the antiquities of the jews-1-第219章

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although　he　did　not　succeed　to　his　mind。　But　when　he　had　filled
the　whole　habitable　world　which　he　governed　with　false
accusations　and　miseries；　and　had　occasioned　the　greatest　insults
of　slaves　against　their　masters；　who　indeed　in　a　great　measure
ruled　them；　there　were　many　secret　plots　now　laid　against　him；
some　in　anger；　and　in　order　for　men　to　revenge　themselves；　on
account　of　the　miseries　they　had　already　undergone　from　him；　and
others　made　attempts　upon　him；　in　order　to　take　him　off　before
they　should　fall　into　such　great　miseries；　while　his　death　came
very　fortunately　for　the　preservation　of　the　laws　of　all　men；　and
had　a　great　influence　upon　the　public　welfare；　and　this　happened
most　happily　for　our　nation　in　particular；　which　had　almost
utterly　perished　if　he　had　not　been　suddenly　slain。　And　I　confess
I　have　a　mind　to　give　a　full　account　of　this　matter　particularly；
because　it　will　afford　great　assurance　of　the　power　of　God；　and
great　comfort　to　those　that　are　under　afflictions；　and　wise
caution　to　those　who　think　their　happiness　will　never　end；　nor
bring　them　at　length　to　the　most　lasting　miseries；　if　they　do　not
conduct　their　lives　by　the　principles　of　virtue。

3。　Now　there　were　three　several　conspiracies　made　in　order　to
take　off　Caius；　and　each　of　these　three　were　conducted　by
excellent　persons。　Emilius　Regulus；　born　at　Corduba　in　Spain；　got
some　men　together；　and　was　desirous　to　take　Caius　off；　either　by
them　or　by　himself。　Another　conspiracy　there　was　laid　by　them；
under　the　conduct　of　Cherea　Cassius；　the　tribune　＇of　the
Pretorian　band＇。　Minucianus　Annins　was　also　one　of　great
consequence　among　those　that　were　prepared　to　oppose　his　tyranny。
Now　the　several　occasions　of　these　men's　several　hatred　and
conspiracy　against　Caius　were　these：　Regulus　had　indignation　and
hatred　against　all　injustice；　for　he　had　a　mind　naturally　angry；
and　bold；　and　free；　which　made　him　not　conceal　his　counsels；　so
he　communicated　them　to　many　of　his　friends；　and　to　others　who
seemed　to　him　persons　of　activity　and　vigor：　Minucianus　entered
into　this　conspiracy；　because　of　the　injustice　done　to　Lepidus
his　particular　friend；　and　one　of　the　best　character　of　all　the
citizens；　whom　Caius　had　slain；　as　also　because　he　was　afraid　of
himself；　since　Caius's　wrath　tended　to　the　slaughter　of　all
alike：　and　for　Cherea；　he　came　in；　because　he　thought　it　a　deed
worthy　of　a　free　ingenuous　man　to　kill　Caius；　and　was　ashamed　of
the　reproaches　he　lay　under　from　Caius；　as　though　he　were　a
coward；　as　also　because　he　was　himself　in　danger　every　day　from
his　friendship　with　him；　and　the　observance　he　paid　him。　These
men　proposed　this　attempt　to　all　the　rest　that　were　concerned；
who　saw　the　injuries　that　were　offered　them；　and　were　desirous
that　Caius's　slaughter　might　succeed　by　their　mutual　assistance
of　one　another；　and　they　might　themselves　escape　being　killed　by
the　taking　off　Caius；　that　perhaps　they　should　gain　their　point；
and　that　it　would　be　a　happy　thing；　if　they　should　gain　it；　to
approve　themselves　to　so　many　excellent　persons；　as　earnestly
wished　to　be　partakers　with　them　in　their　design　for　the　delivery
of　the　city　and　of　the　government；　even　at　the　hazard　of　their
own　lives。　But　still　Cherea　was　the　most　zealous　of　them　all；
both　out　of　a　desire　of　getting　himself　the　greatest　name；　and
also　by　reason　of　his　access　to　Caius's　presence　with　less
danger；　because　he　was　tribune；　and　could　therefore　the　more
easily　kill　him。

