After having gone through the camps of the whole of the companies,
John assembled the leaders round him, and held a council as to
future operations. It was agreed that it would be best to leave
alone, for the present, the legion at Scythopolis; for rumors of
the gathering would almost certainly have reached that city, and
the Romans might be on their guard against attack. It was resolved,
therefore, to cross the Jordan a few miles below Tarichea, to
traverse the hills between Endor and Gelbus and, by a long march,
to gain the range of hills extending from Carmel to Samaria, and
forming the boundary between the latter province and Galilee. They
would then be looking down upon the camp of Vespasian, at Caesarea.
The country, between these hills and the city, was too flat for
them to engage with any hopes of success; for although, by a
surprise, they might inflict great damage on the Romans, they would
be wholly unable to withstand the charges of the Roman horse. They
would, therefore, maintain a lookout from the mountains; and attack
the Roman camp the first time it was pitched on ground whence a
rapid retreat could be effected, to the hills.
As the Jordan was unfordable, between Scythopolis and the lake, all
who could not swim were ordered to carry with them, on their march
down to the river, logs of light wood sufficient to support them in
crossing. Those who could swim were to assist in piloting over
those unable to do so. This would be a work of no great difficulty,
for the width of the Jordan is not great, and it was only for a
short distance in the center that it would be unfordable. As was to
be expected, the companies raised near the shores of the lake
contained but few men unable to swim, while those from the mountain
districts were almost wholly ignorant of the art.
The bands were, therefore, linked together for the purpose of
crossing; one of those from the plains, and a company of
mountaineers, marching down to the stream together. The
preparations were all complete by the afternoon and, just as it was
becoming twilight, the leading bands arrived on the banks of the
Jordan. The crossing was effected without difficulty and, in two
hours, all were over. Then the companies formed up under their
leaders, and started independently; men who knew the country well
being assigned, as guides, to each.
They crossed the hill between Endor and Gelbus, marched through
Jezrael; and then, just as morning was breaking, ascended the
slopes of Mount Carmel, leaving Legio on their right. It was a
march of about fifty miles; but the men were all active and
vigorous, lightly armed, and sustained by enthusiasm and
excitement, and not a man dropped behind during the journey. Once
among the hills, they threw themselves down for a rest of some
hours. From the crest of the hill, it was but some twelve miles
down to Caesarea; and the blue line of the sea extended, right and
left, as far as the eye could reach.
In the afternoon Jonas was sent down to the city, to learn how
matters stood there, and when Vespasian was going to move. He was
to remain there that night, and return with the news on the
following morning. He came back, however, at midnight; saying that
the Romans had marched on the previous day, that they had taken the
southern road which skirted the mountains for some distance, and
would probably cross the central range at Sichem, and either
proceed to Scythopolis, or join the legion thence on the plain of
Aulon, west of the Jordan.
This was a disappointment but, at daybreak, the companies were
afoot. It was decided they should march separately; each taking its
own line to the east, following unfrequented roads, and keeping
among the hills as far as possible, so that no report of the
passage of any large gathering of men should reach the Romans.
Although no time had been lost, John, when he approached the
Jordan, learned that Vespasian had already joined the legion from
Scythopolis, and had crossed the river into Peraea, and was
marching with all speed against Gadara, its chief city.
Halting for the night near the Jordan; John crossed the river by a
ford, next morning, and then moved forward, cautiously, to commence
operations as soon as the Romans were engaged upon the siege of the
city. But, ere many hours had passed, he learned that the
inhabitants had sent forward a deputation to Vespasian; and that
the war party, taken by surprise by the rapid advance of the
Romans, had hastily evacuated the city, after slaying many of those
who were willing to admit the Romans. When Vespasian arrived, he
had been received with acclamations by the inhabitants; who had
already destroyed a portion of their walls, to prove that they
never thought of resistance.
Having thus established the Roman authority in Peraea, Vespasian
left a garrison there; and set out, with the main body of his army,
for Caesarea, leaving a garrison in the town; and dispatching
Placidus, with five hundred horse and three thousand foot, in
pursuit of the fugitives who had fled from Gadara before he entered
it.
As Vespasian marched back, the band under John began their work.
Wherever the road led through the mountains, they rolled down rocks
upon the column. The light-armed allies of the Romans were sent out
on each flank and, climbing the hills, attacked their assailants.
