of the Garrisons mindful of the charge which Archelaus had given them refused him entrance affirming that they kept them more for Caesar than Archelaus Antipas elected King by Herod's former Testament striveth with Archelaus for the Kingdom At this time also Antipas one of Herod's Sons went to Rome with a design to obtain the Crown alledging that Herod's first Testament was of more force than the last and that he in the first was declared King and both Salome and divers others of his Kindred who sailed with Archelaus promised him their aid He took with him his Mother and Ptolomey Brother to Nicholaus in whom he had great confidence because he had been always faithful to Herod and was held by him in great credit But none had so much encouraged him as Irenaeus the Orator who had an excellent faculty of speaking Trusting to these he refused L the counsel of them who sought to perswade him to yield to Archelaus both as the elder and appointed by the last Testament of his Father Now when they were all arrived at Rome those of the Kindred that hated Archelaus and especially those that looked upon it as a sort of Liberty to be governed by the Romans favoured Antipas in hope that if their design of being freed from the Rule of Kings did not succeed they should at least have the comfort to be commanded by him and not by Archelaus Antipas accuseth Archelaus by Letters to Caesar And to further him the more he obtained Sabinus's Letters to Caesar wherein Archelaus was accused and Antipas commended Salome and the rest of the Complices presented Accusations against Archelaus to Caesar who after them delivered also his Justification in writing and withal his Father's Ring and an Inventory M of his Treasure Caesar calleth a Council of Roman Nobility by Ptolomey Caesar pondering with himself what both Parties alledged and the greatness and large Revenues of the Kingdom and the number of Herod's Children and having also read the Letters of Varus and Sabinus he called the chief of the Romans to Council where Caius the Son of Agrippa and his Daughter Julia whom he had adopted by his assignment sate in the first place and so he licenced the Parties to plead their Rights Antipaters's vehement Accusation against Archelaus Antipater Salome's Son being the greatest of all Archelaus's Adversaries spake first and said that Archelaus now only for form disputed for the Kingdom of which he had already possessed himself without waiting to know Caesar's Pleasure and that he did now strive in vain to render Caesar favourable to him whom he would not attend to judge of his Lawful Succession That after Herod's N death he suborned some to offer him the Diadem And that sitting on a Throne of Gold in Kingly manner he had changed all Orders of the Soldiers disposed of Offices and granted unto the people their Requests which could not be effected but by a King That he had also set at liberty many men who for great Crimes were imprisoned by his Father And having done all this he came now to Caesar to crave the shadow of the Kingdom the substance and body whereof he already possessed so that herein he left nothing to Caesar to dispose of but the bare Title Moreover he alledged that Archelaus did but counterfeit sorrow for his Father's death feigning himself to mourn in the day time Antipater 〈◊〉 to vehemency in accusing Archelaus and in the night he would be drunk and Riotous By which carriage he said that he had caused the Sedition of the people and incurred O their hatred After these Accusations he insisted upon the horrid slaughter of the multitude about the Temple for he said that they only came against the Festival Day to A offer Sacrifice and that they themselves were sacrificed as they were offering the Sacrifices which they brought And that there were such heaps of dead bodies in the Temple as never in any Foreign War the like had been seen That Herod foreseeing his cruelty never judged him worthy of the Kingdom till such time as his Understanding failed him The Will changed during Herod's Sickness when being more sick in mind than body he knew not whom he named his Successor in his last Will whereas he had nothing whereof he could blame him whom in his former Will he had appointed his Successor when he was in health Antipater against Archelaus both of mind and body Yet said he put the case Herod in his extremity knew what he did yet Archelaus hath rendred himself unworthy of the Kingdom by having committed many things against the Laws For said B he what will he be after he hath received Authority from Caesar who before he received any hath murthered so many Antipater having spoken more to this effect and at every Accusation taking Witness of his Kindred that stood by ended his Speech Then Nicolaus stood up Nicolaus defendeth Archelaus and first of all shewed that the slaughter of them in the Temple was necessary and unavoidable for they for whose death Archelaus was now accused were not only enemies of the Kingdom but also of Caesar And for other Crimes objected he shewed how that they were done even by the counsel and perswasion of the Accusers He also urged that the second Testament might be of force for that therein Herod had referred it to Caesar to confirm his Successor And C he who had such remembrance as to leave the Arbitriment of his Will to him who is Lord of all could not be thought to mistake himself in appointing his Heir nor yet deprived of his Senses Archelaus humbleth himself at Caesar's feet seeing he knew by whom he should be established When Nicolaus had ended his Speech and declared all that he thought might make for Archelaus Archelaus coming into the midst of the Council prostrated himself at Caesar's feet Caesar's Bounty and Humanity towards him Augustus courteously raised him from the ground and declared him worthy to succeed his Father Yet did he not pronounce a definitive Sentence but the same day the Council being dismissed that he might deliberate with himself at more leasure whether any one single person of those nominated in the two Wills should succeed their Father in the Kingdom or that the Kingdom should be divided amongst the D whole Family because they were many in number and had all need of Estate to support themselves with honour CHAP. II. Of the Fight and Massacre at Jerusalem between the Jews and the Sabinians BEfore Caesar determined any thing concerning this matter Ant. lib. 17. cap. 14. Malthace the Mother of Archelaus Sedition in Jerusalem fell sick and died and many Letters came out of Syria signifying E that the Jews had rebelled Which Varus foreseeing after the departure of Archelaus from thence had gone to Jerusalem to repress the Authors of that Sedition And because the multitude
these enterprizes but brought them unto Caesar their common benefactor and that forsaking his own right of a Father who had been injured or of a King against whom treason had been wrought he was now content to debate his matter with them before such a Judge as well knew how to decide the thing in question according to right and equity yet requested him that their offence might not be left unpunished nor he forced to lead the rest of his life still in perpetual fear nor suffer them to be so miserable as never to enjoy themselves nor desire to see the light of the Sun after having violated the most sacred Laws of God and nature Herod having with a vehement voice objected these accusations against his Sons before Caesar the two Princes were not able to abstain from tears whilst he was I yet speaking and having ended his speech they wholly burst out into tears not that they were guilty of those impieties laid unto their charge but that they were accused by their Father against whom it was not decent to speak freely for themselves nor expedient to refuse to defend their own cause Alias chap. 9 Wherein they remained doubtful what to do Alexander and Aristobulus moved all that were present even their Father and accuser to tears and compassion moving the auditors to pity them by their tears and lamentations and fearful withal lest it should be thought that their guilty conscience did trouble them that they were not able to speak in their own defence seeing that indeed it was only for want of experience by reason of their tender years Which also Caesar perceived and all that were present were so moved to compassion that neither their Father who was their accuser could refrain from being moved with compassion K CHAP. VIII Of Alexander's defence and how the two Brethren were reconciled to their Father Herod L THen the young Princes perceiving both their Father and Caesar to be mollified and they that were present partly to pity them partly to shed tears of compassion the one of them named Alexander who was the elder directing his speech to his Father began thus to clear himself of the Crimes objected against them Father Alexander speaketh in his own and his Brother's defence how well and friendly minded thou art towards us this present judgment declareth for hadst thou determined any heavy sentence against us thou wouldest not have brought us before him who is the preserver of us all For thou mightest being a King or for thy authority over us as a Father have punished us for our offence according to thy power But in that thou hast brought us to Rome and made Caesar our Judge it is an argument that thou seekest to save us for no man brings any one M to the Temple whom he purposeth to destroy which greatly aggravateth our cause who do censure our selves unworthy to live rather than to incur an opinion of impiety committed against thee such a Father How far more expedient is it to die guiltless than to live suspected of so great an ingratitude Wherefore if God grants us so much success in our defence as to perswade