The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-03-09
THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM.

Titus with great force once more ap-
preached the gates of Jerusalem. Hardly
had he pitched his camp, before the besieged
made a furious sally, and the commander
vas nearly taken by surprise. The fac
tone now perceived the necessity of MAX
ing common cause against the enemy. and
of burying their animosity for the present.
By agreement they made simultaneous
tttack on the tenth legion, which was sta
toned at the foot Of the Mount of Olives.
By the fierceness and suddenpess of their
onslaught, it was. at first, entirely routed,
md Titus himself exposed to the greatest
danger; at length, rallying, after con-
lest of an entire day, the Romans repuls-
ed their enemies.
The city was, at that time, fortified by
three walls, one within the other, strength
ened by one hundred and sixty four towers.
Moreover, there was fortress of unusual
strength, called the Antonio, and three
overs built of such immense stones as to
defy the engineering of that day. High
over all rose the temple. all impregnable
citadel in itself, covering space of fur
long square, and its walls the rock included,
i've hundred and twenty-five feet in height,
| This splendid structure, with its marble
pillars and gilded roof, "a mount of snow,
fretted with golden pinacles," excited the
admiration of Titus. and regret at the
necessity of destroying so much magnifi-
! cence.
The approaches to the city were at last
perfected, and the huge engines, called
Helipoleis (city takers began to shake the
outer walls in three different places. The
| most furious resistance was made by the
| besieded. now united in a common defence.
| fhey made desperate salies, and often
nearly succeeded in destroying the machines.
| On one occasion these were fired by the
| insurgents and would have been destroyed,
but for the bravery of Titus, who killed
| twelve of the assaiants with his own hand.
| Al last the great engine, called Nico (the
| conquerer) threw down portion of the
outer wall. The garrison retreated to the
next, and still fought with desperate valor.
In five days more, the second fell, and
Titus entered the suberbs, sparing the
lives and property of the peaceable cti-
zens. BY fierce sortee, the Romans were
again driven from their position, which
they could not regain for four days; when
they threw down large portion of the
wall. The temple, the hill of Zion, and
the impregnable forts, still defied the in
vader, and the jews now piled with ire
mendous effect the balistas and other
engines taken from Cestlus in his flight
They scoffed at the idea of surrender, and
offered violence to all who came to parley.
Famine had now commenced, and many of
the vast multitude pent up i'll the city were
dying with hunger. Many others fled
with all the wealth they could carry. and
Titus allowed them to pass unmolested,
though Johu and Simon put to death with
out mercy all who seemed DESTROYS to fly.
Their soldiers used the mos cruel tortures
to compel all who had little provision to
yield it up; and all natural affection seemed
lost and absorbed in this dreadful calamity.
Titus was now crucifying all his prisoners,
sometimes to the number of five hundred
in day, and this added to the rage and
desperation of the besieged. After seven-
teen days of great labor, the entertainments
had been made, and the engines mounted
for an attack, when the whole were seen 10
sink into fiery abyss, and be consumed.
John had undermined the whole, filled his
cavern with combustibles, and set fire to
the wooden supports. Two days after,
Simon with a crowd of his partisans, made
an attack on the remaining engines and
after furious conflict, burnt nearly all Of
them.
1t was then decided to blockade the city,
and starve the garrison into Il surrender
In three days, working with incredible
diligence. the besiegers, had, in the inspir-
ed words Of the prophecy, least trentch
about them, and comprised them round,
and kept them in on every side.' Well
might they now recall, the terrible denun-
Citations of Moses in his dying prophecy
The Lord shall bring nation against
thee from a far, SO nation of fierce counte-
nance, which shall not regard the person of
the old, nor show favor to the young.
land he shall besiege thee in all thy gates,
until thy high and fenced walls come
down. "The tender and delicate women
among you, which would not adventure to
set the sole of her foot upon the ground
for delicateness and tenderness; her eye
shall be evil toward the husband of her
bosom, and toward her son, and toward
her daughter, and toward her children
which she shall bear; for she will eat them
for want of all things, secretly in the siege
and straitness wherewith thine enemies
shall distress thee in thy gates "a proph-
ecy which was now fearfully realized
Half of the city were dying of starvation,
or resorting to the hideous resource of cam
nabalism. Many died with their eyes fixed
on the temple to the last, and others crept
to the cemeteries and laid their corpses.
Without, the ravines were filed with dead
bodies thrown from the walls; within, the
city, strewn with unburied corpses, reek-
cd like vast sepulchre.
At length, after stripping the whole
country of its woods. the approaches We're
renewed, and the tall engines once more
stood menacing the walls. Both parties
were almost exhausted by the long contest,
but especially the Jews, who had also fam
iue to contend against. The wall fell, but
another was discovered within. An attack
of the enfeebled defenders was repulsed;
and during the night y few resolute
Romans taking the enemy by surprise,
stormed the wall. \ day Of hard fighting
left the besiegers in possession of the strong
fortress Antonio. Another fierce attack
was made in vain upon the temple, now
slippery with blood. and encnmbeIed with
corrses. At no time had the Jews fought
with moro desperate and unwearied cour-
age than now, when ont numbered, famine
stliken, and reduced to the last extremity.
The cloislers of the temple were set on
fire, and their destruction enabled the