Lecture 31. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated · Sabato Morais Digital Repository · Legacy Projects from Judaica DH at Penn Libraries

Title

Lecture 31. Morais, Sabato. Philadelphia, PA. Undated

Author

Morais, Sabato

Location(s)

United States -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

United States -- Pennsylvania

Format

13 pages on 5 sheets

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-US/1.0/?

Language(s)

English

Source

Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies

Sabato Morais Collection, Box 12, Folder 4

Has Format

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/items/ark:/81431/p3pv6bs0j/manifest.json

Link to Colenda

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3pv6bs0j

Provenance

Transfer of Custody from the Hebrew Education Society, 10 March 1913.

Is Format Of

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/judaicadh/morais/main/TEI/SMBx12FF4_11.xml

content

Post Biblical lecture
31.

In a previous the preceding lecture, I f expressed my opinion, that the choice of Josephus as military commander of Galilee, was a misfortune. Had It is believed that had he gathered in that mountainous region, all whose hearts beat for country religion and country, and by a resolute effort held Rome in check, a painful redoutable ally might have arisen to thrust back a common foe. The Parthians in Western Asia were the sworn enemies of that empire Power on the Tiber whose vaulting ambition led it to meddle in the af--fairs of other nations, and then to domineer over them by with insolence with and brutal force. But Josephus frittered away a most precious time in fighting, by tactics in which he was a perfect master, those whom he feared as his personal own personal opponents. Johanan, or John son of Levy, was the man with whom our Jewish historian entered into a bit--ter contest. John belonged to a wealthy family of Giskala--a city in the Western part of Galilee. Being a personal on friendly of relations with Simon son of Rabbi Gamliel I, President of

the Sanhedrin under whom St Paul boasted to have studied, he enjoyed weilded considerable influence. Of that he took advantage, to put himself at the head of a number of Jews, who were determined to resist Roman aggression. Still, John of Giskala acted cautiously at the outset. He knew that the Roman eagle was ever wakeful and ready to fly upon its prey. He therefore counselled prudence; but when his native city rashly attempted what it could not accom--plish, and suffered as a penalty the burning of its houses and the destruction of its inhabitants, then John arose stirred like a lyon lion, and the report of his deeds of valor spread throughout Galilee. Josephus acknowledges that his adversary had language at his command, bright intelligence and large capacities, but he charges him with an inordinate thirst for power. Judging dis--passionately, one might infer that John of Giskala would have acted in concert with the newly appointed Governor of Galilee, if he had not detected in Josephus a wavering mind, disinclined to openly declare himself openly hostile to Rome. However, an enmity arose ensued,

which became irreconcilable. John had on his side the Zealots, and all who would not bend the neck to a foreign yoke. Josephus had the advantage of being the recognized commander chief, and the favorite of Agrippa II and of the Peace party. The man of Giskala and his followers seeing that Josephus was temporizing, instead of using vigorous measures to put the country in the requisite state of defense, accused him of treachery before the Sanhedrin. The ways by which the Governor of Galilee eluded evaded the order of the higher authorities at Jerusalem that summoned him to the captial to justify his conduct; how he defiantly remained in office and overreached his op--ponents, all of that forms a record of artfulness cunning un--surpassed, of a an artful diplomacy not met among the shrew--dest politicians. Josephus despite his superlative abilities to put the best face on his worst actions, cannot decieve his readers who follow him closely in the narrative of that transaction. I have no wish to report in detail what he tells us in his history and in his biography, not unfrequently

falling into contradictions, his own statements, in his anxiety to appear pure hearted. Intending to give only a summary of accounts which others have related at great length, I pass on to the most stirring event in the public life of Josephus.
Nero was in [?] abroad, when the news of the revolutionary in war in Palestine reached his ears. That mad, not less than wicked, emperor had gone to Greece to display his pretended talents as a comedy player, a poet, a musician and a singer. Among the retinue that had accompanied him there, was Flavius Vespasian. This general was did not particularly liked enjoy the by good will of his sovereign. He had the misfortune of having been seen asleep at the theatre, while Nero was on the stage reciting some insipid a piece of his own compo--sition. His Vespasian's drawniness might have cost him his life, if the turn of affairs in the East had not made his services indispensable very desirable. Vespasian was of humble parentage, and Nero did not fear that his ambition would rise too high above his lowly station. As a soldier, he had shown consummate skill in fighting Germans,

British, and Gauls, and all acknowledged in recognized conceded to him the virtues of perseverance & prudence, and the knowledge of military discipline. When As soon as he was entrusted with the general--ship of the army destined to overthrow Judea, Vespa--sion ordered his son Titus to precede him by the way of the Mediterannean sea to Alexandria, while he would go travel by land through Asia Minor. Arrived at Saint John D 'Acre, then called Ptolemaïs, and in Biblical times Acco, Vespasian prepared his plans for an inva-sion of the land of our fathers. He had with him under his com--mand, a force amounting to nearly a hundred thousand men, besides aside having from the reliance he could place in the active sympathy of he resigned from of the Peace party in Judea. A description of those troops; of their looks, of their movements, of their discipline, and of their fear--lessness, is drawn by Josephus with a masterly pen. It That delineation has been considered superior to the finest chapters in Greek and Roman histories. We, as Jews, can take no delight in fixing our mental vision on a picture which recalls our national suffering and sorrow, however we may admire the literary eminence of a man of our faith.

