the antiquities of the jews-1-第215章

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the　uncertain　turns　of　fortune。　But　if　we　should　submit　to　thee；
we　should　be　greatly　reproached　for　our　cowardice；　as　thereby
showing　ourselves　ready　to　transgress　our　law；　and　we　should
incur　the　great　anger　of　God　also；　who；　even　thyself　being　judge；
is　superior　to　Caius。〃

3。　When　Petronius　saw　by　their　words　that　their　determination　was
hard　to　be　removed；　and　that；　without　a　war；　he　should　not　be
able　to　be　subservient　to　Caius　in　the　dedication　of　his　statue；
and　that　there　must　be　a　great　deal　of　bloodshed；　he　took　his
friends；　and　the　servants　that　were　about　him；　and　hasted　to
Tiberias；　as　wanting　to　know　in　what　posture　the　affairs　of　the
Jews　were；　and　many　ten　thousands　of　the　Jews　met　Petronius
again；　when　he　was　come　to　Tiberias。　These　thought　they　must　run
a　mighty　hazard　if　they　should　have　a　war　with　the　Romans；　but
judged　that　the　transgression　of　the　law　was　of　much　greater
consequence；　and　made　supplication　to　him；　that　he　would　by　no
means　reduce　them　to　such　distresses；　nor　defile　their　city　with
the　dedication　of　the　statue。　Then　Petronius　said　to　them；　〃Will
you　then　make　war　with　Caesar；　without　considering　his　great
preparations　for　war；　and　your　own　weakness？〃　They　replied；　〃We
will　not　by　any　means　make　war　with　him；　but　still　we　will　die
before　we　see　our　laws　transgressed。〃　So　they　threw　themselves
down　upon　their　faces；　and　stretched　out　their　throats；　and　said
they　were　ready　to　be　slain；　and　this　they　did　for　forty　days
together；　and　in　the　mean　time　left　off　the　tilling　of　their
ground；　and　that　while　the　season　of　the　year　required　them　to
sow　it。　（31）　Thus　they　continued　firm　in　their　resolution；　and
proposed　to　themselves　to　die　willingly；　rather　than　to　see　the
dedication　of　the　statue。

4。　When　matters　were　in　this　state；　Aristobulus；　king　Agrippa's
brother；　and　Heleias　the　Great；　and　the　other　principal　men　of
that　family　with　them；　went　in　unto　Petronius；　and　besought　him；
that　since　he　saw　the　resolution　of　the　multitude；　he　would　not
make　any　alteration；　and　thereby　drive　them　to　despair；　but　would
write　to　Caius；　that　the　Jews　had　an　insuperable　aversion　to　the
reception　of　the　statue；　and　how　they　continued　with　him；　and
left　of　the　tillage　off　their　ground：　that　they　were　not　willing
to　go　to　war　with　him；　because　they　were　not　able　to　do　it；　but
were　ready　to　die　with　pleasure；　rather　than　suffer　their　laws　to
be　transgressed：　and　how；　upon　the　land's　continuing　unsown；
robberies　would　grow　up；　on　the　inability　they　would　be　under　of
paying　their　tributes；　and　that　Caius　might　be　thereby　moved　to
pity；　and　not　order　any　barbarous　action　to　be　done　to　them；　nor
think　of　destroying　the　nation：　that　if　he　continues　inflexible
in　his　former　opinion　to　bring　a　war　upon　them；　he　may　then　set
about　it　himself。　And　thus　did　Aristobulus；　and　the　rest　with
him；　supplicate　Petronius。　So　Petronius；　（32）　partly　on　account
of　the　pressing　instances　which　Aristobulus　and　the　rest　with　him
made；　and　because　of　the　great　consequence　of　what　they　desired；
and　the　earnestness　wherewith　they　made　their　supplication；　…
partly　on　account　of　the　firmness　of　the　opposition　made　by　the
Jews；　which　he　saw；　while　he　thought　it　a　terrible　thing　for　him
to　be　such　a　slave　to　the　madness　of　Caius；　as　to　slay　so　many
ten　thousand　men；　only　because　of　their　religious　disposition
towards　God；　and　after　that　to　pass　his　life　in　expectation　of
punishment；　Petronius；　I　say；　thought　it　much　better　to　send　to
Caius；　and　to　let　him　know　how　intolerable　it　was　to　him　to　bear
the　anger　he　might　have　against　him　for　not　serving　him　sooner；
in　obedience　to　his　epistle；　for　that　perhaps　he　might　persuade
him；　and　that　if　this　mad　resolution　continued；　he　might　then
begin　the　war　against　them；　nay；　that　in　case　he　should　turn　his
hatred　against　himself；　it　was　fit　for　virtuous　persons　even　to
die　for　the　sake　of　such　vast　multitudes　of　men。　Accordingly；　he
determined　to　hearken　to　the　petitioners　in　this　matter。

5。　He　then　called　the　Jews　together　to　Tiberias；　who　came　many
ten　thousands　in　number；　he　also　placed　that　army　he　now　had　with
him　opposite　to　them；　but　did　not　discover　his　own　meaning；　but
the　commands　of　the　emperor；　and　told　them　that　his　wrath　would；
without　delay；　be　executed　on　such　as　had　the　courage　to　disobey
what　he　had　commanded；　and　this　immediately；　and　that　it　was　fit
for　him；　who　had　obtained　so　great　a　dignity　by　his　grant；　not　to
contradict　him　in　any　thing：　…　〃yet；〃　said　he；　〃I　do　not　think　it
just　to　have　such　a　regard　to　my　own　safety　and　honor；　as　to
refuse　to　sacrifice　them　for　your　preservation；　who　are　so　many
in　number；　and　endeavor　to　preserve　the　regard　that　is　due　to
your　law；　which　as　it　hath　come　down　to　you　from　your
forefathers；　so　do　you　esteem　it　worthy　of　your　utmost　contention
to　preserve　it：　nor；　with　the　supreme　assistance　and　power　of
God；　will　I　be　so　hardy　as　to　suffer　your　temple　to　fall　into
contempt　by　the　means　of　the　imperial　authority。　I　will；
therefore；　send　to　Caius；　and　let　him　know　what　your　resolutions
are；　and　will　assist　your　suit　as　far　as　I　am　able；　that　you　may
not　be　exposed　to　suffer　on　account　of　the　honest　designs　you
have　proposed　to　yourselves；　and　may　God　be　your　assistant；　for
his　authority　is　beyond　all　the　contrivance　and　power　of　men；　and
may　he　procure　you　the　preservation　of　your　ancient　laws；　and　may
not　he　be　deprived；　though　without　your　consent；　of　his
accustomed　honors。　But　if　Caius　be　irritated；　and　turn　the
violence　of　his　rage　upon　me；　I　will　rather　undergo　all　that
danger　and　that　affliction　that　may　come　either　on　my　body　or　my
soul；　than　see　so　many　of　you　to　perish；　while　you　are　acting　in
so　excellent　a　manner。　Do　you；　therefore；　every　one　of　you；　go
your　way　about　your　own　occupations；　and　fall　to　the　cultivation
of　your　ground；　I　will　myself　send　to　Rome；　and　will　not　refuse
to　serve　you　in　all　things；　both　by　myself　and　by　my　friends。〃

6。　When　Petronius　had　said　this；　and　had　dismissed　rite　assembly
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　Ca