the wars of the jews-第168章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


nd　heartily　wished　to　receive　such　a　prince　as　might　be　a　security　and　an　ornament　to　them。　And　as　this　good…will　to　Vespasian　was　universal；　those　that　enjoyed　any　remarkable　dignities　could　not　have　patience　enough　to　stay　in　Rome；　but　made　haste　to　meet　him　at　a　very　great　distance　from　it；　nay；　indeed；　none　of　the　rest　could　endure　the　delay　of　seeing　him；　but　did　all　pour　out　of　the　city　in　such　crowds；　and　were　so　universally　possessed　with　the　　opinion　that　it　was　easier　and　better　for　them　to　go　out　than　to　stay　there；　that　this　was　the　very　first　time　that　the　city　joyfully　perceived　itself　almost　empty　of　its　citizens；　for　those　that　staid　within　were　fewer　than　those　that　went　out。　But　as　soon　as　the　news　was　come　that　he　was　hard　by；　and　those　that　had　met　him　at　first　related　with　what　good　humor　he　received　every　one　that　came　to　him；　then　it　was　that　the　whole　multitude　that　had　remained　in　the　city；　with　their　wives　and　children；　came　into　the　road；　and　waited　for　him　there；　and　for　those　whom　he　passed　by；　they　made　all　sorts　of　acclamations；　on　account　of　the　joy　they　had　to　see　him；　and　the　pleasantness　of　his　countenance；　and　styled　him　their　Benefactor　and　Savior；　and　the　only　person　who　was　worthy　to　be　ruler　of　the　city　of　Rome。　And　now　the　city　was　like　a　temple；　full　of　garlands　and　sweet　odors；　nor　was　it　easy　for　him　to　come　to　the　royal　palace；　for　the　multitude　of　the　people　that　stood　about　him；　where　yet　at　last　he　performed　his　sacrifices　of　thanksgiving　to　his　household　gods　for　his　safe　return　to　the　city。　The　multitude　did　also　betake　themselves　to　feasting；　which　feasts　and　drink…offerings　they　celebrated　by　their　tribes；　and　their　families；　and　their　neighborhoods；　and　still　prayed　God　to　grant　that　Vespasian；　his　sons；　and　all　their　posterity；　might　continue　in　the　Roman　government　for　a　very　long　time；　and　that　his　dominion　might　be　preserved　from　all　opposition。　And　this　was　the　manner　in　which　Rome　so　joyfully　received　Vespasian；　and　thence　grew　immediately　into　a　state　of　great　prosperity。　　　　2。　But　before　this　time；　and　while　Vespasian　was　about　Alexandria；　and　Titus　was　lying　at　the　siege　of　Jerusalem；　a　great　multitude　of　the　Germans　were　in　commotion；　and　tended　to　rebellion；　and　as　the　Gauls　in　their　neighborhood　joined　with　them；　they　conspired　together；　and　had　thereby　great　hopes　of　success；　and　that　they　should　free　themselves　from　the　dominion　of　the　Romans。　The　motives　that　induced　the　Germans　to　this　attempt　for　a　revolt；　and　for　beginning　the　war；　were　these：　In　the　first　place；　the　nature　＇of　the　people＇；　which　was　destitute　of　just　reasonings；　and　ready　to　throw　themselves　rashly　into　danger；　upon　small　hopes；　in　the　next　place；　the　hatred　they　bore　to　those　that　were　their　governors；　while　their　nation　had　never　been　conscious　of　subjection　to　any　but　to　the　Romans；　and　that　by　compulsion　only。　Besides　these　motives；　it　was　the　opportunity　that　now　offered　itself；　which　above　all　the　rest　prevailed　with　them　so　to　do；　for　when　they　saw　the　Roman　government　in　a　great　internal　disorder；　by　the　continual　changes　of　its　rulers；　and　understood　that　every　part　of　the　habitable　earth　under　them　was　in　an　unsettled　and　tottering　condition；　they　thought　this　was　the　best　opportunity　that　couldd　afford　itself　for　themselves　to　make　a　sedition；　when　the　state　of　the　Romans　was　so　ill。　Classicus　（6）　also；　and　Vitellius；　two　of　their　commanders；　puffed　them　up　with　such　hopes。　