| Chapter 8. The Jewish delegation to Gaius; he sends Petronius to compel the Jews to accept his statue. | ||||
1. THERE was now a tumult arisen at Alexandria, between the Jewish inhabitants and the Greeks; and three ambassadors were chosen out of each party that were at variance, who came to Gaius. Now one of these ambassadors from the people of Alexandria was Apion, who uttered many blasphemies against the Jews; and, among other things that he said, he charged them with neglecting the honours that belonged to Caesar; for that while all who were subject to the Roman empire built altars and temples to Gaius and in other regards universally received him as they received the gods, these Jews alone thought it a dishonourable thing for them to erect statues in honour of him, as well as to swear by his name. Many of these severe things were said by Apion, by which he hoped to provoke Gaius to anger at the Jews, as he was likely to be. But Philo, the principal of the Jewish delegation, a man eminent on all accounts, brother to Alexander the alabarch, and one not unskillful in philosophy, was ready to betake himself to make his defense against those accusations; but Gaius prohibited him and bid him begone; he was also in such a rage, that it openly appeared he was about to do them some very great mischief. So Philo being thus affronted, went out and said to those Jews who were about him, that they should be of good courage, since Gaius's words indeed showed anger at them, but in reality had already set God against himself. | ||||
2. Hereupon Gaius, taking it very heinously that he should be thus despised by the Jews alone, sent Petronius to be president of Syria and successor in the government to Vitellius and gave him order to make an invasion into Judea, with a great body of troops; and if they would admit of his statue willingly, to erect it in the temple of God; but if they were obstinate, to conquer them by war and then to do it. Accordingly, Petronius took the government of Syria and made haste to obey Caesar's epistle. He got together as great a number of auxiliaries as he possibly could and took with him two legions of the Roman army and came to Ptolemais and there wintered, as intending to set about the war in the spring. He also wrote word to Gaius what he had resolved to do, who commended him for his alacrity and ordered him to go on and to make war with them, in case they would not obey his commands. But there came many ten thousands of the Jews to Petronius, to Ptolemais, to offer their petitions to him, that he would not compel them to transgress and violate the law of their forefathers; �but if,� said they, �you are entirely resolved to bring this statue and erect it, do you first kill us and then do what you have resolved on; for while we are alive we cannot permit such things as are forbidden us to be done by the authority of our legislator and by our forefathers' determination that such prohibitions are instances of virtue.� But Petronius was angry at them and said, �If indeed I were myself emperor and were at liberty to follow my own inclination and then had designed to act thus, these your words would be justly spoken to me; but now Caesar has sent to me, I am under the necessity of being subservient to his decrees, because a disobedience to them will bring upon me inevitable destruction.� Then the Jews replied, �Since, therefore, you are so disposed, O Petronius! that you will not disobey Gaius's epistles, neither will we transgress the commands of our law; and as we depend upon the excellency of our laws, and, by the labours of our ancestors, have continued up to this without suffering them to be transgressed, we dare not by any means suffer ourselves to be so timorous as to transgress those laws out of the fear of death, which God has determined are for our advantage; and if we fall into misfortunes, we will bear them, in order to preserve our laws, as knowing that those who expose themselves to dangers have good hope of escaping them, because God will stand on our side, when, out of regard to him, we undergo afflictions and sustain the uncertain turns of fortune. But if we should submit to you, we should be greatly reproached for our cowardice, as thereby showing ourselves ready to transgress our law; and we should incur the great anger of God also, who, even yourself being judge, is superior to Gaius." | ||||
3. When Petronius saw by their words that their determination was hard to be removed and that, without a war, he should not be able to be subservient to Gaius in the dedication of his statue and that there must be a great deal of bloodshed, he took his friends and the servants that were about him and hasted to Tiberias, as wanting to know in what posture the affairs of the Jews were; and many ten thousands of the Jews met Petronius again, when he came to Tiberias. These thought they must run a mighty hazard if they should have a war with the Romans, but judged that the transgression of the law was of much greater consequence and made supplication to him, that he would by no means reduce them to such distresses, nor defile their city with the dedication of the statue. Then Petronius said to them, �Will you then make war with Caesar, without considering his great preparations for war and your own weakness?� They replied, �We will not by any means make war with him, but still we will die before we see our laws transgressed.� So they threw themselves down upon their faces and stretched out their throats and said they were ready to be slain; and this they did for forty days together and in the meantime left off the tilling of their ground and that while the season of the year required them to sow it. Thus they continued firm in their resolution and proposed to themselves to die willingly, rather than to see the dedication of the statue. | ||||
