hat he should be kept with great
caution, as though he would in a very little time send him to Nero. [5]

9. 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? 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.

CHAPTER 9.

How