mind, I esteem him the greatest of all fools, in pleasing himself
in his spite against Caius, rather than immediately procuring safety to
himself and to his confederates from the dangers they were in, because
there might many things still happen for helping Caius's escape, if
he had not already given up the ghost; for certainly Cherea would have
regard, not so much to the punishment of Caius, as to the affliction
himself and his friends were in, while it was in his power, after such
success, to keep silent, and to escape the wrath of Caius's defenders,
and not to leave it to uncertainty whether he should gain the end he
aimed at or not, and after an unreasonable manner to act as if he had a
mind to ruin himself, and lose the opportunity that lay before him. But
every body may guess as he please about this matter. However, Caius was
staggered with the pain that the blow gave him; for the stroke of the
sword falling in the middle, between the shoulder and the neck, was
hindered by the first bone of the breast from proceeding any further.
Nor did he either cry out, [in such astonishment was he,] nor did
he call out for any of his friends; whether it were that he had no
confidence in them, or that his mind was otherwise disordered, but he
groaned under the pain he endured, and presently went forward and fled;
when Cornelius Sabinus, who was already prepared in his mind so to do,
thrust him down upon his knee, where many of them stood round about him,
and struck him with their swords; and they cried out, and encouraged one
another all at once to strike him again; but all agree that Aquila gave
him the finishing stroke, which directly killed him. But one may justly
ascribe this act to Cherea; for although many concurred in the act
itself, yet was he the first contriver of it, and began long before all
the rest to prepare for it, and was the first man that boldly spake of
it to the rest; and upon their admission of what he said about it, he
got the dispersed conspirators together; he prepared every thing after
a prudent manner, and by suggesting good advice, showed himself far
superior to the rest, and made obliging speeches to them, insomuch
that he even compelled them all to go on, who otherwise had not courage
enough for that purpose; and when opportunity served to use his sword in
hand, he appeared first of all ready so to do, and gave the first blow
in this virtuous slaughter; he also brought Caius easily into the power
of