4。　Now　at　this　time　came　on　the　horse…races　＇Circensian　games＇；
the　view　of　which　games　was　eagerly　desired　by　the　people　of
Rome；　for　they　come　with　great　alacrity　into　the　hippodrome
＇circus＇　at　such　times；　and　petition　their　emperors；　in　great
multitudes；　for　what　they　stand　in　need　of；　who　usually　did　not
think　fit　to　deny　them　their　requests；　but　readily　and　gratefully
granted　them。　Accordingly；　they　most　importunately　desired　that
Caius　would　now　ease　them　in　their　tributes；　and　abate　somewhat
of　the　rigor　of　their　taxes　imposed　upon　them；　but　he　would　not
hear　their　petition；　and　when　their　clamors　increased；　he　sent
soldiers　some　one　way　and　some　another；　and　gave　order　that　they
should　lay　hold　on　those　that　made　the　clamors；　and　without　any
more　ado　bring　them　out；　and　put　them　to　death。　These　were
Caius's　commands；　and　those　who　were　commanded　executed　the　same；
and　the　number　of　those　who　were　slain　on　this　occasion　was　very
great。　Now　the　people　saw　this；　and　bore　it　so　far；　that　they
left　off　clamoring；　because　they　saw　with　their　own　eyes　that
this　petition　to　be　relieved；　as　to　the　payment　of　their　money；
brought　immediate　death　upon　them。　These　things　made　Cherea　more
resolute　to　go　on　with　his　plot；　in　order　to　put　an　end　to　this
barbarity　of　Caius　against　men。　He　then　at　several　times　thought
to　fall　upon　Caius；　even　as　he　was　feasting；　yet　did　he　restrain
himself　by　some　considerations；　not　that　he　had　any　doubt　on　him
about　killing　him；　but　as　watching　for　a　proper　season；　that　the
attempt　might　not　be　frustrated；　but　that　he　might　give　the　blow
so　as　might　certainly　gain　his　purpose。

5。　Cherea　had　been　in　the　army　a　long　time；　yet　was　he　not
pleased　with　conversing　so　much　with　Caius。　But　Caius　had　set　him
to　require　the　tributes；　and　other　dues；　which；　when　not　paid　in
due　time；　were　forfeited　to　Caesar's　treasury；　and　he　had　made
some　delays　in　requiring　them；　because　those　burdens　had　been
doubled；　and　had　rather　indulged　his　own　mild　disposition　than
performed　Caius's　command；　nay；　indeed；　be　provoked　Caius　to
anger　by　his　sparing　men；　and　pitying　the　hard　fortunes　of　those
from　whom　he　demanded　the　taxes；　and　Caius　upbraided　him　with　his
sloth　and　effeminacy　in　being　so　long　about　collecting　the　taxes。
And　indeed　he　did　not　only　affront　him　in　other　respects；　but
when　he　gave　him　the　watchword　of　the　day；　to　whom　it　was　to　be
given　by　his　place；　he　gave　him　feminine　words；　and　those　of　a
nature　very　reproachful；　and　these　watchwords　he　gave　out；　as
having　been　initiated　in　the　secrets　of　certain　mysteries；　which
he　had　been　himself　the　author　of。　Now　although　he　had　sometimes
put　on　women's　clothes；　and　had　been　wrapt　in　some　embroidered
garments　to　them　belonging；　and　done　a　great　many　other　things；
in　order　to　make　the　company　mistake　him　for　a　woman；　yet　did　he；
by　way　of　reproach；　object　the　like　womanish　behavior　to　Cherea。
But　when　Cherea　received　the　watchword　from　him；　he　had
indignation　at　it；　but　had　greater　indignation　at　the　delivery　of
it　to　others；　as　being　laughed　at　by　those　that　received　it；
insomuch　that　his　fellow　tribunes　made　him　the　subject　of　their
drollery；　for　they　would　foretell　that　he　would　bring　them　some
of　his　usual　watchwords　when　he　was　about　to　take　the　watchword
from　Caesar；　and　would　thereby　make　him　ridiculous；　on　which
accounts　he　took　the　courage　of　assuming　certain　partners　to　him；
as　having　just　reasons　for　his　indignation　against　Caius。　Now
there　was　one　Pompedius；　a　senator；　and　one　who　had　gone　through
almost　all　posts　in　the　government；　but　otherwise　an　Epicurean；
and　for　that　reason　loved　to　lead　an　inactive　life。　Now　Timidius；
an　enemy　of　his；　had　informed　Caius　that　he　had　used　indecent
reproaches　against　him；　and　he　made　use　of　Quintilia　for　a
witness　to　them；　a　woman　she　was　much　beloved　by　many　that
frequented　the　theater；　and　particularly　by　Pompedius；　on　account
of　her　great　beauty。　Now　this　woman　thought　it　a　horrible　thing
to　attest　to　an　accusation　that　touched　the　life　of　her　lover；
which　was　also　a　lie。　Timidius；　however；　wanted　to　have　her
brought　to　the　torture。　Caius　was　irritated　at　this　reproach　upon
him；　and　commanded　Cherea；　without　any　delay；　to　torture
Quintilia；　as　he　used　to　employ　Cherea　in　such　bloody　matters；
and　those　that　required　the　torture；　because　he　thought　he　would
do　it　the　more　barbarously；　in　order　to　avoid　that　imputation　of
effeminacy　which　he　had　laid　upon　him。　But　Quintilia；　when　she
was　brought　to　the　rack；　trod　upon　the　foot　of　one　of　her
associates；　and　let　him　know　that　he　might　be　of　good　courage；
and　not　be　afraid　of　the　consequence　of　her　tortures；　for　that
she　would　bear　them　with　magnanimity。　Cherea　tortured　this　woman
after　a　cruel　manner；　unwillingly　indeed；　but　because　he　could
not　help　it。　He　then　brought　her；　without　being　in　the　least
moved　at　what　she　had　suffered；　into　the　presence　of　Caius；　and
that　in　such　a　state　as　was　sad　to　behold；　and　Caius；　being
somewhat　affected　with　the　sight　of　Quintilia；　who　had　her　body
miserably　disordered　by　the　pains　she　had　undergone；　freed　both
her　and　Pompedius　of　the　crime　laid　to　their　charge。　He　also　gave
her　money　to　make　her　an　honorable　amends；　and　comfort　her　for
that　maiming　of　her　body　which　she　had　suffered；　and　for　her
glorious　patience　under　such　insufferable　torments。

