law at such time as he made the similitudes of beasts of brasse to vnderprop the vessell called the great sea and those of Lyons which he caused to be set vnto his throne For that action of his ill beseemed him who had a most excellent and domesticall example of vertue in the person of his father besides the glorie that he had left him by being a faithfull seruant of God whence it came to passe that by neglecting to followe his steppes notwithstanding that God had exhorted him thereunto by appearing vnto him at two seuerall times he died most ignominiously There came therefore vnto him a prophet sent from God telling him that his sinnes were manifest and notorious in Gods sight threatning him that ere long he should repent the wickednesse he had committed Yet notwithstanding the realme should not be taken from him during his life because God had promised Dauid that he should be his successor in the same but after his decease his sonne should beare the penalty of the same not so as all the people should reuolt but that he would giue ten tribes vnto his seruant and leaue two vnto the grandchild of Dauid because he had loued God and by reason of the Citie of Ierusalem where it pleased him to make his habitation When Salomon heard these things he sorrowed and was sore troubled in that all his felicitie for which he toforetime was admired began to decline Neither passed there long time after this denunciation of the Prophet but that God so pleasing there rose vp an enemie against him who was called Ader by nation an Idumaean and of the princely stocke who vpon this occasion grounded his rebellion and insurrection For at such time as Ioab generall of Dauids army had conquered Idumaea and in the space of sixe moneths defeated all the youth and those that were capable to beare armes he fled vnto Pharao king of Aegypt who entertained him verie courteouly and gaue him an house and lands for his maintenance and loued him deerely when he came to mans estate so that he maried him with Taphines his wiues sister on whom he begat a sonne who was brought vp with the kings children who hauing intelligence in Aegypt of Dauid and Ioabs death addressed himselfe vnto Pharao and besought him to giue him leaue to repaire into his owne countrey The King asked him what he wanted or what the cause was that moued him to be so hastie to forsake him Notwithstanding therefore that he importuned and requested him diuers times yet preuailed he nothing with him for that time But when Salomons fortunes began to decline by reason of his iniquities aboue mentioned and the wrath of God prouoked against him Ader by Gods permission came into Idumea after he was licēsed by Pharao to depart But being vnable to moue the people to reuolt from Salomon by reason of the strong garrisons he held and knowing that without hazard of his owne person he could moue no alterations or innouation in that place he departed from thence went into Syria where cōfederating himself with a certaine man called Raas who was fled from his master Adarezar king of Sophene and liued like an outlaw in that Region he contracted friendship with him and a great sort of outlawes and theeues that were his followers and went into Syria and taking seazure of that countrey proclaimed himselfe king thereof From whence making excursions into the lands of the Israelites he spoyled and pillaged the same during Salomons life time Thus were the Hebrewes enforced to sustaine these outrages at Aders hands Moreouer a certaine man called Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat by nation a Iewe rebelled against Salomon and raised his hopes aboue his estate perswaded thereunto by a prophecie that concerned him and incited him vnto the action For being left verie young by his father and carefully instructed by his mother as soone as Salomon perceiued him to be of a noble and couragious spirit he made him commissarie ouer the building of the wals at such time as he immured and fortified Ierusalem In this office he behaued himselfe so well that the king thought very well thereof and in way of recompence gaue him the estate of Generall ouer the tribe of Ioseph Towards which whilest he trauelled from Ierusalem a certaine Prophet met him vpon the way who was of the Citie of Silo called Achias who approching neere vnto him and saluting him drew him out of the way into a place where none but thēselues were present there renting the garment which he wore vpon his backe into twelue peeces he commaunded Ieroboam to take ten telling him that God had so decreed and how he would rent the gouernment from Salomon and reserue only one tribe vnto his sonne with that other which was annexed vnto it by reason of the promise made vnto Dauid and to thee said he he giueth the other tenne because Salomon hath offended God and addicted himselfe to the loue of straunge women and the seruice of forraine gods Now since thou knowest the cause wherefore God hath alienated the kingdome from Salomon be thou iust and obserue thou the lawes for if thou behauest thy selfe in such sort as thou knowest Dauid did a great reward of thy pietie and recompence of thy obseruance attendeth thee so that thou shalt become as mightie as Dauid hath beene before thee Ieroboam confirmed in great hopes by these words of the Prophet being by nature haughtie in yeares young and besides that desirous of authoritie he tooke no rest but being possessed of the place of generall and remembring himselfe of that which had beene told him by Achias he presently beganne to perswade the people to reuolt from Salomon and to choose him for their king Salomon hearing newes of this his deliberation and enterprise sought the meanes to lay hands on him and to put him to death but Ieroboam preuenting him fled vnto Susac king of Egypt with whom hee remained vntill the death of Salomon And thus for that time escaped he punishment and thus was hee reserued to the fortune of a kingdome CHAP. III. After the death of Salomon the people reuolte from Roboam his sonne and proclaime Hieroboam king of the tenne tribes BVt when Salomon was very olde he died after he had raigned fourescore yeares and liued nintie foure and was buried in Ierusalem of all kings the most happy rich and prudent except that sinne wherunto he was drawen by women in his olde age of whom and those calamities that presently after befell the Hebrewes we haue sufficiently spoken After the death of Salomon as soone as his sonne Roboam whom he begat vpon an Ammonitish woman called Nooma succeeded him in the kingdome the gouernours of the people sent certaine messengers into Aegypt to recall Ieroboam who arriuing in the Citie of Sichem Roboam came thither also resoluing himself in that assembly of the Israelites to take the
fraudulent then a woman for she it is that hath reported my words vnto you Notwithstanding all this he deliuered that which he had promised them out of that bootie which he had taken from certaine Ascalonites whom he encountred vpon the way From that time forward he forsooke this marriage and the woman the more to despite him married one of his friends who had in his behalfe first sollicited the marriage Sampson being the more incensed by this iniurie resolued to reuenge himselfe both on her and the whole nation For which cause in the sommer season when the corne was readie to be reapt he tooke three hundreth foxes to whose tailes he fastned flaming torches and droue them into the Philistines fields of corne consuming by this meanes all their haruest hope The Philistines vnderstanding that Sampson had done this and conceiuing the reason that induced him to execute this action sent their garrison of Thamna and burnt this woman aliue with all her kinred as the authors of that losse that had hapned vnto them After that Sampson had slaine diuers Philistines in the countrey he went and dwelt at Etam which is a strong rocke in the tribe of Iuda For which cause the Philistines assailed that tribe who certified them that there was no reason why they should suffer for those offences which were committed by Sampson and that in especiall because they paied them tribute The Philistines replied that except they would not be maintainers of this act of iniustice they should deliuer Sampson vnto them They therefore desirous that the Philistines should haue no cause of quarrell against them came vnto the rocke to the number of three thousand men or thereabouts and blamed Sampson for those actions which he dared to commit against the Philistines a people that might endomage all the nation of the Hebrewes alleadging further that they came to the end to take surprise and deliuer him into the Philistines hands praying him to submit himselfe voluntarily to that their resolution Sampson made them sweare that they would doe him no further iniurie but deliuer him only vnto their enemies and that done he descended from the rocke surrendring himselfe to the hands of those of Iuda who bound him with two cables and led him away to deliuer him to the Philistines Now being arriued in a certaine place which before that time had no name and at this present is called the Maxilla that is to say a Iawe by reason of the valour which Sampson shewed in that place and approching neere the Philistines campe shouting and reioycing in their presence by reason that they had faithfully executed that which they willed them Sampson brake his bonds and catching vp the iawe of an Asse which he found at his feet and marching foorth against the Philistines he slew and beat downe to the number almost of two thousand of them putting all the rest to flight and confusion Sampson becomming more elate after this execution then he ought to haue been and confessing not that it was done by the assistance of God but attributing the same to his owne vertue gloried that with the iawe of an Asse he had partly slaine and partly constrained the enemies both to feare and flie But being seased with an exceeding thirst he reknowledged and confessed that mans force is of no force and protested that all ought to be ascribed to God whom he besought that he would not be displeased with that which he had spoken but that it might be remitted and himselfe deliuered from the present danger Whereupon God heard his praiers and caused a pleasant and aboundant fountaine to issue and spring from the foote of a rocke for which cause Sampson called the place Maxilla or Iaw which name continueth euen vnto this day After this battaile Sampson set light by the Philistines and went to Gaza where he soiourned in an Inne The gouernours of the Citie vnderstanding of his arriuall set men to keepe the gates to the end he might not depart without their knowledge But Sampson being no waies ignorant of that which they intended against him arose about midnight and caried away the gates with the hinges and lockes and all the furniture of the same and laying them on his shoulders caried and cast them on the mountaine Hebron Not long after that he transgressed the ordinance of his fathers and corrupted his domesticall manner of liuing conforming himselfe to the fashions of the Gentiles which was the source and ofspring of all his ruine For he was surprised and entangled with the loue of one that was called Dalila which was a common strumpet amongst the Philistines To her resorted the gouernours of the Philistines and by promises wrought so much with her that they wrought her to worke out of him wherein his force consisted what the cause was that he might not be apprehended by his enemies She conuersing with him in drinking and keeping him company tolde him that she maruailed at his actions and by subtill insinuations practised to vnderstand the manner and cause that made him so excellent in vertue But Sampson that as yet was subtill staied and well gouerned in counter check of her craft answered her that if he were tied with seuen vine branches that were yoong and pliant he should become the most feeblest amongst men Whereupon for that time she contented her selfe and hauing giuen notice thereof to the gouernours of the Philistines she had in her house certaine men of warre then when he was drunke and a sleepe she bound him as strongly fast as might be possible and sodainly waking him told him that certaine souldiers were at hand to assaile him but Sampson brake his bonds of the vine branches and addressed himselfe to repulse the assaults of those that lay in waight to offend him The woman frustrate of that hope which she expected not longtime after that getting a fit oportunitie in that Sampson conuersed continually began grieuously to complaine against him for that distrusting her loue and constancie he had concealed that from her which she most of all desired to know as if she had been insufficient to conceale that which might any waies concerne the fortune and safetie of her beloued But he deceiued her the second time and said vnto her that if he were tied with seuen cordes he should lose his force Which when she had done and found a contrarie issue to her expectation the third time Sampson told her that if she plighted his haire with a fillet he should be weakened and hauing experimented that also she found that it was false Finally for that a great misfortune attended vpon him she besought him so much that at last he condescended to gratifie her and spake vnto her after this manner God hath care ouer me and I am by his especiall prouidence bred and brought vp for this cause I nourish this haire for that God hath commanded me not to cut the same because my
they might be sent vnto Dauid to informe him how matters went They therefore sent a trustie seruant vnto these who brought them newes of Absalons deliberations with expresse commaundement to enforme the King thereof with all speede who presently vpon this intelligence like good and faithfull ministers posted with all speede to report their fathers newes vnto the king But scarsely had they trauelled two furlongs when certaine horsemen discouered them and brought newes thereof vnto Absalon who presently sent out scoutes to apprehend them which when the children of the hie priest perceiued they forsooke the hie way and incontinently retired themselues into a certaine village neere vnto Ierusalem which is called Bocchura where they besought a certaine woman to hide them and shut them in some place of securitie who let them downe into a pit and couered the mouth thereof with bundles of wool She being demaunded by those that pursued them whether she saw them denied the same saying that as soone as she had giuen them drinke they departed from her presently assuring them that if they presently and speedily pursued them they might easily apprehend them but after they had long time followed and could not find them they returned from whence they came The woman perceiuing that they were departed and that there was no cause of feare least the yoong men should be surprised she drew them out of the pit and set them onward of their way who with as great speede as was possible resorted vnto Dauid and declared vnto him exactly what Absalons deliberation was Hereupon Dauid passed the floud Iordan presently with all his men and although it were night could not be withdrawen by reason of the darknesse But Achitophel seeing that his opinion had been reproued tooke his horse and sodainly repaired vnto his countrey of Gelmone there calling togither his houshold seruants before him he discouered vnto them what aduise he had giuen Absalon which since he had not accepted he tolde them that shortly they should see him dead alleadging that Dauid would haue the vpper hand in the warre and should returne into his kingdome It is better therefore said he for me with a great minde and as it becommeth a valiant man to depart out of this life then to submit my selfe to Dauids punishment for partaking with Absalon and giuing him counsell This said he retired himselfe into the most secret part of his house and hung himselfe being both his own iudge and executioner after which his kinsmen cut him down and buried him But Dauid as we said hauing past Iordan came and incamped in a strong Citie the most defenced in that countrey there was he entertained with great beneuolence by all the noble men of that countrey partly moued thereunto by the mans present necessitie partly thorow the reuerence of his former felicitie These were Berzillai the Galaadite Siphar the gouernour of the prouince of the Ammonites and Machir the chiefe of the countrey of Galaad who gaue Dauid and his whatsoeuer they wanted in abundance so that they lacked neither beds nor bread nor flesh but were plentifully stored with all things They that were sicke and wearied also wanted nothing that either might serue for repose or refection In this estate remained he But Absalon assembled a great multitude of people to make warre vpon his father and after he had passed Iordan he pitched his tents neere vnto his fathers within the countrey of Galaad and made Amasa generall of his army opposing him against Ioab his chosen For Amasas father was Iethar and his sister was Abigail sister to Saruia mother to Ioab When Dauid had mustered and numbred his forces and found that he had fortie thousand fighting men it was thought fit presently to hazard battel and not to expect till Absalon should charge vpon them He therefore ordained Coronels ouer thousands of his men and deuided them into three squadrons the one of which he gaue in charge to Ioab the second to Abisai his brother and the third to Ethaeus his familiar friend who was of the Citie of Geth In this battel his friends would not admit his presence and that vpon good and deepe consideration for they said that if they should be defeated in his company they should vtterly lose all good hope but if one squadron should be ouercome the rest might haue their recourie vnto him who might assemble vnto them and strengthen them with greater force the rather for that the enemies would alwaies thinke it likely that he had some other army with him This counsell of theirs seemed pleasing vnto him for which cause he remained within the Citie But at such time as he sent out his friends vnto the battell he besought them that in remembrance of all the benefits and fauours he had bestowed on them they would both shew themselues couragious and faithful men in the fight and that hauing obtained the victory they would spare his sonne for feare least his death should increase and redouble his discontents Thus praying God to giue them victorie he dismissed them to enter battell But when as Ioab had planted his army right ouer against the enemy and had extended them on the plaine hauing a wood vpon their backes Absalon also drewe out his army against him so that encountring and valiantly fighting the one against the other they performed many notable exploits on both parts the one hazarding themselues in all dangers and employing all their affections to the intent that Dauid might recouer his kingdome the others neither refusing to doe or endure any thing so that Absalon might not be depriued or exposed to his fathers punishment and displeasure for his insolent attempt Besides that they held it an indignitie for them that being so great in number as they were they should be surmounted by such a handfull of people as followed Ioab deeming it to be an vtter disgrace vnto them that being so many thousands of them in armes they should be discomfited by Dauids foullowers But Ioab and his men being more skilful and trained in feates of armes then the rest discomfited and brake Absalons army so that they fled thorow woods and steepie places Dauids soldiers pursuing after them tooke some and slew other some so that both in flight and fight a great number of them were put to the sword For there fell that day about twenty thousand men But all Dauids troupes freshly set vpon Absalon who was easily knowne by reason of his absolute beautie and high stature he fearing to be surprised by his enemies mounted vpon the royall mule and fled in great haste And for that by swift motion of his body his lockes were scattered abroad his bush of haire was entangled in a thicke and branchie tree where he hung after a strange manner and his mule ranne onward with great swiftnesse as if she had as yet borne her master on her backe but he hanging by the haire amidst the branches
in the fift yeere after the destruction of Ierusalem which was the three and twentith yeere of the raigne of Nabuchodonosor Nabuchodonosor in his owne person led his army into Coelosyria and hauing conquered the same he made warre vpon the Ammonites and Moabites And after he had brought these nations vnder his obeisance he went and sought against the king of Aegypt and ouercame him and after he had slaine their king that gouerned at that time and planted an other in his place he afterwards tooke the Iewes that he found in that countrey and carried them prisoners into Babylon By this means we haue learned that the state of the Hebrewes being brought to this point hath bin translated twise to the other side of Euphrates For the people of the two tribes were captiued by the Assyrians during the raigne of Oseas and consequently that of the two tribes vnder Nabuchodonosor king of the Babylonians and Chaldees vpon the taking in of Ierusalem True it is that Salmanazar after he had displaced the Israelites planted the Chutheans in their place who beforetime inhabited the innermost of the countries of Persia and Media and were called Samaritanes according to the name of the place which they inhabited but the Babylonian hauing led the two tribes prisoners hath not planted any other people in their places For this cause Iudaea Ierusalem and the temple remained desert for the space of seuentie yeeres and all the time that passed betweene the captiuitie of the Israelites vntill the destruction of the two tribes was a hundreth and thirtie yeeres six moneths and ten daies But Nabuchodonosor chose the most noblest yoong men amongst the Iewes and such as were allied to king Sedecias and esteemed likewise for the good disposition and faire proportion of their bodies and faces and committed them to masters to be instructed commaunding that euery one of them should be gelded according as they were accustomed to deale with yoong children of other nations whom he subdued by force He allowed them victuall from his owne table and they were taught and instructed in the disciplines of the countrey and in the Chaldeetoong These were verie apte to learne wisedome and for that cause he commanded that they should be trained vp in the exercise thereof Of these there were foure of Zedechias kindred faire in body and vertuous in nature who were called Daniel Ananias Misael and Azarias whose names the Babylonian changed and willed them to be called by other names distinct and different from their own Daniel was called Balthasar Ananias Sidrach Misael Misach and Azarias Abdenago These did the king esteeme very highly for their excellent nature and for the great affection that they had to attaine vnto learning and wisedome wherein they profited greatly and were for that cause highly reckoned of by him And whereas Daniel and his kinsemen thought good to liue austerely and to abstaine from those meates that came from the kings table and in generall from all things that had life they went vnto Askenas the Eunuch who had the care and charge ouer them beseeching him to conuert those meates to his owne vse which were sent them from the kings table and to allow them herbes and dates and such things as had no life because they intended to hold that course of life and to forsake all other Askenas told them that he was ready to condescend vnto their demaunds but that he feared least being called for by the king they should be found to be leane in body and discoloured in face for without doubt in following that diet they must needly lose their colours and be lesse dispost in comparison of others which might be the cause to bring him into hazard of his head They perceiuing that Askenas intended nought els but his securitie perswaded him to allow them but ten daies of approbation vnder condition that if by that regiment of diet their habitude of body should not be any waies altered they might continue in that fashion of life and diet which they had intended from that day forwards but if they should be found leane and weake and lesse proportionable then they that sed vpon the kings allowance that then they should returne to their accustomed diet Now it so fell out that not onely their bodies were better in growth but they seemed rather better fed and of a taller statute then the rest so that they that liued vpon the kings ordinarie seemed leane and wearish where as Daniel and his companions made shew as if they had beene nourished with dainties and brought vp in aboundance From that time forward Askenas tooke all that which was allowed the foure yoong men from the kings table and boldly kept it to himselfe giuing them in steed thereof the diet that they chose and delighted in They hauing their spirits more pure and subtill to comprehend their masters instructions and their bodies more strong to endure labour for their spirits were not charged with diuersitie of meates nor their bodies effeminated for the same cause attained the more readily to all that doctrine that was taught them by the Hebrewes and Chaldees Daniel especially hauing profited in wisedome studied the interpretation of dreames and God appeared vnto him Two yeeres after the surprisall of Aegypt king Nabuchodonosor dreamed a wonderfull dreame the issue whereof God made him see in a dreame but he forgat the same when he arose out of his bed And for that cause sent he for his Chaldees and diuines telling them that he had dreampt a dreame but that he had forgot the same commanding them to declare vnto him what the dreame was and the signification thereof also Whereunto they answered that it was impossible for men to sound out the secret thereof notwithstanding they promised him that if he would declare his vision vnto them they would cause him to vnderstand the signification thereof Hereupon Nabuchodonosor threatned them with death except they represented his dreame vnto him and they protesting that they could not fulfill his request he commanded them all to be slaine But Daniel hearing how the King had condemned all the sages to death and knowing that both he and his companions had part in that danger addressed himselfe to Ariochus the captaine of the Kings guard requiring him to informe him for what cause the king had adiudged the Chaldees and sages to be put to death And hauing intelligence what had hapned as touching the dream how the king by forgetting the same had charged them to informe him therin how they had answered that it was impossible for them to performe the same and how thereby they had prouoked the king to displeasure he besought Ariochus to go vnto the king and to procure one nights repriue in the behalfe of the Aegyptians and Chaldees in that he hoped during that night time to beseech God and intreat from him both the dreame and the signification thereof Hereupon Ariochus told the king what Daniel had requested
them also who before time had beene in his kingdome or that sithence likewise had beene brought thither and notwithstanding it was told him that the money that would be required for their ransome would amount to more then foure hundreth talents yet ceased he not to confirme that which he had promised But that it may more plainely appeare how great his royal magnificence was I haue thought good to insert in this place the copie of his edict which he sent abroad to this effect Whosoeuer of you that in my fathers seruice by bearing armes vnder him haue made any roades into Syria and Phaenicia and after the conquest of Iudaea haue taken any prisoners and brought them to our Cities and countries with an intent to sell them all they also who haue heretofore detained any or at this present haue any such captiues in their possession they are to set them at libertie that liue vnder their thraldome receiuing for the ransome of euery person six score drachmes namely the men of warre at such time as their wages shall be paid them as for the rest they shall receiue their money out of the kings treasury For I am of that opinion that contrarie to my fathers mind and against all right they haue beene taken prisoners and that their coūtry hath bin in this sort euilly intreated by the insolēcy of the soldiers who haue thought to make their profit and merchandize by them in transferring them into Aegypt Hauing therefore an especiall respect of iustice and intending to shew mercy to those who are wrongfully oppressed I commaund that all those Iewes who are detained in seruitude be discharged and that they who held them captiue receiue the ransome published by vs so as no deceit or fraud be vsed therein And to the end that our ordinance be exactly and fully fulfilled our will is that this edict of ours be publikely proclaimed three daies after it shall come vnto your hands and that those who hold such prisoners in their possession declare how many prisoners they hold For we suppose that in so doing it shall redound to our profit Moreouer it shall be lawfull for any man that will to accuse the contemners of this decree and our pleasure is that such as contradict the same shall haue their goods confiscate to the Kings vses When this edict of the Kings published to this effect was proclaimed abroad and that onely point was omitted that concerned those that before time had beene afterward the second time were led away prisoners in whose behalfe he had giuen no direction he shewed himselfe most bountifull in like manner toward these And gaue order that the number and tallie should be speedily gathered and the money distributed to the cōmittees tresurers appertaining to him Which being speedily performed in the space of seuen daies all the kings ordinance was accomplished and there was laid out for the ransomes of them all to the summe of more then foure hundreth and sixtie talents For the masters exacted sixescore drachmes for the children also grounding themselues vpon the kings edict by which it was ordained that for euerie person they should haue that summe extending the same euen vnto the children These things being thus magnificently exployted according to the kings commaund he gaue Demetrius in charge to make a decree as touching the translation of the bookes of the Iewes For the king did nothing rashly but administred all things with great wisedome and circumspection and for that cause the copie of Demetrius suggestion and the letters sent to this effect are orderly registred and recorded in writing The number likewise of the presents that were sent and by whom they were offered so that who soeuer shall behold the same he shall incontinently iudge by the curious workmanship the high perfection of the workman and by the excellencies of the pieces he shall incontinently know by whom each of them was fashioned The copie of the aduice and suggestion made by Demetrius is this Demetrius to the great king Health Most mightie Prince since you haue committed the trust vnto me to find out those bookes that are deficient in your librarie and to search for such volumes as hitherto haue beene hid from my sight to the end that I might gather them and perfect them and that those which are lost might be restored with all the diligence that thereunto belongeth after that I had vsed herein all the care that in me was possible I giue you to vnderstand that amongst others we want the books of the lawes of the Iewes For in that they are written in Characters and Hebrew words we haue had no notice thereof where through they haue beene more negligently handled then was behoouefull for that vntill this day it hath neuer hapned that any Princes thought hath extended so farre It therefore behooueth thee to haue them exactly interpreted for since that those lawes proceeded frō God himself it is most certaine that of all other lawes in the world they are the wisest and incorruptest For which cause Hecataeus the Abderite saith that neither Poets nor Historians haue made any mention of them neither of those who haue beene policied and gouerned vnder the same because in themselues they are pure and are not to be declared by impure lips May it therefore please your Maiestie to write vnto the high Priest of the Iewes commaunding him to send you sixe Auncients of euerie tribe such as he shall know to be most expert in their law by whom we may cleerely apprehend the sense contained in those bookes to the end that hauing the faithfull interpretation of those things that are contained therein we may collect and gather them together to the full satisfaction of your Maiesties desire When the king had in this sort beene both aduised and suggested he wrote vnto Eleazar the high Priest of the Iewes as touching this matter giuing him likewise to vnderstand of that libertie by him granted vnto the Iewes that were in his kingdome He sent him also fiftie talents of gold to make cups ewers and vessels with an infinite number of precious stones commaunding his coferers who had the charge of his Iewels to suffer the workmen to choose what stones they best liked Furthermore he willed that a hundreth talents should be giuen for the sacrifices and oblations and other vses of the temple But after that I haue declared what was the copie of the letter sent vnto Eleazar the high Priest and the manner howe hee obtained that sacerdotall dignitie I will set downe both the rich presents and their curious workemanshippe After the death of Onias the high Priest his sonne Simon surnamed the Iust succeeded him in his place who for that cause was so called by reason of the piety which he shewed toward God the good affection which he bare vnto his countrimen This Simon dying leauing behind him one onely son of yong tender yeres who was called Onias his
