ordinary muscular power, as well as undaunted courage, would
seem to be required to enable a man to make his way against so many
enemies. But this was not the fact. Chaerea was of small stature and
of a slender and delicate form. He was modest and unassuming in his
manners, too, and of a very kind and gentle spirit. He was thus not
only honored and admired for his courage, but he was generally
beloved for the amiable and excellent qualities of his heart.

The possession of such qualities, however, could not be expected to
recommend him particularly to the favor of the emperor. In fact, in
one instance it had the contrary effect. Caligula assigned to the
centurions of his guard, at one period, some duties connected with
the collection of taxes. Chaerea, instead of practicing the extortion
and cruelty common on such occasions, was merciful and considerate,
and governed himself strictly by the rules of law and of justice in
his collections. The consequence necessarily was that the amount of
money received was somewhat diminished, and the emperor was
displeased. The occasion was, however, not one of sufficient
importance to awaken in the monarch's mind any very serious anger,
and so, instead of inflicting any heavy punishment upon the
offender, he contented himself with attempting to tease and torment
him with sundry vexatious indignities and annoyances.

It is the custom sometimes, in camps, and at other military
stations, for the commander to give every evening, what is called
the _parole_ or password, which consists usually of some word or
phrase that is to be communicated to all the officers, and as
occasion may require to all the soldiers, whom for any reason it may
be necessary to send to and fro about the precincts of the camp
during the night. The sentinels, also, all have the password, and
accordingly, whenever any man approaches the post of a sentinel, he
is stopped and the parole is demanded. If the stranger gives it
correctly, it is presumed that all is right, and he is allowed to
pass on,--since an enemy or a spy would have no means of knowing it.

Now, whenever it came to Chaerea's turn to communicate the parole,
the emperor was accustomed to give him some ridiculous or indecent
phrase, intended not only to be offensive to the purity of Chaerea's
mind, but designed, also, to exhibit him in a ridiculous light to
the subordinate officers and soldiers to whom he would have to
communicate it. Sometimes the pass