you of the truth we shall not rejoyce so much for having escaped so great a danger as to be found innocent by your judgment for we do not desire to live with the suspicion of those Calumnies It is a probable accusation to accuse our years as having affected the Kingdom and our unfortunate Mother's calamity maketh it seem more probable But consider I beseech thee if the same crime may not as well be framed against any one whomsoever as against us N For any King having children by a Wife that is now dead may if it please him suspect them as practising treason against him their father But suspicion is not sufficient to prove a man impious and guilty Wherefore produce any one that can bring sufficient proof that may induce any moderate Judge to believe that we ever attempted such a horrid Crime Can any man shew that poyson was prepared by us for you or that we conspired with any or that we corrupted any servants with money and gifts or that we writ any letters against thee yet calumny may feign every one of these upon no occasion It is a grievous matter for discord to be in a Princes Court and the hope of Dominion which your Majesty affirmed to be the reward of piety doth often impel mens minds unto hainous offences But although it be most certain that we cannot be convicted of any crime yet how O can we clear our selves from accusations forged against us before them that will not hear us But did we speak some insolent words yet were they not against thee O my father for that had A been impiety but against them who traduced us We bewailed our mother's misfortunes It is true But not because she is dead but because after her death she is evil spoken of by those who ought not to do it We affect the Kingdom of our father he being yet alive Wherein Is not that purpose of ours vain and frivolous we having already been graced with Kingly honours And suppose we were not yet might we hope for them But could we expect them with killing of thee whom both earth and seas would disdain after so execrable an offence Or could we have expected that the loyalty of thy subjects and the laws of our nation would have permitted us having gotten the Kingdom by murthering our father to have enjoyed the same and entred into the holy Temple which thou didst repair Or suppose we despised them all yet could any one that murthered thee escape Caesar being living B The Children by thee begotten are not so impious nor foolish though more unfortunate than thy estate requires And seeing thou hast nothing to accuse us of or nothing to prove any accusation laid unto our charge how canst thou be perswaded that we are guilty of such inhumane acts Is it because our mother was put to death But her death ought rather to have made us more wary than insolent and rash We could speak more in our own defence than this but what need is it to excuse that which was never done Wherefore we beseech Caesar who is Lord of all and now our Judge only this that if thou canst O my father put away out of thy mind all suspicion of us to suffer us to live hereafter how unhappy and unfortunate soever For what is more miserable than to be rashly accused without cause But if thou canst not we living live without fear of us let us die condemned by our own C censure For our lives are not so dear unto us that we desire to keep them to his molestation that bestowed them upon us Caesar with these words though before not greatly crediting such accusations and slanders laid against them was now more moved to believe that they were guiltless and
himself M openly their enemy he caus'd his confidents to accuse them and at first made shew of defending them but afterwards he clos'd in with the accusers and cunningly perswaded Herod to credit the accusation which were that Alexander was so desirous of his death as to frame plots against his life and nothing made so much credit be given to these calumniations as that Antipater colourably excused his brother Herod incensed hereat every day withdrew his affection more and more from the two brethren and daily encreased his love towards Antipater The Nobility also were inclined after the same manner some of their own inclination and others out of compliance so did Ptolemaeus the chiefest of all the Nobility and the Kings Brethren and all his kindred for all mens expectation was upon Antipater And that which N grieved Alexander the more was that all these conspiracies design'd for his overthrow were made by the counsel of Antipater's Mother for she being Step-mother to him and his Brother was the more cruel against them because she could not endure their having the advantage above her Son of being born of so great a Queen And although many followed Antipater for the hope they had of him yet were they also compelled thereunto by the King's command who gave special charge to his dearest friends not to follow Alexander or his Brother And this Prince was a terrour not only to those of his own Kingdom but also to foreign Nations because Caesar had given him so great authority for he gave him license to take any one that was a fugitive from him out of any City although it were not under his Dominions Now the young men being O ignorant of the offences laid to their charge were in the greater danger for their Father did not openly tell them of any matter but they every day perceived A his good will towards them to decay which so much the more increased their grief In like manner Antipater by little and little animated Pheroras their Uncle and Salome their Aunt against them to whom he spoke with the same liberty as if she had been his Wife Moreover Glaphyra Glaphyra Alexander's wife encreased his conceived suspicion by her words Alexander's Wife contributed to the encreasing of these enmities by bearing her self above all women that were in the whole Kingdom for she derived her Pedigree by the Father's side from Tiâ—enus by the Mother's side from Darius Son of Histaspes and by inveying very much against the baseness of Herod's Wives who she said were chosen for their Beauty and not for their Nobility of Birth For Herod as we have said had many Wives as it was lawful for him by the B custom of the Countrey Aristobulus objecteth to his Wife her base Birth and all of them hated Alexander for Glaphyra's Pride and contumelious speeches Aristobulus also made Salome his enemy although she were his Wife's Mother because he often upbraided his Wife with her base Birth still teling her that he had married a private woman and his Brother Alexander a King's Daughter Ant. lib. 16. cap. 7. Which his Wife often with tears told to her Mother adding moreover that Alexander and Aristobulus threatned that if they got the Kingdom they would make their Father 's other Wives weave with their Maids and his other Sons Notaries of Villages because they applyed themselves to Learning Salome moved hereat could not contain her self but told all to Herod who easily believed her because she spake against her Son-in-law Alexander and Aristobulus oftentimes bewail their Mother and by that means provoke their Father Moreover another accusation was laid to their C charge whereat the King was greatly moved for he was informed that Alexander and Aristobulus did often bewail their Mother and lament her hard fate and cursed him and that often when he bestowed some of Mariamne's Cloaths upon his latter Wives they threatned that in a short time they would make them change them for Mourning Whereupon though Herod feared the fierce spirits of the young men yet because he would not take away all hope of amendment he called them to him as he was to go to Rome and as a King threatned them in few words and like a Father gave them many admonitions and requested them to love their Brethren promising them forgiveness of their former offences The two Brothers excuse themselves before their Father Herod so that hereafter they mended all But they beseeching him not to believe Accusations forged against them upon malice and answering D that the effect of matters would easily acquit them requested him not so easily to believe tales but to refuse malignant people opportunity and recourse unto him for that there would always be some that would malitiously invent tales to tell whilst there was any one that would give them the hearing and believing For they knew that Salome was their enemy and Pheroras their Uncle and both of them much to be feared especially Pheroras who was fellow with his Brother of all saving the Crown and had his own Revenues amounting to an hundred Talents a year and received all the Profits of the whole Countrey beyond Jordan which were given him by his Brother Herod also had obtained of Caesar to make him Tetrarch and had bestowed upon him for his Wife his own Wife's Sister after whose decease he offered E him his eldest Daughter and three hundred Talents with her for a Dowry But Pheroras falling in love with a mean person refused so honourable a Match whereat Herod being angry married his Daughter to his Brother's Son who was afterwards slain by the Parthians Yet after some time he pardoned Pheroras's offence Divers formerly were of opinion that in the life time of the Queen he would have poysoned Herod and Herod although he loved his Brother very well yet because many who had access unto him told him so he began to misdoubt And therefore examining by Torture many that were suspected at last he came to some of Pheroras's Friends but none of them confessed the Poyson but only that he was determined to flee to the Parthians with her whom he was so in love with and that Costabarus Salome's Husband F was privy thereunto unto whom the King had married her after her first Husband for suspicion of Adultery was put to death Salome her self was not free from Accusation for Pheroras accused her that she had purposed Matrimony with Syllaeus who was Procutator to Obodas King of Arabia a great enemy of the King 's And she being convicted both of this and all things else whereof her Brother Pheroras accused her yet obtained pardon as likewise Pheroras did so that the whole Tempest of all the Family was turned against Alexander and fell upon his head The King had three Eunuchs whom he loved extremely Alexander corrupteth his Father's Eunuchs and telleth them he is to succeed in the Kingdom and every one known
