Here was Titus come in peace! The horse went with loosened rein, while the young Roman's eyes raised to the great wall towering over him had more of admiration and a generous foe's appreciation of his enemy's strength than of the note-making search of a spy in them.
"Ha! By Hector, that penurious Herod was a builder!" they seemed to say.

"There is enough stone insolence in these walls to trouble Rome for a while!" Rod after rod of the slowly rising ground he traversed; rod after rod of the tall fortification passed under his inspection, and now the twin Women's Towers rose upon the ashes and scarped rock to the north.
Titus spoke to his horse and rode faster.
Meanwhile silent dozens climbed panting and dumbly resisting the sentries up beside the first Jews.

They were citizens who dared not rejoice aloud.

They followed the young Roman with brightened eyes, saying each within his heart: "Thus David came up against Saul, unto Israel!" But there was an increase of uproar in the city below, as if news of the coming of Titus had spread abroad.
Titus was now almost a mile from the nearest of his soldiers.

He passed the Gate of the Women's Towers.