Its tow'rs, howe'er, th' intrepid Romans gain, It yields again, and its defenders brave And make obedient to the Roman name; Pretending treaty, makes a secret flight With others to Jerusalem by night, But those inhabitants who staid behind, Left by their leaders, and distrest in mind, 45 50 55 65 And found that mercy which they wish'd to know. 60 70 Their bodies nearly chok'd old Jordan's flood, To the Dead Sea which ran, distain'd with blood. Unhappy Jericho was sack'd and fir'd, 75 Ere from the place its citizens retir'd. It would be tedious, difficult, to tell, 80 And Titus is appointed to command That army which had scourg'd the Holy Land. Superb Jerusalem's predicted fate. 85 War, Famine, and Destruction, leash'd like hounds, That pant, howe'er, for freedom from their bonds. Simon had fifteen thousand men in arms, The city who molested with alarins. John rul'd the temple with an iron hand, Six thousand troops obey'd his stern command, 90 95 Some thousand zealots join'd this desp'rate crew, Men who no sense of human pity knew. 100 Between these chiefs the wretched people lay 105 And from without lest succour should be sent, 110 In his intelligent and active mind, A wall the city to surround design'd, Which was built up with an enthusiast heat, 115 120 Line 89, &c. Most of the following particulars, relative to the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, are taken from Josephus's History of the Jewish Wars, which is highly deserving of perusal. See the translation of Josephus by L'Estrange, or rather that by William Whiston. The spoil-devoted city, with surprise, Who minister'd the law and pow'r of God. 125 130 135 Yet in her bosom fiercest factions rage, Which tortures and disturbs the restless sense; 141 145 Which withers strength, and which appals the brave; Famine, who mow'd her thousands to the ground, From which as many strive their flight to make, 150 Line 152, &c. Josephus says of the Jews, when besieged, “ Nay, the severity of the famine made them bold in thus going out. So nothing remained but that, when they were concealed from the robbers, they should be taken by the enemy. And when they were going to be taken, they were forced to defend themselves, for fear of being punished. As after they had fought, they thought it too late to make any supplications for mercy; so they were first whipped, and then tormented with all sorts of tortures before they died, and were then crucified before the wall of the city. This miserable procedure made Titus greatly to pity them, while they caught every day five hundred Jews, nay, some days they caught And urg'd by a fix'd hatred to the race, 155 160 Who crushes th' unrepentant with his rod; Yet the besieg'd hence new resolve assume, And on God's former gifts themselves they plume; 170 more. Yet it did not appear to be safe for him to let those that were taken by force go their way; and to set a guard over so many, he saw, would be to make such as guarded them useless to him. The main reason why he did not forbid that cruelty was this, that he hoped the Jews might perhaps yield at that sight out of fear, lest they might themselves be liable to the same cruel treatment. So the soldiers, out of the wrath and hatred they bore the Jews, nailed those they caught, one after another, to the crosses by way of jest; when their multitude was so great that room was wanting for the crosses, and crosses wanting for their bodies." See Whiston's Josephus, of the Jewish war, vol. 4. chap. ii. page 157. Line 170, &c. Our Saviour, speaking of the destruction of Jerusalem, before the event, says, "And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven." Luke, xxi. 11. Tacitus, speaking of it, after the event, says, Evenerant prodigia, que neque hostiis neque votis piare fas habet gens superstitioni obnoxia, religionibus adversa. Visa per cælum concurrere acies, rutilantia arma, et subito nubium igne collucere Templum. Expassa repente delubri fores, et audita major humana vox, excedere deos: simul ingens motus excedentium: quæ pauci in metum trahebant. Pluribus persuasio inerat, antiquis sacerdotum literis contineri eo ipso tempore fore ut valesceret oriens, profectique Judaa rerum potirentur: quæ ambages Vespasianum et Titum prædixerant." Lib. 5, cap. 13. Histor. that time there were prodigies, which a people who were superstitious, and not religious, did not think proper to appease by sacri. fice or by prayer. Armies were seen to rush together in the air, glittering arms appeared, and the temple shone with a sudden light At E'en in recital their portentous crimes 175 180 The city, once by heav'n protected, falls, 190 For what was sweet as health, and light as dear. The mount, on which the temple stood, entire, Seem'd like a body of devouring fire; 195 While blood ran down like an impetuous rain. 200 from heaven. At once the doors of the temple flew open, and a voice more than human was heard to declare, that the gods had left the place at the same time there was a great motion as of their departing; which affrighted many. More, however, were persuaded that it was declared by the ancient prophets, that at that time the East should grow powerful, and the rulers of Judea obtain universal dominion: which ambiguous oracles foretold Vespasian and Titus." Line 173, &c. The particulars of this feral wickedness, of which while we read we shudder, are fully described by Josephus. It is mentioned here to shew that the prophecy of Moses (for which, see beginning of the preface) was fulfilled. |