the antiquities of the jews-1-第274节

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Romans；　and　that　habitable　world　which　was　subject　to　them。　So
that　at　length　it　was　determined　that　she　must　die；　nor　could
those　of　the　contrary　opinion　at　all　prevail　to　have　her　saved；
and　Lupus　was　sent　accordingly。　Nor　was　there　any　delay　made　in
executing　what　he　went　about；　but　he　was　subservient　to　those
that　sent　him　on　the　first　opportunity；　as　desirous　to　be　no　way
blameable　in　what　might　be　done　for　the　advantage　of　the　people。
So　when　he　was　come　into　the　palace；　he　found　Cesonia；　who　was
Caius's　wife；　lying　by　her　husband's　dead　body；　which　also　lay
down　on　the　ground；　and　destitute　of　all　such　things　as　the　law
allows　to　the　dead；　and　all　over　herself　besmeared　with　the　blood
of　her　husband's　wounds；　and　bewailing　the　great　affliction　she
was　under；　her　daughter　lying　by　her　also；　and　nothing　else　was
heard　in　these　her　circumstances　but　her　complaint　of　Caius；　as
if　he　had　not　regarded　what　she　had　often　told　him　of　beforehand；
which　words　of　hers　were　taken　in　a　different　sense　even　at　that
time；　and　are　now　esteemed　equally　ambiguous　by　those　that　hear
of　them；　and　are　still　interpreted　according　to　the　different
inclinations　of　people。　Now　some　said　that　the　words　denoted　that
she　had　advised　him　to　leave　off　his　mad　behavior　and　his
barbarous　cruelty　to　the　citizens；　and　to　govern　the　public　with
moderation　and　virtue；　lest　he　should　perish　by　the　same　way；
upon　their　using　him　as　he　had　used　them。　But　some　said；　that　as
certain　words　had　passed　concerning　the　conspirators；　she　desired
Caius　to　make　no　delay；　but　immediately　to　put　them　all　to　death；
and　this　whether　they　were　guilty　or　not；　and　that　thereby　he
would　be　out　of　the　fear　of　any　danger；　and　that　this　was　what
she　reproached　him　for；　when　she　advised　him　so　to　do；　but　he　was
too　slow　and　tender　in　the　matter。　And　this　was　what　Cesonia
said；　and　what　the　opinions　of　men　were　about　it。　But　when　she
saw　Lupus　approach；　she　showed　him　Caius's　dead　body；　and
persuaded　him　to　come　nearer；　with　lamentation　and　tears；　and　as
she　perceived　that　Lupus　was　in　disorder；　and　approached　her　in
order　to　execute　some　design　disagreeable　to　himself；　she　was
well　aware　for　what　purpose　he　came；　and　stretched　out　her　naked
throat；　and　that　very　cheerfully　to　him；　bewailing　her　case；　like
one　that　utterly　despaired　of　her　life；　and　bidding　him　not　to
boggle　at　finishing　the　tragedy　they　had　resolved　upon　relating
to　her。　So　she　boldly　received　her　death's　wound　at　the　hand　of
Lupus；　as　did　the　daughter　after　her。　So　Lupus　made　haste　to
inform　Cherea　of　what　he　had　done。

5。　This　was　the　end　of　Caius；　after　he　had　reigned　four　years；
within　four　months。　He　was；　even　before　he　came　to　be　emperor；
ill…natured；　and　one　that　had　arrived　at　the　utmost　pitch　of
wickedness；　a　slave　to　his　pleasures；　and　a　lover　of　calumny；
greatly　affected　by　every　terrible　accident；　and　on　that　account
of　a　very　murderous　disposition　where　he　durst　show　it。　He
enjoyed　his　exorbitant　power　to　this　only　purpose；　to　injure
those　who　least　deserved　it；　with　unreasonable　insolene　and　got
his　wealth　by　murder　and　injustice。　He　labored　to　appear　above
regarding　either　what　was　divine　or　agreeable　to　the　laws；　but
was　a　slave　to　the　commendations　of　the　populace；　and　whatsoever
the　laws　determined　to　be　shameful；　and　punished；　that　he
esteemed　more　honorable　than　what　was　virtuous。　He　was　unmindful
of　his　friends；　how　intimate　soever；　and　though　they　were　persons
of　the　highest　character；　and　if　he　was　once　angry　at　any　of
them；　he　would　inflict　punishment　upon　them　on　the　smallest
occasions；　and　esteemed　every　man　that　endeavored　to　lead　a
virtuous　life　his　enemy。　And　whatsoever　he　commanded；　he　would
not　admit　of　any　contradiction　to　his　inclinations；　whence　it　was
that　he　had　criminal　conversation　with　his　own　sister；　（10）　from
which　occasion　chiefly　it　was　also　that　a　bitter　hatred　first
sprang　up　against　him　among　the　citizens；　that　sort　of　incest　not
having　been　known　of　a　long　time；　and　so　this　provoked　men　to
distrust　him；　and　to　hate　him　that　was　guilty　of　it。　And　for　any
great　or　royal　work　that　he　ever　did；　which　might　be　for　the
present　and　for　future　ages；　nobody　can　name　any　such；　but　only
the　haven　that　he　made　about　Rhegium　and　Sicily；　for　the
reception　of　the　ships　that　brought　corn　from　Egypt；　which　was
indeed　a　work　without　dispute　very　great　in　itself；　and　of　very
great　advantage　to　the　navigation。　Yet　was　not　this　work　brought
to　perfection　by　him；　but　was　the　one　half　of　it　left　imperfect；
by　reason　of　his　want　of　application　to　it；　the　cause　of　which
was　this；　that　he　employed　his　studies　about　useless　matters；　and
that　by　spending　his　money　upon　such　pleasures　as　concerned　no
one's　benefit　but　his　own；　he　could　not　exert　his　liberality　in
things　that　were　undeniably　of　great　consequence。　Otherwise　he
was　an　excellent　orator；　and　thoroughly　acquainted　with　the　Greek
tongue；　as　well　as　with　his　own　country　or　Roman　language。　He　was
also　able；　off…hand　and　readily；　to　give　answers　to　compositions
made　by　others；　of　considerable　length　and　accuracy。　He　was　also
more　skillful　in　persuading　others　to　very　great　things　than　any
one　else；　and　this　from　a　natural　affability　of　temper；　which　had
been　improved　by　much　exercise　and　pains…taking；　for　as　he　was
the　grandson　（11）　of　the　brother　of　Tiberius；　whose　successor　he
was；　this　was　a　strong　inducement　to　his　acquiring　of　learning；
because　Tiberius　aspired　after　the　highest　pitch　of　that　sort　of
reputation；　and　Caius　aspired　after　the　like　glory　for　eloquence；
being　induced　thereto　by　the　letters　of　his　kinsman　and　his
emperor。　He　was　also　among　the　first　rank　of　his　own　citizens。
But　the　advantages　he　received　from　his　learning　did　not
countervail　the　mischief　he　brought　upon　himself　in　the　exercise
of　his　authority；　so　difficult　it　is　for　those　to　obtain　the
virtue　that　is　necessary　for　a　wise　man；　who　have　the　absolute
power　to　do　what　they　please　without　control。　At　the　first　he　got
himself　such　friends　as　were　in　all　respects　the　most　worthy；　and
was　greatly　beloved　by　them；　while　he　imitated　their　zealous
application　to　the　learning　and　to　the　glorious　actions　of　the
best　men；　but　when　he　became　insolent　towards　them；　they　laid
aside　the　kindness　they　had　for　him；　and　began　to　hate　him；　from
which　hatred　came　that　plot　which　they　raised　against　him；　and
wherein　he　perished。

