[
399]
When Josephus heard him give those orders, he said that he had somewhat
in his mind that he would willingly say to himself alone. When therefore
they were all ordered to withdraw, excepting Titus and two of their friends,
he said, "Thou, O Vespasian, thinkest no more than that thou hast
taken Josephus himself captive; but I come to thee as a messenger of greater
tidings; for had not I been sent by God to thee, I knew what was the law
of the Jews in this case?
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and how it becomes generals to die. Dost thou send me to Nero? For
why? Are Nero's successors till they come to thee still alive? Thou, O
Vespasian, art Caesar and emperor, thou, and this thy son. Bind me now
still faster, and keep me for thyself, for thou, O Caesar, are not only
lord over me, but over the land and the sea, and all mankind; and certainly
I deserve to be kept in closer custody than I now am in, in order to be
punished, if I rashly affirm any thing of God." When he had said this,
Vespasian at present did not believe him, but supposed that Josephus said
this as a cunning trick, in order to his own preservation; but in a little
time he was convinced, and believed what he said to be true, God himself
erecting his expectations, so as to think of obtaining the empire, and
by other signs fore-showing his advancement. He also found Josephus to
have spoken truth on other occasions; for one of those friends that were
present at that secret conference said to Josephus, "I cannot but
wonder how thou couldst not foretell to the people of Jotapata that they
should be taken, nor couldst foretell this captivity which hath happened
to thyself, unless what thou now sayest be a vain thing, in order to avoid
the rage that is risen against thyself." To which Josephus replied,
"I did foretell to the people of Jotapata that they would be taken
on the forty-seventh day, and that I should be caught alive by the Romans."
Now when Vespasian had inquired of the captives privately about these predictions,
he found them to be true, and then he began to believe those that concerned
himself. Yet did he not set Josephus at liberty from his hands, but bestowed
on him suits of clothes, and other precious gifts; he treated him also
in a very obliging manner, and continued so to do, Titus still joining
his interest ill the honors that were done him.
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