. It is for you, as the strongest, to make +the first advance; and to send at once to John and Eleazar to +propose that, so long as the Romans are before the city, there +shall be a truce between you; and to arrange which part of the +walls shall be held by the soldiers of each. You must also arrange +to unite for common action, both in the defense and in attacking +them without the walls; for it is only by disturbing them at their +work, and by hindering them as they bring forward their engines of +war, that you can hope to hold the city. Strong as your walls may +be, they will crumble to ruins when the battering rams once begin +their work against them." + +Simon was silent for a minute, then he said: + +"Your advice is good. I will send at once to John and Eleazar, and +ask them to meet me on the bridge across the Tyropoeon, which +separates our forces." + +The sun was already setting, but the distance was short. Simon +advanced to the bridge and, hailing the Zealots on the other side, +said that he desired an interview with John, in reference to the +defense of the city; and that he pledged his solemn oath that no +harm should come to him. He sent a similar message to Eleazar. John +shortly appeared for, from the summit of Antonia, he too had +watched the advancing Romans, and felt the necessity for common +action for defense of the town. + +Eleazar refused to come. He would have trusted Simon, but to reach +the meeting place he would have had to pass through the outer +courts of the Temple held by John, and he knew that no confidence +could be reposed in any oath that the latter might take. He sent +word, however, that he was willing to abstain from all hostilities, +and to make common cause with the others for the defense of the +city. + +John of Gischala advanced alone on to the bridge, a wide and +stately edifice carried on lofty arches across the Tyropoeon +valley, from a point near the Palace of Agrippa to the platform of +the Temple. + +"Come with me," Simon said to his companion. + +John of Gischala paused in his advance, as he saw that Simon was +not alone. + +"Let one of your men come with you, if you like," Simon said, with +a grim laugh at his hesitation; "or two, or six, if you like." + +But John of Gischala knew that the eyes of the soldiers on both +sides of the bridge were upon him and, having faith in the oath of +Simon, he again advanced. + +John looked with curiosity at the man of whom he had heard so much; +and who, having been a scourge to Upper Galilee with his horde of +robbers, had now brought such misery upon Jerusalem. Without +approaching his rival in size and strength, John of Gischala was a +powerfully-built man. He did not shrink from danger, and had upon +occasion shown great bravery; but he relied upon craft, more than +force, to gain his ends. He possessed great power of oratory, could +rouse men's passions or calm them, at will. He could cajole or +threaten, persuade or deceive, with equal facility; was always +ready to break an oath, if it was inconvenient to keep it. Although +fond of power, he was still more greedy of gain. But in one +respect, he and Simon agreed: both hated the Romans, with an +intense and bitter hatred; both were ready to die in defense of +Jerusalem. + +"I think it is time, John," Simon said, "to cease from our strife, +for the present, and to make common cause against the enemy. If we +continue our dissensions, and the Romans in consequence take the +city, our names will be accursed, in all generations, as the men +who gave Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans." + +"I am ready to agree to a truce," John of Gischala said. "It is you +who have been attacking me, not I who have been attacking you; but +we need not talk of that, now. Is it to be an understood thing +that, if the Romans retire, we shall both occupy the positions we +hold now, whatever changes may have taken place; and we can then +either come to an understanding, or fight the matter out?" + +"Yes, that is what I would propose," Simon replied. "Whatever +changes may take place, when the Romans retire we occupy exactly +the positions we hold now. Will you swear to that, by the Temple?" + +"I will," John said. + +The two men each took a solemn oath to carry out the terms they +agreed upon and, throughout the siege, to put aside all enmity +towards each other; and to act together, in all things, for the +defense of the city. They then arranged as to the portion of the +wall which each should occupy, these corresponding very nearly to +the lines which they at present held. + +Simon held the whole of the third wall which, commencing from +Hippicus, the tower at the north corner of the high town, ran +northward to Psephinus--or the Rubble Tower--then eastward to the +Valley of Jehoshaphat, and again south to the Temple platform. The +second wall, inclosing the inner low town--or Inner Acra, as it was +sometimes called--was divided between the two. Simon also held the +first wall, from Hippicus right round at the foot of Zion across +the lower end of the Tyropoeon Valley, and round the outer low town +as far as the platform of the Temple. John held the Temple +platform, the middle low town, and some parts of the city +immediately adjacent, both on the south slope of Mount Moriah--or +Ophel, as this portion of the hill was called--and part of the +inner low town. + +The line, therefore, which Simon had to defend was vastly greater +than that held by John's troops but, in fact, the whole line +bordering the valleys of Hinnom and Jehoshaphat was practically +unassailable--the wall being built along the edge of precipices, +where it could not be attacked either with battering rams or by +escalade--and it was really the north face of the city, only, that +was exposed to serious assault. The outer wall on this side--that +against which the assault would first be made--was entirely +occupied by Simon's troops; but it was not anticipated that any +successful resistance could be made here, for the walls, hastily +raised by the Jews after turning out the Romans, were incapable of +offering a long resistance to such a force as was now to assail it. +It was, then, at the second wall that the first great stand would +be made; and John and Simon's troops divided this between them, so +that the division was fair enough, when it was considered that +Simon's force was more than double that of John. + +When this matter had been arranged, John of Gischala said to Simon: + +"Who is this young man who accompanies you?" + +"He is one who has done much more for the cause than either you or +I, John of Gischala; and indeed, hitherto it may be doubted whether +we have not been the two worst enemies of Jerusalem. This is John +of Gamala, of whom we have heard so often, during the last three +years." + +"This, John of Gamala!" John repeated, in a tone of incredulity; +"you are mocking me, Simon." + +"I mock no one," Simon said, sternly. "I tell you this is John of +Gamala; and when we think that you and I--men of war--have as yet +struck no single blow against the Romans, since I aided in the +defeat of the legion of Cestius--for you fled from Gischala like a +coward, at night, while I have been fighting for my own land, down +here--we may well feel ashamed, both of us, in the presence of this +youth; who has for three years harassed the Romans, burning their +camps, driving out small garrisons, hindering pillagers from +straying over the country, cutting off their convoys, and forcing +them to keep ever on the watch. + +"I tell you, John, I feel ashamed beside him. He has brought here +six hundred men of his band, all picked and determined fellows, for +the defense of the city. I tell you they will be no mean +assistance; and you would say so, also, had you seen how they drew +up today, in solid order, ready to withstand the whole of my force. +He is not of my party, or of yours; he comes simply to fight +against the Romans and, as I understand him, when the Romans +retire, he will leave, also." + +"That is certainly my intention," John said, quietly; "but before I +go, I hope that I shall be able to act as mediator between you +both, and to persuade you to come to some arrangement which may +free Jerusalem from a renewal of the evils which, between you, you +have inflicted upon her. If you beat back the Romans, you will have +gained all the honor that men could desire; and your names will go +down to all posterity as the saviors of Jerusalem and the Temple. +If you desire treasure, there is not a Jew but that will be ready +to contribute, to the utmost of his power. If you desire power, +Palestine is wide enough for you to divide it between you--only +beware, lest by striving longer against each other, your names go +down as those who have been the tyrants of the land; names to be +accursed, as long as the Hebrew tongue remains." + +The two men were silent. Bold as they were, they felt abashed +before the outspoken rebuke of this stripling. They had heard him +spoken of as one under the special protection of Jehovah. They knew +that he had had marvelous escapes, and that he had fought +single-handed with Titus; and the air of authority with which he +spoke, his entire disregard of their power, his fearlessness in the +presence of men before whom all Jerusalem trembled, confirmed the +stories they had heard, and created an impression almost to awe. + +"If we three are alive, when the Romans depart from before the +city," Simon said, in his deep voice, "it shall be as you say; and +I bind myself, beforehand, to agree to whatever you shall decide is +just and right. + +"Therefore, John of Gischala, henceforth I shall regard this not as +a truce, but as the beginning of peace between us; and our rivalry +shall be who shall best defend the Holy City against her foes." + +"So be it!" John of Gischala replied; "but I would that Eleazar +were here. He is an enemy in my midst; and just as, whenever I was +fighting with you, he fell upon me from behind; so will it be that, +while I am struggling with the Romans, he may be attacking me from +the inner Temple. He has none of the outer walls to defend; and +will, therefore, be free to choose the moment when he can fall upon +me, unawares." + +"Make peace with him, at any price," John said, "only put an end to +this strife, and let there be no more bloodshed in the Temple. How +can we hope for God's assistance, in defending the city, when his +altars are being daily desecrated with blood?" + +"I will see what I can do," John said. "Somehow or other, this +strife must be brought to an end; and it shall be done without +bloodshed, if possible." + +"There is another thing, John," Simon said. "Our comrade here has +been telling me that, from what he saw at Jotapata and Gamala, he +is convinced that by passive resistance, only, we cannot defeat the +Romans, but that we must sally out and attack them in their camps, +and at their work; and therefore let us agree that we will meet +here, from time to time, and arrange that, issuing together through +the gates in our portions of the wall, we may unite in falling upon +the Romans." + +"The counsel is good," John of Gischala said. "It will keep up the +courage of men, to fight in the open. Whenever an opportunity +presents itself, my men shall act with yours. You have given Titus +a lesson, today. The next time, we will divide the honor." + + + +Chapter 15: The Siege Is Begun. + + +The Fifth Legion--which had been stationed at Emmaus, halfway +between Jerusalem and Jaffa--marching the greater part of the +night, joined the Twelfth and Fifteenth at their halting place at +Gaboth Saul and, the next morning, the three advanced together. The +Twelfth and Fifteenth marched halfway down the Hill of Scopus, and +encamped together on a knoll; while the Fifth Legion encamped three +furlongs to their rear so that, in case of an attack by the Jews, +its weary soldiers should not have to bear the brunt of the +conflict. As these legions were marking out their camp, the Tenth +Legion--which had marched up from Jericho--appeared on the Mount of +Olives, and Titus sent word for them to encamp there. Thus +Jerusalem was overlooked, throughout its length and breadth, by the +Roman camps on the hills to the north and east sides. + +John had, at the earnest request of Simon, taken up his residence +with him in the Palace of Herod and, from the top of the Tower of +Phasaelus, watched the Roman legions at work. + +"It seems to me," he said to Simon, "that now is the time for us to +make an assault. The Romans raise veritable fortifications round +their camp and, when once these are completed, we can scarcely hope +to storm them; whereas, if we fall suddenly upon them, now, we can +fight on even terms. The legion on the Mount of Olives is widely +separated from the rest; and we might overcome it, before the +others could come to its assistance." + +"I agree with you," Simon said; "let us strike a blow, at once." + +Simon at once sent off to John, to propose that the latter should +issue out from the Golden Gate in the middle of the Temple +platform; while he, himself, would lead out his troops by the gate +to the north of that platform. In accordance with the suggestion of +John, he requested John of Gischala to place a watchman on a +conspicuous position on the wall, with orders to wave his mantle as +a signal to both parties to charge as, from his position, he would +be better able than they to see what the Romans were doing; and +both parties could see him, while they might be invisible to each +other. + +John of Gischala sent back, at once, to say that he approved of the +plan, and would join in it. Simon called his troops together +and--leaving the outer wall strongly manned, lest the Twelfth and +Fifteenth Legions might take advantage of the absence of so large a +portion of the garrison to make a sudden attack upon it--marched +towards the northeastern gate; being joined on the way by John, +with his band. They waited until a messenger came from John of +Gischala, saying that he was ready; then the gates were thrown +open, and the troops poured out. + +John had given strict orders to his men to keep together in their +companies, each under his commander; and not to try to maintain +regular order as one band, for this would be next to impossible, +fighting on such hilly and broken ground. Besides, they would be +sure to get mixed up with the masses of Simon's troops. + +At the same moment that Simon's force poured through the +northeastern gate, that of John of Gischala issued from the Temple +platform and, in rivalry with each other, both dashed down the +steep declivity into the bottom of the Valley of Jehoshaphat, and +then climbed the sharp slope of the Mount of Olives. Then with loud +shouts they fell, in wild disorder, each as he reached the spot, +upon the Tenth Legion. + +The Romans, anticipating no attack, and many of them unarmed as +they worked at the intrenchments, were unable to resist the fierce +onslaught. Accustomed to regular warfare, this rush of armed men +from all sides upon them surprised and disconcerted them. Every +moment added to the number of their assailants, as fresh combatants +continued to pour out from the city and, fighting stubbornly and +sullenly, the Romans were driven out of their half-formed +intrenchments up the slope, and over the crest of the Mount of +Olives. + +The Jews fought, regardless of life. Single men dashed into the +midst of the Romans and fell there, fighting fiercely. John's +compact companies hurled themselves upon the line, and broke it. +Simon fought desperately at the head of his men, cutting down all +who stood in his way. The Romans were wavering, and would soon have +broken into open flight, when rescue arrived. The general in +command had, immediately the Jews had been seen issuing out, sent +off a horseman to Titus with the news; and he, putting himself at +the head of his bodyguard, started instantly to their assistance. + +Falling suddenly upon the flank of the Jews, he bore them down by +the impetuosity and weight of the charge. In vain, Simon and John +of Gischala tried to rally their men; and John's bands, gathering +round him at the sound of his bugle, opposed a firm and steady +resistance. The Roman legion rallied and, ashamed of having been +driven back before the very eyes of Titus, attacked the Jews with +fury; and the latter were driven down the hill into the valley. + +Here, John's band refused to retire further. Simon and John of +Gischala rallied their troops, and an obstinate contest ensued; the +Romans being unable to push the Jews farther back, now that the +latter were, in turn, fighting with the ground in their favor. For +some time the battle raged. Then Titus, seeing that he could not +drive the Jews back into the city, ordered a portion of the Tenth +Legion to reascend the Mount of Olives, and complete the work of +fortifying their camp; so that, at the end of the day, the legion +could fall back to a place of safety. + +The watchman on the wall saw the movement, and thought that the +Romans were retreating. He waved his mantle wildly and, at the +signal, the Jews again burst down upon their foes, and fresh forces +poured down from the gates to their assistance. In vain, the Roman +line tried to hold the bottom of the valley. The Jews burst through +them, and drove them in disorder up the hill; Titus alone, with a +few followers, making a stand on the lower slopes. The Jews, +rushing on, surrounded his party and fell upon him from all sides, +while their main body swarmed up the hill, and the Romans, panic +stricken, dispersed in all directions. + +Victory seemed in the hands of the Jews, when some of the Romans +discovered that Titus was not with them; but was cut off, and +surrounded, at the bottom of the hill. They shouted to others, and +the news rapidly spread through the fugitives. Overwhelmed with +shame at having deserted their general, and knowing the severe +punishment which, according to Roman military law, would befall +them for their cowardice, the Romans paused in their flight. + +Their discipline came to their aid, and they quickly fell in, in +companies and, with a shout of fury, advanced upon the scattered +Jews; who, although vastly superior in numbers, had no order or +formation which would enable them to resist the downward impetus of +the solid masses of heavy-armed Romans. Again they were driven down +the hill; and the Romans, pressing upon them, found to their +delight that Titus and his band had successfully resisted the +attacks of their foes. + +The Jews were driven some distance up the side of the slope; and +there the combat was renewed until, seeing that they could make no +further impression upon the enemy, the Jews retired sullenly +through their gates into the city. They were, however, well +satisfied with their day's work. Numbers had fallen, but they had +inflicted heavy loss upon the Romans. They had forced one of the +legions to retreat, in fair fight; had all but captured Titus; and +had proved, to the Romans, the formidable nature of the task they +had undertaken. + +The next day, the 13th of April, was the day of the Passover; and +all Jerusalem prepared, as usual, to celebrate the day of the great +sacrifice. The gates of the Temple were, as usual, thrown open; and +the multitude thronged in to worship. John of Gischala had sworn to +Eleazar, as he had to Simon, to lay aside all hostility but, as +usual, he did not allow his oath to prevent him from carrying out +his designs. A number of his men concealed their arms under their +garments, and entered the Temple with the worshipers. + +At a signal, the swords were drawn and the cry of battle was +raised. Eleazar and his followers at once fled, in dismay, to the +vaults under the Temple. The multitude in the courts above, panic +stricken at the threatened conflict, strove to escape. Many were +trampled under foot and killed. Some were wantonly slain by John's +followers, to whom murder had become a pastime. + +When order was restored, John of Gischala went to the entrance of +the vaults, and shouted to Eleazar that he desired to keep his +oath, and would do him no harm; but that, for the general safety of +the city, he could be no longer permitted to hold the inner Temple +but must, with his men, take his share in the defense of the walls. +If Eleazar would agree to do this, he promised that no harm, +whatever, should be done to him or his followers. Eleazar, being at +the mercy of his foe, accepted the terms and, with his followers, +ascended into the Temple. + +For once, John of Gischala kept his word. Eleazar was permitted to +retain the command of his own two thousand men, but his force +henceforth formed a part of the Zealot army of John. Thus, from +this time forward, there were but two factions in the city. + +Josephus, always the bitter enemy of John of Gischala, speaks in +terms of the utmost reprobation of his conduct on this occasion; +and the occasion and manner in which the deed was effected cannot, +for a moment, be defended. At the same time, it must be admitted +that the occasion was an urgent one, that the existence of this +enemy in his midst crippled John of Gischala's power to defend his +portion of the city; and that the suppression of Eleazar's faction, +and the conversion of his troops from enemies into allies, was an +act of high policy, and was indeed a necessity, if Jerusalem was to +be successfully defended. + +The desecration of the Temple, however, upon so sacred an occasion +as the feast of the Passover, filled all pious Jews with horror; +and caused John to be regarded with even greater detestation than +before. For the opinion of the unarmed multitude, however, he cared +little. He had crushed the faction of Eleazar, had added two +thousand men to his strength; and was now ready, without fear of +trouble within, to face the Roman enemy without. + +The desperate sortie of the Jews had convinced Titus that, if +Jerusalem was to be taken, it must be by means of regular siege +operations, conducted with the greatest care and caution and, +having made a circuit of the city, he perceived that it was +impregnable, save on the north and northwestern sides--that is, the +part defended by the third wall. He therefore, reluctantly, gave +orders that all the villas, mansions, gardens, and groves standing +between that wall and the foot of Mount Scopus should be destroyed +and, placing strong bodies of troops opposite the gates, to prevent +any sortie of the defenders, he set the whole of the three legions +encamped on that side to carry out the work of destruction. + +A feeling of grief and dismay filled the city, at the sight of the +devastation that was being wrought; and there were very many among +the multitude who would gladly have avoided further evils, by +submitting to the Romans. But such an idea did not enter the heads +of the military leaders, and Simon determined upon another sortie. + +A number of the citizens were ordered to take their places upon the +walls, and to cry out to the Romans that they desired peace, and to +implore them to enter the town and take possession. In the +meantime, a number of Simon's men issued out from the Women's Gate +in confusion, as if expelled by the peace party. They appeared to +be in a state of extreme terror: sometimes advancing towards the +Romans, as if to submit to them; at other times retreating towards +the wall, as if afraid of putting themselves into the hands of the +Romans--but, as they neared the walls, they were assailed by a +shower of missiles from above. + +Titus suspected that a trick was being played, and ordered the +troops to stand fast; but the battalion facing the gate, seeing it +stand open, were unable to resist the impulse to rush in and take +possession. They therefore advanced, through the crowd of Jews +outside, until close to the gate. Then Simon's men drew out their +concealed weapons, and fell upon them in the rear; while a fresh +body of armed men rushed