now lay murthered and naked in the open streets left as it were a prey to be torn in pieces by Doggs and wild Beasts Was Virtue ever more insolently outraged And could she N without shedding Tears behold Vice thus triumph over her A The FIFTH BOOK Of the WARS of the JEVVS B Written by Flavius Josephus The Contents of the Chapters of the Fifth Book 1 OF another Massacre and of the Return of the Idumeans and the Cruelty of the Zealots 2 Of the Civil Discord amongst the Jews 3 Of the Yielding of Gadara and the Massacre there C 4 How certain Towns were Taken and the Description of Jericho 5 Of the Lake called Asphaltites 6 How Gerasa was Destroyed the Death of Nero Galba and Otho 7 Of Simon of Gerasa Author of a new Conspircy 8 Of Galba Otho Vitellius and Vespasian 9 Of Simon 's Acts against the Zealots 10 How Vespasian was chosen Emperour 11 The Description of Aegypt and Pharus 12 How Vespasian Redeemed Joseph from Captivity 13 Of Vitellus his Death and Manners D 14 How Titus was sent against the Jews by his Father CHAP. I. Of another Massacre and of the Return of the Idumeans and the Cruelty of the Zealots SUch was the end of Ananus and Jesus After whose death the Idumeans and E the Zealots massacred the People as though they had been a flock of pernitious Beasts and very few escaped the Butchery The Nobility and chief sort of men were put in Prison The cruelty of the Idumeans and the Zealots in hope that by deferring their death some of them would become partakers with them Yet none was hereby moved but every one desired to die rather than impiously to joyn with these Wretches against their own Country Whereupon they were most cruelly whipped before they were put to Death their Bodies being made as it were one sore place by Whipping and Stripes and when they could not endure these Torments any longer they were killed Who so was taken in the day time was in the night carried to Prison and those that died in Prison and Torments they cast their dead Bodies out F that they might have place to imprison others in their room The People were so terrified that none durst weep openly for his Friend nor bury the dead Body of his Kinsman yea those that were in Prison durst not openly weep but secretly looking about them lest any of their Enemies should see them For whosoever mourned for any that was afflicted was presently himself used in the same manner as he had been for whom he lamented Yet sometimes some in the night scraped up a little earth with their hands and therewithal covered the dead body of their Friend and some bolder than the rest did the like in the day-time 12000 of the Nobility executed And in this general slaughter were twelve thousand young Noblemen slain in this manner After which being hated for these Massacres they mocked and flouted the Magistrates and made no account of their Judgments So that when they determined to put to death Zachary the Son of Baruch one of the chief of G the City because he was an Enemy to their wickedness and loved the virtuous and one that was rich by whose death they hoped not only to have the spoil of his goods but also to be rid of one who might be able to resist their bad purposes they called seventy of H the best amongst the common People together as it were in Judgment with a pretended Authority and before them they accused Zacharie that he had betrayed the Common-wealth to the Romans and for that intent had sent to Vespasian but they neither shewed any evidence or proof thereof but only affirmed it to be so and therefore would have credit given to their words When Zacharie perceived that under pretence of being called to Judgement Zacharie condemned to death by the Zealots he was unjustly cast into Prison though he had no hope of Life yet he spared not to speak freely his mind and began to scorn the rage and pretence of his Enemies and purged himself of the crimes whereof he was accused and converting his speech against his Accusers he laid open all their Iniquities and much lamented the miseries and troubles I of the City In the mean-while the Zealots gnashed their teeth and could scarcely contain themselves from drawing their Swords and were desirous that their pretended Accusation and Judgment might be ended He also requested them who by these Miscreants were appointed his Judges Seventy Judges absolve acquit Zacharie to remember Justice notwithstanding the danger they might incur by it The seventy Judges all pronounced that he was to be absolved and freed as guiltless and rather chose to die than to cause his death who was Innocent This Sentence being pronounced the Zealots began to shout and cry with a loud voice and they all were angry at the Judges Zacharie slain in the midst of the Temple who did not understand to what end that counterfeit K Authority was given them Then two of the boldest amongst them set upon Zacharie and killed him in the midst of the Temple and insulted over him saying Thou hast now our Sentence and Absolution far more certain than the other was And presently they cast him down from the Temple into the Valley below and then contumeliously with the Hilts of their Swords they beat the Judges out of the Temple yet they did not kill them to the end that being dispersed thorow the whole City they might tell the People as Messengers from them of their miserable condition The Idumeans were now sorrowful for their coming One of the Zealots discovereth their cruelty and barbarous dealing to the Idumeans for they misliked these proceedings and being assembled together one of the Zealots secretly told them all that their Faction had done from the beginning that it was true the Idumeans had taken Arms L because they were informed that the Metropolitan City was by the Priests betray'd to the Romans but they might perceive there was no proof nor sign of any such matter and that indeed the Zealots who pretended themselves Defenders of the Liberty of the City were indeed Enemies and had exercised Tyranny over the Citizens even from the beginning And though they had associated themselves with such wicked persons and made themselves partakers of so many Murthers yet they ought now to cease from such wickedness and not assist men so impious to destroy their Country and Religion For though they took it in bad part that the City Gates were shut upon them yet now they were sufficiently revenged of those that were the cause thereof That Ananus himself was slain and almost all the People in one night whereof M many of them ere long would repent and that they might now themselves perceive the cruelty of those who requested their aid to be more than barbarous had not
beauty one of them was his Butler the other his Cook and the third his Chamberlain whom also he was wont to employ in serious affairs of his Kingdom Some one or other informed the King that these three Eunuchs were corrupted by his Son Alexander The Sons hatred towards their Father is bewrayed with great summs of money and being upon Tortures examined if they had accompanied with him they confessed all yet they affirmed that they knew no practice of his attempted against his Father But their torments being encreased by Antipater's Favourites they were forced to confess that Alexander secretly hated his Father and he exhorted them to forsake Herod who was now good for nothing who dissembled his age by painting G his face to make himself seem younger than he was and colouring his head and beard black which were already grown very white through age But rather set their minds upon him who would in despight of his Father enjoy his Kingdom due unto him and that then he would advance them to the highest honours of the Kingdom For he H had not only title unto it by his birth but also was now prepared likewise to invade it and that he had many of the Captains of the souldiers and many of the King's friends on his side who were prepared to do or endure any thing for his sake Herod hearing this fear and anger did seize on him by reason that his Son's words seemed both insolent and threatning and being for both these causes in a rage he feared some greater matter to be put in practice against him which he could not suddenly having so little warning avoid And not daring to make open enquiry he set secret spies a work to tell him how all matters stood himself now mistrusting all men and accounting it his security to mistrust all even them that deserved it not and not moderating his suspicious mind now whosoever was the nearest to him was the I more suspected Herod crediteth all tales and so putteth many to death unjustly as of most power to injure him As for others that were but only named by his spies he presently esteemed it his safety to put them to death Then they of his houshold every one being careful to save himself were one turned against another every one esteeming it his own safety to prevent others by accusing them unto Herod which done presently they incited other men's envy against him and every one of them to desire such measure as they had measured unto others and thus they also revenged their private Quarrels and presently after they themselves were taken and did by other mens means suffer the like being entrapped in the same trap they set for