3. But then, on the next day, Titus commanded part of
his army to quench the fire, and to make a road for the more easy
marching up of the legions, while he himself gathered the commanders
together. Of those there were assembled the six principal persons:
Tiberius Alexander, the commander [under the general] of the whole army;
with Sextus Cerealis, the commander of the fifth legion; and Larcius
Lepidus, the commander of the tenth legion; and Titus Frigius, the
commander of the fifteenth legion: there was also with them Eternius,
the leader of the two legions that came from Alexandria; and Marcus
Antonius Julianus, procurator of Judea: after these came together
all the rest of the procurators and tribunes. Titus proposed to these
that they should give him their advice what should be done about the
holy house. Now some of these thought it would be the best way to act
according to the rules of war, [and demolish it,] because the Jews would
never leave off rebelling while that house was standing; at which house
it was that they used to get all together. Others of them were of
opinion, that in case the Jews would leave it, and none of them would
lay their arms up in it, he might save it; but that in case they got
upon it, and fought any more, he might burn it; because it must then be
looked upon not as a holy house, but as a citadel; and that the impiety
of burning it would then belong to those that forced this to be done,
and not to them. But Titus said, that "although the Jews should get upon
that holy house, and fight us thence, yet ought we not to revenge
ourselves on things that are inanimate, instead of the men themselves;"
and that he was not in any case for burning down so vast a work as that
was, because this would be a mischief to the Romans themselves, as it
would be an ornament to their government while it continued. So Fronto,
and Alexander, and Cerealis grew bold upon that declaration, and agreed
to the opinion of Titus. Then was this assembly dissolved, when Titus
had given orders to the commanders that the rest of their forces should
lie still; but that they should make use of such as were most courageous
in this attack. So he commanded that the chosen men that were taken out
of the cohorts should make their way through the ruins, and quench the
fire.
Josephus - War 6.4.3.