out from the gate, and attacked them in +front while, from the two flanking towers, a storm of javelins, +arrows, and stones was poured upon them. The Romans fought +desperately, but numbers of them were slain; and the rest took to +flight, pursued by the Jews, and did not halt until they reached +the tombs of Helen, half a mile from the walls; while the Jews, +with shouts of triumph, re-entered the city. + +John had taken no part in this sortie. He had lost more than fifty +men, in the fight on the Mount of Olives; and determined to hold +the rest in reserve, until they were needed in a moment of extreme +peril. The manner in which the bands had held together, and had +steadfastly resisted the Roman attacks, had greatly excited the +admiration of Simon. + +"I see now," he said, on the evening of the sortie, when talking +the matter over with John, "the secret of the successes you have +gained over the Romans. Your men fight as steadily, and with as +much discipline as they do; while they are far quicker in their +movements. They unite the activity of my men with the steadiness of +the Romans. I wish, now, that I had spent the last year in training +and disciplining my men, to act with equal steadiness and order; +but it is too late to try to do so, now. Each will do his best, and +will die fighting but, were I to attempt, now, to introduce +regularity among them, they would lose the fierce rush with which +they assault the Romans; without acquiring sufficient discipline to +enable them to keep their order, as yours do, in the confusion of +the battle." + +"Mine are all picked men," John said. "I had eight thousand under +my orders, during the last two years of fighting; but I bade all +leave me, when I advanced to Jerusalem, save those who were ready +and prepared to die. Therefore, I can rely upon every man, as upon +myself. + +"Unless I see some exceptional opportunity, I do not think I shall +lead them out beyond the walls again. The time will come, as the +siege goes on, when you will need a body of men to hold a breach, +or arrest the advance of a Roman column; men who will die, rather +than give way a foot. When that time comes, my band shall fill the +gap." + +"I think you are right," Simon agreed. "Your men are too good to be +wasted in desultory fighting. They shall be kept as a last +resource; and I know that, when the time comes, they can be relied +upon." + +The clearing of the ground occupied four days; and Titus then +determined to advance his camp nearer to the city, and fixed upon a +spot which was the highest on the plateau--a quarter of a mile to +the northwest of the Rubble Tower. Before moving into it, the +position was strongly fortified and, so much impressed was Titus, +by the sallies which the Jews had made, that he formed up his whole +army along the north and northwest side of the city. The +heavy-armed troops, three deep, were the first line. Behind them +came a rank of archers, and behind these the cavalry, three deep. + +Brave as were the Jews, they did not venture to sally out to +endeavor to break through this living wall; which stood all day, +immovable, while the baggage animals--aided by a great crowd of +artisans and camp followers--moved the war engines, reserves, and +baggage of the army from Mount Scopus down to the new camp. Here +the Twelfth and Fifteenth Legions, under Titus himself, took up +their position. The Fifth Legion, under the command of Cerealis, +formed their camp on a knoll, a quarter of a mile from the Jaffa +Gate, and divided from it by the Valley of Hinnom which is, here, +of no great depth. It lay about a third of a mile south of the camp +of Titus. The Tenth Legion remained on the Mount of Olives. Their +camp had now been very strongly fortified, and was in a position to +repel any attack that might be made against it. + +Now that his dispositions were complete, Titus determined to save +the city, if possible, from the horrors of siege. He therefore sent +Nicanor and Josephus, with a flag of truce, towards the walls to +offer them terms. No sooner had they come within bow shot than an +arrow was discharged from the wall, and struck Nicanor upon the +shoulder. The ambassador at once retired; and Titus, indignant +alike at the insult to his messengers, and the violation of the +flag of truce, immediately began to make preparations for the +siege. + +Could the population of the city have been consulted, they would +have declared, by an immense majority of voices, for surrender; but +Simon and John of Gischala, whose men held the walls, were absolute +masters of the city; and the inhabitants were to pay now, as they +had paid in the past, for their cowardice in allowing themselves to +be tyrannized over by a body of men whom they outnumbered by ten to +one. + +Titus, after a careful examination of the walls, determined to +attack at a spot between the Jaffa Gate and Psephinus. In former +times, all assaults of the enemy had been directed against the +north; and it was here, consequently, that the wall was strongest. +At its foot, too, a wide and deep fosse had been cut in the solid +rock: rendering it impossible for the assailants to advance to the +attack, until this was filled up. But, on the northwest, the walls +had not been made equally strong; nor had the fosse been continued +from Psephinus to the Jaffa Gate. It had no doubt been considered +that the projecting angle of the wall at Psephinus, and the +fortifications of the Palace of Herod, covered this portion of the +wall--which was, moreover, to some extent protected by the Valley +of Hinnom But between the top of the slope of that valley, and the +foot of the walls, was a level space of ground sufficiently wide +for the establishment of machines for breaching the wall. + +Here, therefore, Titus determined to make his attack. On the 22nd +of April, the troops began the work. Each legion was to erect a +bank, mount a battering ram, and construct a tower. A vast quantity +of timber was required, and the desolation already effected between +the north wall and Scopus was now widely extended; the whole of the +trees, for a great distance round Jerusalem, being cut down and +brought to the spot. The towers were constructed about ninety feet +in height, and with a wide face. They were put together beyond the +range of the missiles of the defenders; and were to be advanced, +upon wheels, up the bank until they neared the wall. As the three +banks approached the wall, hurdles covered with hides were erected +to protect the workers; and on each side javelin men and archers +were posted, together with the war engines for casting missiles. + +Simon was not idle. He possessed the war engines taken when Antonia +was surrendered by the Romans, and those captured from the legion +of Cestius; but his men had no experience in the working of these +machines. They could only manipulate them slowly, and their aim was +bad. They were able, therefore, to interfere but little with the +work of the Romans. The archers and slingers, however, did greater +damage, and killed many while, at times, the gate would be thrown +open, and Simon would dash out at the head of his men, and do much +damage before the Romans could drive him back within the walls. + +The Tenth Legion did more injury to the defenders than did the +others, being provided with more powerful war machines. Their +ballistae threw stones, weighing a hundred weight, a distance of a +quarter of a mile. The Jewish watchmen on the walls kept a vigilant +watch upon these machines and, each time a stone was coming, +shouted a warning; and the defenders threw themselves on their +faces, until the stone passed over. Even at night, the whiteness of +the newly-cut rock rendered the masses visible, as they flew +through the air; and Titus then ordered the stones to be painted +black, before they were discharged, and thus added to their effect, +as their approach could be no longer seen. + +Night and day, the Romans toiled at the work; night and day the +Jews, with missiles and sorties, hindered their approach; until the +banks had approached so close to the walls that the battering rams +would be within striking distance. Then the towers were brought up +and the rams began to strike their mighty blows upon the wall +while, from the top of the lofty towers, and from the stories +below, the archers and war machines poured a storm of missiles down +upon the defenders of the walls. + +As it was evident, now, that the danger lay solely in this quarter; +and that the whole strength of the besieged was needed here; Simon +sent to John of Gischala, to urge that the line of demarcation +agreed upon by them between their respective troops should no +longer be observed. John would not trust himself in the power of +Simon, but gave leave to his soldiers to go down and aid in the +defense; and they, who had been chafing at their forced inactivity, +while Simon's men were bearing the brunt of the fighting, went down +to take their share in the struggle. + +Regardless of the storm of missiles, the Jews maintained their +place upon the walls, shooting blazing arrows and hurling +combustibles down upon the Roman works; and executing such frequent +and desperate sorties that Titus was obliged to keep the greater +part of his force constantly under arms, and to gather round the +towers large bodies of archers and horsemen, to repel the attacks. +At length, a corner tower fell before one of the battering rams; +but the wall behind stood firm, and no breach was effected. +Nevertheless, the Jews appeared dispirited at this proof of the +power of the battering rams, and fell back into the city. + +The Roman legionaries, under the belief that the fighting was over, +for the evening, were drawn back into their camps. Suddenly, from a +small gate hitherto unnoticed by the Romans--situated at the foot +of the tower of Hippicus--the Jews poured out, with flaming brands +in their hands, and dashed at the Roman banks; sweeping the +defenders of the works before them, swarming up the banks, and +surrounding the towers, to which they endeavored to set fire. They +were, however, plated with iron outside, and the beams inside were +of so massive a description that the Jews were unable to set light +to them. + +While some of the Jews were striving to do this, the rest fell with +such fury upon the Roman troops--who hurried up to the protection +of their works--that they were driven back. A body of Alexandrian +troops only, posted near the towers, maintained themselves against +the attacks; until Titus with his cavalry charged down upon the +Jews who, although a match for the Roman infantry, were never, +throughout the war, able to resist the charges of the bodies of +heavy horsemen. Titus is said to have killed twelve Jews with his +own hand and, fighting desperately to the end, the assailants were +driven back into the city. One prisoner only was taken; and him +Titus, with the barbarity which afterwards distinguished his +proceedings during the siege, ordered to be crucified close to the +walls. + +Among those killed on the Jewish side was John, the commander of +the Idumeans, who formed part of Simon's force. He was shot by an +Arab, while he was parleying with a Roman soldier. He was a man of +great courage and excellent judgment, and his loss was a serious +one for the besieged. + +At night all was still, and silent. Both parties were exhausted +with their long and desperate struggle, and even the machines +ceased to hurl their missiles. Suddenly a terrific crash was heard, +and the very ground seemed to shake. Both parties sprang to arms: +the Jews, fearing that the wall had fallen; the Romans, not knowing +what had happened, but apprehensive of another of the sorties--which +they had begun to hold in high respect. + +Something like a panic seized them; until Titus, riding about among +them, reassured them by his presence and words. They knew, indeed, +that a repetition of the defeats they had suffered at the Jewish +hands would not be forgiven. The battalion which had been defeated, +at the sortie at the Women's Gate, had been sternly rebuked by +Titus; who had ordered the military law to be carried into effect, +and a certain number of the soldiers to be executed; and had only +pardoned them upon the intercession of the whole army on their +behalf. Therefore, the legionaries now fell into their ranks, at +the order of Titus, and drew up in order of battle; while parties +were sent forward to ascertain what had happened. + +It was found that a serious misfortune had befallen them. The Jews, +in their attack, had been unable to set fire to the towers; but +they had worked so vigorously, in their attempt to destroy the +bank, that they had weakened that portion of it upon which one of +the towers stood. This had given way, beneath the tremendous weight +resting upon it; and the great tower had fallen, with a crash, to +the ground. + +In the morning the combat recommenced but, although the Jews +exposed their lives on the walls unflinchingly, they were unable to +withstand the terrible shower of missiles poured upon them from the +remaining towers, or to interrupt the steady swing of the huge rams +which, day and night, beat against the walls. One of these, +especially, did material damage; and the Jews themselves christened +it "Nico," or the Conqueror. + +At length, wearied out by their efforts, disheartened by the +failure of their attempts to interfere with the work of +destruction, and knowing that the inner lines were vastly stronger +than those without, the Jews abandoned the defense of the tottering +wall, and retired behind their next line of defense The Romans soon +discovered that they were unopposed, and scaled the wall. As soon +as they found that the whole space between it and the second wall +was abandoned, they set to work and threw down a large portion of +the third wall, and took up their post inside. Titus established +himself at the spot known as the camp of the Assyrians, at the foot +of the Tower of Psephinus. + +As soon as his arrangements were completed, he gave orders for the +assault to be recommenced. The date of the capture of the outer +wall was on the 6th of May, fifteen days after the commencement of +the siege. The capture of Bezetha, or the new town, enabled the +Romans to make an attack directly on the Palace of Herod, on the +one side, and Mount Moriah upon the other; without first assaulting +the second wall, which defended the inner lower town. But two or +three days' fighting convinced Titus that these positions could not +be successfully attacked, until the lower town was in his power. + +The three great towers Phasaelus, Hippicus, and +Mariamne--desperately defended by Simon's soldiers--formed an +impregnable obstacle on the one side; while Antonia, and the steep +ascent up to the Temple platform, was defended with equal +stubbornness, and success, by the soldiers of John of Gischala. +Titus therefore prepared for the assault of the second wall. The +point selected for the attack was the middle tower on the northern +face, close to which were the wool mart, the clothes mart, and the +braziers' shops. + +There were no natural obstacles to the approach, and the battering +ram was soon placed in position, while a strong body of archers +prevented the defenders showing themselves above the parapet. The +wall was of far less strength than that which the Romans had before +encountered, and soon began to totter before the blows of the +battering ram. The Jews, indeed, were indifferent as to its fall; +for they knew that the possession of the inner town was of slight +importance to them, and that its fall would not greatly facilitate +the attack upon what was the natural line of defense--namely, the +heights of Zion and Moriah. + +For a short time, the Roman advance was delayed by the proceedings +of Castor, the Jewish officer commanding the tower which they had +assaulted. He, with ten men, alone had remained there when the rest +of the defenders had retired; and he got up a sham battle among his +men--the Romans suspending operations, under the belief that a +party of the defenders were anxious to surrender. Castor himself +stood on the parapet, and offered Titus to surrender. Titus +promised him his life and, when an archer standing near sent an +arrow which pierced Castor's nose, he sternly rebuked him. + +He then asked Josephus, who was standing beside him, to go forward +and assure Castor and his companions that their lives should be +spared. Josephus, however, knew the way of his countrymen too well, +and declined to endanger his life. But, upon Castor offering to +throw down a bag of gold, a man ran forward to receive it, when +Castor hurled a great stone down at him; and Titus, seeing that he +was being fooled, ordered the battering ram to recommence its work. +Just before the tower fell, Castor set fire to it; and leaped with +his companions--as the Romans supposed into the flames--but really +into a vault, whence they made their escape into the city. + +As soon as the tower fell, Titus entered the breach, with his +bodyguard and a thousand heavy-armed troops. The inhabitants, +almost entirely of the poorer class, surrendered willingly; and +Titus gave orders that none, save those found with arms upon them, +should be killed. The Romans dispersed through the narrow and +winding streets when, suddenly, Simon and his men poured down from +the upper city; and John, at the head of his band, issued from his +quarters. + +While some fell upon the Romans in the streets, others entered the +houses and rained missiles upon them from above; while another +party, issuing from the gate by Phasaelus, attacked the Romans +between the second and third walls, and drove them into their camp. +For a time, Titus and those in the lower town suffered terribly; +but at last Titus posted archers, to command the lanes leading +towards the breach, and managed--but with considerable loss--to +withdraw his troops through it. + +The Jews at once manned the wall, and formed in close order behind +the breach. Titus led his heavy-armed troops against it, but John +and Simon defended it with the greatest valor and, for three days +and nights, beat back the continued attacks of the Roman soldiers; +but at the end of that time they were utterly exhausted, while the +Romans incessantly brought up fresh troops. Even Simon--who had +fought desperately at the head of his men, and had performed +prodigies of valor--could no longer continue the struggle and, +slowly and in good order, the defenders of the breach fell back to +the upper city, and the lower town remained in the possession of +the Romans. + +In order to avoid a recurrence of the disaster which had befallen +them, Titus ordered a considerable portion of the second wall to be +leveled; so that the troops could, if necessary, pour in or out +without difficulty. But Simon had no thought of repeating his +sortie. A large number of his best men had already fallen, and he +determined to reserve his force for the defense of the almost +impregnable position of the upper city. + +Two hundred of John's band had fallen round the breach, he himself +had received several wounds, and the fighting strength of his band +was now but one-half of what it was at the commencement of the +siege. He had, before the Romans first entered the inner town, had +the remainder of his store of grain removed to the building in the +upper town which Simon had assigned to his band. It had as yet been +but little trenched upon, as Simon had ordered that rations, +similar to those issued to his own men, from the few granaries +which had escaped destruction, should be given to John's band. + +"What do you think, now, of the prospect?" Simon asked, as John and +he stood together on the Tower of Phasaelus, on the day after the +Romans had taken possession of the lower town. + +"I think, as I did at first," John said, "that nothing but a +miracle can save the Temple." + +"But the difficulties that the Romans have overcome," Simon said, +"are as nothing to those still before them." + +"That is quite true," John agreed, "and, had we but a good supply +of food, I believe that we might hold out for months; but the grain +is already nearly exhausted, and cannot support even the fighting +men much longer, while the inhabitants are dying from hunger. Well +and strong, we might resist every attack that the Romans can make +but, when we can no longer lift our swords, they must overcome us. +Still, as long as I can fight I am ready to do so, in hopes that +God may yet have mercy upon us, and deliver his Temple." + + + +Chapter 16: The Subterranean Passage. + + +For a few days after the capture of the lower city, the Jews had a +respite. Titus knew that famine was sapping the strength of the +defenders, and that every day weakened their power of resistance. +He saw that the assault upon their strong position would be +attended with immense difficulty, and loss, and he was desirous of +saving the city from destruction. He ordered, therefore, a grand +review of the troops to take place; and for four days the great +army at his command--the splendid cavalry, the solid masses of the +Roman infantry, and the light-armed troops and cavalry of the +allies, defiled before him. The Jews from the height of the city +watched, with a feeling of dull despair, the tremendous power +assembled against them; and felt the hopelessness of further +resistance. + +An intense desire for peace reigned, throughout the multitude, but +John of Gischala and Simon had no thought of yielding. They +believed that, whatever mercy Titus might be ready to grant to the +inhabitants of the town, for them and their followers there was no +hope, whatever, of pardon; and they were firmly resolved to resist +until the last. Titus, finding that no offers of submission came +from the city, sent Josephus to parley with the defenders. + +He could not have made a worse choice of an ambassador. Divided as +the Jews were, among themselves, they were united in a common +hatred for the man whom they regarded as a traitor to his country; +and the harangue of Josephus, to the effect that resistance was +unavailing, and that they should submit themselves to the mercy of +Titus, was drowned by the execrations from the walls. In fact, in +no case could his words have reached any large number of the +inhabitants; for he had cautiously placed himself out of bow shot +of the walls, and his words could scarcely have reached those for +whom they had been intended, even if silence had been observed. His +mission, therefore, was altogether unavailing. + +Illustration: Misery in Jerusalem During the Siege by Titus. + +John felt his own resolution terribly shaken, by the sights which +he beheld in the city. The inhabitants moved about like specters, +or fell and died in the streets. He felt, now, that resistance had +been a mistake; and that it would have been far better to have +thrown open the gates, when Titus appeared before them--in which +case the great proportion, at least, of those within would have +been spared, and the Temple and the city itself would have escaped +destruction. He even regretted that he had marched down to take +part in the defense. Had he known how entirely exhausted were the +granaries, he would not have done so. He had thought that, at +least, there would have been sufficient provisions for a siege of +some months, and that the patience of the Romans might have been +worn out. + +He felt, now, that the sacrifice had been a useless one; but +although he, himself, would now have raised his voice in favor of +surrender, he was powerless. Even his own men would not have +listened to his voice. Originally the most fervent and ardent +spirits of his band, they were now inspired by a feeling of +desperate enthusiasm, equal to that which animated Simon and John +of Gischala; and his authority would have been at once overthrown, +had he ventured to raise his voice in favor of surrender. + +Already, he had