the antiquities of the jews-1-第269节

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another；　（as　they　had　been　used　on　former　conversations　to　give
the　upper　hand　to　Minucianus；　both　on　account　of　his　eminent
dignity；　for　he　was　the　noblest　of　all　the　citizens；　and　highly
commended　by　all　men；　especially　when　he　made　speeches　to　them；）
Minuetanus　began　first；　and　asked　Cherea；　What　was　the　watchword
he　had　received　that　day　from　Caius；　for　the　affront　which　was
offered　Cherea；　in　giving　the　watchwords；　was　famous　over　the
city。　But　Cherea　made　no　delay　so　long　as　to　reply　to　that
question；　out　of　the　joy　he　had　that　Minueianus　would　have　such
confidence　in　him　as　to　discourse　with　him。　〃But　do　thou；〃　said
he；　〃give　me　the　watchword　of　liberty。　And　I　return　thee　my
thanks　that　thou　hast　so　greatly　encouraged　me　to　exert　myself
after　an　extraordinary　manner；　nor　do　I　stand　in　need　of　many
words　to　encourage　me；　since　both　thou　and　I　are　of　the　same
mind；　and　partakers　of　the　same　resolutions；　and　this　before　we
have　conferred　together。　I　have　indeed　but　one　sword　girt　on；　but
this　one　will　serve　us　both。　Come　on；　therefore；　let　us　set　about
the　work。　Do　thou　go　first；　if　thou　hast　a　mind；　and　bid　me
follow　thee；　or　else　I　will　go　first；　and　thou　shalt　assist　me；
and　we　will　assist　one　another；　and　trust　one　another。　Nor　is
there　a　necessity　for　even　one　sword　to　such　as　have　a　mind
disposed　to　such　works；　by　which　mind　the　sword　uses　to　be
successful。　I　am　zealous　about　this　action；　nor　am　I　solicitous
what　I　may　myself　undergo；　for　I　can　not　at　leisure　to　consider
the　dangers　that　may　come　upon　myself；　so　deeply　am　I　troubled　at
the　slavery　our　once　free　country　is　now　under；　and　at　the
contempt　cast　upon　our　excellent　laws；　and　at　the　destruction
which　hangs　over　all　men；　by　the　means　of　Caius。　I　wish　that　I
may　be　judged　by　thee；　and　that　thou　mayst　esteem　me　worthy　of
credit　in　these　matters；　seeing　we　are　both　of　the　same　opinion；
and　there　is　herein　no　difference　between　us。〃

10。　When　Minucianus　saw　the　vehemency　with　which　Cherea　delivered
himself；　he　gladly　embraced　him；　and　encouraged　him　in　his　bold
attempt；　commending　him；　and　embracing　him；　so　he　let　him　go　with
his　good　wishes；　and　some　affirm　that　he　thereby　confirmed
Minuclanus　in　the　prosecution　of　what　had　been　agreed　among　them；
for　as　Cherea　entered　into　the　court；　the　report　runs；　that　a
voice　came　from　among　the　multitude　to　encourage　him；　which　bid
him　finish　what　he　was　about；　and　take　the　opportunity　that
Providence　afforded；　and　that　Cherea　at　first　suspected　that　some
one　of　the　conspirators　had　betrayed　him；　and　he　was　caught；　but
at　length　perceived　that　it　was　by　way　of　exhortation。　Whether
somebody　（3）　that　was　conscious　of　what　he　was　about；　gave　a
signal　for　his　encouragement；　or　whether　it　was　God　himself；　who
looks　upon　the　actions　of　men；　that　encouraged　him　to　go　on
boldly　in　his　design；　is　uncertain。　The　plot　was　now　communicated
to　a　great　many；　and　they　were　all　in　their　armor；　some　of　the
conspirators　being　senators；　and　some　of　the　equestrian　order；
and　as　many　of　the　soldiery　as　were　made　acquainted　with　it；　for
there　was　not　one　of　them　who　would　not　reckon　it　a　part　of　his
happiness　to　kill　Caius；　and　on　that　account　they　were　all　very
zealous　in　the　affair；　by　what　means　soever　any　one　could　come　at
it；　that　he　might　not　be　behindhand　in　these　virtuous　designs；
but　might　be　ready　with　all　his　alacrity　or　power；　both　by　words
and　actions；　to　complete　this　slaughter　of　a　tyrant。　And　besides
these；　Callistus　also；　who　was　a　freed…man　of　Caius；　and　was　the
only　man　that　had　arrived　at　the　greatest　degree　of　power　under
him；　…　such　a　power；　indeed；　as　was　in　a　manner　equal　to　the
power　of　the　tyrant　himself；　by　the　dread　that　all　men　had　of
him；　and　by　the　great　riches　he　had　acquired；　for　he　took　bribes
most　plenteously；　and　committed　injuries　without　bounds；　and　was
more　extravagant　in　the　use　of　his　power　in　unjust　proceedings
than　any　other。　He　also　knew　the　disposition　of　Caius　to　be
implacable；　and　never　to　be　turned　from　what　he　had　resolved　on。
He　had　withal　many　other　reasons　why　he　thought　himself　in
danger；　and　the　vastness　of　his　wealth　was　not　one　of　the　least
of　them；　on　which　account　he　privately　ingratiated　himself　with
Claudius；　and　transferred　his　courtship　to　him；　out　of　this　hope；
that　in　case；　upon　the　removal　of　Caius；　the　government　should
come　to　him；　his　interest　in　such　changes　should　lay　a　foundation
for　his　preserving　his　dignity　under　him；　since　he　laid　in
beforehand　a　stock　of　merit；　and　did　Claudius　good　offices　in　his
promotion。　He　had　also　the　boldness　to　pretend　that　he　had　been
persuaded　to　make　away　with　Claudius；　by　poisoning　him；　but　had
still　invented　ten　thousand　excuses　for　delaying　to　do　it。　But　it
seems　probable　to　me　that　Callistus　only　counterfeited　this；　in
order　to　ingratiate　himself　with　Claudius；　for　if　Caius　had　been
in　earnest　resolved　to　take　off　Claudius；　he　would　not　have
admitted　of　Callistus's　excuses；　nor　would　Callistus；　if　he　had
been　enjoined　to　do　such　an　act　as　was　desired　by　Caius；　have　put
it　off；　nor　if　he　had　disobeyed　those　injunctions　of　his　master；
had　he　escaped　immediate　punishment；　while　Claudius　was　preserved
from　the　madness　of　Caius　by　a　certain　Divine　providence；　and
Callistus　pretended　to　such　a　piece　of　merit　as　he　no　way
deserved。

