ge their preparatory exercises of their weapons, that
not the bodies of the soldiers only, but their souls may also become
stronger: they are moreover hardened for war by fear; for their laws
inflict capital punishments, not only for soldiers running away from the
ranks, but for slothfulness and inactivity, though it be but in a lesser
degree; as are their generals more severe than their laws, for they
prevent any imputation of cruelty toward those under condemnation, by
the great rewards they bestow on the valiant soldiers; and the readiness
of obeying their commanders is so great, that it is very ornamental in
peace; but when they come to a battle, the whole army is but one body,
so well coupled together are their ranks, so sudden are their turnings
about, so sharp their hearing as to what orders are given them, so quick
their sight of the ensigns, and so nimble are their hands when they set
to work; whereby it comes to pass that what they do is done quickly, and
what they suffer they bear with the greatest patience. Nor can we find
any examples where they have been conquered in battle, when they came
to a close fight, either by the multitude of the enemies, or by their
stratagems, or by the difficulties in the places they were in; no, nor
by fortune neither, for their victories have been surer to them than
fortune could have granted them. In a case, therefore, where counsel
still goes before action, and where, after taking the best advice,
that advice is followed by so active an army, what wonder is it that
Euphrates on the east, the ocean on the west, the most fertile regions
of Libya on the south, and the Danube and the Rhine on the north, are
the limits of this empire? One might well say that the Roman possessions
are not inferior to the Romans themselves.

8. This account I have given the reader, not so much with the intention
of commending the Romans, as of comforting those that have been
conquered by them, and for the deterring others from attempting
innovations under their government. This discourse of the Roman military
conduct may also perhaps be of use to such of the curious as are
ignorant of it, and yet have a mind to know it. I return now from this
digression.

CHAPTER 6.

Placidus Attempts To Take Jotapata And Is Beaten Off.
Vespasian Marches Into Galilee.

1. And now Vespasian, with his son Titus, had tarried some time at
Ptolemais, and had put his army in order. But when Placidus, wh