the antiquities of the jews-1-第296章

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of　the　Jews；　he　desired　the　principal　of　them　to　take　care　of
their　husbandry；　and　to　speak　kindly　to　the　people；　and　encourage
them　to　have　good　hope　of　their　affairs。　Thus　did　he　readily
bring　the　multitude　to　be　cheerful　again。　And　now　did　God　show
his　presence　to　Petronius；　and　signify　to　him　that　he　would
afford　him　his　assistance　in　his　whole　design；　for　he　had　no
sooner　finished　the　speech　that　he　made　to　the　Jews；　but　God　sent
down　great　showers　of　rain；　contrary　to　human　expectation；　（33）
for　that　day　was　a　clear　day；　and　gave　no　sign；　by　the　appearance
of　the　sky；　of　any　rain；　nay；　the　whole　year　had　been　subject　to
a　great　drought；　and　made　men　despair　of　any　water　from　above；
even　when　at　any　time　they　saw　the　heavens　overcast　with　clouds；
insomuch　that　when　such　a　great　quantity　of　rain　came；　and　that
in　an　unusual　manner；　and　without　any　other　expectation　of　it；
the　Jews　hoped　that　Petronius　would　by　no　means　fail　in　his
petition　for　them。　But　as　to　Petronius；　he　was　mightily　surprised
when　he　perceived　that　God　evidently　took　care　of　the　Jews；　and
gave　very　plain　signs　of　his　appearance；　and　this　to　such　a
degree；　that　those　that　were　in　earnest　much　inclined　to　the
contrary　had　no　power　left　to　contradict　it。　This　was　also　among
those　other　particulars　which　he　wrote　to　Caius；　which　all　tended
to　dissuade　him；　and　by　all　means　to　entreat　him　not　to　make　so
many　ten　thousands　of　these　men　go　distracted；　whom；　if　he　should
slay；　（for　without　war　they　would　by　no　means　suffer　the　laws　of
their　worship　to　be　set　aside；）　he　would　lose　the　revenue　they
paid　him；　and　would　be　publicly　cursed　by　them　for　all　future
ages。　Moreover；　that　God；　who　was　their　Governor；　had　shown　his
power　most　evidently　on　their　account；　and　that　such　a　power　of
his　as　left　no　room　for　doubt　about　it。　And　this　was　the　business
that　Petronius　was　now　engaged　in。

7。　But　king　Agrippa；　who　now　lived　at　Rome；　was　more　and　more　in
the　favor　of　Caius；　and　when　he　had　once　made　him　a　supper；　and
was　careful　to　exceed　all　others；　both　in　expenses　and　in　such
preparations　as　might　contribute　most　to　his　pleasure；　nay；　it
was　so　far　from　the　ability　of　others；　that　Caius　himself　could
never　equal；　much　less　exceed　it　（such　care　had　he　taken
beforehand　to　exceed　all　men；　and　particularly。　to　make　all
agreeable　to　Caesar）；　hereupon　Caius　admired　his　understanding
and　magnificence；　that　he　should　force　himself　to　do　all　to
please　him；　even　beyond　such　expenses　as　he　could　bear；　and　was
desirous　not　to　be　behind　Agrippa　in　that　generosity　which　he
exerted　in　order　to　please　him。　So　Caius；　when　he　had　drank　wine
plentifully；　and　was　merrier　than　ordinary；　said　thus　during　the
feast；　when　Agrippa　had　drunk　to　him：　〃I　knew　before　now　how
great　a　respect　thou　hast　had　for　me；　and　how　great　kindness　thou
hast　shown　me；　though　with　those　hazards　to　thyself；　which　thou
underwentest　under　Tiberius　on　that　account；　nor　hast　thou
omitted　any　thing　to　show　thy　good…will　towards　us；　even　beyond
thy　ability；　whence　it　would　be　a　base　thing　for　me　to　be
conquered　by　thy　affection。　I　am　therefore　desirous　to　make　thee
amends　for　every　thing　in　which　I　have　been　formerly　deficient；
for　all　that　I　have　bestowed　on　thee；　that　may　be　called　my
gifts；　is　but　little。　Everything　that　may　contribute　to　thy
happiness　shall　be　at　thy　service；　and　that　cheerfully；　and　so
far　as　my　ability　will　reach。〃　（34）　And　this　was　what　Caius　said
to　Agrippa；　thinking　be　would　ask　for　some　large　country；　or　the
revenues　of　certain　cities。　But　although　he　had　prepared
beforehand　what　he　would　ask；　yet　had　he　not　discovered　his
intentions；　but　made　this　answer　to　Caius　immediately：　That　it
was　not　out　of　any　expectation　of　gain　that　he　formerly　paid　his
respects　to　him；　contrary　to　the　commands　of　Tiberius；　nor　did　he
now　do　any　thing　relating　to　him　out　of　regard　to　his　own
advantage；　and　in　order　to　receive　any　thing　from　him；　that　the
gifts　he　had　already　bestowed　upon　him　were　great；　and　beyond　the
hopes　of　even　a　craving　man；　for　although　they　may　be　beneath　thy
power；　＇who　art　the　donor；＇　yet　are　they　greater　than　my
inclination　and　dignity；　who　am　the　receiver。　And　as　Caius　was
astonished　at　Agrippa's　inclinations；　and　still　the　more　pressed
him　to　make　his　request　for　somewhat　which　he　might　gratify　him
with；　Agrippa　replied；　〃Since　thou；　O　my　lord！　declarest　such　is
thy　readiness　to　grant；　that　I　am　worthy　of　thy　gifts；　I　will　ask
nothing　relating　to　my　own　felicity；　for　what　thou　hast　already
bestowed　on　me　has　made　me　excel　therein；　but　I　desire　somewhat
which　may　make　thee　glorious　for　piety；　and　render　the　Divinity
assistant　to　thy　designs；　and　may　be　for　an　honor　to　me　among
those　that　inquire　about　it；　as　showing　that　I　never　once　fail　of
obtaining　what　I　desire　of　thee；　for　my　petition　is　this；　that
thou　wilt　no　longer　think　of　the　dedication　of　that　statue　which
thou　hast　ordered　to　be　set　up　in　the　Jewish　temple　by
Petronius。〃

