the antiquities of the jews-1-第291章

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sent　once　to　their　government　＇to　stay　there　a　long　while＇；　out
of　regard　to　the　subjects　that　were　under　them；　for　that　all
governors　are　naturally　disposed　to　get　as　much　as　they　can；　and
that　those　who　are　not　to　fix　there；　but　to　stay　a　short　time；
and　that　at　an　uncertainty　when　they　shall　be　turned　out；　do　the
more　severely　hurry　themselves　on　to　fleece　the　people；　but　that
if　their　government　be　long　continued　to　them；　they　are　at　last
satiated　with　the　spoils；　as　having　gotten　a　vast　deal；　and　so
become　at　length　less　sharp　in　their　pillaging；　but　that　if
successors　are　sent　quickly；　the　poor　subjects；　who　are　exposed
to　them　as　a　prey；　will　not　be　able　to　bear　the　new　ones；　while
they　shall　not　have　the　same　time　allowed　them　wherein　their
predecessors　had　filled　themselves；　and　so　grew　more　unconcerned
about　getting　more；　and　this　because　they　are　removed　before　they
have　had　time　＇for　their　oppressions＇。　He　gave　them　an　example　to
show　his　meaning：　A　great　number　of　flies　came　about　the　sore
places　of　a　man　that　had　been　wounded；　upon　which　one　of　the
standers…by　pitied　the　man's　misfortune；　and　thinking　he　was　not
able　to　drive　those　flies　away　himself；　was　going　to　drive　them
away　for　him；　but　he　prayed　him　to　let　them　alone：　the　other；　by
way　of　reply；　asked　him　the　reason　of　such　a　preposterous
proceeding；　in　preventing　relief　from　his　present　misery；　to
which　he　answered；　〃If　thou　drivest　these　flies　away；　thou　wilt
hurt　me　worse；　for　as　these　are　already　full　of　my　blood；　they　do
not　crowd　about　me；　nor　pain　me　so　much　as　before；　but　are
somewhat　more　remiss；　while　the　fresh　ones　that　come　almost
famished；　and　find　me　quite　tired　down　already；　will　be　my
destruction。　For　this　cause；　therefore；　it　is　that　I　am　myself
careful　not　to　send　such　new　governors　perpetually　to　those　my
subjects；　who　are　already　sufficiently　harassed　by　many
oppressions；　as　may；　like　these　flies；　further　distress　them；　and
so；　besides　their　natural　desire　of　gain；　may　have　this
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；