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[65]
About the same time also another sad calamity put the Jews into disorder,
and certain shameful practices happened about the temple of Isis that was
at Rome. I will now first take notice of the wicked attempt about the temple
of Isis, and will then give an account of the Jewish affairs. There was
at Rome a woman whose name was Paulina; one who, on account of the dignity
of her ancestors, and by the regular conduct of a virtuous life, had a
great reputation: she was also very rich; and although she was of a beautiful
countenance, and in that flower of her age wherein women are the most gay,
yet did she lead a life of great modesty. She was married to Saturninus,
one that was every way answerable to her in an excellent character. Decius
Mundus fell in love with this woman, who was a man very high in the equestrian
order; and as she was of too great dignity to be caught by presents, and
had already rejected them, though they had been sent in great abundance,
he was still more inflamed with love to her, insomuch that he promised
to give her two hundred thousand Attic drachmae for one night's lodging;
and when this would not prevail upon her, and he was not able to bear this
misfortune in his amours, he thought it the best way to famish himself
to death for want of food, on account of Paulina's sad refusal; and he
determined with himself to die after such a manner, and he went on with
his purpose accordingly. Now Mundus had a freed-woman, who had been made
free by his father, whose name was Ide, one skillful in all sorts of mischief.
This woman was very much grieved at the young man's resolution to kill
himself, (for he did not conceal his intentions to destroy himself from
others,) and came to him, and encouraged him by her discourse, and made
him to hope, by some promises she gave him, that he might obtain a night's
lodging with Paulina; and when he joyfully hearkened to her entreaty, she
said she wanted no more than fifty thousand drachmae for the entrapping
of the woman. So when she had encouraged the young man, and gotten as much
money as she required, she did not take the same methods as had been taken
before, because she perceived that the woman was by no means to be tempted
by money; but as she knew that she was very much given to the worship of
the goddess Isis, she devised the following stratagem: She went to some
of Isis's priests, and upon the strongest assurances [of concealment],
she persuaded them by words, but chiefly by the offer of money, of twenty-five
thousand drachmae in hand, and as much more when the thing had taken effect;
and told them the passion of the young man, and persuaded them to use all
means possible to beguile the woman. So they were drawn in to promise so
to do, by that large sum of gold they were to have. Accordingly, the oldest
of them went immediately to Paulina; and upon his admittance, he desired
to speak with her by herself. When that was granted him, he told her that
he was sent by the god Anubis, who was fallen in love with her, and enjoined
her to come to him. Upon this she took the message very kindly, and valued
herself greatly upon this condescension of Anubis, and told her husband
that she had a message sent her, and was to sup and lie with Anubis; so
he agreed to her acceptance of the offer, as fully satisfied with the chastity
of his wife. Accordingly, she went to the temple, and after she had supped
there, and it was the hour to go to sleep, the priest shut the doors of
the temple, when, in the holy part of it, the lights were also put out.
Then did Mundus leap out, (for he was hidden therein,) and did not fail
of enjoying her, who was at his service all the night long, as supposing
he was the god; and when he was gone away, which was before those priests
who knew nothing of this stratagem were stirring, Paulina came early to
her husband, and told him how the god Anubis had appeared to her. Among
her friends, also, she declared how great a value she put upon this favor,
who partly disbelieved the thing, when they reflected on its nature, and
partly were amazed at it, as having no pretense for not believing it, when
they considered the modesty and the dignity of the person. But now, on
the third day after what had been done, Mundus met Paulina, and said, "Nay,
Paulina, thou hast saved me two hundred thousand drachmae, which sum thou
sightest have added to thy own family; yet hast thou not failed to be at
my service in the manner I invited thee. As for the reproaches thou hast
laid upon Mundus, I value not the business of names; but I rejoice in the
pleasure I reaped by what I did, while I took to myself the name of Anubis."
When he had said this, he went his way. But now she began to come to the
sense of the grossness of what she had done, and rent her garments, and
told her husband of the horrid nature of this wicked contrivance, and prayed
him not to neglect to assist her in this case. So he discovered the fact
to the emperor; whereupon Tiberius inquired into the matter thoroughly
by examining the priests about it, and ordered them to be crucified, as
well as Ide, who was the occasion of their perdition, and who had contrived
the whole matter, which was so injurious to the woman. He also demolished
the temple of Isis, and gave order that her statue should be thrown into
the river Tiber; while he only banished Mundus, but did no more to him,
because he supposed that what crime he had committed was done out of the
passion of love. And these were the circumstances which concerned the temple
of Isis, and the injuries occasioned by her priests. I now return to the
relation of what happened about this time to the Jews at Rome, as I formerly
told you I would.
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