6。　This　matter　sorely　grieved　Cherea；　as　having　been　the　cause；
as　far　as　he　could；　or　the　instrument；　of　those　miseries　to　men；
which　seemed　worthy　of　consolation　to　Caius　himself；　on　which
account　he　said　to　Clement　and　to　Papinius；　（of　whom　Clement　was
general　of　the　army；　and　Papinius　was　a　tribune；）　〃To　be　sure；　O
Clement；　we　have　no　way　failed　in　our　guarding　the　emperor；　for
as　to　those　that　have　made　conspiracies　against　his　government；
some　have　been　slain　by　our　care　and　pains；　and　some　have　been　by
us　tortured；　and　this　to　such　a　degree；　that　he　hath　himself
pitied　them。　How　great　then　is　our　virtue　in　submitting　to
conduct　his　armies！〃　Clement　held　his　peace；　but　showed　the　shame
he　was　under　in　obeying　Caius's　orders；　both　by　his　eyes　and　his
blushing　countenance；　while　he　thought　it　by　no　means　right　to
accuse　the　emperor　in　express　words；　lest　their　own　safety　should
be　endangered　thereby。　Upon　which　Cherea　took　courage；　and　spake
to　him　without　fear　of　the　dangers　that　were　before　him；　and
discoursed　largely　of　the　sore　calamities　under　which　the　city
and　the　government　then　labored；　and　said；　〃We　may　indeed　pretend
in　words　that　Caius　is　the　person　unto　whom　the　cause　of　such
miseries　ought　to　be　imputed；　but；　in　the　opinion　of　such　as　are
able　to　judge　uprightly；　it　is　I；　O　Clement！　and　this　Papinius；
and　before　us　thou　thyself；　who　bring　these　tortures　upon　the
Romans；　and　upon　all　mankind。　It　is　not　done　by　our　being
subservient　to　the　commands　of　Caius；　but　it　is　done　by　our　own
consent；　for　whereas　it　is　in　our　power　to　put　an　end　to　the　life
of　this　man；　who　hath　so　terribly　injured　the　citizens　and　his
subjects；　we　are　his　guard　in　mischief；　and　his　executioners
instead　of　his　soldiers；　and　are　the　instruments　of　his　cruelty。
We　bear　these　weapons；　not　for　our　liberty；　not　for　the　Roman
government；　but　only　for　his　preservation；　who　hath　enslaved　both
their　bodies　and　their　minds；　and　we　are　every　day　polluted　with
the　blood　that　we　shed；　and　the　torments　we　inflict　upon　others；
and　this　we　do；　till　somebody　becomes　Caius's　instrument　in
bringing　the　like　miseries　upon　ourselves。　Nor　does　he　thus
employ　us　because　he　hath　a　kindness　for　us；　but　rather　because
he　hath　a　suspicion　of　us；　as　also　because　when　abundance　more
have　been　killed；　（for　Caius　will　set　no　bounds　to　his　wrath；
since　he　aims　to