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[389]
BY this time John was beginning to tyrannize, and thought it beneath
him to accept of barely the same honors that others had; and joining to
himself by degrees a party of the wickedest of them all, he broke off from
the rest of the faction. This was brought about by his still disagreeing
with the opinions of others, and giving out injunctions of his own, in
a very imperious manner; so that it was evident he was setting up a monarchical
power. Now some submitted to him out of their fear of him, and others out
of their good-will to him; for he was a shrewd man to entice men to him,
both by deluding them and putting cheats upon them. Nay, many there were
that thought they should be safer themselves, if the causes of their past
insolent actions should now be reduced to one head, and not to a great
many. His activity was so great, and that both in action and in counsel,
that he had not a few guards about him; yet was there a great party of
his antagonists that left him; among whom envy at him weighed a great deal,
while they thought it a very heavy thing to be in subjection to one that
was formerly their equal. But the main reason that moved men against him
was the dread of monarchy, for they could not hope easily to put an end
to his power, if he had once obtained it; and yet they knew that he would
have this pretense always against them, that they had opposed him when
he was first advanced; while every one chose rather to suffer any thing
whatsoever in war, than that, when they had been in a voluntary slavery
for some time, they should afterward perish. So the sedition was divided
into two parts, and John reigned in opposition to his adversaries over
one of them: but for their leaders, they watched one another, nor did they
at all, or at least very little, meddle with arms in their quarrels; but
they fought earnestly against the people, and contended one with another
which of them should bring home the greatest prey. But because the city
had to struggle with three of the greatest misfortunes, war, and tyranny,
and sedition, it appeared, upon the comparison, that the war was the least
troublesome to the populace of them all. Accordingly, they ran away from
their own houses to foreigners, and obtained that preservation from the
Romans which they despaired to obtain among their own people.
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