As soon, however, as they neared the crests--which were, as they
believed, held by small parties, only, of the enemy--the Jews
rushed upon them with fury, overthrew them, and drove them down the
hills; until the heavy-armed troops were obliged to advance to
their assistance, upon which the Jews at once fell back to the
higher slopes.
Growing bolder by success, they even ventured to rush down upon the
baggage; breaking through its guard, and killing great numbers of
the animals. A party of Roman horse which came up at full gallop
was charged, just as they reached the spot, by two more companies
from the hill; and these, before the Romans could face about and
oppose their line of long spears to their assailants, were among
them--stabbing the horses, leaping up behind the soldiers and
slaying them with their knives, and throwing the whole into
confusion. Then the sound of a horn was heard on the hillside, and
the whole of the Jews instantly relinquished their work and took to
the mountains, just as a large body of cavalry, headed by Titus,
came thundering up.
At night, the Romans were disturbed by constant alarms. Men crept
up to the sentries, and slew them in the darkness. Numbers of the
enemy penetrated into the camp; killing the soldiers as they slept,
hocking the horses, and setting fire to the camp in several places;
and it was not until the whole army got under arms that the attack
ceased. The next day, they were similarly harassed upon the march;
and it was not until they had crossed the mountains, and descended
on to the western plain, that the Jews drew off, highly satisfied
with the result of their first encounter with the Romans.
Their loss had been slight--not more than twenty having
fallen--while they had killed more than two hundred of the
light-armed troops, had inflicted some loss upon the Romans
themselves, had slain numbers of baggage animals; and had shown the
enemy that, however formidable the Roman soldiers might be on the
plains, the legions of Vespasian were no more invincible than was
that of Cestius, among the hills.
They regretted however that, instead of engaging the main army,
they had not followed the force under Placidus--of whose dispatch
from Gadara they had not learned, until it was too late. The
fugitives, of whom Placidus was in pursuit, had taken possession of
the village of Bethennabris. He pursued the stratagem which had
already succeeded so well. He feigned a retreat, and the Jews
sallied out and attacked him. He cut off the greater part from
returning to the village and, at night, attacked Bethennabris,
captured it, and put all within it to the sword.
Those who had escaped were joined by great numbers of the country
people; and made for the Jordan, intending to cross by the ford
opposite Jericho. But the river was swollen with rain, and they
were unable to cross. Placidus overtook and attacked them. Vast
numbers were killed, and more were driven into the river and
drowned. Fifteen thousand fell. Two thousand five hundred were
taken prisoners, with a vast number of animals, of all kinds.
Placidus then reduced the whole of Peraea, and the coast of the
Dead Sea, as far as Machaerus.
Vespasian soon moved down from Caesarea, keeping near the sea, and
capturing Antipatris, Lydda, and Thamna, and blocking Emmaus. Then,
continuing his course southward, he wasted the country to the
frontier of Idumea, and captured the towns Betaris and Caphartobas,
putting to the sword about ten thousand men. Then he marched back,
by Emmaus and Sichem, descended the hills and marched to Jericho;
where he was joined by Placidus, with the troops from Peraea.
The city had been deserted by its inhabitants, and the Roman army
rested here for some time until, just as Vespasian was about to
march upon Jerusalem, the news arrived of the death of Nero and,
unwilling to weaken his army by besieging the city--strong in
itself, and defended by a host--Vespasian withdrew to Caesarea and,
for another two years, Jerusalem had time for preparation, or
submission.
As Vespasian's march had, except when he was crossing the mountains
from Emmaus to Sichem, lain entirely in the plains, John had been
able to do but little. Half the force had been sent across the
Jordan, and its operations had greatly added to the difficulties
Placidus had met with in subduing Peraea. The other companies had
closely followed the march of Vespasian, had made many attacks upon
parties dispatched to pillage the country and, after the Romans
marched north again, besieged and captured some of the small places
in which they had left garrisons.
They had united when the two Roman armies met at Jericho; and were
prepared to defend, desperately, the rugged mountain roads leading
thence to Jerusalem when, to their surprise, they saw the Roman
host moving away to the north again.
