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[59]
When Minucianus saw the vehemency with which Cherea delivered himself,
he gladly embraced him, and encouraged him in his bold attempt, commending
him, and embracing him; so he let him go with his good wishes; and some
affirm that he thereby confirmed Minuclanus in the prosecution of what
had been agreed among them; for as Cherea entered into the court, the report
runs, that a voice came from among the multitude to encourage him, which
bid him finish what he was about, and take the opportunity that Providence
afforded; and that Cherea at first suspected that some one of the conspirators
had betrayed him, and he was caught, but at length perceived that it was
by way of exhortation. Whether somebody 1
that was conscious of what he was about, gave a signal for his encouragement,
or whether it was God himself, who looks upon the actions of men, that
encouraged him to go on boldly in his design, is uncertain. The plot was
now communicated to a great many, and they were all in their armor; some
of the conspirators being senators, and some of the equestrian order, and
as many of the soldiery as were made acquainted with it; for there was
not one of them who would not reckon it a part of his happiness to kill
Caius; and on that account they were all very zealous in the affair, by
what means soever any one could come at it, that he might not be behindhand
in these virtuous designs, but might be ready with all his alacrity or
power, both by words and actions, to complete this slaughter of a tyrant.
And besides these, Callistus also, who was a freed-man of Caius, and was
the only man that had arrived at the greatest degree of power under him,
- such a power, indeed, as was in a manner equal to the power of the tyrant
himself, by the dread that all men had of him, and by the great riches
he had acquired; for he took bribes most plenteously, and committed injuries
without bounds, and was more extravagant in the use of his power in unjust
proceedings than any other. He also knew the disposition of Caius to be
implacable, and never to be turned from what he had resolved on. He had
withal many other reasons why he thought himself in danger, and the vastness
of his wealth was not one of the least of them; on which account he privately
ingratiated himself with Claudius, and transferred his courtship to him,
out of this hope, that in case, upon the removal of Caius, the government
should come to him, his interest in such changes should lay a foundation
for his preserving his dignity under him, since he laid in beforehand a
stock of merit, and did Claudius good offices in his promotion. He had
also the boldness to pretend that he had been persuaded to make away with
Claudius, by poisoning him, but had still invented ten thousand excuses
for delaying to do it. But it seems probable to me that Callistus only
counterfeited this, in order to ingratiate himself with Claudius; for if
Caius had been in earnest resolved to take off Claudius, he would not have
admitted of Callistus's excuses; nor would Callistus, if he had been enjoined
to do such an act as was desired by Caius, have put it off; nor if he had
disobeyed those injunctions of his master, had he escaped immediate punishment;
while Claudius was preserved from the madness of Caius by a certain Divine
providence, and Callistus pretended to such a piece of merit as he no way
deserved.
1 Just such a voice as this is related to be came, and from an unknown original also, to the famous Polycarp, as he was going to martyrdom, bidding him "play the man;" as the church of Smyrna assures us in their account of that his martyrdom, sect. 9.
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