Vespasian | Page 3

it to themselves,
broke out into rebellion, and having defeated and slain their governor
[736], routed the lieutenant of Syria [737], a man of consular rank, who
was advancing to his assistance, and took an eagle, the standard, of one
of his legions. As the suppression of this revolt appeared to require a
stronger force and an active general, who might be safely trusted in an
affair of so much importance, Vespasian was chosen in preference to
all others, both for his known activity, and on account of the obscurity
of his origin and name, being a person of whom (446) there could be
not the least jealousy. Two legions, therefore, eight squadrons of horse,
and ten cohorts, being added to the former troops in Judaea, and, taking
with him his eldest son as lieutenant, as soon as he arrived in his
province, he turned the eyes of the neighbouring provinces upon him,
by reforming immediately the discipline of the camp, and engaging the
enemy once or twice with such resolution, that, in the attack of a castle
[738], he had his knee hurt by the stroke of a stone, and received
several arrows in his shield.
V. After the deaths of Nero and Galba, whilst Otho and Vitellius were
contending for the sovereignty, he entertained hopes of obtaining the
empire, with the prospect of which he had long before flattered himself,
from the following omens. Upon an estate belonging to the Flavian
family, in the neighbourhood of Rome, there was an old oak, sacred to
Mars, which, at the three several deliveries of Vespasia, put out each
time a new branch; evident intimations of the future fortune of each
child. The first was but a slender one, which quickly withered away;
and accordingly, the girl that was born did not live long. The second
became vigorous, which portended great good fortune; but the third
grew like a tree. His father, Sabinus, encouraged by these omens, which
were confirmed by the augurs, told his mother, "that her grandson
would be emperor of Rome;" at which she laughed heartily, wondering,
she said, "that her son should be in his dotage whilst she continued still
in full possession of her faculties."
Afterwards in his aedileship, when Caius Caesar, being enraged at his
not taking care to have the streets kept clean, ordered the soldiers to fill

the bosom of his gown with dirt, some persons at that time construed it
into a sign that the government, being trampled under foot and deserted
in some civil commotion, would fall under his protection, and as it
were into his lap. Once, while he was at dinner, a strange dog, that
wandered about the streets, brought a man's hand [739], and laid it
under the table. And another time, while he was at supper, a plough-ox
throwing the yoke off his neck, broke into the room, and after he had
frightened away all the attendants, (447) on a sudden, as if he was tired,
fell down at his feet, as he lay still upon his couch, and hung down his
neck. A cypress-tree likewise, in a field belonging to the family, was
torn up by the roots, and laid flat upon the ground, when there was no
violent wind; but next day it rose again fresher and stronger than
before.
He dreamt in Achaia that the good fortune of himself and his family
would begin when Nero had a tooth drawn; and it happened that the
day after, a surgeon coming into the hall, showed him a tooth which he
had just extracted from Nero. In Judaea, upon his consulting the oracle
of the divinity at Carmel [740], the answer was so encouraging as to
assure him of success in anything he projected, however great or
important it might be. And when Josephus [741], one of the noble
prisoners, was put in chains, he confidently affirmed that he should be
released in a very short time by the same Vespasian, but he would be
emperor first [742]. Some omens were likewise mentioned in the news
from Rome, and among others, that Nero, towards the close of his days,
was commanded in a dream to carry Jupiter's sacred chariot out of the
sanctuary where it stood, to Vespasian's house, and conduct it thence
into the circus. Also not long afterwards, as Galba was going to the
election, in which he was created consul for the second time, a statue of
the Divine Julius [743] turned towards the east. And in the field of
Bedriacum [744], before the battle began, two eagles engaged in the
sight of the army; and one of them being beaten, a third came from the
east, and drove away the conqueror.
(448) VI. He made, however, no attempt upon the sovereignty, though
his