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
2. Now Titus, as he rode out to Gischala, found it would be easy for him
to take the city upon the first onset; but knew withal, that if he took
it by force, the multitude would be destroyed by the soldiers without
mercy. [Now he was already satiated with the shedding of blood, and
pitied the major part, who would then perish, without distinction,
together with the guilty.] So he was rather desirous the city might be
surrendered up to him on terms. Accordingly, when he saw the wall full
of those men that were of the corrupted party, he said to them, That he
could not but wonder what it was they depended on, when they alone
staid to fight the Romans, after every other city was taken by them,
especially when they have seen cities much better fortified than theirs
is overthrown by a single attack upon them; while as many as have
intrusted themselves to the security of the Romans' right hands, which
he now offers to them, without regarding their former insolence, do
enjoy their own possessions in safety; for that while they had hopes
of recovering their liberty, they might be pardoned; but that their
continuance still in their opposition, when they saw that to be
impossible, was inexcusable; for that if they will not comply with such
humane offers, and right hands for security, they should have experience
of such a war as would spare nobody, and should soon be made sensible
that their wall would be but a trifle, when battered by the Roman
machines; in depending on which they demonstrate themselves to be the
only Galileans that were no better than arrogant slaves and captives.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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