the antiquities of the jews-1-第300章

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Greeks　had　the　worst　in　this　sedition；　and　saw　that　they　had　but
one　way　of　recovering　their　former　authority；　and　that　was；　if
they　could　prevent　the　agreement　between　the　Jews　and　the
Syrians；　they　every　one　discoursed　with　such　of　the　Syrians　as
were　formerly　their　acquaintance；　and　promised　they　would　be　at
peace　and　friendship　with　them。　Accordingly；　they　gladly　agreed
so　to　do；　and　when　this　was　done　by　the　principal　men　of　both
nations；　they　soon　agreed　to　a　reconciliation；　and　when　they　were
so　agreed；　they　both　knew　that　the　great　design　of　such　their
union　would　be　their　common　hatred　to　the　Jews。　Accordingly；　they
fell　upon　them；　and　slew　about　fifty　thousand　of　them；　nay；　the
Jews　were　all　destroyed；　excepting　a　few　who　escaped；　either　by
the　compassion　which　their　friends　or　neighbors　afforded　them；　in
order　to　let　them　fly　away。　These　retired　to　Ctesiphon；　a　Grecian
city；　and　situate　near　to　Seleucia；　where　the　king　＇of　Parthia＇
lives　in　winter　every　year；　and　where　the　greatest　part　of　his
riches　are　reposited；　but　the　Jews　had　here　no　certain
settlement；　those　of　Seleucia　having　little　concern　for　the
king's　honor。　Now　the　whole　nation　of　the　Jews　were　in　fear　both
of　the　Babylonians　and　of　the　Seleucians；　because　all　the　Syrians
that　live　in　those　places　agreed　with　the　Seleucians　in　the　war
against　the　Jews；　so　the　most　of　them　gathered　themselves
together；　and　went　to　Neerda　and　Nisibis；　and　obtained　security
there　by　the　strength　of　those　cities；　besides　which　their
inhabitants；　who　were　a　great　many；　were　all　warlike　men。　And
this　was　the　state　of　the　Jews　at　this　time　in　Babylonia。

BOOK　XIX。

Containing　The　Interval　Of　Three　Years　And　A　Half。

From　The　Departure　Out　Of　Babylon　To　Fadus；　The　Roman　Procurator。

CHAPTER　1。

How　Caius　（1）　Was　Slain　By　Cherea。

1。　Now　this　Caius　（2）　did　not　demonstrate　his　madness　in　offering
injuries　only　to　the　Jews　at　Jerusalem；　or　to　those　that　dwelt　in
the　neighborhood；　but　suffered　it　to　extend　itself　through　all
the　earth　and　sea；　so　far　as　was　in　subjection　to　the　Romans；　and
filled　it　with　ten　thousand　mischiefs；　so　many　indeed　in　number
as　no　former　history　relates。　But　Rome　itself　felt　the　most
dismal　effects　of　what　he　did；　while　he　deemed　that　not　to　be　any
way　more　honorable　than　the　rest　of　the　cities；　but　he　pulled　and
hauled　its　other　citizens；　but　especially　the　senate；　and
particularly　the　nobility；　and　such　as　had　been　dignified　by
illustrious　ancestors；　he　also　had　ten　thousand　devices　against
such　of　the　equestrian　order；　as　it　was　styled；　who　were　esteemed
by　the　citizens　equal　in　dignity　and　wealth　with　the　senators；
because　out　of　them　the　senators　were　themselves　chosen；　these　he
treated　after　all　ignominious　manner；　and　removed　them　out　of　his
way；　while　they　were　at　once　slain；　and　their　wealth　plundered；
because　he　slew　men　generally　in　order　to　seize　on　their　riches。
He　also　asserted　his　own　divinity；　and　insisted　on　greater　honors
to　be　paid　him　by　his　subjects　than　are　due　to　mankind。　He　also
frequented　that　temple　of　Jupiter　which　they　style　the　Capitol；
which　is　with　them　the　most　holy　of　all　their　temples；　and　had
boldness　enough　to　call　himself　the　brother　of　Jupiter。　And　other
pranks　he　did　like　a　madman；　as　when　he　laid　a　bridge　from　the
city　Dicearchia；　which　belongs　to　Campania；　to　Misenum；　another
city　upon　the　sea…side；　from　one　promontory　to　another；　of　the
length　of　thirty　furlongs；　as　measured　over　the　sea。　And　this　was
done　because　he　esteemed　it　to　be　a　most　tedious　thing　to　row
over　it　in　a　small　ship；　and　thought　withal　that　it　became　him　to
make　that　bridge；　since　he　was　lord　of　the　sea；　and　might　oblige
it　to　give　marks　of　obedience　as　well　as　the　earth；　so　he
enclosed　the　whole　bay　within　his　bridge；　and　drove　his　chariot
over　it；　and　thought　that；　as　he　was　a　god；　it　was　fit　for　him　to
travel　over　such　roads　as　this　was。　Nor　did　he　abstain　from　the
plunder　of　any　of　the　Grecian　temples；　and　gave　order　that　all
the　engravings　and　sculptures；　and　the　rest　of　the　ornaments　of
the　statues　and　donations　therein　dedicated；　should　be　brought　to
him；　saying　that　the　best　things　ought　to　be　set　no　where　but　in
the　best　place；　and　that　the　city　of　Rome　was　that　best　place。　He
also　adorned　his　own　house　and　his　gardens　with　the　curiosities
brought　from　those　temples；　together　with　the　houses　he　lay　at
when　he　traveled　all　over　Italy；　whence　he　did　not　scruple　to
give　a　command　that　the　statue　of　Jupiter　Olympius；　so　called
because　he　was　honored　at　the　Olympian　games　by　the　Greeks；　which
was　the　work　of　Phidias　the　Athenian；　should　be　brought　to　Rome。
Yet　did　not　he　compass　his　end；　because　the　architects　told
Memmius　Regulus；　who　was　commanded　to　remove　that　statue　of
Jupiter；　that　the　workmanship　was　such　as　would　be　spoiled；　and
would　not　bear　the　removal。　It　was　also　reported　that　Memmius；
both　on　that　account；　and　on　account　of　some　such　mighty
prodigies　as　are　of　an　incredible　nature；　put　off　the　taking　it
down；　and　wrote　to　Caius　those　accounts；　as　his　apology　for　not
having　done　what　his　epistle　required　of　him；　and　that　when　he
was　thence　in　danger　of　perishing；　he　was　saved　by　Caius　being
dead　himself；　before　he　had　put　him　to　death。

2。　Nay；　Caius's　madness　came　to　this　height；　that　when　he　had　a
daughter　born；　he　carried　her　into　the　capitol；　and　put　her　upon
the　knees　of　the　statue；　and　said　that　the　child　was　common　to
him　and　to　Jupiter；　and　determined　that　she　had　two　fathers；　but
which　of　these　fathers　were　the　greatest　he　left　undetermined；
and　yet　mankind　bore　him　in　such　his　pranks。　He　also　gave　leave
to　slaves　to　accuse　their　masters　of　any　crimes　whatsoever　they
pleased；　for　all　such　accusations　were　terrible；　because　they
were　in　great　part　made　to　please　him；　and　at　his　suggestion；
insomuch　that　Pollux；　Claudius's　slave；　had　the　boldness　to　lay
an　accusation　against　Claudius　himself；　and　Caius　was　not　ashamed
to　be　present　at　his　trial　of　life　and　death；　to　hear　that　trial
of　his　own　uncle；　in　hopes　of　being　able　to　take　him　off；
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；　becau