e storm of missiles hurled down from above.

By nightfall, they had got out four large stones. It happened that
these stones stood just over the part under which John of Gischala
had driven his mine, when he destroyed the Roman embankments; and
thus, doubly weakened, the wall fell with a crash during the night.
John, however, had built another wall in the rear and, when the
Romans rushed to the assault of the breach, in the morning, they
found a new line of defence confronting them.

Titus addressed the troops, and called for volunteers. Sabinus, a
Syrian, volunteered for the attack, and eleven men followed him. In
spite of the storm of missiles he reached the top of the wall. The
Jews, believing that many were behind him, turned to fly; but his
foot slipped and he fell and, before he could regain his feet, the
Jews turned round upon him and slew him. Three of his companions
fell beside him, on the top of the wall; and the rest were carried
back, wounded, to camp.

Two days later, in the middle of the night, twenty Roman soldiers,
with a standard bearer and trumpeter, crept silently up to the
breach, surprised, and slew the watch. The trumpeter blew the
charge; and the Jews, believing that the whole Roman army was upon
them, fled in a sudden panic. Titus at once advanced with his men,
stormed the new wall, entered the Castle of Antonia, and then
advanced along the cloisters which connected it with the Temple;
but John of Gischala had by this time arrived at the spot, and
opposed a desperate resistance to the assault; until Simon,
crossing from the upper city by the bridge, came to his assistance;
and John, finding that the Temple was attacked, also led his band
across.

For ten hours, the struggle raged. Vast numbers fell, on both
sides; till the dead formed a bank between the combatants. Titus,
finding that even the courage and discipline of his troops did not
avail, against the desperate resistance of the Jews, at last called
them off from the assault--well satisfied with having captured
Antonia.

During the fight the Romans had, several times, nearly penetrated
into the Temple. Indeed, a centurion named Julian--a man of great
strength, courage, and skill at arms--had charged the Jews with
such fury that he had made his way, alone, as far as the inner
court; when his mailed shoes slipped on the marble pavement, and he
fell; and the Jews, rushing back, slew him--after a desperate
resistance, to the end.

Titu