4. When matters were in this state, Aristobulus, king Agrippa's brother and Heleias the Great and the other principal men of that family with them, went in to Petronius and besought him, that since he saw the resolution of the multitude, he would not make any alteration and thereby drive them to despair; but would write to Gaius, that the Jews had an insuperable aversion to the reception of the statue and how they continued with him and left of the tillage off their ground: that they were not willing to go to war with him, because they were not able to do it, but were ready to die with pleasure, rather than suffer their laws to be transgressed: and how, upon the land's continuing unsown, robberies would grow up, on the inability they would be under of paying their tributes; and that Gaius might be thereby moved to pity and not order any barbarous action to be done to them, nor think of destroying the nation: that if he continues inflexible in his former opinion to bring a war upon them, he may then set about it himself. And thus did Aristobulus and the rest with him, supplicate Petronius. So Petronius, partly on account of the pressing instances which Aristobulus and the rest with him made and because of the great consequence of what they desired and the earnestness wherewith they made their supplication, -- partly on account of the firmness of the opposition made by the Jews, which he saw, while he thought it a terrible thing for him to be such a slave to the madness of Gaius, as to slay so many ten thousand men, only because of their religious disposition towards God and after that to pass his life in expectation of punishment; Petronius, I say, thought it much better to send to Gaius and to let him know how intolerable it was to him to bear the anger he might have against him for not serving him sooner, in obedience to his epistle, for that perhaps he might persuade him; and that if this mad resolution continued, he might then begin the war against them; indeed that in case he should turn his hatred against himself, it was fit for virtuous persons even to die for the sake of such vast multitudes of men. Accordingly, he determined to hearken to the petitioners in this matter. | ||||
5. He then called the Jews together to Tiberias, who came many ten thousands in number; he also placed that army he now had with him opposite to them; but did not discover his own meaning, but the commands of the emperor and told them that his wrath would, without delay, be executed on such as had the courage to disobey what he had commanded and this immediately; and that it was fit for him, who had obtained so great a dignity by his grant, not to contradict him in anything: �yet,� said he, �I do not think it just to have such a regard to my own safety and honour, as to refuse to sacrifice them for your preservation, who are so many in number and endeavour to preserve the regard that is due to your law; which as it has come down to you from your forefathers, so do you esteem it worthy of your utmost contention to preserve it: nor, with the supreme assistance and power of God, will I be so hardy as to suffer your temple to fall into contempt by the means of the imperial authority. I will, therefore, send to Gaius and let him know what your resolutions are and will assist your suit as far as I am able, that you may not be exposed to suffer on account of the honest designs you have proposed to yourselves; and may God be your assistant, for his authority is beyond all the plan and power of men; and may he procure you the preservation of your ancient laws and may not he be deprived, though without your consent, of his accustomed honours. But if Gaius be irritated and turn the violence of his rage upon me, I will rather undergo all that danger and that affliction that may come either on my body or my soul, than see so many of you to perish, while you are acting in so excellent a manner. Do you, therefore, every one of you, go your way about your own occupations and fall to the cultivation of your ground; I will myself send to Rome and will not refuse to serve you in all things, both by myself and by my friends." | ||||
6. When Petronius had said this and had dismissed rite assembly of the Jews, he desired the principal of them to take care of their farming and to speak kindly to the people and encourage them to have good hope of their affairs. Thus did he readily bring the multitude to be cheerful again. And now did God show his presence to Petronius and signify to him that he would afford him his assistance in his whole design; for he had no sooner finished the speech that he made to the Jews, but God sent down great showers of rain, contrary to human expectation; for that day was a clear day and gave no sign, by the appearance of the sky, of any rain; indeed the whole year had been subject to a great drought and made men despair of any water from above, even when at any time they saw the heavens overcast with clouds; insomuch that when such a great quantity of rain came and that in an unusual manner and without any other expectation of it, the Jews hoped that Petronius would by no means fail in his petition for them. But as to Petronius, he was mightily surprised when he perceived that God evidently took care of the Jews and gave very plain signs of his appearance and this to such a degree, that those that were in earnest much inclined to the contrary had no power left to contradict it. This was also among those other particulars which he wrote to Gaius, which all tended to dissuade him and by all means to entreat him not to make so many ten thousands of these men go distracted; whom, if he should slay, (for without war they would by no means suffer the laws of their worship to be set aside,) he would lose the revenue they paid him and would be publicly cursed by them for all future ages. Moreover, that God, who was their Governor, had shown his power most evidently on their account and that such a power of his as left no room for doubt about it. And this was the business that Petronius was now engaged in. | ||||
