The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

PART I. The ROMAN Story.

§. 1. Caius his death contrived.

THIS madness of Caius could not last long, it was so mad and it was so vio∣lent, and he could not expect a dry and timely death himself, which had brought an untimely and bloody to so many hundreds. He began a Consul∣ship this year with Cn. Sentius, but it was soon out of date, as he was him∣self, but he not so soon as the people desired, as he had deserved, and some had com∣passed, had their plot but taken effect. One or two conspiracies had been contrived against him before this, but had failed in the success, and he escaped to do more mischief still. But now a design is in undertaking, that will run the business to the full, and men are entred into the combination, that have mettle, and want not fortune. These were Cassius Chaereas and Cornelius Sabinus that contrived in chief, and they intertained many others into the conspiracy with them, as Callistus and Eparchus, Regulus and Minutianus. While the plot was in hatching, Caius gave an extraordinary offence and disgust unto the people, which hastned and ripened it the more, upon his own head. There were solemn sports kept now in the City, at which time it was the custom that if the people asked a boon, the Emperor did freely grant it. Now therefore they begged that he would ease their taxes, and release somewhat of the grievous impositions under which they groaned.

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.

§. 2. The manner of his death.

Chereas afraid to lose any time, thought several times to have thrown the Tyrant headlong from an high place which he used to stand in in the Capitol, to throw and s••atter money to the people, but he was withheld partly by his own judgment, which doubted whether the fall would kill him or no, and partly by the advise of his friends, which perswaded him to hold till a solemn festival which was now coming on, in which they might have better access in a mixed crowd and multitude.

This time was come, and three days of the festival, and of the shews were past be∣fore opportunity would serve their turn: On the fourth and last of the solemnity which must be the day or none, and this was the ninth of the Calends of February or January the three and twenty, Chereas provideth his confederates for the expedition both for mettle and weapons. In the morning betime, people of all conditions flock to the place of the shews and solemnity to get them places, disposing of themselves where they could, so that men and women, bond and free, noble and base sat mixedly together, and happy was he that could get a place no matter where. At last comes Cains, way

forced for him through the crowd, all eyes upon him, but theirs especially that meant him mischief. His first beginning of that days solemnity was with sacrifice, with the blood whereof when the cloaths of Asprenas a Senator were accidentally bedawbed, it afforded matter of laughter to the Emperor, but it proved a fatal omen to himself. Af∣ter his sacrifice he took his place with the Nobles about him, and the plays began: one of them was a Mimick acting that part which Neoptolemus did at the slaughter of King Priamus: Another, of one or more actors that seemed to vomit blood, so that the stage was even bloody over; and his sports read his destiny, himself being presently to sub∣stantiate in his own person, what these did but personate and represent of others. Having sitten a spectator of these his own Omens till towards one a clock, and indif∣ferent whether to go to dinner or no, his stomack being undisposed through his yester∣days gluttony; Asprenas a partner in the plot, sitting near him, perswaded him for his refreshment to go to the Bath, and so to Dinner, and then to the Plays and shows again. Caius giving notice of his rising, the company bussles to make him room, the conspirators pretending officiousness, helpt to keep off the crowde and people; when he was come from among the multitude, he took not the open and ordinary way to the Palace, but a back and by way toward the Bath: There was he met and ac∣coasted by Chereas, who came to him as the custom was to demand the word: which when he gave him with his accustomed scorn, and disgracefulness, Chereas drew and flew upon him, with these words, Hoc age, and smote him sore into the coller bone: upon the wound Caesar neither cried out nor resisted, but sought to have slipt away. Then was he intertained by Sabinus with the like curtesie of a blow or stab, so that by this time the great Lion is gotten down, and then the rest of the confederacy flie all in upon him, every one with his slash, that there he lieth mangled with few or no less than thirty wounds.

§. 3. The sequel.

A pleasant spectacle was this to the overpressed Common wealth, but there must be some more trouble before she can enjoy the pleasure. Such storms as these, though they come suddainly, and without expectation, yet are they not so suddainly, pasted and calmed again.

