The life and work of St. Paul

OAIUS AND THE JEWS PEACE OP THE OHTJECH. 143
fehe neglect of tillage, Petronius, though at the risk of his own life, promised the
Jews that he would write and intercede for them, if they would separate peaceably
and attend to their husbandry. It was accepted by both Jews and Gentiles
as a sign of the special blessing of God on this bravo arid humane decision,
that no sooner had Petronius finished his speech than, after long drought, the
sky grew black with clouds, and there was an abundant rain. He kept his
word. He wrote a letter to Gaius, telling him. that if the affair of the statue
were pressed the Jews would neglect their harvest and there would be great
danger lest he should find tho whole country in a state of starvation, which
might be even dangerous for himself and his suite, if he carried out his
intended visit.
Meanwhile, in entire ignorance of all that had taken place, Agrippa had
arrived at Borne, and he at once read in tho countenance of the Emperor that
something had gone wrong. On hearing what it was, he fell down in a fit,
and lay for some time in a deep stupor. By the exertion of his whole influence
with Gaius he only succeeded in procuring a temporary suspension of the
design j and it was not long before tho Emperor announced the intention of
taking with him from Rome a colossus of gilded bronze in order to out o
all excuse for delay and of personally superintending its erection in the
Temple, which would henceforth bo regarded as dedicated to " the new
Jupiter, the illustrious Gaius." Even during his brief period of indecision he
was so angry with Petronius for the humanity that he had shown that he
wrote him a letter commanding him to commit suicide if he did not want to
die by the hands of the executioner.
These events, and the celebrated embassy of Philo to Gaius, of which he has
left us so painfully graphic a description, probably took place in the August
of the year 40. In the January of the following year the avenging sword of
the brave tribune Oassius Chaerea rid the world of the intolerable despot. 1
The vessel which had carried to Petronius the command to commit suicide,
was fortunately delayed by stormy weather, and only arrived twenty-seven
days after intelligence had been received that the tp*ant was dead. From
Claudius who owed his throne entirely to tho subtle intrigues of Agrippa
tho Jews received both kindness and consideration. Petronius was ordered
thenceforth to suppress and punish all attempts to insult them 2 in the quiet
exercise of their religious duties; and Claudius utterly forbad that prayers
should be addressed or sacrifices offered to himself. 8
1 Tlie Jews believed that a Bath K61 from the Holy of Holies had announced his death
to the High Priest (Simon the Just), and the anniversary was forbidden to be ever
observed as a fast day (MegUlath Taanith, 26 : Sotah, f. S3, 1 ; Derenbourg, Palest.
p. 207).
2 Sr-e the decree of Claudius against the inhabitants of Dor, who had set up his statue
In a Jewish synagogue.
* Dion Caas. Ix. 5.