ou, esteem such
injunctions a disgrace to them, although they have but one Roman legion
that abides among them. And indeed what occasion is there for showing
you the power of the Romans over remote countries, when it is so easy to
learn it from Egypt, in your neighborhood? This country is extended as
far as the Ethiopians, and Arabia the Happy, and borders upon India; it
hath seven millions five hundred thousand men, besides the inhabitants
of Alexandria, as may be learned from the revenue of the poll tax; yet
it is not ashamed to submit to the Roman government, although it hath
Alexandria as a grand temptation to a revolt, by reason it is so full of
people and of riches, and is besides exceeding large, its length being
thirty furlongs, and its breadth no less than ten; and it pays more
tribute to the Romans in one month than you do in a year; nay, besides
what it pays in money, it sends corn to Rome that supports it for four
months [in the year]: it is also walled round on all sides, either by
almost impassable deserts, or seas that have no havens, or by rivers,
or by lakes; yet have none of these things been found too strong for
the Roman good fortune; however, two legions that lie in that city are a
bridle both for the remoter parts of Egypt, and for the parts inhabited
by the more noble Macedonians. Where then are those people whom you are
to have for your auxiliaries? Must they come from the parts of the world
that are uninhabited? for all that are in the habitable earth are [under
the] Romans. Unless any of you extend his hopes as far as beyond the
Euphrates, and suppose that those of your own nation that dwell in
Adiabene will come to your assistance; but certainly these will not
embarrass themselves with an unjustifiable war, nor, if they should
follow such ill advice, will the Parthians permit them so to do; for
it is their concern to maintain the truce that is between them and the
Romans, and they will be supposed to break the covenants between them,
if any under their government march against the Romans. What remains,
therefore, is this, that you have recourse to Divine assistance; but
this is already on the side of the Romans; for it is impossible that so
vast an empire should be settled without God's providence. Reflect upon
it, how impossible it is for your zealous observations of your religious
customs to be here preserved, which are hard to be observed even when
you fight with those whom you are able to co