their enemies For the King did quickly repent for having put very many to death who were not convicted yet for all that he was K not hereby admonished to beware of the like hereafter but on his repentance for their death raged so far as to cause him to inflict the same punishment upon the accusers which he had done upon them Hedio Ruffinus chap. 8. The Court was in such a lamentable condition that he commanded many of his dearest friends and them especially whose fidelity he had formerly experienced Herod denieth to be familiar with Andromachus and Gemellus not to come in his sight nor within his Court-gates For he did now shake off the friendship between Andromachus and Gemellus and himself who were his ancient friends and oftentimes had gone Ambassadours for him and always been of his counsel and had been tutors unto his Children in whom he had always reposed more trust than in any others the one of them for that his Son Demetrius was familiar with Alexander and Gemellus for that he knew him to L be a friend to Alexander for he was one of them that had brought him up and had travelled with him to Rome And no doubt but he had censured them with some more heavy sentence had it not been that they were so eminent persons Wherefore at that time he was contented to have banished them and deprived them of all their authority to the end that having disgraced these good men he might the more freely play the Tyrant Antipater the cause of all mischief Antipater was the cause of all this mischief who from the first time that he perceived his Father to be fearful and suspicious still after that joyned with him as Counseller and as it were encreased his rage and cruelty and then he gallantly played his part Many were tortured and examined for Alexander's cause endeavouring that whosoever would resist him should be made away Wherefore Andromachus and the rest of his friends being now banished the M Court the King presently tortured all that he imagined any way to favour Alexander to see if they were guilty or if they knew of any treason to be practised against him but they knowing nothing to inform him of died amidst their torments Where he so much the more tortured others for that contrary to his opinion he found not so much as an evil thought against him Antipater craftily interpreting it that they had rather in torments conceal the truth than to shew themselves not trusty to their masters and friends wherefore many being taken he caused them to be tortured to get something out of some of them At last one amongst the rest not able to endure those torments imposed upon him said that he had often heard Alexander say when any one commended his tall stature or skilful shooting and the rest of his vertues that nature had N bestowed upon him these qualities to his prejudice for his Father through envy hereat was offended so that when he talked with him he did on purpose draw his body together lest his Father should perceive the tallness of his stature and that when he went a hunting with him he on purpose did miss the mark he could have hit because he knew his Father could not endure that he should be commended And whilst these words were considered and pondred and his torments intermitted he accused Alexander again to have conspired with his Brother Aristobulus to kill his Father when he was hunting and then to fly with speed unto Rome and beg the Kingdom of Caesar There were also found some of Aristobulus his Letters written unto his Brother complaining of the injurious dealing of his Father who had given O certain Possessions to Antipater the yearly revenues whereof amounted to two hundred Talents Then Herod thinking himself to have probability enough his former A suspicion was now confirmed and so he took Alexander and cast him in prison and again he began to doubt because he did scarcely believe the informations against him neither could he devise any cause wherefore they should seek to commit Treason against him And those complaints seemed childish neither was it probable that having openly killed his Father Alexander
circumstances that he conceived a deadly hatred against his Son which also without further delay he did make manifest Eurycles by craft got money of Archelaus for he rewarded Eurycles for his pains with fifty Talents Which he having received went unto Archelaus and speaking well of Alexander acquainted him how instrumental he had been in reconciling him unto his Father and receiving of him also a summ of money he departed before his malice was discovered and returned into his Countrey and using the like shifts there also he was at last by his Countreymen banished from Lacedemonia Hedio Ruffinus chap. 10. Furthermore Herod not content now as before to hear only that which was told him of Alexander and Aristobulus Herod doth give ear unto the accusers of Alexander and Aristobulus did himself also C conceive a proper hatred against them observing all things and making diligent enquiry though no man accused them and permitting all men to speak what they pleased against them And amongst the rest Evaratus of Cous had conspired with Alexander and he seemed now to hear no talk more willingly than this and such like But then greater misfortunes than all the rest befell the two Princes false accusations never ceasing to be forged against them and every one as it were striving to accuse them of some crime or other unto the King pretending the care they had of his safety Herod had two Champions Jucundus and Tyrannus confess that Alexander did solicite them to kill Herod as he was a hunting Jucundus and Tyrannus both acceptable unto him for their strength and tall stature and bigness of body These two for some offence were banished the Court and received into Alexander's service and placed amongst D his Guards and for that they were very active he bestowed many gifts and much money upon them Whereat the King presently conceiving suspicion began to torture them and after many torments they confessed that Alexander had hired them to kill Herod as he was a hunting wild Beasts for so it might easily be bruited abroad that he falling off his horse fell upon his own Lance and so was killed which once before had almost happened unto him They also declared unto him that certain gold was hidden and buried in the stable And they also accused Herod's chief Huntsman that at Alexander's command he had given Alexander's Servants the King's Lances and his Armour After them the Governour of the Castle of Alexandrium was taken and examined upon tortures and it was objected against him that he promised to receive E them into the Castle and deliver unto them the King's Treasure there But he denying it his own Son affirmed all to be true and brought forth Letters to testifie the same How Alexander writ unto the Captain of Alexandrium to receive him resembling Alexander's hand written to this effect So soon as by God's assistance we have done that which we intend to do we will presently come unto you be careful therefore that according to your promise you do receive us into your Castle Herod having had a view of these Letters did now without any doubt believe that indeed some treacherous practice was plotted against him by his Sons Diophantus the Scribe doth counterfeit other men's hands But Alexander affirmed that Diophantus the Secretary had counterfeited his hand and that the Letter was Antipater's device For Diophantus was accounted cunning in such matters and afterward being taken with the like he was therefore put to death And the King F produced them that had been tortured at Jericho before the people to accuse his Sons where they were stoned to death and the people hereat moved would also have killed Alexander and Aristobulus with the same death But Herod by the means of Ptolomeus and Pheroras did restrain them Alexander and Aristobulus are imprisoned and Aristobulus warneth his Mother in law and commanded the young Princes to be cast into prison and there to be kept so close that no man was admitted unto them but many â—pies were set who should narrowly mark all their actions and words and now they were accounted as condemned men both by other men's opinions and also by their own One of them to wit Aristobulus for grief inviting his Aunt and Mother in Law to compassionate his present calamity and to hate him that was the Author hereof affirmed that she also was in great danger being accused in hope to G marry with Syllaeus to have signified unto him by Letters all that past in Herod's Court. Which words the woman presently came and told to her Brother Herod The King no longer able to bridle his fury commanded them both to be bound and kept in several places The year of the World 3960. before Christ's Nativity 4. one from another and each of them to write what they had plotted against H their Father And being thus commanded they wrote that they neither prepared Treason nor yet thought of any Treason against him only they purposed to fly because they perceived that they could no longer live here because they were so suspected Alexander confesseth to Herod that he purposed to fly to Archelaus and in continual care At that time a Prince of Cappadocia came Ambassadour from Archelaus named Mela who was one of the greatest Lords of the Countrey And Herod desiring to shew his Son's malice he sent for Alexander out of prison commanding him to relate how and after what order or whither they meant to fly he answered unto Archelaus who had also promised them to send them to Rome Mela Ambassadour of Archelaus King of Cappadocia but that they had no further intent or purpose to effect any unlawful practice against their Father and that all other accusations were false And that he requested I that Tyrannus and the rest might have been better examined but Antipater prevented that who by his own forged rumours spred amongst the people did cause them to hasten their deaths Which being said Herod commanded both him and Mela to be led unto Glaphyra Claphyra Alexander's wife is demanded if she knew of any Treason against Herod that she might be asked whether she were any way privy to the conspiracy against Herod And coming unto her the woman seeing her husband bound presently tore her hair and being amazed with great compassion cried out The young man's cheeks were also bedewed with tears so that a long time after those that were present amazed and moved to compassion at this miserable sight could neither speak nor do the King's command At last Ptolomeus to whose charge Alexander was committed desiring him to speak whether his Wife was privy to his intent he K answered How could it be otherwise who is dearer unto me than mine own life being Mother of my Children then she answered crying out aloud that she was privy to nothing that was any harm yet quoth she if it will avail