kingdome and railed against such as he had no power ouer Antipater increased this mischiefe more and more and gathering togither a great company of his friends he omitted no kind of calumniation The king likewise was terrified by the rumours tales of pickthanks that he thought alwaies that he saw Alexander before him with a drawen sword For which cause he sodainly tooke him and cast him in prison and tortured his friends many of which died in torments because they would not confesse more then in conscience was true others not able to endure the torments were forced to confesse that Alexander and his brother Aristobulus thought to haue wrought treason against their father that they expected their time till he went a hunting resolued in themselues that hauing killed him they would presently flie to Rome Although these and such like calumniations were nowaies probable yet extremitie of paine forced men extempore to inuent them and the king willingly beleeued them as it were comforting himselfe thereby in that he might not be thought to haue imprisoned his sonne vn◅stly Alexander perceluing that it was vnpossible for him to abolish his fathers suspition thought it better to yeeld hi◅selfe guiltio and so wrote foure bookes against his aduersaries and confessed the treason affirming that he had many partakers therein namely Pheroras Salome who were the chiefe auouching that before that time he had had the vse of her body in the night time and how though he himselfe was vnwilling yet she forced him thereunto Now the bookes came vnto Herods hands which charged the greatest amongst the nobilitie with most hainous matters Archelaus fearing his son in law and daughter to be in great danger speedily came into Iudaea and ingeniously appeased the kings wrath for so soone as he came vnto Herod he cried where is that wicked son in law of mine or where may I see the face of that wre◅h that goeth about to murther his father that I may teare him in peeces with mine own hands marrie my daughter anew to a better husband for although she be not priuie to his cou◅sell yet is she defiled for that she was wife to such a man Nay I admire thy patience who art in such daunger and sufferest Alexander yet to liue for I came thus hastily out of Cappadocia thinking he had beene put to death to talke with thee concerning my daughter whom I maried to him for thy sake and honour Wherefore now let vs take counsell what to do with them both and seeing thouart too father like and not able to punish thy sonne thy ◅echerous sonne let vs chaunge roumes and let me be in t◅y place to reuenge thee with such like inuections he deceiued Herode though otherwise firme in his purpose Then Herode shewed him the bookes that Alexander had writ and reading euery chapter with deliberation Archelaus tooke occasion fit for his purpose and by little and little laid al the fault on Pheroras and those that were accused in the booke And perceiuing the king to giue eare vnto him let vs quoth he consider whether the young man was not circumuented by the trechery of so many lewde persens and not thou by the yong man for there appeares no cause why he should fall into such wickednes who now enioyed the kingdome and hoped to succeed thee therein had he not beene perswaded thereto by other men who seeing him a young man entised him vnto such naughtines For we see that through such men not onely young men but also olde men and most noble families yea and whole kingdomes are ruinated Herode vpon these speeches began somewhat to relent so that he appeased his wrath toward Alexāder encreased it towards Pheroras for he was as it were the subiect of the whole booke Who perceiuing the king so to trust vnto Archelaus friendship that he was lead by him to do what he pleased leauing Alexander he in humble manner came to Archelaus seeking impudently for succour at his hands of whom he had not deserued any fauour Archelaus answered him that he knew no waies to obtaine his pardon who was guiltie of so hainous crimes and conuicted manifestly to haue practised high treason against the kings owne person and to be the cause of all these miseries that had now befallen the young man except that he would lay aside all subtle dealing and denying of his fact and confesse the crimes wherof he was accused and so in humble wise go vnto his brother who loued him dearely and craue pardon promising him that if he would so do he would do him what good he could Hereupon Pheroras obeyed Archelaus his counsell and putting on a blacke attire he in pitifull maner and with teares prostrated himselfe at Herodes feete and crauing pardon obtained it confessing himselfe to be a most wicked and vile person and to be guiltie of al that which was obiected against him and that the cause which moued him to do al those things was the franticke and madde fits he fell into for the loue of that woman Now when Pheroras became his owne accuser a witnesse against himselfe then Archelaus endeuored to mitigate Herodes wrath towards him and excuse his faultes with fit examples for he alleaged that his brother attempted greater matters against him whom notwithstanding for natures cause he pardoned adding that in euery kingdome as in mightie bodies alwaies some part began to swell which notwithstanding was not presently to be cut off but to be cured by easie means Archelaus vsing many speeches vnto Herod to this purpose at last quite appeased his wrath toward Pheroras still counterfaiting himselfe to be angrie with Alexander affirming that he would take his daughter away with him till at last he forced Herode of his owne accord to entreat for the yong man requesting him again to despouse his daughter vnto him Archelaus after much entreatie answered that he was willing the king should bestow his daughter vpō any saue Alexander for he greatly esteemed the law of affinity Herod replied that if he did not diuorce his daughter from Alexander he should thinke that he bestowed his sonne vpon him for they had no children and his daughter was dearely loued of the young man so that if he would permit her to stay still there for her sake he would pardon all Alexanders offences Heereto Archelaus with much ado agreed and so was reconciled vnto his sonne in law and he vnto his father Yet Herode affirmed that he must needs be sent to Rome to speake with Caesar for he had written the whole matter vnto Caesar. Thus Archelaus craftily deliuered his sonne in law from daunger and after this reconciliation was made they spent the time in feasting and mirth Vpon Archelaus departure Herode gaue him seuentie talents and a throne of pure gold adorned with precious stones and Eunuches and a concubine named Pannychis and rewarded euery one of his
be helde for vs to be conuicted to be the murtherers of our brother whose death will heape sorrow on our fathers head and draw our mother into great griefe and desolation thorough the losse of her sonne robbed and bereft from her beyond the ordinarie course of men For which cause he praied them to be aduised in these things that they would consider in their mindes what thing might happen if this child who was faire vertuous and yoong should be done to death praying them to giue ouer this vnnaturall resolution and to feare God who was both the iudge and witnesse of their deliberation intended against their brother and that if they would desist from this haynous act God would take pleasure in their repentance and reconcilement but if they proceeded in their enterprise he assured them that he would punish them like fratricides since nothing is hidden from his prouidence whether it be committed in the desart or attempted in the Citie For wheresoeuer men are there is it alwaies to be thought that God likewise is Further that when they should haue perpetrated this fact that they should alwaies haue their consciences as an armed aduersarie against them which neuer would forsake them whether they were good or whether such as theirs would be if they should fortune to murther their brother Furthermore he alleadged that it was an impious fact to kill a mans owne brother although he had done him iniurie and much more meritorious to forgiue a mans friend that had offended against him Moreouer he said that Ioseph had done them no wrong whose tender yeares rather required care and compassion at their handes then hate and tyrannie Besides that the cause of his slaughter would aggrauate their offence if it should be knowen that for enuie of his future felicitie they should take away his life all which good happe they likewise might participate by reason of consanguinitie and that it was their dutie to thinke that whatsoeuer blessing God imparted to Ioseph was theirs that for that cause they were to imagine that God would be more displeased against them if they should endeuour to depriue him of his life whom he had esteemed and adiudged worthy of prosperitie to come Ruben alledging these and many other things besought them and laboured to diuert them from shedding their brothers bloud but seeing that all these his motiues could in no sort mollifie them but that they hastened the rather to commit and perpetrate the murther he counselled them that at least wise they should allot him some milder kinde of death Telling them that he endeuoured all what in him lay at the first to disswade them but since it was throughly resolued among them that he should not liue that lesse mischiefe should follow of it if they would be ruled by his counsell for by that meanes their will should haue effect yet a more milde and lesse hurtfull in comparison of murther that it were better for them to temper their hands and keepe them immaculate by casting him into the next pit and there leauing him in the hands of death to this counsell all of them agreed So Ruben tooke Ioseph and bound him with cords and let him downe easily into a pit which was drie which done he departed to seeke out a more conuenient place for pasture But when Ruben was gone Iuda one of Iacobs sonnes espying certaine merchants of Arabia of the countrey of the Ismaelites who from the countrey of Galadena caried Spicerie and Syrian merchandise into Egypt he counselled his brothers to draw vp Ioseph out of the well and to sell him to those Arabians assuring them that by that meanes it would come to passe that Ioseph should die the farther off from them amongst straungers and as touching themselues they should be exempt from that pollution which counsell of his being commended by them all they drew Ioseph out of the pit and sold him to the Arabians for the summe of twentie siluerlings at such time as he was seuenteene yeares of age Now had Ruben resolued in himselfe to saue Ioseph without his brothers priuitie for which cause comming by night vnto the pit he called him with a loud voice seeing that he gaue him no answer he began to coniecture with himselfe that his brethren had done him to death he reproued them therefore verie bitterly but after they had told him what was become of him he gaue ouer his mourning After these things were thus brought to passe the brethren consulted amongst themselues in what sort they might cleere themselues from their fathers suspition and conclude among themselues to teare the coat wherewith Ioseph was attired at such time as he came vnto them and which they had taken from him when they cast him into the well to the end that hauing defiled it in the bloud of a Goate they might afterwards beare it vnto their father and shew it him to the ende he might suppose that Ioseph was slaine by wild beastes which done they came vnto the olde man not altogether ignorant of his sonnes misfortunes and told him that they had not seene their brother Ioseph neither could they assure him what mishappe had befallen him but that notwithstanding they had found his Ierkin altogether bebloudied and torne which made them suspect that he was slaine by some wilde beastes if so be he were sent vnto them attired in that coate But Iacob that hitherto expected and hoped for more succesfull tidings in that he supposed and hoped that Ioseph had onely beene captiue gaue ouer this opinion and tooke the coate for a most assured testimonie of his sonnes death for he knew that he was apparelled therewith at such time as he sent him to his brothers for which cause he lamented Ioseph from that time forward as being dead and as if he had not any more sonnes And such was the griefe of his heart that he conceiued no consolation in the rest but suffered himselfe to be perswaded by the brothers that Ioseph had beene slaine by sauage beastes he therefore sat him downe being clothed in sackcloth and charged with sorrow and neither could his sonnes by their counsels mittigate his moanes nor he himselfe remit the rigor of his Iamentation Now Ioseph was sold by the merchants and bought by Putiphar an Aegyptian Lord and a steward of King Pharaos houshold who held him in high estimation and trained him vp in all liberall sciences suffering him to liue not after a seruile but liberall manner and committing vnto his charge the care of all his houshold all which fauours he made vse of Yet was he no waies diuerted by these his priuiledges and promotions from his innated vertue testifying hereby that prudence doth not submit to aduerse fortune if a man vse the same orderly and not at that time onely when fortune fauneth and flattereth It fortuned not long after that his masters wife was enamoured with him both in
three yeares space liued hidden amongst the mountaines flying the power of Abimelech Neither did there many daies ouerpasse but that the Sichemites being moued with compassion and iust reuenge in respect of the murther which was committed vpon the sonnes of Gedeon banished Abimelech out of their Citie and the whole tribe Whereupon he resolued to do some mischief to both the Citie and Citizens and for that their vintage was at hand they durst not gather the fruit fearing least they should receiue some iniury at the hands of Abimelech By good hap about that time a certaine Prince called Gaal retired thither with a troupe of soldiours and his kinred him did the Sichemites beseech that he would grant them a conuoy whilest they had gathered in their haruest which request of theirs being accepted by Gaal they issued out with their forces being seconded by him and his and securely brought in their fruits and feasting one with another in companies they were so bold as to scoffe at Abimelech and the chiefest of his followers and the chiefest of those straungers among them that came into the city to their assistance surprised by Ambuscado diuers of Abimelechs people slew them But Zebel one of the Sichemites and Abimeleches host signified vnto him by a messenger how Gaal incited the people against him inuiting him to lie in wait for him neere about the Citie promising him that he would bring Gaal thither to the end that he might easily reuenge him of that iniurie which his enemie had offered him Which done he promised to worke so wisely that he would reconcile him to the peoples fauour againe and whenas Abimelech had chosen a place fit to lie in ambush and Gaal with Zebel too carelesly liued and walked in the suburbes at length he sodainly espying certaine armed men cried out to Zebel that he had discouered the enemie whereunto Zebel replied that they were the shadowes of rocks but Gaal drawing more neere vnto them and perceiuing apparantly who they were answered Zebel that they were no shadowes but ambushes of men Whereunto Zebel replied dost not thou obiect cowardise to Abimelech why therefore shewest thou not thy great valour in fighting with him Gaal confusedly amazed assailed the soldiours of Abimelech in which conflict certaine of his followers were slaine and he himselfe fled into the Citie giuing example vnto the rest to follow him Hereupon Zebel laboured that Gaal might be expulsed out of the Citie accusing him of his cowardly encountry with the soldiers of Abimelech Now when as the same Abimelech had afterwards gotten certaine intelligence that the Sichemites would issue anew to gather to their vintage he laid an ambush neere vnto the Citie And no sooner were they issued but that the third part of his troopes surprised and seazed the gates to cut them off from their returne that thought to reenter the rest ranne after those that were scattered here and there so that there was a great slaughter on euerie side and the Citie was ruinated euen vnto the verie foundations for they could not withstand the siege and they sowed salt vpon the ruines thereof Thus perished all they that were in the Citie of Sichem But they that escaped thorow the conntrey and had auoided the daunger assembled and fortified themselues vpon a strong rocke and there incamped and began to defence the same But as soone as Abimelech had notice of their intention he hasted thither with his forces and inuironed the place with fagots of dry wood carying them thither in his owne person and encouraging thereby those of his armie to doe the like so that the rocke was incontinently compassed with wood Whereunto he set fire round about and in an instant it flamed and burned vehemently so as none of them were saued but all of them perished with their wiues and children to the number of fifteene hundred men besides many other of the weaker sort This calamitie hapned to the Sichemites in so grieuous a measure that there is not any griefe sufficient to deplore it were it not that that so horrible misfortune fel vpon them by reason of their ingratitude they had shewed to so vpright a iudge and so gratious a benefactor Abimelech alaid the courage of the Israelites by this encounter and conquest of the Sichemites and gaue sufficient testimonie that he aspired more higher and that he would neuer terminate his violence vntill he had vtterly extinguished them He therefore led forth his army against the Tebeans and their Citie which he tookè but in that towne there was a great tower whither all the people had retired themselues and whilest he prepared himselfe to besiege the same and approched likewise neere vnto the gates a certaine woman cast a peece of a milstone at him and hit him on the head which was the cause that Abimelech called at that time for his squier commaunding him to dispatch him to the intent it might not be reported that he died by the hands of a woman His squier did according as he had commaunded him and reuenged on Abimelech by putting him to death the crueltie he had committed against his brethren and the tyranny executed vpon the Sichemites on whom all these misfortunes fell according as Iothan had foretold them As soone as Abimelech was slaine all the armie was dispersed and euery one returned vnto his dwelling place and Iair the Galeadite of the tribe of Manasses tooke vpon him the gouernment Amongst other conditions of this man these were of the greatest note that he was rich and had thirtie worthie sonnes all expert vpon horse backe and exercised the magistracie in the countrey of Galaad he after he had gouerned the people for the space of twentie yeares died when he was very old and was honourably intombed in Chamon a citie of Galaad From this time forward the pollicie and estate of the Hebrewes grew more and more disordered and the lawes began to be neglected Whence it came to passe that the Ammonites and Philistines setting light by them destroyed all their countrey with a great army during which time they occupied all the land on this side Iordan and so much were they heartned as that they pressed further and possessed the better part on the other side of the riuer and conquered the same Wherupon the Hebrewes being brought to more moderation by these their aduersities had their recourse vnto God by praiers and sacrifices requiring him that it might please him to moderate his wrath and that hauing regard and respect of their supplication he would be pleased to stay his heauie hand ouer them This submission of theirs preuailed with God who inclined himselfe to assist them Whilest therefore the Ammonites led their armie into Galaad they of the countrey arose to meete and fight with them being disfurnished of a gouernour to conduct them Now there was a certaine man called Ieptha of great estimation as well for the
force shal endure and augment as long as these lockes shall endure and grow Which when she vnderstood she shaued off his haire and betraied him to his enemies whose forces at that time he was too feeble to resist who plucked out his eies and led him away bound But in space of time his haire grew againe and at such time as the Philistines celebrated a publike feast wherein the princes and peeres banquetted and entertained one another in one place which was a house the couer whereof was sustained with two pillars Sampson was sent for and brought to the feast to the end they might mocke at him in the midst of their feasts and drunkennesse But he taking it more grieuously then all other the euils which he indured that he might not reuenge himselfe on those that thus iniuriously did iniure him he wrought so much with the boy that led him that he approched and tooke hold of the foresaid pillars telling him that he had great need to repose himselfe considering the trauaile that he had sustained As soone as therfore he got hold on them he shooke them in such a sort as they were ouerturned the house fell vpon those that were therein who died to the number of three thousand men with these also died Sampson who finished his daies in this sort after he had commanded ouer Israell for the space of twenty yeares He was a man of great vertue force and magnanimitie and especially in that which concerneth his end he meriteth to be admired at because that euen vnto his latter houre he was animated against the Philistines And whereas he was allured and besotted by a woman it ought to be attributed to humane nature which is so weake that it cannot resist sinne otherwise in all other things we ought to yeeld testimony of his vertue His kinsfolke tooke his body and buried it in Sarasa his countrey by his parents CHAP. XI How the sonnes of Eli the high Priest were slaine in battell by the Palestines AFter the decease of Sampson Eli the high Priest tooke vpon him the gouernment ouer the Israelites During his time there was a great famine and Elimelech vnable to endure the miserie thereof came from Bethleem a Citie of the tribe of Iuda to inhabite in the countrey of Moab bringing with him Naomi his wife and Chelion and Maalon his sons whom he had by her Now when as his affaires had fallen out with as fortunate successe as might be desired he married his sonnes to certaine daughters of the Moabites Chelion vnto Orpha and Maalon to Ruth Some ten yeares after Elimelech and his sonnes died the one after the other By which mishappe Naomi being cast into great sorrowe and destitute of their companie whose deare familiaritie she had preferred before the loue of her countrey changing her resolution according to those occurrences that had happened her she determined to returne vnto her friends by reason she had receiued intelligence that her countrey at that time was in good estate But her daughter in lawes could no waies endure to be separated from her and will shee nill shee they would needs accompany her but she wishing them a more happy marriage then that which they enioyed with her sonnes and in all other things prosperitie and protesting vnto them that there was no abilitie in her to doe them good she besought them that they would stay in that place and not desiring to follow their wretched mother in law in an vncertaine euent to lose the certaine pleasure and peaceable fruition of their countrey These her perswasions tooke effect with Orpha but Ruth resolued in no sort to forsake her attended on her mother in law as an assured and future companion of whatsoeuer fortune should fal vpon her Now when as both of them were arriued in Bethleem Boos Abimelechs kinsman entertained them in his house and whereas the Citizens called her by the name of Naamis she said vnto them that it was more seemely for them to call her Mara for Naomi in the Hebrew toong signifieth good hap and Mara is as much to say as bitternesse Whereas then it was haruest time Ruth by the permission of her mother went out into the fields to glean and gather corne for her sustenance and it fortuned that she met by good hap in the fields with Boos who came thither likewise not long after who beholding her enquired and questioned with the chiefe reaper as touching the woman Now had he a little before that time vnderstood by her her whole estate which hee declared vnto his master who gaue her thankes for the good affection which she bare vnto her mother in law and of the care she had of her deceased sonne whom Ruth had married wishing her in effect all good fortune and not suffering her to gleane he permitted her to reape and to gather all that which she might commanding his master-reaper that he should no waies let her from taking whatsoeuer she pleased giuing order likewise that when the reapers should take their refection they should giue her both meate and drinke Now when as Ruth had receiued graine at their hands she reserued it for her mother in lawe and came home at night and brought her the sheaues In like manner Naomi had reserued a portion of certaine victuals for her which in way of honour her neighbours had sent her Vpon her returne Ruth reported vnto her all those words that Boos had said vnto her and Naomi gaue her to vnderstand that Boos was of her kin that it might be that he was moued by deuotion towards God to haue care of her Some other daies after Ruth issued againe with Boos handmaides to gather her gleanings And certaine daies after and about that time that they threshed barley Boos came and slept on the floore which when Naomi vnderstood she bethought her selfe of some subtill practise whereby shee might make Ruth lie with him presuming that it would be a verie good fortune for the yoong woman if they might grow in acquaintance togither for which cause she sent her to sleepe at his feeto Ruth that made it a conscience to contradict hir mother in lawe in whatsoeuer she commaunded her repaired thither and vpon her first arriuall Boos perceiued nothing because he was fast asleepe but when he awaked about midnight and felt that there was some body that lay fast by him he demaunded what she was whereupon she told him her name requesting him as her master that he would permit her to repose in that place for that time But early in the morning before the seruants began to fall to their worke he commanded her to arise and to take as much barley with her as she could beare to the end she might returne vnto her mother in lawe before that any man might perceiue that she had slept in that place because it is wisedome to auoide slaunder especially at such time when there is
occasion offered for a man to speake ill Touching the rest said he the matter standeth thus Thou hast a kinsman said he that is more neere thee in bloud then I am thou must enquire of him if it be his pleasure to take thee to his wife if he saith that he liketh thee thou then must necessarily submit vnto him but if he refuse thee I will take thee for my wife according as the lawe intendeth Now when she had reported these newes vnto her mother in lawe she gathered courage and conceiued hope that Boos would take care of her Thereupon Boos came into the Citie about noone-daies and called a councell of the Elders and sent for Ruth and his kinsman to whom in person he spake thus Doest thou possesse the heritage of Abimelech and his successors Who when he had publikely declared that he was seased thereof in right of proximitie according to the ordinance of the lawe Boos replyed Thou must not saith he onely obserue the lawes in part but thou must precisely execute them according as they are For behold here a yoong woman whom it behooueth thee to marrie according to the law if thou wilt be inheritor of his possessions But he surrendred vnto Boos not onely the possessions but also the woman by reason that Boos was allied also to those that were dead and especially for that the said kinsman had already both wife and children Boos therefore hauing first of all taken witnesse of all the councell called for the woman and willed her to draw neere vnto her kinsman and to vnloose his shoe and strike him on the face according as the law had ordained which done Boos espoused Ruth by whom about a yeare after he had a sonne which Naomi brought vp and by the aduice of the women she called his name Obed because she had nourished him in her age for Obed in the Hebrew tongue signifieth a slaue Obed begat Iesse and Iesse Dauid who was king and who left the Realme vnto his successours for one and twentie generations of men I haue beene enforced to declare these things as touching Ruth because I haue an intent to declare the power of God to whom it is possible to raise men from obscuritie to the highest tip and tittle of dignitie as he hath chosen Dauid who descended from these of whom I haue spoken The affaires of the Hebrewes were at this time in verie poore estate and they armed themselues anew against the Philistines vpon this occasion The high Priest Eli had two sonnes Ophni and Phinees They against all right and law offering outrages to men and vrging impieties against God suffered no sinne to ouerslip them which they committed not for they tooke presents partly in way of honour partly rauished by force and rapine And as touching those women that came vnto the Tabernacle in way of deuotion they abused them and rauishing some against their wils and corrupting some other by presents they so lewdly liued that their life seemed to be a true and licentious tyrannie for this cause their father was sore displeased with them but the people were so much the more ouerburdened with griefe because as yet they perceiued not that Gods punishmēt should so sodainly fal vpon them But incontinently after that God had declared to Eli and the Prophet Samuel who about that time was verie young what mishappe should fall vpon Elies children he mourned ouer them as if they had beene alreadie dead But I will first of all declare somwhat vnto you as concerning the Prophet Samuel and afterwards wil I speak of the children of Eli what inconueniēt fell vpon all the Hebrew nation Elcana was a Leuite of base condition liuing in Ramatha a part of Ephraim he had maried two wiues the one called Anna the other Phenanna by Phenanna he had children yet notwithstanding loued he Anna verie intirely although she were barren Now as Elcana with his wiues repaired to Silo where the Tabernacle of God was resident as we haue before declared to the intent to offer sacrifice in that place whilest I say during the festiuall he distributed the portion of his meat to his wiues and children Anna beholding the children of his other wife sitting round about their mother began to weepe and lament with her selfe because she was without issue and alone And after that by her grief she had ouercome all that consolation which her husband could giue her she went vnto the Tabernacle to beseech God that it might please him to giue her a sonne and make her a mother promising that her first begotten sonne should be dedicated vnto the seruice of God and should lead a particular life farre differing from that of other liuing men And for that she employed long time in making her praiers the hie Priest Eli who sate before the Tabernacle commaunded hir to depart from thence supposing that she had tasted too much wine but after that she had told him that she drunke nothing but water and that being oppressed with griefe she was come into the Tabernacle to beseech God that it might please him to grant her children he exhorted her to be of good courage promising her that God had heard her praiers whereupon she returned to her husband replenished with good hope and tooke her repast with ioy and gladnes When as then they returned to their owne house she began to waxe big with child and at last she bare a little young sonne whom she called Samuel that is to say Requested at Gods hands Afterwards they returned to offer sacrifice and giue thanks vnto God for the birth of the child which God had giuen them and to bring their tenths whereupon the woman remembring her of the vow she had made in his behalfe deliuered him into the hands of Eli and consecrated him vnto God to be his Prophet For which cause they suffered his haire to grow and he dranke nothing but water and Samuel was nourished and brought vp in the Temple Elcana had by Anna other sonnes and three daughters But as touching Samuel incontinently after he attained to the age of twelue yeares he prophecied On a certaine night therefore whilest he slept God called him by his name and he supposing that the high Priest had wakened him came vnto him but he told him that he had not called him This notwithstanding God continued to call him three times whereat Eli being fore amased he said vnto him Samuel I neither now at this present nor before this time haue spoken vnto thee but it is God that calleth thee answere him therefore and say here I am Now it chanced that he heard the voice of God once more and he required him that it might please him to speake and he would answere not failing any waies to doe him seruice in that wherein he should command him Whereunto God answered saying since saith he thou art here know that so great a calamitie shall
of iustice in Bethel and that the other should giue audience at Bersabe diuiding the people and attributing each part to his particular Iudge In these was there a manifest example and infallible testimonie that children are not alwaies borne like vnto their fathers but that sometimes of euil parents there are good children bred as contrariwise at that time of a good father there were euill sonnes begotten For forsaking the instructions of their father they followed a quite contrarie course and oppressed iustice thorow corruptions and rewards and swallowed vp and surfeited in delights and pleasures they both contemned the will of God and the instructions of their father who had no other care then that the people should study to liue well and vprightly CHAP. IIII. How the people being displeased with the manners and gouernment of the sonnes of Samuel demanded a King WHen as therefore the people perceiued that the sonnes of the Prophet had committed so many outrages against their lawes and pollicie they were very sore displeased and had recourse vnto their father where hee dwelled in the Citie of Ramatha where reckoning vp vnto him the misdemeanors of his sonnes and how thorow the multitude of his yeares he was vnfit according to his accustomed manner to administer the affaires of the common weale they earnestly intreated and besought him that he would nominate and elect some King ouer them who might both command their nation and Empire and exact due punishment on the Palestines for their many and too oftentimes offered iniuries This resolution of the people grieuously tormented Samuels minde who by reason of his innated and vpright iustice misliked of the kingly authoritie as a stile and state too imperious for he greatly delighted himselfe in the Aristocracie or gouernment of the elders deeming no estate more conducible or auaileable for the securitie and prosperitie of the people then that was And so did this matter distemper and distract this man as by reason of his care he could neither tast food nor entertaine sleepe but all the night long tossed and tumbled in his bed during those tmies complotting imagining many things in his mind Whilest these his indispositions continued God appeared vnto him comforted him willing him not to be agrieued at that which the people had required but that he should suppose that this iniurie not onely concerned him but God himselfe whom they disclaimed also for their king and sole gouernour ouer them The effect whereof they had complotted from the day that they departed out of Aegypt but eare it be long said he they shall repent themselues yet shall not their repentance vndoe that which shall be done and it shall appeare by those counsailes they haue taken that they haue bin contemners ingratefull toward me by their own confession and towards thee also which hast been their Prophet I will therefore that thou choose them a king and such a one as I shall nominate vnto thee after thou hast aduertised them what euils they shall endure at such time as they shall haue a King and hast publikely declared vnto them what inconuenients follow the change which so vehemently and vnhappily they pursue When Samuel vnderstood these sayings he assembled the people about the breake of day and protested publikely vnto them that he would establish them a King But saith he before I shall effect that which you request I must expose and declare vnto you what estate you shall liue in being vnder the subiection of royaltie how many and grieuous euils you shall be pressed withall by those Kings that shal gouerne you Know therfore first of all that they will take your children from you make some of them coachmen and other some their horsemen and archers of their guard others their posts and tribunes and centurions some likewise their handicraftsmen and armorers and chariot-makers and smithes and forgers of other sorts of weapons besides husbandmen of his fields and plowes and diggers of his vineyards neither is there any thing which they shall not be cōpelled to do after the manner of bondslaues that are bought with money They shall take your daughters also and make them their perfumers cookes and bakers and they shall imploy them in all seruile offices whereunto their chambermaides are to be imployed either by stripes or torture They shall take from you your substance and giue it to their Eunuches and guard They shall take your slocks and distribute them amongst their seruants In a word you and all yours shall serue one king and shall be of no better reckoning then the slaues of his houshold When you shall endure these paines then shall you call to remembrance all these things which I haue tolde you and with repentance you shall beseech God that he will haue mercie vpon you and giue you a speedy deliuerance from the seruitude of your kings but he shall not respect your prayers but neglecting and repulsing them shall suffer you to beare the penaltie of your euill counsaile Although these future inconueniences were foretold them yet did the people neglect and set light by them and not suffering that sinister opinion which before that time they had conceiued in their minds to be altered or frustrated in them they insisted with all obstinacie requiring without any care of future mishaps that they might haue a king created ouer them because as they said it was very necessary that they should haue a king that might wage warre with them to reuenge them on their enemies and represse their aduersaries forces and that there was no absurditie in it but that they might be gouerned in the same sort as their neighbours were Samuel perceiuing that his perswasions could preuaile nothing at all with them and that they could not be diuerted from that resolution wherein they persisted he spake thus Go your waies for this time euerie one of you vnto your houses and I will cause you to be assembled when the cause requireth and when God shall haue informed me what king he will giue you CHAP. V. Saul by the commandement of God is declared King THere was a certaine man of the tribe of Beniamin noble in birth and commendable in manners called Cis who had a yoong sonne faire in face great in body hauing a spirit and iudgement farre more excellent then were the lineaments and perfections of his body whose name was Saul This Cis hauing faire Asses wherein he tooke more pleasure then in any other kinde of cattell had lost certaine of them which were straied from the rest of his flocke whereupon he sent his son accompanied with a seruant to search seeke them out who hauing trauersed and trauailed in quest of them thorow all his fathers tribe iourneied thorow the rest of the tribes without any hope or inckling of them for which cause hee determined to returne home againe for feare least his father should conceiue some care and griefe in
