the antiquities of the jews-1-第223章

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did　the　tribunes　with　him；　bidding　them　put　up　their　swords；　and
telling　them　that　Caius　was　dead。　And　this　proclamation　it　was
plainly　which　saved　those　that　were　collected　together　in　the
theater；　and　all　the　rest　who　any　way　met　the　Germans；　for　while
they　had　hopes　that　Caius　had　still　any　breath　in　him；　they
abstained　from　no　sort　of　mischief；　and　such　an　abundant　kindness
they　still　had　for　Caius；　that　they　would　willingly　have
prevented　the　plot　against　him；　and　procured　his　escape　from　so
sad　a　misfortune；　at　the　expense　of　their　own　lives。　But　they　now
left　off　the　warm　zeal　they　had　to　punish　his　enemies；　now　they
were　fully　satisfied　that　Caius　was　dead；　because　it　was　now　in
vain　for　them　to　show　their　zeal　and　kindness　to　him；　when　he　who
should　reward　them　was　perished。　They　were　also　afraid　that　they
should　be　punished　by　the　senate；　if　they　should　go　on　in　doing
such　injuries；　that　is；　in　case　the　authority　of　the　supreme
governor　should　revert　to　them。　And　thus　at　length　a　stop　was
put；　though　not　without　difficulty；　to　that　rage　which　possessed
the　Germans　on　account　of　Caius's　death。

19。　But　Cherea　was　so　much　afraid　for　Minucianus；　lest　he　should
light　upon　the　Germans　now　they　were　in　their　fury；　that　he　went
and　spike　to　every　one　of　the　soldiers；　and　prayed　them　to　take
care　of　his　preservation；　and　made　himself　great　inquiry　about
him；　lest　he　should　have　been　slain。　And　for　Clement；　he　let
Minucianus　go　when　he　was　brought　to　him；　and；　with　many　other　of
the　senators；　affirmed　the　action　was　right；　and　commended　the
virtue　of　those　that　contrived　it；　and　had　courage　enough　to
execute　it；　and　said　that　〃tyrants　do　indeed　please　themselves
and　look　big　for　a　while；　upon　having　the　power　to　act　unjustly；
but　do　not　however　go　happily　out　of　the　world；　because　they　are
hated　by　the　virtuous；　and　that　Caius；　together　with　all　his
unhappiness；　was　become　a　conspirator　against　himself；　before
these　other　men　who　attacked　him　did　so；　and　by　becoming
intolerable；　in　setting　aside　the　wise　provision　the　laws　had
made；　taught　his　dearest　friends　to　treat　him　as　an　enemy；
insomuch　that　although　in　common　discourse　these　conspirators
were　those　that　slew　Caius；　yet　that；　in　reality；　he　lies　now
dead　as　perishing　by　his　own　self。〃

20。　Now　by　this　time　the　people　in　the　theatre　were　arisen　from
their　seats；　and　those　that　were　within　made　a　very　great
disturbance；　the　cause　of　which　was　this；　that　the　spectators
were　too　hasty　in　getting　away。　There　was　also　one　Aleyon；　a
physician；　who　hurried　away；　as　if　to　cure　those　that　were
wounded；　and　under　that　pretense　he　sent　those　that　were　with　him
to　fetch　what　things　were　necessary　for　the　healing　of　those
wounded　persons；　but　in　reality　to　get　them　clear　of　the　present
dangers　they　were　in。　Now　the　senate；　during　this　interval；　had
met；　and　the　people　also　assembled　together　in　the　accustomed
form；　and　were　both　employed　in　searching　after　the　murderers　of
Caius。　The　people　did　it　very　zealously；　but　the　senate　in
appearance　only；　for　there　was　present　Valerius　of　Asia；　one　that
had　been　consul；　this　man　went　to　the　people；　as　they　were　in
disorder；　and　very　uneasy　that　they　could　not　yet　discover　who
they　were　that　had　murdered　the　emperor；　he　was　then　earnestly
asked　by　them　all　who　it　was　that　had　done　it。　He　replied；　〃I
wish　I　had　been　the　man。〃　The　consuls　（7）　also　published　an
edict；　wherein　they　accused　Caius；　and　gave　order　to　the　people
then　got　together；　and　to　the　soldiers；　to　go　home；　and　gave　the
people　hopes　of　the　abatement　of　the　oppressions　they　lay　under；
and　promised　the　soldiers；　if　they　lay　quiet　as　they　used　to　do；
and　would　not　go　abroad　to　do　mischief　unjustly；　that　they　would
bestow　rewards　upon　them；　for　there　was　reason　to　fear　lest　the
city　might　suffer　harm　by　their　wild　and　ungovernable　behavior；
if　they　should　once　betake　themselves　to　spoil　the　citizens；　or
plunder　the　temples。　And　now　the　whole　multitude　of　the　senators
were　assembled　together；　and　especially　those　that　had　conspired
to　take　away　the　life　of　Caius；　who　put　on　at　this　time　an　air　of
great　assurance；　and　appeared　with　great　magnanimity；　as　if　the
administration　of　the　public　affairs　were　already　devolved　upon
them。

