For the Temple

For the Temple, by G. A. Henty

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Title: For the Temple A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem
Author: G. A. Henty
Release Date: May 26, 2007 [EBook #21614]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FOR THE
TEMPLE ***

Produced by Martin Robb.

For the Temple: A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem By G. A. Henty.
Contents
Preface.
Chapter 1

: The Lake Of Tiberias.
Chapter 2
: A Storm On Galilee.
Chapter 3
: The Revolt Against Rome.
Chapter 4
: The Lull Before The Storm.
Chapter 5
: The Siege Of Jotapata.
Chapter 6
: The Fall Of The City.
Chapter 7
: The Massacre On The Lake.
Chapter 8
: Among The Mountains.
Chapter 9
: The Storming Of Gamala.
Chapter 10
: Captives.

Chapter 11
: A Tale Of Civil Strife.
Chapter 12
: Desultory Fighting.
Chapter 13
: The Test Of Devotion.
Chapter 14
: Jerusalem.
Chapter 15
: The Siege Is Begun.
Chapter 16
: The Subterranean Passage.
Chapter 17
: The Capture Of The Temple.
Chapter 18
: Slaves.
Chapter 19
: At Rome.
Illustrations

On the Sea of Galilee. Heightening the Walls of Jotapata under Shelter
of Ox Hides. John Incites his Countrymen to Harass the Romans. The
Roman Camp Surprised and Set on Fire. Mary and the Hebrew Women
in the Hands of the Romans. Titus Brings Josephus to See John. John
and his Band in Sight of Jerusalem. Misery in Jerusalem During the
Siege by Titus. 'Lesbia,' the Roman said, 'I have brought you two more
slaves.' The Return of John to his House on the Lake.

Preface.
In all history, there is no drama of more terrible interest than that which
terminated with the total destruction of Jerusalem. Had the whole
Jewish nation joined in the desperate resistance made, by a section of it,
to the overwhelming strength of Rome, the world would have had no
record of truer patriotism than that displayed, by this small people, in
their resistance to the forces of the mistress of the world.
Unhappily, the reverse of this was the case. Except in the defense of
Jotapata and Gamala, it can scarcely be said that the Jewish people, as a
body, offered any serious resistance to the arms of Rome. The
defenders of Jerusalem were a mere fraction of its population--a
fraction composed almost entirely of turbulent characters and robber
bands, who fought with the fury of desperation; after having placed
themselves beyond the pale of forgiveness, or mercy, by the deeds of
unutterable cruelty with which they had desolated the city, before its
siege by the Romans. They fought, it is true, with unflinching
courage--a courage never surpassed in history--but it was the courage
of despair; and its result was to bring destruction upon the whole
population, as well as upon themselves.
Fortunately the narrative of Josephus, an eyewitness of the events
which he describes, has come down to us; and it is the storehouse from
which all subsequent histories of the events have been drawn. It is, no
doubt, tinged throughout by his desire to stand well with his patrons,
Vespasian and Titus; but there is no reason to doubt the accuracy of his
descriptions. I have endeavored to present you with as vivid a picture as

possible of the events of the war, without encumbering the story with
details and, except as regards the exploits of John of Gamala, of whom
Josephus says nothing, have strictly followed, in every particular, the
narrative of the historian.
G. A. Henty.
Chapter 1
: The Lake Of Tiberias.
"Dreaming, John, as usual? I never saw such a boy. You are always in
extremes; either tiring yourself out, or lying half asleep."
"I was not half asleep, mother. I was looking at the lake."
"I cannot see much to look at, John. It's just as it has been ever since
you were born, or since I was born."
"No, I suppose there's no change, mother; but I am never tired of
looking at the sun shining on the ripples, and the fishermen's boats, and
the birds standing in the shallows or flying off, in a desperate hurry,
without any reason that I can make out. Besides, mother, when one is
looking at the lake, one is thinking of other things."
"And very often thinking of nothing at all, my son."
"Perhaps so, mother; but there's plenty to think of, in