of them perished being loaden with sleep gorged with wine They likewise that were compleatly armed intending to make resistance were as easily slaine as they that lay naked vpon the earth Thus Dauids men abode with him from the first hower of the morning till the euening doing nought else but kill murther that that only foure hundreth of the Amalechites escaped who likewise fled being mounted on their Dromodaries So recouered he all that which the enemie had ransackt and amongst other things he released both his own wiues those of his companions Wherupon they returned to the place where they had left the other two hundreth which might not follow them because they were appointed to guard the baggage To these the abouesaid foure hundreth would not grant a part of the booty and profit because they had not as they said followed the enimie with them but shewed themselues slacke in the pursuit alledging that they ought to content themselues with the recouerie of their wiues But Dauid said that the sentence which was pronounced by them was both euill and vniust for since God had granted them the grace to defeat their enemies all of them merited to haue part in the profit which ought equally to be deuided amongst them both amongst those that had fought and amongst those likewise that staied behiâ—…d to guard the baggage And from that day forward this ordinance hath beene held firmely amongst them that they that keepe the baggage should haue equall part and portion of the pray with those that should goe out to the battell But when Dauid was returned to Siceleg he sent vnto all his familiars and friends of the tribe of Iuda a seuerall part of the spoyle In this manner was Siceleg sacked and burned and thus were the Amalechites discomfited But the Philistines assailed and fought a bloudie battell with Saul and his followers wherein the Philistines had the vpper hand and slew a great number of their enemies Saul king of Israell with his sonnes fought therin verie valiantly and with stout hearts seeing that all their honour consisted in that onely point to die nobly and to hazard themselues against all camisadoes of their enemies For since the Philistines bent all their forces against them they saw no meanes of recouerie so that encompassed by them they died in the middest of them and yet before their death slewe a great number of the Philistines There were there present Sauls three sonnes Ionathan Aminadab and Melchi who being defeated all the Hebrewe armie turned their backes so that being instantly pursued by the enemie there fell a great disorder confusion and slaughter amongst them Saul fled also although he had about him a strong squadron of men And although the Philistines marshalled foorth against him a multitude of archers that shot many dartes and arrowes at him yet were they all but a verie fewe repulsed and although he had fought verie brauely hauing receiued on him diuers wounds yet being vnable to support the paine and griefe of his woundes and trauailed with shortnesse of breath he commanded his esquier to drawe his sword and to thrust it thorow his body before he should be surprised aliue by his enemies which his esquire refused to doe not daring to lay hands vpon his master For which cause Saul drew his owne sword and setled the point to his breast and cast himselfe thereon but vnable to force it home enough nor make it by goaring himselfe thereon to pierce quite thorow him he looked backe and perceiued a yoong man hard beside him of whom he demaunded what he was and hearing that hee was an Amalechite he requested him that since himselfe was vnable to pierce himselfe with his owne hands that he would leaue vpon him and make the sword passe thorow him and bring him to that death which he so earnestly desired which he did and hauing taken from him the gold which he had about his armes and the royall crowne likewise he fled away The Esquire seeing Saul dead sodainly slew himselfe Not one of all the kings guard escaped but all of them were slaine neere vnto the mountaine Gelboa When they that inhabited the valley on the other side of Iordan and in the plaine had intelligence that Saul and his sonnes were dead and with them a great number of their nation was slaine they abandoned their Cities and fled to others that were more defenced The Philistines finding these Cities destitute of inhabitants encamped therein The next day whilest the Philistines spoyled the dead they found the bodies of Saul and his sons which they spoyled beheaded sending their heads round about the countrey to make it knowne that their enemies were defeated They offered vp their armes also in the temple of Astaroth and as for their bodies they hung them on the wals of the Citie of Bethsan at this day called Scythopolis When they of Iabes a Citie of Galaad vnderstood how the Philistines had thus cut off the heads of Saul and his sonnes they were sore moued and thought it became them not to be so carelesse of them but that they should be rescued For which cause the most valiant and hardie amongst them for that Citie bringeth vp men both valiant in heart and strong in body departed and marched all night long so as they attained Bethsan and approching neere the wals tooke downe the body of Saul and his sonnes and carried them vnto Iabes without any resistance of the enemy in that they durst not attempt the rescue These Iabesians lamented ouer their dead bodies and made publike lamentations and buried them in the fairest place of their countrey which place is called Arar They mourned after this manner weeping both men and women and children and beating their breasts and lamenting the king and his sonnes and tasting neither meat nor drinke This was the end of Saul according as Samuel had foretold him because he had disobeyed God in his war against the Amalechites and for that he had slaine the race of Achimelech and Achimelech himselfe also and destroyed the Citie of the Priests He raigned during the life of Samuel for the space of eighteene yeares and twentie two yeares after his death Thus finished Saul his life THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 7. booke 1 Dauid is created king of one tribe in Hebron ouer the rest Sauls sonne obtaineth the soueraignty 2 Isboseth is slaine by the treacherie of his domesticall seruants and the whole kingdome commeth vnto Dauid 3 Dauid hauing surprised the Citie and cittadell of Ierusalem driueth the Chananites from thence and causeth the Iewes to inhabit the same 4 Dauid assayled by the Philistines obtaineth a famous victorie against them neere vnto Ierusalem 5 Dauid ouercomming the neighbouring nations imposeth tributes on them 6 They of Damasco are ouercome by Dauid 7 How Dauid ouercame the Mesopotamians 8 How
the soueraigntie and honour whereunto they are raised imposeth that title on them and the name that was giuen them by their fathers is no more retained For this cause it is as I thinke that although Herodotus of Halicarnasseus saith that since Minos the founder of Memphis there haue been three hundreth and thirtie kings of Aegypt yet declareth he not their names because they were called Pharaohs For when after these a woman had obtained the kingdome he calleth her by her owne proper name Nicaule Whence it appeareth that the men who haue been kings were vsually called by this name and that it had not been communicated vnto this woman for which cause it was necessarie to declare her owne first name For mine owne part I haue found in the bookes of our nations that since Pharao who was father in law to Salomon no one of the kings of Aegypt haue been called by that name and that some little while after the aforenamed woman came vnto Salomon who raigned in Aegypt and Aethiopia of whom a little after we wil make some discourse And at this present I haue made mention of it to make it knowne that our records and the Chronicles of the Aegyptians accord in many things But King Salomon conquered the Chanaanites which till that time were not vnder his sub iection and those that inhabited the mountaine Libanus as farre as the Citie of Amath and made them tributaries and chose out amongst them euerie yeare such as he might employ in seruile actions and in domesticall businesse and tillage of the sand For no one Hebrew was a slaue neither was it conuenient that since God had subiected diuers nations vnder them whom they might make slaues of that they should tie those of their owne nation to that bondage who were all of them employed in armes and rather tooke delight to mount chariots and to ride horses then to drudge like slaues Ouer the Chanaanites whom he imployed in his seruice he appointed fiue hundreth and fiftie commissaries who had their charge and authoritie from the king and tasked them to those works and handy-labours wherin they imployed them He builded a nauy also in the gulph of Aegypt in a certaine place of the red sea called Asiongaber which is named Berenice not farre from the Citie of Elana which countrey in times past appertained to the Iewes And toward the building of this nauy he obtained of Hiram king of Tyre a very conuenient furtherance for he sent him modles of ships and men that were skilfull in nauigation whom he charged to saile with his procurers and factors to the countrey at that time called Ophir and at this present the Land of golde in the countrey of India to bring gold from thence who returned backe againe vnto the King after they had gathered about foure hundreth talents About this time the Queene of Aegypt and Aethiopia a woman adorned with wisedome and admirable in all other things hauing heard of the renowmed vertue and prudence of Salomon was touched with a desire both to see him as them also that were reported daily to attend him and for that cause came in person vnto the king vnder purpose to confirme her beliefe by experience and not by hearesay For oftentimes report is no other thing but a false opinion which is beleeued by one or other and is but only grounded on relation She therefore resolued to come and see him especially to make trial of his wisedome which she narrowly sisted by proposing certain difficult questions vnto him which she had conceiued in her minde She therfore repaired vnto Ierusalem with great pompe glorie and riches for she brought with her certaine Camels charged with gold odors and pretious stones of great valew After that the King had gratiously entertained her and honoured her in all thinges he easily comprehended in his minde those doubts which she had proposed vnto him and gaue her a more speedy solution of the same then might be expected so that she was rauished with the incredible wisedome of Salomon knowing by effect that it exceeded the report which she had heard of him But in especiall she wondered at his pallace considering the greatnesse and beautie thereof and aboue all the rich furniture and curious architecture of the same wherein she perceiued the great wisedome of the king But aboue all the house called Liban and the magnificence of his ordinarie table and the apparell and seruice of the same made her astonished The attire of his seruants likewise and the goodly order which they obserued in their seruice moreouer the sacrifices that were euery day offered vp vnto God and the care and diligence of the priests in discharging their offices rauished her more then all the rest when she obserued them daily and not able to contain her selfe within the termes of astonishment at that she saw she manifestly expressed how wonderfully she was affected expressing to the king in her plaine and publike discourse that she knew not what to thinke of those things which she had beheld O King she said all that which a man knoweth by hearesay may be misbeleeued But the renowme which is come vnto our eares as touching your riches both those which you haue in your selfe I meane your wisedome and prudence as those also which your kingdome hath brought you is neither false nor fained which notwithstanding yet doth it make your felicitie farre lesse then that which I see before mine eies for report dependeth only on hearesay neither giueth it so certaine a notice of things as the sight discouereth and representeth when one is neere vnto the same For mine owne part in that I gaue no credit to the greatnesse multitude of that I haue heard I haue seene farre more then I could expect and repute the people of the Hebrewes to be most happy and your seruants and friends most blessed who are continual witnesses and hearers of your wisedome And each one of you ought to giue God thanks that he hath so much loued this region the inhabitants therof that he hath established you in the royall seat I will discouer likewise how besides her words she expressed her affection she bare vnto the king in testifying the same by diuers presents which she offered vnto him For she gaue him twentie talents of gold an innumerable quantitie of sweet odors and precious stones It is said likewise that we haue that plant which distilleth balme and which our country bringeth forth at this day by the gift of this Princesse Salomon for his part requited her boūtiful presents with the like which she made choise of according to her own liking for there was nothing which she could require which he granted not vnto her shewing himselfe most ready to giue her satisfaction with a liberall and royall hart When the Queene of Aegypt and Aethiopia had receiued these fauors at the kings hands according as it hath been
a seruile fearefull maner being all his life time enemy to Ieroboam He died after he had liued fiftie seuen yeares wherof he raigned 17. He was a haughtie and vndiscreete man who lost his estate because he would not giue credit to his fathers friends He was buried in Ierusalem in the sepulcher of the kings and his sonne Abias succeeded him in his raigne at such time as Ieroboam had alreadie raigned eighteene yeares ouer the tenne tribes Thus were these things terminated It behooueth now at this present to declare that which Ieroboam did afterwards and how he died He obseruing no meane or end of his impietie imployed himselfe continually in making of Altars and high places and presumed to ordaine common sacrificers But God withheld not long time to heape the punishment of those his impieties on the head of him and of all his posteritie Whereas therefore his sonne Obimes was sicke about that time he commaunded his wife to lay aside her royal garment and to apparrel her selfe like a common woman and afterwards to go to Achias the Prophet assuring her that he was admirable for his knowledge in foretelling things to come and had foretold him that he should be king for which cause he willed her to repaire vnto him after the manner of a straunger and enquire of him if her sonne should escape that sicknes Whereupon she disguised her selfe according as her husband had commaunded her came vnto the Citie of Silo where Achias dwelt as she was vpon entring his house notwithstanding hee had lost his sight thorow age God appeared vnto him and certified him in these two points first that Ieroboams wife came vnto him and next all that he should answere to her demaund At such time therefore as she entred into his house after the guise of a common and straunge woman Achias cried with a loud voice Enter thou wife of Ieroboam wherefore hidest thou thy selfe Thou canst not hide thy selfe from God who hath certified me of thy comming and hath informed me what aunswere I shall giue vnto thee He therefore said vnto her that she should returne vnto her husband and certifie him of Gods answere to this effect Of little and nothing that thou wert I haue made thee great and hauing dismembred the kingdome from Dauids posteritie I haue giuen it vnto thee but thou hast forgotten the same hauing forsaken my seruice hast molten downe new gods whom thou honourest so also will I exterminate thee and abolish all thy posteritie and cast them off for a pray vnto dogs and fowles of the ayre For I wil constitute a king ouer my people that shall leaue no one of Ieroboams race aliue The people also shall haue part of this punishment and shall be depriued of this their fruitfull countrey and be scattered among the regions on the other side of Euphrates because they haue followed the impieties of their king and adoring those gods that were forged by him haue giuen ouer my sacrifice And as concerning thy selfe O woman haste thee and certifie thy husband of these things For thou shalt find thy sonne dead for no sooner shalt thou enter into the Citie but he shall finish his daies He shall be buried with the lamentation of the whole people in generall For he onely was good of all the race of Ieroboam When Achias had finished his prophecie the woman started backe sore troubled and dismaide thorow the daunger of her sonne and went lamenting onward on her way wounded with the future death of him and by reason of her so earnest affection she was afflicted with incredible torments The haste which she vsed was importunate because of her sonne whom she should see dead by so much the sooner she hasted homeward but it behooued her to vse expedition in the behalfe of her husband Whenas therefore she was arriued she found her sonne expiring as the Prophet had foretold her and recited the rest vnto Ieroboam CHAP. V. Ieroboams expedition against the sonne of Roboam the ouerthrow of his armie and how Basanes rooted out the whole posteritie of Ieroboam and made himselfe king BVt Ieroboam was nothing moued herewith but leuied a great armie with an intent to make warre against Abias the sonne of Roboam who had obtained his fathers kingdome ouer the two tribes For he despised him because he was young in yeares This notwithstanding the young king was no whit dismaide although he vnderstood of Ieroboams comming but with greater wisedome then was incident to his yeares and beyond all expectation of his forward aduersarie he leuied an armie of two tribes with which he encountred Ieroboam at the mountaine of Samaria where incamping his host neere vnto him he prouided all things in a readinesse that were requisite for the battell and had with him foure hundreth thousand fighting men but Ieroboam had twise as many Now when the armies were arranged and expected to giue the allarum and charge Abias stood vp in a certaine high place from whence he might be seene and heard making a signe with his hand he required that Ieroboam and the people would first of al heare him peaceably which granted to him each one attēding in silence he brake out into these words There is none of you but knoweth that God hath promised the kingdome to Dauid and his posteritie for euer I therefore greatly admire how you haue reuolted from my father to submit your selues to Ieroboam his seruant whom at this present you accompany to warre against those whom God hath ordained to raigne and to take the kingdome from them the greater part whereof Ieroboam vsurpeth iniustly euen at this day and which as I suppose he shall not enioy long time For he shall be punished by God and shall cease to contradict his lawes and to dishonour them as he doth continually in perswading you to do the like You haue receiued no iniurie at my fathers hands but by reason that he was misled by the sinister counsails of certaine wicked persons spake vnto you certain words which in apparance seemed vnfitting in your eares you haue forsaken him in your displeasure but in effect you haue separated your selues from God and his commaundements Truly you should haue pardoned a young man vntrained and vntaught in oratorie not only for the rude words which he vsed but although his youth and ignorance should haue moued him to commit some churlish and indiscreet action or errour yet should you haue endured the same For the fathers demerites ought to serue and satisfie the childrens defects But you haue had no regard of all this neither then nor at this present but leade forth a great army against vs. But whereupon ground you the hope of your victorie Is it on your calues of gold is it on your Altars on the mountaines which are witnesses of your impietie and irreligion Is it your great number that surpasseth ours by farre that maketh
them daily in complotting worser wickednesse For he imitated all their impieties and wickednes but especially the apostasie of Ieroboam for he adored those calues that were erected by him and besides that he added farre worse impieties then the former He tooke to wife Iezabel the daughter of Ithobal King of the Tyrians and Sidonians of whom he learned to adore the gods of her nation for she was a busie and audacious woman and of such immeasurable madnesse that she feare not to build a temple in honour of Bel the god of the Tyrrians and to plant a wood furnished with all kinde of trees and to ordaine priests and false prophets also in honour of that God The king also tooke delight to haue these kindes of men oftentimes about him exceeding all other kings before him in madnes and malice To him came a certaine prophet sent by the Almighty God that was borne in Thesbon in Galaad telling him that he foreprophecied that neither dew nor raine should fal on the earth a long time vntil that himselfe who was prepared to depart frō him should appeare again vnto him and binding the same with an oath for the better confirmation thereof he retired himselfe to the Southward where he liued by a certain riuer from whence he fetcht his drinke for his meat was daily brought him by certaine Crowes Now when the riuer thorow want of raine was waxen drie God commanded him to repaire vnto Sareptha a Citie not farre from Sidon and Tyre and scituate in the midst betweene them both where he should finde a widow woman who should furnish him with food As soone therefore as he drew neere vnto the gate he saw a woman that liued by her labour gathering of sticks and God gaue him to vnderstand that it was she who should nourish him Wherupon he came vnto her and saluted her praying her that she would bring him some water to coole his thirst and as she was ready to depart he called her backe againe and willed her to bring him some bread also Whereupon she swore that she had nothing in her house but a handfull of flower and a little oyle and that she was come forth to gather sticks to the end she might bake the same and make bread for her selfe and her sonne and when they had eaten the same they must needly perish thorow famine because they had not any thing more left them Go said the prophet and be of good courage and conceiue better hopes and when thou hast prepared meate for me bring it me for I tell thee that thy pitcher of meale shall neither faile nor thy pot of oyle be emptie vntill that God send raine vpon the earth When the Prophet had spoken thus she approched neere vnto him and performed that which he commanded and shee her selfe had sufficient to feede vpon and shee gaue the rest vnto her son and to the prophet so that they wanted nothing so long as the drougth continued Menander maketh mention of this default of raine in the acts of Ithobal king of the Tyrians speaking after this manner In his time there was a season without raine from the moneth of October vntill October in the next yeare after but vpon his supplication and request there fell great store of thunder He builded the Citie of Botris in Phenicia Auzate in Libya Doubtlesse he expressed herby the drougth that hapned in Achabs time for about that time Ithobale raigned ouer the Tyrians as Menander testifieth in his historie This woman of whom we haue spoken heretofore that nourished the Prophet seeing her sonne fallen sicke lying senseles as if he had beene alreadie dead or yeelding vp of the ghost wept brake out into such passionate laments as were answerable to her desolate estate said that the cause of her misfortune was in that the Prophet was come into her house and had discouered her sinnes and that for the same cause her sonne was dead But he recomforted her and willed her to be of a good courage and commanded her to bring the child vnto him assuring her that he would restore him to life Now when she had brought him he tooke the child and bare him into his lodging where he remained and laid him on his bed cried out vnto god saying that he had but slenderly recompenced her that had receiued and nourished him if so be her sonne should be taken from her hee therefore besought him that he would returne the soule into the bodie restore life vnto the infant Whereupon God hauing compassion on the mother and being willing to gratifie the Prophet and to the intent that no man might suppose that he came vnto her to endomage her he restored the child to life beyond all expectation For which the mother gaue thanks vnto the Prophet saying that by this meanes she was thorowly perswaded that God had spoken vnto him Not long after hee sought out Achab according as God had commaunded him to let him vnderstand that he should haue raine At that time the famine raigned ouer the whole country and there was great want of necessarie victuals so that men did not onely faint for want of bread but the earth also for want of raine could not bring forth that which was requisite for the sustenance of horses and other cattell The king therefore calling Obediah vnto him who was the master of his heards he commaunded him that he should each way seeke out for fountaines and brookes willing him that if he found out any grasse he should mow the same and giue it to his cattell for their sustenance And whereas by his commaund the Prophet Elias was sought in diuers places and could not be found he willed Obediah also to follow him So taking both of them seuerall waies the king followed one and the master of the cattell an other This Obediah was a godly and vertuous man who when the Prophets were put to death hid one hundreth of them in dens and sustained them with bread and water After this man was departed from the king Elias met with him and asked him what he was which when he had certified him he humbled himselfe on his face before him Elias commaunded him to repaire vnto the king and to certifie him that he was hard at hand Obediah asked him wherein he had offended him that he would make him a minister and messenger vnto him who had sought to kill him and had by-laid the countrey to apprehend him For there was not any streight whither he sent not some of his men to find out Elias with charge that if they found him they should put him to death Now it may so be said he that whilest I repaire vnto the king the spirit of God wherewith thou art fulfilled will carry thee away and the king not finding thee here and frustrate of his desire will reuenge himselfe on my head Be thou not therefore so secure by
of his people the death of his wiues and children and lastly his owne death which should happen vnto him by a sicknesse in his belly wherewith hee should be so tormented that his entrailes strangely rotting within him should drop out of his belly and that he himselfe should see his misery which should be such as neither might be recouered by medicine or should euer leaue him vntill he had finished his daies These things did Elias denounce vnto him by his letters CHAP. III. Iorams armie is discomfited his sonnes are slaine except one and himselfe finally dieth a miserable death NOt long after the Arabian army that dwel towards Aethiopia confederating themselues with other Barbarians inuaded Iorams countrey and spoiled the same and ransacked the kings house and slew his sons and daughters and left him but one onely sonne called Ochozias who escaped from his enemies hands After this 〈◊〉 he himselfe was strooken with a long sicknes according as the Prophet had foretold him for God powred his displeasure vpon his entrailes whereupon he died miserably seeing them fall out of his belly The people likewise handled his bodie ignominiously supposing as I thinke that being cut off in that sort by Gods displeasure he was vnworthie of royall funerall for he was not buried in the sepulcher of the kings neither was there any honour done vnto him He liued fortie yeares and raigned eight and they of Ierusalem made his sonne Ochozias king CHAP. IIII. The king of Damasco warreth against the king of Israel IOram king of Israel hoping after the death of Adad to recouer Ramath in Galaad from the Assyrians after he had made greater preparation and apparation for the warre he led his army against the same In this siege he was hurt by an arrow which was shot by a certaine Syrian but not vnto the death and retired himselfe into the Citie of Iezrael vntill he were recouered of his wounds leauing behind him his whole armie at the siege of Ramath vnder the conduct of Iehu the sonne of Nimshi who tooke the Citie by force intending vpon his recouery to make warre against the Syrians But the Prophet Elizeus sent one of his disciples to Ramath gaue him the holy oyle and willed him to annoint Iehu to say vnto him that God had chosen and annointed him for king and after he had informed him likewise in certaine other instructions he commaunded him to depart after the manner of one that flieth making no man priuie of his departureâ—… When this disciple of his came vnto the appointed Citie he found Iehu sitting in the midst of the captaines at warre according as Elizaeus had told him and drawing neere vnto him he told him that he would communicate certaine secrets with him for which cause he arose and followed him into his chamber Whereupon the young man taking out the oile poured it on his head saying that God had chosen him to exterminate the race of Achab and reuenge the bloud of the Prophets vniustly murthered by Iezabel and that both he and his house might be brought to nought in like sort as the sonnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat and the children of Basa were extinguished for their impietie so that no one of the race of Achab might suruiue in the world As soone as he had spoken thus he issued out of the chamber with all speed endeuouring that he might not be discouered by any of the army Now when as Iehu was come out he returned to his place where he sate with the captains who demaunded of him besought him to declare vnto them wherefore the young man came vnto him alledging that they supposed him to be out of his wits Truly said he you haue diuined well for he hath talked vnto me after the manner of a mad man wherein they desirous to vnderstand wherefore he came and beseeching him to expresse the cause he told them what he had said vnto him namely how God had chosen him to beking ouer the people As soone as he had spoken these words euery one of them cast off their garments spred them before him and sounding a trumpet they proclaimed Iehu king who assembling his army determined to conduct them toward the Citie of Iezrael against Ioram who lay there to recouer his wound which he had receiued at the siege of Ramath in Galaad as we haue heretofore declared Thither also was resorted in way of friendship and consanguinitie Ochozias king of Ierusalem both to visit Ioram and to see how he was recouered of his wound for he was his nephew and sonne vnto his sister as we haue said before Iehu desirous to surprise Ioram and his followers on the sodaine made an ordinance by which he prohibited that none of his soldiers should runne before to giue any intelligence of his repaire vnto Ioram alledging that it should be a manifest demonstration of their good will towards him whereas contrariwise they that did otherwise declared that they held him not for their king CHAP. V. Ioram with all his race is slaine by Iehu Ochozias king of Ierusalem is likewise slaine with him THe men of warre were very ioyful to execute this his ordinance and garded the waies to the intent that no man might secretly steale into Iezrael and beare tidings to the inhabitants of that which had hapned Meane while Iehu attended by certaine of his choicest horsemen and mounted â—…n his owne person vpon a chariot marched towards Iezrael And when as he drew neere vnto the Citie the sentinell that was appointed by Ioram to discouer those that repaired to the Citie perceiued Iehu resorting thither with a multitude of attendants and told Ioram that a troupe of horsemen were at hand Whereupon a scout was sent out to discouer who they were who drawing neere vnto Iehu asked him what newes there was in the army telling him that the king was desirous to know the same Iehu willed him to take no care thereof but to follow after him The sentinell perceiuing this certified Ioram that the messenger whom he had sent trouped along with them that came and followed their generall Whereupon the king sent out a messenger the second time and Iehu commanded him to attend him as he did the first which the sentinell signified to Ioram likewise who finally mounted his chariot to go out and meet them accompanied with Ochozias king of Ierusalem who as we haue said was come into the Citie to see how the king recouered vpon his hurt because he was neerely allied vnto him But Iehu marched on softly in goodly array til Ioram meeting with him in the field of Naboth asked him how the army did Who in steed of answere reuiled him bitterly and called him the son of a poisoner of a harlot For which cause Ioram fearing his turbulent spirit and suspecting least he hammered vpon some sinister intent turned his back and fled away as swiftly as his chariot could be