was Emperor to exact that superiority on the Sea which was answerable to his soveraignty on the Land betwixt one Cape of the Sea unto another for the space of thirty furlongs or stades betwixt which the Gulf had his course he caused a Bridge to be built on which he commanded himself to be drawn in a Charriot as if that way were answerable to the dignity of his deity He left not one Temple in Greece whatsoever that he spoiled not of those excellent pictures that were in them Cajus spoiled all the Temples of Greece Giving a Comission that all Statues and whatsoever ornaments or gifts and presents that were dedicated in any Temple should be brought unto him saying that such things as were admirable should be reserved for a place of admiration such as was the City of Rome with these spoils of the Temples he adorned his Palace and Gardens and generally K all his houses and Palaces that he had in Italy Cajus commandeth Memmius Regulus to tranâ—fer Jupiter Olympus to Rome He was so impudent also as to give direction that Jupiter Olympius Statue which the Greeks had in great estimation and which Phidias the Athenian Satuarian had made should be transported to Rome But Memmius Regulus to whom he directed this commission executed it not because the Masons informed him that without spoiling it they could not remove it from the place It is reported also that he was hindred from this execution by such prodigies that are almost incredible which he assured Cajus of giving him to understand what the occasion was that had moved him to disobey him therein and whilst he was in danger of death for his delay the sudden and successful death of Cajus warranted him from the same Yea so far stretched his unbridled fury that having a daughter newly L born he caused her to be carried into the Capitol and laid at the feet of the Image of Jupiter Cajus compareth himself with Jupiter saying that the child was common betwixt him and Jupiter leaving the judgment to all men which of the two parents was the greatest And notwithstanding all these his misdemeanours yet did men tolerate him He gave liberty to slaves also to accuse their Masters of whatsoever crimes they would which was so much the more hateful because all things were done by Caesars authority and to his good liking so that Pollux who was Claudius bondman durst accuse him Cajus gave slaves free liberty to accuse their Masters and countenanced Pollux to accuse his Master Claudius and Cajus the Emperour was contented among the Judges to hear his Uncle brought in question for his life hoping although it fell out otherwise to pick out an occasion to put him to death For having filled all the Countries of his Empire M with false accusations and all sorts of mischiefs and giving slaves a prerogative above their Masters their Lords devised many conspiracies against him some for spite and with an intent to be revenged of those injuries they had received others pretending by his death to prevent those inconveniences that threatned them In a word his death concerned the security of the Laws Many conspiracieâ— against Cajus and the safety of all men and had he not been speedily cut off our nation had almost been utterly exterminated For which cause I thought good to make an exact and ample declaration of every occurrent namely for that the knowledge thereof maketh very much towards the manifestation of Gods power and will which brings consolation unto those who are in adversity and keep them within the bounds of modesty who suppose that their prosperity should N continue always firm and although they neglect virtue think that no evil may befal them Three several Conspiracies were intended against him to ease the world of this burthensome Tyrant All of them were attempted by men of great account For Aemilius Regulus Three conspiracies against Cajus who was born in Corduba in Spain was fully resolved to kill him himself or to make him away by the means of his Confederates Chaereas Cassius Colonel over a thousand men was the conductor of another Band Aemilius Regulus Cassius Chaereas Annius Minucius and Annius Minucianus was in no less readiness to do his uttermost herein The cause that moved them to combine thus altogether in hatred against Cajus was that in respect of Regulus he was by nature a detester of all iniquity for he was a very generous man and so free that he dissembled not any of his designs but communicated them with many who were either O his friends or valiant men fit for execution And as touching Minucianus he was induced to seek his revenge through the desire he had to do justice to Lepidus who had A been one of his especial friends and one of the rarest men that were ever found among the Roman Citizens whom Caius had put to death through the fear he had conceived of him knowing well that all they against whom Caius was incensed could not escape with less punishment than loss of life As for the third man Chaereas he could not endure the shame and reproach of cowardise that Caius had objected against him but feared besides that his friendship and inward familiarity with Caius would draw him into manifest dangers for which cause and his own security and honours sake he resolved to dispach him Generally all of them were resolved to rid the world of Caius and bring an end to his pride and tyrannical power for their hope was that their attempt having good success their Countrey and Common-weal should reap the B fruits thereof for whose security and safety it became them to hazard themselves though it were with loss of their lives But above all the rest Chaereas was egged on with a desire he had to grow famous and through the facility and convenient means he had to do it The Circensian Games because his Colonels room gave him most secure access unto him About that time the Circensian Games were solemnized which is a kind of Pastime which the Romans very willingly behold Caius causeth divers to be murthered who request mitigation of their exactions and to this intent they resort to the place of these exercises and the common people is wont to demand somewhat from the Emperour which they desire to obtain and after having examined their requests do never refuse them Now they required with instant and importunate supplications that Caius would discharge them of their taxations and moderate the excessive tributes C which they payed but he would give no ear unto them and caused those to be apprehended who called upon the matter most earnestly sending his Guard some of them one way some of them another to put them to the sword After he had given this order and they who received it had fully executed it a great number of men were killed The people seeing this ceased to exclaim any
business for which cause labouring under his disease Ant. lib. 13. cap. 22. he applied himself to War and toiling above his strength amidst those tumults he yielded up the Ghost in the thirty seventh year of his Reign leaving the Kingdom to Alexandra his Wife Alexandra Alexander's Wife through the opinion of Vertue obtaineth the Kingdom fully accounting that the Jews would in all things obey her because that she always misliking and seeking to hinder his cruelty and iniquity had won the hearts of the people Neither was he deceived for she being admired for her piety amongst them they easily submitted to her the rather F for that she was well acquainted with the Customs of her Countrey and even from her Childhood detested them who violated our holy Laws Hircanus first made High Priest and afterwards King She had by Alexander two Sons the eldest was called Hircanus whom by reason of his years she made High Priest and because of his dull nature she thought that though he were in Princely Authority yet he would molest no man As for the youngest Son Aristobulus because he was of a hot spirit she was willing that he should lead a private life Now there was a certain Sect among the Jews The Pharisees getting in favour with the Queen are made her chief Governours and enjoy all honours which were called Pharisees who joyned themselves with the Queen These people were thought to be of the godliest sort and to be more skilful than others in interpreting the Scriptures and Alexandra favoured them the more because she was much given to Religion These having by G little and little insinuated themselves into her favour domineer'd at their pleasure displacing disposing imprisoning and restoring to liberty whom they pleased for no other purpose but that they might enjoy the Profits and Commodities of the Kingdom leaving to Alexandra nothing but the Expences and care of the Government H This Queen was always desirous of high attempts and daily studied to encrease her