gain.

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
su