once been made to feel that there were points as to +which his influence failed to have any effect, whatever. He had, +the morning after they retired to the upper city, spoken to his men +on the subject of their store of grain. He had urged on them the +horrors which were taking place before their eyes--that women and +children were expiring in thousands, and that the inhabitants were +suffering the extreme agonies of starvation--and had concluded by +proposing that their store should be distributed among the starving +women. His words had been received in silence, and then one of the +captains of the companies had risen. + +"What you say, John, of the sufferings which the people are +undergoing is felt by us all; but I, for one, cannot agree to the +proposal that we should give up our store of food. Owing to the +number of us that have fallen, there are still well-nigh fifty +pounds a man left, which will keep us in health and strength for +another two months. Were we to give it out, it would not suffice +for a single meal, for a quarter of the people assembled here, and +would delay their death but a few hours; thus it would profit them +nothing, while it will enable us to maintain our strength--and +maybe, at a critical moment, to hurl back the Romans from the very +gates of the Temple. + +"It would be wickedness, not charity, to part with our store. It +would defeat the object for which we came here, and for which we +are ready to die, without any real benefit to those on whom we +bestowed the food." + +A general chorus of approval showed that the speaker represented +the opinion of his comrades. After a pause, he went on: + +"There is another reason why we should keep what we, ourselves, +have brought in here. You know how the soldiers of Simon persecute +the people--how they torture them to discover hidden stores of +food, how they break in and rob them as they devour, in secret, the +provisions they have concealed. I know not whether hunger could +drive us to act likewise, but we know the lengths to which famished +men can be driven. Therefore, I would that we should be spared the +necessity for such cruelties, to keep life together. We are all +ready to die, but let it be as strong men, facing the enemy, and +slaying as we fall." + +Again, the murmur of approval was heard; and John felt that it +would be worse than useless to urge the point. He admitted to +himself that there was reason in the argument; and that, while a +distribution of their food would give the most temporary relief, +only, to the multitude, it would impair the efficiency of the band. +The result showed him that, implicit as was the obedience given to +him in all military matters, his influence had its limits; and +that, beyond a certain point, his authority ceased. + +Henceforth he remained in the house, except when he went to his +post on the walls immediately adjoining; and he therefore escaped +being harrowed by the sight of sufferings that he could not +relieve. Each day, however, he set apart the half of his own +portion of grain; and gave it to the first starving woman he met, +when he went out. The regulation issue of rations had now ceased. +The granaries were exhausted and, henceforth, Simon's troops lived +entirely upon the food they extorted from the inhabitants. + +John of Gischala's followers fared better. Enormous as had been the +destruction of grain, the stores in the Temple were so prodigious +that they were enabled to live in comparative abundance, and so +maintained their strength and fighting power. + +But the sufferings of the people increased daily, and great numbers +made their escape from the city--either sallying out from unguarded +posterns, at night; or letting themselves down from the lower part +of the walls, by ropes. Titus allowed them to pass through; but +John of Gischala and Simon, with purposeless cruelty, placed guards +on all the walls and gates, to prevent the starving people leaving +the city--although their true policy would have been to facilitate, +in every way, the escape of all save the fighting men; and thus to +husband what provisions still remained for the use of the defenders +of the city. + +In the daytime, when the gates were open, people went out and +collected vegetables and herbs from the gardens between the walls +and the Roman posts; but on their return were pitilessly robbed by +the rough soldiers, who confiscated to their own use all that was +brought in. The efforts to escape formed a fresh pretext, to Simon +and John of Gischala, to plunder the wealthy inhabitants who, under +the charge of intending to fly to the Romans, were despoiled of all +they had, tortured and executed. + +Titus soon changed his policy and, instead of allowing the +deserters to make their way through, seized them and those who went +out from the city to seek food, scourged, tortured, and crucified +them before the walls. Sometimes as many as five hundred were +crucified in a single day. This checked the desertion; and the +multitude, deeming it better to die of hunger than to be tortured +to death by the Romans, resigned themselves to the misery of +starvation. + +For seventeen days, the Romans labored at their embankments, and +only one attack was made upon the walls. This was carried out by +the son of the King of Commagene, who had just joined the army with +a chosen band, armed and attired in the Macedonian fashion. As soon +as he arrived, he loudly expressed his surprise at the duration of +the siege. Titus, hearing this, told him that he was at perfect +liberty to assault the city, if he liked. This he and his men at +once did, and fought with great valor; but with no success +whatever, a great number of them being killed, and scarcely one +escaping uninjured. + +For a fortnight, John had bestowed the half of his ration upon a +poor woman, whose child was sick; and who stood at the door of her +house, every morning, to wait his passing. One day, she begged him +to enter. + +"I shall need no more food," she said. "Thanks to God, who sent you +to our aid, my child is recovered, and can now walk; and I intend +to fly, tonight, from this terrible place." + +"But there is no escape," John said. "The soldiers allow none to +pass and, if you could pass through them, the Romans would slay +you." + +"I can escape," the woman said, "and that is why I have called you +in. + +"My husband--who was killed by Simon's robbers, three months +ago--was for many years employed in working in the underground +passages of the city, and in repairing the conduits which carry the +water from the springs. As I often carried down his food to him, +when he was at work, I know every winding and turn of the +underground ways. + +"As you know, the ground beneath the city is honeycombed by +passages whence stone was, in the old time, obtained for buildings. +There are many houses which have entrance, by pits, into these +places. This is one of them, and my husband took it for that +convenience. From here, I can find my way down to the great conduit +which was built, by King Hezekiah, to bring the water from the +upper springs of the river Gihon down into the city. Some of these +waters supply the pool known as the Dragon Pool, but the main body +runs down the conduit in the line of the Tyropoeon Valley; and +those from the Temple could, in old times, go down and draw water, +thence, should the pools and cistern fail. But that entrance has +long been blocked up for, when the Temple was destroyed and the +people carried away captives, the ruins covered the entrance, and +none knew of it. + +"My husband when at work once found a passage which ran, for some +distance, by the side of some massive masonry of old time. One of +the great stones was loose; and he prised it out, to see what might +lie behind it. When he did so he heard the sound of running water +and, passing through the hole, found himself in a great conduit. +This he afterwards followed up; and found that it terminated, at +the upper end of the Valley of Hinnom, in a round chamber, at the +bottom of which springs bubbled up. There was an entrance to this +chamber from without, through a passage. The outer exit of this was +well-nigh filled up with earth, and many bushes grew there; so that +none passing by would have an idea of its existence. + +"When the troubles here became great, he took me and showed me the +conduit; and led me to the exit, saying that the time might come +when I might need to fly from Jerusalem. The exit lies far beyond +the camps that the Romans have planted on either side of the Valley +of Hinnom; and by going out at night, I and my child can make our +way, unseen, to the hills. Since you have saved our lives, I tell +you of this secret; which is known, I think, to none but myself +for, after showing me the place, my husband closed up the entrance +to the passage--which was, before, well-nigh filled up with stones. + +"It may be that the time may come when you, too, will need to save +yourself by flight. Now, if you will come with me, I will show you +the way. See, I have mixed here a pot of charcoal and water, with +which we can mark the turnings and the passages; so that you will +afterwards be able to find your way for, without such aid, you +would never be able to follow the path, through its many windings, +after only once going through it." + +John thanked the woman warmly for her offer, and they at once +prepared to descend into the pit. This was situated in a cellar +beneath the house; and was boarded over so that plunderers, +entering to search for provisions, would not discover it. Upon +entering the cellar, the woman lit two lamps. + +"They are full of oil," she said, "and I have often been sorely +tempted to drink it; but I have kept it untouched, knowing that my +life might some day depend upon it." + +Rough steps were cut in the side of the pit and, after descending +some thirty feet, John found himself in a long passage. The woman +led the way. As they went on, John was surprised at the number and +extent of these passages, which crossed each other in all +directions--sometimes opening into great chambers, from which large +quantities of stone had been taken--while he passed many shafts, +like that by which they had descended, to the surface above. The +woman led the way with an unfaltering step, which showed how +thorough was her acquaintance with the ground; pausing, when they +turned down a fresh passage, to make a smear at the corner of the +wall with the black liquid. + +Presently, the passages began to descend rapidly. + +"We are now under the Palace of King Agrippa," she said, "and are +descending by the side of the Tyropoeon Valley." + +Presently, turning down a small side passage, they found their way +arrested by a pile of stones and rubbish. They clambered up this, +removed some of the upper stones, and crawled along underneath the +roof. The rubbish heap soon slanted down again, and they continued +their way, as before. Another turn, and they were in a wider +passage than those they had latterly traversed. + +"This is the wall of the conduit," the woman said, touching the +massive masonry on her right hand. "The opening is a little further +on." + +Presently they arrived at a great stone, lying across a passage, +corresponding in size to a gap in the wall on the right. They made +their way through this, and found themselves in the Conduit of King +Hezekiah. A stream of water, ankle deep, was running through it. + +"We need not go further," the woman said. "Once here, you cannot +miss your way. It will take nigh an hour's walking through the +water before you arrive at the chamber of the springs, from which +there is but the one exit." + +"I will come down again with you, tonight," John said, "and will +carry your child to the entrance. You will both need all your +strength, when you sally out; so as to get well beyond the Romans, +who are scattered all over the country, cutting wood for their +embankments. Moreover, I shall be able to see, as I come down with +you, whether all the marks are plainly visible, and that there is +no fear of mistake for, once lost in these passages, one would +never find one's way again; and there would be the choice between +dying of hunger, and of being found by the Romans--who will +assuredly search all these passages for fugitives, as they did at +Jotapata. + +"Truly, I thank you with all my heart; I feel you have given me the +means of saving my life--that is, if I do not fall in the +fighting." + +As they made their way back to the house, John examined the marks +at every turning, and added to those that were not sufficiently +conspicuous to catch the eye at once. When they had gained the +cellar, and replaced the boards, the woman said: + +"Why should you not also leave the city, tonight? All say that +there is no hope of resistance; and that John of Gischala and Simon +are only bringing destruction, upon all in the city, by thus +holding out against the Romans. Why should you throw away your life +so uselessly?" + +"I have come here to defend the Temple," John said, "and so long as +the Temple stands I will resist the enemy. It may be it is useless, +but no one can say what is the purpose of God, or whether He does +not yet intend to save his Holy Seat. But when the Temple has +fallen, I shall have no more to fight for; and will then, if I can, +save my life, for the sake of those who love me." + +That evening, on his return from the wall, John proceeded to the +house of the woman. She was in readiness for the journey. The +child, who was seven or eight years old, was dressed; and the +mother had a little bundle with her valuables by her. As soon as +they descended into the passage below, John offered to carry the +child, but her mother refused. + +"She can walk well," she said, "for a time, and you could not carry +her upon your shoulder; for the passages are, in many places, but +just high enough for you to pass under without stooping. At any +rate, she can walk for a time." + +It was not long, however, before the child, weakened by its +illness, began to drag behind; and John swung her up on to his +back. The marks, he found, were easily made out; and in half an +hour they arrived at the entrance to the conduit. Here they were +forced to walk, slowly. In some places the water, owing to the +channel having sunk, deepened to the knee; at other times stones +had fallen from the roof, and impeded their passage; and it was +nearly two hours before they reached the arched chamber, at the +termination of the conduit. There was a stone pavement round the +edge of the pool, and upon this they sat down to rest, for an hour, +for both John and the woman were exhausted by the labor they had +undergone. + +"It is time for me to be moving," the woman said, rising. "It must +be nigh midnight, and I must be some miles on my way before +morning. The child has walked but a short distance, yet; and will +do her best, now, when she knows that those wicked Romans will kill +her--and her mother--if they catch them. + +"Won't you, Mariamne?" + +The child nodded. The Romans were the bogey with which Jewish +children had, for the last five years, been frightened; and she +announced her intention of walking till her feet fell off. + +"I will carry you, as much as I can," her mother said, "but it can +only be for a short distance at a time; for I, too, am weak, and +your weight is too much for me. + +"And now, God bless you, my friend," she said, turning to John; +"and may He keep you safe through the dangers of the siege, and +lead you to your home and parents again!" + +They made their way to the end of the passage together; climbed +over the rubbish, which nearly blocked the entrance; crawled +through the hole, and found themselves in the outer air. Thick low +bushes covered the ground around them, and no sound was to be +heard. + +John rose to his feet, and looked round. Behind him, at the +distance of more than a quarter of a mile, the light of the Roman +watch fires showed where the legions were encamped. Beyond and +above could be seen, here and there, a light in the city. No sound +was to be heard, save the occasional call of a Roman sentinel. On +the other side, all was dark; for the working parties always +returned to camp, at night, in readiness to repel any sortie the +Jews might make against the camps or working parties. + +"It is a very dark night," John said, doubtfully. "Do you think you +can find your way?" + +"There are the stars," the woman replied, confidently. "Besides, I +was born at Bethlehem, and know the country well. I shall keep on +west for a while, and then turn off into the deep valleys leading +down towards Masada. + +"God be with you!" and, taking the child's hand, she emerged from +the bushes, and glided noiselessly away into the darkness. + +John set out on his return journey--which he found very much +shorter than he had done coming, for the weight of a child for two +hours, when walking over difficult ground, is trying even to a +strong and active man. He carefully replaced the boards across the +mouth of the pit, placed the lamps in a position so that he could +find them in the dark and, upon going out of the house, closed the +door carefully. + +The next morning, that of the 29th of May, the Roman attack began. +The Fifth and Twelfth Legions had raised embankments near the +Struthion--or Soapwort--Pool, facing the Castle of Antonia; while +the Tenth and Fifteenth raised theirs facing the great towers of +Hippicus, Phasaelus, and Mariamne. They had not carried out their +work unmolested, for the Jews had now learned the art of +constructing and managing war machines; and had made three hundred +scorpions for throwing arrows, and forty ballistae for hurling +stones and, with these, they had caused terrible annoyance and +great loss to the Romans. + +But now, all was prepared. On the evening of the 28th, the last +stroke had been given to the embankment; and on the following +morning the engines were mounted, and the troops stood in readiness +for the attack. Suddenly a smoke was seen, stealing up round the +embankments facing Antonia; and the Roman officers called back +their men, not knowing what was going to occur. Then a series of +mighty crashes was heard. The great embankments, with their engines +and battering rams, tottered and fell. Dense smoke shot up in +columns, followed rapidly by tongues of fire, and soon the vast +piles of materials, collected and put together with so much pains, +were blazing fiercely; while the Jews laughed, and shouted in +triumph, upon the walls. + +The moment John of Gischala perceived where the Romans were going +to construct their embankments, he had begun to run a mine from +behind the walls towards them. When the gallery was extended under +them, a great excavation was hollowed out; the roof being supported +by huge beams, between which were piled up pitch and other +combustibles. When the Romans were seen advancing to the attack, +fire was applied and, as soon as the supports of the roof were +burned away, the ground, with the embankments upon it, fell in. + +Simon, on his side, was equally ready to receive the enemy, but he +trusted rather to valour than stratagem; and as soon as the Roman +engines facing the towers began to shake the walls, Tepthaus, +Megassar, and Chagiras rushed out, with torches in their hands, +followed by a crowd of Simon's soldiers. They drove the Romans +before them, and set fire to the great machine. + +The Romans crowded up to the assistance of the working parties but, +as they advanced, they were received with showers of missiles from +the walls; and attacked fiercely by the Jews, who poured out from +the city in a continuous stream. The flames spread rapidly and, +seeing no hope of saving their engines and embankments, the Romans +retreated to their camp. The triumphant Jews pressed hard on their +rear, rushed upon the intrenchments, and assailed the guards. +Numbers of these were killed, but the rest fought resolutely, while +the engines on the works poured showers of missiles among the Jews. + +Careless of death, the assailants pressed forward, stormed the +intrenchment; and the Romans were on the point of flight when +Titus, who had been absent upon the other side, arrived with a +strong body of troops, and fell upon the Jews. A desperate contest +ensued, but the Jews were finally driven back into the city. + +Their enterprise had, however, been crowned with complete success. +The embankments, which had occupied the Romans seventeen days in +building, were destroyed; and with them the battering rams, and the +greater part of their engines. The work of reconstruction would be +far more difficult and toilsome than at first, for the country had +been denuded of timber, for many miles off. Moreover, the soldiers +were becoming greatly disheartened by the failure of all their +attacks upon the city. + +Titus summoned a council, and laid before them three plans: one for +an attempt to take the city by storm; the second to repair the +works and rebuild the engines; the third to blockade the city, and +starve it into surrender. The last was decided upon and, as a first +step, the whole army was set to work, to build a trench and wall +round the city. The work was carried on with the greatest zeal; and +in three days the wall, nearly five miles in circumference, was +completed. Thus there was no longer any chance of escape to the +inhabitants; no more possibility of going out, at night, to search +for food. + +Now the misery of the siege was redoubled. Thousands died daily. A +mournful silence hung over the city. Some died in their houses, +some in the streets. Some crawled to the cemeteries, and expired +there. Some sat upon their housetops, with their eyes fixed upon +the Temple, until they sank back dead. No one had strength to dig +graves, and the dead bodies were thrown from the walls into the +ravines below. + +The high priest Matthias, who had admitted Simon and his followers +into the city, was suspected of being in communication with the +Romans; and he and his three sons were led out on to the wall, and +executed in sight of the besiegers, while fifteen of the members of +the Sanhedrin were executed at the same time. These murders caused +indignation even on the part of some of Simon's men, and one Judas, +with ten others, agreed to deliver one of the towers to the enemy; +but the Romans--rendered cautious by the treachery which had before +been practised--hesitated to approach and, before they were +convinced that the offer was made in good faith, Simon discovered +what was going on, and the eleven conspirators were executed upon +the walls, and their bodies thrown over. + +Despair drove many, again, to attempt desertion. Some of these, on +reaching the Roman lines, were spared; but many more were killed, +for the sake of the money supposed to be concealed upon them. Up to +the 1st of July, it was calculated that well-nigh six hundred +thousand had perished, in addition to the vast numbers buried in +the cemetery, and the great heaps of dead before the walls. Great +numbers of the houses had become tombs, the inhabitants shutting +themselves up, and dying quietly together. + +But, while trusting chiefly to famine, the Romans had laboured +steadily on at their military engines--although obliged to fetch +the timber for ten miles--and, at the beginning of July, the +battering rams began to play against Antonia. The Jews sallied out, +but this time with less fury than usual; and they were repulsed +without much difficulty by the Romans. All day long the battering +rams thundered against the wall; while men, protected by hurdles +and penthouses, laboured to dislodge the stones at the foot of the +walls, in spite of the storm of missiles hurled down from above. + +By nightfall, they had got out four large stones. It happened that +these stones stood just over the part under which John of Gischala +had driven his mine, when he destroyed the Roman embankments; and +thus, doubly