noon
Now it is their hour , and mayhap ours . Come , lady , these are no sights for you , though you might do well to learn to bear them , since if you escape you may see many such . Come , and if you wish we will pray for these Jews , especially for their children , who are innocent , and for ourselves . '' That day at noon , most of the poorer and least protected Jews of the city having been killed , the Syrians began their attack upon the fortified palace of Benoni . Now it was that the defenders learned that they had to deal with no mere rabble , but with savage hordes , many thousands strong , directed by officers skilled in war . Indeed these men might be seen moving among them , and from their armour and appearance it was easy to guess that they were Romans . This , in fact , was the case , since Gessius Florus , the wicked , and after him other officers , made it part of their policy to send Romans to stir up the Syrians against the Jews and to assist them in their slaughter .