But he was so far from granting, that he caused many of the petitioners to be slain, hast∣ning his own death by theirs, and condemning himself by their condemnation. For what now remains thought the conspirators, but a speedy course, when neither his own reason, nor their petitions, nor their Countries custom can any whit move him to goodness, nor divert him from his cruelties? Besides this general quarrel of their Coun∣try, some of them had their peculiar heart-burnings against him for particular abuse: As Minutianus for the death of his friend Lepidus and for fear of his own life: but Cassius Chereas for divers affronts and disgraces, which the Tyrant not only used but loved to put upon him above other men. He was Tribune of the Praetorian band, or as it were Captain of the guard, and a man as valiant, as that place required or any whatsoever. Yet was it the sensless and inconsiderate Tyrants delight and conti∣nual custom, to jeer him with the tau••ts of Cowardise or Eff••m••nacy. Whensoever he came to him to ask of him a word or ticket for the Watch, he would give him Venus or Priapus: when he offered him his hand to kiss, he would frame it into an ob∣scene form, and so hold it to him: And that which might make him odious to others, he caused him to be the wracker and tormentor of delinquents, himself standing by, that he might use no mercy for fear; and yet when he had cruelly and miserably torn and rent the poor wretches, would the spiteful Prince speak pitifully to them, bemoan the extremity, condole their condition, and sometimes give them rewards, thus turning the detestation of all the cruelty upon the head of Chereas only: such things as these set the abused man all of a fire for revenge, that was hot enough al∣ready for the common cause, and he wanteth nothing to end his own disgrace and his Countries misery, but partners and opportunity. He therefore first assaieth Cle•••••••• the chief commander of the souldiery, and Papinius the chief Querry or Squire of the Emperors body, with feeling words and forcible arguments to draw them into the same design with himself of freeing the Common wealth from the common misery, and themselves from the common guilt that lay upon them, not only for not re∣dressing, but also for promoting it. For Caius, saith he, indeed commandeth such cru∣elties, but we are the men that execute them, he guilty in word only, but we in action. Whilst we obey his bloodiness we incourage it, and the weapons that our offices have put into our hands, for our Country, we use only against it: forwarding that cruelty which when it wanteth further objects will not stop to fall upon our selves. Come let us at the last right our Country and our own consciences: and give an end to those butcheries which we promote by our obedience, and of which we are doubly guilty, because we execute them, and because we avenge them not. With these or such expressions as these, did Chereas easily bend these men to his opinion, who were in the same guilt, danger and misery with him: But Clemens, whether for cowardise or variableness of his disposition, fell sud∣dainly off again, and persisted not either in resolution or in secrecy, but began to divulge the conspiracy all abroad: Now therefore was it time for Chereas to hasten his enterprize, or it would be too late: such undertakings as these will not brook long delays, especially when any one of the faction beginneth to run out, and leak. He therefore speedily addresseth himself to Sabinus, and to Minutianus, though a kins∣man to Caius, and prevaileth with them both, to be of the same mind and action with him: and all of them having men ready for this exploit do but wait for an op∣portunity to bring it to effect.