xtremity. It was attacked with fury; while the army
within, sallying out upon the besiegers, defended it with equal
obstinacy. The battle lasted the whole day; the besieged were driven
back into the city, and a dreadful slaughter made of them in the
streets which they vainly attempted to defend.

14. Vitel'lius was soon found hidden in an obscure corner, whence he
was taken by a party of the conquering soldiers. Still, however,
desirous of adding a few hours to his miserable life, he begged to be
kept in prison till the arrival of Vespa'sian at Rome, pretending that
he had secrets of importance to discover. 15. But his entreaties were
vain; the soldiers binding his hands behind him, and throwing a halter
round his neck, led him along, half naked, into the public forum,
loading him with all the bitter reproaches their malice could suggest,
or his cruelty might deserve. At length, being come to the place of
punishment, they put him to death with blows: and then dragging the
dead body through the streets with a hook, they threw it, with
all possible ignominy, into the river Tiber.

[Sidenote: A.D. 70.]

16. Vespa'sian was now declared emperor by the unanimous consent both
of the senate and the army; and dignified with all those titles which
now followed rather the power than the merit of those who were
appointed to govern. 17. Having continued some months at Alexan'dria,
in Egypt, where it is said he cured a blind man and a cripple by
touching them, he set out for Rome. Giving his son, Ti'tus, the
command of the army that was to lay siege to Jerusalem, he himself
went forward, and was met many miles from Rome by all the senate, and
the inhabitants, who gave the sincerest testimony of their joy, in
having an emperor of such great and experienced virtue. 18. Nor did he
in the least disappoint their expectations; as he showed himself
equally assiduous in rewarding merit and pardoning his adversaries; in
reforming the manners of the citizens, and setting them the best
example in his own.

19. In the mean time Titus carried on the war against the Jews with
vigour. This obstinate and infatuated people had long resolved to
resist the Roman power, vainly hoping to find protection from heaven,
which their impieties had utterly offended. 20. Their own historian
represents them as arrived at the highest pitch of iniquity; while
famines, earthquakes, and prodigies, all conspired to forebode their
approaching ruin. 21. Nor was it