The Jews in ancient, mediaeval and modern times . s, for the moment dis-heartened, ceased in their efforts to overtop it. A strict blockade was now resorted to that thestronghold might be starved out. While there wasfood suf^cient, water was scanty, the sole supplybeing cisterns, which in summer ^\?ere nearly this the enemy had a suspicion, but Josephusdeceived them by making the people dip garmentsin water and hang them, dripping, over the he sent messengers, disguised in skins sothat they might pass for dogs at night, who madetheir way by steep overgrown paths, which the
The Jews in ancient, mediaeval and modern times . s, for the moment dis-heartened, ceased in their efforts to overtop it. A strict blockade was now resorted to that thestronghold might be starved out. While there wasfood suf^cient, water was scanty, the sole supplybeing cisterns, which in summer ^\?ere nearly this the enemy had a suspicion, but Josephusdeceived them by making the people dip garmentsin water and hang them, dripping, over the he sent messengers, disguised in skins sothat they might pass for dogs at night, who madetheir way by steep overgrown paths, which theRoman sentries overlooked, out into the country, toarouse all Galilee. Vespasian renewed his Jews were lighter and quicker than the heavy-armed Romans; but the catapults were never quiet,and at length the dreaded rams, of the length of themast of a ship, headed with iron, and hung from ahigh frame by the middle, began to shake the great company of men, protected by hurdles andhides, dashed the mighty beam against the works,. 98 THE STORY OF THE JEWS. made top-heavy by the added height, while theArabian auxiliaries, with bows and slings, tried toprevent the interference of the besieged. Josephusmanaged to let down sacks filled with straw, whichreceived the thrust of the rams: the Romans, byblades of iron fixed to long poles, cut the ropes bywhich the sacks were suspended. In sorties theJews burned the hostile engines with bitumen, pitch,and sulphur. Vespasian was wounded by a spentjavelin ; but the siege was pressed with loud noisefrom the machines and the whizzing of the suspects from some of the descriptions ofJosephus, as he speaks of the effects of the machines,that he himself knew how to draw a long bow. Hedeclares that the head of a man at his side, struckoff by a stone from a catapult, was driven nearly halfa mile. There is no reason, however, to doubt hissubstantial accuracy. The Romans at length made a breach, and againstthe impending stor
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