The German Souldiers were the first that had notice of the Princes death, and they are the only men that will avenge it: Men not only conditioned like himself, in bar∣barousness and headlong cruelty, but also in love with those conditions, because they found acceptance and reward with him. These men upon the report, rise up in re∣venge, and in searching for the murderers of Caesar, you must expect some innocency will be murdered. They first light upon Asprenas, a man that indeed had a finger in the business, but it is like it is more than they knew, yet howsoever he must pay for it because he cometh in their way, and so the shedding of his own blood answereth the Omen that he had but even now by the blood of the sacrifice. Next cometh Bar∣barus Norhanus to handling, because next to hand, and after him Anteius whose curiosi∣ty was his destiny, for coming to look upon the corps of the slain Tyrant, he was made a corps himself: When the rumor of what had passed came into the Theatre, it mo∣ved different passions according to their different affections. Some could not believe the news it was so good, others would not, because it was displeasing, hoping better, than that they had lost so great a patron of their unruliness and sporting. But when the Souldiers came in thither after the rumor, with the heads of Asprenas, Norbanus and Anteius in their hands, then imagine what case they were all in there, expecting to be all involved in the same fatal end, by the same fatal fury, though they were not of the same opinion and affection to the fact that had lately passed. But this fear and fury was with as much speed as wit, and indeed were both finely calmed and remo∣ved by one Aruntius; for coming in among them in a mourning weed, as if for Caius, he plainly, and dolefully, and assuredly averred that he was dead. One would have thought that this should have increased the raging of the Souldiers far more than be∣fore, but it had the clean contrary effect, as his policy had wittily foreseen. For when they knew certainly that he was dead, of whom they expected a reward for this their outrage in his quarrel, and when they considered what the people might do now he was dead, who so hated him while he was alive, they sheathed their swords and their fury together, and withdrew themselves from the Theatre, and the peoples fear from the people fairly and quietly both at once. By a carriage of as much valour as this was of ingenuity, did Valerius Asiatic••s calm the tumult of the

people in the market place, for when there was no other language, but, who is it, and who is it that hath killed Caesar? he steppeth into some place above the people, and boldly cried I would it had been I, and with his boldness daunted the mutiny, and amazed their anger.

§. 4. Dissention about the Government.

The hearts of the people were pretty well setled about the death of the Prince, but their minds not so well about the manner of the future Government. The Senate being assembled in the Capitol were divided about this great matter, whether the Common∣wealth should return to its old Democracy, or to its latter Monarchy again; some remem∣bring the tyrannies used by the two latter Monarchs, abhorred the thought of that Go∣vernment any longer: Others considering that it were better to be under one Tyrant, than under many, were as much against Democracy; and yet if they might have a Mo∣narch, which they desired, they were yet to seek who should be he. Sentius the Con∣sul was vehement for the former choice, and might have well been suspected for affecting some kind of Monarchy for the present himself, for he was chief Governor alone, but that his earnestness to reduce the state to its former rule stopped the mouth of any such prejudice. Thus rose the Court without any determination, and no less was the City divided in opinion. And indeed it was a very hard task that they had in hand, to resolve for futurity what might prove the best, being to take a gentle medium betwixt their too much liberty and too little.

§. 5. Claudius.

Whilst they were thus in doubt and agitation, and better able to resolve what they would not have, than what they would, fortune seemed to offer them an umpirage and determination, winding an acceptance of a Monarch into their hearts before they were aware. Claudius an uncle of the Tyrant that now lay dead, hearing the tumult and hubbub that the Palace was in, and how the matter went with Caligula, he crept into an obscure hole to hide himself, not much guilty indeed of any other cause of such fear, but only because he was so near allied to the man so hated and now slain. When lo Gratus a common Souldier searching about, whether for a prey or for a conspirator, spieth his feet lying out of his skulking hole, and draws him out to see who it was; here might a stander by have laughed to have seen the different passions of Claudius and the Souldier meet together in one like and uniform action. Claudius, ready to kneel to the Souldier to beg for his life, and the Souldier already kneeling to Claudius to reverence his person. For being drawn out and brought into the light, and his face known by him and who he was, he presently shews him all reverence and homage, and crieth out An Emperor, an Emperor; with this cry they bring him out to some more of their fellows, who getting him on their shoulders bring him into their Garrison, the people as he went pitying him, as going unto execution. There he lodged that night, and you may suppose that he slept but little, being so divided betwixt hope and fear. The Consul and Senate the next day hearing what was done, send to him advise him to submit to their Government, and not to disturb the State with a Monarchy again, which had been so burdensom and tedious to it so long: which if he should go about to do they would oppose him to their utmost strength, and doubted not the assistance of the Gods in this their vindication of their liberty. Verrannius and Brachus, their two Legats upon this message, delivered their errand with as much moving Rhetorick and intreaty as they could invent, beseech∣ing him with all the vehemency they could, not to distemper the Republick again by af∣fecting and aspiring the Monarchy, which was now in a hopeful possibility of setling her tranquility and liberty to her own content. But the sight of the strength and forward∣ness of the Souldiers that were about him, made them to strain their Oratory one key higher than it may be they had either commission for at their coming sorth, or any thanks for at their return. For they besought him that if he would needs have the Empire, that he would rather receive it from the hands of the Senate than of the Souldiers, and make an entry to his Government by consent and approval and not by violence.