As soon as they ascertained that Vespasian had, for the present,
entirely abandoned the idea of attacking Jerusalem, and that his
troops had gone into permanent quarters, John held a council with
the other commanders. Some were in favor of remaining in arms, and
of constantly attacking the Roman garrisons. Others were for
scattering and returning to their homes--from which they had now
been absent three months--until the Romans again set themselves in
motion against Jerusalem. Opinions were about equally divided, and
John remained silent until all had spoken. Then he said:
"I think that we had better disperse. If we remained in arms, we
might gain some successes, we might surprise and slay some Roman
garrisons; but the others would speedily prepare themselves against
attack, by strengthening their walls and taking every precaution.
But, did we succeed in destroying the garrisons in every one of the
towns they have captured, of what benefit would it be? It would
rather excite the Romans yet more against the people. Yet more
would they march through the land, burning, destroying, and
slaying. They would turn the country into a desert; and either
slay, or carry away all the people captives. We should irritate
without seriously injuring the Romans; and the very people, whose
sufferings we should heighten by our work, would turn against us.
"Now that the whole country has been scoured, all the towns which
have resisted destroyed, and all the men who defended them put to
the sword, there may be breathing space for the land, until the
Romans advance against Jerusalem. It may be that those in Jerusalem
may come to terms with the Romans, in which case there need not be
any more bloodshed. Therefore, I say that it seems to me that it
would be wrong to continue the war, so long as the Romans rest
peacefully in their camps; but should Jerusalem have need of us in
her defense, every one of us will again take the field."
John's counsel was finally adopted. Many of the men were longing to
return to their homes, where they knew that they would be welcomed,
and honored, for the deeds they had performed; for although they
had achieved no grand successes, they had done much by compelling
the Romans to keep together, and had thus saved many towns from
plunder and destruction. Their operations, too, had created a fresh
sensation of hope, and had aroused the people from the dull despair
in which they were sinking.
Had messengers been now sent out on all sides, a great multitude of
men would have collected; but John knew well that numbers would be
of no avail, and that in a pitched battle the Romans could defeat
many times their number of the undisciplined and ill-armed Jews.
John himself stood even higher, in the estimation of his followers,
than he did at the commencement of the campaign. His own band had
been particularly successful, and had several times encountered
parties of the Romans almost equal to themselves in numbers. His
plans had been always well laid, and on no occasion had the Romans
cut off and killed any numerous parties. Altogether, the justness
of his views had been established by experience, the men had gained
confidence in themselves and in him, and now only regretted that
they had had no opportunity of attacking the Romans in anything
like equal numbers.
Therefore, when the news spread that John was of opinion that the
wisest course was for them to return to their homes, and there to
hold themselves in readiness to reassemble, whenever the Romans
moved against Jerusalem; the decision was willingly accepted and, a
few hours after the Roman column had marched out from Jericho, the
Jewish companies started for their respective homes, all promising
to take up arms again, when the signal was given. Although the
success that had attended them had not been so great as they had
hoped, it had been sufficiently marked to inspire them with
confidence in themselves, and their leader. But few lives had been
lost; and they had learned that, so long as they persisted in the
tactics their leader had laid down, there was but little chance of
the Romans striking a heavy blow at them.
Surprise was mingled with joy, in the greetings John received on
his return home.
"No disaster has befallen your bands, I hope, John?" Simon asked,
anxiously. "We heard that the Romans had reached Jericho; and we
have been praying the Lord, night and day, for his protection for
you--believing that you would doubtless fall upon the enemy, as
they marched through the mountains towards Jerusalem."
"We should have done so, father, and already had taken up a
position on the heights commanding the roads; but there was no
fighting, simply because Vespasian has marched away with his army
to Caesarea, and will not, as we believe, make any movement against
Jerusalem this year."
"The Lord be praised!" Simon said, piously. "There is time yet for
the city to repent, in sackcloth and ashes, for its sins; and to
come to such terms with the Romans as may save the Temple."
"So far as I have heard, father, Jerusalem is little likely either
to repent or to negotiate. The news of what is passing there is
even worse than that which the Rabbi Solomon told us; but I will
not pain you by talking of these matters, now.
"You have heard what we have been doing. We have done no great
deeds, but we have harassed the Romans sorely, so that they could
not say that they held the country beyond the flight of their
arrows. We have taken many cities where they had left small
garrisons. We have cut off very many small parties, have captured
many flocks and herds which they had carried off, and have lost but
few men while inflicting much damage. Moreover, we have gained
experience and confidence and, when the time comes for fighting
hand-to-hand with the Romans, we shall enter upon the struggle
without fear."
