the wars of the jews-第118章

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ng　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　related　those　predictions　of　his　（24）　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。　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　11。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　That　Upon　The　Conquest　And　Slaughter　Of　Vitellius　Vespasian　Hastened　His　Journey　To　Rome；　But　Titus　His　Son　Returned　To　Jerusalem。　　　　　　　　　　　　1。　And　now；　when　Vespasian　had　given　answers　to　the　　　embassages；　and　had　disposed　of　the　places　of　power　justly；　（25）　and　according　to　every　one's　deserts；　he　came　to　　　Antioch；　and　consulting　which　way　he　had　best　take；　he　　　preferred　to　go　for　Rome；　rather　than　to　march　to　　　Alexandria；　because　he　saw　that　Alexandria　was　sure　to　him　already；　but　that　the　affairs　at　Rome　were　put　into　disorder　by　Vitellius；　so　he　sent　Mucianus　to　Italy；　and　committed　a　considerable　army　both　of　horsemen　and　footmen　to　him；　yet　was　Mucianus　afraid　of　going　by　sea；　because　it　was　the　　　middle　of　winter；　and　so　he　led　his　army　on　foot　through　Cappadocia　and　Phrygia。　　　　　　2。　In