the antiquities of the jews-1-第247部分

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those　who　least　deserved　it；　with　unreasonable　insolene　and　got
his　wealth　by　murder　and　injustice。　He　labored　to　appear　above
regarding　either　what　was　divine　or　agreeable　to　the　laws；　but
was　a　slave　to　the　commendations　of　the　populace；　and　whatsoever
the　laws　determined　to　be　shameful；　and　punished；　that　he
esteemed　more　honorable　than　what　was　virtuous。　He　was　unmindful
of　his　friends；　how　intimate　soever；　and　though　they　were　persons
of　the　highest　character；　and　if　he　was　once　angry　at　any　of
them；　he　would　inflict　punishment　upon　them　on　the　smallest
occasions；　and　esteemed　every　man　that　endeavored　to　lead　a
virtuous　life　his　enemy。　And　whatsoever　he　commanded；　he　would
not　admit　of　any　contradiction　to　his　inclinations；　whence　it　was
that　he　had　criminal　conversation　with　his　own　sister；　（10）　from
which　occasion　chiefly　it　was　also　that　a　bitter　hatred　first
sprang　up　against　him　among　the　citizens；　that　sort　of　incest　not
having　been　known　of　a　long　time；　and　so　this　provoked　men　to
distrust　him；　and　to　hate　him　that　was　guilty　of　it。　And　for　any
great　or　royal　work　that　he　ever　did；　which　might　be　for　the
present　and　for　future　ages；　nobody　can　name　any　such；　but　only
the　haven　that　he　made　about　Rhegium　and　Sicily；　for　the
reception　of　the　ships　that　brought　corn　from　Egypt；　which　was
indeed　a　work　without　dispute　very　great　in　itself；　and　of　very
great　advantage　to　the　navigation。　Yet　was　not　this　work　brought
to　perfection　by　him；　but　was　the　one　half　of　it　left　imperfect；
by　reason　of　his　want　of　application　to　it；　the　cause　of　which
was　this；　that　he　employed　his　studies　about　useless　matters；　and
that　by　spending　his　money　upon　such　pleasures　as　concerned　no
one's　benefit　but　his　own；　he　could　not　exert　his　liberality　in
things　that　were　undeniably　of　great　consequence。　Otherwise　he
was　an　excellent　orator；　and　thoroughly　acquainted　with　the　Greek
tongue；　as　well　as　with　his　own　country　or　Roman　language。　He　was
also　able；　off…hand　and　readily；　to　give　answers　to　compositions
made　by　others；　of　considerable　length　and　accuracy。　He　was　also
more　skillful　in　persuading　others　to　very　great　things　than　any
one　else；　and　this　from　a　natural　affability　of　temper；　which　had
been　improved　by　much　exercise　and　pains…taking；　for　as　he　was
the　grandson　（11）　of　the　brother　of　Tiberius；　whose　successor　he
was；　this　was　a　strong　inducement　to　his　acquiring　of　learning；
because　Tiberius　aspired　after　the　highest　pitch　of　that　sort　of
reputation；　and　Caius　aspired　after　the　like　glory　for　eloquence；
being　induced　thereto　by　the　letters　of　his　kinsman　and　his
emperor。　He　was　also　among　the　first　rank　of　his　own　citizens。
But　the　advantages　he　received　from　his　learning　did　not
countervail　the　mischief　he　brought　upon　himself　in　the　exercise
of　his　authority；　so　difficult　it　is　for　those　to　obtain　the
virtue　that　is　necessary　for　a　wise　man；　who　have　the　absolute
power　to　do　what　they　please　without　control。　At　the　first　he　got
himself　such　friends　as　were　in　all　respects　the　most　worthy；　and
was　greatly　beloved　by　them；　while　he　imitated　their　zealous
application　to　the　learning　and　to　the　glorious　actions　of　the
best　men；　but　when　he　became　insolent　towards　them；　they　laid
aside　the　kindness　they　had　for　him；　and　began　to　hate　him；　from
which　hatred　came　that　plot　which　they　raised　against　him；　and
wherein　he　perished。

CHAPTER　3。

How　Claudius　Was　Seized　Upon　And　Brought　Out　Of　His　House　And
Brought　To　The　Camp；　And　How　The　Senate　Sent　An　Embassage　To　Him。

1。　Now　Claudius；　as　I　said　before；　went　out　of　that　way　along
which　Caius　was　gone；　and　as　the　family　was　in　a　mighty　disorder
upon　the　sad　accident　of　the　murder　of　Caius；　he　was　in　great
distress　how　to　save　himself；　and　was　found　to　have　hidden
himself　in　a　certain　narrow　place；　（12）　though　he　had　no　other
occasion　for　suspicion　of　any　dangers；　besides　the　dignity　of　his
birth；　for　while　he　was　a　private　man；　he　behaved　himself　with
moderation；　and　was　contented　with　his　present　fortune；　applying
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