CHAPTER　3。

How　Claudius　Was　Seized　Upon　And　Brought　Out　Of　His　House　And
Brought　To　The　Camp；　And　How　The　Senate　Sent　An　Embassage　To　Him。

1。　Now　Claudius；　as　I　said　before；　went　out　of　that　way　along
which　Caius　was　gone；　and　as　the　family　was　in　a　mighty　disorder
upon　the　sad　accident　of　the　murder　of　Caius；　he　was　in　great
distress　how　to　save　himself；　and　was　found　to　have　hidden
himself　in　a　certain　narrow　place；　（12）　though　he　had　no　other
occasion　for　suspicion　of　any　dangers；　besides　the　dignity　of　his
birth；　for　while　he　was　a　private　man；　he　behaved　himself　with
moderation；　and　was　contented　with　his　present　fortune；　applying
himself　to　learning；　and　especially　to　that　of　the　Greeks；　and
keeping　himself　entirely　clear　from　every　thing　that　might　bring
on　any　disturbance。　But　as　at　this　time　the　multitude　were　under
a　consternation；　and　the　whole　palace　was　full　of　the　soldiers'
madness；　and　the　very　emperor's　guards　seemed　under　the　like　fear
and　disorder　with　private　persons；　the　band　called　pretorian；
which　was　the　purest　part　of　the　army；　was　in　consultation　what
was　to　be　done　at　this　juncture。　Now　all　those　that　were　at　this
consultation　had　little　regard　to　the　punishment　Caius　had
suffered；　because　he　justly　deserved　such　his　fortune；　but　they
were　rather　considering　their　own　circumstances；　how　they　might
take　the　best　care　of　themselves；　especially　while　the　Germans
were　busy　in　punishing　the　murderers　of　Caius；　which　yet　was
rather　done　to　gratify　their　own　savage　temper；　than　for　the　good
of　the　public；　all　which　things　disturbed　Claudius；　who　was
afraid　of　his　own　safety；　and　this　particularly　because　he　saw
the　heads　of　Asprenas　and　his　partners　carried　about。　His　station
had　been　on　a　certain　elevated　place；　whither　a　few　steps　led
him；　and　whither　he　had　retired　in　the　dark　by　himself。　But　when
Gratus；　who　was　one　of　the　soldiers　that　belonged　to　the　palace；
saw　him；　but　did　not　well　know　by　his　countenance　who　he　was；
because　it　was　dark；　though　he　could　well　judge　that　it　was　a　man
who　was　privately　there　on　some　design；　he　came　nearer　to　him；
and　when　Claudius　desired　that　he　would　retire；　be　discovered　who
he　was；　and　owned　him　to　be　Claudius。　So　he　said　to　his
followers；　〃This　is　a　Germanicus；　（12）　come　on；　let　us　choose　him
for　our　emperor。〃　But　when　Claudius　saw　they　were　making
preparations　for　taking　him　away　by　force；　and　was　afraid　they
would　kill　him；　as　they　had　killed　Caius；　he　besought　them　to
spare　him；　putting　them　in　mind　how　quietly　he　had　demeaned
himself；　and　that　he　was　unacquainted　with　what　had　been　done。
Hereupon　Gratus　smiled　upon　him；　and　took　him　by　the　right　hand；
and　said；　〃Leave　off；　sir；　these　low　thoughts　of　saving　yourself；
while　you　ought　to　have　greater　t