Antiquities of the Jews — Book 19, Chapter 4

1. Now Claudius, though he was sensible after what an insolent manner
the senate had sent to him yet did he, according to their advice, behave
himself for the present with moderation; but not so far that he could
not recover himself out of his fright; so he was encouraged [to claim
the government] partly by the boldness of the soldiers, and partly by
the persuasion of king Agrippa, who exhorted him not to let such a
dominion slip out of his hands, when it came thus to him of its own
accord. Now this Agrippa, with relation to Caius, did what became one
that had been so much honored by him; for he embraced Caius's body after
he was dead, and laid it upon a bed, and covered it as well as he could,
and went out to the guards, and told them that Caius was still alive;
but he said that they should call for physicians, since he was very ill
of his wounds. But when he had learned that Claudius was carried away
violently by the soldiers, he rushed through the crowd to him, and when
he found that he was in disorder, and ready to resign up the government
to the senate, he encouraged him, and desired him to keep the
government; but when he had said this to Claudius, he retired home. And
upon the senate's sending for him, he anointed his head with ointment,
as if he had lately accompanied with his wife, and had dismissed her,
and then came to them: he also asked of the senators what Claudius did;
who told him the present state of affairs, and then asked his opinion
about the settlement of the public. He told them in words that he was
ready to lose his life for the honor of the senate, but desired them to
consider what was for their advantage, without any regard to what was
most agreeable to them; for that those who grasp at government will
stand in need of weapons and soldiers to guard them, unless they will
set up without any preparation for it, and so fall into danger. And when
the senate replied that they would bring in weapons in abundance, and
money, and that as to an army, a part of it was already collected
together for them, and they would raise a larger one by giving the
slaves their liberty,—Agrippa made answer, "O senators! may you be able
to compass what you have a mind to; yet will I immediately tell you my
thoughts, because they tend to your preservation. Take notice, then,
that the army which will fight for Claudius hath been long exercised in
warlike affairs; but our army will be no better than a rude multitude of
raw men, and those such as have been unexpectedly made free from
slavery, and ungovernable; we must then fight against those that are
skillful in war, with men who know not so much as how to draw their
swords. So that my opinion is, that we should send some persons to
Claudius, to persuade him to lay down the government; and I am ready to
be one of your ambassadors."

2. Upon this speech of Agrippa, the senate complied with him, and he was
sent among others, and privately informed Claudius of the disorder the
senate was in, and gave him instructions to answer them in a somewhat
commanding strain, and as one invested with dignity and authority.
Accordingly, Claudius said to the ambassadors, that he did not wonder
the senate had no mind to have an emperor over them, because they had
been harassed by the barbarity of those that had formerly been at the
head of their affairs; but that they should taste of an equitable
government under him, and moderate times, while he should only be their
ruler in name, but the authority should be equally common to them all;
and since he had passed through many and various scenes of life before
their eyes, it would be good for them not to distrust him. So the
ambassadors, upon their hearing this his answer, were dismissed. But
Claudius discoursed with the army which was there gathered together, who
took oaths that they would persist in their fidelity to him; Upon which
he gave the guards every man five thousand 13 drachmae a-piece, and a
proportionable quantity to their captains, and promised to give the same
to the rest of the armies wheresoever they were.

3. And now the consuls called the senate together into the temple of
Jupiter the Conqueror, while it was still night; but some of those
senators concealed themselves in the city, being uncertain what to do,
upon the hearing of this summons; and some of them went out of the city
to their own farms, as foreseeing whither the public affairs were going,
and despairing of liberty; nay, these supposed it much better for them
to be slaves without danger to themselves, and to live a lazy and
inactive life, than by claiming the dignity of their forefathers, to run
the hazard of their own safety. However, a hundred and no more were
gotten together; and as they were in consultation about the present
posture of affairs, a sudden clamor was made by the soldiers that were
on their side, desiring that the senate would choose them an emperor,
and not bring the government into ruin by setting up a multitude of
rulers. So they fully declared themselves to be for the giving the
government not to all, but to one; but they gave the senate leave to
look out for a person worthy to be set over them, insomuch that now the
affairs of the senate were much worse than before, because they had not
only failed in the recovery of their liberty, which they boasted
themselves of, but were in dread of Claudius also. Yet were there those
that hankered after the government, both on account of the dignity of
their families and that accruing to them by their marriages; for Marcus
Minucianus was illustrious, both by his own nobility, and by his having
married Julia, the sister of Caius, who accordingly was very ready to
claim the government, although the consuls discouraged him, and made one
delay after another in proposing it: that Minucianus also, who was one
of Caius's murderers, restrained Valerius of Asia from thinking of such
things; and a prodigious slaughter there had been, if leave had been
given to these men to set up for themselves, and oppose Claudius. There
were also a considerable number of gladiators besides, and of those
soldiers who kept watch by night in the city, and rowers of ships, who
all ran into the camp; insomuch that, of those who put in for the
government, some left off their pretensions in order to spare the city,
and others out of fear for their own persons.

