e Jews, but God sent
down great showers of rain, contrary to human expectation; [33] for that
day was a clear day, and gave no sign, by the appearance of the sky, of
any rain; nay, the whole year had been subject to a great drought, and
made men despair of any water from above, even when at any time they
saw the heavens overcast with clouds; insomuch that when such a great
quantity of rain came, and that in an unusual manner, and without any
other expectation of it, the Jews hoped that Petronius would by no means
fail in his petition for them. But as to Petronius, he was mightily
surprised when he perceived that God evidently took care of the Jews,
and gave very plain signs of his appearance, and this to such a degree,
that those that were in earnest much inclined to the contrary had no
power left to contradict it. This was also among those other particulars
which he wrote to Caius, which all tended to dissuade him, and by all
means to entreat him not to make so many ten thousands of these men go
distracted; whom, if he should slay, [for without war they would by no
means suffer the laws of their worship to be set aside,] he would lose
the revenue they paid him, and would be publicly cursed by them for all
future ages. Moreover, that God, who was their Governor, had shown his
power most evidently on their account, and that such a power of his
as left no room for doubt about it. And this was the business that
Petronius was now engaged in.

7. But king Agrippa, who now lived at Rome, was more and more in the
favor of Caius; and when he had once made him a supper, and was careful
to exceed all others, both in expenses and in such preparations as might
contribute most to his pleasure; nay, it was so far from the ability of
others, that Caius himself could never equal, much less exceed it [such
care had he taken beforehand to exceed all men, and particularly to make
all agreeable to Caesar]; hereupon Caius admired his understanding and
magnificence, that he should force himself to do all to please him, even
beyond such expenses as he could bear, and was desirous not to be behind
Agrippa in that generosity which he exerted in order to please him.
So Caius, when he had drank wine plentifully, and was merrier than
ordinary, said thus during the feast, when Agrippa had drunk to him: "I
knew before now how great a respect thou hast had for me, and how great
kindness thou hast shown me, though with those hazards to thyself, which