8。　And　thus　did　Agrippa　venture　to　cast　the　die　upon　this
occasion；　so　great　was　the　affair　in　his　opinion；　and　in　reality；
though　he　knew　how　dangerous　a　thing　it　was　so　to　speak；　for　had
not　Caius　approved　of　it；　it　had　tended　to　no　less　than　the　loss
of　his　life。　So　Caius；　who　was　mightily　taken　with　Agrippa's
obliging　behavior；　and　on　other　accounts　thinking　it　a
dishonorable　thing　to　be　guilty　of　falsehood　before　so　many
witnesses；　in　points　wherein　he　had　with　such　alacrity　forced
Agrippa　to　become　a　petitioner；　and　that　it　would　look　as　if　he
had　already　repented　of　what　he　had　said；　and　because　he　greatly
admired　Agrippa's　virtue；　in　not　desiring　him　at　all　to　augment
his　own　dominions；　either　with　larger　revenues；　or　other
authority；　but　took　care　of　the　public　tranquillity；　of　the　laws；
and　of　the　Divinity　itself；　he　granted　him　what　he　had　requested。
He　also　wrote　thus　to　Petronius；　commending　him　for　his
assembling　his　army；　and　then　consulting　him　about　these　affairs。
〃If　therefore；〃　said'　he；〃　thou　hast　already　erected　my　statue；
let　it　stand；　but　if　thou　hast　not　yet　dedicated　it；　do　not
trouble　thyself　further　about　it；　but　dismiss　thy　army；　go　back；
and　take　care　of　those　affairs　which　I　sent　thee　about　at　first；
for　I　have　now　no　occasion　for　the　erection　of　that　statue。　This
I　have　granted　as　a　favor　to　Agrippa；　a　man　whom　I　honor　so　very
greatly；　that　I　am　not　able　to　contradict　what　he　would　have；　or
what　he　desired　me　to　do　for　him。〃　And　this　was　what　Caius　wrote
to　Petronius；　which　was　before　he　received　his　letter；　informing
him　that　the　Jews　were　very　ready　to　revolt　about　the　statue；　and
that　they　seemed　resolved　to　threaten　war　against　the　Romans；　and
nothing　else。　When　therefore　Caius　was　much　displeased　that　any
attempt　should　be　made　against　his　government　as　he　was　a　slave
to　base　and　vicious　actions　on　all　occasions；　and　had　no　regard
to　What　was　virtuous　and　honorable；　and　against　whomsoever　he
resolved　to　show　his　anger；　and　that　for　any　cause　whatsoever；　he
suffered　not　himself　to　be　restrained　by　any　admonition；　but
thought　the　indulging　his　anger　to　be　a　real　pleasure；　he　wrote
thus　to　Petronius：　〃Seeing　thou　esteemest　the　presents　made　thee
by　the　Jews　to　be　of　greater　value　than　my　commands；　and　art
grown　insolent　enough　to　be　subservient　to　their　pleasure；　I
charge　thee　to　become　thy　own　judge；　and　to　consider　what　thou
art　to　do；　now　thou　art　under　my　displeasure；　for　I　will　make
thee　an　example　to　the　present　and　to　all　future　ages；　that　they。
may　not　dare　to　contradict　the　commands　of　their　emperor。〃

9。　This　was　the　epistle　which　Caius　wrote　to。　Petronius；　but
Petronius　did　not　receive　it　while　Caius　was　alive；　that　ship
which　carried　it　sailing　so　slow；　that　other　letters　came　to
Petronius　before　this；　by　which　he　understood　that　Caius　was
dead；　for　God　would　not　forget　the　dangers　Petronius　had
undertaken　on　account　of　the　Jews；　and　of　his　own　honor。　But　when
he　had　taken　Caius　away；　out　of　his　indignation　of　what　he　had　so
insolently　attempted　in　assuming　to　himself　divine　worship；　both
Rome　and　all　that　dominion　conspired　with　Petronius；　especially
those　that　were　of　the　senatorian　o