4. But as soon as ever it was day, Cherea, and those that were with him,
came into the senate, and attempted to make speeches to the soldiers.
However, the multitude of those soldiers, when they saw that they were
making signals for silence with their hands, and were ready to begin to
speak to them, grew tumultuous, and would not let them speak at all,
because they were all zealous to be under a monarchy; and they demanded
of the senate one for their ruler, as not enduring any longer delays:
but the senate hesitated about either their own governing, or how they
should themselves be governed, while the soldiers would not admit them
to govern, and the murderers of Caius would not permit the soldiers to
dictate to them. When they were in these circumstances, Cherea was not
able to contain the anger he had, and promised, that if they desired an
emperor, he would give them one, if any one would bring him the
watchword from Eutychus. Now this Eutychus was charioteer of the green-
band faction, styled Prasine, and a great friend of Caius, who used to
harass the soldiery with building stables for the horses, and spent his
time in ignominious labors, which occasioned Cherea to reproach them
with him, and to abuse them with much other scurrilous language; and
told them he would bring them the head of Claudius; and that it was an
amazing thing, that, after their former madness, they should commit
their government to a fool. Yet were not they moved with his words, but
drew their swords, and took up their ensigns, and went to Claudius, to
join in taking the oath of fidelity to him. So the senate were left
without any body to defend them, and the very consuls differed nothing
from private persons. They were also under consternation and sorrow, men
not knowing what would become of them, because Claudius was very angry
at them; so they fell a reproaching one another, and repented of what
they had done. At which juncture Sabinus, one of Caius's murderers,
threatened that he would sooner come into the midst of them and kill
himself, than consent to make Claudius emperor, and see slavery
returning upon them; he also abused Cherea for loving his life too well,
while he who was the first in his contempt of Caius, could think it a
good thin to live, when, even by all that they had done for the recovery
of their liberty, they found it impossible to do it. But Cherea said he
had no manner of doubt upon him about killing himself; that yet he would
first sound the intentions of Claudius before he did it.

5. These were the debates [about the senate]; but in the camp every body
was crowding on all sides to pay their court to Claudius; and the other
consul, Quintus Pomponhis, was reproached by the soldiery, as having
rather exhorted the senate to recover their liberty; whereupon they drew
their swords, and were going to assault him, and they had done it, if
Claudius had not hindered them, who snatched the consul out of the
danger he was in, and set him by him. But he did not receive that part
of the senate which was with Quintus in the like honorable manner; nay,
some of them received blows, and were thrust away as they came to salute
Claudius; nay, Aponius went away wounded, and they were all in danger.
However, king Agrippa went up to Claudius, and desired he would treat
the senators more gently; for if any mischief should come to the senate,
he would have no others over whom to rule. Claudius complied with him,
and called the senate together into the palace, and was carried thither
himself through the city, while the soldiery conducted him, though this
was to the great vexation of the multitude; for Cherea and Sabinus, two
of Caius's murderers, went in the fore-front of them, in an open manner,
while Pollio, whom Claudius, a little before, had made captain of his
guards, had sent them an epistolary edict, to forbid them to appear in
public. Then did Claudius, upon his coming to the palace, get his
friends together, and desired their suffrages about Cherea. They said
that the work he had done was a glorious one; but they accused him that
he did it of perfidiousness, and thought it just to inflict the
punishment [of death] upon him, to discountenance such actions for the
time to come. So Cherea was led to his execution, and Lupus and many
other Romans with him. Now it is reported that Cherea bore this calamity
courageously; and this not only by the firmness of his own behavior
under it, but by the reproaches he laid upon Lupus, who fell into tears;
for when Lupus laid his garment aside, and complained of the cold 14 he
said, that cold was never hurtful to Lupus [i.e. a wolf] And as a great
many men went along with them to see the sight, when Cherea came to the
place, he asked the soldier who was to be their executioner, whether
this office was what he was used to, or whether this was the first time
of his using his sword in that manner, and desired him to bring him that
very sword with which he himself slew Caius. 15 So he was happily killed
at one stroke. But Lupus did not meet with such good fortune in going
out of the world, since he was timorous, and had many blows leveled at
his neck, because he did not stretch it out boldly [as he ought to have
done].

6. Now, a few days after this, as the Parental solemnities were just at
hand, the Roman multitude made their usual oblations to their several
ghosts, and put portions into the fire in honor of Cherea, and besought
him to be merciful to them, and not continue his anger against them for
their ingratitude. And this was the end of the life that Cherea came to.
But for Sabinus, although Claudius not only set him at liberty, but gave
him leave to retain his former command in the army, yet did he think it
would be unjust in him to fail of performing his obligations to his
fellow confederates; so he fell upon his sword, and killed himself, the
wound reaching up to the very hilt of the sword.