CHAPTER　2。

How　The　Senators　Determined　To　Restore　The　Democracy；　But　The
Soldiers　Were　For　Preserving　The　Monarchy；　Concerning　The
Slaughter　Of　Caius's　Wife　And　Daughter。　A　Character　Of　Caius's
Morals。

1。　When　the　public　affairs　were　in　this　posture；　Claudius　was　on
the　sudden　hurried　away　out　of　his　house；　for　the　soldiers　had　a
meeting　together；　and　when　they　had　debated　about　what　was　to　be
done；　they　saw　that　a　democracy　was　incapable　of　managing　such　a
vast　weight　of　public　affairs；　and　that　if　it　should　be　set　up；
it　would　not　be　for　their　advantage；　and　in　case　any　one　of　those
already　in　the　government　should　obtain　the　supreme　power；　it
would　in　all　respects　be　to　their　grief；　if　they　were　not
assisting　to　him　in　this　advancement；　that　it　would　therefore　be
right　for　them；　while　the　public　affairs　were　unsettled；　to
choose　Claudius　emperor；　who　was　uncle　to　the　deceased　Caius；　and
of　a　superior　dignity　and　worth　to　every　one　of　those　that　were
assembled　together　in　the　senate；　both　on　account　of　the　virtues
of　his　ancestors；　and　of　the　learning　he　had　acquired　in　his
education；　and　who；　if　once　settled　in　the　empire；　would　reward
them　according　to　their　deserts；　and　bestow　largesses　upon　them。
These　were　their　consultations；　and　they　executed　the　same
immediately。　Claudius　was　therefore　seized　upon　suddenly　by　the
soldiery。　But　Cneas　Sentins　Saturninns；　although　he　understood
that　Claudius　was　seized；　and　that　he　intended　to　claim　the
government；　unwillingly　indeed　in　appearance；　but　in　reality　by
his　own　free　consent；　stood　up　in　the　senate；　and；　without　being
dismayed；　made　an　exhortatory　oration　to　them；　and　such　a　one
indeed　as　was　fit　for　men　of　freedom　and　generosity；　and　spake
thus：

