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which　they　went　out；　but　according　to　the　supposals　of　the
accusers　and　of　the　judges。

17。　But　now　a　multitude　of　Germans　had　surrounded　the　theater
with　their　swords　drawn：　all　the　spectators　looked　for　nothing
but　death；　and　at　every　one　coming　in　a　fear　seized　upon　them；　as
if　they　were　to　be　cut　in　pieces　immediately；　and　in　great
distress　they　were；　as　neither　having　courage　enough　to　go　out　of
the　theater；　nor　believing　themselves　safe　from　dangers　if　they
tarried　there。　And　when　the　Germans　came　upon　them；　the　cry　was
so　great；　that　the　theater　rang　again　with　the　entreaties　of　the
spectators　to　the　soldiers；　pleading　that　they　were　entirely
ignorant　of　every　thing　that　related　to　such　seditious
contrivances；　and　that　if　there　were　any　sedition　raised；　they
knew　nothing　of　it；　they　therefore　begged　that　they　would　spare
them；　and　not　punish　those　that　had　not　the　least　hand　in　such
bold　crimes　as　belonged　to　other　persons；　while　they　neglected　to
search　after　such　as　had　really　done　whatsoever　it　be　that　hath
been　done。　Thus　did　these　people　appeal　to　God；　and　deplore　their
infelicity　with　shedding　of　tears；　and　beating　their　faces；　and
said　every　thing　that　the　most　imminent　danger　and　the　utmost
concern　for　their　lives　could　dictate　to　them。　This　brake　the
fury　of　the　soldiers；　and　made　them　repent　of　what　they　minded　to
do　to　the　spectators；　which　would　have　been　the　greatest　instance
of　cruelty。　And　so　it　appeared　to　even　these　savages；　when　they
had　once　fixed　the　heads　of　those　that　were　slain　with　Asprenas
upon　the　altar；　at　which　sight　the　spectators　were　sorely
afflicted；　both　upon　the　consideration　of　the　dignity　of　the
persons；　and　out　of　a　commiseration　of　their　sufferings；　nay；
indeed；　they　were　almost　in　as　great　disorder　at　the　prospect　of
the　danger　themselves　were　in；　seeing　it　was　still　uncertain
whether　they　should　entirely　escape　the　like　calamity。　Whence　it
was　that　such　as　thoroughly　and　justly　hated　Caius　could　yet　no
way　enjoy　the　pleasure　of　his　death；　because　they　were　themselves
in　jeopardy　of　perishing　together　with　him；　nor　had　they　hitherto
any　firm　assurance　of　surviving。

18。　There　was　at　this　time　one　Euaristus　Arruntius；　a　public
crier　in　the　market；　and　therefore　of　a　strong　and　audible　voice；
who　vied　in　wealth　with　the　richest　of　the　Romans；　and　was　able
to　do　what　he　pleased　in　the　city；　both　then　and　afterward。　This
man　put　himself　into　the　most　mournful　habit　he　could；　although
he　had　a　greater　hatred　against　Caius　than　any　one　else；　his　fear
and　his　wise　contrivance　to　gain　his　safety　taught　him　so　to　do；
and　prevailed　over　his　present　pleasure；　so　he　put　on　such　a
mournful　dress　as　he　would　have　done　had　he　lost　his　dearest
friends　in　the　world；　this　man　came　into　the　theater；　and
informed　them　of　the　death　of　Caius；　and　by　this　means　put　an　end
to　that　state　of　ignorance　the　men　had　been　in。　Arruntius　also
went　round　about　the　pillars；　and　called　out　to　the　Germans；　as
did　the　tribunes　with　him；　bidding　them　put　up　their　swords；　and
telling　them　that　Caius　was　dead。　And　this　proclamation　it　was
plainly　which　saved　those　that　were　collected　together　in　the
theater；　and　all　the　rest　who　any　way　met　the　Germans；　for　while
they　had　hopes　that　Caius　had　still　any　breath　in　him；　they
abstained　from　no　sort　of　mischief；　and　such　an　abundant　kindness
they　still　had　for　Caius；　that　they　would　willingly　have
prevented　the　plot　against　him；　and　procured　his　escape　from　so
sad　a　misfortune；　at　the　expense　of　their　own　lives。　But　they　now
left　off　the　warm　zeal　they　had　to　punish　his　enemies；　now　they
were　fully　satisfied　that　Caius　was　dead；　because　it　was　now　in
vain　for　them　to　show　their　zeal　and　kindness　to　him；　when　he　who
should　reward　them　was　perished。　They　were　also　afraid　that　they
should　be　punished　by　the　senate；　if　they　should　go　on　in　doing
such　injuries；　that　is；　in　case　the　authority　of　the　supreme
governor　should　revert　to　them。　And　thus　at　length　a　stop　was
put；　though　not　without　difficulty；　to　that　rage　which　possessed
the　Germans　on　account　of　Caius's　death。

