登陆注册
19556700000461

第461章

7.But king Agrippa, who now lived at Rome, was more and more in the favor of Caius; 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; nay, it was so far from the ability of others, that Caius 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 Caius 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 was desirous not to be behind Agrippa in that generosity which he exerted in order to please him.So Caius, 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 thou hast had for me, and how great kindness thou hast shown me, though with those hazards to thyself, which thou underwentest under Tiberius on that account; nor hast thou omitted any thing to show thy good-will towards us, even beyond thy ability; whence it would be a base thing for me to be conquered by thy affection.I am therefore desirous to make thee amends for every thing in which I have been formerly deficient;for all that I have bestowed on thee, that may be called my gifts, is but little.Everything that may contribute to thy happiness shall be at thy service, and that cheerfully, and so far as my ability will reach." (34) And this was what Caius 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 Caius 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 any thing relating to him out of regard to his own advantage, and in order to receive any thing 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 thy power, [who art the donor,] yet are they greater than my inclination and dignity, who am the receiver.And as Caius 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 thou, O my lord! declarest such is thy readiness to grant, that I am worthy of thy gifts, I will ask nothing relating to my own felicity; for what thou hast already bestowed on me has made me excel therein; but I desire somewhat which may make thee glorious for piety, and render the Divinity assistant to thy designs, and may be for an honor to me among those that inquire about it, as showing that I never once fail of obtaining what I desire of thee; for my petition is this, that thou wilt no longer think of the dedication of that statue which thou hast 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 Caius approved of it, it had tended to no less than the loss of his life.So Caius, who was mightily taken with Agrippa's obliging behavior, and on other accounts thinking it a dishonorable thing to be guilty of falsehood before so many witnesses, in points wherein 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," thou hast already erected my statue, let it stand; but if thou hast not yet dedicated it, do not trouble thyself further about it, but dismiss thy army, go back, and take care of those affairs which I sent thee about at first, for I have now no occasion for the erection of that statue.This I have granted as a favor to Agrippa, a man whom I honor 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 Caius 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 Caius 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 honorable, 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 thou esteemest the presents made thee by the Jews to be of greater value than my commands, and art grown insolent enough to be subservient to their pleasure, Icharge thee to become thy own judge, and to consider what thou art to do, now thou art under my displeasure; for I will make thee an example to the present and to all future ages, that they.

同类推荐
  • 上清握中诀

    上清握中诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 清和真人北游语录

    清和真人北游语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 挟注胜鬘经

    挟注胜鬘经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 无依道人录

    无依道人录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 金箓午朝仪

    金箓午朝仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • EXO:爱在校园

    EXO:爱在校园

    “这可是你第二次了……”他死死地抓着她的手。一只大灰狼从国外回来了,小白兔遭殃了!一只懵懵又萌萌的小白兔被一只大灰狼抓着会擦出什么样的火花?这只小白兔的命运又是怎样?[微虐甜宠文]
  • 九死涅槃

    九死涅槃

    少年生于太古,于盘古裂天碎片之中偶的无上道经—九死涅盘,自此之后,立愿破天,欲得大超脱!然而,少年却怎么也没能想到,修炼九死涅盘之后竟是九世九劫,九生九死……万载横流,已是今古一朝梦醒,本打算就这样静静死去的少年,稀里糊涂的被破去元阳之后,却是惊喜的发现陪伴了自己三个纪元的天灭之劫,居然没有再次出现…颓然不再,宏愿依旧,面露癫狂,发丝飞扬,扶苏昊指天而喝,“今生我欲超脱,且看谁人敢阻?!”
  • 梦幻强袭

    梦幻强袭

    一个梦幻的世界,现实人类中所有想象,都能在那里变成真实的世界。传说中的奇花异草,珍禽瑞兽,幻想物种,甚至于长生不老之药,在那个世界都能找到。魔法、仙术、黑科技、超级英雄,各种力量交织一起,谱出最强神话。那是天堂,也是地狱。因为人类的想象不光是真善美,还有比黑暗更为漆黑的邪恶存在。沉默的陈默,却在偶然间拥有了来往现实与梦幻的能力。冒险在梦幻的世界当中,他想寻求的,是让自己不再沉默的力量。这不是一本爽文,而是献给成年人的冒险童话。“异侠”作者自在WADE,新书强袭。
  • 破天荒寂

    破天荒寂

    新书首发于:2015/9/25...长剑于破空而落,天则破于一洞。诸君来此弥补,献上生死守护天洞。少年从一名普通随从崛起而来,长剑入其身,黑马奔腾之日,就在近日!
  • 一吻痴缠总裁狂追妻

    一吻痴缠总裁狂追妻

    爱是什么?他的一个笑容,你要记好多天。他的一句戏言,你要记好多年。权少阳说:我待你如生命,视你为珍宝。我想,这只是他愧对我说的话。我想,他并非真正的爱我。我想,我们之间早已经隔山隔海。他对我纠缠,死缠烂打,终于有一天,实在是忍无可忍,我怒道:权少阳,你到底想干什么?权少阳:宝宝,你确定要我回答这个问题?我想……把你放在我的心上,也想把你放在我的床上。情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 兰州历史文化.1

    兰州历史文化.1

    兰州是甘肃省的政治、经济、文化中心。位于青藏、内蒙古、黄土三大高原交汇地带,居南北之中,扼东西要塞,黄河横穿境内,地势沿河起伏。悠久的历史、绚丽的文化,形成了集民族文化、黄河文化、丝路文化于一身的兰州历史文化。这种文化结构,不仅奠定了兰州人民纯厚朴实的文化基质,而且影响着一代代兰州人的物质和精神生活。
  • 黑白神兽

    黑白神兽

    不被命运所玩弄,怎么能得到命运的眷恋。命运玩他弄于手掌,他又如何逃出命运的魔爪。上古神兽之地,时空错乱,一行人不慎落入一个不知名的地方,经历磨难化解危机......
  • 点星策

    点星策

    出生在地球的楚离,自幼孤苦,身世迷离。楚离的空间客旅遭遇空间风暴,落入宇宙的另一个世界。这个世界强者为尊,人命蝼蚁。这个世界仙凡有道,派宗林立。这个世界迷迭穷缚,纷纷绕绕。这个世界星辰法宝,斗转古今。失落的玄门藏典,暗流汹涌的地域之争,道门的毁灭,仙界的真相,宇宙的奥秘,层层帷幔,度度揭开小莫新书,朋友们觉得还可以,请不吝推荐、收藏,建议,谢谢。
  • 武逆

    武逆

    沉眠三载,不知岁月流江。废材?不是,是天才!帝脉天赐,指天斥神张扬。废体?不是,是神体!天下为敌,为伊孤战八方。男人的尊严,需自己找回!武逆修神,古今天地至上。神体开启,不生即死!一朝成神,纵横万载无双!以异晶淬气,以精魄炼体!天笑我,我笑天!
  • 堕天使之恋

    堕天使之恋

    “我可以为了你万劫不复!因为我爱你!那你呢?你喜欢我吗?”“喜欢,我喜欢你!所以,就算我伤害了全世界的人,我也绝不会伤害你!”