Josephus, and had been his familiar acquaintance in old time.
When he was come, he enlarged upon the natural mildness of the
Romans towards those they have once conquered; and told him that
he had behaved himself so valiantly, that the commanders rather
admired than hated him; that the general was very desirous to
have him brought to him, not in order to punish him, for that he
could do though he should not come voluntarily, but that he was
determined to preserve a man of his courage. He moreover added
this, that Vespasian, had he been resolved to impose upon him,
would not have sent to him a friend of his own, nor put the
fairest color upon the vilest action, by pretending friendship
and meaning perfidiousness; nor would he have himself acquiesced,
or come to him, had it been to deceive him.

3. Now as Josephus began to hesitate with himself about Nicanor's
proposal, the soldiery were so angry, that they ran hastily to
set fire to the den; but the tribune would not permit them so to
do, as being very desirous to take the man alive. And now, as
Nicanor lay hard at Josephus to comply, and he understood how the
multitude of the enemies threatened him, he called to mind the
dreams which he had dreamed in the night time, whereby God had
signified to him beforehand both the future calamities of the
Jews, and the events that concerned the Roman emperors. Now
Josephus was able to give shrewd conjectures about the
interpretation of such dreams as have been ambiguously delivered
by God. Moreover, he was not unacquainted with the prophecies
contained in the sacred books, as being a priest himself, and of
the posterity of priests: and just then was he in an ecstasy; and
setting before him the tremendous images of the dreams he had
lately had, he put up a secret prayer to God, and said, "Since it