the antiquities of the jews-1-第304章

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was　allotted　to　Caesar；　one　Vatinius；　a　senator；　commander　of　the
praetorian　band；　asked　of　Cluvius；　one　that　sat　by　him；　and　was
of　consular　dignity　also；　whether　he　had　heard　any　thing　of　news；
or　not？　but　took　care　that　nobody　should　hear　what　he　said；　and
when　Cluvius　replied；　that　he　had　heard　no　news；　〃Know　then；〃
said　Vatinius；　〃that　the　game　of　the　slaughter　of　tyrants　is　to
be　played　this　dav。〃　But　Cluvius　replied　〃O　brave　comrade　hold
thy　peace；　lest　some　other　of　the　Achaians　hear　thy　tale。〃　And　as
there　was　abundance　of　autumnal　fruit　thrown　among　the
spectators；　and　a　great　number　of　birds；　that　were　of　great　value
to　such　as　possessed　them；　on　account　of　their　rareness；　Caius
was　pleased　with　the　birds　fighting　for　the　fruits；　and　with　the
violence　wherewith　the　spectators　seized　upon　them：　and　here　he
perceived　two　prodigies　that　happened　there；　for　an　actor　was
introduced；　by　whom　a　leader　of　robbers　was　crucified；　and　the
pantomime　brought　in　a　play　called　Cinyras；　wherein　he　himself
was　to　be　slain；　as　well　as　his　daughter　Myrrha；　and　wherein　a
great　deal　of　fictitious　blood　was　shed；　both　about　him　that　was
crucified；　and　also　about　Cinyras。　It　was　also　confessed　that
this　was　the　same　day　wherein　Pausanias；　a　friend　of　Philip；　the
son　of　Amyntas；　who　was　king　of　Macedonia；　slew　him；　as　he　was
entering　into　the　theater。　And　now　Caius　was　in　doubt　whether　he
should　tarry　to　the　end　of　the　shows；　because　it　was　the　last
day；　or　whether　he　should　not　go　first　to　the　bath；　and　to
dinner；　and　then　return　and　sit　down　as　before。　Hereupon
Minucianus；　who　sat　over　Caius；　and　was　afraid　that　the
opportunity　should　fail　them；　got　up；　because　he　saw　Cherea　was
already　gone　out；　and　made　haste　out；　to　confirm　him　in　his
resolution；　but　Caius　took　hold　of　his　garment；　in　an　obliging
way；　and　said　to　him；　〃O　brave　man！　whither　art　thou　going？〃
Whereupon；　out　of　reverence　to　Caesar；　as　it　seemed；　he　sat　down
again；　but　his　fear　prevailed　over　him；　and　in　a　little　time　he
got　up　again；　and　then　Caius　did　no　way　oppose　his　going　out；　as
thinking　that　he　went　out　to　perform　some　necessities　of　nature。
And　Asprenas；　who　was　one　of　the　confederates；　persuaded　Caius　to
go　out　to　the　bath；　and　to　dinner；　and　then　to　come　in　again；　as
desirous　that　what　had　been　resolved　on　might　be　brought　to　a
conclusion　immediately。