weakened, the wall fell with a crash during the night. +John, however, had built another wall in the rear and, when the +Romans rushed to the assault of the breach, in the morning, they +found a new line of defence confronting them. + +Titus addressed the troops, and called for volunteers. Sabinus, a +Syrian, volunteered for the attack, and eleven men followed him. In +spite of the storm of missiles he reached the top of the wall. The +Jews, believing that many were behind him, turned to fly; but his +foot slipped and he fell and, before he could regain his feet, the +Jews turned round upon him and slew him. Three of his companions +fell beside him, on the top of the wall; and the rest were carried +back, wounded, to camp. + +Two days later, in the middle of the night, twenty Roman soldiers, +with a standard bearer and trumpeter, crept silently up to the +breach, surprised, and slew the watch. The trumpeter blew the +charge; and the Jews, believing that the whole Roman army was upon +them, fled in a sudden panic. Titus at once advanced with his men, +stormed the new wall, entered the Castle of Antonia, and then +advanced along the cloisters which connected it with the Temple; +but John of Gischala had by this time arrived at the spot, and +opposed a desperate resistance to the assault; until Simon, +crossing from the upper city by the bridge, came to his assistance; +and John, finding that the Temple was attacked, also led his band +across. + +For ten hours, the struggle raged. Vast numbers fell, on both +sides; till the dead formed a bank between the combatants. Titus, +finding that even the courage and discipline of his troops did not +avail, against the desperate resistance of the Jews, at last called +them off from the assault--well satisfied with having captured +Antonia. + +During the fight the Romans had, several times, nearly penetrated +into the Temple. Indeed, a centurion named Julian--a man of great +strength, courage, and skill at arms--had charged the Jews with +such fury that he had made his way, alone, as far as the inner +court; when his mailed shoes slipped on the marble pavement, and he +fell; and the Jews, rushing back, slew him--after a desperate +resistance, to the end. + +Titus commanded that the fortress of Antonia should be levelled to +the ground; and then sent Josephus with a message to John of +Gischala, offering him free egress for himself and his men, if he +would come out to fight outside, in order that the Temple might be +saved further defilement. John replied by curses upon Josephus, +whom he denounced as a traitor; and concluded that he feared not +that the city should be taken, for it was the city of God. Then +Titus sent for a number of persons of distinction who had, from +time to time, made their escape from the city; and these attempted, +in vain, to persuade the people--if not to surrender--at least to +spare the Temple from defilement and ruin. Even the Roman soldiers +were adverse to an attack upon a place so long regarded as +pre-eminently holy, and Titus himself harangued the Jews. + +"You have put up a barrier," he said, "to prevent strangers from +polluting your Temple. This the Romans have always respected. We +have allowed you to put to death all who violated its precincts; +yet you defile it, yourselves, with blood and carnage. I call on +your gods--I call on my whole army--I call upon the Jews who are +with me--I call on yourselves--to witness that I do not force you +to this crime. Come forth and fight, in any other place, and no +Roman shall violate your sacred edifice." + +But John of Gischala, and the Zealots, would hear of no surrender. +They doubted whether Titus would keep his promise, and feared to +surrender the stronghold which was now their last hope. Above all, +they still believed that God would yet interfere to save his +Temple. + +Titus, finding that the garrison were obstinate, raised his voice +and called out: + +"John--whom I met near Hebron--if you be there, bear witness that I +have striven to keep my oath. I will strive to the end; but blame +me not if, not through my fault, but by the obstinacy of these men, +destruction comes upon the Temple." + +John, who was standing within hearing, called out: + +"I am here, Titus, and I bear witness; yet, I pray you, strive to +the end to keep the oath which you swore to me." + +"What is this oath, John?" Simon, who was standing close by, asked. +"What compact have you with the Roman general?" + +"We met in battle, alone," John said, quietly, "and it chanced that +he fell. I might have slain him, but it came to me that it were +better to try to save the Temple, than to slay one of its enemies; +and therefore swore him to save the Temple, if it lay in his power. +He has offered to spare it. It lay with you, and John of Gischala, +to save the Temple from destruction by accepting his terms. You +have not done so. If the Temple is destroyed, it is by the +obstinacy of its defenders, not by the cruelty of the Romans." + +"It would be madness to accept his offer," Simon said, angrily. +"Titus knows well that, in the plains, we should be no match for +his troops. Did you ever hear, before, of a garrison giving up a +position so strong that it could not be taken from them, and going +out to fight beyond the walls? Besides, who can tell that the +Romans will keep their promises? Once we are at their mercy, they +might level the Temple." + +"In that case, the sin would be upon their heads. Besides, there is +no occasion to retire beyond the walls. Why should not all the +fighting men retire into the upper city, and leave the Temple to +God? If it is his will that the Romans should destroy it, they will +do so. If it is his will that they should respect it, they will do +so. He can save, or destroy, at his will. If we retreat to the +upper town, and break down the bridge after us, they could never +take it." + +"And how long could we hold out?" Simon said, with a hard laugh. +"Is there a day's food left, in the city? If there is, my men are +less sharp than I give them credit for. No, we will fight here, to +the end, for the Temple; and the sooner the Romans attack, the +better, for if they delay many days, there is not a single man will +have strength enough to lift a sword." + + + +Chapter 17: The Capture Of The Temple. + + +Although abhorring the general conduct of Simon and John of +Gischala, and believing that conditions could be made with the +Romans which would save the Temple, John still retained the +hope--cherished by every Jew--that God would yet, himself, save +Jerusalem, as in the old times. He was conscious that the people +had forfeited all right to expect his aid; that, by their +wickedness and forgetfulness of him--and more especially by the +frightful scenes which had desecrated the city and Temple, during +the last four years--they must have angered God beyond all hope of +forgiveness. Still, the punishment which had been inflicted was +already so terrible that he, like others, hoped that God's anger +might yet relent, as it had done in old times, and that a remnant +might yet be spared. + +But above all, their hope lay in the belief that the Temple was the +actual abode of the Lord; and that, though he might suffer the +whole people to perish for their sins, he would yet protect, at the +last, his own sanctuary. Surely, John thought, as he stood on the +roof of the Temple, this glorious building can never be meant to be +destroyed. + +The Temple occupied a square, six hundred feet every way. The lofty +rock on which it stood had been cased with solid masonry, so that +it rose perpendicularly from the plain. On the top of this massive +foundation was built a strong and lofty wall, round the whole area. +Within this wall was a spacious double cloister, fifty-two and one +half feet broad, supported by one hundred and sixty-two columns. On +the south side the cloister was one hundred and five feet +wide--being a triple cloister--and was here called the King's +Cloister. Within the area surrounded by the cloisters was an open +court, paved with marble; this was the Court of the Gentiles, and +was separated from the second court--that of the Jews--by a stone +railing, five feet high. + +An ascent of fourteen steps led to a terrace, seventeen and one +half feet wide, beyond which rose the wall of the inner court. This +wall was seventy feet high on the outside, forty-four feet on the +inside. Round the inner court was another range of cloisters. There +were ten gates into the inner court. The doors of nine of these +gateways were fifty-two and one half feet high, and half that +breadth. The gateways rose to the height of seventy feet. The +tenth, usually called the Beautiful Gate of the Temple, was larger +than the rest; the gateway being eighty-seven and one half feet in +height, the doors seventy feet. In the centre of the inner court +was the Temple, itself. The great porch was one hundred and +seventy-five feet in width, the gateway tower one hundred and +thirty-two feet high and forty-three feet wide, and through it was +seen the Beautiful Gate. The Temple itself was built of white +marble, and the roof was covered with sharp golden spikes. + +Now that it was evident that on the side of the Temple, alone, +could the enemy make an attack, the division between Simon and John +of Gischala's men was no longer kept up. All gathered for the +defence of the Temple. The Jews kept up a vigilant watch, for the +Romans could assemble in great force in Antonia, unseen by them; +and could advance, under cover, by the cloisters which flanked the +platform connecting Antonia with the Temple, on either side. The +interval between Antonia and the Temple was but three hundred feet. +The cloisters were considered to form part of the Temple, and the +Jews were therefore reluctant to destroy them, although they +greatly facilitated the attack of the Romans. + +Finding that his offers were all rejected, Titus spent seven days +in the destruction of a large portion of Antonia, and then prepared +for a night attack. As the whole army could not make the assault, +thirty men were picked from each hundred. Tribunes were appointed +over each thousand, Cerealis being chosen to command the whole. +Titus himself mounted a watchtower in Antonia, in order that he +might see and reward each act of bravery. + +The assault began between two and three o'clock in the morning. The +Jews were on the watch and, as soon as the massive columns moved +forward, the cries of the guards gave the alarm; and the Jews, +sleeping in and around the Temple, seized their arms and rushed +down to the defence. For a time, the Romans had the advantage. The +weight of their close formation enabled them to press forward +against the most obstinate resistance and, even in the darkness, +there was no fear of mistaking friend for foe; while the Jews, +fighting in small parties, often mistook each other for enemies, +and as many fell by the swords of their friends as by those of the +enemy. The loss was all the greater, since the troops of John of +Gischala and Simon had no common password and, coming suddenly upon +each other, often fought desperately before they discovered their +mistake; but as daylight began to break, these mistakes became less +frequent. The presence and example of their leaders animated the +Jews to the greatest exertions, while the knowledge that Titus was +watching them inspired the Romans with even more than their usual +courage and obstinacy. For nine hours, the conflict raged; and then +the Romans, unable to make the slightest impression upon the +resistance of the Jews, fell back again into Antonia. + +Finding that, in hand-to-hand conflict, his soldiers could not overcome +the Jews, Titus ordered the erection of small embankments--two on the +platform between the cloisters, the other two outside the cloister walls. +But the work proceeded slowly, owing to the difficulty of procuring wood. +The Jews, as usual, hindered the work as much as possible, with showers +of missiles; and attempted to create a diversion, by a sortie and attack +upon the camp of the Tenth Legion, on the Mount of Olives. This, however, +was repulsed by the Romans, without great difficulty. + +As the cloisters leading to Antonia afforded great assistance to +the Romans, in their attacks, the Jews set fire to the end of the +cloisters touching the Temple wall; and a length of from twenty to +thirty feet of each cloister was destroyed. The Romans destroyed a +further portion, so as to afford more room for the men at work upon +the embankments. The action of the Jews was, to a certain extent, a +necessity; but it depressed the spirits of the inhabitants, for +there was a prophecy: "When square the walls, the Temple falls!" +Hitherto, Antonia and the connecting cloisters had been considered +as forming part of the Temple, and had given it an irregular form; +but the destruction of these cloisters left the Temple standing a +massive square. + +The embankments presently rose above the height of the wall, and it +was evident that this would soon be taken. The Jews retired from the +roof of the cloister facing the embankment, as if despairing of +further resistance; but they had previously stored great quantities +of combustibles in the space between the cedar roof of the cloisters +and the upper platform. The Romans on the embankment--seeing that the +Jews had retired--without waiting for orders ran down and, planting +ladders, scaled the wall. + +The Jews set up cries, as if of despair; and the Romans poured up +on to the wall until a great mass of men were collected on the roof +of the cloister. Then, on a sudden, flames shot up in all +directions beneath their feet, and they found themselves enveloped +in a sea of fire. Many were burned, or smothered by the smoke. Some +stabbed themselves with their swords. Some leaped down into the +outer court, and were there killed by the Jews. Many jumped down +outside the walls, and were picked up dead or with broken limbs. +Others ran along upon the top of the walls, until they were shot +down by the Jewish missiles. + +But one man seems to have escaped. A soldier named Artorius, +standing on the wall, shouted to the Romans below, "Whoever catches +me shall be my heir." + +A soldier ran forward to accept the terms. Artorius jumped down +upon him; killing him by his fall, but himself escaping unhurt. + +The fire extended along the whole of the western cloister; and the +northern cloister was, next day, burned by the Romans and, thus, on +the west and north sides the inner Temple was now exposed to the +invader. + +All this time, famine had been continuing its work. The fighting +men were so weakened that they had scarcely strength to drag their +limbs along, or to hold their weapons; while horrible tales are +told of the sufferings of such of the inhabitants who still +survived--one woman, maddened by despair, cooking and eating her +own infant. Occasionally a baggage animal or a Roman cavalry horse +strayed near the walls, when a crowd of famishing wretches would +pour out, kill and devour it. Titus, however, cut off even this +occasional supply; by ordering a soldier, whose horse had thus +fallen into the hands of the Jews, to be put to death for his +carelessness. + +John's band had been greatly diminished in number, in the two days +they had been fighting opposite Antonia. The stores they had +brought to the city were now exhausted; although, for a long time, +only the smallest amount had been issued, daily, to eke out the +handful of grain still served out to each of the fighting men. A +few only had, in their sufferings, refused to obey the orders of +John and their officers, and had joined the bands of Simon and John +of Gischala in the revolting cruelties which they practised, to +extort food from the inhabitants. These had not been allowed to +rejoin the band; which was now reduced to a little over fifty +stern, gaunt, and famine-worn figures--but still unshaken in their +determination to fight to the end. + +The Romans now pushed on a bank, from the western wall across the +smouldering ruins of the cloister and inner court; and a battering +ram began to play against the inner Temple but, after six days' +efforts, and bringing up their heaviest battering ram, the Romans +gave it up in despair; for the huge stones which formed the masonry +of the wall defied even the ponderous machines which the Romans +brought to play against it. An embankment, from the northern side, +was also carried across the outer court to the foot of the most +easterly of the four northern gates of the inner Temple. + +Still anxious to save the Temple itself, and its cloisters if +possible, Titus would not resort to the use of fire; but ordered +his men to force the gate, with crowbars and levers. After great +efforts, a few of the stones of the threshold were removed; but the +gates, supported by the massive walls and the props behind, defied +all their efforts. + +Titus now ordered his soldiers to carry the walls by storm. Ladders +were brought up; and the soldiers, eager for revenge upon the foe +who had so long baffled and humiliated them, sprang to the assault +with shouts of exultation. The Jews offered no resistance, until +the Romans reached the top of the wall but, as they leaped down on +to the roof of the cloister, they threw themselves upon them. +Numbers were slain, as they stepped off the ladders on to the wall; +and many of the ladders were hurled backward, crushing the soldiers +crowded upon them on the pavement beneath. + +Then Titus ordered the standards of the legions to be carried up, +thinking that the soldiers would rally round these, the emblems of +military honour. The Jews, however, permitted the standards and +numbers of the legionaries to ascend on to the roof of the +cloisters; and then again fell upon them, with such fury that the +Romans were overpowered, the standards were taken, and their +defenders killed. Not one of the Romans who had mounted the wall +retired from it. + +Titus could no longer resist the appeals of his infuriated soldiers +who, maddened by the losses they had suffered, and the disgrace of +the loss of the standards, could not understand why this loss was +entailed upon them--when such an easy way of destroying the gate, +and entering the Temple, was in their power. Most reluctantly, +Titus gave the permission they clamoured for, and allowed his +troops to set fire to the gate. The dry woodwork caught like +tinder, and the flames mounted instantly. The silver plates which +covered the woodwork melted, and ran down in streams; and the fire +at once communicated with the cloisters inside the wall. + +Appalled at the sight of the inner court in flames, the Jews stood +despairing; while the shouts of triumph of the Romans rose high in +the air. During the rest of the day, and all through the night, the +conflagration continued and extended all round the cloisters. Thus +the Temple, itself, was surrounded by a ring of fire. + +The next day, the 4th of August, Titus called a council of his +generals, to deliberate on the fate of the Temple. There were +present, besides Titus, Tiberias Alexander, the second in command; +the commanders of the Fifth, Tenth, and Fifteenth Legions; Fronto, +the commander of the Alexandrian troops; and Marcus Antonius +Julianus, the procurator of Judea. + +Some were for levelling the Temple to the ground. Others advised +that, if abandoned by the Jews, it might be preserved; but if +defended as a citadel, it ought to be destroyed. Titus listened to +the opinions of the others; and then declared his own--which was +that, whatever the use the Jews made of it, it ought to be +preserved. Alexander, Cerealis, and Fronto went over to the opinion +of Titus; and therefore, by a majority of one, it was agreed that +the Temple should be spared, however fiercely the Jews might +resist. Orders were given to prevent the fire spreading to the +Temple, and to clear the ground for an assault against it. + +The 5th of August broke. It was on that day that the Temple of +Solomon had been burned, by Nebuchadnezzar; but the courage of the +Jews was not depressed by the omen. The brief pause had enabled +them to recover from the despair which they had felt, in seeing the +inner cloister in flames; and at eight o'clock in the morning, +sallying from the Eastern Gate, they rushed down upon the Romans. +The latter formed in close order and, covered by their shields, +received the onslaught calmly. But so desperately did the Jews +fight, and in such numbers did they pour out from the Temple, that +the Romans had begun to give way; when Titus arrived, with great +reinforcements. But even then, it was not until one o'clock that +the Jews were driven back, again, into the walls of the inner +Temple. + +Titus, having seen his troops victorious, retired to his tent; and +the soldiers continued their work of clearing the platform, and +extinguishing the smouldering fire of the cloisters. Suddenly the +Jewish bands burst out again, and another deadly struggle +commenced. Then one of the Roman soldiers, seizing a burning brand +from the cloisters, hurled it into the window of one of the side +chambers that inclosed the Temple on the north. + +In the furious struggle that was going on, none noticed the action; +and it was not until the flames were seen, rushing out of the +window, that the Jews perceived what had happened. With a cry of +anguish, they discontinued the conflict, and rushed back to try and +extinguish the flames. But the woodwork, dried by the intense heat +of the August sun, was ripe for burning and, in spite of the most +desperate efforts, the fire spread rapidly. + +The news that the Temple was on fire reached Titus and, starting +up, accompanied by his bodyguard of spearmen--commanded by +Liberatus--he hastened to the spot. His officers followed him and, +as the news spread, the whole of the Roman legionaries rushed, with +one accord, to the spot. Titus pushed forward into the first court +of the inner Temple--the Court of the Women--and then into the +inner court and, by shouts and gestures, implored his own soldiers, +and the Jews alike, to assist in subduing the flames. + +But the clamour and din drowned his voice. The legionaries, pouring +in after him, added to the confusion. So great was the crowd that +many of the soldiers were crushed to death; while many fell among +the ruins of the still smouldering cloisters, and were either +smothered or burned. Those who reached the sanctuary paid no +attention to the remonstrances, commands, or even threats of Titus; +but shouted to those in front of them to complete the work of +destruction. + +Titus pressed forward, with his guards, to the vestibule; and then +entered, first the Holy, and then the Holy of Holies. After one +glance at the beauty and magnificence of the marvellous shrine, he +rushed back and again implored his soldiers to exert themselves to +save it; and ordered Liberatus to strike down any who disobeyed. +But the soldiers were now altogether beyond control, and were mad +with triumph, fury, and hate. One of the bodyguard, as Titus left +the sanctuary, seized a brand and applied it to the woodwork. The +flames leaped up, and soon the whole Temple was wrapped in fire. + +The soldiers spread through the building, snatching at the golden +ornaments and vessels, and slaying all they met--unarmed men, +priests in their robes, women and children. Many of the Jews threw +themselves into the flames. Some of the priests found their way on +to the broad wall of the inner Temple; where they remained, until +compelled by famine to come down, when they were all executed. Six +thousand of the populace took refuge on the roof of the Royal +Cloister, along the south side of the outer Temple. The Romans set +fire to this, and every soul upon it perished. + +As soon as they felt that their efforts to extinguish the fire were +vain, and that the Temple was indeed lost, John of Gischala, Simon, +and John called their men