"But what can have induced the Romans to retire, when almost within
sight of Jerusalem?"
"Partly, no doubt, because Vespasian considered it better to let
the Jews go on slaying each other, than to waste his strength in
killing them; but partly, I believe, because of news from Rome. We
heard a rumor that a messenger had arrived in the Roman camp, with
news that Nero is dead; and Vespasian may well wish to keep his
army together, to watch the course of events."
This was, indeed, Vespasian's main object in retiring; and for
nearly two years he kept his army in hand, waiting for his
opportunity, while Galba, Otho, and Vitellius in turn gained and
lost the imperial crown. John remained at home, except that he went
out with the companies in the spring of 69; when Vespasian, for a
time, set his troops in motion. As before, the Romans marched down
into the south of Judea, and reduced the country on the western
shore of the Dead Sea; while Cerealis entered Idumea and completely
subdued it, so that there now remained only the towns of Herodium,
Masada, Machaerus, and Jerusalem itself which still remained
unconquered.
John's troops had pursued precisely the same tactics as in the
previous year; and had contented themselves with harassing the
Romans whenever the latter entered difficult country, and in
preventing them from sending out small foraging parties. John
himself would not have called his men under arms, as he saw that no
real advantage was gained; but the men were eager to go, and he saw
that there was a considerable advantage in their continued practice
in arms, in the quickness with which they worked together, and in
the confidence which they had in themselves.
The company suffered but slight loss in the operations; but John,
himself, had an adventure which nearly cost him his life.
Vespasian, with the bulk of his army, was encamped at Hebron; while
Titus was at Carmelia, near the Dead Sea. John's company were in
the hills near Hebron; and he, wishing to examine the Roman
position at Carmelia, and the road between the two towns, started
by himself. He carried, as usual, his buckler, two light javelins,
and a sword. The road led down a series of precipitous valleys; and
John, knowing that he could instantly gain the hills, out of reach
of danger, did not hesitate to descend into it.
He was now nineteen, strong, active, and sinewy. The position in
which he had been placed had given him the habit of command, and
the heavy responsibility which had devolved upon him had added two
or three years to his apparent age. He was taller than most of his
countrymen, broad across the shoulders, and a match for any single
man under his command.
As he walked along, he heard the sound of a horse's footsteps,
coming up the valley. He sprang a short distance up the craggy
hillside, and then paused as a single horseman came in sight. As he
came a little nearer John saw, by the splendor of his armor, and
that of the horse he was riding, that he was an officer of rank and
distinction. John scorned to fly before a single foe, and stood
quietly watching him, till he came nearly abreast of him. The
horseman reined up his charger and, without a word, seized his
javelin and hurled it at the armed figure, standing on the hillside
some thirty feet above him. John sprang lightly aside, and the
missile struck the rock with a sharp clang, close to him. In
return, he threw a javelin at the Roman, which struck him on the
armor and fell, blunted.
"Well thrown!" the Roman said, calmly, and hurled a second javelin.
The stroke was too swift to avoid; but John threw up his buckler so
as to receive it at an angle, and the javelin glanced off, and flew
far up the hillside. This time John sprang down the rocks, with the
activity of a goat, till within a few feet of the Roman. Then he
threw his javelin at the horse, with so true an aim that it struck
at a spot unprotected by armor, and the animal fell.
With an exclamation of anger, the Roman threw himself off, as the
animal sank beneath his legs. He had already drawn his sword, as
John approached, and stood at once on the defensive. Without a
moment's hesitation John sprang at him, and the combat commenced.
John trusted to his activity, while the Roman had an immense
advantage in his heavy armor--John being unprotected, save by his
buckler. The Roman stood calm and confident, while John
attacked--moving quickly, round and round him; springing in to
deliver a blow, and then bounding out of reach of the sweep of the
heavy Roman sword. For some time the combat continued. John had
received two or three severe wounds while, although the Roman was
bleeding, his armor protected him from any serious hurt.
Suddenly John sprang in at the Roman, throwing himself with all his
force against him. He partially warded, with his sword, the blow
which the Roman struck at him as he came in; but his weapon was
beaten down, and the Roman blade cut through his thick headdress.
But the impetus of his spring was sufficient. The Roman, taken by
surprise by this sudden attack, tottered, and then fell with a
crash, John falling on the top of him.