wealth She levied two Armies and hired many strangers whereby she not only strengthened her own Countrey but also made her self feared by other Nations Alexandra willingly obeyeth the Pharisees She ruled others but her self was ruled by the Pharisees who at last killed Diogenes a gallant man and highly in favour with King Alexander affirming that through his counsel the King commanded those eight hundred before-mentioned to be crucified The Pharisees by their envy and Accusations are the death of many good men And further they perswaded the Queen Alexandra that she should put to death all others through whose counsel Alexander her Husband had been incited against those eight hundred The Queen being blinded with Superstition thought it unlawful to deny any thing which they requested so that they put to death whom they I pleased till such time as the chiefest of those who were in this danger in humble wise came to Aristobulus Aristobulus expostulateth with his Mother who perswaded his Mother to spare some and to banish others who she thought had deserved punishment which Exiles dispersed themselves through the whole Countrey Now Alexandra sent an Army to Damascus and because Ptolomey daily vexed the City she took it without doing any thing worthy of memory She also solicited Tigranes King of Armenia with Gifts and Promises who with an Army had besieged Ptolemais wherein Cleopatra was but he for fear of troubles in his own Countrey in that Lucullus had entred into Armenia withdrew himself from thence Shortly after Alexandra falling sick Aristobulus proclaimeth himself King her youngest Son Aristobulus with his Servants K which were many in number all trusty and in the heat of their youth got all the Castles Alexandra imprisoneth Aristobulus's Wife and Children and hiring Soldiers with the money he found in those Castles he proclaimed himself King But Alexandra pitying the complaints of Hircanus imprisoned the Wife and Children of Aristobulus in a Castle near the North part of the Temple which in old time was called Baris as we said before afterwards Antonia from Antonius The year of the World 3863. before Christ's Nativity â—â— as in like manner Sebaste and Agrippias other Cities were named of Augustus and Agrippa But Alexandra died before she could revenge Hircanus of the wrongs which Aristobulus had done him This Queen reigned nine years and left Hircanus in possession of all whom during her life time she had advanced to the Kingdom But Aristobulus being both stronger in power Alexandra dieth and Hircanus succeedeth her in the Kingdom and greater in authority encountred with his L Brother about Jericho where many of Hircanus's Soldiers forsaking their King fled to Aristobulus so that he and the remnant that followed him were forced to fly into the Castle called Antonia where he found Hostages to redeem them for as we have already said Aristobulus his Wife and Children were imprisoned in that place Ant. l. 14 c. 1. And lest any worse mis-hap should betide him The Brethren contending for the Kingdom are accorded upon certain conditions he concluded a Peace upon condition that Aristobulus should be King and that he as Brother to the King should enjoy some other Dignities Upon these conditions they were made friends in the Temple where in the presence of all the people they friendly embraced each other which when they had done Ant. lib. 14. cap. 2 3 4. they changed houses and Aristobulus went to the King's Palace and Hircanus to Aristobulus's house M CHAP. V. Of the War between Hircanus and the Arabians Antipater perswadeth Hircanus to fly to Aretas King of Arabia and to crave his assistance to recover his Kingdom and of the taking of Jerusalem NOw a sudden fear invaded all the enemies of Aristobulus when they saw him contrary to all expectation made King and especially Antipater above all others whom Aristobulus had long hated This Antipater was an Idumaean born and for Nobility and Riches the chief and best reputed of his Nation This man perswaded N Hircanus to fly to Aretas King of Arabia and crave his help to set him in his Kingdom He exhorted Aretas likewise to receive Hircanus and to help him to recover his Kingdom Antipater with Hircanus fly from Jerusalem by night to Aretas King of Arabia speaking much against the manners of Aristobulus and praising Hircanus adding that he being King of so famous a Nation ought to assist those who were unjustly oppressed and that Hircanus had manifest injury offered him being forced to forsake his Kingdom which by the right of Succession was due unto him After he had thus made his way he took in the night time Hircanus and fled with him out of the City and making all haste possible they arrived safe at a Town called Petra a Town where the King 's of Arabia are accustomed to keep their Court there he delivered Hircanus into the King's
which was objected against him and that the cause which moved him to do all these things was the frantick and mad fits he fell into for the love of that woman After Pheroras had thus become his own Accuser and a Witness B against himself Pheroras by Archelaus's means pacifieth Herod Archelaus endeavoured to mitigate Herod's wrath towards him and excuse his fault by alledging for example that his Brother had attempted greater matters against him whom notwithstanding for Relation's sake he had pardoned Adding that in every Kingdom as in mighty bodies frequently some part begins to inflame which notwithstanding is not presently to be cut off but to be cured by easie means Archelaus using many speeches to Herod to this purpose at last quite appeased his wrath towards Pheroras Archelaus compelleth Herod of his own accord to be entreated for Alexander but still counterfeited himself angry with Alexander affirming that he would take his Daughter away with him till at last he brought Herod of his own accord to intercede for the young man not to break the Marriage Archelaus C after much entreaty answered that he was willing that the King should bestow his Daughter upon any save Alexander for he greatly esteemed his affinity Herod replyed that if he would not divorce his Daughter from Alexander he should think that he had bestowed his Son upon him again For they had no Children and his Daughter was dearly loved by the young man so that if he would permit her to stay still there for her sake he would pardon all Alexander's offences Hereto Archelaus with much ado agreed and so was reconciled to his Son-in-law and he to his Father Yet Herod affirmed that he must needs be sent to Rome to speak with Caesar for he had written the whole matter to Caesar Thus Archelaus craftily delivered his Son-in law from danger and after this reconciliation was made they spent the time D in Feasting and Mirth Herod dismisseth Archelaus and his friends with great Presents Upon Archelaus's departure Herod gave him seventy Talents and a Throne of pure Gold adorned with Precious Stones and Eunuchs and a Concubine named Panichis and rewarded every one of his Friends according to their deserts And all the King's Kindred by his appointment bestowed rich Gifts upon Archelaus Ant. lib. 16. cap. 11. and both he and all his Nobility accompanied him to Antioch Not long after Eurycles the Lacedemonian secretly accuseth Alexander to his Father and is the cause of his death there came one into Judaea far more subtil than Archelaus who both disannulled the reconciliation made for Alexander and caused his death also This man named Eurycles was a Lacedemonian born and brought to Herod rich Gifts as it were for a bait of that he intended He had so behaved himself in Greece that it could no longer tolerate his excess And Herod again rewarded him with far greater E Gifts than those were that he gave him But he esteemed his liberality as nothing except it were accompanied with the blood of the Princes For which cause he circumvented the King partly by flattering him partly by praising him feignedly and especially by his own craft and subtilty And quickly perceiving his inclination he both in word and deed sought in please him so that the King accounted him among his chiefest friends And both the King and all the Court honoured him the more for his Countrey-sake because he was a Lacedemonian But he perceiving the distractions of Herod's House and the hatred between the Brethren and how the King was affected towards each of them Eurycles by feigned friendship deceiveth Alexander he first of all lodged at Antipater's house making a shew in the mean while of good will towards Alexander pretending that in times F past he had been much beloved by King Archelaus his Father-in-law And by this means he quickly insinuated into favour with him and was considered as a friend and a faithful friend Alexander presently likewise brought him into friendship with Aristobulus and he having gained their affections accommodated himself to their humours in order to compass his design of adhering to Antipater and betraying Alexander And he often used incensing words to Antipater as it were chiding him that being eldest of the Brethren he so slenderly looked after them who pretended to put him besides the Crown which was his right Many times likewise he used the like words to Alexander admiring that he who was born of a Queen and Husband to a Queen would permit one descended of a private woman to succeed in the Kingdom G especially seeing he had such a fair opportunity and means to effect the contrary for he might assure himself of Archelaus's help in any thing Alexander supposed he spoke as he thought because he counterfeited friendship with Archelans so that misdoubting nothing he disclosed to him all his mind concerning Antipater saying H that it was no wonder though Herod dis-inherited them of the