together and, issuing out, fell with the +fury of desperation upon the dense ranks of the Roman soldiers in +the inner court and, in spite of their resistance, cut their way +through to the outer court; and gained the bridge leading from the +southwest corner, across the Valley of the Tyropceon, to the upper +city; and were therefore, for a time, in safety. + +John, bewildered, exhausted, and heartbroken from the terrible +events of the past few days, staggered back to his house, and threw +himself on his couch; and lay there for a long time, crushed by the +severity of the blow. Until now he had hoped that Titus would, in +the end, spare the Temple; but he recognized, now, that it was the +obstinacy of the Jews that had brought about its destruction. + +"It was God's will that it should perish," he said, to himself; +"and Titus could no more save it than I could do." + +After some hours, he roused himself and descended to the room now +occupied by the remnant of the band. Jonas and ten others, alone, +were gathered there. Some had thrown themselves down on the ground. +Some sat in attitudes of utter dejection. Several were bleeding +from wounds received in the desperate fight of the morning. Others +were badly burned in the desperate efforts they had made to +extinguish the flames. Exhausted by want of food, worn out by their +exertions, filled with despair at the failure of their last hopes, +the members of the little band scarce looked up when their leader +entered. + +"My friends," he said, "listen to me, if but for the last time. We, +at least, have nothing to reproach ourselves with. We have fought +for the Temple, to the last; and if we failed to save it, it is +because it was the will of God that it should perish. At any rate, +our duty is done. God has not given us our lives, and preserved +them through so many fights, that we should throw them away. It is +our duty, now, to save our lives, if we can. Now that the Temple +has fallen, we are called upon to do no more fighting. + +"Let the bands of John of Gischala, and Simon, fight to the last. +They are as wild beasts, inclosed in the snare of the hunter; and +they merit a thousand deaths, for it is they who have brought +Jerusalem to this pass, they who have robbed and murdered the +population, they who have destroyed the granaries which would have +enabled the city to exist for years, they who refused the terms by +which the Temple might have been saved, they who have caused its +destruction in spite of the efforts of Titus to preserve it. They +are the authors of all this ruin and woe. They have lived as wild +beasts, so let them die! + +"But there is no reason why we should die with them, for their +guilt is not upon our heads. We have done our duty in fighting for +the Temple, and have robbed and injured none. Therefore, I say, let +us save our lives." + +"Would you surrender to the Romans?" one of the band asked, +indignantly. "Do you, whom we have followed, counsel us to become +traitors?" + +"It is not treachery to surrender, when one can no longer resist," +John said, quietly. "But I am not thinking of surrendering. I am +thinking of passing out of the city, into the country around. + +"But first, let us eat. I see you look surprised but, although the +store we brought hither is long since exhausted, there is still a +last reserve. I bought it, with all the money that I had with me, +from one of Simon's men, upon the day when we came hither from the +lower town. He had gained it, doubtless, in wanton robbery for, at +that time, the fighting men had plenty of food; but as it was his, +I bought it, thinking that the time might come when one meal might +mean life to many of us. I have never touched it, but it remains +where I hid it, in my chamber. I will fetch it, now." + +John ascended to his chamber, and brought down a bag containing +about fifteen pounds of flour. + +"Let us make bread of this," he said. "It will give us each a good +meal, now; and there will be enough left to provide food for each, +during the first day's journey." + +The exhausted men seemed inspired with new life, at the sight of +the food. No thought of asking how they were to pass through the +Roman lines occurred to them. The idea of satisfying their hunger +overpowered all other feelings. + +The door was closed to keep out intruders. Dough was made, and a +fire kindled with pieces of wood dry as tinder, so that no smoke +should attract the eye of those who were constantly on the lookout +for such a sign that some family were engaged in cooking. The flat +dough cakes were placed over the glowing embers, the whole having +been divided into twenty-four portions. Some of the men would +hardly wait until their portions were baked; but John urged upon +them that, were they to eat it in a half-cooked state, the +consequences might be very serious, after their prolonged fast. +Still, none of them could resist breaking off little pieces, to +stay their craving. + +"Let us eat slowly," John said, when the food was ready. "The more +slowly we eat, the further it will go. When it is eaten, we will +take a sleep for four hours, to regain our strength. There is no +fear of our being called upon to aid in the defence. The Romans +must be as exhausted as we are; and they will need thought, and +preparation, before they attack our last stronghold, which is far +stronger than any they have yet taken. If we had food, we could +hold Mount Zion against them for months." + +As soon as the meal was over, all lay down to sleep. None had asked +any question as to how their escape was to be effected. The +unexpected meal, which John's forethought had prepared for them, +had revived all their confidence in him; and they were ready to +follow him, wherever he might take them. + +It was night when John called them to awake, but the glare of the +vast pile of the burning Temple lit up every object. The brightness +almost equalled that of day. + +"It is time," John said, as the men rose to their feet and grasped +their arms. "I trust that we shall have no occasion to use weapons; +but we will carry them so that, if we should fall into the hands of +the Romans, we may fall fighting, and not die by the torments that +they inflict upon those who fall into their hands. If I could +obtain a hearing, so as to be brought before Titus, he might give +us our lives; but I will not trust to that. In the first place, +they would cut us down like hunted animals, did they come upon us; +and in the second, I would not, now, owe my life to the clemency of +the Romans." + +A fierce assent was given by his followers. + +"Now," John went on, "let each take his piece of bread, and put it +in his bosom. Leave your bucklers and javelins behind you, but take +your swords. + +"Jonas, bring a brand from the fire. + +"Now, let us be off." + +None of those with him, except Jonas, had the least idea where he +was going; but he had instructed the lad in the secret of the pit +and, one day, had taken him down the passages to the aqueduct. + +"You and I found safety before, Jonas, together, and I trust may do +so again; but should anything happen to me, you will now have the +means of escape." + +"If you die, I will die with you, master," Jonas said. + +And indeed, in the fights he had always kept close to John, +following every movement, and ready to dash forward when his leader +was attacked by more than one enemy; springing upon them like a +wildcat, and burying his knife in their throats. It was to his +watchful protection and ready aid that John owed it that he had +passed through so many combats, comparatively unharmed. + +"Not so, Jonas," he said, in answer to the lad's declaration that +he would die with him. "It would be no satisfaction to me that you +should share my fate, but a great one to know that you would get +away safely. If I fall, I charge you to pass out by this +underground way; and to carry to my father, and mother, and Mary, +the news that I have fallen, fighting to the last, in the defence +of the Temple. Tell them that I thought of them to the end, and +that I sent you to them to be with them; and to be to my father and +mother a son, until they shall find for Mary a husband who may fill +my place, and be the stay of their old age. My father will treat +you as an adopted son, for my sake; and will bestow upon you a +portion of his lands. + +"You have been as a brother to me, Jonas; and I pray you, promise +me to carry out my wishes." + +Jonas had reluctantly given the pledge but, from that hour until +John had declared that he would fight no more, Jonas had been moody +and silent. Now, however, as he walked behind his friend, his face +was full of satisfaction. There was no chance, now, that he would +have to take home the news of his leader's death. Whatever befell +them, they would share together. + +They soon reached the door of the house in which the pit was +situated. It was entered, and the door closed behind them. The +lamps were then lit. John led the way to the cellar, and bade the +men remove the boards. + +"I will go first, with one of the lamps," he said. "Do you, Jonas, +take the other, and come last in the line. + +"Keep close together, so that the light may be sufficient for all +to see." + +Strengthened by the meal, and by their confidence in John's promise +to lead them through the Romans, the band felt like new men; and +followed John with their usual light, active gait, as he led the +way. Not a word was spoken, till they reached the hole leading into +the aqueduct. + +"This is the Conduit of King Hezekiah," John said. "When we emerge +at the other end, we shall be beyond the Roman lines." + +Exclamations of satisfaction burst from the men. Each had been +wondering, as he walked, where their leader was taking them. All +knew that the ground beneath Jerusalem was honeycombed by caves and +passages; but that their leader could not intend to hide there was +evident, for they had but one meal with them. But that any of these +passages should debouch beyond the Roman lines had not occurred to +them. + +Each had thought that the passages they were following would +probably lead out, at the foot of the wall, into the Valley of +Hinnom or of Jehoshaphat; and that John intended to creep with them +up to the foot of the Roman wall, and to trust to activity and +speed to climb it, and make their way through the guard placed +there to cut off fugitives. But none had even hoped that they would +be able to pass the wall of circumvallation without a struggle. + +An hour's walking brought them to the chamber over the springs. + +"Now," John said, "we will rest for half an hour, before we sally +out. Let each man eat half the food he has brought with him. The +rest he must keep till tomorrow, for we shall have to travel many +miles before we can reach a spot that the Romans have not laid +desolate, and where we may procure food. + +"I trust," he went on, "that we shall be altogether unnoticed. The +sentries may be on the alert, on their wall, for they will think it +likely that many may be trying to escape from the city; but all +save those on duty will be either asleep after their toils, or +feasting in honour of their success. The fact, too, of the great +glare of light over Jerusalem will render the darkness more +intense, when they look in the other direction. + +"But if we should be noticed, it is best that we should separate, +and scatter in the darkness; each flying for his life, and making +his way home as best he may. If we are not seen, we will keep +together. There is no fear of meeting with any Roman bands, when we +are once fairly away. The parties getting wood will have been +warned, by the smoke, of what has taken place; and will have +hurried back, to gain their share of the spoil." + +At the end of the half hour, John rose to his feet and led the way +along the passage to the entrance. When he came to the spot where +it was nearly blocked up, he blew out his light, and crawled +forward over the rubbish, until he reached the open air. The others +followed, until all were beside him. Then he rose to his feet. The +Temple was not visible, but the whole sky seemed on fire above +Jerusalem; and the outline of the three great towers of the Palace +of Herod, and of the buildings of the upper city, stood black +against the glare. + +There was no sign of life or movement near as, with a quick, +noiseless step, the little party stole away. None of them knew more +than the general direction which they had to follow, but the glare +of the great fire served as a guide as to their direction and, even +at this distance, made objects on the ground plainly visible; so +that they were enabled to pick their way among the stumps of the +fallen plantations and orchards, through gardens, and by ruined +villas and houses, until they reached the edge of the plateau, and +plunged down into the valleys descending to the Dead Sea. After +walking for two hours, John called a halt. + +"We can walk slowly now," he said, "and avoid the risk of breaking +our legs among the rocks. We are safe, here; and had best lie down +until morning, and then resume our way. There is no fear, whatever, +of the Romans sending out parties, for days. They have the upper +city to take, yet, and the work of plunder and division of the +spoil to carry out. We can sleep without anxiety." + +It was strange, to them all, to lie down to sleep among the +stillness of the mountains, after the din and turmoil of the siege +when, at any moment, they might be called upon to leap up to repel +an attack. But few of them went off to sleep, for some time. The +dull feeling of despair, the utter carelessness of life, the desire +for death and the end of trouble which had so long oppressed +them--these had passed away, now that they were free, and in the +open air; and the thoughts of the homes they had never thought to +see again, and of the loved ones who would greet them, on their +return, as men who had almost come back from the dead, fell upon +them. They could go back with heads erect, and clear consciences. +They had fought, so long as the Temple stood. They had, over and +over again, faced the Romans hand to hand, without giving way a +foot. They had taken no share in the evil deeds in the city, and +had wronged and plundered no one. They did not return as +conquerors, but that was the will of God, and no fault of theirs. + +At daybreak they were on their feet again, and now struck off more +to the left; following mountain paths among the hills until, at +last, they came down to the plain, within half a mile of the upper +end of the Dead Sea. John here called his companions round him. + +"Here, my friends," he said, "I think it were best that we +separated; laying aside our swords and, singly or in pairs, finding +the way back to our homes. We know not in what towns there may be +Roman garrisons, or where we may meet parties of their soldiers +traversing the country. Alone, we shall attract no attention. One +man may conceal himself behind a tree, or in the smallest bush; but +the sight of a party, together, would assuredly draw them upon us. +Therefore, it were best to separate. Some of you will find it +shorter to cross the ford of the Jordan, three miles away; while +others had best follow this side of the river." + +All agreed that this would be the safer plan and, after a short +talk, each took leave of his leader and comrades, and strode away; +until Jonas, alone, remained with John. + +"Will you cross the river, John, or follow this side?" Jonas asked. + +"I think we had best keep on this side, Jonas. On the other the +country is hilly, and the villages few. Here, at least, we can +gather fruit and corn, as we go, from the deserted gardens and +fields; and two days' walking will take us to Tarichea. We can +cross there, or take a boat up the lake." + +After waiting until the last of their comrades had disappeared from +sight, John and his companion continued their way, keeping about +halfway between Jericho and the Jordan. They presently bore to the +left, until on the great road running north from Jericho. This they +followed until nightfall, rejoicing in the grapes and figs which +they picked by the roadside where, but a few months since, little +villages had nestled thickly. + +Just before darkness fell they came upon a village which, although +deserted, had not been burned--probably owing to some body of Roman +soldiers having taken up their post there for a time. They entered +one of the houses, lay down, and were soon fast asleep. + + + +Chapter 18: Slaves. + + +John was roused from sleep by being roughly shaken. He sprang to +his feet, and found a number of men--some of whom were holding +torches--in the room. Two of these had the appearance of merchants. +The others were armed and, by their dress, seemed to be Arabs. + +"What are you doing here?" one of the men asked him. + +"We are peaceful travellers," John said, "injuring no one, and came +in here to sleep the night." + +"You look like peaceful travellers!" the man replied. "You have two +wounds yet unhealed on your head. Your companion has one of his +arms bandaged. You are either robbers, or some of the cutthroats +who escaped from Jerusalem. You may think it Iucky you have fallen +into my hands, instead of that of the Romans, who would have +finished you off without a question. + +"Bind them," he said, turning to his men. + +Resistance was useless. The hands of John and Jonas were tied +behind their backs, and they were taken outside the house. Several +fires were burning in the road, and lying down were three or four +hundred men and women; while several men, with spears and swords, +stood as a guard over them. John saw, at once, that he had fallen +into the hands of a slave dealer--one of the many who had come, +from various parts, to purchase the Jews whom the Romans sold as +slaves--and already the multitude sold was so vast that it had +reduced the price of slaves throughout Italy, Egypt, and the East +to one-third of their former value. There were, however, +comparatively few able-bodied men among them. In almost every case +the Romans had put these to the sword, and the slave dealers, +finding John and Jonas, had congratulated themselves on the +acquisition; knowing well that no complaint that the captives might +make would be listened to, and that their story would not be +believed, even if they could get to tell it to anyone of authority. + +John and Jonas were ordered to lie down with the rest, and were +told that, if they made any attempt to escape, they would be +scourged to death. + +"The villains!" Jonas muttered, as they lay down. "Is it not enough +to drive one mad to think that, after having escaped the Romans, we +should fall into the hands of these rogues!" + +"We must not grumble at fate. Hitherto, Jonas, we have been +marvellously preserved. First of all, we two were alone saved from +Jotapata; then we, with ten others, alone out of six hundred +escaped alive from Jerusalem. We have reason for thankfulness, +rather than repining. We have been delivered out of the hands of +death; and remember that I have the ring of Titus with me, and +that--when the time comes--this will avail us." + +From the day the siege had begun, John had carried the signet ring +of Titus; wearing it on his toe, concealed by the bands of his +sandals. He knew that, were he to fall into the hands of the +Romans, he would get no opportunity of speaking but, even if not +killed at once, would be robbed of any valuable he might possess; +and that his assertion that the ring was a signet, which Titus +himself had given him would, even if listened to, be received with +incredulity. He had therefore resolved to keep it concealed, and to +produce it only when a favourable opportunity seemed to offer. + +"At any rate, Jonas, let us practise patience, and be thankful that +we are still alive." + +In the morning, the cavalcade got into motion. John found that the +majority of his fellow captives were people who had been taken +captive when Titus, for the second time, obtained possession of the +lower city. They had been sent up to Tiberias, and there sold, and +their purchaser was now taking them down to Egypt. The men were +mostly past middle age, and would have been of little value as +slaves, had it not been that they were all craftsmen--workers in +stone or metal--and would therefore fetch a fair price, if sold to +masters of these crafts. The rest were women and children. + +The men were attached to each other by cords, John and Jonas being +placed at some distance apart; and one of the armed guards placed +himself near each, as there was far more risk of active and +determined young men trying to make their escape than of the others +doing so, especially after the manner in which they had been +kidnapped. All their clothes were taken from them, save their +loincloths; and John trembled lest he should be ordered also to +take off his sandals, for his present captors would have no idea of +the value of the ring, but would seize it for its setting. + +Fortunately, however, this was not the case. The guards all wore +sandals and had, therefore, no motive in taking those of the +captives, especially as they were old and worn. The party soon +turned off from the main road, and struck across the hills to the +west; and John bitterly regretted that he had not halted, for the +night, a few miles further back than he did, in which case he would +have avoided the slave dealers' caravan. + +The heat was intense, and John pitied the women and children, +compelled to keep up with the rest. He soon proposed, to a woman +who was burdened with a child about two years old, to place it on +his shoulders; and as the guard saw in this a proof that their new +captives had no idea of endeavouring to escape, they offered no +objection to the arrangement which, indeed, seemed so good to them +that, as the other mothers became fatigued, they placed the +children on the shoulders of the male prisoners; loosing the hands +of the latter, in order that they might prevent the little ones +from losing their balance. + +The caravan halted for the night at Sichem, and the next day +crossed Mount Gerizim to Bethsalisa, and then went on to Jaffa. +Here the slave dealers hired a ship, and embarked the slaves. They +were crowded closely together, but otherwise were not unkindly +treated, being supplied with an abundance of food and water--for it +was desirable that they should arrive in the best possible +condition at Alexandria, whither they were bound. + +Fortunately the weather was fine and, in six days, they reached +their destination. Alexandria was at that time the largest city, +next to Rome herself, upon the shores of the Mediterranean. It had +contained a very large Jewish population prior to the great +massacre, five years before and, even now, there were a +considerable number remaining. The merchant had counted upon this +and, indeed, had it not been for the number of Jews scattered among +the various cities of the East, the price of slaves would have +fallen even lower than it did. But the Jewish residents, so far as +they could afford it, came forward to buy their country men and +women, in order to free them from slavery. + +When, therefore, the new arrivals were exposed in the market, many +assuring messages reached them from their compatriots; telling them +to keep up their courage, for friends would look after them. The +feeling against the Jews was still too strong for those who +remained in Alexandria to appear openly in the matter, and they +therefore employed intermediaries, principally Greeks and Cretans, +to buy up the captives. The women with children were the first +purchased, as the value of these was not great. Then some of the +older men, who were unfit for much work, were taken. Then there was +a pause, for already many cargoes of captives had reached +Alexandria, and the resources of their benevolent countrymen were +becoming exhausted. + +No one had yet bid for John or