Seeing that by thee we enjoy great quietness. — The orator had, it would seem, learnt the trick of his class, and begins with propitiating the judge by flattery. The administration of Felix did not present much opening for panegyric, but he had at least taken strong measures to put down the gangs of sicarii and brigands by whom Palestine was infested (Jos. Ant. xx. 8, § 5; Wars, ii. 13, § 2), and Tertullus shows his skill in the emphasis which he lays on “quietness.” By a somewhat interesting coincidence, Tacitus (Ann. xii. 54), after narrating the disturbances caused by a quarrel between Felix, backed by the Samaritans, and Ventidius Cumanus, who had been appointed as governor of Galilee, ends his statement by relating that Felix was supported by Quadratus, the president of Syria, “et quies provinciæ reddita.”
That very worthy deeds... — Better, reforms, or improvements; the better MSS. giving a word which expresses this meaning, and the others one which implies it. This, as before, represents one aspect of the procurator’s administration. On the other hand, within two years of this time, he was recalled from his province, accused by the Jews at Rome, and only escaped punishment by the intervention of his brother Pallas, then as high in favour with Nero as he had been with Claudius (Jos. Ant. xx. 8, § 10).
By thy providence... — The Greek word had at this time, like the English, a somewhat higher sense than “prudence” or “forethought.” Men spoke then, as now, of the “providence” of God, and the tendency to clothe the emperors with quasi-divine attributes led to the appearance of this word — “the providence of Cæsar” — on their coins and on medals struck in their honour. Tertullus, after his manner, goes one step further, and extends the term to the procurator of Judæa.