These　had　for　a　long　time　been　openly　desirous　of　such　an　innovation；　and　were　induced　by　the　present　opportunity　to　venture　upon　the　declaration　of　their　sentiments；　the　multitude　was　also　ready；　and　when　these　men　told　them　of　what　they　intended　to　attempt；　that　news　was　gladly　received　by　them。　So　when　a　great　part　of　the　Germans　had　agreed　to　rebel；　and　the　rest　were　no　better　disposed；　Vespasian；　as　guided　by　Divine　Providence；　sent　letters　to　Petilius　Cerealis；　who　had　formerly　had　the　command　of　Germany；　whereby　he　declared　him　to　have　the　dignity　of　consul；　and　commanded　him　to　take　upon　him　the　government　of　Britain；　so　he　went　whither　he　was　ordered　to　go；　and　when　he　was　informed　of　the　revolt　of　the　Germans；　he　fell　upon　them　as　soon　as　they　were　gotten　together；　and　put　his　army　in　battle…array；　and　slew　a　great　number　of　them　in　the　fight；　and　forced　them　to　leave　off　their　madness；　and　to　grow　wiser；　nay；　had　he　not　fallen　thus　suddenly　upon　them　on　the　place；　it　had　not　been　long　ere　they　would　however　have　been　brought　to　punishment；　for　as　soon　as　ever　the　news　of　their　revolt　was　come　to　Rome；　and　Caesar　Domitian　was　made　acquainted　with　it；　he　made　no　delay；　even　at　that　his　age；　when　he　was　exceeding　young；　but　undertook　this　weighty　affair。　He　had　a　courageous　mind　from　his　father；　and　had　made　greater　　improvements　than　belonged　to　such　an　age：　accordingly　he　marched　against　the　barbarians　immediately；　whereupon　their　hearts　failed　them　at　the　very　rumor　of　his　approach；　and　they　submitted　themselves　to　him　with　fear；　and　thought　it　a　happy　thing　that　they　were　brought　under　their　old　yoke　again　without　suffering　any　further　mischiefs。　　When　therefore　Domitian　had　settled　all　the　affairs　of　Gaul　in　such　good　order；　that　it　would　not　be　easily　put　into　disorder　any　more；　he　returned　to　Rome　with　honor　and　glory；　as　having　performed　such　exploits　as　were　above　his　own　age；　but　worthy　of　so　great　a　father。

3。　At　the　very　same　time　with　the　forementioned　revolt　of　the　Germans　did　the　bold　attempt　of　the　Scythians　against　the　Romans　occur；　for　those　Scythians　who　are　called　Sarmatians；　being　a　very　numerous　people；　transported　themselves　over　the　Danube　into　Mysia；　without　being　perceived；　after　which；　by　their　violence；　and　entirely　unexpected　assault；　they　slew　a　great　many　of　the　Romans　that　guarded　the　frontiers；　and　as　the　consular　legate　Fonteius　Agrippa　came　to　meet　them；　and　fought　courageously　against　them；　he　was　slain　by　them。　They　then　overran　all　the　region　that　had　been　subject　to　him；　tearing　and　rending　every　thing　that　fell　in　their　way。　But　when　Vespasian　was　informed　of　what　had　happened；　and　how　Mysia　was　laid　waste；　he　sent　away　Rubrius　Gallus　to　punish　these　Sarmatians；　by　whose　means　many　of　them　perished　in　the　battles　he　fought　against　them；　and　that　part　which　escaped　fled　with　fear　to　their　own　country。　So　when　this　general　had　put　an　end　to　the　war；　he　provided　for　the　future　security　of　the　country　also；　for　he　placed　more　and　more　numerous　garrisons　in　the　place；　till　he　made　it　altogether　impossible　for　the　barbarians　to　pass　over　the　river　any　more。　And　thus　had　this　war　in　Mysia　a　sudden　conclusion。　　　　CHAPTER　V。　　　　　　　Concerning　The　Sabbatic　River　Which　Titus　Saw　As　He　Was　Journeying　Through　Syria；　And　How　The　People　Of　Antioch　Came　With　A　Petition　To　Titus　Against　The　Jews　But　Were　Rejected　By　Him；　As　Also　Concerning　Titus's　And　Vespasian's　Triumph。　　　　1。　Now　Titus　Caesar　tarried　some　time　at　Berytus；　as　we　told　you　before。　He　thence　removed；　and　exhibited　magnificent　shows　in　all　those　cities　of　Syria　through　which　he　went；　and　made　use　of　the　captive　Jews　as　public　instances　of　the　destruction　of　that　nation。　He　then　saw　a　river　as　he　went　along；　of　such　a