“With Syria, Palestine, and Egypt on your side,” pursued Mucianus, “you will occupy a continuous and united territory. Your rear you must secure by an alliance with the Parthians. As to your front, by land it is accessible only by way of the Taurus mountains; occupy the Syrian and Cilician Gates, and you can bid defiance to any attack coming from that quarter. As to your sea-front we have in Phœnicia the finest race of seamen in the world, and in the cedars of Libanus an inexhaustible supply of timber for shipbuilding. Phœnicia falls within my province. Bid me do it, and ere two months be out you shall have a fleet of triremes that shall guard all coasts from Cilicia to Cyrene. Thus secure, we may advance to attack Vitellius, or await him here, as may best seem convenient to us.” But Vespasian, prudent and cautious, still delayed his final answer. Accordingly, after his withdrawal the remaining conclave, at Berenice’s suggestion, determined to force the hand of the reluctant general, that princess propounding an ingenious scheme for the purpose. “You, Titus,” said she, “must persuade all the soldiers in the camp to salute Vespasian with the title of Cæsar.” “They want no persuading. The difficulty is that he’ll refuse to listen to them.” “He will be compelled.” “How so?” “Vitellius will hear of it. He cannot with dignity pass over such treason. He’ll demand that these disloyal legions be punished. In declining this task--for how can he punish a whole army?--Vespasian will become an object of suspicion to Vitellius. He’ll be summoned to Rome; to go will be certain death. Therefore, if the legions here persist in crying ‘Hail, Cæsar!’ whenever Vespasian appears, he must either accept the title or be prepared for immediate ruin.” “Princess, you have it,” cried Mucianus admiringly. “The plan cannot fail. Now, Titus, do your part, whilst Alexander and I hasten to set our provinces in order.” The conspirators departed to put their plan into operation. It succeeded admirably. On the third of July A.D. 69 Vespasian was proclaimed emperor by the legions of Cæsarea. His elevation was everywhere received with delight. Embassies from various cities and provinces hurried to Cæsarea, bringing addresses of congratulation and crowns of honor; within a month Vespasian had received the submission of all the East, with the exception of Jerusalem and its immediate neighborhood. And the prophecy, long current in the East, not only among the Jews, but likewise among other nations, that one coming from Judæa should obtain the empire of the world, was thought to have received its fulfillment at last! It was decided at a council composed of Eastern statesmen and Roman warriors that Mucianus should proceed by land against Italy, that Titus should carry on the war against Jerusalem, and that Vespasian should retire to Alexandria, and there await the issue of events.