19。　But　Cherea　was　so　much　afraid　for　Minucianus；　lest　he　should
light　upon　the　Germans　now　they　were　in　their　fury；　that　he　went
and　spike　to　every　one　of　the　soldiers；　and　prayed　them　to　take
care　of　his　preservation；　and　made　himself　great　inquiry　about
him；　lest　he　should　have　been　slain。　And　for　Clement；　he　let
Minucianus　go　when　he　was　brought　to　him；　and；　with　many　other　of
the　senators；　affirmed　the　action　was　right；　and　commended　the
virtue　of　those　that　contrived　it；　and　had　courage　enough　to
execute　it；　and　said　that　〃tyrants　do　indeed　please　themselves
and　look　big　for　a　while；　upon　having　the　power　to　act　unjustly；
but　do　not　however　go　happily　out　of　the　world；　because　they　are
hated　by　the　virtuous；　and　that　Caius；　together　with　all　his
unhappiness；　was　become　a　conspirator　against　himself；　before
these　other　men　who　attacked　him　did　so；　and　by　becoming
intolerable；　in　setting　aside　the　wise　provision　the　laws　had
made；　taught　his　dearest　friends　to　treat　him　as　an　enemy；
insomuch　that　although　in　common　discourse　these　conspirators
were　those　that　slew　Caius；　yet　that；　in　reality；　he　lies　now
dead　as　perishing　by　his　own　self。〃

20。　Now　by　this　time　the　people　in　the　theatre　were　arisen　from
their　seats；　and　those　that　were　within　made　a　very　great
disturbance；　the　cause　of　which　was　this；　that　the　spectators
were　too　hasty　in　getting　away。　There　was　also　one　Aleyon；　a
physician；　who　hurried　away；　as　if　to　cure　those　that　were
wounded；　and　under　that　pretense　he　sent　those　that　were　with　him
to　fetch　what　things　were　necessary　for　the　healing　of　those
wounded　persons；　but　in　reality　to　get　them　clear　of　the　present
dangers　they　were　in。　Now　the　senate；　during　this　interval；　had
met；　and　the　people　also　assembled　together　in　the　accustomed
form；　and　were　both　employed　in　searching　after　the　murderers　of
Caius。　The　people　did　it　very　zealously；　but　the　senate　in
appearance　only；　for　there　was　present　Valerius　of　Asia；　one　that
had　been　consul；　this　man　went　to　the　people；　as　they　were　in
disorder；　and　very　uneasy　that　they　could　not　yet　discover　who
they　were　that　had　murdered　the　emperor；　he　was　then　earnestly
asked　by　them　all　who　it　was　that　had　done　it。　He　replied；　〃I
wish　I　had　been　the　man。〃　The　consuls　（7）　also　published　an
edict；　wherein　they　accused　Caius；　and　gave　order　to　the　people
then　got　together；　and　to　the　soldiers；　to　go　home；　and　gave　the
people　hopes　of　the　abatement　of　the　oppressions　they　lay　under；
and　promised　the　soldiers；　if　they　lay　quiet　as　they　used　to　do；
and　would　not　go　abroad　to　do　mischief　unjustly；　that　they　would
bestow　rewards　upon　them；　for　there　was　reason　to　fear　lest　the
city　might　suffer　harm　by　their　wild　and　ungovernable　behavior；
if　they　should　once　betake　themselves　to　spoil　the　citizens；　or
plunder　the　temples。　And　now　the　whole　multitude　of　the　senators
were　assembled　together；　and　especially　those　that　had　conspired
to　take　away　the　life　of　Caius；　who　put　on　at　this　time　an　air　of
great　assurance；　and　appeared　with　great　magnanimity；　as　if　the
administration　of　the　public　affairs　were　already　devolved　upon
them。

CHAPTER　2。

How　The　Senators　Determined　To　Restore　The　Democracy；　But　The
Soldiers　Were　For　Preserving　The　Monarchy；　Concerning　The
Slaughter　Of　Caius's　Wife　And　Daughter。　A　Character　Of　Caius's
Morals。

1。　When　the　public　affairs　were　in　this　posture；　Claudius　was　on
the　sudden　hurried　away　out　of　his　house；　for　the　soldiers　had　a
meeting　together；　and　when　they　had　debated　about　what　was　to　be
done；　they　saw　that　a　democracy　was　incapable　of　managing　such　a
vast　weight　of　public　affairs；　and　that　if　it　should　be　set　up；
it　would　not　be　for　their　advantage；　and　in　case　any　one　of　those
already　in　the　government　should　obtain　the　supreme　power；　it
would　in　all　respects　be　to　their　grief；　if　they　were　not
assisting　to　him　in　this　advancement；　that　it　would　therefore　be
right　for　them；　while　the　public　affairs　were　unsettled；　to
choose　Claudius　emperor；　who　was　uncle　to　the　deceased　Caius；　and
of　a　superior　dignity　and　worth　to　every　one　of　those　that　were
assembled　together　in　the　senate；　both　on　account　of　the　virtues
of　his　ancestors；　and　of　the　learning　he　had　acquired　in　his
education；　and　who；　if　once　settled　in　the　empire；　would　reward
them　according　to　their　deserts；　and　bestow　largesses　upon　them。
These　were　their　consultations；　and　they　executed　the　same
immediately。　Claudius　was　therefore　seized　upon　suddenly　by　the
soldiery。　But　Cneas　Sentins　Saturninns；　although　he　understood
that　Claudius　was　seized；　and　that　he　intended　to　claim　the
government；　unwillingly　indeed　in　appearance；　but　in　reality　by
his　own　free　consent；　stood　up　in　the　senate；　and；　without　being
dismayed；　made　an　exhortatory　oration　to　them；　and　such　a　one
indeed　as　was　fit　for　men　of　freedom　and　generosity；　and　spake
thus：

2。　〃Although　it　be　a　thing　incredible；　O　Romans！　because　of　the
great　length　of　time；　that　so　unexpected　an　event　hath　happened；
yet　are　we　now　in　possession　of　liberty。　How　long　indeed　this
will　last