Margaret Turnbull - "W. A. G.'s Tale"

Margaret Deland - "The Awakening of Helena Richie"

Eliza Lee Follen - "What The Animals Do and Say"

Unknown - "The World English Bible (WEB): Esther"

Arthur Goes Green in New Board Game - Arthur(TM) Saves the Planet
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Colasoft Packet Sniffer Software, a Smart Choice for Network Management
CHICAGO, Ill. -- Cameron McCandless, U.S. Marketing Director of FRED Distribution, Inc. announced this week that the popular book and public television character, Arthur, embarks on a mission to 'go green' in a new award-winning children's board game - Arthur(TM) Saves the Planet, One Step at a Time.

Backbone Announces Partnership with Perlustro L.P. for Digital Steganalysis Software
CD, China -- Choosing a network analyzer software is hard; choosing a network analyzer software under shrinking IT budget is even harder. Colasoft, a leader in the network analysis field, shows its good will. It recently launched its winter promotion campaign during which customers who purchased its flagship product - Capsa, can get one additional year free maintenance.

The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem

F >> Flavius Josephus >> The Wars of the Jews or History of the Destruction of Jerusalem




4. And thus was Joppa taken twice by the Romans in a little time;
but Vespasian, in order to prevent these pirates from coming
thither any more, erected a camp there, where the citadel of
Joppa had been, and left a body of horse in it, with a few
footmen, that these last might stay there and guard the camp, and
the horsemen might spoil the country that lay round it, and might
destroy the neighboring villages and smaller cities. So these
troops overran the country, as they were ordered to do, and every
day cut to pieces and laid desolate the whole region.

5. But now, when the fate of Jotapata was related at Jerusalem, a
great many at the first disbelieved it, on account of the
vastness of the calamity, and because they had no eye-witness to
attest the truth of what was related about it; for not one person
was saved to be a messenger of that news, but a fame was spread
abroad at random that the city was taken, as such fame usually
spreads bad news about. However, the truth was known by degrees,
from the places near Jotapata, and appeared to all to be too
true. Yet were there fictitious stories added to what was really
done; for it was reported that Josephus was slain at the taking
of the city, which piece of news filled Jerusalem full of sorrow.
In every house also, and among all to whom any of the slain were
allied, there was a lamentation for them; but the mourning for
the commander was a public one; and some mourned for those that
had lived with them, others for their kindred, others for their
friends, and others for their brethren, but all mourned for
Josephus; insomuch that the lamentation did not cease in the city
before the thirtieth day; and a great many hired mourners,(5)
with their pipes, who should begin the melancholy ditties for
them.

6. But as the truth came out in time, it appeared how the affairs
of Jotapata really stood; yet was it found that the death of
Josephus was a fiction; and when they understood that he was
alive, and was among the Romans, and that the commanders treated
him at another rate than they treated captives, they were as
vehemently angry at him now as they had showed their good-will
before, when he appeared to have been dead. He was also abused by
some as having been a coward, and by others as a deserter; and
the city was full of indignation at him, and of reproaches cast
upon him; their rage was also aggravated by their afflictions,
and more inflamed by their ill success; and what usually becomes
an occasion of caution to wise men, I mean affliction, became a
spur to them to venture on further calamities, and the end of one
misery became still the beginning of another; they therefore
resolved to fall on the Romans the more vehemently, as resolving
to be revenged on him in revenging themselves on the Romans. And
this was the state of Jerusalem as to the troubles which now came
upon it.

