Then it was that the real fight began. The Jews posted on the roof
of the house poured arrows on the men who strove to work the ram, and
killed many of them, till they were able to push the instrument so close
that it could no longer be commanded. Now it got to work and with three
blows of the great baulk of timber, of which the ram was fashioned,
burst in the gates. Thereon the defenders, headed by old Benoni himself,
rushed out and put those who served it to the sword; then before
they could be overcome, retreated across the ditch to the inner wall,
breaking down the wooden bridge behind them. Now, since the ram was
of no further use, as it could not be dragged through the ditch, the
galley, that was anchored within a hundred paces, began to hurl huge
stones and arrows at them, knocking down the walls and killing several,
including two women and three children.
Thus matters went on till noon, the besiegers galling them with their
arrows from the land side and the galley battering them from the sea,
while they could do little or nothing in return, having no engines.
Benoni called a council and set out the case, which was desperate
enough. It was evident, he said, that they could not hold out another
day, since at nightfall the Syrians would cross the narrow protecting
ditch and set up a battering-ram against the inner wall.
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