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the Batavi for glory； the Germans for plunder。 Everything seemed in
favour of the enemy； till the 21st legion； having more room than the
others； formed itself into a compact body； withstood； and soon drove
back the assailants。 Nor was it without an interposition of heaven；
that by a sudden change of temper the conquerors turned their backs
and fled。 Their own account was； that they were alarmed by the sight
of the cohorts； which； after being broken at the first onset；
rallied on the top of the hills； and presented the appearance of
reinforcements。 What checked them in their course of victory was a
mischievous struggle among themselves to secure plunder while they
forgot the enemy。 Cerialis； having thus all but ruined everything by
his carelessness； restored the day by his resolution； following up his
success； he took and destroyed the enemy's camp on the same day。
No long time was allowed to the soldiers for repose。 The
Agrippinenses were begging for help； and were offering to give up
the wife and sister of Civilis and the daughter of Classicus； who
had been left with them as pledges for the maintenance of the
alliance。 In the meanwhile they had massacred all the Germans who were
scattered throughout their dwellings。 Hence their alarm and reasonable
importunity in begging for help； before the enemy； recovering their
strength； could raise their spirits for a new effort or for thoughts
of revenge。 And indeed Civilis had marched in their direction； nor was
he by any means weak； as he had still； in unbroken force； the most
warlike of his cohorts； which consisted of Chauci and Frisii； and
which was posted at Tolbiacum； on the frontiers of the
Agrippinenses。 He was； however； diverted from his purpose by the
deplorable news that this cohort had been entirely destroyed by a
stratagem of the Agrippinenses； who； having stupefied the Germans by a
profuse entertainment and abundance of wine； fastened the doors； set
fire to the houses； and burned them。 At the same time Cerialis
advanced by forced marches； and relieved the city。 Civilis too was
beset by other fears。 He was afraid that the 14th legion； supported by
the fleet from Britain； might do mischief to the Batavi along their
line of coast。 The legion was； however； marched overland under the
command of Fabius Priscus into the territory of the Nervii and Tungri；
and these two states were allowed to capitulate。 The Canninefates；
taking the offensive； attacked our fleet； and the larger part of the
ships was either sunk or captured。 The same tribe also routed a
crowd of Nervii； who by a spontaneous movement had taken up arms on
the Roman side。 Classicus also gained a victory over some cavalry； who
had been sent on to Novesium by Cerialis。 These reverses； which；
though trifling； came in rapid succession； destroyed by degrees the
prestige of the recent victory。
About the same time Mucianus ordered the son of Vitellius to be
put to death； alleging that dissension would never cease； if he did
not destroy all seeds of civil war。 Nor would he suffer Antonius
Primus to be taken into the number of Domitian's attendants； for he
felt uneasy at his popularity with the troops； and feared the proud
spirit of the man； who could not endure an equal； much less a
superior。 Antonius then went to Vespasian； who received him； not
indeed as he expected； but in a not unfriendly spirit。 Two opposite
influences acted on the Emperor； on the one hand were the merits of
Antonius； under whose conduct the war had beyond all doubt been
terminated； on the other； were the letters of Mucianus。 And everyone
else inveighed against him； as an ill…affected and conceited man；
nor did they forget the scandals of his early life。 Antonius himself
failed not to provoke offence by his arrogance and his excessive
propensity to dwell on his own services。 He reproached other men
with being cowards； Caecina he stigmatized as a captive and a prisoner
of war。 Thus by degrees he came to be thought of less weight and
worth； though his friendship with the Emperor to all appearance
remained the same。
In the months during which Vespasian was waiting at Alexandria for
the periodical return of the summer gales and settled weather at
sea； many wonders occurred which seemed to point him out as the object
of the favour of heaven and of the partiality of the Gods。 One of
the common people of Alexandria； well known for his blindness； threw
himself at the Emperor's knees； and implored him with groans to heal
his infirmity。 This he did by the advice of the God Serapis； whom this
nation； devoted as it is to many superstitions； worships more than any
other divinity。 He begged Vespasian that he would deign to moisten his
cheeks and eye…balls with his spittle。 Another with a diseased hand；
at the counsel of the same God； prayed that the limb might feet the
print of a Caesar's foot。 At first Vespasian ridiculed and repulsed
them。 They persisted； and he； though on the one hand he feared the
scandal of a fruitless attempt； yet； on the other； was induced by
the entreaties of the men and by the language of his flatterers to
hope for success。 At last he ordered that the opinion of physicians
should be taken； as to whether such blindness and infirmity were
within the reach of human skill。 They discussed the matter from
different points of view。 〃In the one case；〃 they said； 〃the faculty
of sight was not wholly destroyed； and might return； if the
obstacies were removed； in the other case； the limb； which had
fallen into a diseased condition； might be restored； if a healing
influence were applied； such； perhaps； might be the pleasure of the
Gods； and the Emperor might be chosen to be the minister of the divine
will； at any rate； all the glory of a successful remedy would be
Caesar's； while the ridicule of failure would fall on the
sufferers。〃 And so Vespasian； supposing that all things were
possible to his good fortune； and that nothing was any longer past
belief； with a joyful countenance； amid the intense expectation of the
multitude of bystanders； accomplished what was required。 The hand
was instantly restored to its use； and the light of day again shone
upon the blind。 Persons actually present attest both facts； even now
when nothing is to be gained by falsehood。
Vespasian thus came to conceive a deeper desire to visit the
sanctuary of Serapis； that he might consult the God about the
interests of his throne。 He gave orders that all persons should be
excluded from the temple。 He had entered； and was absorbed in worship；
when he saw behind him one of the chief men of Egypt； named Basilides；
whom he knew at the time to be detained by sickness at a
considerable distance； as much as several days journey from
Alexandria。 He enquired of the priests； whether Basilides had on
this day entered the temple。 He enquired of others whom he met；
whether he had been seen in the city。 At length； sending some
horsemen； he ascertained that at that very instant the man had been
eighty miles distant。 He then concluded that it was a divine
apparition； and discovered an oracular force in the name of Basilides。
The origin of this God Serapis has not hitherto been made
generally known by our writers。 The Egyptian priests give this
account。 While Ptolemy； the first Macedonian king who consolidated the
power of Egypt； was setting up in the newly…built city of Alexandria
fortifications； temples； and rites of worship； there appeared to him
in his sleep a youth of singular beauty and more than human stature；
who counselled the monarch to send his most trusty friends to
Pontus； and fetch his effigy from that country。 This； he said； would
bring prosperity to the realm； and great and illustrious would be
the city which gave it a reception。 At the same moment he saw the
youth ascend to heaven in a blaze of fire。 Roused by so significant
and strange an appearance； Ptolemy disclosed the vision of the night
to the Egyptian priests； whose business it is to understand such
matters。 As they knew but little of Pontus or of foreign countries； he
enquired of Timotheus； an Athenian； one of the family of the
Eumolpids； whom he had invited from Eleusis to preside over the sacred
rites； what this worship was； and who was the deity。 Timotheus；
questioning persons who had found their way to Pontus； learnt that
there was there a city Sinope； and near it a temple； which；
according to an old tradition of the neighbourhood； was sacred to
the infernal Jupiter； for there also stood close at hand a female
figure； to which many gave the name of Proserpine。 Ptolemy； however；
with the true disposition of a despot； though prone to alarm； was；
when the feeling of security returned