This Pearl-Maiden, it
would seem, was taken to his house, but when he was arrested on the
morrow neither she nor the old woman were found there. The accused, he
might add, was arrested just as he was about to leave the house, as
he stated, in order to report himself to Titus Caesar, who had already
departed from Rome. This was the case in brief, and to prove it he
called a certain Jew named Caleb, who was now living in Rome, having
received an amnesty given by the hand of Titus. This Jew was now a
merchant who traded under the name of Demetrius.
Then Caleb stood forward and told his tale. In answer to questions that
were put to him, he related how he was in command of a body of the Jews
which fought an action with the Roman troops at a place called the Old
Tower, a few days before the capture of the Temple. In the course
of this action he parleyed with a captain of the Romans, the Prefect
Marcus, who now stood before him, and at the end of the parley
challenged him to single combat. As Marcus refused the encounter and
tried to run away, he struck him on the back with the back of his sword.
Thereon a fight ensued in which he, the witness, had the advantage.
Being wounded, the accused let fall his sword, sank to his knees and
asked for mercy.
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