the antiquities of the jews-1-第259节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


additional　incitement　to　it；　that　they　expect　to　be　suddenly
deprived　of　that　pleasure　which　they　take　in　it。〃　And；　as　a
further　attestation　to　what　I　say　of　the　dilatory　nature　of
Tiberius；　I　appeal　to　this　his　practice　itself；　for　although　he
was　emperor　twenty…two　years；　he　sent　in　all　but　two　procurators
to　govern　the　nation　of　the　Jews；　Gratus；　and　his　successor　in
the　government；　Pilate。　Nor　was　he　in　one　way　of　acting　with
respect　to　the　Jews；　and　in　another　with　respect　to　the　rest　of
his　subjects。　He　further　informed　them；　that　even　in　the　hearing
of　the　causes　of　prisoners；　he　made　such　delays；　because
immediate　death　to　those　that　must　be　condemned　to　die　would　be
an　alleviation　of　their　present　miseries；　while　those　wicked
wretches　have　not　deserved　any　such　favor；　〃but　I　do　it；　that；　by
being　harassed　with　the　present　calamity；　they　may　undergo
greater　misery。〃

6。　On　this　account　it　was　that　Eutychus　could　not　obtain　a
bearing；　but　was　kept　still　in　prison。　However；　some　time
afterward；　Tiberius　came　from　Capreae　to　Tusculanum；　which　is
about　a　hundred　furlongs　from　Rome。　Agrippa　then　desired　of
Antonia　that　she　would　procure　a　hearing　for　Eutychus；　let　the
matter　whereof　he　accused　him　prove　what　it　would。　Now　Antonia
was　greatly　esteemed　by　Tiberius　on　all　accounts；　from　the
dignity　of　her　relation　to　him；　who　had　been　his　brother　Drusus's
wife；　and　from　her　eminent　chastity；　（21）　for　though　she　was
still　a　young　woman；　she　continued　in　her　widowhood；　and　refused
all　other　matches；　although　Augustus　had　enjoined　her　to　be
married　to　somebody　else；　yet　did　she　all　along　preserve　her
reputation　free　from　reproach。　She　had　also　been　the　greatest
benefactress　to　Tiberius；　when　there　was　a　very　dangerous　plot
laid　against　him　by　Sejanus；　a　man　who　had　been　her　husband's
friend；　and　wire　had　the　greatest　authority；　because　he　was
general　of　the　army；　and　when　many　members　of　the　senate　and　many
of　the　freed…men　joined　with　him；　and　the　soldiery　was　corrupted；
and　the　plot　was　come　to　a　great　height。　Now　Sejanus　had
certainly　gained　his　point；　had　not　Antonia's　boldness　been　more
wisely　conducted　than　Sejanus's　malice；　for　when　she　had
discovered　his　designs　against　Tiberius；　she　wrote　him　an　exact
account　of　the　whole；　and　gave　the　letter　to　Pallas；　the　most
faithful　of　her　servants；　and　sent　him　to　Caprere　to　Tiberius；
who；　when　he　understood　it；　slew　Sejanus　and　his　confederates；　so
that　Tiberius；　who　had　her　in　great　esteem　before；　now　looked
upon　her　with　still　greater　respect；　and　depended　upon　her　in　all
things。　So　when　Tiberius　was　desired　by　this　Antonia　to　examine
Eutychus；　he　answered；　〃If　indeed　Eutychus　hath　falsely　accused
Agrippa　in　what　he　hath　said　of　him；　he　hath　had　sufficient
punishment　by　what　I　have　done　to　him　already；　but　if；　upon
examination；　the　accusation　appears　to　be　true；　let　Agrippa　have
a　care；　lest；　out　of　desire　of　punishing　his　freed…man；　he　do　not
rather　bring　a　punishment　upon　himself。〃　Now　when　Antonia　told
Agrippa　of　this；　he　was　still　much　more　pressing　that　the　matter
might　be　examined　into；　so　Antonia；　upon　Agrippa's　lying　hard　at
her　continually　to　beg　this　favor；　took　the　following
opportunity：　As　Tiberius　lay　once　at　his　ease　upon　his　sedan；　and
was　carried　about；　and　Caius；　her　grandson；　and　Agrippa；　were