7. But Vespasian, in order to see the kingdom of Agrippa, while
the king persuaded himself so to do, (partly in order to his
treating the general and his army in the best and most splendid
manner his private affairs would enable him to do, and partly
that he might, by their means, correct such things as were amiss
in his government,) he removed from that Cesarea which was by the
sea-side, and went to that which is called Cesarea Philippi (6)
and there he refreshed his army for twenty days, and was himself
feasted by king Agrippa, where he also returned public thanks to
God for the good success he had had in his undertakings. But as
soon as he was informed that Tiberias was fond of innovations,
and that Tarichere had revolted, both which cities were parts of
the kingdom of Agrippa, and was satisfied within himself that the
Jews were every where perverted [from their obedience to their
governors], he thought it seasonable to make an expedition
against these cities, and that for the sake of Agrippa, and in
order to bring his cities to reason. So he sent away his son
Titus to [the other] Cesarea, that he might bring the army that
lay there to Seythopous, which is the largest city of Decapolis,
and in the neighborhood of Tiberias, whither he came, and where
he waited for his son. He then came with three legions, and
pitched his camp thirty furlongs off Tiberias, at a certain
station easily seen by the innovators; it is named Sennabris. He
also sent Valerian, a decurion, with fifty horsemen, to speak
peaceably to those that were in the city, and to exhort them to
give him assurances of their fidelity; for he had heard that the
people were desirous of peace, but were obliged by some of the
seditious part to join with them, and so were forced to fight for
them. When Valerian had marched up to the place, and was near the
wall, he alighted off his horse, and made those that were with
him to do the same, that they might not be thought to come to
skirmish with them; but before they could come to a discourse one
with another, the most potent men among the seditious made a
sally upon them armed; their leader was one whose name was Jesus,
the son of Shaphat, the principal head of a band of robbers. Now
Valerian, neither thinking it safe to fight contrary to the
commands of the general, though he were secure of a victory, and
knowing that it was a very hazardous undertaking for a few to
fight with many, for those that were unprovided to fight those
that were ready, and being on other accounts surprised at this
unexpected onset of the Jews, he ran away on foot, as did five of
the rest in like manner, and left their horses behind them; which
horses Jesus led away into the city, and rejoiced as if they had
taken them in battle, and not by treachery.

8. Now the seniors of the people, and such as were of principal
authority among them, fearing what would be the issue of this
matter, fled to the camp of the Romans; they then took their king
along with them, and fell down before Vespasian, to supplicate
his favor, and besought him not to overlook them, nor to impute
the madness of a few to the whole city, to spare a people that
have been ever civil and obliging to the Romans; but to bring the
authors of this revolt to due punishment, who had hitherto so
watched them, that though they were zealous to give them the
security of their right hands of a long time, yet could they not
accomplish the same. With these supplications the general
complied, although he were very angry at the whole city about the
carrying off his horses, and this because he saw that Agrippa was
under a great concern for them. So when Vespasian and Agrippa had
accepted of their right hands by way of security, Jesus and his
party thought it not safe for them to continue at Tiberias, so
they ran away to Tarichete. The next day Vespasian sent Trajan
before with some horsemen to the citadel, to make trial of the
multitude, whether they were all disposed for peace; and as soon
as he knew that the people were of the same mind with the
petitioner, he took his army, and went to the city; upon which
the citizens opened to him their gates, and met him with
acclamations of joy, and called him their savior and benefactor.
But as the army was a great while in getting in at the gates,
they were so narrow, Vespasian commanded the south wall to be
broken down, and so made a broad passage for their entrance.
However, he charged them to abstain from rapine and injustice, in
order to gratify the king; and on his account spared the rest of
the wall, while the king undertook for them that they should
continue [faithful to the Romans] for the time to come. And thus
did he restore this city to a quiet state, after it had been
grievously afflicted by the sedition.

CHAPTER 10.

How Taricheae Was Taken. A Description Of The River Jordan, And
Of The Country Of Gennesareth.

1. And now Vespasian pitched his camp between this city and
Taricheae, but fortified his camp more strongly, as suspecting
that he should be forced to stay there, and have a long war; for
all the innovators had gotten together at Taricheae, as relying
upon the strength of the city, and on the lake that lay by it.
This lake is called by the people of the country the Lake of
Gennesareth. The city itself is situated like Tiberias, at the
bottom of a mountain, and on those sides which are not washed by
the sea, had been strongly fortified by Josephus, though not so
strongly as Tiberias; for the wall of Tiberias had been built at
the beginning of the Jews' revolt, when he had great plenty of
money, and great power, but Tarichese partook only the remains of
that liberality, Yet had they a great number of ships gotten
ready upon the lake, that, in case they were beaten at land, they
might retire to them; and they were so fitted up, that they might
undertake a Sea-fight also. But as the Romans were building a
wall about their camp, Jesu and his party were neither affrighted
at their number, nor at the good order they were in, but made a
sally upon them; and at the very first onset the builders of the
wall were dispersed; and these pulled what little they had before
built to pieces; but as soon as they saw the armed men getting
together, and before they had suffered any thing themselves, they
retired to their own men. But then the Romans pursued them, and
drove them into their ships, where they launched out as far as
might give them the opportunity of reaching the Romans with what
they threw at them, and then cast anchor, and brought their ships
close, as in a line of battle, and thence fought the enemy from
the sea, who were themselves at land. But Vespasian hearing that
a great multitude of them were gotten together in the plain that
was before the city, he thereupon sent his son, with six hundred
chosen horsemen, to disperse
them.