Jonas, as the slave dealers had +placed a high price upon them as being strong and active, and +fitted for hard work. Their great fear was that they should be +separated; and John had, over and over again, assured his companion +that should he, as he hoped, succeed in getting himself sent to +Titus, and so be freed, he would, before proceeding home, come to +Egypt and purchase his friend's freedom. + +The event they feared, however, did not happen. One day a Roman, +evidently of high rank, came into the market and, after looking +carelessly round, fixed his eyes upon John and his companion, and +at once approached their master. A few minutes were spent in +bargaining; then the dealer unfastened the fetters which bound +them, and the Roman briefly bade them follow him. + +He proceeded through the crowded streets, until they were in the +country outside the town. Here, villas with beautiful gardens lined +the roads. The Roman turned in at the entrance to one of the +largest of these mansions. Under a colonnade, which surrounded the +house, a lady was reclining upon a couch. Her two slave girls were +fanning her. + +Illustration: 'Lesbia,' the Roman said, 'I have brought you two +more slaves.' + +"Lesbia," the Roman said, "you complained, yesterday, that you had +not enough slaves to keep the garden in proper order, so I have +bought you two more from the slave market. They are Jews, that +obstinate race that have been giving Titus so much trouble. Young +as they are, they seem to have been fighting, for both of them are +marked with several scars." + +"I dare say they will do," the lady said. "The Jews are said to +understand the culture of the vine and fig better than other +people, so they are probably accustomed to garden work." + +The Roman clapped his hands, and a slave at once appeared. + +"Send Philo here." + +A minute later a Greek appeared. + +"Philo, here are two slaves I have brought from the market. They +are for work in the garden. See that they do it, and let me know +how things go on. We shall know how to treat them, if they are +troublesome." + +Philo at once led the two new slaves to the shed, at a short +distance from the house, where the slaves employed out of doors +lodged. + +"Do you speak Greek?" he asked. + +"As well as my native language," John replied. + +"My lord Tibellus is a just and good master," Philo said, "and you +are fortunate in having fallen into his hands. He expects his +slaves to work their best and, if they do so, he treats them well; +but disobedience and laziness he punishes, severely. He is an +officer of high rank in the government of the city. As you may not +know the country, I warn you against thinking of escape. The Lake +of Mareotis well-nigh surrounds the back of the city and, beyond +the lake, the Roman authority extends for a vast distance, and none +would dare to conceal runaway slaves." + +"We shall not attempt to escape," John said, quietly, "and are well +content that we have fallen in such good hands. I am accustomed to +work in a garden, but my companion has not had much experience at +such work; therefore, I pray you be patient with him, at first." + +John had agreed with Jonas that, if they had the good fortune to be +sold to a Roman, they would not, for a time, say anything about the +ring. It was better, they thought, to wait until Titus returned to +Rome--which he would be sure to do, after the complete conquest of +Jerusalem. Even were they sent to him there, while he was still +full of wrath and bitterness against the Jews--for the heavy loss +that they had inflicted upon his army, and for the obstinacy which +compelled him to destroy the city which he would fain have +preserved, as a trophy of his victory--they might be less +favourably received than they would be after there had been some +time for the passions awakened by the strife to abate; especially +after the enjoyment of the triumph which was sure to be accorded to +him, on his return after his victory. + +The next day the ring, the badge of slavery, was fastened round the +necks of the two new purchases. John had already hidden in the +ground the precious ring, as he rightly expected that he would have +to work barefooted. They were at once set to work in the garden. +John was surprised at the number and variety of the plants and +trees which filled it; and at the beauty and care with which it was +laid out, and tended. Had it not been for the thought of the grief +that they would be suffering, at home, he would--for a time--have +worked contentedly. The labour was no harder than that on his +father's farm; and as he worked well and willingly Philo, who was +at the head of the slaves employed in the garden--which was a very +extensive one--did not treat him with harshness. + +Jonas, although less skilful, also gave satisfaction; and two +months passed without any unpleasant incident. The Roman slaves, +save in exceptional instances, were all well treated by their +masters, although these had power of life and death over them. They +were well fed and, generally, had some small money payment made +them. Sometimes, those who were clever at a handicraft were let out +to other masters, receiving a portion of the wages they earned; so +that they were frequently able, in old age, to purchase their +freedom. + +There were four other slaves who worked in the garden. Two of these +were Nubians, one a Parthian, the other a Spaniard. The last died, +of homesickness and fever, after they had been there six weeks; and +his place was filled up by another Jew, from a cargo freshly +arrived. + +From him, John learned what had taken place after he had left +Jerusalem. The bands of Simon and John of Gischala were so much +weakened, by death and desertion, and were so enfeebled by famine, +that they could not hope to withstand the regular approaches of the +Roman arms, for any length of time. The two leaders therefore +invited Titus to a parley; and the latter, being desirous of +avoiding more bloodshed, of saving the Palace of Herod and the +other great buildings in the upper city, and of returning to Rome +at once, agreed to meet them. They took their places at opposite +ends of the bridge across the Tyropceon Valley. + +Titus spoke first, and expostulated with them on the obstinacy +which had already led to the destruction of the Temple, and the +greater part of the city. He said that all the world, even to the +distant Britons, had done homage to the Romans, and that further +resistance would only bring destruction upon them. Finally, he +offered their lives to all, if they would lay down their arms and +surrender themselves as prisoners of war. + +Simon and John replied that they and their followers had bound +themselves, by a solemn oath, never to surrender themselves into +the hands of the Romans; but they expressed their willingness to +retire, with their wives and families, into the wilderness, and +leave the Romans in possession of the city. Titus considered this +language, for men in so desperate a position, to be a mockery; and +answered sternly that, henceforth, he would receive no deserters, +and show no mercy, and that they might fight their hardest. He at +once ordered the destruction of all the buildings standing round +the Temple. + +The flames spread as far as the Palace of Helena, on Ophel, to the +south of the Temple platform. Here the members of the royal family +of Adiabene dwelt, and also in the Palaces of Grapte and Monobazus; +and the descendants of Helena now went over to the Romans, and +Titus, although he had declared that he would in future spare none, +did not take their lives, seeing that they were of royal blood. + +Simon and John of Gischala, when they heard that the Adiabene +princes had gone over to the Romans, rushed to the Palace of +Helena, sacked it, and murdered all who had taken refuge in the +building--seven thousand in number. They then sacked the rest of +the outer lower town, and retired with their booty into the high +town. + +Titus, furious at this conduct, ordered all the outer lower town to +be burned; and soon, from the Temple platform to the Fountain of +Siloam, a scene of desolation extended. The Roman soldiers then +commenced to throw up banks, the one against Herod's Palace, the +other near the bridge across the valley close to the Palace of +Agrippa. + +The Idumeans, under Simon, were opposed to further resistance, and +five of their leaders opened communication with Titus, who was +disposed to treat with them; but the conspiracy was discovered by +Simon, and the five leaders executed. Still, in spite of the +watchfulness of Simon and John, large numbers of the inhabitants +made their escape to the Romans who, tired of slaying, spared their +lives, but sold the able-bodied as slaves, and allowed the rest to +pass through their lines. + +On the 1st of September, after eighteen days' incessant labour, the +bank on the west against Herod's Palace was completed, and the +battering rams commenced their work. The defenders were too +enfeebled, by famine, to offer any serious resistance and, the next +day, a long line of the wall fell to the ground. + +Simon and John at first thought of cutting their way through the +Roman ranks but, when they saw how small was the body of followers +gathered round them, they gave up the attempt. They hesitated, for +a moment, whether they should throw themselves into the three great +towers, and fight to the last; or endeavour to fight their way +through the wall of circumvallation. + +They chose the latter course, hurried down to the lower end of the +upper city and, sallying out from the gate, they rushed at the +Roman wall; but they had no engines of war to batter it, they were +few in number and weakened by famine; and when they tried to scale +the wall the Roman guards, assembling in haste, beat them back; and +they returned into the city and, scattering, hid themselves in the +underground caves. + +The Romans advanced to the great towers, and found them deserted. +Titus stood amazed at their strength and solidity; and exclaimed +that God, indeed, was on their side for that by man, alone, these +impregnable towers could never have been taken. + +All resistance having now ceased, the Romans spread themselves +through the city, slaughtering all whom they met, without +distinction of age or sex. They were, however, aghast at the +spectacle which the houses into which they burst presented. Some of +these had been used as charnel houses, and had been filled with +dead bodies. In others were found the remains of whole families +who, with their servants, had shut themselves up to die of hunger. +Everywhere the dead far outnumbered the living. + +The next day, Titus issued an order that only such as possessed +arms should be slain, and that all others should be taken +prisoners; but the Roman soldiers were too infuriated at the losses +and defeats they had suffered even to obey the orders of Titus, and +all save the able-bodied, who would be of value as slaves, were +slaughtered. A vast number of those fit for slaves were confined in +the charred remains of the Women's Court and, so weakened were +these, by the ravages of famine, that eleven thousand of them are +said to have perished. Of the survivors, some were selected to +grace the triumphal procession at Rome. Of the remainder, all under +the age of seventeen were sold as slaves. A part of those above +that age were distributed, among the amphitheatres of Syria, to +fight as gladiators against the wild beasts; and the rest were +condemned to labour in the public works, in Egypt, for the rest of +their lives. + +When all above the surface had been slain, or made prisoners, the +Romans set to work methodically to search the conduits, sewers, and +passages under the city. Multitudes of fugitives were found here, +and all were slain as soon as discovered. Then the army was set to +work, to raze the city to the ground. Every building and wall were +thrown down, the only exception being a great barrack adjoining +Herod's Palace--which was left for the use of one of the legions, +which was to be quartered there for a time--and the three great +towers--Hippicus, Phasaelus, and Mariamne--which were left +standing, in order that they might show to future generations how +vast had been the strength of the fortifications which Roman valour +had captured. + +John of Gischala and Simon had both so effectually concealed +themselves that for a time, they escaped the Roman searchers. At +the end of some days, however, John was compelled by famine to come +out, and surrender. Simon was much longer, before he made his +appearance. He had taken with him into his hiding place a few of +his followers, and some stone masons with their tools, and an +effort was made to drive a mine beyond the Roman outposts. The rock +however was hard, and the men enfeebled by famine; and the +consequence was that Simon, like his fellow leader, was compelled +to make his way to the surface. + +The spot where he appeared was on the platform of the Temple, far +from the shaft by which he had entered the underground galleries. +He appeared at night, clad in white, and the Roman guards at first +took him for a spectre; and he thus escaped instant death, and had +time to declare who he was. Titus had already left; but Terentius +Rufus--who commanded the Tenth Legion, which had been left +behind--sent Simon in chains to Titus, at Caesarea; and he, as well +as John of Gischala, were taken by the latter to Rome, to grace his +triumph. + +"It is strange," John said, when he heard the story, "that the two +men who have brought all these woes upon Jerusalem should have both +escaped with their lives. The innocent have fallen, and the guilty +escaped--yet not escaped, for it would have been better for them to +have died fighting, in the court of the Temple, than to live as +slaves in the hands of the Romans." + +A month later, John learned the fate that had befallen the two +Jewish leaders. Both were dragged in the triumphal procession of +Titus through the streets of Rome; then, according to the cruel +Roman custom, Simon was first scourged and then executed, as the +bravest of the enemies of Rome, while John of Gischala was +sentenced to imprisonment for life. + +The day after the news of the return to Rome and triumph of Titus +arrived, John asked Philo to tell Tibellus that he prayed that he +would hear him, as he wished to speak to him on a subject connected +with Titus. Wondering what his Jewish slave could have to say about +the son of the emperor, Tibellus, upon hearing from Philo of the +request, at once ordered John to be brought to him. + +"Let me bring my companion, also, with me," John said to Philo. "He +is my adopted brother, and can bear evidence to the truth of my +statements." + +When they reached the colonnade Philo told them to stop there and, +a minute later, Tibellus came out. + +"Philo tells me that you have something to say to me, concerning +Titus." + +"I have, my lord," John said, and he advanced and held out the +ring. + +The Roman took it, and examined it. + +"It is a signet ring of Titus!" he said, in surprise. "How came you +by this? This is a grave matter, slave; and if you cannot account +satisfactorily as to how you came possessed of this signet, you had +better have thrown yourself into the sea, or swallowed poison, than +have spoken of your possession of this signet." + +"It was given to me by Titus, himself." John said. + +The Roman made a gesture of anger. + +"It is ill jesting with the name of Caesar," he said, sternly. +"This is Caesar's ring. Doubtless it was stolen from him. You may +have taken it from the robber by force, or fraud, or as a gift--I +know not which--but do not mock me with such a tale as that Caesar +gave one of his signets to you, a Jew." + +"It is as I said," John replied, calmly. "Titus himself bestowed +that ring upon me; and said that, if I desired to come to him at +any time, and showed it to a Roman, it would open all doors, and +bring me to his presence." + +"You do not speak as if you were mad," Tibellus said, "and yet your +tale is not credible. + +"Are you weary of life, Jew? Do you long to die by torture? Philo +has spoken well to me of you and your young companion. You have +laboured well, and cheerfully, he tells me; and are skilled at your +work. Do you find your lot so hard that you would die to escape it, +and so tell me this impossible story? For death, and a horrible +death, will assuredly be your portion. If you persist in this tale +and, showing me this ring, say: 'I demand that you send me and my +companion to Titus,' I should be bound to do so; and then torture +and death will be your portion, for mocking the name of Caesar." + +"My lord," John said, calmly, "I repeat that I mock not the name of +Caesar, and that what I have told you is true. I am not weary of +life, or discontented with my station. I have been kindly treated +by Philo, and work no harder than I should work at my father's +farm, in Galilee; but I naturally long to return home. I have +abstained from showing you this ring before, because Titus had not +as yet conquered Jerusalem; but now that I hear he has been +received in triumph, in Rome, he would have time to give me an +audience; and therefore I pray that I may be sent to him." + +"But how is it possible that Titus could have given you this ring?" +Tibellus asked, impressed by the calmness of John's manner, and yet +still unable to believe a statement which appeared to him +altogether incredible. + +"I will tell you, my lord, but I will tell you alone; for although +Titus made no secret of it at the time, he might not care for the +story to be generally told." + +Tibellus waved his hand to Philo, who at once withdrew. + +"You have found it hard to believe what I have told you, my lord," +John went on. "You will find it harder, still, to believe what I +now tell you; but if it is your command, I am bound to do so." + +"It is my command," Tibellus said, shortly. "I would fain know the +whole of this monstrous tale." + +"I must first tell you, my lord, that though as yet but twenty-one +years old, I have for four years fought with my countrymen against +the Romans. + +"You see," he said, pointing to the scars on his head, arms, and +body, "I have been wounded often and, as you may see for yourself, +some of these scars are yet unhealed. Others are so old that you +can scarce see their traces. This is a proof of so much, at least, +of my story. My companion here and I were, by the protection of our +God, enabled to escape from Jotapata, when all else save Josephus +perished there. This was regarded by my countrymen as well-nigh a +miracle, and as a proof that I had divine favour. In consequence a +number of young men, when they took up arms, elected me as their +leader and, for three years, we did what we could to oppose the +progress of the Roman arms. It was as if a fly should try to stop a +camel. Still, we did what we could, and any of the Roman officers +who served under Titus would tell you that, of those who opposed +them in the field, there was no more active partisan than the +leader who was generally known as John of Gamala." + +"You, John of Gamala!" Tibellus exclaimed. "In frequent letters +from my friends with the army I have read that name, and heard how +incessant was the watchfulness required to resist his attacks, and +how often small garrisons and parties were cut off by him. It was +he, too, who burned Vespasian's camp, before Gamala. And you tell +me, young man, that you are that Jewish hero--for hero he was, +though it was against Rome he fought?" + +"I tell you so, my lord; and my adopted brother here, who was with +me through these campaigns, will confirm what I say. I say it not +boastingly, for my leadership was due to no special bravery on my +part, but simply because the young men of the band thought that God +had specially chosen me to lead them." + +"And now, about Titus," Tibellus said briefly, more and more +convinced that his slave was audaciously inventing this story. + +"Once, near Hebron," John said, "I was passing through a valley, +alone; when Titus, who was riding from Carmelia in obedience to a +summons from Vespasian--who was at Hebron--came upon me. He +attacked me, and we fought--" + +"You and Titus, hand to hand?" Tibellus asked, with a short laugh. + +"Titus and I, hand to hand," John repeated, quietly. "He had +wounded me twice, when I sprang within his guard and closed with +him. His foot slipped, and he fell. For a moment I could have slain +him, if I would, but I did not. + +"Then I fainted from loss of blood. Titus was shortly joined by +some of his men, and he had me carried down to his camp; where I +was kindly nursed for a week, he himself visiting me several times. +At the end of that time he dismissed me, giving me his signet ring, +and telling me that if ever again I fell into the hands of the +Romans, and wished to see him, I had but to show the ring to a +Roman, and that he would send me to him." + +"And to him you shall go," Tibellus said, sternly; "and better +would it have been that you had never been born, than that I should +send you to him with such a tale as this." + +So saying, he turned away, while John and his companion returned to +their work. The Roman officer was absolutely incredulous, as to the +story he had heard; and indignant in the extreme at what he +considered the audacity of the falsehood. Still, he could not but +be struck by the calmness with which John told the story, nor could +he see what motive he could have in inventing it. Its falsity +would, of course, be made apparent the instant he arrived in Rome; +whereas had he said, as was doubtless the truth, that he had +obtained the ring from one who had stolen it from Titus, he might +have obtained his freedom, and a reward for its restoration. + +After thinking the matter over for a time, he ordered his horse and +rode into the city. One of the legions from Palestine had returned +there, while two had accompanied Titus to Rome, and a fourth had +remained in Judea. Tibellus rode at once to the headquarters of the +commander of the legion. He had just returned, with some of his +officers, from a parade of the troops. They had taken off their +armour, and a slave was pouring wine into goblets for them. + +"Ah, Tibellus!" he said, "Is it you? Drink, my friend, and tell us +what ails you, for in truth you look angered and hot." + +"I have been angered, by one of my slaves," Tibellus said. + +"Then there is no trouble in that," the Roman said, with a smile; +"throw him to the fishes, and buy another. They are cheap enough, +for we have flooded the world with slaves and, as we know to our +cost, they are scarce saleable. We have brought two or three +thousand with us, and can get no bid for them." + +"Yes, but this matter can't be settled so," Tibellus said; "but +first, I want to ask you a question or two. You heard, of course, +of John of Gamala, in your wars in Judea?" + +There was a chorus of assent. + +"That did we, indeed, to our cost," the general said; "save the two +leaders in Jerusalem, he was the most dangerous; and was by far the +most troublesome of our foes. Many a score of sleepless nights has +that fellow caused us; from the time he well-nigh burnt all our +camp before Gamala, he was a thorn in our side. One never knew +where he was, or when to expect him. One day we heard of him +attacking a garrison at the other end of the country, and the next +night he would fall upon our camp. We never marched through a +ravine, without expecting to see him and his men appearing on the +hills, and sending the rocks thundering down among us; and the +worst of it was, do what we would, we could never get to close +quarters with him. His men could march three miles to our one; and +as for our Arabs, if we sent them in pursuit, they would soon come +flying back to us, leaving a goodly portion of their numbers dead +behind them. He was the most formidable enemy we had, outside +Jerusalem; and