sacrificed vpon the altar of thy God and to make whatsoeuer vessels of gold or siluer which either thou or thy brethren shall thinke meete Those sacred vessels also which are giuen thee thou shalt dedicate vnto thy God and if there be ought els requisite in this behalfe that according to thy wisedome shalt thou prouide and the charges shalt thou receiue out of my treasurie I haue also commended thee to the treasurers of Syria and Phoenicia and haue written to them that whatsoeuer Esdras the priest and reader of the lawe of God shall require they shall presently deliuer it him And to the end that God may be fauourable to me and my children my will is that a hundreth measures of wheat be giuen vnto God according to the law I commaund you also that are magistrates that you exact nothing neither impose any taxations on the Priests Leuites sacred singing men porters or holy officers But thou Esdras according to the wisedome giuen thee from aboue shalt appoint Iudges who shall in Syria and Phoenicia execute iustice vnto the people according to the science of the law Teach thou likewise freely all such as are ignorant so that whosoeuer violateth either Gods or the kings law he may be fined or els condemned to death as not sinning thorow ignorance but of contumacie Farewell When Esdras had receiued this letter he was wonderfully contented and began to adore God confessing openly that it was he who was the author of that fauour he had receiued at the kings hands for which cause he said that the onely thankesgiuing appertained to him And after he had read this letter vnto the Iewes that were at that time residentin Babylon he kept the originall but sent the copy to all those of his nation being in the countrey of the Medes who vnderstanding of the kings affection towards God and his fauour towards Esdras were very ioyful and diuers amongst them tooke their goods and came vnto Babylon desiring to returne to Ierusalem but all the rest of the Israelites would not abandon or leaue their quiet dwelling there For which cause it came to passe that two tribes were vnder the obedience of the Romans in Asia and Europe but the ten tribes were on the other side of Euphrates euen vntill this day being many infinites of thousands whose number may not be comprehended With Esdras there departed a great number of Priests Leuites porters singing men and seruants of the temple Now after that he had assembled those of the captiuitie that inhabited on this side Euphrates and soiourned there three daies he commanded them to solemnize a fast and to pray vnto God for his preseruation and that no euill might happen vnto him and that neither their enemies nor any other might doe them any violence For Esdras had foretold the king that God would be their protector and that therefore he required no conuoy of horsemen at his hand for his securitie After that they had recommended themselues vnto God they set forward on their way the twelfth day of the first moneth of the seuenth yeere of the raigne of Zerxes and arriued in Ierusalem in the fift moneth of the same yeere Whereupon he incontinently presented vnto the treasurers who were of the race of the Priests the siluer that was consecrated namely six hundreth and fiftie talents and siluer vessell a hundreth talents of vessell of golde twenty talents of brasen vessell more precious then gold waying twelue talents These were the presents of the king and his friends and of the Israelites that dwelt in Babylon When Esdras had deliuered these abouenamed presents vnto the hands of the priests he offered burnt offrings vnto God according to the law namely twelue bulles for the publike conseruation of the people 72. rammes and lambes twelue goates for the expiation of sinne And after them he deliuered the kings letters to his princes and gouernors in Coelosyria and Phoenicia who being constrained to execute that which was enioyned them by the king honoured the nation of the Iewes and supplied them euerie waies in their necessities This counsaile had Esdras himselfe giuen of their departure But in my opinion God hauing regard of his wisedome and integritie did happely aduance his deliberation Not long after this there came certaine men vnto him complaining that some of the people Priests and Leuites had transgressed against the pollicie and broken the lawes of the countrey for that they had espoused certaine strange women and confounded the race of the Priests requiring him that he would haue an inward regard to Gods ordinances for feare least he conceiuing a generall hatred against them all should send them anew some grieuous calamities For which cause Esdras deuoured with sorrowe incontinently rent his clothes and tore his haire and pulled his beard and cast himselfe vpon the ground because the principals amongst the people had part in that offence And for that he feared least if he should commaund them to forsake their wiues and those children they had begotten by them he should not be obeyed he persisted in griefe and lay continually couched vpon the ground Whereupon all those resorted vnto him who were not guiltie and wept and lamented with him for that which had hapned Whereupon Esdras raising himselfe from the earth and lifting vp his hands to heauen said that he was ashamed to looke thereupon because the offences of the people were so hainous who had forgotten the inconuenients that had befallen their forefathers for their impieties beseeching God that he would reserue some remainder and seede of the aduersitie and captiuitie which at that time hapned vnto thē that he would once more establish thē again in Ierusalem their natiue countrey that he would take compassion of them and grant them pardon for those sins which at that present were cōmitted by them for which though they deserued death yet hoped they in the mercies of God for their deliuerance Whilest thus both he and those that came vnto him lamented round about him with their wiues and children a certaine man called Achonius one of the principall men of Ierusalem repaired vnto him and said that they had sinned because they had espoused straunge women and perswaded Esdras to adiure them all to banish both them and the children begotten by them wishing that they who obeied not the law might be punished Esdras perswaded by these words made all the Princes of the Priests Leuites and tribes of Israel sweare that they would dismisse their wiues and children according to the counsaile of Achonius And as soone as he had receiued their othes he departed from the temple vnto Iohns house the sonne of Eliasib and there spent he all the day without tasting any meat by reason of the griefe which so inwardly he had conceiued Whenas therefore it was published by edict that all they that were returned from the captiuitie should repaire within two or three daies to Ierusalem vnder the penalty
he commaunded him to honour Nehemias and to furnish him with all things necessarie for that building which he intended As soone as he came to Babylon he tooke diuers of his countrimen with him who willingly followed him went with him vnto Ierusalem in the fiue and twentith yeare of the raigne of Xerxes and after he had presented his letters before God he deliuered them to Sadeas and the other gouernours Afterwards assembling the people in Ierusalem he stood vp in the midst of them and spake vnto the whole congregation to this effect You men of Iury there is none of you but knoweth that God hath our forefathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob in perpetuall memorie and that in regard of their iustice he hath neuer failed to haue care of vs by his mercy likewise I haue receiued the fauour from the king to repaire your wals and finish the rest of the temple I therefore pray you who are assuredly perswaded of the enuie and hatred the neighbouring nations beare vnto you who hearing that we are intent and busie in our building will ouerpresse vs and labour by all meanes possible to hinder vs first to assure your selues in Gods prouidence who will oppose himselfe against the hatred which they beare vs and afterwards to intermit neither day nor night in prosecution of the building but with all care continue the worke in that the oportunitie of the time doth challeng our diligence therein After he had spoken to this effect he gaue order that the gouernours should take the measure of the wall and distribute the taske amongst the people according to the burroughs and townes and according to euerie mans abilitie and after he had promised to imploy both himselfe and all his family therein he dismissed the assembly Hereupon the Iewes incited by his authoritie addressed themselues to the worke which name of Iewes was first imposed both on them and their religion by reason of the tribe of Iuda who first of all came into these places The Ammonites Moabites Samaritanes and all the inhabitants of Coelesyria vnderstanding the walles were raised with such haste and diligence were sore agrieued and resolued with themselues to lie in ambush and to hinder them in their deliberations so that they slew diuers Iewes and sought the meanes likewise to murther Nehemias himselfe and hauing hired certaine strangers with money to commit the fact they layd in waite for him They bred also a feare and trouble amongst them by spreading certaine rumors that diuers nations intended to make war against them by which reports being too much distracted they desisted somewhat in the prosecution of their building Yet none of these things could weaken Nehemias diligence or resolution but that keeping a court of guard round about him he instantly prosecuted his purpose setting light by all occurrents so great was his affection to accomplish his intent And for that cause did he carefully and intentiuely stand vpon his guard not for that he feared death but for that he beleeued that after his departure the Iewes would not finish the building of the walles He commanded afterwards that the workemen in their trauell should haue their furnitures fast by them so that both Masons and labourers carried their swords Moreouer he gaue order that they should haue their targets by them and he placed certaine trumpeters some fiue hundreth foote distant the one from the other charging them that as soone as they discouered the enemy from any part they should incontinently sound the allarum and giue notice vnto the people to arme themselues and prepare for the fight for feare they should be surprised and found naked He himselfe also walked the round about the citie by night time with an indefatigable courage and without either eating or sleeping at his pleasure but onely for necessitie sake and this labour endured he for the space of two yeeres and three moneths For the wall of Ierusalem was builded againe in that time in the eight and twentith yeere of the raigne of Xerxes and in the ninth moneth After the Citie was fortified Nehemias and the people offered sacrifices vnto God and spent eight daies in feasting When the rumor was spred abroad that this building was finished the inhabitants of Syria were sore displeased But Nehemjas perceiuing that the Citie was weakely manned besought the Priests and Leuites to forsake their dwellings without the Citie and to come and dwell within and to that intent he builded them houses vpon his owne charge He ordained likewise that they that intended their husbandry should bring the tenths of their fruits vnto Ierusalem to the intent that the Priests and Leuits by enioying their continnall maintenance might intermit no time in the seruice of God wherein he was willingly obeied By this meanes the Citie of Ierusalem was very well peopled After that Nehemias had honourably executed diuers other worthy actions deseruing praise he died at such time as he was loaden with age He was a man of a good nature iust and highly affectionated towards his countrey he left the Citie of Ierusalem incompassed with a wall for a perpetuall memorie of his loue vnto his countrey All these things hapned during the raigne of Xerxes CHAP. VI. How during the raigne of Artaxerxes the whole nation of the Iewes were in danger to bee extinguished by Amans trecherie AFter the death of Xerxes the kingdome fell to Cyrus his sonne who by the Graecians was called Artaxerxes Vnder his gouernment all the race of the Iewes both men women and children were in danger to be vtterly exterminated the cause whereof I will hereafter declare But first of all it behooueth me to speake somewhat of the king and to declare how it came to passe that he married an Hebrew woman of the bloud royall by whose meanes as it is said our nation was preserued After that Artaxerxes had taken the kingdome vpon him and established gouernours ouer one hundreth and seuen and twentie prouinces from India as farre as Aethiopia in the third yeere of his raigne he entertained and feasted all his friends with great magnificence the nations of Persia likewise with their gouernours according as it became a king so opulent who was prepared for one hundreth and eightie daies to make shew of his wealth and bounty He feasted after this for the space of 7. daies the Embassadors of all nations in his Citie of Susa and the setting foorth of the banquet was such as ensueth He sate in a tent whose pillers were of golde and siluer couered with linnen and scarlet vailes which were of that greatnes that diuers thousands of men might take their refection therin All the acates were serued in in vessels of gold inriched with precious stones very glorious to behold The king likewise commanded his seruants that attended the feast that they should enforce no man to drinke by filling continually according to the manner of the Persians but to permit
the world keepe and solemnize this day for a festiuall and send presents the one vnto the other Mardocheus also wrote vnto the Iewes who liued vnder the Empire of Artaxerxes commanding them to obserue those daies and to solemnize them willing them to charge their successours to doe the like to the ende that this feast might continue for euer and out-liue all obliuion For since on that day they should haue been made away by Aman they should doe well if after they had escaped that danger and taken reuenge on their enemies the very same day they should obserue the same to giue thanks vnto God For this cause the Iewes keepe a solemne feast on these daies and call it Purim as who should say Lottes But Mardocheus was great and mightie with the king administring the kingdome with him he had also a part of the greatnesse of the Queene and for this cause the affaires of the Iewes had better successe then was hoped for See here how matters passed during the raigne of Artaxerxes CHAP. VII Bagoses Generall of Artaxerxes the youngers armie offereth many outrages to the Iewes AFter the death of Eliasib the high Priest Iudas his sonne succeeded in the office And after his death Iohn his sonne obtained the place in whose time Bagoses generall of Artaxerxes army polluted the temple and made the Iewes tributaries so that before they could offer their ordinarie and daily sacrifices they were compelled to pay for euery lambe fiftie drachmes which hapned vpon this occasion Iohn had a brother called Iesus whom Bagoses fauoured and promised to giue him the high priesthood Iesus woon by these perswasions quarrelled with his brother Iohn who was so much prouoked against him that he slew his brother Iesus in his choler It was a thing verie straunge that Iohn being a priest should commit such an impietie against his brother and yet farre more straunge in that so cruell an act and an offence so impious hath neither hapned amongst Greekes nor Barbariās God also left it not vnpunished but for the same sinne the people were reduced vnder captiuitie and the temple was polluted by the Persians When Bagoses had intelligence that Iohn the high Priest among the Iewes had slaine his brother Iesus in the temple he resorted thither in al haste and began to vtter and breake forth into bitter threats against the Iewes Haue you said he beene so bold as to commit murther in your temple And when he thought to haue entred into the same they hindred him Whereupon he replied Am I therefore more polluted then the bodie that leth dead in the temple and hauing spoken thus he entred thereinto and for the space of seuen yeares Bagoses being thus animated against the Iewes punished them for murthering Iesus After that Iohn was deceased Iaddus his sonne was made high Priest who had a brother called Manasses Sanaballath sent by the later King Darius to gouerne Samaria for he also was of the race of the Chutaeans from whom issued the Samaritanes knowing that Ierusalem was a famous Citie and that the Kings thereof wrought much trouble vnto the inhabitants of Assyria and Coelesyria he willingly married his daughter Nicazo to this Manasses with an intent that this marriage should be as a pledge of his good will to all the nation of the Iewes CHAP. VIII What benefits Alexander King of Macedon bestowed vpon the Iewes ABout that time Philip king of Macedō died in the citie of Aegaeas being traiterousle slain by Pausanias the sonne of Cerastes of the race of Orestes and his sonne Alexander succeeded him in the kingdome who passing ouer Hellespont gaue battell vnto the huge army of Darius neere the riuer Granic and there obtained a famous victorie And hereupon he also inuading the countrey of Lydia after he had conquered Ionia and ouerrunne Caria finally set vpon the quarters of Pamphilia as it is declared in an other place But the elders of Ierusalem were sore displeased for that Iaddus brother who was at that time high Priest and had married a forraine woman should be companion and associate with him in the priesthood so as they mutined against him For they supposed that that marriage would be but a means to animate those who had a mind to prophane marriages proue an inducement to other to cōmunicate in marriage with straungers remembring them that the cause of their euils and first captiuitie was because some of them had fallen and offended by coupling themselues with women of forraine nations They therefore commanded Manasses either to forsake his wife or else neuer more to approch the Altar The high Priest likewise being incensed against his brother as well as the people droue him in like manner from the sacrifice For which cause Manasses addressing himselfe to his father in law Sanaballath told him that although he loued his daughter Nicazo very intirely yet would he notwithstanding condescend for her sake to be depriued of the priesthood which was the greatest dignity that could be among their nation and which had euer continued in his race Whereupon Sanaballath answered and promised him that he would not onely continue him in the priesthood but also would giue him the power and dignitie of the high priesthood and make him gouernour of all places where he commaunded prouided the marriage solemnized betwixt his daughter and him were continued He furthermore assured him that he would build a temple resembling that in Ierusalem vpon the mountaine of Garizim which was the highest among the rest permitting him to do the same with Darius consent Manasses puffed vp by these promises remained with Sanaballath and grew in hope that he should obtain the priesthood by Darius meanes for Sanaballath was verie olde Whereas therefore diuers other both Priests and common people among the Israelites were intangled in such like marriages there arose no small commotion in Ierusalem For all they of this condition retired themselues to Manasses whom Sanaballath furnished with money and lands to till and houses to inhabite in all sorts to fauour the intent of his sonne in law At the same time Darius vnderstanding that Alexander hauing passed the Hellespont had ouercome those gouernours whom he had established neere vnto the floud Granicus and that he passed further spoyling of his countrey he gathered together both his horsemen and footmen resoluing to make head against the Macedonians before they should gaine all Asia he therefore passed Euphrates mount Taurus in Cilicia to encoūter fight with his enemies in the country Sanaballath ioyful of Darius descent incontinently told Manasses that he would fulfil his promises as soone as Darius should returne from the conquest of his enemies For not onely he but also all the Asians perswaded themselues most assuredly that the Macedonians would not abide the battell against the Persians by reason of their great multitude but it fell out altogether contrarie to their expectation For the
These meeting with Ioseph on the way began to mocke at his basenesse and pouertie But when he came to Alexandria and had intelligence that the king was at Memphis he set forward and went out to meet him When as therefore the king accompanied with the queen and Athenion his friend who had discharged the place of Embassadour in Ierusalem came riding onward in his chariot Athenion who had been honourably entertained by Ioseph perceiuing him vpon the way certified the king that it was he of whom he had spoken vpon his returne from Ierusalem protesting on his behalfe that he was both a good and honourable yoong man Whereupon Ptolomey embraced him aboue the rest and made him mount his chariot Where he was no sooner seated but the king began to accuse Onias for that which he had committed But Ioseph said vnto him Pardon him O King and haue respect to his old old yeeres For you know that ordinarily old men yong children haue one and the same vnderstanding but for our selues who are young you shall haue what you please to require without any pretext or cause of discontent Hereupon the king tooke pleasure in the good behauiour and pleasant discourse of the young man and began to loue him the more as if he had receiued a present attestation of his wisedome whereupon he commaunded that he should be lodged in his owne pallace and that daily he should accompany him at his princely table As soone as the king came back to Alexandria the Lords of Syria seeing Ioseph sitting neere vnto the king were sore displeased and the day drawing neere wherein they were to receiue the assurance of their tribute they that were of the greatest reckoning in their countrey farmed the same so that the tributes of Coelesyria Phaenicia Iudaea and Samaria amounted together to eight thousand talents Whereupon Ioseph arising blamed the farmers for that they had plotted amongst themselues to beate downe the price of the tributes promising to giue the double and that he would likewise returne the forfeitures that were leuied vpon the goods of such as offended which were farmed together with the tributes The king gaue eare to this discourse of his with great content and said that he approoued the sale of these tributes vnto Ioseph who in this sort augmented his reuenue When as therefore he was demanded whether he could giue sureties he made him answere with a bold courage O king said he I will giue thee such pledges as are both worthy and honourable and such as you cannot mistrust Whenas therefore the king instanted him to produce them I w◅ said he O king present thee for sureties thy selfe the Queene thy wife that one of you may be a suretie for me to the other Ptolomey smiling hereat granted him the farme of the tribute without further suretie This fauour of his displeased those gouernours of the Cities that were come into Aegypt in that they saw themselues contemned and constrained to returne with shame vnto their houses But Ioseph obtained two thousand footmen from the king to the end to enforce the tribute from those Cities who were negligent in their paiments and after he had borrowed fiue hundreth talents of the kings friends in Alexandria hee departed into Syria As soone as he came to Ascalon he demaunded the payment of the tribute at the Citizens hands which they not onely refused to performe but moreouer vpbraided him with iniurious words For which cause laying hold on about some twentie of the principals among them he put them to death and hauing gathered their substances togither he sent the King some thousand talents certifying him of that which he had done Ptolomey admiring at his wisedome and allowing of his execution permitted him to dispose of all things at his pleasure The Syrians vnderstanding hereof were sore abashed and perceiuing that the Acalonites were slaine by Ioseph thorow the seueritie of his iustice and their disobedience they opened him the gates and receiued him willingly and payed him their tributes Wheras also the Scythopolitanes in way of cōtumacy refused to lay down according to order their accustomed tributes he slue the chiefest amongst them the confiscations of whose goods he sent vnto the king When as therefore he had gathered much siluer and made great gaines of the purchase of the tributes to the intent to establish and make his power of more continuance he liberally employed his gettings considering with himselfe that it was a part of wisedome to keepe and entertaine his good happe by those riches which he himselfe had gotten For he sent many presents both to the King and Queene and bestowed liberall bountie both on their familiars and fauourites and also on all those which had any authoritie credit or fauour in the court to win and bind them vnto him by his beneuolence And in this felicitie of his continued he the terme of twentie two yeares during which time he was the father of seuen children by one wife and of an other called Hircanus whom he begot on the daughter of his brother Solymius whom he married vpon this occasion which ensueth Walking vpon a time in Alexandria in the company of his brother who led with him his daughter alreadie mariageable to the intent to bestow her vpon some Iewe of good qualitie whilest he sate at meat with the king there entred into the banquet a certain faire damsel trained vp in dancing with whom growing enamored he told his brother thereof praying him that since by the lawes of their countrey it was forbidden that a Iew might marry with a stranger that he would hide his fault and be a faithfull assistant vnto him to the end that he might enioy her whom his heart desired His brother promised him to shew his willing forwardnes herein and in the meane time he adorned and decked his owne daughter and brought her by night vnto his bed whereupon he lay with her not knowing who she was by reason he had drunke ouermuch and had her company Which comming to passe diuers times he was as yet farre more burningly inflamed with the loue of this dancer and told his brother that he was in daunger to be enamoured all his life time and that notwithstanding the king would not grant her vnto him His brother told him that he ought not to vexe himselfe promising him that he should assuredly enioie her whom he loued and that already she was his wife opening vnto him how all things had hapned and how he had rather wrong his owne daughter then to suffer his brother to fall into dishonour After that Ioseph had praised the kind natural affection of his brother towards him he tooke his daughter to wife who bare him a sonne called Hircanus as it hath beene said Who being thirteene yeares olde gaue testimonie of that naturall spirit and dexteritie that was in him by reason whereof his brethren conceiued a certaine hatred against him
sollicited him by often Embassadours to come vnto them promising him to subscribe to his authoritie and to warre with him against Arsaces King of the Parthians He puffed vp with those hopes marched towards them with great speed resoluing with himselfe that after he had ouercome the Parthians if he had any forces left him he would wage warre with Tryphon and easily driue him out of the kingdome of Syria Being therefore entertained by those of the countrey with great affection he leuied a great army and assailed Arsaces but he lost the day and himselfe was taken prisoner as we haue elsewhere declared CHAP. X. Demetrius is taken prisoner Tryphon breaketh the couenant of peace betwixt him and Ionathan and surpriseth and killeth him trecherousle and afterwards maketh warre against his brother Simon WHen Tryphon vnderstood that Demetrius affaires had so vnfortunate an issue he forsooke Antiochus and his seruice and complotted with himselfe how hee might kill him and make himselfe king But the feare that he had of Ionathan Antiochus friend hindred this intent of his For which cause he resolued first of all to deliuer himselfe of Ionathan and that â—…one afterwards to make Antiochus the young king away Hauing therefore concluded with himselfe to kill Ionathan by some stratagem of treason he came from Antioch to Bethsan which the Greekes call Scythopolis whither Ionathan came to meete him with fortie thousand chosen men supposing that Tryphon resorted thither to make warte vpon him But he knowing that Ionathan came thither with so much strength wrought him by presents and counterfeit curtesies commanding his captaines to obey Ionathan thinking by that meanes to perswade him that he intirely and truely loued him and to extinguish his suspition to the intent he might lay hold and intrap him at such time as he had least suspition of him He counselled him to dismisse his army likewise because hauing cut off all occasion of warre he had no reason to retaine them for that there was no suspition of alteration After this he inuited Ionathan to come to Ptolemais and to bring with him some few of his souldiers signifying vnto him that he would deliuer the Citie into his hands and resigne all the fortresses that were in the countrey to his possession vrging further that he came into that countrey to no other ende but to performe it Ionathan suspecting no sinister dealing and beleeuing that Tryphon spake of good and intire affection discharged his forces and tooke onely three thousand men with him whereof two he left in Galilee and with one thousand repaired to Ptolemais vnto Tryphon But the Ptolemaidans shutting the gates as soone as he was entred according as Tryphon had commanded them tooke Ionathan prisoner and slew all those that attended vpon him He presently sent also part of his army vnto the two thousand that were left in Galilee to the intent to put them all to the sword but they hauing notice of that which had befallen their chiefetaine taking vp their armes speedily departed out of Galilee And although the souldiers of Tryphon exceeded them farre in number yet were they not so hardy as to trie whether part were the stronger because they knew that the Iewes were ready to expose themselues to all dangers to defend their liues and so they returned backe to him that sent them without doing anything CHAP. XI The people maketh Simon generall of their army and declareth him the high priest THey of Ierusalem vnderstanding of the surprisall of Ionathan and the losse of his souldiers grieuously lamented for this accident that so great a man as he was was taken from them in that they feared that not without cause that being destitute after his decease both of his valour and prudence the nations that were round about them would seeke their trouble and molestation who hauing held themselues quiet in admiration of him would at that time lift themselues vp against them and not only persecute them with warre but bring them into extreame danger of their liues Neither did their expectation deceiue them For the neighbouring nations vnderstanding of Ionathans death began presently to make war vpon the Iewes on all sides as against those who had no longer any chiefetaine vnder whose conduct they might wage warre and shew themselues valiant And Tryphon likewise hauing gathered forces was determined to ascend into Iudaea to warre against the inhabitants thereof Simon perceiuing that the Citizens of Ierusalem were dismaied with the feare which they apprehended of those rumours and new tumults of warre and being desirous to animate them against all incursions attempts intended by Tryphon assembled the people in the temple and began to exhort them after this manner You are not ignorant men and brethren how both I my father and brethren haue voluntarily offered our selues vnto death for your liberty Since therefore I haue abundance of such like examples and that it is the ordinarie course of our family to die for our law and religion there is no feare so great as can plucke out this resolution out of my heart as it may plant such a desire of life in me as to be drawne to forget all honour Wherefore since you haue such a chiefetaine and commander as setteth light by all danger whereby he may endure or act any thing for your safetie it behooueth you to follow me couragiously to what place soeuer I shall conduct you For I am of no better account then were my brethren whereby I should spare my life neither am I lesse then they whereby I should thorow negligence and cowardise shun and forsake that which they haue esteemed to be honourable as is to die for the law and the seruice of our God I will make manifest therefore by all the testimonies that I can that I am their true and lawfull brother for I trust in God that he will giue me power to take vengeance of our enemies and deliuer not onely all of you but your wiues and your children from the iniury which they intend against you and by the grace of God I will preserue the holy temple that it may not be ruinated by their prophane hands I or I already perceiue that the prophane nations set vs at naught and contemne you as if you had no chiefetaine and I know already that they are marching forward to fight with you By these words Simon harmed the people who were distracted with feare so that they reuiued their spirits and conceiued better hope Wherupon all of them cried out with a loud voice that Simon was their generall and that he was to succeed his two valiant brethren Iudas and Ionathan in the gouernment and that as touching themselues they would be obedient in all things that he should commaund them He therefore assembled in one instant all the men at armes in that countrey and hasted himselfe to repaire the Citie walles defencing them with high and strong towers and sent
as soone as they came into Galilee the gouernours of the Cities in that countrey came forth armed to meete them Barzapharnes also at the first gaue them friendly entertainment and honoured them with presents but anon after he began to practise treacherie For Phasaelus and his attendants were conducted to a lodging that adioyned the sea where hearing tidings that Antigonus had promised one thousand talents and fiue hundreth virgins to the Parthians he began already to suspect the Barbarians For a certaine friend of his had giuen him an inckling that there were treasons intended against him that verie night and that his lodging was priuily beset with a guard And surely they had been surprised had they not expected that the Parthians who were round about Ierusalem should be seazed of Herode fearing least he hauing an inckling of their desaster should betake himselfe to flight And that this was true they incontinently gathered by the guard that was set about them For which cause there were certaine of Phasaelus friends who counsailed him that without any more delay he should betake him to his horse and flie from thence and amongst the rest Ofilius was most earnest who had wrought out of Saramalla a rich Syrian who offered them his ships that road hard by to further their flight all that which they pretended But Phasaelus would neither forsake Hircanus nor leaue his brother Herode in danger but repairing to Barzapharnes he told him that he did him wrong to vse these sinister practises against them For that if he had neede of money he was more likely to receiue it at his hands then from Antigonus and howsoeuer he wrought it was an intolerable iniurie to put Embassadours to death who came vnto him vnder pledge of his honour and had no waies offended him But the Barbarian hearing these things protested by an oth that no one point of that which he had suspected was true but that he was onely troubled with false surmises wherupon he presently departed to Pacorus CHAP. XXV The Parthians lead away Hircanus and Phasaelus into captiuitie AS soone as he was departed certaine of the Parthians tooke Hircanus and Phasaelus prisoners who mightily detested their periuries But the Eunuch that was sent vnto Herode had commandement giuen him to entice and traine him without the Citie walles and afterwards to apprehend him But Herode was forewarned of this treacherie by certaine messengers who were sent by Phasaelus to giue him notice thereof who being intercepted by the enemy in the way and Herode getting notice thereof he addressed himselfe to Pacorus and those in greatest authoritie among the Parthians as to them that were the masters who subtilly dissembled notwithstanding they knew how all things went telling him that he should doe well to repaire with them without the wall to go and meete those messengers who brought him letters who had not as yet been seazed by their aduersaries but came to certifie him of Phasaelus good estate But Herode gaue them no credit because he was already other waies aduertized of his brothers surprisall and had also â—…rre greater suspicion of the Parthians by the solicitation of Hircanus daughter whom he had married And although the rest made no account of her aduertisements yet Herode gaue credit vnto her for that she was a most wise woman Now whilest the Parthians were in deliberation what were best to be done in that it was held no policie to make open assault vpon such a man they deferred the whole matter vntill the next morning Whilest thus they were debating of their differents Herode came vnto them who rather giuing credit to that which he had heard as concerning his brother and touching the treasons intended against him by the Parthians then to his aduersaries as soone as it was night concluded to make vse of the time and to make away without staying any longer amongst those vncertaine dangers which his enemies intended against him For which cause he fiâ—… with those men of warre which hee had with him and mounting his mother his sister and his betrothed whom he was to marry who was Alexanders daughter the neece of Aristobulus and her mother who was Hircanus daughter and her younger brother with all their family and traine he departed into Idumaea without espiall or suspicion of the enemy Amongst whom there was not one so hard orâ—…yron-hearted who seeing such a pitifull spectacle could not be mooued to compassion beholding the mothers drag away their little children and abandon their countrey with tears and complaints and that which was worse to leaue their friends in bondage without any hope of comfort or redresse But Herode mastered these misfortunes by his inuincible courage and for that he was a constant man in all fortunes he exhorted euery one of them whom he met in the way to be of good courage and not to abandon themselues to immeasurable sorrow for that by such meanes they might hinder his retreat on which their sole and securest conseruation depended whereupon they for their parts indeuoured themselues to digest their griefes according to Herodes exhortation Meane while he hardly refrained from laying violent hands on himselfe by reason of the chariot wherein his mother roade which ouerturned and had almost slaine her yea so much did this casualtie terrifie him for feare least the enemy in pursuit should surprise him during these delaies as that he drew and prepared his sword to kill himselfe had not some assistants and followers stept in to him and staied the stroke beseeching him instantly not to forsake them leaue them subiect to the enemies violence assuring him that it was not the part of a valiant man to respect his owne priuate interest and neglect his friends perill By these perswasions he was induced to hold his hands both by reason of the apprehension of these words which were spoken vnto him as also for that he was ouerruled by the multitude of those who would not permit his hand to execute his will so that taking vp his mother and doing her all the seruice that the time permitted he followed on his way and with the speediest and neerest meanes he could he retired toward the Castle of Massada where in the way he oftentimes fought against the Parthians that charged and pursued him and returned alwaies with victorie from them The Iewes also were not in peace with him during this his flight for scarcely had he trauailed sixtie stounds out of the Citie but that they assailed him in the high way but he put them to flight and obtained the victorie not like a desperate man enforced thereunto thorow necessitie but like a discreet well furnished and valiant souldier So that in the very place where he obtained that victorie against the Iewes after such time as he was made king he builded a most sumptuous pallace and neere vnto the same a citie which he called Herodium Whilest he remained at Ressa a