2. But when Titus perceived that the enemy was very numerous, he
sent to his father, and informed him that he should want more
forces. But as he saw a great many of the horsemen eager to
fight, and that before any succors could come to them, and that
yet some of them were privately under a sort of consternation at
the multitude of the Jews, he stood in a place whence he might be
heard, and said to them, "My brave Romans! for it is right for me
to put you in mind of what nation you are, in the beginning of my
speech, that so you may not be ignorant who you are, and who they
are against whom we are going to fight. For as to us, Romans, no
part of the habitable earth hath been able to escape our hands
hitherto; but as for the Jews, that I may speak of them too,
though they have been already beaten, yet do they not give up the
cause; and a sad thing it would be for us to grow wealthy under
good success, when they bear up under their misfortunes. As to
the alacrity which you show publicly, I see it, and rejoice at
it; yet am I afraid lest the multitude of the enemy should bring
a concealed fright upon some of you: let such a one consider
again, who we are that are to fight, and who those are against
whom we are to fight. Now these Jews, though they be very bold
and great despisers of death, are but a disorderly body, and
unskillful in war, and may rather be called a rout than an army;
while I need say nothing of our skill and our good order; for
this is the reason why we Romans alone are exercised for war in
time of peace, that we may not think of number for number when we
come to fight with our enemies: for what advantage should we reap
by our continual sort of warfare, if we must still be equal in
number to such as have not been used to war. Consider further,
that you are to have a conflict with men in effect unarmed, while
you are well armed; with footmen, while you are horsemen; with
those that have no good general, while you have one; and as these
advantages make you in effect manifold more than you are, so do
their disadvantages mightily diminish their number. Now it is not
the multitude of men, though they be soldiers, that manages wars
with success, but it is their bravery that does it, though they
be but a few; for a few are easily set in battle-array, and can
easily assist one another, while over-numerous armies are more
hurt by themselves than by their enemies. It is boldness and
rashness, the effects of madness, that conduct the Jews. Those
passions indeed make a great figure when they succeed, but are
quite extinguished upon the least ill success; but we are led on
by courage, and obedience, and fortitude, which shows itself
indeed in our good fortune, but still does not for ever desert us
in our ill fortune. Nay, indeed, your fighting is to be on
greater motives than those of the Jews; for although they run the
hazard of war for liberty, and for their country, yet what can be
a greater motive to us than glory? and that. it may never be
said, that after we have got dominion of the habitable earth, the
Jews are able to confront us. We must also reflect upon this,
that there is no fear of our suffering any incurable disaster in
the present case; for those that are ready to assist us are many,
and at hand also; yet it is in our power to seize upon this
victory ourselves; and I think we ought to prevent the coming of
those my father is sending to us for our assistance, that our
success may be peculiar to ourselves, and of greater reputation
to us. And I cannot but think this an opportunity wherein my
father, and I, and you shall be all put to the trial, whether he
be worthy of his former glorious performances, whether I be his
son in reality, and whether you be really my soldiers; for it is
usual for my father to conquer; and for myself, I should not bear
the thoughts of returning to him if I were once taken by the
enemy. And how will you be able to avoid being ashamed, if you do
not show equal courage with your commander, when he goes before
you into danger? For you know very well that I shall go into the
danger first, and make the first attack upon the enemy. Do not
you therefore desert me, but persuade yourselves that God will be
assisting to my onset. Know this also before we begin, that we
shall now have better success than we should have, if we were to
fight at a distance."