7. But king Agrippa, who now lived at Rome, was more and more in the favour of Gaius; and when he had once made him a supper and was careful to exceed all others, both in expenses and in such preparations as might contribute most to his pleasure; indeed it was so far from the ability of others, that Gaius himself could never equal, much less exceed it (such care had he taken beforehand to exceed all men and particularly. to make all agreeable to Caesar); hereupon Gaius admired his understanding and magnificence, that he should force himself to do all to please him, even beyond such expenses as he could bear and wished not to be behind Agrippa in that generosity which he exerted in order to please him. So Gaius, when he had drank wine plentifully and was merrier than ordinary, said thus during the feast, when Agrippa had drunk to him: �I knew before now how great a respect you have had for me and how great kindness you have shown me, though with those hazards to yourself, which you underwentest under Tiberius on that account; nor have you omitted anything to show your good-will towards us, even beyond your ability; whence it would be a base thing for me to be conquered by your affection. I am therefore desirous to make you amends for every thing in which I have been formerly deficient; for all that I have bestowed on you, that may be called my gifts, is but little. Everything that may contribute to your happiness shall be at your service and that cheerfully and so far as my ability will reach.� and this was what Gaius said to Agrippa, thinking be would ask for some large country, or the revenues of certain cities. But although he had prepared beforehand what he would ask, yet had he not discovered his intentions, but made this answer to Gaius immediately: That it was not out of any expectation of gain that he formerly paid his respects to him, contrary to the commands of Tiberius, nor did he now do anything relating to him out of regard to his own advantage and in order to receive anything from him; that the gifts he had already bestowed upon him were great and beyond the hopes of even a craving man; for although they may be beneath your power, [who art the donor,] yet are they greater than my inclination and dignity, who am the receiver. And as Gaius was astonished at Agrippa's inclinations and still the more pressed him to make his request for somewhat which he might gratify him with, Agrippa replied, �Since you, O my lord! declarest such is your readiness to grant, that I am worthy of your gifts, I will ask nothing relating to my own felicity; for what you have already bestowed on me has made me excel therein; but I desire somewhat which may make you glorious for piety and render the Divinity assistant to your designs and may be for an honour to me among those that inquire about it, as showing that I never once fail of obtaining what I desire of you; for my petition is this, that you will no longer think of the dedication of that statue which you have ordered to be set up in the Jewish temple by Petronius." | ||||
8. And thus did Agrippa venture to cast the die upon this occasion, so great was the affair in his opinion and in reality, though he knew how dangerous a thing it was so to speak; for had not Gaius approved of it, it had tended to no less than the loss of his life. So Gaius, who was mightily taken with Agrippa's obliging behaviour and on other accounts thinking it a dishonourable thing to be guilty of falsehood before so many witnesses, in points where he had with such alacrity forced Agrippa to become a petitioner and that it would look as if he had already repented of what he had said and because he greatly admired Agrippa's virtue, in not desiring him at all to augment his own dominions, either with larger revenues, or other authority, but took care of the public tranquillity, of the laws and of the Divinity itself, he granted him what he had requested. He also wrote thus to Petronius, commending him for his assembling his army and then consulting him about these affairs. �If therefore,� said' he,� you have already erected my statue, let it stand; but if you have not yet dedicated it, do not trouble yourself further about it, but dismiss your army, go back and take care of those affairs which I sent you about at first, for I have now no occasion for the erection of that statue. This I have granted as a favour to Agrippa, a man whom I honour so very greatly, that I am not able to contradict what he would have, or what he desired me to do for him.� and this was what Gaius wrote to Petronius, which was before he received his letter, informing him that the Jews were very ready to revolt about the statue and that they seemed resolved to threaten war against the Romans and nothing else. When therefore Gaius was much displeased that any attempt should be made against his government as he was a slave to base and vicious actions on all occasions and had no regard to What was virtuous and honourable and against whomsoever he resolved to show his anger and that for any cause whatsoever, he suffered not himself to be restrained by any admonition, but thought the indulging his anger to be a real pleasure, he wrote thus to Petronius: �Seeing you esteemest the presents made you by the Jews to be of greater value than my commands and art grown insolent enough to be subservient to their pleasure, I charge you to become your own judge and to consider what you are to do, now you are under my displeasure; for I will make you an example to the present and to all future ages, that they. may not dare to contradict the commands of their emperor." | ||||
9. This was the epistle which Gaius wrote to. Petronius; but Petronius did not receive it while Gaius was alive, that ship which carried it sailing so slow, that other letters came to Petronius before this, by which he understood that Gaius was dead; for God would not forget the dangers Petronius had undertaken on account of the Jews and of his own honour. But when he had taken Gaius away, out of his indignation of what he had so insolently attempted in assuming to himself divine worship, both Rome and all that dominion conspired with Petronius, especially those that were of the senatorian order, to give Gaius his due reward, because he had been unmercifully severe to them; for he died not long after he had written to Petronius that epistle which threatened him with death. But as for the occasion of his death and the nature of the plot against him, I shall relate them in the progress of this narration. Now that epistle which informed Petronius of Gaius's death came first and a little afterward came that which commanded him to kill himself with his own hands. Whereupon he rejoiced at this coincidence as to the death of Gaius and admired God's providence, who, without the least delay and immediately, gave him a reward for the regard he had to the temple and the assistance he afforded the Jews for avoiding the dangers they were in. And by this means Petronius escaped that danger of death, which he could not foresee. | ||||