the wars of the jews-第103章

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ther　emperors；　for　that　they　have　undergone　as　great　wars　as　have　the　troops　that　come　from　Germany；　nor　are　they　　　inferior　in　war　to　those　that　have　brought　that　tyrant　to　Rome；　nor　have　they　undergone　smaller　labors　than　they；　for　that　neither　will　the　Roman　senate；　nor　people；　bear　such　a　lascivious　emperor　as　Vitellius；　if　he　be　compared　with　their　chaste　Vespasian；　nor　will　they　endure　a　most　barbarous　　　tyrant；　instead　of　a　good　governor；　nor　choose　one　that　hath　no　child　（20）　to　preside　over　them；　instead　of　him　that　is　a　father；　because　the　advancement　of　men's　own　children　to　dignities　is　certainly　the　greatest　security　kings　can　have　for　themselves。　Whether；　therefore；　we　estimate　the　capacity　of　governing　from　the　skill　of　a　person　in　years；　we　ought　to　have　Vespasian；　or　whether　from　the　strength　of　a　young　man；　we　ought　to　have　Titus；　for　by　this　means　we　shall　have　the　advantage　of　both　their　ages；　for　that　they　will　afford　strength　to　those　that　shall　be　made　emperors；　they　having　already　three　legions；　besides　other　auxiliaries　from　the　neighboring　kings；　and　will　have　further　all　the　armies　in　the　east　to　support　them；　as　also　those　in　Europe；　so　they　as　they　are　out　of　the　distance　and　dread　of　Vitellius；　besides　such　auxiliaries　as　they　may　have　in　Italy　itself；　that　is；　Vespasian's　brother；　（21）　and　his　other　son　＇Domitian＇；　the　one　of　whom　will　bring　in　a　great　many　of　those　young　men　that　are　of　dignity；　while　the　other　is　intrusted　with　the　government　of　the　city；　which　office　of　his　will　be　no　small　means　of　　　Vespasian's　obtaining　the　government。　Upon　the　whole；　the　case　may　be　such；　that　if　we　ourselves　make　further　delays；　the　senate　may　choose　an　emperor；　whom　the　soldiers；　who　are　the　saviors　of　the　empire；　will　have　in　contempt。〃　　　　　　4。　These　were　the　discourses　the　soldiers　had　in　their　several　companies；　after　which　they　got　together　in　a　great　body；　and；　encouraging　one　another；　they　declared　Vespasian　　　emperor；　（22）　and　exhorted　him　to　save　the　government；　　　which　was　now　in　danger。　Now　Vespasian's　concern　had　been　for　a　considerable　time　about　the　public；　yet　did　he　not　intend　to　set　up　for　governor　himself；　though　his　actions　showed　him　to　deserve　it；　while　he　preferred　that　safety　which　is　in　a　private　life　before　the　dangers　in　a　state　of　such　dignity；　but　when　he　refused　the　empire；　the　commanders　　　insisted　the　more　earnestly　upon　his　acceptance；　and　the　soldiers　came　about　him；　with　their　drawn　swords　in　their　hands；　and　threatened　to　kill　him；　unless　he　would　now　live　according　to　his　dignity。　And　when　he　had　shown　his　　　reluctance　a　great　while；　and　had　endeavored　to　thrust　away　this　dominion　from　him；　he　at　length；　being　not　able　to　　　persuade　them；　yielded　to　their　solicitations　that　would　salute　him　emperor。　　　　　　5。　So　upon　the　exhortations　of　Mucianus；　and　the　other　　　commanders；　that　he　would　accept　of　the　empire；　and　upon　that　of　the　rest　of　the　army；　who　cried　out　that　they　were　willing　to　be　led　against　all　his　opposers；　he　was　in　the　first　place　intent　upon　gaining　the　dominion　over　Alexandria；　as　knowing　that　Egypt　was　of　the　greatest　consequence；　in　order　to　obtain　the　entire　government；　because　of　its　supplying　of　corn　＇to　Rome＇；　which　corn；　if　he　could　be　master　of；　he　hoped　to　dethrone　Vitellius；　supposing　he　should　aim　to　keep　the　empire　by　force　（for　he　would　not　be　able　to　support　himself；　if　the　multitude　at　Rome　should　once　be　in　want　of　food）；　and　because　he　was　desirous　to　join　the　two　legions　that　were　at　Alexandria　to　the　other　legions　that　were　with　him。　He　also　considered　with　himself；　that　he　should　then　have　that　country　for　a　defense　to　himself　against　the　　　uncertainty　of　fortune；　for　Egypt　（23）　is　hard　to　be　entered　by　land；　and　hath　no　good　havens　by　sea。　It　hath　on　the　west　the　dry　deserts　of　Libya；　and　on　the　south　Siene；　that　divides　it　from　Ethiopia；　as　well　as　the　cataracts　of　the　Nile；　that　cannot　be　sailed　over；　and　on　the　east　the　Red　Sea　extended　as　far　as　Coptus；　and　it　is　fortified　on　the　north　by　the　land　that　reaches　to　Syria；　together　with　that　called　the　Egyptian　Sea；　having　no　havens　in　it　for　ships。　