John was almost blinded by the blood which streamed down his
forehead, from the blow he had last received; but he dashed it
aside, seized his long knife and, in another moment, would have
slain his enemy, had not the latter exclaimed:
"Strike, Jew! I am Titus."
John was confused by the last blow he had received, but a thousand
thoughts whirled in his brain. For an instant he grasped the knife
more firmly, to slay the son of the chief enemy of his country;
then the possibility of carrying him away a captive occurred to
him, but he saw that this was out of the question. Then another
thought dashed across his brain.
"Swear," he said, in Greek, for he was ignorant of Latin, "by your
gods, to spare the Temple, or I will kill you."
There was a moment's hesitation. The knife was already descending,
when Titus exclaimed, in the same language:
"I swear to do all in my power to save the Temple."
John's knife fell from his hand. He tried to rise to his feet; then
everything seemed to swim round, and he fell, insensible. Titus
rose to his feet. He was shaken by the fall; and he, too, had lost
much blood. Panting from his exertions, he looked down upon his
prostrate foe; and the generosity which was the prevailing feature
of his character, except when excited in battle, mastered him.
"By Hercules," he exclaimed, "that is a gallant youth; though he is
a Jew, and he has well-nigh made an end of me! What will Vespasian
say, when he hears that I have been beaten in fair fight, and owe
my life to the mercy of a Jew? How they think of their temple,
these Jews! Why, I would not injure it, were it in my power to do
so. Have not our emperors sent offerings there? Besides, we war not
with the gods of the people we conquer.
"Ah, here come Plancus and the others! This will be a lesson to me
not to trust myself, alone, among these mountains again. It is the
first time I have done so, and it shall be the last."
A messenger had, in fact, arrived at Carmelia, with an order from
Vespasian for him to go to Hebron--as he had a desire to speak with
him--and ordering Plancus, a centurion, to follow with his troop,
Titus had sprung on his horse, and ridden off at once.
The Romans were soon upon the spot, and were loud in exclamation of
surprise and grief at seeing their commander covered with dust, and
bleeding from several wounds, while his horse lay dead beside him.
To their inquiries whether he was seriously wounded, Titus replied,
lightly:
"I am more dirty than hurt. Though, had it not been for my armor,
there would have been a different tale to tell, for these Jews
fight like demons. As you see, he first slew my horse with his
javelin, and then we fought it out on foot."
"Was there only this one?" the centurion asked, in surprise,
pointing to John's body.
"Only that one," Titus said, "and he nearly got the best of it.
Fighting with these Jews is like fighting with wild cats, so fierce
are they in the attack, and so quick are their movements. I tell
you that, for a moment, my life was at his mercy.
"See if he is dead, Plancus."
"No, he breathes," Plancus said, stooping over him.
"Let four of the men make a litter, with their spears," Titus said;
"and take him down to Carmelia, and let my own leech attend him. I
would gladly save his life, if I can. I began the fray and, truly,
he has shown himself so gallant a young man that I would not that
he should die."
Accordingly, when John opened his eyes, he found himself lying in a
Roman tent, where an old man was sitting by his couch; and a Roman
sentry pacing, backwards and forwards, before the entrance of the
tent.
"Drink this," the old man said, placing a cordial to his lips. "You
need have no fear, you are in the camp of Titus; and he, himself,
has ordered that all attention shall be paid to you."
John was too weak from loss of blood, and confused from the effects
of the blow on his head, even to feel the sensation of wonder. He
drank the potion, and closed his eyes again, and went off into a
sleep which lasted for many hours. It was not until the next day
that he thoroughly awoke. The leech continued to attend him and, at
the end of four days, he was able to sit up.
Illustration: Titus Brings Josephus to See John.
In the afternoon, he heard a clash of arms as the sentry gave the
military salute and, a moment later, Titus entered, accompanied by
one whom John instantly recognized as Josephus. John rose to his
feet.
"I told you he was but a young man," Titus said to Josephus; "but
now that I can see him more nearly or, at any rate, more calmly, I
can see that he is little more than a lad; and yet, as you have
heard me say, he is a man of valor, and defeated me in fair fight."
"I seem to know his face," Josephus said, and then addressed John
in Hebrew.
"Who are you, young man?"
"I am that John whom you saved in the storm, on the Sea of Galilee,
and who fought with you at Jotapata."
"Is it possible?" Josephus exclaimed, in surprise. "I thought that
I, alone, was saved there."