3. As Titus was saying this, an extraordinary fury fell upon the
men; and as Trajan was already come before the fight began, with
four hundred horsemen, they were uneasy at it, because the
reputation of the victory would be diminished by being common to
so many. Vespasian had also sent both Antonius and Silo, with two
thousand archers, and had given it them in charge to seize upon
the mountain that was over against the city, and repel those that
were upon the wall; which archers did as they were commanded, and
prevented those that attempted to assist them that way; And now
Titus made his own horse march first against the enemy, as did
the others with a great noise after him, and extended themselves
upon the plain as wide as the enemy which confronted them; by
which means they appeared much more numerous than they really
were. Now the Jews, although they were surprised at their onset,
and at their good order, made resistance against their attacks
for a little while; but when they were pricked with their long
poles, and overborne by the violent noise of the horsemen, they
came to be trampled under their feet; many also of them were
slain on every side, which made them disperse themselves, and run
to the city, as fast as every one of them were able. So Titus
pressed upon the hindmost, and slew them; and of the rest, some
he fell upon as they stood on heaps, and some he prevented, and
met them in the mouth, and run them through; many also he leaped
upon as they fell one upon another, and trod them down, and cut
off all the retreat they had to the wall, and turned them back
into the plain, till at last they forced a passage by their
multitude, and got away, and ran into the city.

4. But now there fell out a terrible sedition among them within
the city; for the inhabitants themselves, who had possessions
there, and to whom the city belonged, were not disposed to fight
from the very beginning; and now the less so, because they had
been beaten; but the foreigners, which were very numerous, would
force them to fight so much the more, insomuch that there was a
clamor and a tumult among them, as all mutually angry one at
another. And when Titus heard this tumult, for he was not far
from the wall, he cried out," Fellow soldiers, now is the time;
and why do we make any delay, when God is giving up the Jews to
us? Take the victory which is given you: do not you hear what a
noise they make? Those that have escaped our hands are ill an
uproar against one another. We have the city if we make haste;
but besides haste, we must undergo some labor, and use some
courage; for no great thing uses to be accomplished without
danger: accordingly, we must not only prevent their uniting
again, which necessity will soon compel them to do, but we must
also prevent the coming of our own men to our assistance, that,
as few as we are, we may conquer so great a multitude, and may
ourselves alone take the city:"

5. As soon as ever Titus had said this, he leaped upon his horse,
and rode apace down to the lake; by which lake he marched, and
entered into the city the first of them all, as did the others
soon after him. Hereupon those that were upon the walls were
seized with a terror at the boldness of the attempt, nor durst
any one venture to fight with him, or to hinder him; so they left
guarding the city, and some of those that were about Jesus fled
over the country, while others of them ran down to the lake, and
met the enemy in the teeth, and some were slain as they were
getting up into the ships, but others of them as they attempted
to overtake those that were already gone aboard. There was also a
great slaughter made in the city, while those foreigners that had
not fled away already made opposition; but the natural
inhabitants were killed without fighting: for in hopes of Titus's
giving them his right hand for their security, and out of a
consciousness that they had not given any consent to the war,
they avoided fighting, till Titus had slain the authors of this
revolt, and then put a stop to any further slaughters, out of
commiseration of these inhabitants of the place. But for those
that had fled to the lake, upon seeing the city taken, they
sailed as far as they possibly could from the enemy.

6. Hereupon Titus sent one of his horsemen to his father, and let
him know the good news of what he had done; at which, as was
natural, he was very joyful, both on account of the courage and
glorious actions of his son; for he thought that now the greatest
part of the war was over. He then came thither himself, and set
men to guard the city, and gave them command to take care that
nobody got privately out of it, but to kill such as attempted so
to do. And on the next day he went down to the lake, and
commanded that vessels should be fitted up, in order to pursue
those that had escaped in the ships. These vessels were quickly
gotten ready accordingly, because there was great plenty of
materials, and a great number of artificers also.

7. Now this lake of Gennesareth is so called from the country
adjoining to it. Its breadth is forty furlongs, and its length
one hundred and forty; its waters are sweet, and very agreeable
for drinking, for they are finer than the thick waters of other
fens; the lake is also pure, and on every side ends directly at
the shores, and at the sand; it is also of a temperate nature
when you draw it up, and of a more gentle nature than river or
fountain water, and yet always cooler than one could expect in so
diffuse a place as this is. Now when this water is kept in the
open air, it is as cold as that snow which the country people are
accustomed to make by night in summer. There are several kinds of
fish in it, different both to the taste and the sight from those
elsewhere. It is divided into two parts by the river Jordan. Now
Panium is thought to be the fountain of Jordan, but in reality it
is carried thither after an occult manner from the place called
Phiala: this place lies as you go up to Trachonitis, and is a
hundred and twenty furlongs from Cesarea, and is not far out of
the road on the right hand; and indeed it hath its name of Phiala
[vial or bowl] very justly, from the roundness of its
circumference, as being round like a wheel; its water continues
always up to its edges, without either sinking or running over.
And as this origin of Jordan was formerly not known, it was
discovered so to be when Philip was tetrarch of Trachonitis; for
he had chaff thrown into Phiala, and it was found at Paninto,
where the ancients thought the fountain-head of the river was,
whither it had been therefore carried [by the waters]. As for
Panium itself, its natural beauty had been improved by the royal
liberality of Agrippa, and adorned at his expenses. Now Jordan's
visible stream arises from this cavern, and divides the marshes
and fens of the lake Semechonitis; when it hath run another
hundred and twenty furlongs, it first passes by the city Julias,
and then passes through the middle of the lake Gennesareth; after
which it runs a long way over a desert, and then makes its exit
into the lake Asphaltitis.