burrough of Idumaea Ioseph his brother came forth to meete him and to consult with him as touching their whole estate and to know of him what should become of that great multitude that followed them considering that they had no souldiers in pay and the Castle of Massada whither he pretended to flie was too little to hold all the people for which cause he sent away many to the number of nine thousand willing them to disperse themselues here and there in the countrey of Idumaea and for the better dispatch of their iourney he furnished them with victuals As for himselfe he tooke with him his most able souldiers and inward friends and repaired to the Castle of Massada in which place he left the women and their traine to the number of eight hundreth or thereabouts and furnishing the place with corne water and other prouisions necessarie he went vnto Petra the chiefest Citie of Arabia As soone as it was day the Parthians sacked all that which appertained to the Citizens of Ierusalem and amongst other things they spoiled the palace notwithstanding they medled not with Hircanus money which amounted to some three hundreth talents They left diuers other things behind them also that appertained to Herode and especially that which had been transported into Idumaea by his mature prouidence Neither were the Parthians content with the spoile of the Citie but they forraged all the countrey round about and raced Marissa a verie rich Citie Thus Antigonus brought backe into his countrey by the king of the Parthians receiued Hirtanus and Phasaelus that were prisoners yet was he vehemently displeased because the women had escaped whom according to his promise he intended to haue deliuered with the money and fearing least Hircanus thorow the fauour of the people should be reestablished in his kingdome who was then prisoner in the custody of the Parthians he cut off both his eares depriuing him by that meanes from enioying the priesthood any more by reason of that maime because the law commaundeth that they who are in that dignitie should be sound in all their members But Phasaelus is to be admired for his great courage at this time for vnderstanding that hee must needly die he was no waies dismaied with death but that which he held most miserable and dishonourable was that he must needs die by the hands of his enemy Seeing therefore that he could not dispatch himselfe by other meanes because he was bound and chaiâ—…ed he knockt out his owne braines against a stone and so ended his life with as great honour as may be imagined in such a desperate estate depriuing his enemy of that power which he intended to practise in tyrannizing ouer him at his pleasure It is said that the wound being very deepe Antigonus sent priuily surgeons to cure him and that vnder colour of healing him they should put poison into the same wherethrough he might die But before Phasaelus gaue vp the ghost he vnderstood by a certaine woman that his brother Herode had escaped from his enemies for which cause he endured his death with far greater cheerfulnesse and constancie seeing that he left behind him such a man as would reuenge his death and punish his enemies But Herode was no waies discomforted with the greatnesse of those aduersities which enuironed him round about but was the more whetted on to find out new inuentions and to aduenture dangerous attempts For he went vnto Malchus king of the Arabians to whom before time he had shewed much curtesie hoping to receiue the like of him in this time of his great necessitie and to draw some money from him either by loane or gift according as he had often and verie bountifully pleasured him For being ignorant of his brothers death he endeuoured himselfe to raunsome him speedily from his enemies by paying his raunsome which amounted to three hundreth talents and for that cause he led with him the sonne of Phasaelus who was onely seuen yeeres olde to leaue him in pledge amongst the Arabians for the summe that was demaunded But certaine messengers came vnto him from Malchus who charged him in the kings behalfe to retire backe againe for that the Parthians had enioyned him that he should neither receiue nor retaine Herode And this colourable pretence vsed he because he would not pay his debts and hereunto was he perswaded by the aduice of the greatest in authoritie among the Arabians who pretended thereby to make themselues masters of that treasure that Antipater had committed to their custody Herode answered them that he repaired not into their countrey to giue them cause of any trouble but onely to consult with him about certaine matters of great importance touching his owne estate and that afterwards he was resolued to depart and withdraw himselfe into Aegypt as secretly as might be possible He returned therefore to a certaine temple where he had left diuers of his followers and the next day hee came to Rhinocura in which place he heard tidings of his brothers death But afterwards Malchus repented himselfe of his in gratitude and speedily sent after Herode but he could not ouertake him for he had gotten farre onward of his way and was already arriued in post neere to Pelusium where being denied his passage to Alexandria in those ships that were there he addressed himselfe to the magistrates of the place who highly respected and honoured him and sent him to the Citie where Cleopatra was who entertained him kindly yet notwithstanding could she not perswade him to remaine with her Whereupon he repaired towards Rome notwithstanding the winter and those grieuous troubles that at the verie same time afflicted Italie as it was reported Embarking himselfe therefore to saile into Pamphilia he was tossed with a most cruell storme so that with great danger at last he arriued in Rhodes hauing been inforced in the tempest to cast into the sea a good part of his substance There met he with Sappinas and Ptolomey two of his indeered friends He found also that the Citie of Rhodes had suffered much miserie by Cassius warres and although his meanes were very scant yet profited he them in what he might and caused their walles to be repaired notwithstanding that by so doing he greatly hindred himselfe After that he caused a little frigote to be built and embarked himselfe with his friends to repaire into Italy and arriued at Brundusium and from thence went to Rome The first to whom he discouered his misfortunes was Marcus Antonius to whom he reported all the occurrences in Iudaea and how his brother Phasaelus was taken by the Parthians and slaine and how Hircanus was imprisoned with him The manner also how they had established Antigonus king vnder promise to giue them one thousand talentes and fiue hundreth of the fairest women whom hee intended to choose out of his owne race Lastly how he stole away by night and rescued them and escaping his enemies hands
was vpon the point of execution surprised her at such time as she thought to flye and yet notwithstanding he pardoned her that fault in that he durst not decree any punishmēt against hir though he could haue found in his heart to haue vsed seueritie for that Cleopatra vvould not haue contained her selfe had she but had such an occasiō offered her to expresse her hatred against Herod For which cause vnder the colour of a high and magnanimous spirit he made shewe to pardon her of his meere clemencie yet inwardly resolued hee to make young Aristobulus away yet not rashly and vpon the instant least the act should growe apparant and palpable Now the feast of Tabernacles was at hand which was one of those that was ceremoniously and solemnly celebrated among vs for which cause he concealed his intents during the festiuall daies intending both in himselfe and in the presence and companie of the people to follow all kinde of pleasure and delight yet did his enny incite him to hasten the execution of his will Aristobulus was at that time some seuenteene yeere olde who at such time as he approched the altar to offer sacrifices according to the lawe apparelled in the high priests ornaments to performe the ceremonies he who for amiable countenance and goodly stature surpassed the young and tendernesse of his yeeres expressing in his countenance the dignitie and nobilitie of his race drew the eies and good affection of all the people vnto him so that they openly called to remembrance the noble actions of Aristobulus his grandfather All the people therfore being surmounted by those their affections and at that present time being all of them troubled with the ioy they conceiued they brake out by little and little into happy acclamations mixed with wishes and praiers so that the good will the people bare to Aristobulus discouered it selfe openly and they manifestly although too hastily in such a kingdome declared what euils they generally endured For all which causes Herode concluded to execute that which he had heretofore complotted and conceited against Aristobulus As soone therefore as the feast was ouerpassed he soiourned in Iericho where Alexandra entertained him In that place he vsed Aristobulus with all kindnesse to the end to draw him into some place where he feared nothing playing also with him and counterfaiting to sport after the fashion of the young men to gratifie him Now for that the place where they disported themselues was by nature too hoat they quickly wearied left their sport and went out togither to take the fresh aire and recouering a pleasant shade vnder certaine arbors and neere certaine fishpooles which were largely spread round about they beheld certain of their seruants and friends that swomme therein with whom not long after Aristobulus began to swim being perswaded thereunto by Herode Whereupon Herodes confederates who were deputed to execute the murther laid hands of him and thrust him vnder the water pretending to duck him in sport and neuer gaue him ouer vntill such time as they had stifled him in the water This hapned about the euening and after this manner died Aristobulus after he had liued in all for the space of eighteene yeeres and administred the priesthood one whole yeere and after this Ananel presently recouered his former dignitie Now when this accident was reported to the women all of them were sodainly deuoured in teares and transported with strange lamentations which they spent ouer the dead body All the Citie also was marueilously amated neither was there any priuate family that thought not it selfe touched by this inconuenient but imagined the losse in particular to concerne himselfe and no other But aboue all when Alexandra had notice of this wicked deede she was more passionate and perplexed then any other being so much the more discomforted for that she knew how all things had hapned But the feare of a farre greater mischiefe constrained her to represse her passion in such sort that diuers times she was ready to bereaue her of her owne life and dispatch her selfe out of miserie with her owne hands But she contained her selfe to the end that suruiuing and liuing after her sonne who was so traiterously and fraudulently slaine and prolonging her owne life without giuing any suspition or shadow that she supposed her sonne to be thus cursedly murthered she might with more opportunitie expect the occasion to reuenge her selfe For which cause she dissembled all things gouerned her griefe and made shew that she knew nothing of that which was either intended or had hapned As for Herode he laboured by all means to perswade the strangers that this death had befallen Aristobulus without his knowledge and did not onely prepare that which was requisite for the funerall but vext himselfe likewise made shew of a man truely deuoured in his sorrow and it may be that in remembrance of Aristobulus beauty and flourishing young yeeres he was truely touched with compassion notwithstanding that he imagined that this death of his should be a means of his intire securitie demeasning himselfe in all things very circumspectly with intent to purge himselfe of that crime But especially he shewed his great magnificence in the interring of his body both in the furnishing and preparation of the herse as in the perfumes and other things thereunto belonging in such sort as the griefe which the Ladies had conceiued was pacified after this manner of consolation CHAP. IIII. Cleopatra thirsting after the kingdomes of Arabia and Iewry laboureth to beg a part of them at Anthonies hands BVt none of all these things could either mooue or mollifie Alexandra but that daily more and more she increased her sorrow and in the heart of her teares kindled her wrath and heate with a desire of reuenge She therefore certified Cleopatra by her priuate letters of Herodes treasons and her sonnes most miserable and vntimely death Cleopatra long before that time desirous to assist her and hauing compassion of her miserie vndertooke the matter and ceased not to incite Anthony to reuenge Aristobulus death telling him that it was an vnpardonable errour that Herode being created king in such a state whereunto he had no right should be suffered to practise such conspiracies against the true and lawfull kings Anthony perswaded by these her words as soone as he came vnto Laodicea sent for Herode to the end that making his appearance he might answere that which might be obiected against him as touching Aristobulus death for he disliked the act notvvithstanding that Herode himselfe had attempted it But although Herode vvas affraid of this accusation and did not a little suspect Cleopatraes displeasure for that she ceased not continually to prouoke Anthony against him yet obeyed he this commandement and transported himselfe thither the rather for that he durst not otherwise do notwithstanding he left his vncle Ioseph behind him committing the gouernment both of the kingdome his priuate
flatteries mollified and wrought him by little and little at last he blabbed out all that which the king had commanded him especially for that he hoped not that he should returne with the same power and authoritie which before he had and for that cause he thought thus in himselfe that without incurring any danger in regard of Herod he might greatly gratifie the Ladies who in all likelihood should not be depriued of that dignitie wherein they were at that time but would returne him the like kindnes when Mariamme should be Queene or next vnto the king Furthermore he hoped that if Herode also should return with all things answerable to his desires that he would performe nothing without his wiues consent or vpbraid him with the act if she contradicted for he knew too well that the king loued her in such sort as it was impossible to equall or expresse his affections and for these causes he disclosed the trust that was committed vnto him But Mariamme was verie sore displeased to heare that there was no end of her miseries but they were altogither vnited and tied to the dangers of Herode and she oftentimes wished that he might neuer more returne againe in safetie supposing that her life with him should be verie intollerable all which she afterwards dissembled not but openly confessed that which afflicted her with discontent For when as Herode beyond all expectation a◅ined in his countrey being adorned with mightie fortune he first of all as it became him certified his wife of his good tidings and happy successe whom onely amongst all other his friends and wiues he embraced and saluted for the pleasing conuersation and affection that was in her But she whilest he repeated vnto her these fortunate euents of his affaires rather enterned the same with a displeasant attention then applauding ioy and these affections of hers likewise she could not conceale For at such time as he folded his armes about her necke she vnfolded her sorrow in her sighes so simple and vnfained were her affections and seemed rather to be displeased then appeased by his narrations Whereupon Herode was sore troubled perceiuing these things not onely suspected but also fully manifest but aboue all things he was distracted when he considered the incredible and apparant hatred that his wife had conceiued against him which in such sort incensed him that he could not resist the loue that had attainted him so that he neither could continue in wrath nor listen long to peace and being vnresolued in himselfe he now was attempted by this straight distracted by a contrarie affection so much was his mind trauailed between loue hatred that whē as oftentimes he desired to punish the womans pride his heart by loues mediation failed him in the enterprise For nothing did more torment him then this feare least executing his displeasure against her he should by this meanes more grieuously wound himselfe thorow the desire he bare vnto his deceased delight Whilest thus he was sweltered and deuoured in his passions and conceiued sinister opinions against Mariamme his wife Salome his sister and his mother hauing an inckling of his discontents thought that they had gotten a fit opportunitie to expresse and execute their hatted towards Mariamme for which cause they conferred with Herode and whetted his spleene and displeasure with varietie of slanders sufficient at one assault to engender hatred and kindle his iealousie against her To these reproches of theirs he lent no vnwilling eares yet had he not the heart to attempt any thing against his wife or to giue free credit to their report notwithstanding his displeasure increased and was inflamed more and more against her for that neither she could colour her cares and discontents nor he containe himselfe from exchanging his loue into hatred and perhaps at that time he had published some fatall doome against her had not a happy messenger brought him word that Anthony and Cleopatra being dead Caesar was become Lord of Aegypt for which cause hasting forward to meete and entertaine him he left his family in that present estate Vpon his departure he recommended Mariamme to Sohemus giuing him great thanks for the care he had had of her and granted him in way of gratuitie a part of Iewry to gouerne When Herode was arriued in Aegypt and had friendly and familiarly conferred with Caesar he was highly honoured by him for Caesar gaue him those foure hundreth frenchmen that were of Cleopatras guard and restored that part of his countrey vnto him againe which was taken away and spoiled by her He annexed also vnto his kingdome Gadara Hippon and Samaria and on the sea coasts the Cities of Gaza Anthedon Ioppe with the tower of Straton which when he had obtained he grew more mightie then before And after he had accompanied Caesar as far as Antioch he returned into his owne countrey Vpon his arriuall he found that fortune which was fauourable vnto him abroad too froward at home especially in regard of his wife in whose affection before time he seemed to be most happy For he was as inwardly touched with the lawfull loue of Mariamme as any other of whom the Histories make report and as touching her she was both chast and faithfull vnto him yet had she a certaine womanly imperfection and naturall frowardnesse which was the cause that shee presumed too much vpon the intire affection wherewith her husband was intangled so that without regard of his person who had power and authoritie ouer others she entertained him oftentimes very outragiously All which he endured patiently without any shew of discontent But Mariamme vpbraided and publikely reproched both the kings mother and sister telling them that they were but abiectly and basely borne Whereupon there grew a great enmitie and vnrecouerable hatred betweene the Ladies and from thence also there arose an occasion of greater accusations and calumniations then before These suspitions were nourished amongst them for the space of one whole yeere after Herodes returne from Caesar and finally this long contriued and fore-imagined hatred at last brake out violently vpon this occasion that ensueth When as about midday the king had withdrawne himselfe into his chamber to take his rest he called Mariamme vnto him to sport with her being incited thereunto by the great affection that he bare vnto her Vpon this his commaund she came in vnto him yet would she not lie with him nor entertaine his courtings with friendly acceptance but vpbraided him bitterly with her fathers and brothers death The king tooke these reprochfull words in verie euil part was almost ready to strike her but his sister hearing a greater stir and noise within then was vsuall sent in the butler who long before that time was suborned by her whom she commanded to tell the king that Mariamme had prepared a drinke for him to incite and quicken him vnto loue willing him that if the king should be mooued thereat and
were taken from the Barbarians which king Herode had placed there with all those spoiles which he had taken frō the Arabians In a corner on the north side there stood a verie strong and defenced fortresse builded by the Asmonians who were Herods predecessors and had beene both kings and high priests and had imposed a name on that tower which was Baris in which they kept the priestly vesture where with the high priest was wont to be adorned at that time onely when he was to offer sacrifice King Herode kept the same in that place and there remained it after his death vntill the time of Tiberius Caesar vnder whom Vitellius gouernour of Syria came vnto Ierusalem where he was entertained by all the people with as great magnificence as was possible and being desirous to acknowledge the fauours that he had receiued at their hands being requested by them that they might haue the keeping of the high priests ornaments he wrote vnto Tiberius Caesar to grant them that fauour til the death of king Agrippa the Iewes had the same in their possessiō But after that Agrippa was dead Cassius Longinus that gouerned Syria Cuspius Fadus lieutenant of Iudaea commaunded the Iewes to return the same into the fortresse Antonia saying that the Romans ought to be Lord therof as they had beene in times past For which cause the Iews sent embassadors vnto Claudius Caesar to request his fauour therin who arriuing at Rome found the young king Agrippa there who besought the Emperour that it might be lawfull for him to haue the keeping of the habit who commaunded Vitellius the gouernour of Syria to deliuer it vnto his hands Before time it was kept vnder the seale of the high priest and the custodie of the tresurers on the eeue of a certaine solemne feast the tresurers went vp to the captain who kept the forttesse for the Romans and after they had opened their seale they tooke the habit and after the feast was past they returned it backe againe vnto the same place and shut it vp vnder the same seale in the presence of the captaine All which we haue thought good to lay open to make the diuersitie knowne that was vsed in that care After that Herode had in this sort builded this strong tower for the securitie and guard of the temple he called it Antonia for the loue of Antonius his friend and one of the chiefest men in Rome In the westeme part of this porch there were foure gates whereof the one opened vpon the kings pallace to which there was a direct way thorow the midst of the valley the two others led vnto the suburbes and the fourth opened vpon the rest of the citie and gaue open passage vnto the same by the meanes of a number of staires by which men might descend to the foot of the valley and from thence there was an ascent by other staires to ascend vpwards For the citie was scituate neere vnto the temple after the manner of a theater and was bended to the southward by a deepe valley As touching the fourth side turned toward the south it had likewise certaine gates in the midst thereof and vpon the same there was a triple gallery verie royall and princely the length whereof extended from the orientall valley as farre as the westerne For it was impossible to extend it any further This worke was one of the most famous peeces that was euer seene vnder the sunne For the depth of the valley was so great that it was impossible for a man to see the bottome if he looked downward from the higher part and notwithstanding on the same he erected this porch of so great a height that but to looke from the toppe thereof and to consider the depth as well of the valley as the height of the porch it would make a man giddie and his eye could not peirce vnto the immesurable bottom of the same It had in length foure rankes of pillars opposed the one right ouer against the other for the fourth pane of the wall was fortified with a wall of hewen stone the thicknesse of the pillars was such that it was as much as three men could fadome holding one an other by the hand and the length was of twentie and seuen foote with a double base at the bottome The whole number of them was one hundreth sixtie and two and they had Chapters engrauen and damaskt with Corinthian worke All this building was so huge that it mooued admiration in those that beheld the same Betwixt these foure rankes there were three porches whereof two were on either side containing in breadth each of them thirtie foote and in length a stade or furlong and more then fiftiē foote in height That in the midst was in breadth once and a halfe as much as these two and in height twise as much For it surpassed the rest by farre The floore was made of goodly plankes engrauen with diuers figures and the roofe thereof was farre higher then any of the rest in which certaine huge beames were morteised on which there were certaine pillars builded vnited and annexed so fitly togither that it is a matter incredible to those that haue not seene the same and admirable to him that beholdeth it Such was the fashion of the circuit of the first porch In the midst and not farre off from the other stood the second whereunto there was an ascent made with few steppes It was inclosed with a separation of stone with an inscription forbidding any stranger to enter the same vpon paine of death This inward porch both to the southward and the northward had three gates in ranke equidistant the one from the other and toward the eastward had one great gate by which those men entred who were cleansed with their wiues For beyond that place it was not lawfull for the women to haue accesse But the third inward space was onely accessible by the Priestes In it was the Temple and before the same the altar on which they were woont to offer burnt sacrifices vnto God But Herode durst not enter the interior sanctuarie from whence prophane men were excluded by the lawe but by the mediation of the priests he intended the structure and building of the inward porch and finishing in eight yeeres space the rest of the edifice at length also he finished the Temple it selfe by the indeuours of the same priests within the terme of one yeere and six moneths By which meanes the people were replenished with the fulnesse of ioye and euerie one gaue thankes vnto God for that the whole worke was finished so speedily and wished all happinesse to the king for his cost and diligence in the execution and finishing thereof and they celebrated a great feast in honour of the restauration of the Temple Then did the king offer vp three hundreth oxen vnto God and the rest of them each one according to his abilitie offered
departed out of it and mooued with religion to make satisfaction he builded a most sumptuous monument of white marble at the entrances into the Sepulchre of which building Nicholaus also a writer of that time maketh mention but he speaketh not how they went into the Sepulchre of Dauid thinking that therein he should not keepe decorum if he should make mention thereof Wherein he followed his accustomed order for his writings were to come to the eares of the king yet liuing wherein he did onely curry fauour mentioning onely that that might redound vnto the kings credit so that many of his open and wicked prankes he doth either colour vnder some other pretence or else alwaies possible he endeuoured to hide them For he doth as it were tell a tale of Herodes crueltie against Mariamme and his sonnes as though he did thereby deserue credit and praise accusing her of adulterie and them as traitors vnto their father and this he doth cleane thorow his workes too much extolling the kings good deedes and too diligently excusing his bad deedes and iniquities But as I haue said we must pardon him who did not so much write to leaue a memorie of things done vnto after ages as to gratifie and please his king But I who come of the linage of the Asamonian kings and execute the office of a Priest account it a shame to lie and doe intend truely to recount the historie of all things that were acted and done yet with a reuerence of the posteritie of that king who doe also now beare sway and rule yet with their pardon and leaue hauing a greater care to the veritie of our historie then to them After the Sepulchre was thus violated Herods house began to decay whether reuenge lighting vpon that part which was alreadie scarse sound or whether by meere chance such calamitie at that time befell him as might iustly be thought the reward of impietie For there was a discord in the court not vnlike vnto ciuill warres euerie one striuing against other with hatred and forged accusations but especially Antipaters politicke practise against his brethren was to be noted who entangling them by other mens forged accusations himselfe oftentimes seemed to take vpon him their defence that making a shew of good will vnto them he might secretly oppresse them the sooner and he did so craftily circumuent his father that his father deemed him to bee his onely conseruer Wherefore the king commended Ptolomeus his procurator vnto Antipater his sonne and did communicate all his secrets vnto his mother so that all things were done according as they pleased and they made him displeased ◅gainst those whom they knew the kings displeasure might redoud vnto their profit But Mariammes children did euerie day stomacke the matter more and more disdaining to giue place vnto their inferiour and for their nobiltie not enduring to be remoued from their places and not to keepe their dignitie also their wiues did the like and Alexanders wife Glaphyra who was the daughter of Archelaus king of Cappadocia did greatly enuy and disdaine Salome and she also her againe both for the loue that she bare vnto her husband and for that she disdained as women are wont that her daughter married vnto Aristobulus should be in equall honour with her Pheroras also the kings brother had a hand in this other contention about a priuate cause of suspition and hatred For he fell so farre in loue with one of his maides that he refused the kings daughter offered vnto him rather making choise of his maide Herode tooke this in verie euill part seeing his brother who had receiued so many benefits at his hands and was almost his fellow in his kingdome by his meanes not to shew the like brotherly affection to him againe as he then ought and himselfe to be an vnhappie brother And seeing he could not disswade him from that madnesse he maried his daughter vnto Phasaelus his sonne and afterward thinking that now his brothers mind towards his maide was satisfied he complaining of his iniurious dealing in repulsing his daughter offered vnto him to wife he now offered him another of his daughters named Cypros Then Ptolomeus aduised Pheroras not still to contemne his brothers offer and persist in such folly telling him it was his meere folly therefore to incurre the kings displeasure and hatred and losse of tranquilitie Pheroras vnderstanding this counsell profitable for him hauing beene once before iniuriously accused and obtained pardon at the kings hands sent away his maid by whom he now had a son and promised the king to mary this his other daughter appointed the thirtith day after to celebrate his mariage making a solemne oth vnto the king neuer after that time to vse the company of that womā whom he had put away The time appointed being expired he fell so farre in loue with the former woman that he would not stand to his promise but againe companied with his maid Then Herode not able any longer to conteine himselfe vsed many speeches whereby he euidētly shewed his mind to be alienated from his brother And there were many who taking hereat opportunitie did by forged calumniations encrease his alienation so that now there was no day nor hower past wherein he did not still heare some new alterations and stirs amongst his deerest friends whom nature willed to combine themselues to maintaine concord and amitie For Salome being now offended at Mariammes children did not permit her daughter maried vnto Aristobulus one of the young men to enioy mutuall loue and comfort of her husband enticing her to bewraie her husbands secret talke and if she heard any small occasions of offence as often it falleth out she should the more aggrauate them with suspicions whereby she also learned all their secrets and made the young woman hate her husband And she to please her mother recounted how that often when her husband and Alexander were alone that then they were wont to talke of Mariamme their mother and vse reprochfull words against their father and threatning that if they euer did obtaine the kingdome they would make the sonnes of the king whom he had by other wiues notaries and towne-clerkes and so they might reape profit of their learning which they now studied for and whensoeuer they saw any of the kings wiues weare any of Mariammes apparell that then they vowed in steed of that attire to cloath them with sackcloth and shut them vp where they should neuer see the Sunne Salome presently told all this to the king who though he were much grieued hereat yet he chose rather to seeke to amend it then to punish thē for he was greatly incited against them by suspition euery day waxing worse worse at last he beleeued all the reports of anie whomsoeuer But hee then contented only sharpely to chide his sonnes and pacified with their excuses and answers he for that time was quiet But presently the
