nd drove the Romans
away from it. They also slew all the people that had crowded into it,
who were in number about eight thousand four hundred, and plundered them
of what they had. They also took two of the Romans alive; the one was
a horseman, and the other a footman. They then cut the throat of the
footman, and immediately had him drawn through the whole city, as
revenging themselves upon the whole body of the Romans by this one
instance. But the horseman said he had somewhat to suggest to them in
order to their preservation; whereupon he was brought before Simon; but
he having nothing to say when he was there, he was delivered to Ardalas,
one of his commanders, to be punished, who bound his hands behind him,
and put a riband over his eyes, and then brought him out over against
the Romans, as intending to cut off his head. But the man prevented
that execution, and ran away to the Romans, and this while the Jewish
executioner was drawing out his sword. Now when he was gotten away from
the enemy, Titus could not think of putting him to death; but because he
deemed him unworthy of being a Roman soldier any longer, on account that
he had been taken alive by the enemy, he took away his arms, and ejected
him out of the legion whereto he had belonged; which, to one that had a
sense of shame, was a penalty severer than death itself.

2. On the next day the Romans drove the robbers out of the lower city,
and set all on fire as far as Siloam. These soldiers were indeed glad
to see the city destroyed. But they missed the plunder, because the
seditious had carried off all their effects, and were retired into the
upper city; for they did not yet at all repent of the mischiefs they had
done, but were insolent, as if they had done well; for, as they saw the
city on fire, they appeared cheerful, and put on joyful countenances, in
expectation, as they said, of death to end their miseries. Accordingly,
as the people were now slain, the holy house was burnt down, and the
city was on fire, there was nothing further left for the enemy to do.
Yet did not Josephus grow weary, even in this utmost extremity, to beg
of them to spare what was left of the city; he spake largely to them
about their barbarity and impiety, and gave them his advice in order to
their escape; though he gained nothing thereby more than to be laughed
at by them; and as they could not think of surrendering themselves up,
because of the oath they had taken, nor were strong