he tree on which Agrippa leaned, [the Romans
call this bird bubo,] [an owl,] one of those that were bound, a German
by nation, saw him, and asked a soldier who that man in purple was;
and when he was informed that his name was Agrippa, and that he was
by nation a Jew, and one of the principal men of that nation, he asked
leave of the soldier to whom he was bound, [22] to let him come nearer
to him, to speak with him; for that he had a mind to inquire of him
about some things relating to his country; which liberty, when he
had obtained, and as he stood near him, he said thus to him by an
interpreter: "This sudden change of thy condition, O young man!
is grievous to thee, as bringing on thee a manifold and very great
adversity; nor wilt thou believe me, when I foretell how thou wilt get
clear of this misery which thou art now under, and how Divine Providence
will provide for thee. Know therefore [and I appeal to my own country
gods, as well as to the gods of this place, who have awarded these bonds
to us] that all I am going to say about thy concerns shall neither be
said for favor nor bribery, nor out of an endeavor to make thee cheerful
without cause; for such predictions, when they come to fail, make the
grief at last, and in earnest, more bitter than if the party had never
heard of any such thing. However, though I run the hazard of my own
self, I think it fit to declare to thee the prediction of the gods. It
cannot be that thou shouldst long continue in these bonds; but thou wilt
soon be delivered from them, and wilt be promoted to the highest dignity
and power, and thou wilt be envied by all those who now pity thy hard
fortune; and thou wilt be happy till thy death, and wilt leave thine
happiness to the children whom thou shalt have. But do thou remember,
when thou seest this bird again, that thou wilt then live but five days
longer. This event will be brought to pass by that God who hath sent
this bird hither to be a sign unto thee. And I cannot but think it
unjust to conceal from thee what I foreknow concerning thee, that, by
thy knowing beforehand what happiness is coming upon thee, thou mayst
not regard thy present misfortunes. But when this happiness shall
actually befall thee, do not forget what misery I am in myself, but
endeavor to deliver me." So when the German had said this, he made
Agrippa laugh at him as much as he afterwards appeared worthy of
admiration. But now Antonia took Agrippa's misfortune to hear