And　thus　is　Egypt　walled　about　on　every　side。　Its　length　between　Pelusium　and　Siene　is　two　thousand　furlongs；　and　the　passage　by　sea　from　Plinthine　to　Pelusium　is　three　thousand　six　hundred　furlongs。　Its　river　Nile　is　navigable　as　far　as　the　city　called　Elephantine；　the　forenamed　cataracts　hindering　ships　from　going　any　　　farther；　The　haven　also　of　Alexandria　is　not　entered　by　the　mariners　without　difficulty；　even　in　times　of　peace；　for　the　passage　inward　is　narrow；　and　full　of　rocks　that　lie　under　the　water；　which　oblige　the　mariners　to　turn　from　a　straight　direction：　its　left　side　is　blocked　up　by　works　made　by　men's　hands　on　both　sides；　on　its　right　side　lies　the　island　called　Pharus；　which　is　situated　just　before　the　entrance；　and　　　supports　a　very　great　tower；　that　affords　the　sight　of　a　fire　to　such　as　sail　within　three　hundred　furlongs　of　it；　that　ships　may　cast　anchor　a　great　way　off　in　the　night　time；　by　reason　of　the　difficulty　of　sailing　nearer。　About　this　island　are　built　very　great　piers；　the　handiwork　of　men；　against　which；　when　the　sea　dashes　itself；　and　its　waves　are　broken　against　those　boundaries；　the　navigation　becomes　very　troublesome；　and　the　entrance　through　so　narrow　a　passage　is　rendered　　　dangerous；　yet　is　the　haven　itself；　when　you　are　got　into　it；　a　very　safe　one；　and　of　thirty　furlongs　in　largeness；　into　which　is　brought　what　the　country　wants　in　order　to　its　happiness；　as　also　what　abundance　the　country　affords　more　than　it　　　wants　itself　is　hence　distributed　into　all　the　habitable　earth。　　　　6。　Justly；　therefore；　did　Vespasian　desire　to　obtain　that　government；　in　order　to　corroborate　his　attempts　upon　the　whole　empire；　so　he　immediately　sent　to　Tiberius　Alexander；　who　was　then　governor　of　Egypt　and　of　Alexandria；　and　　　informed　him　what　the　army　had　put　upon　him；　and　how　he；　being　forced　to　accept　of　the　burden　of　the　government；　was　desirous　to　have　him　for　his　confederate　and　supporter。　Now　as　soon　as　ever　Alexander　had　read　this　letter；　he　readily　obliged　the　legions　and　the　multitude　to　take　the　oath　of　fidelity　to　Vespasian；　both　which　willingly　complied　with　him；　as　already　acquainted　with　the　courage　of　the　man；　from　that　his　conduct　in　their　neighborhood。　Accordingly　Vespasian；　looking　upon　himself　as　already　intrusted　with　the　　　government；　got　all　things　ready　for　his　journey　＇to　Rome＇。　Now　fame　carried　this　news　abroad　more　suddenly　than　one　could　have　thought；　that　he　was　emperor　over　the　east；　upon　which　every　city　kept　festivals；　and　celebrated　sacrifices　and　oblations　for　such　good　news；　the　legions　also　that　were　in　Mysia　and　Pannonia；　who　had　been　in　commotion　a　little　　　before；　on　account　of　this　insolent　attempt　of　Vitellius；　were　very　glad　to　take　the　oath　of　fidelity　to　Vespasian；　upon　his　coming　to　the　empire。　Vespasian　then　removed　from　Cesarea　to　Berytus；　where　many　embassages　came　to　him　from　Syria；　and　many　from　other　provinces；　bringing　with　them　from　　　every　city　crowns；　and　the　congratulations　of　the　people。　Mucianus　came　also；　who　was　the　president　of　the　province；　and　told　him　with　what　alacrity　the　people　＇received　the　news　of　his　advancement＇；　and　how　the　people　of　every　city　had　taken　the　oath　of　fidelity　to　him。　　　　　　7。　So　Vespasian's　good　fortune　succeeded　to　his　wishes　every　where；　and　the　public　affairs　were；　for　the　greatest　part；　already　in　his　hands；　upon　which　he　considered　that　he　had　not　arrived　at　the　government　without　Divine　Providence；　but　that　a　righteous　kind　of　fate　had　brought　the　empire　under　his　power；　for　as　he　called　to　mind　the　other　signals；　which　had　been　a　great　many　every　where；　that　foretold　he　should　obtain　the　government；　so　did　he　remember　what　Josephus　　　had　said　to　him　when　he　ventured　to　foretell　his　coming　to　the　empire　while　Nero　was　alive；　so　he　was　much　concerned　that　this　man　was　still　in　bonds　with　him。　He　then　called　for　Mucianus；　together　with　his　other　commanders　and　friends；　and；　in　the　first　place；　he　informed　them　what　a　valiant　man　Josephus　had　been；　and　what　great　hardships　he　had　made　　　him　undergo　in　the　siege　of　Jotapata。　After　that　he