Claudius, howsoever his mind stood, gave a gentle answer, either dissembling till he could be sure to have his own party good, or indeed rather forced upon this pursuit than propense, and though affecting the Majesty of the Empire, yet not patient of the trouble.

§. 6. Caesonia and her child slain.

There let us leave him to study, as far as his fear and the Souldiers tumult would suffer him, what to resolve upon as best to be done, or if he were resolved already, then how to do it: And let us a little step aside to the corps of Caius, and there we shall see some partners with him in his death, which had better relation to it than Asprenas and the other that we saw slain before: Chereas not thinking it enough for the common safety, and the accomplishment of his design, that Caius was dead alone, unless so much also of him were cut off with him, as was in Caesonia his wife and her and his little child, he send∣eth one Lupus one of the tribunes upon this execution, that nothing might remain of Caligula, but his putrified memory. Some were of opinion that Caesonia had been his perswasive and provocation to his mischiefs either by charms, or exhortations, or both; others thought, that she used her utmost endeavours to have reduced him to a better mind, but could not prevail: But were it the one or the other, were she good or bad, it is all one to Chereas, she was Caius his wife, and so must needs die for the desert of her actions, if she were nought, and though she were otherwise, yet for the due of her relation. Lupus findeth her tumbling upon the ground with the corps, all besmear∣ed with his blood and her own tears: She conceiving his errand by his very person, boldly invites him to accomplish what he came about, which he did accordingly, and withal slew the little child upon the heap: And so their lieth the greatest Prince and Princess under Heaven, a spectacle of misery and majesty tied up together, and to be lamented in regard of these two, howsoever but justly rewarded in regard of their deserts.

§. 7. Claudius made Emperor.

That rule and Monarchy that the Souldiers would have tumbled upon Claudius they cared not how, Agrippa the King of whom we had mention a good while ago folded it as it were upon him fairly and smoothly, that it both lay more easie for him himself, and less wrinckled and rugged to the eyes of others. For first coming privately to Clau∣dius whilst he somewhat fluctuated in opinion, and was ready to have yielded to the Se∣nates propositions, he setled him in a contrary resolution, perswading him by no means to forsake or relinquish that fair apprehension and seisure of the dominion that was of∣fered him. Then cometh he as craftily into the Senate as if he had been a meer stranger to what was in hand, and there asketh how the matter went between them and Claudius; when they ingenuously laid all the business before him, and demanded his counsel and advise in those affairs: He subtle enough for his own ends, and neither regarding their liberty, nor Claudius his Monarchy so much in the matter as his own security in his King∣dom, maketh fair weather to them, and professeth with all solemnity to serve them in their designs to the utmost of his power. But when it came to the vote what must be done, and the resolution was that they must take up arms, and arm their servants, and compass that with the sword that they could not do with perswasions; then Agrippa thought it was time to work or never. He therefore puts them in mind of the strength of the Souldiers that had proclaimed Claudius, and of their forces but weak, few, and utterly unexpert: that to hazard a war was to hazard their State, and therefore he would advise them to tender to Claudius propositions of accommodation, and if they were so pleased, he himself would be the agent. It is agreed upon, and he sent upon this imployment, which how he would perform it is easie to guess, by looking upon his own condition in which he now stood. For in the life of Caius it was conceived that his evil counsel had very much forwarded the others cruelty and mischievousness, and therefore if the Senate be masters of their desires, he can little expect to be master any more of his Kingdom, but if with all his officiousness and trotting up and down he can help Claudius to the Monarchy, he is sure he hath then holpen himself to the Royalty. It was therefore not an oversight in that grave and discreet great Councel that they im∣ployed such a man as this in their occasions, who, a far dimmer eye of judgment than any of theirs would easily perceive, would be against them: but it was their discreet evasion with their honour, when finding themselves too weak to deal it out by force of Arms, they came to a noble reference, by the motion and meditation of so great a Prince.

When Agrippa cometh to Claudius he is now more urgent than before, that he stand to his challenge, because he had now groped the mind and strength of the Senate: and he prevaileth with him so far that the Souldiers go to the Senate house, and there demand a confirmation of their choice. It was now come to it in the Councel, that they were resolved to choose one Monarch, for they saw the Souldiers would so have it, but now the question was who that must be; some were for one, some for another; but the conspirators against Caius were against Claudius howsoever: This division had like to have caused another tumult, but the end of all was, that the power and fear of the Souldiers prevailed, and the Senate was glad to accept him for their Prince whom they durst not refuse.

