tly by the soldiers, he rushed through the crowd to him, and when
he found that he was in disorder, and ready to resign up the government
to the senate, he encouraged him, and desired him to keep the
government; but when he had said this to Claudius, he retired home. And
upon the senate's sending for him, he anointed his head with ointment,
as if he had lately accompanied with his wife, and had dismissed her,
and then came to them: he also asked of the senators what Claudius did;
who told him the present state of affairs, and then asked his opinion
about the settlement of the public. He told them in words that he was
ready to lose his life for the honor of the senate, but desired them to
consider what was for their advantage, without any regard to what was
most agreeable to them; for that those who grasp at government will
stand in need of weapons and soldiers to guard them, unless they will
set up without any preparation for it, and so fall into danger. And when
the senate replied that they would bring in weapons in abundance,
and money, and that as to an army, a part of it was already collected
together for them, and they would raise a larger one by giving the
slaves their liberty,--Agrippa made answer, "O senators! may you be able
to compass what you have a mind to; yet will I immediately tell you my
thoughts, because they tend to your preservation. Take notice, then,
that the army which will fight for Claudius hath been long exercised in
warlike affairs; but our army will be no better than a rude multitude
of raw men, and those such as have been unexpectedly made free from
slavery, and ungovernable; we must then fight against those that are
skillful in war, with men who know not so much as how to draw their
swords. So that my opinion is, that we should send some persons to
Claudius, to persuade him to lay down the government; and I am ready to
be one of your ambassadors."

2. Upon this speech of Agrippa, the senate complied with him, and he was
sent among others, and privately informed Claudius of the disorder the
senate was in, and gave him instructions to answer them in a somewhat
commanding strain, and as one invested with dignity and authority.
Accordingly, Claudius said to the ambassadors, that he did not wonder
the senate had no mind to have an emperor over them, because they had
been harassed by the barbarity of those that had formerly been at
the head of their affairs; but that they should taste of an equitab