2。　〃Although　it　be　a　thing　incredible；　O　Romans！　because　of　the
great　length　of　time；　that　so　unexpected　an　event　hath　happened；
yet　are　we　now　in　possession　of　liberty。　How　long　indeed　this
will　last　is　uncertain；　and　lies　at　the　disposal　of　the　gods；
whose　grant　it　is；　yet　such　it　is　as　is　sufficient　to　make　us
rejoice；　and　be　happy　for　the　present；　although　we　may　soon　be
deprived　of　it；　for　one　hour　is　sufficient　to　those　that　are
exercised　in　virtue；　wherein　we　may　live　with　a　mind　accountable
only　to　ourselves；　in　our　own　country；　now　free；　and　governed　by
such　laws　as　this　country　once　flourished　under。　As　for　myself；　I
cannot　remember　our　former　time　of　liberty；　as　being　born　after
it　was　gone；　but　I　am　beyond　measure　filled　with　joy　at　the
thoughts　of　our　present　freedom。　I　also　esteem　those　that　were
born　and　bred　up　in　that　our　former　liberty　happy　men；　and　that
those　men　are　worthy　of　no　less　esteem　than　the　gods　themselves
who　have　given　us　a　taste　of　it　in　this　age；　and　I　heartily　wish
that　this　quiet　enjoyment　of　it；　which　we　have　at　present；　might
continue　to　all　ages。　However；　this　single　day　may　suffice　for
our　youth；　as　well　as　for　us　that　are　in　years。　It　will　seem　an
age　to　our　old　men；　if　they　might　die　during　its　happy　duration：
it　may　also　be　for　the　instruction　of　the　younger　sort；　what　kind
of　virtue　those　men；　from　whose　loins　we　are　derived；　were
exercised　in。　As　for　ourselves；　our　business　is；　during　the　space
of　time；　to　live　virtuously；　than　which　nothing　can　be　more　to
our　advantage；　which　course　of　virtue　it　is　alone　that　can
preserve　our　liberty；　for　as　to　our　ancient　state；　I　have　heard
of　it　by　the　relations　of　others；　but　as　to　our　later　state；
during　my　lifetime；　I　have　known　it　by　experience；　and　learned
thereby　what　mischiefs　tyrannies　have　brought　upon　this
commonwealth；　discouraging　all　virtue；　and　depriving　persons　of
magnanimity　of　their　liberty；　and　proving　the　teachers　of
flattery　and　slavish　fear；　because　it　leaves　the　public
administration　not　to　be　governed　by　wise　laws；　but　by　the　humor
of　those　that　govern。　For　since　Julius　Caesar　took　it　into　his
head　to　dissolve　our　democracy；　and；　by　overbearing　the　regular
system　of　our　laws；　to　bring　disorders　into　our　administration；
and　to　get　above　right　and　justice；　and　to　be　a　slave　to　his　own
inclinations；　there　is　no　kind　of　misery　but　what　hath　tended　to
the　subversion　of　this　city；　while　all　those　that　have　succeeded
him　have　striven　one　with　another　to　overthrow　the　ancient　laws
of　their　country；　and　have　left　it　destitute　of　such　citizens　as
were　of　generous　principles；　because　they　thought　it　tended　to
their　safety　to　have　vicious　men　to　converse　withal；　and　not　only
to　break　the　spirits　of　those　that　were　best　esteemed　for　their
virtue；　but　to　resolve　upon。　their　utter　destruction。　Of　all
which　emperors；　who　have　been　many　in　number；　and　who　laid　upon
us　insufferable　hardships　during　the　times　of　their　government；
this　Caius；　who　hath　been　slain　today；　hath　brought　more　terrible
calamities　upon　us　than　did　all　the　rest；　not　only　by　exercising
his　ungoverned　rage　upon　his　fellow　citizens；　but　also　upon　his
kindred　and　friends；　and　alike　upon　all　others；　and　by　inflicting
still　greater　miseries　upon　them；　as　punishments；　which　they
never　deserved；　he　being　equally　furious　against　men　and　against
the　gods。　For　tyrants　are　not　content　to　gain　their　sweet
pleasure；　and　this　by　acting　injuriously；　and　in　the　vexation
they　bring　both　upon　men's　estates　and　their　wives；　but　they　look
upon　that　to　be　their　principal　advantage；　when　they　can　utterly
overthrow　the　entire　families　of　their　enemies；　while　all　lovers
of　liberty　are　the　enemies　of　tyranny。　Nor　can　those　that
patiently　endure　what　miseries　they　bring　on　them　gain　their
friendship；　for　as　they　are　conscious　of　the　abundant　mischiefs
they　have　brought　on　these　men；　and　how　magnanimously　they　have
borne　their　hard　fortunes；　they　cannot　but　be　sensible　what　evils
they　have　done；　and　thence　only　depend　on　security　from　what　they
are　suspicious　of；　if　it　may　be　in　their　power　to　take　them　quite
out　of　the　world。　Since；　then；　we　are　now　gotten　clear　of　such
great　misfortunes；　and　are　only　accountable　to　one　another；
（which　form　of　government　affords　us　the　best　assurance　of　our
present　concord；　and　promises　us　the　best　security　from　evil
designs；　and　will　be　most　for　our　own　glory　in　settling　the　city
in　good　order；）　you　ought；　every　one　of　you　in　particular；　to
make　provision　for　his　own；　and　in　general　for　the　public
utility：　or；　on　the　contrary；　they　may　declare　their　dissent　to
such　things　as　have　been　proposed；　and　this　without　any　hazard　of
danger　to　come　upon　them；　because　they　have　now　no　lord　set　over
them；　who；　without　fear　of　punishment；　could　do　mischief　to　the
city；　and　had　an　uncontrollable　power　to　take　off　those　that
freely　declared　their　opinions。　Nor　has　any　thing　so　much
contributed　to　this　increase　of　tyranny　of　late　as　sloth；　and　a
timorous　forbearance　of　contradicting　the　emperor's　will；　while
men　had　an　over…great　inclination　to　the　sweetness　of　peace；　and
had　learned　to　live　like　slaves；　and　as　many　of　us　as　either
heard　of　int