Kingdom since he had slain their Mother formerly Eurycles counterfeiting pity for them and sorrow for their mis-fortune enticed Aristobulus to speak to the like effect And having animated them both to complain in this sort against their Father he presently went to Antipater and disclosed to him all their secrets falsely adding also a story of some Treachery which those two Brethren intended against him which was to dispatch him with their Swords Antipater rewarded him with a great Summ of Money for this advice and commended him to his Father And thus he being hired to effect the death of Alexander and Aristobulus became himself their accuser Whereupon he came to Herod and told him that I in regard of those benefits he had received at his hand he would now venture his life for him by giving him notice of a thing which concerned his own which was that Alexander and Aristobulus had long since resolved together to kill him and that he only was the cause that they performed it not by promising them to assist them in the matter That Alexander used these speeches that Herod was not contented to enjoy a Kingdom which was another's right nor yet to have put Queen Mariamne to death but he would also leave the Kingdom belonging to their Ancestors to a pernicious Bastard Antipater But for this cause he would revenge Hircanus and Mariamne's death And that it was not fit that such a man as Antipater should receive the Kingdom without blood And every day he had occasion given him to persist in this resolution K for he could speak nothing without being calumniated for if any mention were made at any time of any ones Nobility presently he was upbraided without cause for his Father would presently say There is none Noble but Alexander whose Father 's base Birth is a shame and discredit unto him And that going a hunting if he held his peace his Father was offended if he praised him then it
Letters before mentioned he then made great haste homeward When he came to Celenderis he began to reflect more upon his Mothers A disgrace his mind as it were presaging some sinister fortune And the wiser sort of his friends about him counselled him not to go to his Father till such time as he were certain for what cause his Mother was banished and divorced For it was to be feared that he would be accused also of the same Crime that was laid to his Mothers charge But the more imprudent being rather desirous to see their Country than to contrive what was expedient for Antipater pressed him to make haste lest his long delay should breed any suspicion in his Father and lest thereby he should give occasion to malignant people to raise slanders For said they if any thing had passed against you it was in your absence and were you in presence no man durst do or speak against you and it were a very unwise part for uncertain suspicions B to deprive himself of certain felicity and not to return speedily to his Father and receive a Crown from his hands which he could place upon no other head but his This counsel as his ill fortune would have it Antipater followed and so arrived in the in the Haven of Caesarea Antipater hated in Caesarea having passed Sebaste where contrary to his expectation he was much surpriz'd that all men eschewed his company and no man came near him For although he was always hated yet before they durst not shew their hatred But now they abstained from coming to him for fear of the King because the rumour of those things which Antipater had done was known in every City and to every man only Antipater himself was ignorant thereof For there was never any man brought thither with greater pomp than he when he was to sail to Rome C and never man more basely entertained at his return And now apprehending the danger at home he craftily made himself ignorant thereof and notwithstanding that he was almost dead for fear yet in his countenance he counterfeited confidence For he could not now possibly make any escape nor rid himself out of the present danger and yet he heard no certain news of matters at Court because the King by an Edict had forbidden all men to give him notice thereof So that many times he comforted himself thus that either all matters concerning him were yet secret or if any thing was come to light that he by policy and impudence could acquit himself thereof for those two were his only weapons Being thus determined he went to the Kings Palace alone without any of his friends and followers who at the very D first gate were most contumeliously repulsed By chance Varus the Ruler of Syria was there and then boldly going into his Father's presence he advanced boldly near him Antipater's entertainment at his Fathers hands to salute him But Herod putting him back with his hands and shaking his head cried out What thou that hast attempted to murther thy Father darest thou yet presume to offer to embrace me being guilty of so many treasons Mayest thou perish wretch as thy crimes deserve Come not near me till thou hast cleared thy self of all that is laid to thy charge for thou shalt have justice and Varus shall be thy Judge who is by good fortune now here Go and premeditate how to acquit thee against to morrow which is all the time I will give thee to do it Hereat Antipater was so astonished with fear that he was not able to reply any E thing but silently went away Presently his Mother and his Wife came to him and told him all the proofs of treasons against him then he considered with himself how to answer every point The next day the King called an assembly of his friends and kindred Antipater is judged before Varus and to them admitted Antipater 's friends and he and Varus sitting in judgment commanded all proofs to brought and the witnesses to appear amongst whom were certain of Antipater 's Mothers servants lately apprehended who had Letters from her to carry to him to this effect Forasmuch as all things are known to thy Father beware that thou return not unto him before thou hast obtained some warrant of thy safety from Caesar These and others being brought in Antipater also came in after them and prostrating himself before his Fathers feet he said I beseech you F Sir bear no prejudicate opinion against me and lend me an open ear whilest I purge my self for if you please to give me lieve I will prove my self guiltless Herod commanding him to hold his tongue spake thus unto Varus I know well Varus that you or any other just and indifferent Judge Herod's accusation against Antipater will find Antipater to have deserved death But I fear lest you conceive an aversion against me and think me worthy so great afflictions for having been so unfortunate as to have brought such children into the world And yet this should move you to pity me Herod's kindness towards his children who have been so merciful to and careful for such wicked caitifs For I had already appointed those young men that are dead to be Kings and brought them up at Rome and gotten them Caesar's favour but they whom I had so much honoured and exalted to the Crown became traytors against my life Their death G was very advantageous to Antipater whose security I sought thereby because he was a young man and the next that should succeed me but this cruel beast hath discharged his rage upon my self and thinks my life too long and is grieved that I live to be old and hath attempted to make himself King The year of the World 3961. before Christ's Nativity 1. no other way but by murthering his Father For H which I know no other reason but that I called him out of the Country where he lived abscurely and casting off those Sons whom I had begotten of a great Queen appointed this to be heir of my Kingdom I confess my error that I incited them against me by having for Antipater's sake deprived them of their right Herod loved Antipater above the rest and bestowed many benefits on him For wherein had I so well deserved of them as of Antipater unto whom during my life-time I committed the sway and rule of my Kingdom and openly in my Will and Testament declared him my successor Besides other gratifications I bestowed upon him the yearly revenue of fifty Talents And lately when he was to sail to Rome I gave him three hundred Talents and commended him to Caesar as the only Son of all my house who had regard to his Fathers life And what was the offence of the others compared with Antipaters what proofs were produced I against them equal to those that have shewed me more clearly than the day the conspiracy framed against me by
