the Jews, B. II. ch. 11. sect;
1, Sentius Saturninus and Pomponius Secundus, as Spanheim notes here.
The speech of the former of them is set down in the next chapter, sect.
2.
[8] In this oration of Sentius Saturninus, we may see the great value
virtuous men put upon public liberty, and the sad misery they underwent,
while they were tyrannized over by such emperors as Caius. See
Josephus's own short but pithy reflection at the end of the chapter:
"So difficult," says he, "it is for those to obtain the virtue that is
necessary to a wise man, who have the absolute power to do what they
please without control."
[9] Hence we learn that, in the opinion of Saturninus, the sovereign
authority of the consuls and senate had been taken away just a hundred
years before the death of Caius, A.D. 41, or in the sixtieth year before
the Christian saga, when the first triumvirate began under Caesar,
Pompey, and Crassus.
[10] Spanheim here notes from Suetonius, that the name of Caius's sister
with whom he was guilty of incest, was Drusilla and that Suetonius adds,
he was guilty of the same crime with all his sisters also. He notes
further, that Suetonius omits the mention of the haven for ships, which
our author esteems the only public work for the good of the present
and future ages which Caius left behind him, though in an imperfect
condition.
[11] This Caius was the son of that excellent person Germanicus, who was
the son of Drusus, the brother of Tiberius the emperor.
[11] The first place Claudius came to was inhabited, and called
Herincure, as Spanheim here informs us from Suetonius, in Claud. ch. 10.
[12] How Claudius, another son of Drusus, which Drusus was the father of
Germanicus, could be here himself called Germanicus, Suetonius informs
us, when he assures us that, by a decree of the senate, the surname of
Germanicus was bestowed upon Drusus, and his posterity also.--In Claud.
ch. 1.
[13] This number of drachmae to be distributed to each private soldier,
five thousand drachmae, equal to twenty thousand sesterces, or one
hundred and sixty-one pounds sterling, seems much too large, and
directly contradicts Suetonius, ch. 10., who makes them in all but
fifteen sesterces, or two shillings and four pence. Yet might Josephus
have this number from Agrippa, junior, though I doubt the thousands, or
at least the hundreds, have been added by the transcribers, of which we
have had several examples already in Josephus.
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