the antiquities of the jews-1-第268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！


attempt　might　not　be　frustrated；　but　that　he　might　give　the　blow
so　as　might　certainly　gain　his　purpose。

5。　Cherea　had　been　in　the　army　a　long　time；　yet　was　he　not
pleased　with　conversing　so　much　with　Caius。　But　Caius　had　set　him
to　require　the　tributes；　and　other　dues；　which；　when　not　paid　in
due　time；　were　forfeited　to　Caesar's　treasury；　and　he　had　made
some　delays　in　requiring　them；　because　those　burdens　had　been
doubled；　and　had　rather　indulged　his　own　mild　disposition　than
performed　Caius's　command；　nay；　indeed；　be　provoked　Caius　to
anger　by　his　sparing　men；　and　pitying　the　hard　fortunes　of　those
from　whom　he　demanded　the　taxes；　and　Caius　upbraided　him　with　his
sloth　and　effeminacy　in　being　so　long　about　collecting　the　taxes。
And　indeed　he　did　not　only　affront　him　in　other　respects；　but
when　he　gave　him　the　watchword　of　the　day；　to　whom　it　was　to　be
given　by　his　place；　he　gave　him　feminine　words；　and　those　of　a
nature　very　reproachful；　and　these　watchwords　he　gave　out；　as
having　been　initiated　in　the　secrets　of　certain　mysteries；　which
he　had　been　himself　the　author　of。　Now　although　he　had　sometimes
put　on　women's　clothes；　and　had　been　wrapt　in　some　embroidered
garments　to　them　belonging；　and　done　a　great　many　other　things；
in　order　to　make　the　company　mistake　him　for　a　woman；　yet　did　he；
by　way　of　reproach；　object　the　like　womanish　behavior　to　Cherea。
But　when　Cherea　received　the　watchword　from　him；　he　had
indignation　at　it；　but　had　greater　indignation　at　the　delivery　of
it　to　others；　as　being　laughed　at　by　those　that　received　it；
insomuch　that　his　fellow　tribunes　made　him　the　subject　of　their
drollery；　for　they　would　foretell　that　he　would　bring　them　some
of　his　usual　watchwords　when　he　was　about　to　take　the　watchword
from　Caesar；　and　would　thereby　make　him　ridiculous；　on　which
accounts　he　took　the　courage　of　assuming　certain　partners　to　him；
as　having　just　reasons　for　his　indignation　against　Caius。　Now
there　was　one　Pompedius；　a　senator；　and　one　who　had　gone　through
almost　all　posts　in　the　government；　but　otherwise　an　Epicurean；
and　for　that　reason　loved　to　lead　an　inactive　life。　Now　Timidius；
an　enemy　of　his；　had　informed　Caius　that　he　had　used　indecent
reproaches　against　him；　and　he　made　use　of　Quintilia　for　a
witness　to　them；　a　woman　she　was　much　beloved　by　many　that
frequented　the　theater；　and　particularly　by　Pompedius；　on　account
of　her　great　beauty。　Now　this　woman　thought　it　a　horrible　thing
to　attest　to　an　accusation　that　touched　the　life　of　her　lover；
which　was　also　a　lie。　Timidius；　however；　wanted　to　have　her
brought　to　the　torture。　Caius　was　irritated　at　this　reproach　upon
him；　and　commanded　Cherea；　without　any　delay；　to　torture
Quintilia；　as　he　used　to　employ　Cherea　in　such　bloody　matters；
and　those　that　required　the　torture；　because　he　thought　he　would
do　it　the　more　barbarously；　in　order　to　avoid　that　imputation　of
effeminacy　which　he　had　laid　upon　him。　But　Quintilia；　when　she
was　brought　to　the　rack；　trod　upon　the　foot　of　one　of　her
associates；　and　let　him　know　that　he　might　be　of　good　courage；
and　not　be　afraid　of　the　consequence　of　her　tortures；　for　that
she　would　bear　them　with　magnanimity。　Cherea　tortured　this　woman
after　a　cruel　manner；　unwillingly　indeed；　but　because　he　could
not　help　it。　He　then　brought　her；　without　being　in　the　least
moved　at　what　she　had　suffered；　into　the　presence　of　Caius；　and
that　in　such　a　state　as　was　sad　to　behold；　and　Caius；　being
somewhat　affected　with　the　sight　of　Quintilia；　who　had　her　body
miserably　disordered　by　the　pains　she　had　undergone；　freed　both
her　and　Pompedius　of　the　crime　laid　to　their　charge。　He　also　gave
her　money　to　make　her　an　honorable　amends；　and　comfort　her　for
that　maiming　of　her　body　which　she　had　suffered；　and　for　her
glorious　patience　under　such　insufferable　torments。