had all the Jews fought as he did, instead of +shutting themselves up in their walled towns, we might have been +years before we subdued that pestilent country." + +"Did you ever see this John of Gamala? Do you know what he was +like, personally? Was he another giant, like this Simon who was +executed at the triumph, the other day?" + +"None of us ever saw him--that is, to know which was he, though +doubtless we may have seen him, in the fights--but all the country +people we questioned, and such wounded men as fell into our +hands--for we never once captured one of his band, unharmed--all +asserted that he was little more than a lad. He was strong, and +skilful in arms, but in years a youth. They all believed that he +was a sort of prophet, one who had a mission from their God. + +"But why are you asking?" + +"I will tell you, presently," Tibellus said; "but first answer me +another question. Was it not your legion that was at Carmelia, with +Titus, when Vespasian lay at Hebron?" + +There was a general assent. + +"Did you ever hear of a wounded Jew being brought in, and tended +there by order of Titus?" + +"We did," the general said; "and here is Plancus, who was in +command of that part of the horse of the legion which formed the +bodyguard of Titus, and who brought him into the camp. He will tell +you about it." + +"Titus had received a message from Vespasian that he wished to see +him," the officer signified by the general said, "and rode off at +once, telling us to follow him. We armed and mounted, as soon as we +could; but Titus was well mounted, and had a considerable start. We +came up to him in a valley. He was standing by the side of his dead +horse. He was slightly wounded, and his dirtied armour showed that +he had had a sharp fight. Close by lay a Jew, who seemed to be +dead. Titus ordered him to be carried back to the camp, and cared +for by his own leech. That is all I know about it." + +"I can tell you more," the general said, "for Titus himself told me +that he had had a desperate fight with the Jew; that he had wounded +him severely, and was on the point of finishing him, when the Jew +sprang at him suddenly and the sudden shock threw him to the +ground; and that, strange as it might seem, although knowing who he +was, the Jew spared his life. It was a strange story, and anyone +besides Titus would have kept it to himself; and run his sword +through the body of the Jew, to make sure of his silence; but Titus +has notions of his own, and he is as generous as he is brave. By +what he said, I gathered that the Jew abstained from striking, +believing--as was truly the case--that Titus was more merciful than +Vespasian, and that he would spare Jerusalem and their Temple, if +he could. + +"And now, why all these questions?" + +"One more on my part first: what became of the Jew, and what was he +like?" + +"That is two questions," the general replied; "however, I will +answer them. Titus let him go free, when he was recovered from his +wounds. He was a young man, of some twenty years old." + +"And do you know his name?" + +"I know his name was John, for so he told Titus; but as every other +Jew one comes across is John, that does not tell much." + +"I can tell you his other name," Tibellus said. "It was John of +Gamala." + +An exclamation of astonishment broke from the officers. + +"So that was John of Gamala, himself!" the general said. "None of +us ever dreamt of it; and yet it might well have been for, now I +think of it, the young fellow I saw lying wounded in the tent next +to that of Titus answered, exactly, to the description we have +heard of him; and the fact that he overcame Titus, in itself, shows +that he had unusual strength and bravery. + +"But how do you know about this?" + +"Simply because John of Gamala is, at present, working as a slave +in my garden." + +"You do not say so!" the general exclaimed. "We have often wondered +what became of him. We learned, from the deserters, that he had +entered into Jerusalem, and was fighting there against us. They all +agreed that the men he had brought with him took no part in the +atrocities of the soldiers of Simon, and John of Gischala; but that +they kept together, and lived quietly, and harmed no man. It was +they, we heard, who did the chief part in the three days' fighting +at the breach of the lower town; but we never heard what became of +him, and supposed that he must have fallen in the fighting round +the Temple. + +"And so, he is your slave, Tibellus! How did you know it was he, +and what are you going to do? The war is over, now, and there has +been bloodshed enough and, after all, he was a gallant enemy, who +fought us fairly and well." + +"He told me, himself, who he was," Tibellus said; "but I believed that +he was lying to me. I had heard often of John of Gamala, and deemed +that he was a brave and skilful warrior; and it seemed impossible that +young man could be he. As to what I am going to do with him, I have +nothing to do but what he has himself demanded--namely, to be sent to +Titus. He produced the signet ring of Caesar; said that it was given +to him by the general, himself; and that he told him that, if he +presented it to a Roman at any time, he would lead him to his presence. +I believed that he had stolen the ring, or had got it from somebody +that had stolen it; and he then told me of the story, very much as you +have told it--save that he said that, when he was well-nigh conquered by +Titus, and sprang upon him, Caesar's foot slipped, and he fell--hinting +that his success was the result of accident, rather than his own effort. +He spoke by no means boastingly of it, but as if it was the most natural +thing in the world." + +"There he showed discretion, and wisdom," the general said; "but +truly this is a marvellous story. If he had not appealed to Caesar, +I should have said, 'Give him his freedom.' You can buy a new slave +for a few sesterces. This young fellow is too good to be a slave +and, now that Judea is finally crushed, he could never become +dangerous; but as he has demanded to be sent to Caesar, you must, +of course, send him there. Besides, with the ideas that Titus has, +he may be really glad to see the youth again. + +"But we shall like to see him, also. We all honour a brave +adversary, and I should like to see him who so long set us at +defiance." + +"I will bring him down, tomorrow, at this hour," Tibellus said; and +then, taking leave of the officers, he mounted and rode back. + +On reaching home, he at once sent for John. + +"I doubted your story, when you told it to me," he said, "and +deemed it impossible; but I have been down to the officers of the +legion which arrived, last week, from Judea. It chances to be the +very one which was at Carmelia, when Vespasian lay at Hebron; and I +find that your story is fully confirmed--although, indeed, they did +not know that the wounded man Titus sent in was John of Gamala--but +as they admit that he answered, exactly, to the description which +they have heard of that leader, they doubt not that it was he. + +"However, be assured that your request is granted, and that you +shall be sent to Rome by the next ship that goes thither." + + + +Chapter 19: At Rome. + + +Tibellus at once ordered John to be released from all further work, +the badge of slavery to be removed, and that he should be supplied +with handsome garments, removed into the house, and assigned an +apartment with the freedmen. The bearer of the signet of Titus--now +that it was ascertained that the signet had been really given to +him by Caesar--was an important person, and was to be received with +consideration, if not honour. When these changes had been made, +John was again brought before Tibellus. + +"Is there anything else that I can do for your comfort, as one who +has been honoured by Titus, himself, our future emperor? You have +but to express your wishes, and I shall be glad to carry them out." + +"I would ask, then," John said, "that my friend and companion may +be set free, and allowed to accompany me to Rome. He is my adopted +brother. He has fought and slept by my side, for the last four +years; and your bounty to me gives me no pleasure, so long as he is +labouring as a slave." + +Tibellus at once sent for Philo, and ordered the collar to be filed +from the neck of Jonas, and for him to be treated in the same +manner as John. + +The next day Tibellus invited John to accompany him to the barracks +and, as he would take no excuses, he was obliged to do so. + +Tibellus presented him to the general and his officers, who +received him very cordially; and were much struck with his quiet +demeanour, and the nobility of his bearing. John had, for four +years, been accustomed to command; and the belief, entertained by +his followers, in his special mission had had its effect upon his +manner. Although simple and unassuming in mind; and always ready, +on his return to the farm, to become again the simple worker upon +his father's farm; he had yet, insensibly, acquired the bearing of +one born to position and authority. + +He was much above the ordinary height; and although his figure was +slight, it showed signs, which could well be appreciated by the +Romans, of great activity and unusual strength. His face was +handsome, his forehead lofty, his eyes large and soft; and in the +extreme firmness of his mouth and his square chin and jaw were +there, alone, signs of the determination and steadfastness which +had made him so formidable a foe to the Romans. + +"So you are John of Gamala!" the general said. "We have, doubtless, +nearly crossed swords, more than once. You have caused us many a +sleepless night, and it seemed to us that you and your bands were +ubiquitous. I am glad to meet you, as are we all. A Roman cherishes +no malice against an honourable foe, and such we always found you; +and I trust you have no malice for the past." + +"None," John said. "I regard you as the instruments of God for the +punishment of my people. We brought our misfortunes upon ourselves, +by the rebellion--which would have seemed madness had it not, +doubtless, been the will of God that we should so provoke you, and +perish. All I ask, now, is to return to my father's farm; and to +resume my life there. If I could do that, without going to Rome, I +would gladly do so." + +"That can hardly be," Tibellus said. "The rule is that when one +appeals to Caesar, to Caesar he must go. The case is at once taken +out of our hands. Besides, I should have to report the fact to +Rome, and Titus may wish to see you, and might be ill pleased at +hearing that you had returned to Galilee without going to see him. +Besides, it may be some time before all animosity between the two +peoples dies out there; and you might obtain from him an imperial +order, which would prove a protection to yourself, and family, +against any who might desire to molest you. If for this reason, +alone, it would be well worth your while for you to proceed to +Rome." + +Three days later, Tibellus told John that a ship would sail, next +morning; and that a centurion, in charge of some invalided +soldiers, would go in her. + +"I have arranged for you to go in his charge, and have instructed +him to accompany you to the palace of Titus, and facilitate your +having an interview with him. I have given him a letter to present +to Titus, with greetings, saying why I have sent you to him. + +"Here is a purse of money, to pay for what you may require on the +voyage; and to keep you, if need be, at Rome until you can see +Titus, who may possibly be absent. + +"You owe me no thanks," he said, as John was about to speak. "Titus +would be justly offended, were the bearer of his signet ring sent +to him without due care and honour." + +That evening Tibellus gave a banquet, at which the general and +several officers were present. The total number present was nine, +including John and the host--this being the favourite number for +what they regarded as small, private entertainments. At large +banquets, hundreds of persons were frequently entertained. After +the meal John, at the request of Tibellus, related to the officers +the manner of his escapes from Jotapata and Jerusalem, and several +of the incidents of the struggle in which he had taken part. + +The next morning, he and Jonas took their places on board the ship, +and sailed for Rome. It was now far in November, and the passage +was a boisterous one; and the size of the waves astonished John, +accustomed, as he was, only to the short choppy seas of the Lake of +Galilee. Jonas made up his mind that they were lost and, indeed, +for some days the vessel was in imminent danger. Instead of passing +through the straits between Sicily and the mainland of Italy, they +were blown far to the west; and finally took shelter in the harbour +of Caralis, in Sardinia. Here they remained for a week, to refit +and repair damages, and then sailed across to Portus Augusti, and +then up the Tiber. + +The centurion had done his best to make the voyage a pleasant one, +to John and his companion. Having been informed that the former was +the bearer of a signet ring of Titus, and would have an audience +with him, he was anxious to create as good an impression as +possible; but it was not until Caralis was reached that John +recovered sufficiently from seasickness to take much interest in +what was passing round him. The travellers were greatly struck with +the quantity of shipping entering and leaving the mouth of the +Tiber; the sea being dotted with the sails of the vessels bearing +corn from Sardinia, Sicily, and Africa; and products of all kinds, +from every port in the world. + +The sight of Rome impressed him less than he had expected. Of its +vastness he could form no opinion; but in strength, and beauty, it +appeared to him inferior to Jerusalem. When he landed, he saw how +many were the stately palaces and temples; but of the former none +were more magnificent than that of Herod. Nor was there one of the +temples to be compared, for a moment, with that which had so lately +stood, the wonder and admiration of the world, upon Mount Moriah. + +The centurion procured a commodious lodging for him and, finding +that Titus was still in Rome, accompanied him the next day to the +palace. Upon saying that he was the bearer of a letter to Titus, +the centurion was shown into the inner apartments; John being left +in the great antechamber, which was crowded with officers waiting +to see Titus, when he came out--to receive orders, pay their +respects, or present petitions to him. + +The centurion soon returned, and told John to follow him. + +"Titus was very pleased," he whispered, "when he read the letter I +brought him; and begged me bring you, at once, to his presence." + +Titus was alone in a small chamber, whose simplicity contrasted +strangely with the magnificence of those through which he had +passed. He rose from a table at which he had been writing. + +"Ah, my good friend," he said, "I am truly glad to see you! I made +sure that you were dead. You were not among those who came out, and +gave themselves up, or among those who were captured when the city +was taken; for I had careful inquiry made, thinking it possible +that you might have lost my ring, and been unable to obtain access +to me; then, at last, I made sure that you had fallen. I am truly +glad to see that it is not so." + +"I was marvellously preserved, then, as at Jotapata," John said; +"and escaped, after the Temple had fallen, by a secret passage +leading out beyond the wall of circumvallation. As I made my way +home, I fell into the hands of some slave dealers, who seized me +and my companion--who is my adopted brother--and carried us away to +Alexandria, where I was sold. As you had not yet returned to Rome, +I thought it better not to produce your signet, which I had +fortunately managed to conceal. + +"When I heard that you had reached Rome, and had received your +triumph, I produced the ring to my master Tibellus; and prayed him +to send me and my companion here to you, in order that I might ask +for liberty, and leave to return to my home. He treated me with the +greatest kindness and, but that I had appealed to you, would of +himself have set us free. It is for this, alone, that I have come +here; to ask you to confirm the freedom he has given me, and to +permit me to return to Galilee. Further, if you will give me your +order that I and mine may live peacefully, without molestation from +any, it would add to your favours." + +"I will do these, certainly," Titus said, "and far more, if you +will let me. I shall never forget that you saved my life; and +believe me, I did my best to save the Temple, which was what I +promised you. I did not say that I would save it, merely that I +would do my best; but your obstinate countrymen insisted in +bringing destruction upon it." + +"I know that you did all that was possible," John said, "and that +the blame lies with them, and not with you, in any way. However, it +was the will of God that it should be destroyed; and they were the +instruments of his will, while they thought they were trying to +preserve it." + +"But now," Titus said, "you must let me do more for you. Have you +ambition? I will push you forward to high position, and dignity. Do +you care for wealth? I have the treasures of Rome in my gift. Would +you serve in the army? Many of the Alexandrian Jews had high rank +in the army of Anthony. Two of Cleopatra's best generals were your +countrymen. I know your bravery, and your military talents, and +will gladly push you forward." + +"I thank you, Caesar, for your offers," John said, "which far +exceed my deserts; but I would rather pass my life as a tiller of +the soil, in Galilee. The very name of a Jew, at present, is +hateful in the ear of a Roman. All men who succeed by the favour of +a great prince are hated. I should be still more so, as a Jew. I +should be hated by my own countrymen, as well as yours, for they +would regard me as a traitor. There would be no happiness in such a +life. A thousand times better a home by the Lake of Galilee, with a +wife and children." + +"If such be your determination, I will say nought against it," +Titus said; "but remember, if at any time you tire of such a life, +come to me and I will give you a post of high honour and dignity. +There are glorious opportunities for talent and uprightness in our +distant dependencies--east and west--where there will be no +prejudices against the name of a Jew. + +"However, for the present let that be. Tomorrow I will have +prepared for you an imperial order--to all Roman officers, civil +and military, of Galilee and Judea--to treat you as the friend of +Titus; also the appointment as procurator of the district lying +north of the river Hieromax, up to the boundary of Chorazin, for a +distance of ten miles back from the lake. You will not refuse that +office, for it will enable you to protect your country people from +oppression, and to bring prosperity upon the whole district. + +"Lastly, you will receive with the documents a sum of money. I know +that you will not use it on yourself, but it will be long before +the land recovers from its wounds. There will be terrible misery +and distress; and I should like to think that in the district, at +least, of my friend, there are peace and contentment. Less than +this Caesar cannot give to the man who spared his life." + +John thanked Titus, most heartily, for his favours; which would, he +saw, ensure his family and neighbours from the oppression and +tyranny to which a conquered people are exposed, at the hands of a +rough soldiery. Titus ordered an apartment to be prepared for him, +in the palace; and begged him to take up his abode there, until a +vessel should be sailing for Casarea. Slaves were told off to +attend upon him, and to escort him in the city; and everything was +done to show the esteem and friendship in which Titus held him. +Titus had several interviews with him; and learned now, for the +first time, that he was the John of Gamala who had so long and +stoutly opposed the Romans. + +"If I had known that," Titus said, with a smile, "when you were in +my hands, I do not think I should have let you go free; though your +captivity would have been an honourable one. When you said that you +would not promise to desist from opposing our arms, I thought that +one man, more or less, in the ranks of the enemy would make little +difference; but had I known that it was the redoubtable John of +Gamala who was in my hands, I should hardly have thought myself +justified in letting you go free." + +John, at the request of Titus, gave him a sketch of the incidents +of his life, and of the campaign. + +"So you have already a lady love," Titus said, when he had +finished. "What shall I send her? + +"Better nothing, at present," he said, after a moment's thought and +a smile, "beyond yourself. That will be the best and most +acceptable gift I could send her. Time, and your good report, may +soften the feelings with which doubtless she, like all the rest of +your countrywomen, must regard me; though the gods know I would +gladly have spared Galilee, and Judea, from the ruin which has +fallen upon them." + +In addition to the two documents which he had promised him, Titus +thoughtfully gave him another, intended for the perusal of his own +countrymen only. It was in the form of a letter, saying to John +that he had appointed him procurator of the strip of territory +bordering the Lake of Galilee on the east, not from any submission +on his part, still less at his request; but solely as a proof of +his admiration for the stubborn and determined manner in which he +had fought throughout the war, the absence of any cruelty practised +upon Romans who fell into his hands, of his esteem for his +character, and as a remembrance of the occasion when they two had +fought, hand to hand, alone in the valley going down from Hebron. + +The gold was sent directly on board a ship. It was in a box, which +required four strong men to lift. A centurion, with twenty men, was +put on board the ship; with orders to land with John at Casarea, +and to escort him to his own home, or as near as he might choose to +take them. Titus took a cordial leave of him, and expressed a hope +that John would, some day, change his mind and accept his offer of +a post; and that, at any rate, he hoped that he would, from time to +time, come to Rome to see him. + +The voyage to Caesarea was performed without accident. + +"I shall look back at our visit to Rome as a dream," Jonas said, +one evening, as they sat together on the deck of the ship. "To +think that I, the goatherd of Jotapata, should have been living in +the palace of Caesar, at Rome; with you, the friend of Titus, +himself! It seems marvellous; but I am weary of the crowded +streets, of the noise, and bustle, and wealth and colour. I long to +get rid of this dress, in which I feel as if I were acting a part +in a play. + +"Do not you, John?" + +"I do, indeed," John replied. "I should never accustom myself to +such a life as that. I am longing for a sight of the lake, and my +dear home; and of those I love, who must be mourning for me, as +dead." + +At Caesarea, a vehicle was procured for the carriage of the chest, +and the party then journeyed until they were within sight of +Tarichea. John then dismissed his escort, with thanks for their +attention during the journey, and begged them to go on to the city +by themselves. When they were out of sight, he and Jonas took off +their Roman garments, and put on others they had purchased at +Caesarea, similar to those they were accustomed to wear at home. +Then they proceeded, with the cart and its driver, into Tarichea; +and hired a boat to take them up the lake. The boatmen were +astonished at the weight of John's chest, and thought that it must +contain lead, for making into missiles for slingers. + +It was evening when the boat approached the well-known spot, and +John and his companion sprang out on