The  terrace  beinp^  now  raised  nearly  -In  a  level  with  tlie  cily
wall,  Josephus  considered  that  It  would  reflect  dishonor  upon  him
if  he  should  omit  to  engage  in  as  arduous  a  task  for  the  defeoce
of  ihe  place  as  the  enemy  had-dndertaken  for  its  destruction  :  and
therefore  ordered  the  wall  to  be  raised  in  proportion  to  the  ad-
vancement of  the  enemy- s  work,  and  to.be  kept  at  a  sufficient
height  above  the  summit  of  the-mount.
The  workmen  being  secured  through  the  contrivance  of  Jose-
phus, from  the  missiles  of  the  enemy,  by  means  of  raw  hides
stretched  upon  stakes,  continued  indefaUgably  industrious  both  by
day  and  night ;  and  they  soon  erected  a  wall  twenty  cubits  high,
on  which  were  formed  towers  and  strong  embattlements.  The
Romans  who  bad  entertained  the  utmost  confidence  of  subduii\g
the  city,  were  equally  astonished  and  confounded  by  the  depth  of
policy  and  invincible  resolution  of  their  adversaries.
