30. They surrounded Maccabeus, and shielding him with their own armor, kept him from being wounded. They shot arrows and hurled thunderbolts at the enemy, who were bewildered and blinded, routed in utter confusion.
31. Twenty thousand five hundred of their foot soldiers and six hundred cavalry were slain.
32. Timothy, however, fled to a well-fortified stronghold called Gazara, where Chaereas was in command.
33. For four days Maccabeus and his forces eagerly besieged the fortress.
34. Those inside, relying on the strength of the place, kept repeating outrageous blasphemies and uttering abominable words.
35. When the fifth day dawned, twenty young men in the army of Maccabeus, angered over such blasphemies, bravely stormed the wall and with savage fury cut down everyone they encountered.
36. Similarly, others climbed up and swung around on the defenders; they put the towers to the torch, spread the fire and burned the blasphemers alive. Still others broke down the gates and let in the rest of the troops, who took possession of the city.