LbOOK  XVI


but  the  breadth  of  the  middle  part  of  the  cloister
■was  one  and  a  half  of  the  other,  and  the  height
was  double,  for  it  was  much  higher  than  those
on  each  side  ;  but  the  roofs  were  adorned  with
deep  sculptures  in  wood,  representing  many
sorts  of  figures  :  the  middle  was  much  higher
than  the  rest,  and  the  waU  of  the  front  was
adorned  with  beams,  resting  uxion  pillars,  that
were  interwoven  into  it,  and  that  front  was  all
of  polished  stone,  insomuch  that  its  fineness,  to
such  as  had  not  seen  it,  was  incredible,  and  to
such  as  had  seen  it,  was  greatly  amazing.  Thus
was  the  first  enclosure.  In  the  midst  of  which,
and  not  far  from  it,  was  the  second,  to  be  gone
up  to  by  a  few  steps  :  this  was  encompassed  by
a  stone  wall  for  a  partition,  with  an  inscription,
which  forbade  any  foreigner  to  go  in  under  pain
of  death.  Now  this  inner  inclosure  had  on  its
southern  and  northern  quarters  three  gates
[equally]  distant  from  one  another ;  but  on  the
east  quarter,  towards  the  sun-rising,  there  was
one  large  gate  through  which  such  as  were  pure
came  in,  together  with  their  wives ;  but  the
temple  further  inward  in  that  gate  was  not
allowed  to  the  women ;  but  stiU  more  inward
was  there  a  third  [court  of  the]  temple,  wliere-
into  it  was  not  lawful  for  any  but  the  priests
alone  to  enter.  The  temple  itself  was  within
this;  and  before  that  temple  was  the  altar,
upon  which  we  offer  our  sacrifices  and  burnt-
otferings  to  God.  Into  none  of  these  three  did
king  Herod  enter,*  for  he  was  forbidden,  be-
cause he  was  not  a  priest.  However,  he  took
care  of  the  cloisters  and  the  outer  enclosures ;
and  these  he  built  in  eight  years.
