the antiquities of the jews-1-第303章

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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　reproach　to　mankind；　and　to　permit　him　to　go；
after　a　pompous　manner；　triumphing　both　at　land　and　sea？　Shall
not　we　be　justly　ashamed　of　ourselves；　if　we　give　leave　to　some
Egyptian　or　other；　who　shall　think　his　injuries　insufferable　to
free…men；　to　kill　him？　As　for　myself；　I　will　no　longer　bear　your
stow　proceedings；　but　will　expose　myself　to　the　dangers　of　the
enterprise　this　very　day；　and　bear　cheerfully　whatsoever　shall　be
the　consequence　of　the　attempt；　nor；　let　them　be　ever　so　great；
will　I　put　them　off　any　longer：　for；　to　a　wise　and　courageous
man；　what　can　be　more　miserable　than　that；　while　I　am　alive；　any
one　else　should　kill　Caius；　and　deprive　me　of　the　honor　of　so
virtuous　an　action？〃

13。　When　Cherea　had　spoken　thus；　he　zealously　set　about　the　work；
and　inspired　courage　into　the　rest　to　go　on　with　it；　and　they
were　all　eager　to　fall　to　it　without　further　delay。　So　he　was　at
the　palace　in　the　morning；　with　his　equestrian　sword　girt　on　him；
for　it　was　the　custom　that　the　tribunes　should　ask　for　the
watchword　with　their　swords　on；　and　this　was　the　day　on　which
Cherea　was；　by　custom；　to　receive　the　watchword；　and　the
multitude　were　already　come　to　the　palace；　to　be　soon　enough　for
seeing　the　shows；　and　that　in　great　crowds；　and　one　tumultuously
crushing　another；　while　Caius　was　delighted　with　this　eagerness
of　the　multitude；　for　which　reason　there　was　no　order　observed　in
the　seating　men；　nor　was　any　peculiar　place　appointed　for　the
senators；　or　for　the　equestrian　order；　but　they　sat　at　random；
men　and　women　together；　and　free…men　were　mixed　with　the　slaves。
So　Caius　came　out　in　a　solemn　manner；　and　offered　sacrifice　to
Augustus　Caesar；　in　whose　honor　indeed　these　shows　were
celebrated。　Now　it　happened；　upon　the　fall　of　a　certain　priest；
that　the　garment　of　Asprenas；　a　senator；　was　filled　with　blood；
which　made　Caius　laugh；　although　this　was　an　evident　omen　to
Asprenas；　for　he　was　slain　at　the　same　time　with　Caius。　It　is
also　related　that　Caius　was　that　day；　contrary　to　his　usual
custom；　so　very　affable　and　good…natured　in　his　conversation；
that　every　one　of　those　that　were　present　were　astonished　at　it。
After　the　sacrifice　was　over；　Caius　betook　himself　to　see　the
shows；　and　sat　down　for　that　purpose；　as　did　also　the　principal
of　his　friends　sit　near　him。　Now　the　parts　of　the　theater　were　so
fastened　together；　as　it　used　to　be　every　year；　in　the　manner
following：　It　had　two　doors；　the　one　door　led　to　the　open　air；
the　other　was　for　going　into；　or　going　out　of；　the　cloisters；
that　those　within　the　theater　might　not　be　thereby　disturbed；　but
out　of　one　gallery　there　went　an　inward　passage；　parted　into
partitions　also；　which　led　into　another　gallery；　to　give　room　to
the　combatants　and　to　the　musicians　to　go　out　as　occasion　served。
When　the　multitude　were　set　down；　and　Cherea；　with　the　other
tribunes；　were　set　down　also；　and　the　right　corner　of　the　theater
was　allotted　to　Caesar；　one　Vatinius；　a　senator；　commander　of　the
praetorian　band；　asked　of　Cluvius；　one　that　sat　by