"I lay hidden with the boy Jonas, who told us of the track down to
the water," John said, quietly, "and have since then been fighting
the Romans. While you--"
"While I have been their prisoner," Josephus broke in. "I know that
all my countrymen are enraged against me but, truly, without a
cause."
Josephus then translated to Titus what John had told him, adding
that the young man had served him with zeal and devotion, and that
he had an affection for him.
"Then I am the more glad that he has not lost his life," Titus
said, courteously.
"And now, my antagonist," he said, in Greek, to John, "I would tell
you that I bear you no malice; though you have shed my blood, and
brought somewhat of disgrace upon me--for truly it is a disgrace
for a Roman soldier, in heavy armor, to be overthrown by one who
carries but a light buckler as his protection. But I love a brave
man, even though he be a foe; and I honor those who are fighting
for what they believe to be the cause of their country. If I let
you go free, will you promise me not to bear arms again, against
Rome?"
"I could not promise that, Titus," John said, quietly, "even were
you to order me, now, to be taken out and slain. It is the first
duty of all Jews to fight for the Holy City and, so long as I live,
and the Holy City is in danger, so long I must fight for her. These
are the commands of my religion; and I cannot, even to save my
life, disobey them."
"I will not press you to do so," Titus said; "though Josephus,
here, will tell you that Rome is not an unkind lord, even to those
who have most withstood it. When you are well enough to leave us,
you shall go unharmed; though, could you have seen your way to
desist from hostility to us, I would have been a good friend to
you; and have promoted you to posts of honor, and that in countries
where you would not have been opposed to your countrymen. But if
you will not have it so, you are free to go; and remember that, at
any time, you have a friend in Titus; and that when this war is
over, and peace restored, if you come to me I will repeat the offer
that I have now made.
"Moreover, you may rely upon it that, in the last extremity, I will
do all in my power to save the Temple; and indeed, in no case would
I have injured a building so venerable and holy."
Titus then left the tent, but Josephus remained for some time,
talking with John.
"I suppose you, like all others, have looked upon me as a traitor,
John?" he began.
"Not so," John replied. "I knew that you fought bravely, at
Jotapata; and risked your life many times in its defense I knew,
too, that you from the first opposed the revolt against the Romans,
and it is not for me to judge as to your position among them."
"I am a prisoner," Josephus said. "I am kindly treated, indeed, and
Vespasian frequently asks my opinion of matters connected with the
country; but surely I am doing more good to my countrymen, by
softening his heart towards them, than if I had died at
Jotapata--still more if I had been, like John of Gischala, a
scourge to it. I trust even yet that, through my influence,
Jerusalem may be saved. When the time comes Vespasian will, I hope,
grant terms; and my only fear is that the madness of the people
will lead them to refuse all accommodation, and so force him into
taking the city by storm--in which case it cannot but be that
terrible misery will fall upon it, and that vast numbers will lose
their lives.
"And now, tell me how you are, at home, and what you have been
doing since I last saw you."
John thought it as well not to mention, to Josephus, the prominent
part which he had taken among those who had so harassed the Romans;
but he said that he had joined the bands raised in Galilee, and had
been among those who had hung upon the Roman flank and rear,
wherever they marched.
"The Jews have behaved with prudence and valor," Josephus said,
"and I now see that it would have been far better had I trusted
more in mountain warfare, than in fenced cities; but it would have
been the same, in the end. I know the Jews. They would have fought
bravely, for a time; but the thought of each would have turned to
his farm and his vineyard, and they would never have kept the field
for any length of time. The Romans therefore would, in the end,
have tired them out and, perhaps, the fate which has befallen the
cities that resisted would have fallen upon all the land.
"And now remember that, although but a prisoner, I have much
influence with Vespasian; and that at any time, should you fall
into their hands again, I will exert that influence in your favor."
John remained about ten days at Carmelia. Titus had several
interviews with him, and at the last of these said:
"I have conceived a strong friendship for you, young man, and would
willingly do you service. Take this signet ring. At all times, and
in all places, it will pass you to my presence. If a Roman sword be
raised to strike you, and you show this ring, it will be lowered.
That you should fight against us to the last is, as you believe,
your duty; and as I myself would so fight for Rome, I seek not
further to dissuade you. But when resistance is at an end, and it
is useless any longer to hold the sword, your death cannot benefit
your country. Therefore, when that time comes--if not before--use
this ring, and come to me; and I will grant you not only your own
life, but that of such friends as you may wish to save.