8. The country also that lies over against this lake hath the
same name of Gennesareth; its nature is wonderful as well as its
beauty; its soil is so fruitful that all sorts of trees can grow
upon it, and the inhabitants accordingly plant all sorts of trees
there; for the temper of the air is so well mixed, that it agrees
very well with those several sorts, particularly walnuts, which
require the coldest air, flourish there in vast plenty; there are
palm trees also, which grow best in hot air; fig trees also and
olives grow near them, which yet require an air that is more
temperate. One may call this place the ambition of nature, where
it forces those plants that are naturally enemies to one another
to agree together; it is a happy contention of the seasons, as if
every one of them laid claim to this country; for it not only
nourishes different sorts of autumnal fruit beyond men's
expectation, but preserves them a great while; it supplies men
with the principal fruits, with grapes and figs continually,
during ten months of the year (7) and the rest of the fruits as
they become ripe together through the whole year; for besides the
good temperature of the air, it is also watered from a most
fertile fountain. The people of the country call it Capharnaum.
Some have thought it to be a vein of the Nile, because it
produces the Coracin fish as well as that lake does which is near
to Alexandria. The length of this country extends itself along
the banks of this lake that bears the same name for thirty
furlongs, and is in breadth twenty, And this is the nature of
that place.

9. But now, when the vessels were gotten ready, Vespasian put
upon ship-board as many of his forces as he thought sufficient to
be too hard for those that were upon the lake, and set sail after
them. Now these which were driven into the lake could neither fly
to the land, where all was in their enemies' hand, and in war
against them; nor could they fight upon the level by sea, for
their ships were small and fitted only for piracy; they were too
weak to fight with Vespasian's vessels, and the mariners that
were in them were so few, that they were afraid to come near the
Romans, who attacked them in great numbers. However, as they
sailed round about the vessels, and sometimes as they came near
them, they threw stones at the Romans when they were a good way
off, or came closer and fought them; yet did they receive the
greatest harm themselves in both cases. As for the stones they
threw at the Romans, they only made a sound one after another,
for they threw them against such as were in their armor, while
the Roman darts could reach the Jews themselves; and when they
ventured to come near the Romans, they became sufferers
themselves before they could do any harm to the ether, and were
drowned, they and their ships together. As for those that
endeavored to come to an actual fight, the Romans ran many of
them through with their long poles. Sometimes the Romans leaped
into their ships, with swords in their hands, and slew them; but
when some of them met the vessels, the Romans caught them by the
middle, and destroyed at once their ships and themselves who were
taken in them. And for such as were drowning in the sea, if they
lifted their heads up above the water, they were either killed by
darts, or caught by the vessels; but if, in the desperate case
they were in, they attempted to swim to their enemies, the Romans
cut off either their heads or their hands; and indeed they were
destroyed after various manners every where, till the rest being
put to flight, were forced to get upon the land, while the
vessels encompassed them about [on the sea]: but as many of these
were repulsed when they were getting ashore, they were killed by
the darts upon the lake; and the Romans leaped out of their
vessels, and destroyed a great many more upon the land: one might
then see the lake all bloody, and full of dead bodies, for not
one of them escaped. And a terrible stink, and a very sad sight
there was on the following days over that country; for as for the
shores, they were full of shipwrecks, and of dead bodies all
swelled; and as the dead bodies were inflamed by the sun, and
putrefied, they corrupted the air, insomuch that the misery was
not only the object of commiseration to the Jews, but to those
that hated them, and had been the authors of that misery. This
was the upshot of the sea-fight. The number of the slain,
including those that were killed in the city before, was six
thousand and five hundred.

Copyright (c) 2007. topbookz.net. All rights reserved.