mischiefe was againse set on foote for Pheroras the kings brother meeting Alexander who as we haue said was Glaphyra her husband who was daughter to Archelaus he told him that he heard by Salome that Herod was far in loue with Glaphyra so that he could not shake off this affection The young man hearing this became iealous and was in a great rage and now what honour soeuer or gifts Herod for the loue of his sonne gaue her Alexander did interpret it in the worst sense being now made iealous by that which he had heard of Pheroras not able to put vp such iniuries as he thought he went vnto his father and with teares recounted vnto him what Pheroras had told him But Herod was hereat the more enflamed not enduring himselfe falsly to be accused of so shamefull a fact inueighin against the great malice of his friends who for his great good turâ—…s he did them so rewarded him And presently sending for Pheroras very sharpely he began toâ—… hide him saying O most impious that liueth amongst men art thou become so vngratefull either to speake or thinke such a matter of vs Thinkest thou that I do not perceiue thy drift that thou speakest not these words vnto thy sonne to discredite me but also to the intent by this meanes thou mightest worke some treason against me cause me to be poisoned For who but a good sonne as this is would suffer his father suspected for such a matter to liue and not be reuenged of him for such offence Whether doest thou thinke that thou didst put these speeches into his mind or by them a sword into his hand to kill his father withall or what was thy intent seeing thou hatest both him and his brother and only counter faiting good will towards me to belie me and to report that of me that without impietie could not be thought get thee hence thou wretched impe seeing thou hast thus abused thy brother who hath well deserued at thy hands and do as thou wilt all thy life time my selfe will endeuour to be better vnto my children then I haue been and neither will I punish them as they deserue but I wil honour them aboue their merits The king hauing discharged his choler against his brother Pheroras and he being taken in a manifest fault answered that that report was first deuised by Salome of whom he heard it which she being then present hearing began to exclaime saying it was not her deuise and that they all laboured to make the king hate her and to put her to death being one who did especially wish him well and what in her lay seeking his safetie and that now he was in daunger of more treason then euer before for said she I was the onely cause that you did put away the woman whom you so doated after perswading you to marrie the kings daughter and this is the cause that you hate me With these speeches tearing her haire and striking her breast she made a shew of innocency but this her gesture was a colour to hide her bad entent So Pheroras was left in great pexplexitie not knowing what to say or do and finding no pretence to excuse his fact for on the one side he confessed that he told it vnto Alexander and on the other that he could not make Herode beleeue that he heard it of Salome This contention endured a good while at last the king being wearied sent away his brother and his sister and greatly commending his sonnes moderate mind and that he had giuen him intelligence of those speeches verie late in the night he went to supper After this contention Salome was hardly thought of because she was iudged to be the authour of this ill report and the kings wiues wished euill vnto her because they knew her to be of strange qualities and hard to please and so variable that according to the time one while she would professe friendship and presently after hatred Wherefore they still had some thing to enforme Herode of against her taking occasion hapning by chaunce which was this There was a king of the Arabians named Obodas a slouthfull man and one giuen to idlenes and there was one Syllaeus that did gouerne all his affairs this man was a craftie fellow in the prime of his youth and very beautifull This Syllaeus comming vnto Herode about some busines and viewing Salome who then sate at supper with him began to set his mind vpon her and finding she was a widow he entred into talke with her and she finding her brother now not so friendly vnto her as before he had beene and also entangled with the beautie of this young man did not greatly denie to marie him many feasts being made at that time they shewed euident signes of their mutuall consent and loue one vnto another The kings wiues told the king of this in scoffing sort Herode herewith not contented demanded of Pheroras how the matter stood willed him at supper time to note if he could espie any tokens of familiaritie betwixt them And Pheroras told him that by signes mutuall viewing one another they sufficiently shewed their intents After this the Arabian being suspected departed into his owne countrey But two or three moneths after he came againe into Iudaea only for this purpose talked with Herod concerning this matter requesting him to let Salome be his wife affirming that that affinity would be profitable vnto him for the traficke between his people the Arabians whose prince he was to be did alreadie enioy a great part of the dominion Herod told al this vnto his sister asked her if she would marie him she answered she would Then they requested that Syllaus should become a Iew in religion or else it was not lawful for him to mary her He would not condescend hereunto affirming that he should be stoned to death by his people if he did it and so he departed without obtaining his purpose From that time forth Pheroras and especially the kings wiues accused Salome of intemperancy affirming that she had had the companie of the Arabian Now Herode determined to marry his daughter vnto Salomes sonne whom Pheroras refused for the loue of his maide which sonne of Salomes was her eldest that she had by Costabarus and that to shew his good will toward Salome his sister But he was disswaded by Pheroras who told him that the young man would neuer loue such a father in law because of his fathers death perswading him rather to marie her to his eldest sonne who was to succeed him in his Tetrarchie which he easily perswaded the king vnto and so obtained pardon for his former offence Wherefore the spousals being changed the maide was maried vnto the youg man who had an hundred talents in dowrie with her more then otherwise should haue beene giuen with her But all this while the dissension of Herodes house did not cease
and because he would not be thought rashly to haue committed his sonne to prison he caused the most noble and eminent of all Alexanders welwillers to be tortured and they confessing no such matter as he expected he put them to death Whilest thus all the court did resound with feare torments and contentions a certaine man accused Alexander to haue sent letters to his friends at Rome to entreate them to cause him to be sent for by Caesar thither that he might accuse his father of certaine conspiracies against Caesar and how he more esteemed the friendship of Mithridates king of the Parthians then the friendship of the Romans affirming also that he had poison ready prepared at Ascalon Herod hearing this was comforted by the parasites about him as hauing not done any thing rashly and so he gaue now full credite vnto all yet the poison was diligently sought for but could not be found Alexander being now oppressed with this calamitie he yet tooke courage and because he would more incite his fathers displeasure against him he did not deny it perhaps meaning to make his father ashamed of himselfe for giuing credite so easily vnto forged tales or at least if he could not effect that entangle all the court and him too in calamitie and miserie Which that he might the better doe he writ foure little bookes and sent them vnto his father telling him that it was needlesse to vse any more torments for indeed treason was intended against him and that Pheroras and his most trustie friends were herein conspirators And that in the night time Salome came secretly vnto him and as it were forced him to lie with her and that all of them aymed at this mark to haue him made away that so they might enioy their wished liberty He also accused Ptolomeus and Sapinnius of this conspiracie who were more faithful vnto the king then all others so that now these men who before were most friendly one to an other began like madde men to rage one against another and punishment so hastily pursued euerie one that they had not leisure giuen them to speake in their owne defence neither was their punishment deferred till their cause was tried and the truth knowne that some were bound and imprâ—…oned othersome presently put to death other laughed in their sleeues to see that day yet discontented for that any delay was vsed for their punishment so that the kings court was now greatly defaced with sorrow and heauinesse wherewith the wonted felicitie thereof was destroyed Herode himselfe amidst these calamities could not but be wearie of his life who not daring trust himselfe in any bodies hand he was tormented with a daily and hourely feare of some vntimely death that would befall him and many times perswaded himselfe that he did see his sonnes before him with a drawne sword ready to kill him and this was his cogitation night and day so that herewith he almost ranne madde CHAP. XII How Archelaus king of Cappadocia reconciled Alexander vnto his father WHilest Herode was thus troubled in his minde Archelaus king of Cappadocia carefull for his daughter and the young man his sonne in law and pitying his friend Herode entangled in such calamities he thought it his duetie to make a iourney vnto him And finding him so affected as it was reported vnto him before his comming he thought it an vnfit way to argue him of too much credulitie and rashnesse perceiuing that thereby he would bee rather exasperated so much the more labouring to excuse himselfe Wherefore Archelaus deuised an other way to appease these troubles Wherefore he counterfaited indignation against the young man approouing all the kings actions for good affirming that he would breake the band of wedlocke betweene his daughter and Alexander and that if she knew of the conspiracie and did not informe the king thereof himselfe would punish her Then Herode contrarie to his expectation seeing Archelaus so angry for the offence committed against him began to remit his anger and now with iust consideration waighing what he had done by little and little he began to haue a fatherly affection and to be hereby mooued to compassion yet so oft as any one sought to excuse the young man he grew to be verie angrie thereat But when Archelaus also began to accuse him then Herods hart relented and he with teares besought Archelaus not to yeeld too much to anger nor for the young mans offence breake off the marriage Then Archelaus perceiuing him to relent began to turne the matter against Herods friends as the causers of all this mischiefe who had corrupted the young man who of himselfe was voide of malice and especially he aggrauated the matter against Pheroras the kings brother Pheroras hauing now incurred the kings displeasure perceiued that none could so soone reconcile him vnto the king as Archelaus wherefore cloathed in blacke and making other signes as though he despaired of his life he went vnto him who did not denie to helpe him what he could yet he tolde him that it was no easie matter for him to pacifie the king so highly offended perswading him rather himselfe to go vnto the king his brother and craue pardon of him confessing himselfe to haue beene cause of all this mischiefe by which confession of his the kings wrath would be greatly appeased and so he also should haue better occasion to entreat for him Pheroras followed his counsell which fell out happily for them both for the young man contrarie to any ones expectation was freed from all his troubles and Archelaus made Pheroras and Herode friends and he himselfe hauing now gotten great friendship of the king in those his aduerse and troublous times of his he returned ioyfull into Cappadocia being rewarded with rich gifts and being accounted of as Herodes chiefest friend They also agreed amongst themselues that Herode should go to Rome because he had already written vnto Caesar concerning this matter and they both went togither vnto Antiochia and there Herode reconciled Titus the president of Syria vnto Archelaus and so he returned into Iudaea CHAP. XIII How the Trachonites reuolted WHilest Herode going to Rome was absent from his kingdome the Arabian wars began hereby taking an occasion The inhabitants of Trachon whose countrey Caesar taking from Zenodorus gaue it vnto Herode being forbidden and hindered from stealing were now forced to frame themselues to liue like husbandmen in more ciuilitie then before but this kinde of life pleased them not neither did their countrey yeeld fruits worth their labours yet at first Herode compelling them thereunto they abstained from iniuring the inhabitants bordering vpon them which did greatly redound vnto Herodes credite by whose diligence they were brought vnto it But when Herode was sayled into Italy to accuse Alexander and to commend Antipater vnto Caesar the Trachonites hearing a bruite of his death reuolted and turned to their accustomed robberies Yet were
before the people and the people throwing any thing that came to their hands at them they slew them euery one And Alexander and Aristobulus were caried vnto Sebaste there by their fathers command were strangled and their bodies buried by night in the castle Alexandrium where their grandfather by the mothers side and many of their progenitors lay buried But perhaps some will nothing maruaile that a hatred so long a breeding should in the end so preuaile that it ouercame naturall affection But one may iustly doubt whether the fault were in the yong men who exasperated by a hard father so long time fell into such hatred of him or whether it is to be imputed vnto his vnkindnes immoderate desire of honour rule who could not abide any to be his equal but rather chusing to do all at his owne pleasure Or rather vnto fortune whose power the wisest liuing is not able to resist Wherefore I am perswaded that fortune hath predestinated all humane actions so that they must haue a necessary euent And this ineuitable force we cal fate or fatal destinie for that there is nothing which it effecteth not But it sufficeth briefly to haue touched this high matter which is of it selfe very difficult which attributeth some thing vnto our actions and examineth the causes of the varietie of our actions which speculation is alreadie comprised in the two volumes of our law Furthermore as touching the yong mens fault we may accuse their youthly arrogancy the free kingly pride which was in them who did giue too great eare vnto their fathers accusers for that they were vniust serchers into his life actions and that they maliciously suspected him could not rule their tongues but hereby gaue double occasion vnto their aduersaries and matter vnto those tale bearers that sought to get the kings fauor But their fathers shamefull fault cānot be excused who suffered himselfe so to be ouerruled with passion that he put thē to death that were begotten of his own body without any proof or argumēt of the crimes laid vnto their charge yea two yong men of excellent feature of body not only beloued of their owne nation but also of strangers not slouthfull in hunting cōmendable in military affaires eloquent in ciuil discourses For in all these things they were excellent especially Alexander the eldest of them It had bin enough for him suppose he had condemned them either to haue kept thē in perpetual prison or to haue banished them into some far country seeing that he was assured of the Roman power vnder whose protectiō he neither needed to haue feared inuasion nor secret treason against him For so soone to put them to death only to satisfie his owne furious will what other thing doth it betoken but only an impious liberty casting off all fatherly humanity kindnes especially seeing that he was aged whose yeeres could neither plead ignorance not that he was deceiued For neither was he the more excused by the delay he vsed nay it had beene a lesse offence if amazed with some sudden newes he had beene incited vnto so hainous an offence but after so long delay deliberation at last to effect such a matter betokeneth a bloudie mind obdurate in wickednes as he well shewed himselfe afterward to haue not sparing the rest whō before time he held most deere who although they were lesse to be pitied in that they iustly suffered yet was it an argument of his like cruelty in that he abstained not from their deaths also but we will speake hereof hereafter THE XVII BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 17. booke 1 Of Antipaters malice who was Herodes sonne 2 Of Zamaris the Babylonian Iew. 3 Of Antipaters treacherous practises against Herode his father 4 How Herode sent Antipater vnto Caesar. 5 Of Pheroras death 6 How Pheroras wife was accused for intending to poyson the king and how Herode knew Antipaters practises against him 7 How Antipater was condemned to die and imprisoned 8 Of Herodes sicknesse and the sedition amongst the Iewes 9 Of Antipaters death 10 Of Herodes death his testament and funerall 11 How the people began a sedition against Archelaus 12 Of the sedition of the Iewes against Sabinus and how Varus punished the authors thereof 13 How Caesar ratified Herodes testament 14 Of the false Alexander 15 How Archelaus being againe accused was banished vnto Vienna CHAP. I. Of Antipaters malice who was Herodes sonne AFTER that Antipater had made away his brothers thorow the extreme impietie and vnbridled furie wherewith Herode their father was incensed and whetted against them yet incontinently obtained he not that which vndoubtedly he hoped for For being deliuered and discharged of that feare he conceiued least his brethren should be partakers with him in the kingdome he found it a difficult and dangerous matter for himselfe to finde the meanes how he might obtaine the kingdome so strange and hainous a hatred had all the nation conceiued against him On the other side in shewing himselfe proud and loftie he more and more whetted and encreased that hatred which the souldiers had fore conceiued against him in whom notwithstanding the securitie of the kingdome consisted if it should fortune so to fall out that the people should attempt any alteration All which mischiefes were begotten by his owne sinnes and the vnnaturall murther of his brothers Naithelesse he gouerned the kingdome with his father liuing in no lesse authoritie then himselfe Herode also reposed more confidence in him euen in those things for which he was worthie to lose his head For the king conceiued that in confirmation of his good affection towards him Antipater had accused his brethren as vnder resolution to continue his father in securitie and not for any hatred he bore as well vnto them as to his father though indeed he hated them for his fathers sake being transported with furie But all these were but as it were many subtill stratagemes to insinuate himselfe into Herodes counsailes and sauours and these did he craftily make vse of to cut off the occasion least any should preuent or accuse him of that which he pretended to doe and that Herode might be depriued of all meanes and manner of reliefe if so be Antipater should bend his forces against him For the treason he complotted against his brothers proceeded from the hatred he bare vnto his father but at that time was he the more egged on to prosecute his intended purposes without any delay or procrastination For if Herode should happen to die it was a matter most assured that the kingdome should be his and should his life conti◅ any longer time and the practise Antipater went about should be discouered seeing himselfe inuironed with these dangers he should be inforced to make his father his enemy For which cause he vsed verie
and ripped vp the outrage that was done vnto his daughters as it hath beene declared ascribing the same to the pride of this woman obiecting it for a crime against her for thereby she had iniued his honour Besides this he accused her that she had of set purpose stirred vp mutinies and by all meanes possible both in word and in effect contrarie to all law of nature shee stirred vp debate betwixt him and his brother and that the fine that he had imposed vpon his aduersaries was satisfied at her charge so that no ◅ot of that conspiracy was contriued without her priuitie and consent For which causes said he brother Pheroras it shall not be amisse for you of your owne accord to driue such a wretched woman from you before you be requested and the sentence be prouounced against her otherwise she will be the cause to kindle a warre betwixt you and me For if at this present you will continue the friendship and brotherhood betwixt you and me separate your selfe from her in so doing I will account you for my brother and you shall lose nothing by the affection which I beare vnto you For the bond of brotherly loue cannot continue safe and vnuiolate vnlesse you put her away Now although Pheroras was moued with the importance and waight of this discourse yet said he that for the loue he bare vnto his wife he would forget nothing of that dutie which consanguinitie required at his hands in regard of his brother but that he had rather die then to liue without her company whom he loued more deerely then his life Herode although he tooke this answere of his brothers for a most gricuous iniurie yet forbare he to discouer his displeasure towards him he onely forbad Antipater and his mother and in like manner Pheroras to frequent the one with the other any more He commaunded the women likewise that they should giue ouer their familiar entertainments the one with the other which all of them promised to performe Yet this notwithstanding vpon fit opportunities and occasions they visited one another and Antipater and Pheroras feasted one another by night The report also went that Antipater had the company of Pheroras wife and that his mother was the meanes and minister of their priuie meetings CHAP. IIII. Herode sendeth Antipater vnto Caesar. ANtipater suspecting his fathers dislikes and fearing least his hatred should by increase bring him into hazard he wrote vnto his friends in Rome requiring them to write their letters vnto Herod requesting him to send Antipater vnto Caesar with al expedition as was possible Which being brought to passe Herode sent him thither with diuers royall presents and gaue him his testament and will with him wherein he had bequeathed the kingdome to Antipater And if it should happē that Antipater should die before him then bequeathed he the same to his son Herod whom he had by the high Priests daughter About the same time Syllaeus the Arabian repaired to Rome notwithstanding he had neglected those things that Caesar had giuen him in charge Him did Antipater accuse before Caesar for the same defaults wherewith he was charged by Nicholaus Syllaeus also was accused by Aretas for murthering diuers of the best account in the citie of Petra contrarie to his mind amongst the which was Sohemus a man of much vertue and honour and Phabatus Caesars seruant of which crimes Syllaeus was accused vpon that occasion which ensueth There was a certaine man of Corinthus who was one of the kings gard and such a one as he putvery great trust in him did Syllaeus perswade by store of money and bribes to kill Herode which he promised to performe Phabatus made priuie to Syllaeus mind he presently told it to the king who caused him to be apprehended and tortured who confessed the whole matter He laid hands also on two Arabians perswaded by this Corinthians confession one of which was a man of commaund in his countrey and the other was Syllaeus chiefest friend They being examined confessed that they came thither to solicite and egge forward with many exhortations the Corinthian to execute the murther and to assist him if he stood in need of them Which being fully approued by Herode before Saturnine he sent them to Rome there more amply to be proceeded against and so to be punished CHAP. V. Pheroras death HErode perceiuing that his brother Pheroras did constantly continue his affection towards his wife he commaunded him to retire himselfe into his owne dominion whereupon he willingly departed to his Terrarchy protesting by many solemne othes that he would neuer more returne into the citie vnlesse he were assured that Herode was dead Not long after it hapned that the king falling sicke he was sent for to receiue certaine secret instructions as from the mouth of a dying man but Pheroras would not obey him in regard of his oth This notwithstanding Herode dealt more kindly with him and continued his loue and affection towards him for he came vnto Pheroras as soone as he heard of his first sicknes and being vnsent for also and after he was deceased he sent his bodie to Ierusalem and honourably entombed him in that place and grieously lamented his death This was the beginning of all Antipaters mishaps who at that time was departed to Rome For it was Gods pleasure that at last he should be punished for the murther of his brethren This matter will I discourse of at large that it may serue for an example vnto many kings how they ought to practise and follow vertue in all their actions CHAP. VI. Pheroras wife is accused and Herode is aduertised of Antipaters conspiracies AFter Pheroras death two of his freemen who were Taphnites by birth and such as Pheroras in his life time both inlie trusted and dearely loued came vnto Herode requiring him not to suffer his brothers death to passe vnpunished but to make diligent enquirie of that vnfortunate and vnexpected misaduenture Herode lent a willing care vnto their suite perceiuing that the matters they importuned him in were likely and verie credible Whereupon they told him that Pheroras the day before his vnexpected sicknesse had supt with his wife and that hauing receiued an vnaccustomed poison with his meate he was dead That this poison had been brought thither by a woman of Arabia who in her speech protested that it was some potion to increase loue but in effect it was to bring Pheroras to his end For the women of Arabia amongst all others are skilfull in poisons and are great sorcerers and she that was charged with this fact was esteemed a great freind and sauourer of Syllaeus best beloued That Pheroras mother and his wifes sister went into those quarters vpon purpose to buy that poyson and returned backe and brought this woman with them the day before the supper The king mooued by these words of theirs tortured both those
maidseruants of theirs who were their bondwomen as also certaine other of their free seruants Now when the fact would not be extorted by reason that none of them confessed the same at length shee that was last of all put to her triall ouercome by the paines shee endured said nought else but that shee praied God that Antipaters mother might feele the like torments since shee was the cause of all those mischiefes which they endured These words of hers made Herode the more eager and inquisitiue so that by force of tortures he wrought out all the secrets of these women their banquets their secret assemblies and those verie words that Herode had spoken apart betwixt his sonne and himselfe which had beene reported vnto the women that Pheroras entertained namely that he would giue him one hundreth talents prouided he would vse no conference with Pheroras Moreouer they reckoned vp the hatred that Antipater bare vnto his father the complaints that he made vnto his mother of the too long life and continuance of his father for that in regard of himselfe he was already waxen olde so that although the kingdome should fall into his hands presently yet could he receiue but verie little contentment thereby Moreouer hee alleadged that diuers brothers and brothers children were brought vp togither with him so that he might not securely hope for any thing for that already if he should fortune to die the kingdome was to descend not to his sonne but to his brother besides this he was accustomed to accuse the king of diuers cruelties committed by him and of that murther which he executed vpon the persons of his children That for feare least he should practise his tyrannie against those that remained Antipater had found out the deuise to be summoned to Rome and Pheroras withdrew himselfe into his Tetrarchy These words which as he knew had reference vnto that which his sister had often informed him of were not by him held incredible so that being pressed with the malice of Antipater he sequestred Doris his mother from his presence spoiling her before her departure of all her iewels which were valued at many talents and from that time forward he shewed himselfe more fauourable towards those women of Pheroras household But nothing did more whet Herods displeasure against Antipater then did a certaine Samaritane who was also called Antipater who had the ordering of the affaires of Antipater the kings sonne For he being brought in question and tortured declared amongst other things that Antipater had mixed a mortall poison and deliuered the same to Pheroras his vncle commanding him to practise the kings death in his absence and by that meanes least suspected That this poison was brought out of Aegypt by one called Antiphilus Antipaters friend That it was sent to Pheroras by one called Theudion Antipaters mothers brother That this poison was kept by Pheroras wife and was committed by her husband to her custodie She being examined by the king hereupon confessed no lesse hastning forth as if she intended to fetch the same she cast her selfe downe headlond from the toppe of the house yet did she not murther her selfe because she fell vpon her feet Now after she was recouered out of her swoune and the king had promised all securitie both to her selfe and her family if so be she would discouer the truth and contrariwise threatned her with extreme torments if she obstinately continued in concealing these treasons she sware that she would discouer all things according as they were acted and as many men thought at that time she tolde nothing but the truth That poison said she was brought by Antiphilus out of Aegypt and bought there by the meanes of a brother of his who was a physition After this Theudion brought it to our house and I hauing receiued it from Pheroras hands kept the same but bought by your sonne Antipater to poison you that are his father Now therefore after that my husband fell sicke and you in kindnesse came to visit and comfort him he being mooued with compassion and conquered by your brotherly kindenesse by your good affection and louing care in giuing order for his health called me vnto him and said O Wife Antipater hath circumuented me whilest by his pestilent counsailes and poisoning practises he desireth to cut off his father and depriue me of a kinde brother Now therfore since as I perceiue there is no part of my brothers louing and naturall affection diminished towards me wherewith he was wont to entertaine me and that my latest houre of life approcheth God forbid that being ready to sleepe with my forefathers I should present them with a ghost soiled and sweltred in my brothers bloud Dispatch therefore and burne this poison before mine eies Hereupon said she I presently brought it forth according as my husband commaunded me and burnt the greatest part of the poison and the rest I reserued that if after my husbands death your grace should vse me vnkindly it might serue me to escape those extremities that would betide me After she had spoken thus she brought forth before them all the poison and the box wherein it was kept After her another of Antiphilus brothers and the mother to them both confessed no lesse being constrained thereunto by force and violence of torture and acknowledged the box The kings wife also who was the daughter of the high priest was accused for confederacie and concealement of all these treasons For which cause Herode put her away from him and raced his sonnes name out of his testament wherein he had bequeathed him the kingdome after his decease He displaced also his father in law Simon the sonne of Boëthus from the priesthood and placed Matthias the sonne of Theophilus who was borne in Ierusalem in his steed In the meane space Bathillus Antipaters freeman returned from Rome who being tortured confessed that he brought a poison with him to deliuer it to Antipaters mother and Pheroras to the ende that if the first poison were not effectuall enough to dispatch the king they might make vse of this other to cut him off speedily There came letters also to Herods hands from his friends in Rome written and deuised by Antipaters meanes to accuse Archelaus and Philip for that verie often they had refreshed the memorie of Alexander and Aristobulus death contriued by their father and for that they lamented the miserable fate of them who were innocently betraied and that now also they themselues were called backe into their countrey for no other cause but vpon their arriuall to be made partakers of their brothers miserable destinie These things did Antipaters friends certifie Herod of in that by many and mightie presents he wrought them thereunto He himselfe also wrote vnto his father colourably after a maner excusing the young men and imputing their words to their indiscretion young yeers Meane while he busied himselfe in accusing Syllaeus and coutted the chiefest Romans buying