§. 8. His demeanor at his beginning.

Agrippae had perswaded him to deal gently with the Senate, but he either perswaded not or prevailed not with him for the like towards the conspirators of his nephews death. Chereas and Sabinus the slayers of Caius, and Lupus the Executioner of Cae∣sonia and her child were not like the Senate, either perswaded by reasons, or affright∣ed by forces to accept of Claudius, or to owe him homage, but they boldly and resolutely gainsay his election even to the death. Claudius therefore causeth Chereas to be slain, and Lupus with him, which doom they underwent with different de∣meanours, Chereas stoutly, but Lupus weeping, Chereas at one blow, for he met death half the way, but Lupus at many, for he shrunk it all he could. But Sabinus, fool∣hardy as he was, when Claudius had granted him his pardon, and not only so but al∣so restored him to his former honors, he disdaining to be singled from his fellow con∣spirators in their end any more than in their design, fell upon his own sword and died. Such a beginning did the new made Emperor make into his Empire, mingling severity and clemency together in the censure of offendors of the same knot, that he might also mingle fear and love in the hearts of the people. This Claudius was the son of Drusus the son of Livia, a man dull and diseased even from his childhood, and for that brought up most in the converse with women or nurses: hence his effemi∣nacy and luxuriousness at all times, and his readiness to be led away by the counsel of women at some. He was now about fifty years of age when he began to reign, at the very ripeness of all the discretion he had, but that it was often blasted with fearful∣ness, drunkenness and wicked counsel. When he was set quietly in the Throne, the first thing he did was to get the two days in which the agitation was about the change of the Government, quite out of memory, and for that end he made an Act of Ob∣livion of all things that had passed either in Words or Actions of all that time: yet had he not wrought his own security so far, but that he caused all that came near him to be searched for weapons, and while he sat at any meal, he had a strong guard about him. For the motion that had been so lately and so strongly carried for the abolition of Monarchy, and the other which proposed others thereto when Mo∣narchy was agreed upon, and would have excluded him, had taken such an impression upon him, that he reputed no safety in his holding of the Royalty, but by that strong hand and power by which he had gotten it. Yet tried he fair and gentle dealing though he durst not trust it: Those from whom he had received any affront, in the days of Tiberius and Caligula (for sometimes in those days to abuse Claudius, was to cur∣ry favor) he freely pardoned if he found them guilty of no other crime, but if he did he paid them then for all together. The unjust fines of Caius he remitted, his illegal de∣crees he revoked, his innocents imprisoned he released, and his causless banished he called home.

The poisons which he had prepared for the Nobles, and a list of their names for whom they were prepared, being found in the Palace, though Caius had preten∣ded to have burnt them, he shewed publickly to the Senate and then burnt them indeed. He forbad any one to adore him or to sacrifice to him, he restrained the great and loud acclamations that were used to be made to the Emperor, and car∣ried himself with such sweetness and moderation, that happy had the Republique been in the continuance of the Monarchy, had he been so happy as to have continued in this his first demeanor. But his wicked Empress Messallina, and her wicked consorts first provoked him to mischief, and his too much delight in the bloody sports did by degrees habituate him unto cruelty. He had recalled Julia and Agrippina the two sisters of Caius out of banishment, whither they had been sent by their own Brother after he had defloured them, and he restored them to their Estates and Revenues again. But

Messallina stomacking that Julia did her not honour and homage enough, and envying her beauty, and being jealous of her privacy with Claudius, she caused her to be banished again, and in a short time she compassed her death.

These were but ominous beginnings, when Caesars love to his own neece was cause enough to work her ruine, but was not strong enough to stand between her and the fury of his own wife: And it did but fatally presage what mischief her wretched coun∣sels would work the cowardize and indiscretion of her husband to, when their first ef∣fect was upon one so near allied: Nor did cruelty and bloodiness enter thus only in at his ears, by the suggestion of his cursed wife, but the like it did also at his eyes, by his frequent and delightsom beholding of the bloody sports: that growing by degrees to be his delight to act, which had grown by degrees also to be his delight to see. Some∣times beasts with beasts, as twelve Camels and Horses at one time, and 300 Bears, and 300 African wild beasts at the same: sometimes beasts with men, and sometimes men with men, and at all times hideous bloodshed, that he that can look upon such barba∣rousness and slaughter with content, it may be suspected that he in time will grow to act the like with the same delight.