"I do not forget that you had my life in your hands, and that you
spared it. It is a life that may yet be valuable to Rome; and
though even now, when I speak of it, my cheek flushes with
humiliation, I am none the less grateful. It pleases me to see
that, in the conversations you have had with my officers, you have
borne yourself so modestly, and have made no mention of this; for
although I, myself, do not hesitate to speak of the mishap which
befell me, it is pleasant for me that it is not spoken of by
others. Believe me, then, that at all times you will find a sincere
friend in Titus."
John replied in suitable terms; thanking Titus for the promises he
had made, and disclaiming any merit in his success--which was but
the last effort of a beaten man, and was the result of the sudden
surprise, and not of any skill or bravery.
Upon the following morning, Titus furnished him with an escort far
beyond the confines of the camp; and then, taking to the hills,
John rejoined his companions, who had long since given him up as
dead. They could scarce credit him, when he told them that he had
been lying wounded, in the hands of the Romans; and were still more
surprised at hearing that he had been engaged in a personal
encounter with Titus. Of this John gave no details, beyond the fact
that, after throwing their javelins, the horse of Titus had fallen,
and they had fought hand to hand until, at last, he had fallen,
bleeding from a severe wound; and that Titus himself had been
wounded.
"But how was it he did not slay you?" was the question. "It seems
almost a miracle, especially after wounding Titus, himself."
"Doubtless the Lord put it into his heart to spare me," John said.
"Titus only said that he preserved my life as that of a brave foe.
The Romans esteem bravery and, as I had withstood Titus for some
time, he was pleased to think that I had done well."
"Ah, if you had killed him, what rejoicings there would have been
in the land!"
"No," John said earnestly, "there would have been mourning. You may
be sure that Vespasian would have avenged his blood upon all the
people. It would have been a misfortune, indeed, had Titus fallen.
It is well that it ended as it did."
John was, however, far too weak to be able to accompany his band
upon its rapid marches; and therefore, for a time, resigned its
command to one of his captains. He determined to go, until his
strength returned to him, to a small community of which he had
heard as dwelling in an almost inaccessible valley on the shore of
the Dead Sea. He was told that they took no part in the commotion
of the times, and that they lived in such poverty that even the
robbers of Simon had not cared to interfere with them. They
practiced hospitality to strangers, and spent their lives in
religious observances. As John had often heard from his father of
this sect--which was at one time numerous in the land, but had been
sorely persecuted by the priests and Pharisees--he determined to
stop for a time among them, and learn somewhat of their doctrines.
Accompanied by Jonas, he made his way across the mountains to the
valley where they dwelt. As wounded, and a stranger, he was
received without question among them; and a little hut, similar to
that in which they all lived, was placed at his disposal. These
huts were ranged in a square, in the center of which stood a larger
building, used as their synagogue. Here John remained nearly a
month; and was greatly struck by their religious fervor, the
simplicity and austerity of their lives, and the doctrines which
they held. He learned that the more rigorous of the sect abstained,
altogether, from the use of meat and wine; and that celibacy was
strictly enjoined. Those who married did not separate themselves
from the sect, but were considered as occupying an inferior
position in it. Their food was of the simplest kind, and only
sufficient to sustain life. The community raised the grain and
vegetables necessary for their use.
But it was the religious doctrines which they held which most
greatly surprised John. They attached no importance, whatever, to
the ceremonial law of the Jewish Scriptures; maintaining, in the
first place, that the Scriptures had a spiritual signification
wholly apart from the literal meaning, alone understood by the
world; and that this spiritual meaning could only be attained by
those who, after long probation, were initiated into the inner
mysteries of the sect.
In the second place, they held that the written law had been
altogether superseded by the coming of the great prophet, Christ,
who had been put to death by the Jewish priests. John learned that
there were already large numbers of Jews who had accepted the
doctrines taught by this Christ, although they did not all embrace
the strict rules and modes of life of the ascetics. John was
greatly struck with their doctrines, although he did not hear
enough to do more than to dimly understand their meaning. He
determined however that, if he went safely through the war, he
would inquire further into these mysteries.
At the end of the four weeks, his strength being comparatively
restored, he took his leave of the community, and rejoined his
band.