6。　This　matter　sorely　grieved　Cherea；　as　having　been　the　cause；
as　far　as　he　could；　or　the　instrument；　of　those　miseries　to　men；
which　seemed　worthy　of　consolation　to　Caius　himself；　on　which
account　he　said　to　Clement　and　to　Papinius；　（of　whom　Clement　was
general　of　the　army；　and　Papinius　was　a　tribune；）　〃To　be　sure；　O
Clement；　we　have　no　way　failed　in　our　guarding　the　emperor；　for
as　to　those　that　have　made　conspiracies　against　his　government；
some　have　been　slain　by　our　care　and　pains；　and　some　have　been　by
us　tortured；　and　this　to　such　a　degree；　that　he　hath　himself
pitied　them。　How　great　then　is　our　virtue　in　submitting　to
conduct　his　armies！〃　Clement　held　his　peace；　but　showed　the　shame
he　was　under　in　obeying　Caius's　orders；　both　by　his　eyes　and　his
blushing　countenance；　while　he　thought　it　by　no　means　right　to
accuse　the　emperor　in　express　words；　lest　their　own　safety　should
be　endangered　thereby。　Upon　which　Cherea　took　courage；　and　spake
to　him　without　fear　of　the　dangers　that　were　before　him；　and
discoursed　largely　of　the　sore　calamities　under　which　the　city
and　the　government　then　labored；　and　said；　〃We　may　indeed　pretend
in　words　that　Caius　is　the　person　unto　whom　the　cause　of　such
miseries　ought　to　be　imputed；　but；　in　the　opinion　of　such　as　are
able　to　judge　uprightly；　it　is　I；　O　Clement！　and　this　Papinius；
and　before　us　thou　thyself；　who　bring　these　tortures　upon　the
Romans；　and　upon　all　mankind。　It　is　not　done　by　our　being
subservient　to　the　commands　of　Caius；　but　it　is　done　by　our　own
consent；　for　whereas　it　is　in　our　power　to　put　an　end　to　the　life
of　this　man；　who　hath　so　terribly　injured　the　citizens　and　his
subjects；　we　are　his　guard　in　mischief；　and　his　executioners
instead　of　his　soldiers；　and　are　the　instruments　of　his　cruelty。
We　bear　these　weapons；　not　for　our　liberty；　not　for　the　Roman
government；　but　only　for　his　preservation；　who　hath　enslaved　both
their　bodies　and　their　minds；　and　we　are　every　day　polluted　with
the　blood　that　we　shed；　and　the　torments　we　inflict　upon　others；
and　this　we　do；　till　somebody　becomes　Caius's　instrument　in
bringing　the　like　miseries　upon　ourselves。　Nor　does　he　thus
employ　us　because　he　hath　a　kindness　for　us；　but　rather　because
he　hath　a　suspicion　of　us；　as　also　because　when　abundance　more
have　been　killed；　（for　Caius　will　set　no　bounds　to　his　wrath；
since　he　aims　to　do　all；　not　out　of　regard　to　justice；　but　to　his
own　pleasure；）　we　shall　also　ourselves　be　exposed　to　his　cruelty；
whereas　we　ought　to　be　the　means　of　confirming　the　security　and
liberty　of　all；　and　at　the　same　time　to　resolve　to　free　ourselves
from　dangers。

7。　Hereupon　Clement　openly　commended　Cherea's　intentions；　but　bid
him　hold　his　tongue；　for　that　in　case　his　words　should　get　out
among　many；　and　such　things　should　be　spread　abroad　as　were　fit
to　be　concealed；　the　plot　would　come　to　be　discovered　before　it
was　executed；　and　they　should　be　brought　to　punishment；　but　that
they　should　leave　all　to　futurity；　and　the　hope　which　thence
arose；　that　some　fortunate　event　would　come　to　their　assistance；
that；　as　for　himself；　his　age　would　not　permit　him　to　make　any
attempt　in　that　case。　〃However；　although　perhaps　I　could　suggest
what　may　be　safer　than　what　thou；　Cherea；　hast　contrived　and
said；　yet　trow　is　it　possible　for　any　one　to　suggest　what　is　more
for　thy　reputation？〃　So　Clement　went　his　way　home；　with　deep
reflections　on　what　he　had　heard；　and　what　he　had　himself　said。
Cherea　also　was　under　a　concern；　and　went　quickly　to　Cornelius
Sabinus；　who　was　himself　one　of　the　tribunes；　and　whom　he
otherwise　knew　to　be　a　worthy　man；　and　a　lover　of　liberty；　and　on
that　account　very　uneasy　at　the　present　management　of　public
affairs；　he　being　desirous　to　come　immediately　to　the　execution
of　what　had　been　determined；　and　thinking　it　right　for　him　to
propose　it　to　the　other；　and　afraid　lest　Clement　should　discover
them；　and　besides　looking　upon　delays　and　puttings　off　to　be　the
next　to　desisting　from　the　enterprise。

8。　But　as　all　was　agreeable　to　Sabinus；　who　had　himself；　equally
without　Cherea；　the　same　design；　but　had　been　silent　for　want　of
a　person　to　whom　he　could　safely　communicate　that　design；　so
having　now　met　with　one；　who　not　only　promised　to　conceal　what　he
heard；　but　who　had　already　opened　his　mind　to　him；　he　was　much
more　encouraged；　and　desired　of　Cherea　that　no　delay　might　be
made　therein。　Accordingly　they　went　to　Minucianus；　who　was　as
virtuous　a　man；　and　as　zealous　to　do　glorious　actions；　as
themselves；　and　suspected　by　Caius　on　occasion　of　the　slaughter
of　Lepidus；　for　Minucianus　and　Lepidus　were　intimate　friends；　and
both　in　fear　of　the　dangers　that　they　were　under；　for　Caius　was
terrible　to　all　the　great　men；　as　appearing　ready　to　act　a　mad
part　towards　each　of　them　in　particular；　and　towards　all　of：　them
in　general；　and　these　men　were　afraid　of　one　another；　while　they
were　yet　uneasy　at　the　posture　of　affairs；　but　avoided　to　declare
their　mind　and　their　hatred　against　Caius　to　one　another；　out　of
fear　of　the　dangers　they　might　be　in　thereby；　although　they
perceived　by　other　means　their　mutual　hatred　against　Caius；　and
on　that　account　were　not　averse　to　a　mutual　kindness　one　towards
another。

9。　When　Minuetanus　and　Cherea　had　met　together；　and　saluted　one
another；　（as　they　had　been　used　on　former　conversations　to　give