the antiquities of the jews-1-第309章

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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　thoughts；　even　of　obtaining　the
empire；　which　the　gods；　out　of　their　concern　for　the　habitable
world；　by　taking　Caius　out　of　the　way；　commit　to　thy　virtuous
conduct。　Go　to；　therefore；　and　accept　of　the　throne　of　thy
ancestors。〃　So　they　took　him　up　and　carried　him；　because　he　was
not　then　able　to　go　on　foot；　such　was　his　dread　and　his　joy　at
what　was　told　him。

2。　Now　there　was　already　gathered　together　about　Gratus　a　great
number　of　the　guards；　and　when　they　saw　Claudius　carried　off；
they　looked　with　a　sad　countenance；　as　supposing　that　he　was
carried　to　execution　for　the　mischiefs　that　had　been　lately　done；
while　yet　they　thought　him　a　man　who　never　meddled　with　public
affairs　all　his　life　long；　and　one　that　had　met　with　no
contemptible　dangers　under　the　reign　of　Caius；　and　some　of　them
thought　it　reasonable　that　the　consuls　should　take　cognizance　of
these　matters；　and　as　still　more　and　more　of　the　soldiery　got
together；　the　crowd　about　him　ran　away；　and　Claudius　could　hardly
go　on；　his　body　was　then　so　weak；　and　those　who　carried　his
sedan；　upon　an　inquiry　that　was　made　about　his　being　carried　off；
ran　away　and　saved　themselves；　as　despairing　of　their　Lord's
preservation。　But　when　they　were　come　into　the　large　court　of　the
palace；　（which；　as　the　report　goes　about　it；　was　inhabited　first
of　all　the　parts　of　the　city　of　Rome；）　and　had　just　reached　the
public　treasury；　many　more　soldiers　came　about　him；　as　glad　to
see　Claudius's　face；　and　thought　it　exceeding　right　to　make　him
emperor；　on　account　of　their　kindness　for　Germanicus；　who　was　his
brother；　and　had　left　behind　him　a　vast　reputation　among　all　that
were　acquainted　with　him。　They　reflected　also　on　the　covetous
temper　of　the　leading　men　of　the　senate；　and　what　great　errors
they　had　been　guilty　of　when　the　senate　had　the　government
formerly；　they　also　considered　the　impossibility　of　such　an
undertaking；　as　also　what　dangers　they　should　be　in；　if　the
government　should　come　to　a　single　person；　and　that　such　a　one
should　possess　it　as　they　had　no　hand　in　advancing；　and　not　to
Claudius；　who　would　take　it　as　their　grant；　and　as　gained　by
their　good…will　to　him；　and　would　remember　the　favors　they　had
done　him；　and　would　make　them　a　sufficient　recompense　for　the
same。

3。　These　were　the　discourses　the　soldiers　had　one　with　another　by
themselves；　and　they　communicated　them　to　all　such　as　came　in　to
them。　Now　those　that　inquired　about　this　matter　willingly
embraced　the　invitation　that　was　made　them　to　join　with　the　rest；
so　they　carried　Claudius　into　the　camp；　crowding　about　him　as　his
guard；　and　encompassing　him　about；　one　chairman　still　succeeding
another；　that　their　vehement　endeavors　might　not　be　hindered。　But
as　to　the　populace　and　senators；　they　disagreed　in　their
opinions。　The　latter　were　very　desirous　to　recover　their　former
dignity；　and　were　zealous　to　get　clear　of　the　slavery　that　had
been　brought　on　them　by　the　injurious　treatment　of　the　tyrants；
which　the　present　opportunity　afforded　them；　but　for　the　people；
who　were　envious　against　them；　and　knew　that　the　emperors　were
capable　of　curbing　their　covetous　temper；　and　were　a　refuge　from
them；　they　were　very　glad　that　Claudius　had　been　seized　upon；　and
brought　to　them；　and　thought　that　if　Claudius　were　made　emperor；
he　would　prevent　a　civil　war；　such　as　there　was　in　the　days　of
Pompey。　But　when　the　senate　knew　that　Claudius　was　brought　into
the　camp　by　the　soldiers；　they　sent　to　him　those　of　their　body
which　had　the　best　character　for　their　virtues；　that　they　might
inform　him　that　he　ought　to　do　nothing　by　violence；　in　order　to
gain　the　government；　that　he　who　was　a　single　person；　one　either
already　or　hereafter　to　be　a　member　of　their　body；　ought　to　yield
to　the　senate；　which　consisted　of　so　great　a　number；　that　he
ought　to　let　the　law　take　place　in　the　disposal　of　all　that
related　to　the　public　order；　and　to　remember　how　greatly　the
former　tyrants　had　afflicted　their　city；　and　what　dangers　both　he
and　they　had　escaped　under　Caius；　and　that　he　ought　not　to　hate
the　heavy　burden　of　tyranny；　when　the　injury　is　done　by　others；
while　he　did　himself　willfully　treat　his　country　after　a　mad　and
insolent　manner；　that　if　he　would　comply　with　them；　and
demonstrate　that　his　firm　resolution　was　to　live　quietly　and
virtuously；　he　would　have　the　greatest　honors　decreed　to　him　that
a　free　people　could　bestow；　and　by　subjecting　himself　to　the　law；
would　obtain　this　branch　of　commendation；　that　he　acted　like　a
man　of　virtue；　both　as　a　ruler　and　a　subject；　but　that　if　he
would　act　foolishly；　and　learn　no　wisdom　by　Caius's　death；　they
would　not　permit　him　to　go　on；　that　a　great　part　of　the　army　was
got　together　for　them；　with　plenty　of　weapons；　and　a　great　number
of　slaves；　which　they　could　make　use　of；　that　good　hope　was　a
great　matter　in　such　cases；　as　was　also　good　fortune；　and　that
the　gods　would　never　assist　any　others　but　those　that　undertook
to　act　with　virtue　and　goodness；　who　can　be　no　other　than　such　as
fight　for　the　liberty　of　their　country。

4。　Now　these　ambassadors；　Veranius　and　Brocchus；　who　were　both　of
them　tribunes　of　the　people；　made　this　speech　to　Claudius；　and
falling　down　upon　their　knees；　they　begged　of　him　that　he　would
not　throw　the　city　into　wars　and　misfortunes；　but　when　they　saw
what　a　multitude　of　soldiers　encompassed　and　guarded　Claudius；
and　that　the　forces　that　were　with　the　consuls　were；　in
comparison　of　them；　perfectly　inconsiderable；　they　added；　that　if
he　did　desire　the　government；　he　should　accept　of　it　as　given　by
the　senate；　that　he　would　prosper　better；　and　be　happier；　if　he
came　to　it；　not　by　the　injustice；　but　by　the　good…will　of　those
that　would　bestow　it　upon　him。

CHAPTER　4。

What　Things　King　Agrippa　Did　For　Claudius；　And　How　Claudius　When
He　Had　Taken　The　Government　Commanded　The　Murderers　Of　Caius　To
Be　Slain。

1。　Now　Claudius；　though　he　was　sensible　after　what　an　insolent
manner　the　senate　had　sent　to　him　yet　did　he；　according　to　their
advice；　behave　himself　for　the　present　with　moderation