the wars of the jews-第118部分

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　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　nature　as　deserves　to　be　recorded　in　history；　it　runs　in　the　middle　between　Arcea；　belonging　to　Agrippa's　kingdom；　and　Raphanea。　It　hath　somewhat　very　peculiar　in　it；　for　when　it　runs；　its　current　is　strong；　and　has　plenty　of　water；　after　which　its　springs　fail　for　six　days　together；　and　leave　its　channel　dry；　as　any　one　may　see；　after　which　days　it　runs　on　the　seventh　day　as　it　did　before；　and　as　though　it　had　undergone　no　change　at　all；　it　hath　also　been　observed　to　keep　this　order　perpetually　and　exactly；　whence　it　is　that　they　call　it　the　Sabbatic　River　（7）　that　name　being　taken　from　the　sacred　seventh　day　among　the　Jews。　　　　2。　But　when　the　people　of　Antioch　were　informed　that　Titus　was　approaching；　they　were　so　glad　at　it；　that　they　could　not　keep　within　their　walls；　but　hasted　away　to　give　him　the　meeting；　nay；　they　proceeded　as　far　as　thirty　furlongs；　and　more；　with　that　intention。　These　were　not　the　men　only；　but　a　multitude　of　women　also　with　their　children　did　the　same；　and　when　they　saw　him　coming　up　to　them；　they　stood　on　both　sides　of　the　way；　and　stretched　out　their　right　hands；　saluting　him；　and　making　all　sorts　of　acclamations　to　him；　and　turned　back　together　with　him。　They　also；　among　all　the　acclamations　they　made　to　him；　besought　him　all　the　way　they　went　to　eject　the　Jews　out　of　their　city；　yet　did　not　Titus　at　all　yield　to　this　their　petition；　but　gave　them　the　bare　hearing　of　it　quietly。　However；　the　Jews　were　in　a　great　deal　of　terrible　fear；　under　the　uncertainty　they　were　in　what　his　opinion　was；　and　what　he　would　do　to　them。　For　Titus　did　not　stay　at　Antioch；　but　continued　his　progress　immediately　to　Zeugma；　which　lies　upon　the　Euphrates；　whither　came　to　him　messengers　from　Vologeses　king　of　Parthia；　and　brought　him　a　crown　of　gold　upon　the　victory　he　had　gained　over　the　Jews；　which　he　accepted　of；　and　feasted　the　king's　messengers；　and　then　came　back　to　Antioch。　And　when　the　senate　and　people　of　Antioch　earnestly　entreated　him　to　come　upon　their　theater；　where　their　whole　multitude　was　assembled；　and　expected　him；　he　complied　with　great　humanity；　but　when　they　pressed　him　with　much　earnestness；　and　continually　begged　of　him　that　he　would　eject　the　Jews　out　of　their　city；　he　gave　them　this　very　pertinent　answer：　How　can　this　be　done；　since　that　country　of　theirs；　whither　the　Jews　must　be　obliged　then　to　retire；　is　destroyed；　and　no　place　will　receive　them　besides？〃　Whereupon　the　people　of　Antioch；　when　they　had　failed　of　success　in　this　their　first　request；　made　him　a　second；　for　they　desired　that　he　would　order　those　tables　of　brass　to　be　removed　on　which　the　Jews'　privileges　were　engraven。　However；　Titus　would　not　grant　that　neither；　but　permitted　the　Jews　of　Antioch　to　continue　to　enjoy　the　very　same　privileges　in　that　city　which　they　had　before；　and　then　departed　for　Egypt；　and　as　he　came　to　Jerusalem　in　his　progress；　and　compared　the　melancholy　condition　he　saw　it　then　in；　with　the　ancient　glory　of　the　city；　and　called　to　mind　the　greatness　of　its　present　ruins；　as　well　as　its　ancient　splendor；　he　could　not　but　pity　the　destruction　of　the　city；　so　far　was　he　from　boasting　that　so　great　and　goodly　a　city　as　that　was　had　been　by　him　taken　by　force；　nay；　he　frequently　cursed　those　that　had　been　the　authors　of　their　revolt；　and　had　brought　such　a　punishment　upon　the　city；　insomuch　that　it　openly　appeared　that　he　did　not　desire　that　such　a　calamity　as　this　punishment　of　theirs　amounted　to　should　be　a　demonstration　of　his　courage。　Yet　was　there　no　small　quantity　of　the　riches　that　had　been　in　that　city　still　found　among　its　ruins；　a　great　deal　of　which　the　Romans　dug　up；　but　the　greatest　part　was　discovered　by　those　who　were　captives；　and　so　they　carried　it　away；　I　mean　the　gold　and　the　silver；　and　the　rest　of　that　most　precious　furniture　which　the　Jews　had；　and　which　the　owners　had　treasured　up　under　ground；　against　the　uncertain　fortunes　of　war。　　　　3。　So　Titus　took　the　journey　he　intended　into　Egypt；　and　passed　over　the　desert　very　suddenly；　and　came　to　Alexandria；　and　took　up　a　resolution　to