the beach. + +"What shall we do with the chest?" one of the boatmen asked. + +"We will carry it to that clump of bushes, and pitch it in among +them, until we want it. None will run off with it, and they +certainly would not find it easy to break it open." + +This reply confirmed the men in their idea that it could contain +nothing of value and, after helping John and Jonas to carry the +chest to the point indicated, they returned to their boat and rowed +away down the lake. + +"Now, Jonas, we must be careful," John said, "how we approach the +house. It would give them a terrible shock, if I came upon them +suddenly. I think you had better go up alone, and see Isaac, and +bring him to me; then we can talk over the best way of breaking it +to the others." + +It was nearly an hour before Jonas brought Isaac down to the spot +where John was standing, a hundred yards away from the house; for +he had to wait some time before he could find an opportunity of +speaking to him. Jonas had but just broken the news, that John was +at hand, when they reached the spot where he was standing. + +"Is it indeed you, my dear young master?" the old man said, falling +on John's neck. "This is unlooked-for joy, indeed. The Lord be +praised for his mercies! What will your parents say, they who have +wept for you for months, as dead?" + +"They are well, I hope, Isaac?" + +"They are shaken, greatly shaken," old Isaac said. "The tempest has +passed over them; the destruction of Jerusalem, the woes of our +people, and your loss have smitten them to the ground but, now that +you have returned, it will give them new life." + +"And Mary, she is well, I hope, too?" John asked. + +"The maiden is not ill, though I cannot say that she is well," +Isaac said. "Long after your father and mother, and all of us, had +given up hope, she refused to believe that you were dead; even when +the others put on mourning, she would not do so--but of late I know +that, though she has never said so, hope has died in her, too. Her +cheeks have grown pale, and her eyes heavy; but she still keeps up, +for the sake of your parents; and we often look, and wonder how she +can bear herself so bravely." + +"And how are we to break it to the old people?" John asked. + +Isaac shook his head. The matter was beyond him. + +"I should think," Jonas suggested, "that Isaac should go back, and +break it to them, first, that I have returned; that I have been a +slave among the Romans, and have escaped from them. He might say +that he has questioned me, and that I said that you certainly did +not fall at the siege of Jerusalem; and that I believe that you, +like me, were sold as a slave by the Romans. + +"Then you can take me in, and let them question me. I will stick to +that story, for a time, raising some hopes in their breasts; till +at last I can signify to Mary that you are alive, and leave it to +her to break it to the others." + +"That will be the best way, by far," John said. "Yes, that will do +excellently well. + +"Now, Isaac, do you go on, and do your part. Tell them gently that +Jonas has returned, that he has been a slave, and escaped from the +Romans; and that, as far as he knows, I am yet alive. Then, when +they are prepared, bring him in, and let him answer their +questions." + +The evening meal had been ended before Isaac had left the room to +feed, with some warm milk, a kid whose dam had died. It was while +he was engaged upon this duty that Jonas had come upon him. When he +entered the room Simon was sitting, with the open Bible before him, +at the head of the table; waiting his return to commence the +evening prayers. + +"What has detained you, Isaac?" he asked. "Surely it is not after +all these years you would forget our evening prayers?" + +"I was detained," the old man said, unsteadily and, at the sound of +his voice, and the sight of his face, as it came within the circle +of the light from the lamp, Mary rose suddenly to her feet, and +stood looking at him. + +"What is it?" she asked, in a low voice. + +"Why," Simon asked calmly, "what has detained you, Isaac?" + +"A strange thing has happened," the old man said. "One of our +wanderers has returned--not he whom we have hoped and prayed for +most--but Jonas. He has been a slave, but has escaped, and come +back to us." + +"And what is his news?" Simon asked, rising to his feet; but even +more imperative was the unspoken question on Mary's white face, and +parted lips. + +"He gives us hope," Isaac said to her. "So far as he knows, John +may yet be alive." + +"I knew it, I knew it!" Mary said, in a voice scarcely above a +whisper. + +"O Lord, I thank thee. Why have I doubted Thy mercy?" + +And she stood, for a moment, with head thrown back and eyes +upraised; then she swayed suddenly, and would have fallen, had not +Isaac run forward and supported her until, at Martha's cry, two of +the maids hastened up and placed her on a seat. + +Some water was held to her lips. She drank a little, and then said, +faintly, "Tell us more, Isaac." + +"I have not much more to tell," he replied. "Jonas says that John +certainly did not fall in Jerusalem--as, indeed, we were told by +the young man of his band who returned--and that he believes that, +like himself, he was sold as a slave. + +"But Jonas is outside. I thought it better to tell you, first. Now, +I will call him in to speak for himself." + +When Jonas entered, Martha and Mary were clasped in each other's +arms. Miriam, with the tears streaming down her cheeks, was +repeating aloud one of the Psalms of thanksgiving; while Simon +stood with head bent low, and his hands grasping the table, upon +which the tears were raining down in heavy drops. + +It was some little time before they could question Jonas further. +Martha and Mary had embraced him as if he had been the son of one, +the brother of the other. Simon solemnly blessed him, and welcomed +him as one from the dead. Then they gathered round to hear his +story. + +"John and I both escaped all the dangers of the siege," he said. +"We were wounded several times, but never seriously. God seemed to +watch over us; and although at the last, of the six hundred men +with which we entered Jerusalem there were but twelve who remained +alive, we were among them." + +"Yes, yes, we knew that," Martha said. "News was brought by a young +man of his band, who belonged to a village on the lake, that twelve +of you had escaped together on the day the Temple fell. The others +all returned to their homes, but no news ever came of you; and they +said that some party of Romans must have killed you--what else +could have befallen you? And now we are in February--nearly six +months have passed--and no word of you!" + +"We were carried off as slaves," Jonas said, "and taken, like +Joseph, to be sold in Egypt." + +"And have you seen him, since?" Simon asked. + +"Yes, I saw him in Egypt." + +"And he was well then?" + +"Quite well," Jonas replied. "I was sent to Rome, and thence +managed to make my way back by ship." + +"We must purchase him back," Simon said. "Surely that must be +possible! I have money, still. I will make the journey, myself, and +buy him." + +And he rose to his feet, as if to start at once. + +"Well, not now," he went on, in answer to the hand which Martha +laid on his shoulder, "but tomorrow." + +While he was speaking, Mary had touched Jonas, gazing into his face +with the same eager question her eyes had asked Isaac. The thought +that Jonas was not alone had flashed across her. He nodded +slightly, and looked towards the door. In a moment she was gone. + +"John!" she cried, as she ran out of the house; at first in a low +tone, but louder and louder as she ran on. "John! John! Where are +you?" + +A figure stepped out from among the trees, and Mary fell into his +arms. A few minutes later, she re-entered the room. + +"Father," she said, going up to Simon, while she took Martha's hand +in hers, "do you remember you told me, once, that when you were a +young man you went to hear the preaching of a teacher of the sect +of the Essenes, whom they afterwards slew. You thought he was a +good man, and a great teacher; and you said he told a parable, and +you remembered the very words. I think I remember them, now: + +"'And his father saw him, and ran and fell on his neck, and kissed +him, and said, "Let us be merry, for this my son was dead, and is +alive again; he was lost and is found."' + +"And so, father, is it even unto us." + +Illustration: The Return of John to his House on the Lake. + +Martha gave a loud cry, and turned to the door and, in another +moment, was clasped in John's arms. Then his father fell on his +neck. + +There was no happier household in the land than that which joined +in the Psalms of thanksgiving that night. The news spread quickly +to the fishermen's cottages, and the neighbours flocked in to +congratulate Simon and Martha on the return of their son; and it +was long since the strains of the songs of joy had floated out so +clear and strong over the water of Galilee for, for years, strains +of lamentation and humiliation, alone, had been on the lips of the +Jewish maidens. + +After the service of song was over, Miriam and the maids loaded the +table, while Isaac fetched a skin of the oldest wine from the +cellar, and all who had assembled were invited to join the feast. + +When the neighbours had retired, John asked his father and Isaac to +come down with him, and Jonas, to the side of the lake, to bring up +a chest that was lying there. + +"It is rather too heavy for Jonas and me to carry, alone." + +"It would have been better, my son, to have asked some of our +neighbours. They would gladly have assisted you, and Isaac and I +have not, between us, the strength of one man." + +"I know it, father, but I do not wish that any, besides ourselves, +should know that the box is here. We will take a pole and a rope +with us, and can adjust the weight so that your portion shall not +be beyond your strength." + +On arriving at the spot, Simon was surprised at seeing a small box, +which it would be thought a woman could have lifted, with ease. + +"Is this the box of which you spoke, John? Surely you want no aid +to carry this up?" + +"We do, indeed, father, as you will see." + +With the assistance of Jonas, John put the rope round the box, and +slung it to the pole near one end. He and Jonas then took this end. +Simon and Isaac lifted that farthest from the box, so that but a +small share of the weight rested upon them. So the chest was +carried up to the house. + +"What is this you have brought home?" Martha asked, as they laid +the box down in the principal room. + +"It is gold, mother--gold to be used for the relief of the poor and +distressed, for those who have been made homeless and fatherless in +this war. It was a gift to me, as I will tell you, tomorrow; but I +need not say that I would not touch one penny of it, for it is +Roman gold. But it will place it in our power to do immense good, +among the poor. We had best bury it, just beneath the floor, so +that we can readily get at it when we have need." + +"It is a great responsibility, my son," Simon said; "but truly, +there are thousands of homeless and starving families who sought +refuge among the hills, when their towns and villages were +destroyed by the Romans and, with this store of gold, which must be +of great value, truly great things can be done towards relieving +their necessities." + +The next morning, John related to his family the various incidents +which had befallen him and Jonas since they had last parted; and +their surprise was unbounded, when he produced the three documents +with which he had been furnished by Titus. The letters, saying that +the favour of Caesar had been bestowed upon John as a token of +admiration, only, for the bravery with which he had fought, and +ordering that all Romans should treat him as one having the favour +and friendship of Titus, gave them unbounded satisfaction. That +appointing him procurator of the whole district bordering the lake +to the east surprised, and almost bewildered them. + +"But what are you going to do, my son? Are you going to leave us, +and live in a palace, and appear as a Roman officer?" + +"I am not thinking of doing that, father," John said, with a smile. +"For myself I would much rather that this dignity had not been +conferred on me by Titus; and I would gladly put this commission, +with its imperial seal, into the fire. But I feel that I cannot do +this, for it gives me great power of doing good to our neighbours. +I shall be able to protect them from all oppression by Roman +soldiers, or by tax gatherers. There is no occasion for me to live +in a palace, or to wear the garments of a Roman official. The +letter of Titus shows that it is to a Jew that he has given this +power, and as a Jew I shall use it. + +"While journeying here from Rome, I have thought much over the +matter. At first, I thought of suppressing the order. Then, I felt +that a power of good had been given into my hands; and that I had +no right, from selfish reasons, to shrink from its execution. +Doubtless, at first I shall be misunderstood. They will say that I, +like Josephus, have turned traitor, and have gone over to the +Romans. Even were it so, I should have done no more than all the +people of Tiberias, Sepphoris, and other cities which submitted to +them. + +"But I do not think this feeling will last long. All those who +fought with me outside Jerusalem, against the Romans, know that I +was faithful to the cause of my country. The few survivors of the +band I led into Jerusalem can testify that I fought until the +Temple fell, and that I escaped by my own devices, and not from any +agreement with the Romans. + +"Moreover they will, in time, judge me by my acts. I shall rule, as +I said, as a Jew, and not as a Roman--rule as did the judges in the +old times, sitting under my own fig tree, here, and listening to +the complaints that may be brought to me--and I trust that wisdom +will be given to me, by the Lord, to judge wisely and justly among +them." + +"You have decided well, my son," Simon said. "May God's blessing be +upon you! + +"What think you, little Mary? How do you like the prospect of being +the wife of the ruler of this district?" + +"I would rather that he had been the ruler only of this farm," Mary +said, "but I see that a great power of good has been given into his +hands, and it is not for me to complain." + +"That reminds me," Simon said, "of what Martha and I were speaking +together, last night. You have both waited long. There is no +occasion for longer tarrying. The marriage feast will be prepared, +and we will summon our neighbours and friends to assemble here, +this day week. + +"And now, John, what are you going to do?" + +"I am going, father, at once to Hippos, the chief town in the +district. I shall see the authorities of the town, and the captain +of the Roman garrison, and lay before them the commission of +Caesar. I shall then issue a proclamation, announcing to all people +within the limits of the district that have been marked out that I +have authority, from Rome, to judge all matters that may come +before me, in the district; and that all who have causes of +complaint, or who have been wronged by any, will find me here, +ready to hear their cause, and to order justice to be rendered to +them. I shall also say that I shall shortly make a tour through the +district, to see for myself into the condition of things, and to +give aid to such as need it." + +Great was the surprise of the Roman and Jewish authorities, in +Hippos, when John produced the imperial commission. There was, +however, no doubting or disputing it. The Roman officers at once +placed themselves under his orders, and issued proclamations of +their own, in addition to that of John, notifying the fact to all +the inhabitants of the district. + +Among the Jewish authorities there was, at first, some feeling of +jealousy that this young man should be placed over them; but they +felt, nevertheless, the great benefits that would arise from the +protection which one of their own countrymen, high in the favour of +Titus, would be able to afford them. When showing his commission, +John had also produced the letter of Titus, giving his reasons for +the nomination; and indeed, the younger men in the district, many +of whom had followed John in his first campaigns--and who had +hitherto, in accordance with the oath of secrecy taken on +enrollment, concealed their knowledge that John of Gamala was the +son of Simon--now proclaimed the fact, and hailed his appointment +with joy. + +On the appointed day, the marriage of John and Mary took place and, +as the news had spread through the country, a vast gathering +assembled, and it was made the occasion of a public demonstration. +The preparations which Martha and Mary had made for the feast, +ample as they had been, would have availed but little among such a +multitude; but Isaac and the menservants drove in and slaughtered +several cattle and, as those who came for the most part bore +presents of wine, oil, bread, goats, and other articles, and the +neighbours lent their assistance in preparing a feast at the great +fires which were lighted along the shore, while Simon contributed +all the contents of his wine store, the feast proved ample for all +assembled. + +John and his wife moved among the throng, receiving congratulations +and good wishes; Mary blushing, and tearful with happiness and +pride in the honour paid to John; John himself radiant with +pleasure, and with satisfaction at the thought of the good which +the power, so strangely conferred upon him, would enable him to +effect for his neighbours. + +After that, things went on in their ordinary routine at the farm; +save that John was frequently away visiting among the villages of +the district, which was some thirty miles long by ten wide. The +northern portion was thinly inhabited; but in the south the +villages were thick, and the people had suffered greatly from the +excursions of the Roman foragers, at the time of the siege of +Gamala. Many of the villages had been rebuilt, since that time; but +there was still great distress, heightened by the number of +fugitives from the other side of Jordan. + +The aid which John gave enabled most of the fugitives in his +district to return to their distant villages, and to rebuild their +homes, where there was now little fear of their being again +disturbed. The distress in his own district was also relieved. In +some cases money was given, in others lent, to enable the +cultivators to till their fields, to replant vineyards, and to +purchase flocks so that, in the course of a year, the whole +district was restored to its normal appearance, and the signs of +the destructive war were almost entirely effaced. + +Then John was able to settle down in his quiet home. In the morning +he worked with his father. In the afternoon he listened to the +complaints, or petitions, of those who came before him; settling +disputes between neighbours, hearing the stories of those who +considered that they were too hardly pressed upon by the tax +collector, and doing justice to those who were wronged. + +Soon after he married, mindful of the doctrines he had heard during +his visit among the community of Nazarites by the Dead Sea, John +made inquiries and found that many of the sect, who had left the +land when the troubles with the Romans commenced, had now returned; +and were preaching their doctrines more openly than before, now +that those of the ancient religion could no longer persecute them. +At Tiberias a considerable community of the sect soon established +themselves; and John, going over, persuaded one of their teachers +to take up his abode with him, for a time, and to expound their +doctrines to him and his family. He was astonished at the spirit of +love, charity, and goodwill which animated the teaching of the +Christians--still more at the divine spirit that breathed in the +utterances and animated the life of their Master. + +The central idea, that God was the God of the whole world--and not, +as the Jews had hitherto supposed, a special Deity of their +own--struck John particularly, and explained many things which had, +hitherto, been difficult for him to understand. It would have been +galling to admit as much, in the days of Jewish pride and +stubbornness; but their spirit was broken, now; and John could +understand that although, as long as the nation had believed in him +and served him, God had taken a peculiar interest in them, and had +revealed to them much of his nature and attributes--while the rest +of the world had had been left to worship false gods--He yet loved +all the world, and was now about to extend to all men that +knowledge of him hitherto confined to the Jews. Above all, John saw +how vastly higher was the idea of God, as revealed in the new +teaching, than that which the Jews had hitherto entertained +regarding him. + +A month after the arrival of the teacher, John and Mary were +baptized into the new faith; and a few months later Simon and +Martha, who had been harder to convince, also became converts. + +When Titus was raised to the imperial throne, John, in compliance +with the request he had made him, journeyed to Rome, and remained +there for a short time as his guest. Titus received him with +affection. + +"I shall not try to tempt you with fresh offers of honours," he +said, "though I regret that you should refuse to accept a sphere of +wider usefulness. From time to time, I have heard of you from the +reports of my governors; who say that the district under your +charge is the most prosperous and contented in all Palestine, that +there is neither dispute nor litigation there, that there are no +poor, that the taxes are collected without difficulty; and that, +save only that you do not keep up the state and dignity which a +Roman official should occupy, you are in all respects a model +ruler." + +"I have every reason to be thankful," John said. "I have been +blessed in every way. My parents still survive. I am happy with my +wife and children. Your bounty has enabled me to bind up the +wounds, and relieve the distress caused by the war. My mind has +been opened to heavenly teaching, and I try humbly to follow in the +steps of that divine teacher, Jesus of Nazareth." + +"Ah, you have come to believe in him!" Titus said. "There are many +of his creed, here in Rome, and they say that they are even on the +increase. I would gladly hear, from you, something of him. I have +heard somewhat of him from Josephus, who for three years dwelt +among the Essenes, and who has spoken to me very highly of the +purity of life, the enlightenment, and religious fervour of that +sect--to which, I believe, he himself secretly inclines; although, +from the desire not to offend his countrymen, he makes no open +confession of his faith." + +John, before he left, explained to the emperor the teachings of his +Master; and it may be that the wisdom, humanity, and mildness which +Titus displayed, in the course of his reign, was in no small degree +the result of the lessons which he learned from John. + +The latter came no more to Rome but, to the end of his life, dwelt +on the shore of Galilee, wisely governing his little district after +the manner of the judges of old. + +Jonas never left his friend. He married the daughter of one of the +fishermen, and lived in a small house which Simon built for him, +close to his own. At the death of the latter, he became John's +right hand on the farm; and remained his friend, and brother, to +the end. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of For the Temple, by G. A. Henty + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOR THE TEMPLE *** + +***** This file should be named 21614.txt or 21614.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/1/6/1/21614/ + +Produced by Martin Robb. + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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