What we do gaze upon with melancholy pleasure is the delineation portrait description of the unexcelled bravery of those among our ancestors, who made rendered the siege and capture of Jotapata famous in the annals of the world. And here I must award to a Christian clergyman the honor of having left the most thrilling and withal the most just narrative of that episode, so sublime in its unut--terable sadness. Dean Milman had no occasion to apologize in a measure, for having dwelt long on that subject. It deserved a lengthy record; for at Jotapata our people strikingly showed that the noble blood of the Maccabees flowed in their veins. It was in that city surrounded by mountains and ravines, and accessible only on the from its Northern side, that the de--fenders of Galilee gathered banded together to hul hurl back the hea--then, or to die sword in hand. If They felt that if Rome planted her banner on the heights of Jotapata, the ensign of Israel would be made to trail the dust everywhere. Josephus commanded the patriots, who had shut them--selves in that town, from which to they would dare Vespasian's redoutable army. In the absence of any

other history save that which he wrote, we must allow that the son of Matthias the priest was the man who in Jotapata exhibited a generalship wonderful in genius, most stupendous in its appliances. Was it compulsion that stirred up Josephus; was it compunction? None will ever tell be able to tell. The Romans had placed themselves in battle array, on a distant hill. They would thus strike terror among the defenders, and they succeeded in their object, but for a mo--ment. Dread of such a formidable army, so splendidly equipped soon gave room to stubborn resistance. The Latin soldiers mounted up walls which they raised, to throw in dart off their javelins, but often they met a grave into the precipices below, wherein the Jews of Jotapata cast them headlong. Forty seven summer days the siege continued. The want of water was distressing, yet the besieged, hung their garments from the battlements, steeped in water, to mock the enemy, who thought hoped that thirst would effect more than the sword. The Romans built up battlements, the Galileans reared still higher ones,

from which to harass their foes. To prevent the latter striking at the workmen, Josephus ordered poles to be nailed round the walls, on which were suspended hides of oxen freshly killed. Against those curiously contrived curtains, the arrows shot by the Romans glided off without doing the least injury. Vespasian saw himself baffled, and changed tactics con--tinually, but the Jews watched him by the courage of desperation. The battering ram, the most tremendous piece of artillery in ancient warfare had been resorted to. It was consisted of an immense beam headed with iron, in the shape of a ram's head. It was drawn back by a great number of men, and then driven forward by cables with a push, at which towers would sometime crumble break into fragments. At the first shock the all, behind which the defenders of Jotapata stood fought, quaked, and a wild cry pierced the sky, but Josephus ordered that bags fell full of straw, be let down from the walls to catch the hard blows of the battering rams, and make them ineffectual. The Romans were astound--ed at the unequalled daring of those who kept

at bay the invincible legions that had conquered mighty nations. They marvelled when they witnessed instances of a valor never surpassed. A Galilean called Eleazar Ben Sameas, seeing the battering ram approach, stood up on the top of the wall, and holding a huge stone struck off with a steady aim struck off the iron head of the ram. He then leaped down below, secured his prize, and was bearing it back to his follow combat--ants, while arrows and javelins whizzed around him. He was pierced through, but he succeeded to reach again the top of the wall, display his trophy the ram's head with an air of defiance, before1 the Roman army, and then fall dead, while clinching his trophy in his convulsive hand. The future emperor of Rome was per--sonally directing the assault by with that appalling engine of destruction, when a javelin from a Jewish archer wounded his heel. At the sight of Vespasian's wound blood, the Romans became frantic with wroth. They rushed furiously on against the defenders, who met them with drawn swords, with fire, with streaming oil, which they poured upon the assailants. I shall not venture on a description far by beyond

my capacities and too harrowing in its nature. Suffice to say that Jotapata has left on our people the indelible impress of a heroism, which must claim the respect of mankind to the end of time. For our defenders showed that they knew not alone how to steel their hearts for the battle, but also how to suffer long and terribly fearfully rather than abandon the cause of country and religion. The blockade would would have lasted until every man that could carry a weapon had died from sheer exhaustion. Josephus who, at one time, would have fled [?] surrendered to save his life, was made to stand at his post, and lead on to a combat, which promised but death, though yet glorious. Thus for forty seven days the gallant inhabitants of Jotapata braved the dreaded cohorts of Rome, heeding neither fatigue nor wounds nor thirst, solely intent upon meeting strategy with stra--tegy, assaults with counter assaults, intrepidity with a tenacity of will with equal interepidity But a deserter found his way to the tent of Vespasian.

He told of the enfeebled condition of those who still resisted the Romans, he related how the same people who fought by day were obliged to watch at night, how reduced were their ranks by through a super-human efforts strain of body and mind. Vespasian was inclined at first to suspect treachery, for not long before, a Jew taken prisoner bore tortures and finally crucifixion rather than betray the state of his countrymen beseiged in Jotapata. Still, after mature deliberation, the Roman general decided upon making a sudden attack before sun rise. at early dawn. Titus was the first to scale the walls. The sentinels jaded and weary, had fallen asleep. They were pierced through, and under the cover of a thick mist which unfortunately overspread the sky the enemy advanced. The people awoke to see the sword hanging over their heads. Terrific was the struggle, horrid the carnage. None by women and children were spared. Forty thousand perished and only twelve hundred--unable by age or sex to bear arms-- were made captives out of that band of heros were seized as captives. The noble city was made became a heap of ruin, and its fortifications were burnt by order of Flavious Vespasian.

The scene is too unspeakably distressing. Our historian could picture it with the pencil of a literary genius, but not with the a pen dip--ped in the tears of a soul crushed patriot. We will cast a veil over it, and turning our looks away from it, we shall meet Jo--sephus again seeking to preserve his own life after the fall of all the heroic defend--ers of Jotapata.

Identifier

p3pv6bs0j

identifier

SMBx12FF4_11