11。　However；　the　execution　of　Cherea's　designs　was　put　off　from
day　to　day；　by　the　sloth　of　many　therein　concerned；　for　as　to
Cherea　himself；　he　would　not　willingly　make　any　delay　in　that
execution；　thinking　every　time　a　fit　time　for　it；　for　frequent
opportunities　offered　themselves；　as　when　Caius　went　up　to　the
capitol　to　sacrifice　for　his　daughter；　or　when　he　stood　upon　his
royal　palace；　and　threw　gold　and　silver　pieces　of　money　among　the
people；　he　might　be　pushed　down　headlong；　because　the　top　of　the
palace；　that　looks　towards　the　market…place；　was　very　high；　and
also　when　he　celebrated　the　mysteries；　which　he　had　appointed　at
that　time；　for　he　was　then　no　way　secluded　from　the　people；　but
solicitous　to　do　every　thing　carefully　and　decently；　and　was　free
from　all　suspicion　that　he　should　be　then　assaulted　by　any　body；
and　although　the　gods　should　afford　him　no　divine　assistance　to
enable　him　to　take　away　his　life；　yet　had　he　strength　himself
sufficient　to　despatch　Caius；　even　without　a　sword。　Thus　was
Chorea　angry　at　his　fellow　conspirators；　for　fear　they　should
suffer　a　proper　opportunity　to　pass　by；　and　they　were　themselves
sensible　that　he　had　just　cause　to　be　angry　at　them；　and　that　his
eagerness　was　for　their　advantage；　yet　did　they　desire　he　would
have　a　little　longer　patience；　lest；　upon　any　disappointment　they
might　meet　with；　they　should　put　the　city　into　disorder；　and　an
inquisition　should　be　made　after　the　conspiracy；　and　should
render　the　courage　of　those　that　were　to　attack　Caius　without
success；　while　he　would　then　secure　himself　more　carefully　than
ever　against　them；　that　it　would　therefore　be　the　best　to　set
about　the　work　when　the　shows　were　exhibited　in　the　palace。　These
shows　were　acted　in　honor　of　that　Caesar　（4）　who　first　of　all
changed　the　popular　government；　and　transferred　it　to　himself；
galleries　being　fixed　before　the　palace；　where　the　Romans　that
were　patricians　became　spectators；　together　with　their　children
and　their　wives；　and　Caesar　himself　was　to　be　also　a　spectator；
and　they　reckoned；　among　those　many　ten　thousands　who　would　there
be　crowded　into　a　narrow　compass；　they　should　have　a　favorable
opportunity　to　make　their　attempt　upon　him　as　he　came　in；　because
his　guards　that　should　protect　him；　if　any　of　them　should　have　a
mind　to　do　it；　would　not　here　be　able　to　give　him　any　assistance。

12。　Cherea　consented　to　this　delay；　and　when　the　shows　were
exhibited；　it　was　resolved　to　do　the　work　the　first　day。　But
fortune；　which　allowed　a　further　delay　to　his　slaughter；　was　too
hard　for　their　foregoing　resolution；　and　as　three　days　of　the
regular　times　for　these　shows　were　now　over；　they　had　much　ado　to
get　the　business　done　on　the　last　day。　Then　Cherea　called　the
conspirators　together；　and　spake　thus　to　them：　〃So　much　time
passed　away　without　effort　is　a　reproach　to　us；　as　delaying　to　go
through　such　a　virtuous　design　as　we　are　engaged　in；　but　more
fatal　will　this　delay　prove　if　we　be　discovered；　and　the　design
be　frustrated；　for　Caius　will　then　become　more　cruel　in　his
unjust　proceedings。　Do　we　not　see　how　long　we　deprive　all　our
friends　of　their　liberty；　and　give　Caius　leave　still　to　tyrannize
over　them？　while　we　ought　to　have　procured　them　security　for　the
future；　and；　by　laying　a　foundation　for　the　happiness　of　others；
gain　to　ourselves　great　admiration　and　honor　for　all　time　to
come。〃　Now　while　the　conspirators　had　nothing　tolerable　to　say　by
way　of　contradiction；　and　yet　did　not　quite　relish　what　they　were
doing；　but　stood　silent　and　astonished；　he　said　further；　〃O　my
brave　comrades！　why　do　we　make　such　delays？　Do　not　you　see　that
this　is　the　last　day　of　these　shows；　and　that　Caius　is　about　to
go　to　sea？　for　he　is　preparing　to　sail　to　Alexandria；　in　order　to
see　Egypt。　Is　it　therefore　for　your　honor　to　let　a　man　go　out　of
your　hands　who　is　a　reproa