194
[Whiston sect. 1] [sect. 585] NOW about this very time it was that heavy calamities came about
Rome on all sides; for Vitellius was come from Germany with his soldiery,
and drew along with him a great multitude of other men besides. And when
the spaces allotted for soldiers could not contain them, he made all Rome
itself his camp, and filled all the houses with his armed men; which men,
when they saw the riches of Rome with those eyes which had never seen such
riches before, and found themselves shone round about on all sides with
silver and gold, they had much ado to contain their covetous desires, and
were ready to betake themselves to plunder, and to the slaughter of such
as should stand in their way. And this was the state of affairs in Italy
at that time.
[Whiston sect. 2] [sect. 588] But when Vespasian had overthrown all the places that were near to
Jerusalem, he returned to Cesarea, and heard of the troubles that were
at Rome, and that Vitellius was emperor. This produced indignation in him,
although he well knew how to be governed as well as to govern, and could
not, with any satisfaction, own him for his lord who acted so madly, and
seized upon the government as if it were absolutely destitute of a governor.
And as this sorrow of his was violent, he was not able to support the torments
he was under, nor to apply himself further in other wars, when his native
country was laid waste; but then, as much as his passion excited him to
avenge his country, so much was he restrained by the consideration of his
distance therefrom; because fortune might prevent him, and do a world of
mischief before he could himself sail over the sea to Italy, especially
as it was still the winter season; so he restrained his anger, how vehement
soever it was at this time.
[Whiston sect. 3] [sect. 592] But now his commanders and soldiers met in several companies, and
consulted openly about changing the public affairs; - and, out of their
indignation, cried out, how "at Rome there are soldiers that live
delicately, and when they have not ventured so much as to hear the fame
of war, they ordain whom they please for our governors, and in hopes of
gain make them emperors; while you, who have gone through so many labors,
and are grown into years under your helmets, give leave to others to use
such a power, when yet you have among yourselves one more worthy to rule
than any whom they have set up. Now what juster opportunity shall they
ever have of requiting their generals, if they do not make use of this
that is now before them? while there is so much juster reasons for Vespasian's
being emperor than for Vitellius; as they are themselves more deserving
than those that made the other 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 195
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, 196
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."
[Whiston sect. 4] [sect. 601] 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, 197
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.
[Whiston sect. 5] [sect. 605] 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 198
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.
[Whiston sect. 6] [sect. 616] 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.
[Whiston sect. 7] [sect. 622] 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 related
those predictions of his 199
which he had then suspected as fictions, suggested out of the fear he was
in, but which had by time been demonstrated to be Divine. "It is a
shameful thing (said he) that this man, who hath foretold my coming to
the empire beforehand, and been the minister of a Divine message to me,
should still be retained in the condition of a captive or prisoner."
So he called for Josephus, and commanded that he should be set at liberty;
whereupon the commanders promised themselves glorious things, froth this
requital Vespasian made to a stranger. Titus was then present with his
father, and said, "O father, it is but just that the scandal [of a
prisoner] should be taken off Josephus, together with his iron chain. For
if we do not barely loose his bonds, but cut them to pieces, he will be
like a man that had never been bound at all." For that is the usual
method as to such as have been bound without a cause. This advice was agreed
to by Vespasian also; so there came a man in, and cut the chain to pieces;
while Josephus received this testimony of his integrity for a reward, and
was moreover esteemed a person of credit as to futurities also.
Ch. 11