14。　So　Cherea's　associates　placed　themselves　in　order；　as　the
time　would　permit　them；　and　they　were　obliged　to　labor　hard；　that
the　place　which　was　appointed　them　should　not　be　left　by　them；
but　they　had　an　indignation　at　the　tediousness　of　the　delays；　and
that　what　they　were　about　should　be　put　off　any　longer；　for　it
was　already　about　the　ninth　（5）　hour　of　the　day；　and　Cherea；　upon
Caius's　tarrying　so　long；　had　a　great　mind　to　go　in；　and　fall
upon　him　in　his　seat；　although　he　foresaw　that　this　could　not　be
done　without　much　bloodshed；　both　of　the　senators；　and　of　those
of　the　equestrian　order　that　were　present；　and　although　he　knew
this　must　happen；　yet　had　he　a　great　mind　to　do　so；　as　thinking
it　a　right　thing　to　procure　security　and　freedom　to　all；　at　the
expense　of　such　as　might　perish　at　the　same　time。　And　as　they
were　just　going　back　into　the　entrance　to　the　theater；　word　was
brought　them　that　Caius　was　arisen；　whereby　a　tumult　was　made；
hereupon　the　conspirators　thrust　away　the　crowd；　under　pretense
as　if　Caius　was　angry　at　them；　but　in　reality　as　desirous　to　have
a　quiet　place；　that　should　have　none　in　it　to　defend　him；　while
they　set　about　Caius's　slaughter。　Now　Claudius；　his　uncle；　was
gone　out　before；　and　Marcus　Vinicius　his　sister's　husband；　as
also　Valellus　of　Asia；　whom　though　they　had　had　such　a　mind　to
put　out　of　their　places；　the　reverence　to　their　dignity　hindered
them　so　to　do；　then　followed　Caius；　with　Paulus　Arruntius：　and
because　Caius　was　now　gotten　within　the　palace；　he　left　the
direct　road；　along　which　those　his　servants　stood　that　were　in
waiting；　and　by　which　road　Claudius　had　gone　out　before；　Caius
turned　aside　into　a　private　narrow　passage；　in　order　to　go　to　the
place　for　bathing；　as　also　in　order　to　take　a　view　of　the　boys
that　came　out　of　Asia；　who　were　sent　thence；　partly　to　sing　hymns
in　these　mysteries　which　were　now　celebrated；　and　partly　to　dance
in　the　Pyrrhic　way　of　dancing　upon　the　theatres。　So　Cherea　met
him；　and　asked　him　for　the　watchword；　upon　Caius's　giving　him　one
of　his　ridiculous　words；　he　immediately　reproached　him；　and　drew
his　sword；　and　gave　him　a　terrible　stroke　with　it；　yet　was　not
this　stroke　mortal。　And　although　there　be　those　that　say　it　was
so　contrived　on　purpose　by　Chorea；　that　Caius　should　not　be
killed　at　one　blow；　but　should　be　punished　more　severely　by　a
multitude　of　wounds；　yet　does　this　story　appear　to　me　incredible；
because　the　fear　men　are　under　in　such　actions　does　not　allow
them　to　use　their　reason。　And　if　Cherea　was　of　that　mind；　I
esteem　him　the　greatest　of　all　fools；　in　pleasing　himself　in　his
spite　against　Caius；　rather　than　immediately　procuring　safety　to
himself　and　to　his　confederates　from　the　dangers　they　were　in；
because　there　might　many　things　still　happen　for　helping　Caius's
escape；　if　he　had　not　already　given　up　the　ghost；　for　certainly
Cherea　would　have　regard；　not　so　much　to　the　punishment　of　Caius；
as　to　the　affliction　himself　and　his　friends　were　in；　while　it
was　in　his　power；　after　such　success；　to　keep　silent；　and　to
escape　the　wrath　of　Caius's　defenders；　and　not　to　leave　it　to
uncertainty　whether　he　should　gain　the　end　he　aimed　at　or　not；
and　after　an　unreasonable　manner　to　act　as　if　he　had　a　mind　to
ruin　himself；　and　lose　the　opportunity　that　lay　before　him。　But
every　body　may　guess　as　he　please　about　this　matter。　However；
Caius　was　staggered　with　the　pain　that　the　blow　gave　him；　for　the
stroke　of　the　sword　falling　in　the　middle；　between　the　shoulder
and　the　neck；　was　hindered　by　the　first　bone　of　the　breast　from
proceeding　any　further。　Nor　did　he　either　cry　out；　（in　such
astonishment　was　he；）　nor　did　he　call　out　for　any　of　his　friends；
whether　it　were　that　he　had　no　confidence　in　them；　or　that　his
mind　was　otherwise　disordered；　but　he　groaned　under　the　pain　he
endured；　and　presently　went　forward　and　fled；　when　Cornelius
Sabinus；　who　was　already　prepared　in　his　mind　so　to　do；　thrust
him　down　upon　his　knee；　where　many　of　them　stood　round　about　him；
and　struck　him　with　their　swords；　and　they　cried　out；　and
encouraged　one　another　all　at　once　to　strike　him　again；　but　all
agree　that　Aquila　gave　him　the　finishing　stroke；　which　directly
killed　him。　But　one　may　justly　ascribe　this　act　to　Cherea；　for
although　many　concurred　in　the　act　itself；　yet　was　he　the　first
contriver　of　it；　and　began　long　before　all　the　rest　to　prepare
for　it；　and　was　the　first　man　that　boldly　spake　of　it　to　the
rest；　and　upon　their　admission　of　what　he　said　about　it；　he　got
the　dispersed　conspirators　together；　he　prepared　every　thing
after　a　prudent　manner；　and　by　suggesting　good　advice；　showed
himself　far　superior　to　the　rest；　and　made　obliging　speeches　to
them；　insomuch　that　he　even　compelled　them　all　to　go　on；　who
otherwise　had　not　courage　enough　for　that　purpose；　and　when
opportunity　served　to　use　his　sword　in　hand；　he　appeared　first　of
all　ready　so　to　do；　and　gave　the　first　blow　in　this　virtuous
slaughter；　he　also　brought　Caius　easily　into　the　power　of　the
rest；　and　almost　killed　him　himself；　insomuch　that　it　is　but　just
to　ascribe　all　that　the　rest　did　to　the　advice；　and　bravery；　and
labors　of　the　hands　of　Cherea。

15。　Thus　did　Caius　come　to　his　end；　and　lay　dead；　by　the　many
wounds　which　had　been　given　him。　Now　Cherea　and　his　associates；
upon　Caius's　slaughter；　saw　that　it　was　impossible　for　them　to
save　themselves；　if　they　should　all　go　the　same　way；　partly　on
account　of　the　astonishment　they　were　under；　for　it　was　no　small
danger　they　had　incurred　by　killing　an　emperor；　who　was　honored
and　loved　by　the　madness　of　the　people；　especially　when　the
soldiers　were　likely　to　make　a　bloody　inquiry　after　his
murderers。　The　passages　also　were　narrow　wherein　the　work　was
done；　which　were　also　crowded　with　a　great　multitude　of　Caius's
attendant