practise these trecheries you haue poisoned your mother also with no lesse corruption and in steed of the loue that should haue beene amongst brethren you haue filled your family with mutinies and hatreds And after and besides all these things thou hast beene so audacious as to call thy father beast being of thy selfe more malignant then those beasts that are most venemous vsing thine owne venome against thy deerest friends and such as haue best deserued at thy hands strengthing thy selfe with his guard and diuers trecheries both of men and women against one olde man as if thy cursed mind alone were not sufficient to satisfie thy hatred And now after so many men and women slaues and free men tortured for thy cause after the open and manifest testimonies of thy parties in the conspiracy thou art so impudent as yet to contradict the trueth and thou that lately hopedst to depriue thy father of his life doest now as much as in thee lieth endeuour to abolish that law that was instituted against malefactors in thy kind herewithall Varus equitie and all whatsoeuer iustice is in the world Dost thou therefore accuse them of falsehood who were examined in torments to the end thou mightest endaunger their credit who were the preseruers of thy fathers life shall we beleeue thee more then them in their torments Wilt thou not O Varus deliuer the king from the iniuries of those who are his owne flesh and bloud wilt thou not put this wicked beast to death who hath murthered his brothers to pretend a loue towards his father and who hath at last beene discouered to bee the most mortall enemie of them all to the intent that at one instant hee might establish the kingdome in himselfe Thou knowest that Patricide is no priuate crime but a publike iniurie to life and nature which is no lesse lothsome in the thought then it is in the act which who so punisheth not is of himselfe guiltie of an iniurie offered to our common mother nature After these speeches he annexed certaine points as touching Antipaters mother which thorow feminine frailtie had beene blabbed out by her to wit that she had asked counsaile of southsaiers and diuiners to whom the kingdome should befall And that she had offered sacrifices and made prayers for the death of the king And moreouer he declared what lasciuious pranks Antipater had plaied with Pheroras women in banqueting and amorous and wanton dalliances The informations likewise that were presented by such as were tortured with sundry testimonies of diuers men some suborned the other found out to be incontinently produced and confirmed For each man seeing that Antipater was exposed to the accusations of those men who had the gouernment in their hands and that the good fortune that had long time accompanied him had openly deliuered him into the hands of his enemies they manifestly discouered the insatiable hatred which they had conceiued against him whereas before time the feare that they had of him inforced them to be silent yet was he not so much burdened with other mens hatreds as with his owne wickednes namely his deadly hatred against his father his breach of amitie amongst his brethren wherby he filled the kings houshold with seditions and murthers of some complotted and acted by other some neither giuing place to hatred according to iustice nor to amitie according to good affection but according as it might stand with his profit Which for that diuers men perceiued long before that time they iudged of euents according as they had reason and the rather because that being voide of hatred they spake but their opinions And whereas heretofore they had cried with a lowd voice against him at such time as they were shut vp at this time when as they were depriued of their feare they declared al things that they knew And whereas there were diuers produced of the mischiefes committed by him yet seemed there nothing to be fained for that the accusers neither spake in fauor of the king neither concealed any thing for feare of perill but condemned all Antipaters wicked actions and iudged him worthy of death and punishment not so much for his fathers security as of his own deinerit Neither did they onely accuse him who were by iustice tied thereunto but diuers voluntarie witnesses also brought in their euidence so that although he was a verie cunning dissembler and colourer of his lies and most impudent in his assertions yet durst he not once open his mouth or mutter against the same As soone as Nicholas had finished his discourse and accusations Varus cummanded Antipater to answere to those crimes that were obiected against him if he had any thing to alleadge that he was not guiltie of those forfaits or hainous crimes that were laid vnto his charge For of himselfe he desired nothing more and knew well that Herode his father desired no lesse then that he should iustifie himselfe and maintaine his innocencie But he humbling himselfe vpon his face and lowly bending his body to the ground besought God who was the searcher of all hearts to approoue his innocencie by some euident signe how he had neuer attempted anything to his fathers preiudice For this is the custome of all wicked men that as often as they attempt any hainous act they engage themselues in all wickednesse without any respect of Gods iustice and when as by their misdeeds they are fallen into perill then call they God to their mindes by whose inuocation and testimonie they desire to be deliuered making a shew that they commit all things to his determination The like whereof at that time happened in Antipater who wheras before time disposed all his actions in such sort as if there had been no God that had the ouersway of humane affaires at such time as iustice ouertooke him and he was disfurnished of the benefit of the lawe had his recourse to Gods power alleadging that he was reserued by God to this end that he might diligently intend his fathers safetie Hereupon Varus when as by often questionings he could wrest nothing from him but that he onely cried vpon God seeing that otherwise there would be no end of these debates he commaunded the poison to be brought forth before them all that hee might make experience of what force it was which being presently brought vnto him and ministred to one that was condemned to die it presently killed the man Which done he arose and departed out of the councell and the next day went to Antioch where for the most part he was wont to haue his residence for that it was the chiefe Citie of the Assyrians But Herod presently commanded his sonne to be put in bonds no man knowing what talke had been betweene him and Varus vpon his departure but all mens opinion was that the king did nothing in imprisoning him but by his counsaile When as therefore he had fast bound him he sent vnto Caesar and wrote
his letters vnto him as touching Antipater sending certaine appointed messengers who by word of mouth might certifie him of his cursed treasons At the verie same time there was a letter intercepted sent by Antiphilus to Antipater which Antiphilus remained in Aegypt which letter being opened by the king was written to this effect I haue sent you Armes letter hazarding thereby mine owne life for you know that I am in danger of the displeasure of two mightie families if I should be discouered As for your selfe bethinke you well of your affaires in this respect Such were the contents of this letter The king made diligent search for others also but he could finde none for Antiphilus seruant who had brought that which was read denied that he had any other But whilest the king was in this doubt one of his seruants and friends perceiued that the inside of the messengers vnder-coat was newly sowed for he had two garments the one vpon the other and coniecturing that the letters might be hidden in the sould thereof as indeed they were he ripped the same and found them The tēnour thereof was this Acme to Antipater Health I haue written the letters to your father according as you gaue me instructions and haue counterfaited the copy of my letter as if it had been sent by Salome my mistris I assure my selfe that when he hath read the same he wil punish Salome as one that hath practised treason against him But that letter that was supposed to haue been written by Salome to Acme was of Antipaters inuention and written in Salomes name according to his inuention and in Acmes stile The contents were these Acme to king Herode Health Whereas I haue an especiall care that nothing be concealed from thee that concerneth thy securitie hauing found a letter of Salomes written against thee vnto my Ladie I haue not without danger taken the copy therof and sent it vnto you in which she required that she might haue licence to marrie Syllaeus Teare this copy least thorow the knowledge of the same I grow in danger of my life Now in that which she had written to Antipater she had discouered that she had written these words to Herode according to that commandement he had giuen her as if Salome had conspired to worke some treason against him She sent also the copy of those counterfaite letters in the name of Salome and sent them vnto her mistris to worke treason This Acme was a Iew borne and chambermaid to Iulia Caesars wife and did that which is aboue written for the loue which she bare to Antipater whom he had hired by great summes of money to the end that she should assist him to execute the mischiefe which he practised against his father and against his Aunt Herode made almost desperate by the great mischiefes of Antipater was stirred vp on the sodaine to shorten his daies for that he was the only meanes that stirred vp these great tempests of sedition in his kingdome and who not only practised against his father and his Aunt but against his sister also and had in like sort corrupted Caesars familie Salome also incensed him the more beating her breasts and offering her selfe to all deaths if any such like matter might be duely prooued against her For which cause Herod sent for Antipater commanding him to speake freely all that which he had to say without feare But he hauing not one word to answere for his defence Herode said vnto him Since that on all sides thou art conuicted and surprised in thy wickednesse delay not but discouer those that are of thy confederacie Whereupon he laid all the fault vpon Antiphilus and named none other At that time Herode being wounded by extreme griefe would haue sent Antipater to Rome vnto Caesar that he might receiue his iudgement from him but afterwards he feared least by the interest of his friends he should escape the danger for which cause he kept him bound and fettered in prison as he had done before And in the meane while sent certaine messengers with letters to Caesar to accuse his sonne and to declare wherein Acme had been his confederate producing the copy of the letters These embassadors therefore resorted to Rome instructed in those things they were to answere to those interrogatories that should be offered them and with them he sent his letters CHAP. VIII Herodes sicknesse and the sedition amongst the Iewes MEane while Herode fell sicke and made his will and appointed his youngest sonne to succeede him in the kingdome for that through Antipaters instigations he had conceiued a hatred against Archelaus and Philip. He sent also one thousand talents vnto Caesar and fiue hundreth to his wife and to his children friends and freemen He bestowed also money rents and lands vpon his own children he gaue his sister Salome an ample possession for that she had alwaies perseuered in louing him and had neuer offended him And hauing lost all hope of recouerie for that he was about seuentie yeeres olde he became verie tutchie and froward in whatsoeuer his affaires The cause hereof was that opinion he had conceiued that he waxed contemptible and that the whole nation tooke pleasure in those mishaps which befortuned him which some of those who were fauoured by the people made him the rather beleeue vpon this occasion which ensueth Amongst those that were most learned among the Iewes Iudas the son of Saripheus and Matthias the sonne of Margalothus the most excellent interpreters of the lawes and ordinances of the countrey and for this cause were in greatest estimation among the people by reason that they instructed and trained vp the youth For all those that desired to obtaine vertue spent all their time with them who vnderstanding that the kings sicknesse was dangerous they incensed the younger sort counsailing them to ouerthrow all those workes that the king had caused to be made contrarie to the law and custome of the countrey to the ende that they fighting for pietie might obtaine the reward that attendeth the same For in that the king had enterprised and done many things contrarie to the law diuers vnaccustomed miseries had befallen him and namely that sicknes wherewith he was detained For Herod had done diuers things contrarie to the auncient lawe against which Iudas and Matthias exclaimed openly For he had erected ouer the portall of the great temple an Aegle of gold of great valew Now the law prohibiteth that they who pretend to liue according to the same should not in any sort erect any image nor represent any figures of liuing creatures whatsoeuer For this cause these doctors counsailed them to pull down that Aegle telling that that although the matter seemed to want no peril yet ought they rather to prefer an honest death before a pleasant life if so be it be imploied for the defence of their countrey lawes and religion For in so doing they should
which there sate an owle One of those prisoners vvho vvas by nation a Germane beholding that bird asked the soldier that was fettered with him who he vvas that vvas apparrelled in purple and vnderstanding that his name vvas Agrippa and that he vvas a lew and one of the nobilitie of that nation hee required the souldier who to the end to guard him was chained with him to suffer him to draw neere vnto Agrippa and to haue a little conference with him for that he had a great desire to aske him of certaine things concerning the customes of his countrey Which when he had obtained and hauing got neere him he certified him by an interpreter of that which followeth Young man said he the sodaine change that hath befallen thee at this present afflicteth and oppresseth thee with great and grieuous torment neither wilt thou easily beleeue that thou shalt escape from thy miserie yet so doth the diuine prouidence dispose all things that thou shalt shortly be deliuered Know therefore and I sweare vnto thee by the Gods both those of mine auncestors and those also who haue residence and presidence in this place and who haue procured vs this yron chaine that I will tell thee all not to yeeld thee pleasure by my vaine discourse or to entertaine thee with fruitlesse consolation knowing well that when these predictions shall happen to faile they will breede thee more sorrow then if thou hadst neuer heard speech of them But I haue thought it good yea although it were with mine owne danger to declare vnto thee the predictions of the gods It cannot otherwaies be but that shortly thou shalt be deliuered from these bonds and shalt be aduanced to great honour and power so that those who at this day haue compassion of thy calamitie shal beare enuie to thy glorie and thou shalt depart this life in great felicitie and shalt leaue thy children mightie possessions But beare this in thy remembrance that when thou shalt see this bird once more thou must needly die within fiue daies after These are those things which the gods thinke meete to foretell thee by this bird As for my selfe I haue supposed that I should doe thee wrong if I should conceale this prediction from thee hauing the foreknowledge thereof I haue therefore thought good to impart this ioy vnto thee wherby thorow hope of thy future profit thou maiest more easily indure thy present misfortune for which cause I beseech thee that as soone as thou shalt be partaker of this thy felicity thou wilt indeuour thy selfe to deliuer vs also from these aduersities This presage of the Germane seemed so ridiculous to Agrippa as it afterwars deserued most mightie admiration But Antonia being sore grieued at the young mans calamitie thought it not onely a difficult matter for her to intreat Tiberius for him but altogither vnprofitable in regard she should be repulsed yet wrought she so much with Macron that he was committed to the custodie of such souldiers who were of more reconciled behauiour and had a Centurion appointed to keepe him that suffered him to vse his daily bathings and gaue his friends and seruants leaue to visit him by whose seruice and kindnesse his necessities might be relieued His friend Silas also was admitted to speake with him and amongst his free-men Marsias and Stichus who brought him in such meates as he was delighted withall and couerings vnder colour to sell them which by the permission of the souldiers who had no lesse direction from Macron they spred by night for him to take his rest vpon See here the estate wherein Agrippa liued in prison for the space of six moneths But Tiberius being returned to Capreas began at first to bee attainted with a certaine lingring disease and for that his sicknesse increased more and more he began to conceiue a sinister hope of himselfe and commanded Euodus whom he most honoured amongst all his free-men to bring him his sonnes because he intended to talke with them before he died But the sooth is that he had not any children of his own but had adopted them For Drusus who was his onely childe was alreadie dead and had left behind him a sonne called Tiberius surnamed Gemellus He had Caius also his brother Germanicus sonne who was in the flower of his age and had trauailed verie diligently in good disciplines To him also the people ascribed verie much in remembrance of the vertues of his deceased father and as touching himselfe he was of a sweet conuersation and so modest that he was familiar and conuersant with all men Whereby it came to passe that not onely the people but the Senate also held him in great estimation as also all the subiects in euerie seuerall prouince For they that spake with him were drawne partly by his affabilitie partly by the fidelitie that they saw in him so that when he was dead all of them mourned not counterfaitly lamenting his losse but with vnfained sorrow for that there was not any one that supposed not his death to be euery mans particular losse He therefore demeaned himselfe so modestly towards all men that his sonne after his death was highly aduanced thereby For among the rest the men of warre made their reckoning that although it should cost them their liues to get him the Empire they would not refuse the hazard After that Tiberius had charged Euodus to bring him the two young men the next morrow by breake of day he besought the Gods of that place to giue him an euident signe whereby he might know who should succeed him For although he desired to leaue the Empire to his sons sonne yet made he more account of that which God should make manifest vnto him He therefore conceiued a presage that he who the next day should enter first to salute him it should be he who in the Empire should necessarily succeede him And hauing settled this thing in his fantasie he sent vnto his little sonnes Master charging him to bring him vnto him by breake of day supposing that God had ordained that the Empire should be his but the matter fell out quite contrarie to his expectation For being in this thought he commanded Euodus that as soone as he might and as soone as the day should arise he should suffer him of the two young princes to enter in vnto him who should arriue the first He walking out met with Caius before the chamber doore for Tiberius was not there who being ignorant of that wich his grandfather thought was busie about his breakfast and said vnto him That the Emperour his father called for him and with all suffered him to enter When Tiberius beheld Caius he sodainly began to consider vpon the power of God who depriued him of the meanes to dispose of the Empire according as he had determined with himselfe for that it lay not in his power and he lamented greatly not so much for that he sawe his
testimonie of assurance That done Artabanus sent backe Anilaeus to perswade his brother Asinaeus to come to the court Artabanus did this supposing that this his amitie with the two brothers would be a bridle for the Iewes who otherwaies might encroach vpon his gouernments For he feared least if any rebellion should happen and he should be troubled in that warre Asinaeus and they of Babylon should grow more strong both by the voluntarie submission of the Iewes as by force and thereby should do him the more mischiefe Vpon this deliberation he sent Anilaeus who easily perswaded his brother giuing him to vnderstand among other things what goodwill the king bare him and the oath that he had sworne so that both of them resorted to Artabanus who receiued them verie gratiously admiring Asinaeus vertue who had so great a courage to exercise his enterprises considering especially that hee was a man of a lowe stature and who to looke on seemed to be contemptible And hee told his friends that without comparison he had a greater heart then his bodie And whē as in banqueting he had named Asinaeus shewed him to Abdagasis the general of his army signifying vnto him with what valour these brethrē were endowed in feats of arms Abdagasis required that it might be lawful for him to kil Asinaeus to the end that he might punish the wrōgs he had done to the estate of the Parthiās Neuer said the king wil I giue my consent to betray a man who hath committed himselfe to my protection and hath giuen me his hand and who buildeth vpon the oath I haue past vnto him in the name of the Gods But if thou art a valiant man in feats of armes thou hast no need to make me foresweare my selfe to the end I might do iustice on him for his outrages committed against the Parthians but at such time as he and his brother shall depart from hence assaile him and ouercome him by thy valour prouided that I be not priuie to thy attempt And afterwards calling Asinaeus to him in the morning It is time said he that thou returne homeward for feare thou prouokest diuers of the captains of my court which contrary to my will vvill endeuour themselues to kill thee I commit the countrey of Babylon to thy protection and guard which by thy care and vigilancy shal remaine exempt from all robberies and other such calamities Reason it is that I procure thy good because I haue engaged mine honour faith irreuocably vnto thee not vpon any light matter but for things that importune thee as neerly as thy life This said he gaue him certaine presents and incontinently disinissed him Now as soone as he returned home to his owne fortress he fortified the places both those which before time he had thorowly defenced as the other which as yet no man had attempted to strengthen and in short time he grewe to that greatnes as no one man of so obscure fortune beginning attained before him Neither contented with the honours of the Babylonians he was also held in great account by the captaines of the Parthians who were sent to gouern in the neighbouring prouinces yea so much increased his authority with his power that all Mesapotamia was at his commaund In this felicitie and increasing glory of his he continued for the space of fifteene yeeres which neuer began to waine vntill such time as neglecting the auncient studie of vertue and contemning the lawes of his forefathers both he and his factious followers being deuoured in pleasure yeelded themselues captiue to forraine lusts It fortuned that a certaine gouernour of those Parthians came into that countrey accompanied with his wife not onely enriched and endowed with other perfections but also admired for her incomparable comlines and beauty Whom without euer seeing her only by report of her beautie Anilaeus Asinaeus brother loued intirely and when as by no one of his allurements he could obtaine her fauour neither had any other hope to enioy the Lady he could not bridle his vnruly lust but he made warre against her husband and killing the Parthian in their first conflict his wife became his both in subiection and bed-seruice which thing was the originall of many mightie calamities both to himselfe and towards his brother For when as hauing lost her former husband she was led away captiue she carried with her the images of the gods of her country which she highly esteemed according as it was the custome of those that inhabited that place to haue their gods whom they adored in their houses whom at such time as they trauell into a forraine country they carrie about with them She therfore brought them with her and vsed them according to the fashion of her countrey at the first secretly but after she was knowne for Anilaeus wife then adored she them according to the custome and with the same seruice which she vsed during her first husbands daies sacrificing to her gods Their chiefest friends seeing this first of all reprooued them for that Anilaeus committed such things as were no waies vsed amongst the Hebrewes and altogither repugnant to their lawes for that he had married a woman of a forraine nation that contradicted and violated their accustomed religion for which cause they aduised them to beware least in submitting themselues too much to their vnbridled pleasures they should lose the honor and power they had receiued from God euen vntill that present But seeing their perswasions profited nothing and that Anilaeus likewise had villanously slaine one of his deerest friends who had somewhat too freely reproued him who at such time as he lay a dying being touched with the zeale of the lawes of his auncestors with griefe against his murtherer wished that Asinaeus and Anilaeus and all their associates might die the like death they for that they were transgressors of the lawe the other for that they succoured not themselues in that oppression which they suffered for the maintenance of their lawes They were sore displeased yet notwithstanding they contained themselues calling to their remembrance that their felicity proceeded from no other cause but from the valour of those brethren But when they vnderstood that the Parthian gods were adored by this woman they bethought them that it behooued them not any more to beare with Anilaeus in contempt of their lawes for which cause addressing themselues to Asinaeus in great assemblies they exclaimed against Anilaeus saying that he ought although at first he had no power to dispose of himselfe yet now at last to correct this error before it should redound to their publike plague for that both his mariage was disallowed in all mens eies as altogither contrarie to their countrey lawes and that the superstitious obseruance of the gods which the woman presumed to vse was an apparant iniurie offered to the true God But he although he knew that his brothers fault would breed some great inconuenience both to
Herode to this effect Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus Father of the people signifieth this that followeth Vnderstanding that the Iewes inhabitants in Alexandria and for this cause called Alexandrines haue at all times enioyed the selfesame priuiledges of the Citie which the ancient and first Alexandrines haue had Which fauors they haue obtained by the largesse of those princes that were our predecessors as it hath been plainly made knowne vnto vs as well by letters which haue been written vnto vs as by confirmed decrees and that since Alexandria hath beene annexed to our Empire by Caesar Augustus their priuiledges haue continued in force during the seuerall successions of many of our gouernours which rights of theirs haue neuer been called in question no not in that time when Aquila was gouernour in Alexandria Since in like sort Caesar Augustus hath not letted them but when the chiefetaine of their nation was dead they might establish other substitutes and gouernours in his place willing that all of them should yeeld him obedience in obseruation of their lawes and customâ—…s without constraint or impulsion to doe any thing contrarie to their religion yet notwithstanding the Alexandrines haue mutined against the Iewes being in the Citie of Alexandria in the time of the Emperour Caius by reason of the folly and frenzie of Caius who disgraced and oppressed the nation of the Iewes because they would not violate their religion nor acknowledge the said Caius for a god Our wil and pleasure is that no one of the priuiledges of the nation of the Iewes be abolished by reason of Caius frenzie but my minde is to maintaine those which heretofore haue beene giuen them to the ende they may continue and liue according to their auncient lawes and customes Commanding you and euerie one of you verie carefully to prouide that after the publication of this our ordinance they be in no sort troubled This was the tenor of that ordinance which was made in fauour of the Iewes in Alexandria But that which was generally made in fauour of those who were dispersed thorow the whole world was to this effect Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus High priest Father of the people elected Consul the second time signifieth that which ensueth Our we beloued friends the kings Agrippa and Herode haue required vs that we will permit all those Iewes that liue vnder the Roman Empire to vse the same lawes and priuiledges which they haue vsed heretofore as we haue granted to the Iewes that dwell in Alexandria Which suite of theirs we haue willingly granted not onely in fauour of those that require the same but also for that I thinke them worthy such a grace for whom I haue been intreated in regard of the fidelity and friendship they haue alwaies expressed towards the Romans My pleasure therfore is that no Citie either Grecian or otherwise shall deny any priuiledge from whence they shall be excluded for that since the Emperour Augustus time they haue neuer been exempted from them It standeth with reason therefore that henceforth the Iewes who liue vnder our Empire of what place soeuer they bee may obserue their auncient customes without any contradiction Giuing them to vnderstand that hereafter they vse our clemencie so much the more moderately without neglecting the religion of other nations in retaining their own And our wil is that this present ordinance be published by the Magistrates of Cities Colonies and countries of Italy and be sent vnto kings and forraine princes by fit embassadours within thirtie daies at the least to the end that they should be in such sort set vp that they may be seene and read by all those that passe by CHAP. V. Agrippas returne into Iudaea BY these edicts of Claudius Caesar which he sent both to Alexandria and other parts of the world it plainly appeareth how well affected he was towards the nation of the Iewes And presently after this after he had dignified Agrippa with all kinds of honour he sent him backe into his kingdome to gouerne the same commanding all his presidents and lieutenants in his prouinces thorow which he was to passe to giue him a friendly and honourable conuoy But he hauing wisely and happily dispatched his affaires returned in all haste As soone as he came to Ierusalem he offered his sacrifices of thanksgiuing which he had vowed without omitting any thing that was commanded by the law He caused also diuers Nazarites to be pould and offered in gift that chaine of gold that Caius had giuen him which was of the same weight the yron chaine was of wherewith his royall hands were manacled in memorie of the aduersitie he had past and the testimonie of the exchange thereof into better fortune commaunding that it should be hanged vp in the temple and ouer the chamber of the treasurie to testifie vnto those that should behold the same that the highest estates are subiect to alterations and that God can raise men againe from obscuritie to happy fortune For this chaine that hanged in the temple being consecrated to God manifestly expressed vnto all men that king Agrippa was vpon a verie small occasion despoiled of his former dignitie and made prisoner and then a little while after that he being deliuered from his bonds was raised and exalted to a famous kingdome To signifie thereby that humane affaires are of that nature that that which is the greatest may be easily ouerthrowne and that which is declining may recouer againe his auncient honour and dignitie When as therfore Agrippa had duely and deuoutly acknowledged Gods mercies he deposed the hie priest Theophilus the son of Ananus and bestowed that honour on Simon surnamed Canthara the son of Boëthus This Simon had two brothers Boëthus was their father whose daughter had bin married to king Herod as heretofore it hath bin spoken Simon held the priesthood with his brethren and his father in such sort as before time the three sons of Simon hie priest son of Onias had done during the Empire of the Macedonians as we haue declared in our former bookes After the king had giuen order for the priesthood he thought good to recompence the good affection that they of Ierusalem had borne vnto him for which cause he acquited them of those tributes that euerie family paied knowing well that it became him to shew kindnesse vnto them who had been faithfull and wel affected towards him He created Silas who had been his companion in many dangers generall of all his army Not long after certaine young men that were Dorites vnder the colour of constancie in case of religion who also had daily expressed in their actions an vnbridled rashnesse brought the image of Caesar into the temple of the Iewes and erected it in that place which insolence of theirs highly offended Agrippa who construed it as an act that tended to the abolition of the religion of their countrey for which cause with all expedition he
he was instructed But Herod who was alwaies woont to mistrust the perfidious practises of barbarous nations being certaine that those letters which discouered the treasons were fallen into the enemies hands would not go foorth though Pacorus pretended a iust cause inciting him to ride out and meete them that brought the letters wherein was contained neither the taking of Phasaelus nor the treasons but onely what Phasaelus had done But long before this Herod by others vnderstood that his brother Phasaelus was taken and Mariamme a very wise woman Hyrcanus daughter with many entreaties perswaded Herod not to go forth but that he should beware how he trusted himselfe to the mercie of that barbarous people who did now as it were openly assault him Whilest Pacorus was consulting with his accomplices how he might priuily effect his treasons seeing it was not possible openly to circumuent a man of so great wisdome Herod in the night time whilest his enemies neither knew nor suspected his intent tooke his neerest kinsfolke and fled into Idumaea which being once knowne the Parthians followed him For which cause he made his mother his brethren and the young maiden despoused and her mother and youngest brother to keepe on their iourney and he with his seruants warily assaulted the Parthians and hauing in euerie assault killed a great number of them he hasted towards the Castle of Massada and in his retreat sustained more harme by the Iewes then by the Parthians who as they had been alwaies troublesome so now some threescore furlongs from the towne set vpon him where Herod obtaining the victorie killed a great many of them and in remembrance of that valiant act he builded vpon that place a most rich pallace for the king and erected there a most strong tower which by his owne name he called Herodium And when he fled many ioyned vvith him but vvhen he came to Thresa a towne of Idumaea his brother Ioseph met him and perswaded him to lessen the number of his followers for Massada vvould not receiue such a multitude for the number of the multitude vvas aboue nine thousand for vvhich cause Herode according to his counsell dismissed those that were vnfit for his turne and sent them into Idumaea giuing them necessaries for their iourney As for those that were chosen men and fit for his purpose he retained them with him and so was he receiued into the Castle vvhere leauing eight hundreth souldiers to defend the women and prouision sufficient for those that were within he himselfe vvent vnto Petra a Citie of Arabia Now the Parthians at Ierusalem began to sacke the houses of them that were fled and the kings pallace they onely abstained from Hyrcanus money which did amount to more then three hundreth talents as for other mens goods they found not so much as they expected for Herod long before that time suspecting the infidelitie of the Parthians had carried all his riches and iewels into Idumaea and euerie one of his followers did the like When the Parthians had taken the spoile they were so impious that they left no place of the whole countrey free from their tyrannous warre They destroied the Citie Marsa also and bound Phasaelus and Hyrcanus and deliuered them to Antigonus to be scourged who presently with his teeth bit off Hyrcanus eares to the end that if by some alteration he chanced hereafter to get loose he might be no more high priest for none might offer sacrifice that wanted any member of his body But Phasaelus his fortitude preuented the cruelty of Antigonus who hauing neither weapon nor his hands at libertie beat out his owne braines against a stone and died demonstrating himselfe by that act to be the true brother of Herode and that Hyrcanus had degenerated he died manfully by a woorthy death and answerable to so famous a life Yet some reported that he recouered after that hurt and that Antigonus sent a Chirurgion vnder pretence to cure the wound who filled the lame with venemous medicines and so killed him Well be it as it was it was in him a gallant resolution It is reported likewise that vnderstanding before his death by the meanes of a certaine woman that Herode was escaped he spake these words Now I shal die with a courage who leaue behinde me one that will take vengeance of my enemies and so he died Although the Parthians had not yet receiued the women which was the chiefe thing they looked for yet leauing them they established Antigonus in Ierusalem and lead Hyrcanus prisoner into Parthia But Herode with all speede hasted into Arabia as if his brother had beene yet aliue to the intent he might borrow money of the king of Arabia wherewith onely he hoped that the crueltie of those barbarous Parthians might be mitigated towards Phasaelus for his opinion was that although the Arabians had now forgotten his fathers friendship and were hard harted yet at least he would lend him money seeing it was to redeeme his brother whose sonne he meant to leaue in pawne for it For Herode tooke with him a sonne of his brothers into Arabia that was seuen yeeres olde and purposed to haue giuen three hundreth talents for his raunsome and had made the Tyrians intercessors for him to the Parthians but fortune preuented his endeuours so that his loue and care for his brother preuailed nothing He found also that the Arabians had now cast away the league of amitie for Malichus their king sent to him as he was yet in the way charging him with all speede to depart out of his dominions framing an excuse that the Parthians had sent Embassadours vnto him to request him to driue him out of his countrey but indeede the cause was that he would not repay that which Antipater had deserued nor recompence his sonnes now comfortlesse for those good turnes that he had receiued at their fathers hands and those who counselled him to this were such as offered to forsweare those summes which Antipater had put them in trust with who were the chiefest men about him For which cause Herod perceiuing the Arabians to be his foes for that which he thought would haue procured him friendship answered the messenger according as griefe mooued him and tooke his iourney towards Aegypt and the first night he lodged in a countrey temple to the intent that those of his companie that were behinde him might ouertake him The next day comming to Rhinocolura his brothers death was tolde him where after he had there mourned his fill he went forward Now the king of Arabia though too late repented himselfe of that which he had done to Herod and sent speedy messengers after him to will him to returne repenting himselfe that hee had so iniuriously entreated him When Herod was come to Pelusium the watchmen of the Citie would not permit him to passe for which cause he himselfe in person went to the gouernors who reuerencing the fame
