Chapter 4. When the banks were completed and the battering rams brought and could do nothing,

Titus gave orders to set fire to the gates of the temple, in no long time after which the

Holy House itself was burnt down, even against his consent.

And now two of the legions had completed their banks on the eighth day of the month, Louis,

whereupon Titus gave orders that the battering ram should be brought, and set over the western edifice of the inner temple.

For before these were brought, the firmest of all other engines had battered the wall for six days together without ceasing, without making any impression upon it.

But the vast largeness and strong connection of the stones were superior to that engine and to the other battering rams also.

Other Romans did indeed undermine the foundations of the northern gate, and after a world of pains removed the outermost stones, yet was the gate still upheld by the inner stones, and stood still unhurt,

till the workmen, despairing of all such attempts by engines and crows, brought their ladders to

the cloisters. Now the Jews did not interrupt them in so doing, but when they were gotten up they fell upon them and fought with them.

Some of them they thrust down and threw them backwards headlong.

Others of them they met and slew.

They also beat many of those that went down the ladders again and slew them with their swords before they could bring their shields to protect them.

Nay, some of the ladders they threw down from above when they were full of armed men.

A great slaughter was made of the Jews also at the same time,

while those that bear the ensigns fought hard for them,

as deeming it a terrible thing, and what would tend to their great shame,

if they permitted them to be stolen away.

Yet did the Jews at length get possession of these engines engines and destroyed those that had gone up the ladders while the rest were so intimidated by what those suffered who were slain that they retired

although none of the romans died without having done good service before his death of the sed, those that had fought bravely in the

former battles did as like now, as besides them did Eliezer, the brother's son of Simon,

the tyrant. But when Titus perceived that his endeavors to spare the foreign temple,

...