The fall of Jerusalem and the Roman conquest of Judea . ri<:trospect. 40 the Greeks, more numerous tlian all men upon tliehabitable earth ? What source of confidence have you wliicli encour-ages you to oppose the Romans ? You will say, perhaps,it is hard to endure slavery. Yes; but much hardermust it be for the Greeks, who were esteemed the noblestof all peoples under the sun ? And so with the Mace-donians, who have juster reasons to claim their libertythan you have. What is the condition of the five hun-dred Asiatic cities ? Dothey not submit to aRoman governor, and tothe consular bundle o
The fall of Jerusalem and the Roman conquest of Judea . ri<:trospect. 40 the Greeks, more numerous tlian all men upon tliehabitable earth ? What source of confidence have you wliicli encour-ages you to oppose the Romans ? You will say, perhaps,it is hard to endure slavery. Yes; but much hardermust it be for the Greeks, who were esteemed the noblestof all peoples under the sun ? And so with the Mace-donians, who have juster reasons to claim their libertythan you have. What is the condition of the five hun-dred Asiatic cities ? Dothey not submit to aRoman governor, and tothe consular bundle ofrods ? * Why need Ispeak of the Henischi,and Colchi, and the na-tion of the Tauri; ofthose that dwell uponthe shores of Bosphorus;and the tribes aboutPontus and Mseotisjwhoformerly acknowledgedno chief nor ruler, but ^^^^^^ ^^ ^•^ ^^^^^^^ are now subject to three thousand men; and whose unnavigable, and always vexed with storms,are yet kept by forty Roman galleys ? * The/asces which the lictors carried before the Roman consuls-259) 4. 50 AN HISTORIC A L RE TR OSPECT. After reminding his hearers of the courage of theGauls and Grermans, and the resources of Egypt, whichliad proved powerless against the irresistible fortune ofHome, Agrippa continued :— Now, all men who go to war, depend either upondivine or human assistance ; but since in your battlesyou will have neither, those among you who woulddraw the sword seek immediate destruction. Why notkill your wives and children with your own hands, andburn this great and sacred city? Such deeds were ; but, at least, by such deeds you would escapethe reproach of defeat. But, 0 my friends, it were best,\diile the ship is still in port, to foresee the approachingstorm, and not set sail to encounter all its fury. Sorelydo we pity those who rush unwittingly into dire calami-ties ; but for them who plunge headlong into the ruinthey wot of, we have censure, and not pity. When theRomans have conquered you, they
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