a mountaine neere Arabia hauing on one side a strong place of defence and this Castle he called Herodium after his owne name By the same name also he called a tomb which he builded sixtie stounds from Ierusalem artificially made in maner of a womans dug which he richly adorned for within compasse of the top of it he caused round turrets to be placed and round about it he builded princely houses gallantly adorned both within and without He also brought water from a great way off with great cost and charges and made a paire of staires of pure white marble to go vp which had two hundreth steps For the whole hill was made by arte and it was of an exceeding height at the foote thereof likewise he builded another pallace and houses to receiue his friends and their carriage so that this castle for the abundance of all necessarie places seemed a citie and yet was it all the kings pallace Hauing erected thus many buildings he shewed his braue minde in strange Cities likewise for at Tripolis and Damascus and Ptolemais he builded publike bathes which are called exercises He builded the wall of Biblus and seates porches temples and markets at Berytus and Tyre at Sidon and Damascus he builded a Theater and a water conduit at Laodicea a sea towne At Ascalon he builded fountaines or lakes very sumptuous and baths with pillers that for greatnes and gallant worke were miraculous To other places he gaue woods and ports and vnto many cities he added fields as though they had been fellow cities of his kingdome Also toward the maintenance of the bathes he gaue a yeerely annuitie for euer as namely to those at Cous to the intent he might be an eternall benefactor Moreouer he gaue all poore people corne and he often and in sundry places gaue the Rhodians money to built a nauy of ships At his owne proper cost he repaired Pythium which was burnt with fire What should I say of his liberalitie which he extended vnto them of Lycia and Samia or the magnificent gifts which he vsed toward all the people of Ionia yea all things which their hearts could desire whereby he relieued all their necessities Nay both the Athenians and Lacedemonians and Nicopolites and the Citizens of Pergamus in Mysia receiued very many benefits at his hands He paued also a large streete in Antiochia of Syria which was in length twentie stounds and that with faire marble This streete before that time was so full of durt that no man could goe thorow it and all along it he builded galleries that people might go drie thorow it in rainy weather Some one may say that these benefits that he thus bestowed were done for the proper vse of those people on whom he bestowed them but no man can denie but that which he did for the citizens of Elis was not onely common to those of Achaia but vnto all the world where the games called Olympica Certamina were solemnized For Herode seeing them decay onely for want of maintenance and that this was the only remainder of all the ancient monuments of Greece he not only in his own person at that time became one of the proposers of rewards in that Olympiade which he assisted when he went to Rome but also gaue a yeerely stipend to maintaine the same least for want it should be left off It is not to be told what debts and tributes he remitted for he deliuered the Phasaelites and Balaneotes and other townes of Cilicia from the paiment of a yeerly tribute yet was he not so liberall vnto them as he would haue been fearing least the enuy of some might accuse him of some further meaning if he should be more bountifull vnto the cities then those that were the owners thereof He exercised his body likewise in exercises fit for so valiant a minde for he was a verie skilfull hunter wherein he had alwaies his purpose by reason of his skil in riding so that in one day he killed fortie wilde beasts That countrey hath many bores but it hath most store of Harts and wilde Asses He was such a warriour as no man was able to encounter withall so that many were astonished to see him exercise himselfe who admired him for casting a dart and shooting an arrow Beside the vertue both of his mind and bodie he had also good fortune for very seldome the euent of warre was otherwise then he expected which if it sometime chanced it was not through his fault but through the rashnes of his souldiers or else through treason CHAP. XVII Of the disagreement betweene Herode and his sonnes Alexander and Aristobulus BVt his priuate and domesticall sorrowes seemed to enuie him his publike felicitie and most aduerse fortune befell him through the meanes of a woman whom he loued as himselfe For being now made king he put away his wife which he first maried which was a Ladie borne in Ierusalem whose name was Doris and maried Mariamme the daughter of Alexander who was Aristobulus sonne which caused troubles in his house both before but especially after he returned from Rome For he banished his eldest sonne Antipater whom he had by Doris out of the citie onely for his childrens sake that he had by Mariamme licensing him onely at festiuall times to come vnto the citie in regard of some suspicion of treason intended against him And afterward he slew Hyrcanus his wiues vncle notwithstanding that he returned out of Parthia vnto him because after he suspected that he intended some treason against him whom Barzapharnes after he had taken all Syria tooke away prisoner with him But his own countrimen that dwelt beyond Euphrates in commiseration redeemed him from thraldome had he beene counselled by them and not come vnto Herode he had not beene killed but the mariage of his neece caused his death for for that cause and especially for the loue of his natiue soyle he came thither That which moued Herode to kill him was not for that he sought the kingdome but because he had right vnto the kingdome Herode had fiue children by Mariamme two daughters and three sons The yongest was sent to Rome to studie where he died The other two he brought vp like Princes both for their mothers nobilitie sake for that they were borne after he was king But that which aboue al other was most forcible was the loue he bare to Mariamme which from day to day tormented him more violently in such sort that he felt not any part of those griefes which this his best beloued enforced against him For Mariamme hated him as much as he loued her and hauing a iust cause and colour of discontent moreouer being emboldened by the loue which he bare her she euerie day vpbraided him with that which he had done vnto Hyrcanus her vncle and vnto her brother Aristobulus For Herode spared him not although he was a child
in the way to their Metropolitane Citie he there intrenched his army and then leauing the fift legion there he with the rest went into the Toparchy of Bethlepâ—…on firing it and all places thereabout as also the borders of Idumaea but he reserued there certaine Castles in fit places and fortified them And hauing taken two townes in the middest of Idumaea to wit Begabri and Caphartopha he slew there aboue ten thousand men and took almost a thousand and driuing out the rest of the inhabitants he left a great part of his army there who made incursions and wasted all the high places thereabout and he with the rest returned to Iamnia and from thence by Samaria and Neapolis called by the inhabitants Mabortha the second day of Iune he came into Corea and pitching his tents there the next day he came to Iericho where one of his captaines named Traian met him with the souldiers he brought from beyond Iordan which place he had conquered But the multitude before the Romans came fled from Iericho into the high countrey ouer against Ierusalem and many that staied behinde were there slaine So he found the Citie desolate being scituate in a plaine vnder a great mountaine that is barren which is of a huge length for it reacheth on the Northside vnto the borders of Scythopolis and on the South vnto the borders of Sodome and the lake Asphaltites It is all rockie and not inhabited because it beareth no fruit Ouer against this neere Iordan is scituate a huge mountaine beginning on the North side at Iulias and reaching vnto Bacra on the South which is the limits of Petra a citie of Arabia In this place is that that is called the mountaine of Iron reaching vnto the countrey of the Moabites The countrey betweene these two mountaines is called the great field reaching from the village Gennabara vnto the lake Asphaltites being in length two hundreth and thirty furlongs and in breadth a hundreth and twentie and in the middest it is deuided by the riuer Iordan There are also two lakes of contrarie natures Asphaltites and Tiberins for one of them is salt and barren but that of Tiberias sweete and fertile This plaine in sommer time is burned with the heat of the sun and the aire is infected in all places thereabouts saue only about those which adioine to Iordan and this is the cause that the palme trees that grow about the riuer side doe flourish most and are more fertile then the rest Neere vnto Iericho there is a large great fountaine which plentifully watereth the fields therabout runneth with a great stream out of the ground neere vnto the olde Citie which Iosue the son of Nun generall of the Hebrewes tooke by war the first of all that he tooke in the land of Canaan It is reported that in the beginning the waters of this fountaine did destroy all fruits of the earth and also made women be deliuered before their time and to infect all places with diseases the plague and afterward by Helizaeus the successor of Heliâ—… â—…as made sweet and fertile Who being once curteously entertained by the inhabitants of Iericho did so reward them and all the countrey for that their kindnesse and going vnto the fountaine he cast a pitcher full of salt into the water and hard by lifting vp his hands to heauen tempering with the fountaine water certaine sweet waters he praied God to qualifie the rage thereof to make it flow with more sweet streams and befought God to giue a better aire vnto the fountaine which both might cause plentie of fruits and also of children vnto the inhabitants that the water might haue y e vertue to make women fertile so long as they persisted in piety After these praiers with his hands he altered the fountaine according to the knowledge he had and from that time this fountaine which before was the cause of famine and sterilitie was now the cause of plentie and fertilitie And it so watereth the ground that where a little of it commeth it doth more good then all the other waters which lie long vpon it and so they that water their grounds but a little with it receiue much fruits and they that water their grounds with it much doe not receiue them in that measure yet it watereth a greater compasse of ground then other fountaines and in length it runneth thorow a plaine seuentie furlongs long and twentie broad There are most pleasant goodly Orchards and many sorts of palme trees growing by brooks sides which are diuers in the taste of their fruits the fattest whereof being pressed doe yeeld a iuice like hony nothing inferiour to other hony yet there is great store of hony in that countrey and the iuice of balme which is more prâ—…ous then all fruits growing There grow also Cypres trees myrobalans so that one may iustly call that part of the earth diuine where what fruit soeuer is most deere and pretious is in most abundance Also in all other fruits it surpasseth all countries in the world for it multiplieth and increaseth all things sooner there The cause hereof I iudge to be the pleasant waters and warme nourishing aire which as it were inuiteth all things to spring vp and then encreaseth them and the moisture causeth all things to take firme roote and also defendeth them from drought in sommer time when that countrey is vexed with such intolerable heates that all things are as it were scorched so that nothing then will grow yet if they be watered with water drawne before sun rise by the blowing of a milde temperat winde they are refreshed and it receiues a contrarie nature in winter time it is as it were luke warme temperate to them that go into it The aire of that place is so temperate that when it snoweth in other parts of Iudaea and is extreme colde the inhabitants in this place doe only weare a linnen garment This countrey is distant from Ierusalem a hundreth and fiftie furlongs and threescore from Iordan and all the ground betweene it and Ierusalem 〈◊〉 desart and stonie and so likewise betweene it and Iordan and Asphaltites though it be lower ground then the other Thus we haue sufficiently declared the fertilitie of Iericho CHAP. V. The description of the lake Asphaltites IT is worth the labour to describe the lake Asphaltites which is salt and sterile yet whatsoeuer is cast into it how weightie soeuer it be it swimmeth aboue the water so that one though he would vpon purpose cannot scarcely sinke vnto the bottome Vespasian comming thither to see it caused some to be taken who could not swimme and their handes to be bound behind them and cast into the midst thereof and all of them did swimme aloft being as it were borne vp by the power of some spirit Moreouer it is admirable how this lake thrice in euerie day changeth colour and shineth diuersly
her selfe yea and double the same Doe thou goe forward in that which thou hast in hand to wit in spreading the praise of those Martyrs making that vertuous example more commendable and your Citie more famous Farewell FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS OF THE RVLE OF REASON A MOST ELOQVENT BOOKE CORRECTED BY DESIDERIVS ERASMVS MOST LIVELY SETTING DOWNE THE MARTYRDOME OF THE MACHABEES I Am vpon the instant request of Polybius of Megalopolis to commit to writing the constant suffering of the Machabees worthie all admiration not in a Rhetoricall and pleasing stile but rather after our owne Countrie fashion thereby to exhort our nation patience in their calamities But first of all it is necessary for vs to speake something of reason and assigne vnto it the power vertue to deliberate For he who hath once fully determined to suffer all miserie for Gods sake is in my opinion alreadie a Martyr it is therefore a great merite once to haue so determined and therefore as is aboue said reason beareth the rule of all inferiour passions and then if destinie denie vs opportunitie to suffer yet haue we suffered all because we purposed to suffer all Who so therefore wil renownee the world and aspire onely to celestiall things hee must first exercise sobrietie banish gluttonie with his page lasciuiousnesse and all other such like vices as may possesse and captiue the mind hee must likewise mount-vp vnto the top of vertues towre that after he may from thence warre against the vices of this body feare and griefe the first whereof assaulteth vs when wee begin and the last when we haue begunne There are many examples of the valiant souldiers of God which I would vse but that the ornaments sprung from the wombe of one woman may suffice me which shee brought forth not at one birth but with the same pietie and zeale And first I will speake of Eleazer the cause and example of their passion and then I wil relate what tortures and torments their mother indured yet cannot man but onely God determine who amongst them was first and who last in this noble agonie They therefore being all setled in one opinion resembling one an other more in mind then they did in body duely considered the frailtie of this life and therefore neither delighted in the flatteries of this world nor any alluring inchauntments thereof They shewed themselues not to esteeme of torments fetters nor no other sort of tortures imposed vpon them and to returne to our first saying they premeditated patience to indure whatsoeuer the iudges crueltie could deuise I will there in what I may prayse the fortitude of these brethren or rather I will with all truth rehearse the most worthie agonie of these holy men which deserueth all commendations and setting all adulation a part prosecute with a bare Historicall narration the manner of their martyrdome But before I begin to declare the death of nobilitie I will a little entreate of reason which as I haue affirmed is no smal motiue to martyrdome Reason it is that maketh vs obserue fasts and vse abstinence it is reason that maketh vs despise money and by it wee are taught not to account of dignities and honours which all men generally ayme at yea reasons gift it is that we doe resist the heat of lustfull desires Hence commeth it that hauing once ouercome such things as the flesh delighteth in we find our selues a little able to resist we also learne to despise paines torments and so resolue to suffer all things that shall be imposed vpon vs. Which that it may more plainly appeare let vs search out the cause of this order and we shall finde wisedome to be the cause hereof For no man can determine and distinguish good from euill that is not endued with wisedome this wisedome is alwaies accompanied with iustice and iustice is still ioyned with vertue and vertue and temperance cannot be seperated so that this wisedome consisteth vpon foure parts Besides these there are two things that either do cause or hinder passion to wit paine and pleasure one of the which we doe alwaies refuse and the other we alwaies desire yet where pleasure ariseth and is presently by reasons rule put away the minde is there strengthened and paine compared with glorie is through hope of a greater reward contemned before it come and being come our minde is ashamed not to suffer that which it was before resolued to doe for reason therefore is the guide of all our actions and by it we despise torments and detest vice which like a skilfull â—…usbandman pruneth and cutteth away superfluous branches and killeth the heate of all corrupt and hurtfull humors onely leauing that to remaine in vse which may someway be profitable vnto vs. Thus reason purifieth vs by passion encouraging to suffer and in our suffering and agonie strengthening vs. Who is not desirous to eate of the flesh of wilde beasts and fishes And who lusteth not to eate of feathered soules nay doe not the daintie dishes gotten either in Sea or land inuite vs to eate of them What then causeth vs to abstaine from them that all men desire them yet no man eateth them Euen in this thing the minde is taught to ouercome it selfe in delightfull obiects and so to bridle all pleasure that when occasion of martyrdome is offered the minde setting aside all vanities will not for a little pleasure forget his accustomed vertue For this cause was Ioseph iustly praised in that he was not ouercome by lust which raigneth in a youthfull body this reason so worketh with sound aduise and mature counsell that it againe recouereth lost friendship and getteth new and suffereth no crueltie to be committed Of this we haue also the example of Moses who had he not iust occasion to be angrie against Dathan and Abiram reason no doubt would haue caused him to haue smothered all griefe of minde Did not our father Iacob with great vehemencie reproue his sonnes Simon and Leui that without reason they had vsed such crueltie saying cursed be your anger which anger and wrath of theirs had it been bridled with reason neither had they been cursed nor the other had perished For this cause God the maker of mankinde when he fashioned vs and our manners hauing finished all lineaments of the body he now placed the minde to be in it and to rule it leauing it certaine precepts to obserue and keepe to wit temperance and to embrace and follow that which is good and cleaue vnto iustice and rule and bridle all passions in the body subiect vnto it and obserue the precepts of God But some will aske me wherefore we offer to commit wickednesse seeing that reason ruleth our passion But it is a ridiculous thing to thinke that reason so ruleth for reasons rule cannot hinder the appetite from desire but onely correct desire and so preuaile that it suffer with patience the losse or abstinence from such things as
temple Antiochus Epistle to Zeuxis in which he maketh honourable mention of the Iewes The yeare of the world 3764. before Christs birth 200. Antiochus friendship and confederacy with Ptolomey The Samaritanes molest the Iewes The yeare of the world 3770. before Christs Natiuitie 194. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4. Onias the hâ—…gh priest prouoketh the king of Egypt for non paiment of his tribute The yeare of the world 3770. before Christs birth 194. The taxatioÌ„ of the hie priest for offending the king The kings embassadour honourably entertained who reporteth Iosephs liberality vpon his returne into his countrey The yeare of the world 3770. before Christs birth 194. The tributes of Coelesyria coÌ„mitted to Ioseph The Ascalonites and Scythopolitans punished for their conteÌ„pt Iosephs welth and children The yeare of the world 3770. before Christs Natiuitie 194. Hyrcanus ofspring and towardnes Ioseph sendeth his sonne Hircanus to Ptolomey The yeare of the world 3780. before Christs birth 184. Treason intended against Hircanus The yeare of the world 3780. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 184. Hircanus apology of his actions Hircanus iests Hircanus sounding what other meÌ„ would giue gauemore then the rest for which he receiueth another kingly reward Hircanus brothers assailing him on the way are slaine and discomfited The yeare of the world 3780. before Christs birth 184. Iosephs death Onias and after him Simon his sonne high priest Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4. The letter of the king of Lacedemon to the high priest of the Iewes 1. Machab. 12. Sedition amongst the people after Iosephs death Hircanus afflicteth the Arabians with continual war Hircanus buildeth a strong tower The yeare of the world 3790. before Christs Natiuitie 174. Antiochus Epiphanes king of Syria The sonnes of Prolomey Epiphanes Philometor and Physcon Hircanus killeth himselfe Hedio Ruffinus chap. 6. 1. Macchab. 1. Iesus created high Priest by Antiochus Epiphanes Iesus depriued of the priesthoode The yeare the of world 3790. before Christs birth 174. Onias surnamed Menelaus substituted in his place The wars betwixt Iason and Menelaus Apostates froÌ„ the Iewish religion Antiochus enforced to depart out of Egypt The history of Antiochus Epiphanes Antiochus entring IerusaleÌ„ spoileth the temple The yeare of the world 3796. before Christs birth 168. The yeare of the world 3798. before Christs birth 166. The yeare of the world 379â—… before Christs birth 166. Antiochus abrogating Gods law thorow extreme tyranny enforceth the Iewes to Idolatry and fortifieth the temple Hedio Ruffinus chap. 7. The deuil seekehth to abolish the Bible The variable wits of the Samaritanes which made them so odious in the sight of the Iewes The yeare of the world 3799. before Christs birth 165. The yeare of the world 3799. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 165. The zeale and piety of Matthias and his sonnes An Apostata slaine by Matthias Matthias with his sons Hieth into the desart The Iewes are slaine on the Sabbath day which slaughter maketh Matthias more werie Matthias rooteth out all Idolatry Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. Matthias exhorteth his sons to pietie fortitude and concord The yeare of the world 3799 before Christs birth 165. 〈◊〉 Macchab. 3. Matthias death Iudas Machabaeus appointed gouernor Hedio Ruffinus chap. 9. Iudas Machabaeus ouercoÌ„meth Apollonius in battell Seron gouernour of Coelesyria is put to flight in Iudaea The yeare of the world 3799. before Christs birth 165. Antiochus preparation to inuade Iudaea Antiochus committing his kingdome prouinces and sonne to Lysias charge departeth into Persia The yeare of the world 3800. before Christs birth 164. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 10. Ptolomey Gorgias aand Nicanors war in Iudaea Iudas oration to his soldiers 1. Machab. 4. The yeare of the world 38â—…0 before Christs Natiuitie 164. Iudas ouercommeth Lysias army Iudas gathereâ—… a huge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and loâ—… fiue thousand of his soldiers The temple of Ierusalem The yeare of the world 3801. before Christs birth 163. The temple left desolate for three whole yeeres space Dan. 12. The yeare of the world 3801. before Christs birth 163. The festiuall solemnized for the reestablishment of the temple Hedio Ruffinus chap. 21. Mach. 5. Iudas maketh continuall warre with the neighbouring nations Hedio Ruffinus chap. 11. Simo ouercoÌ„ming his enemies in Galilee deliuereth the Iewes that were captiue Iudas and Ionathas succour the Iews besieged in Galaad Bosra taken and burnt The yeare of the world 3801. before Christs birth 163. Iudas succoureth the besieged Iewes Timothies soldiers slaine Malla taken and buâ—…nt Chaspoma and Bosor takeÌ„ Timothy gathereth new forces and is ouercome by Iudas The Iewes are brought out of the country of Galaad into Iuâ—…aea Ephron besieged burnt An admirable victory of Iudas Machabaeus who in all these conflictes lost not one man Ioseph and Zachary ouercome by Gorgias lose two thousand â—…olgiers Chebron and Marissa besieged The yeare of the world 38â—…1 before Christs birth 163. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 13. 1. Mac. 〈◊〉 Antiochus desirous to spoile Dianaes teÌ„ple besiegeth Elymias and is shamefully repulsed to Babylon The yeare of the world 3802. before Christs birth 162. Antiochus Epiphanes burdned with cares falleth sicke Polybius Megalopolitan of the cause of Antiochus sicknes Antiochus appointeth Philip gouernour of his kingdome and committeth his sonne Antiochus to his charge Hedio Ruffinus chap. 14. Lysias createth Antiochus the yonger king and surnameth him Eupator The Macedons in the castle of Ierusalem doe much harme â—…o the Iewes Iudas Machabaeus besiegeth the castle The fugitiue Iewes fly out of the castle and require Antiochus assistance The yeare of the world 3803. before Christs Natiuitie 161. Antiochus marcheth into Iudae a with his army Bethsura besieged Iudas with his forces encountreth the king at Bethzacharia Eleazar Iudas brother killeth an Elephant Iudas returneth to Ierusalem and Antiochus followeth him The Bethsurites yeeld vp their citie The temple of Ierusalem besieged Antiochus hearing newes of Philips intent to inuade Persia giueth ouer his siege to meet him The yeare of the world 3803. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 161. Antiochus maketh peace with Iudas The wal of the teÌ„ple defaced Onias otherwaies called Menelaus led away prisoner Alcimus or lacimus made high priest The yeare of the world 3804. before Christs birth 160. Philip slaine by Antiochus Onias the high priests sonne builded a teÌ„ple in Egypt resembling that at Ierusalem Hedio Ruffinus chap. 15. 1. Machab. 7. Demetrius seazeth Tripolis and other cities of Syria and killeth Antiochus and Lysias Alcimus the high priest with Apostates accuseth Iudas before Demetrius Bacchides killeth diuers that trust his oth The yeare of the world 3804 before Christs birth 160. Bacchides vseth great tyranny in Bethzeth Alcimus vseth popularity and familiarity to win the peoples hearts and killeth all such as were of Iudas factioÌ„ Iudas resisteth Alcimus power Alcimus accuseth Iudas to Demetrius Hedio Ruffinus chap. 16. Demetrius sendeth Nicanor against Iudas Nicanor dissembling with Iudas
had afterwards endured many paines and miseries Furthermore that his friends were in great daunger and left besieged for which cause hee had sailed by winter and despised all daungers onely to seeke for assistance at his hands on whom depended his hope and last refuge CHAP. XXVI Herode is made king of Iury by the Romane Senate ANtonius hearing all those alterations that had befallen Herode had compassion of his misery bethinking himselfe of the estate and condition of great men who are likewise subiect to no lesse casualties and the rather was he induced to doe him good both in remembrance of the friendship he had with Antipater his father as also by reason of Herodes promises of certaine summes of money if so be he were made king by his meanes as he had beene before time declared Tetrarch But that which most moued him hereunto was the hatred which he bare vnto Antigonus whom he accounted to be a mutinons man and an enemy to the Romans fortune On the other side Caesar was wel inclined to succour him both in regard of those armies which Antipater had brought into Aegyptin his fathers seruice as also because of the good hospitality and kindnes that he had shewed him in all things as in especiall to gratifie Antonius who was well affected towards Herode Whereupon the Senate being assembled Messala and Atratinus brought forth Herode and after they had praised him and recited the benefits which the Romans had receiued by his father and the great affection and good will which he bare to the people of Rome they accused declared Antigonus for the Romanes enemy not onely for his ancient crimes but also for that in contempt of the Romans he had receiued the kingdome from the Parthians Whilest the Senate was sore displeased at the report of these things Antonius arose and declared openly before thē all that in furtherance of the Parthian warre it were not amisse that Herode should be made king which opinion of his was generally allowed and finally ratified The principall demonstration of the loue and affection which Antonius bare vnto Herode was that he not onely obtained him the kingdome beyond all hope for neuer thought he that the Romans would grant that dignity vnto him who were wont to reserue that honour to those of the kings bloud and therefore he intended to haue demaunded it for his wiues brother Alexander and nephew to Aristobulus by the fathers side and to Hircanus by the mother which Alexander Herode afterwards put to death as it shall be declared in place conuenient but also for that within the terme of seuen daies he sent him out of Italy with the vnexpected titles of his felicitie As soone as the Senate weas risen Antonius and Caesar issued forth leading Herode betweene them and being accompanied by the Consuls and other magistrates went vp into the capitol to do sacrifice and to place there this decree the Senate had made as touching this matter The first day of Herodes raigne Antonius feasted him and after this sort was he established king in the hundreth eightie and fourth Olympiade in the yeere wherein C. Domitius Caluinus twice Consul and Caius Asinius Pollio were Consuls Meane while Antigonus besieged those that were in the castle of Massada who were plentifully furnished with all things necessary except it were water for which cause Ioseph Herodes brother that was within and two hundreth of his friends had concluded to flie vnto the Arabians for that they vnderstood that Malchus had repented himselfe of the fault he had committed against Herode But whilest they stoode vpon these termes God powred downe a huge raine on a certaine night that in short time filled their cestemes in such sort as that they had no more necessitie to flie and from that time forward they waxed confident and for that this abundance of water befel them by Gods prouidence they made a sallie vpon their enemies in which they charged Antigonus soldiers after such a maner somtime in open field sometime by couert assault that they slue a great number of them At that time Ventidius a Romane captaine was sent into Syria to driue the Parthians from thence after their departure he arriued in Iury making shew that he would assist Ioseph but in effect all his pretence was to draw money form Antigonus Being therefore encamped neer vnto Ierusalem and hauing drawn sufficient money from Antigonus he retired himselfe with the greater part of his forces and to the intent his deceitfull dealing might not be discouered he left Silo with a company of his soldiers who likewise was honoured by Antigonus for feare least he should be cause of some newe trouble before such time as the Parthians whose comming he expected should yeelde him aide CHAP. XXVII Herode returneth from Rome by sea and fighteth against Antigonus AFter that Herode was come from Italy by sea to Ptolemais and that he had assembled no small number of soldiers both straungers and his owne countrimen he marched forward against Antigonus and passed thorow Galilee Silo and Ventidius also gaue him assistance in this action hauing receiued direction by Gellius from Antonius that they should assist Herode to recouer his countrey But Ventidius was employed in appeasing the troubles that were raised in the cities by the Parthians and as touching Silo he kept in Iudaea hauing beene corrupted by Antigonus But the further that Herode daily marched into the countrey the more and more increased his forces and all Galilee except a very few submitted themselues vnto him Whilest therefore hee marched forward toward Massada being vrged thereunto in that he was to relieue his parents that were besieged therein the citie of Ioppe would not grant him passage for the citizens thereof were his enemies so that it behooued him first of all to ruinate the same to the end he might leaue no retreat or place of rescous for his enemy on his backe if so be he made towards Ierusalem Vpon which occasion Silo laying hold dislodged his army made thitherward whom when the Iewes did pursue Herode sallied out with a small company and put them to flight and saued Silo notwithstanding he fought very coldly and cowardly Afterwards being seazed of Ioppe he hasted onwards to deliuer his friends that were besieged in Massada but part of the inhabitants submitted themselues vnto him for the friendship they had borne vnto his father an other sort of them for the honour that they bare vnto him the rest admitted his goue◅ment in acknowledgement of those benefits they had receiued from them both But the greatest part was thereunto moued by the hope they had conceiued of their new elected king and the confirmation of his gouernment Thus by these meanes was his army mightily increased Whilest thus he marched forward Antigonus seazed those places that were fittest to lay ambushes in or to fight at aduantages by the way