ying abundance of water, within the walls. Had it
been defended by a garrison as brave and numerous as that of
Jotapata, it would have been well-nigh impregnable; but Cheres and
Joseph, who commanded, had none of the genius of Josephus, although
they were brave and determined.

The city was crowded with fugitives from all parts; and had
already, for seven months, resisted a besieging force which Agrippa
had sent against it. It was impossible to blockade the whole
circuit of the town; but Vespasian took possession of all the
neighboring heights, and established his camp, with that of the
Fifteenth Legion, on the hill facing the city to the east. The
Fifth Legion threw up works, opposite the center of the city; while
the Tenth set to work to fill up ditches and ravines, in order to
facilitate the approaches.

Agrippa approached the wall, to persuade the inhabitants to
surrender; but was struck on the right elbow by a stone from a
sling, and forced to retire. This insult to the native king, who
came in the character of an ambassador, enraged the Romans; and
they set about the operations for the siege with great vigor In
spite of the efforts of the Jews, the fosse which protected the
wall on the east was speedily filled up; and the Romans then began,
as at Jotapata, to raise an embankment facing the wall.

The day after the Romans had established their camp, John and his
followers advanced along the mountain until they could look down
upon it and, for a long time, watched the Romans at work, and
learned all the details of the camp.

"You must fix them in your minds," John said, "in order that, even
on a dark night, you may be able to make your way about it without
difficulty; so that you may be able, after striking a blow, to fly
directly to the mountain--for any who get confused, and miss their
way, will assuredly be killed. You see, the enemy have placed a
strong guard, halfway up the hillside, in order to protect
themselves from surprise; but it will be possible, by moving down
to the streams, and then mounting again, to reach the camp without
passing through them. And by the same way we must make our retreat
for, if we succeed in setting the camp on fire, the flames will
enable the guard on the mountains to see us approaching them.

"I had hoped that we might be able to penetrate, unobserved, to the
tent of Vespasian, and to slay him and some of his generals but, by
the bustle that we see round that tower on the