The Wars of the Jews; Or, The History of the Destruction of JerusalemJosephus, Flavius
Religion
The Wars of the Jews; Or, The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem
Josephus, Flavius
Jews -- History
36. And on this day it was that the Romans slew all the multitude
that appeared openly; but on the following days they searched the
hiding-places, and fell upon those that were under ground, and in the
caverns, and went thus through every age, excepting the infants and
the women, and of these there were gathered together as captives twelve
hundred; and as for those that were slain at the taking of the city,
and in the former fights, they were numbered to be forty thousand. So
Vespasian gave order that the city should be entirely demolished, and
all the fortifications burnt down. And thus was Jotapata taken, in the
thirteenth year of the reign of Nero, on the first day of the month
Panemus [Tamuz].
CHAPTER 8.
How Josephus Was Discovered By A Woman, And Was Willing To
Deliver Himself Up To The Romans; And What Discourse He Had
With His Own Men, When They Endeavored To Hinder Him; And
What He Said To Vespasian, When He Was Brought To Him; And
After What Manner Vespasian Used Him Afterward.
1. And now the Romans searched for Josephus, both out of the hatred they
bore him, and because their general was very desirous to have him taken;
for he reckoned that if he were once taken, the greatest part of the war
would be over. They then searched among the dead, and looked into the
most concealed recesses of the city; but as the city was first taken,
he was assisted by a certain supernatural providence; for he withdrew
himself from the enemy when he was in the midst of them, and leaped into
a certain deep pit, whereto there adjoined a large den at one side of
it, which den could not be seen by those that were above ground;
and there he met with forty persons of eminency that had concealed
themselves, and with provisions enough to satisfy them for not a few
days. So in the day time he hid himself from the enemy, who had seized
upon all places, and in the night time he got up out of the den and
looked about for some way of escaping, and took exact notice of the
watch; but as all places were guarded every where on his account, that
there was no way of getting off unseen, he went down again into the den.
Thus he concealed himself two days; but on the third day, when they
had taken a woman who had been with them, he was discovered. Whereupon
Vespasian sent immediately and zealously two tribunes, Paulinus and
Gallicanus, and ordered them to give Josephus their right hands as a
security for his life, and to exhort him to come up.
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