before　him　after　dinner　she　walked　by　the　sedan；　and　desired　him
to　call　Eutychus；　and　have　him　examined；　to　which　he　replied；　〃O
Antonia！　the　gods　are　my　witnesses　that　I　am　induced　to　do　what　I
am　going　to　do；　not　by　my　own　inclination；　but　because　I　am
forced　to　it　by　thy　prayers。〃　When　he　had　said　this；　he　ordered
Macro；　who　succeeded　Sejanus；　to　bring　Eutychus　to　him；
accordingly；　without　any　delay；　he　was　brought。　Then　Tiberius
asked　him　what　he　had　to　say　against　a　man　who　had　given　him　his
liberty。　Upon　which　he　said；　〃O　my　lord！　this　Caius；　and　Agrippa
with　him；　were　once　riding　in　a　chariot；　when　I　sat　at　their
feet；　and；　among　other　discourses　that　passed；　Agrippa　said　to
Caius；　Oh　that　the　day　would　once　come　when　this　old　fellow　will
dies　and　name　thee　for　the　governor　of　the　habitable　earth！　for
then　this　Tiberius；　his　grandson；　would　be　no　hinderance；　but
would　be　taken　off　by　thee；　and　that　earth　would　be　happy；　and　I
happy　also。〃　Now　Tiberius　took　these　to　be　truly　Agrippa's　words；
and　bearing　a　grudge　withal　at　Agrippa；　because；　when　he　had
commanded　him　to　pay　his　respects　to　Tiberius；　his　grandson；　and
the　son　of　Drusus；　Agrippa　had　not　paid　him　that　respect；　but　had
disobeyed　his　commands；　and　transferred　all　his　regard　to　Caius；
he　said　to　Macro；　〃Bind　this　man。〃　But　Macro；　not　distinctly
knowing　which　of　them　it　was　whom　he　bid　him　bind；　and　not
expecting　that　he　would　have　any　such　thing　done　to　Agrippa；　he
forbore；　and　came　to　ask　more　distinctly　what　it　was　that　he
said。　But　when　Caesar　had　gone　round　the　hippodrome；　he　found
Agrippa　standing：　〃For　certain；〃　said　he；　〃Macro；　this　is　the　man
I　meant　to　have　bound；〃　and　when　he　still　asked；　〃Which　of　these
is　to　be　bound？〃　he　said　〃Agrippa。〃　Upon　which　Agrippa　betook
himself　to　make　supplication　for　himself；　putting　him　in　mind　of
his　son；　with　whom　he　was　brought　up；　and　of　Tiberius　＇his
grandson＇　whom　he　had　educated；　but　all　to　no　purpose；　for　they
led　him　about　bound　even　in　his　purple　garments。　It　was　also　very
hot　weather；　and　they　had　but　little　wine　to　their　meal；　so　that
he　was　very　thirsty；　he　was　also　in　a　sort　of　agony；　and　took
this　treatment　of　him　heinously：　as　he　therefore　saw　one　of
Caius's　slaves；　whose　name　was　Thaumastus；　carrying　some　water　in
a　vessel；　he　desired　that　he　would　let　him　drink；　so　the　servant
gave　him　some　water　to　drink；　and　he　drank　heartily；　and　said；　〃O
thou　boy！　this　service　of　thine　to　me　will　be　for　thy　advantage；
for　if　I　once　get　clear　of　these　my　bonds；　I　will　soon　procure
thee　thy　freedom　of　Caius　who　has　not　been　wanting　to　minister　to
me　now　I　am　in　bonds；　in　the　same　manner　as　when　I　was　in　my
former　state　and　dignity。〃　Nor　did　he　deceive　him　in　what　he
promised　him；　but　made　him　amends　for　what　he　had　now　done；　for
when　afterward　Agrippa　was　come　to　the　kingdom；　he　took
particular　care　of　Thaumastus；　and　got　him　his　liberty　from
Caius；　and　made　him　the　steward　over　his　own　estate；　and　when　he
died；　he　left　him　to　Agrippa　his　son；　and　to　Bernice　his
daughter；　to　minister　to　them　in　the　same　capacity。　The　man　also
grew　old　in　that　honorable　post；　and　therein　died。　But　all　this
happened　a　good　while　later。

7。　Now　Agrippa　stood　in　his　bonds　before　the　royal　palace；　and
leaned　on　a　certain　tree　for　grief；　with　many　others；。　who　were
in　bonds　also；　and　as　a　certain　bird　sat　upon　the　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　heart：　however；　to　speak　to