this most wicked and ingrateful of all men and is it now to be endured that he is so impudent as to dare to open his mouth in hope to colour all again with craft and deceit Beware Varus that he deceive you not for I know this beast and I even now see by his feigned tears how probable a tale he will tell This fellow once warned me that whilst Alexander lived I should beware of him and not put every one in trust with my person This is he who was wont to go before me into my bed-chamber and look about in every corner lest any should have lien in wait to have attempted any treason against me This is he who watched by me in my sleep and in whom I thought my self secure who comforted me when I mourned for them that were put to death This is he K who gave me good or ill characters of his Brethren when they were alive This was my defender and champion O Varus when I remember his crafts and subtilties and all his counterfeitings I wonder that I am yet alive and how I escaped the hand of such a traitor And seeing that fortune stirs up those of mine own house against me and that those that I most esteem are my greatest enemies I will bewail my hard fortune alone and not one that hath thirsted after my blood shall escape although proof be brought against every one of my children â— Thus his heart being surcharged with sorrow he was forced to break off his speech and presently he commanded Nicolas one of his friends to report all the proofs and evidences All this while Antipater lay prostrate at his Fathers feet Antipater's answer and excuse but now lifting up his L head he address'd to him and said You Sir your self made my Apology For how can he pass for a Parricide who as your self confess always watcht to preserve you from all dangers Which if you say I did feignedly is it probable that I would be so circumspect in other affairs and at other times and now in so weighty a matter play the part of a sensless man How could I think that such a design though kept secret from men could be hidden from God who seeth all things Was I ignorant what befel my Brethren whom God so punish'd for their wicked conspiracy against you Or what should cause me to aim at their life The hope of the Kingdom I possess'd it already Or a suspicion of your hatred towards me I knew you loved me passionately Or any fear which I had of you On the contrary I rendred you formidable to others by the care I took of your preservation M Was it want of money Nothing less for who might spend more than I Truly if I had been the wickedest person in the World or the cruellest beast upon earth yet I should have relented being overcome by the benefits of so loving a Father seing as your self said you recall'd and prefer'd me before so many Sons and being yet alive you proclaim'd me King and made me a spectacle to all men to envie through the benefits you bestowed upon me O wretch that I am O unhappy time of my absence out of my Countrie what an opportunity hath it given to malicious and calumniating people Yet O Father it was for your sake and about your affairs that I went to Rome to the end that Syllaeus might not triumph over your old age Antipater calleth Rome and Caesar to witness Rome can witness my piety and Caesar the Prince of the whole world who often called me a lover of my Father Receive here O Father his Letters far more N credible than those feigned calumniations against me let these plead my cause let these testifie my affection towards you remember how unwilling I was to go to Rome knowing I had here in this Country many secret enemies Thus you unwarily have been the cause of my ruine by forcing me to that voyage which has afforded envy time to frame accusations against me but now I will come to the proof of these matters Behold here I am who notwithstanding a Parricide yet never suffered any misfortune by sea or land is not this a sufficient argument of my innocency But I will not insist upon this proof of my innocence since I know that God hath permitted you to condem me already in your heart Only I conjure you give not credit to depositions extorted by torments let me be burned inflict all torments upon me spare not my body For if I am a Parricide I ought not to die without O all sort of torment Antipater accompanied these words with so many tears that he moved all that were present and Varus also to compassion but Herod only abstained A from weeping for his anger against his unnatural Son fix'd his mind upon the proof of his Crime And presently Nicolaus at the King's commandment made a long speech concerning Antipater ' s malice and artifices which he laid so open that he extinguish'd all pity in the minds of the hearers He ascrib'd all the mischief which had befallen that Kingdom unto him Nicolaus at the King's command beginneth a most heinous an bitter accusation against Antipater and especially the death of his two Brethren who through his calumniations were made away affirming also that he used treacherous practices against those yet alive fearing lest they should succeed in the Kingdom for he who had prepared poyson for his Father would much less spare his Brethren And then coming to the proof of his intent to poyson his Father he declared in order all the evidences thereof aggravating his offence by the B corrupting of Pheroras who by Antipater was drawn in to purpose the murther of his Brother and King Nicolaus's peroration and how he had also corrupted the King's dearest friends and so filled the whole Court with wickedness When he had accused him of many other things and brought proof thereof he ended his speech Then Varus commanded Antipater to make answer to these things The poyson tried upon a condemned man and seeing that he continued lying on the ground and said nothing more but God was witness of his innocency he called for the poyson and gave it one who was condemned to die who having drunk thereof presently died Then Varus talked apart with Herod and what was done there in that Council he writ unto Caesar and the next day he departed And when Herod had put Antipater in prison he sent messengers C unto Caesar to inform him of his hard fortune and calamity After this it was discoverd that Antipater design'd the death of Salome For one of Antiphilus servants came from Rome and brought Letters from Acme who was one of Julia's maids which she writ to the King telling him that she found a Letter of Salomes among Julia's which for good will she had sent him These Letters which she affirmed to be Salomes
Boldness of the Sicarians like some infectious disease spred over all the L Towns about Cyrene For one Jonathan a Weaver and a wicked man having escaped perswaded many simple people to follow him and led them into the Wilderness promising to shew them signs and visions A part of Jonathans companions were taken and slain the rest kept captive alive and brought to Catullus and so he deceived the simplest sort of the Jews but the noblest of them of Cyrene understanding his deceit gave Catullus notice of his preparation and departure who was then Governour of Lybia who sending some Horse and Foot easily surprized them being unarmed and the most part of them were slain yet some were taken alive and brought to Catullus But their Leader Jonathan at that time escaped yet being diligently laid and sought for over all those Countries he was at last taken and being brought to Catullus he sought to delay his own punishment by offering an occasion of Cruelty to Catullus For he accused the M richest among the Jews to have been his advisers to this matter Catullus was glad of these accusations and exaggerated them very much with Tragical terms so that he might have a pretext of War against the Jews and not content to credit whatsoever was maliciously spoken Three thousand Jews slain by Catullus he himself instructed the Sicarians to frame scandalous accusations and commanding them to nominate one Alexander a Jew whom he had long hated and his Wife Bernice he put them first of all to death and after them all that were rich who amounted to the number of three thousand And this he thought he did without controul because he confiscated their Possessions to Caesar And lest any Jew living in any other place Joseph by Catullus perswasion is accused by Jonathan should complain of his injustice he extended N his malicious lies against others further off and perswaded Jonathan and certain others that were taken with him to accuse the most trusty and faithful Jews both at Rome and Alexandria one of those who were thus falsely accused was Joseph who wrote this History But this proceeding of Catullus had not such success as he hoped for he came to Rome and brought Jonathan and the rest bound with him thinking that no more inquiry would be made of the false accusations invented by himself But Vespasian suspecting the matter made diligent inquiry to know the truth and finding these crimes injuriously imposed upon those men Jonathan being first beaten is burnt alive at the intercession of Titus he acquitted them and punished Jonathan according to his desert who being first whipt was afterward burnt alive O Catullus at that time by reason of the mildness of the Emperour had nothing said A to him The year of the World 4038. after the Nativity of Christ 76. but not long after he fell into a grievous Disease and was cruelly tormented not only in Body but also in mind For he was greatly terrified and continually imagined to see the Ghosts of those whom he had so unjustly slain ready to kill him so that he cried out and not able to contain himself leapt out of his Bed as though he had been tortured with torments and fire Aud this Disease daily increasing his Guts and Bowels rotting and issuing out of him at last he died in this manner leaving behind him an evident argument that the Divine Justice punisheth impious Malefactors This is the End of the History The Conclusion of the seven Books of the Wars of the Jews which we promised to set down with all fidelity for those that are desirous to know the event of the War between the Jews and the Romans And as for our Stile we leave it to the judgment of the Reader but touching B the Verity of the History it is such as no man need to doubt off for I do affirm that to be the only scope which I aimed at in this whole work The End of the seventh and last Book of Flavius Josephus of the Wars of the Jews The FIRST BOOK H OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS The Son of MATTHIAS I Written against APPION touching the Antiquity Of the RACE of the JEVVS K I Suppose most worthy Epaphroditus that I have sufficiently testified unto those who shall read the Books which I have written touching the Authentick History of the Jews that our Nation is most Ancient and that they had their Original from themselves and have from the first beginning inhabited that Country whereof they are possessed at this present The History of the Antiquity containeth the events of five thousand years To which effect I gathered out of our sacred Writings and published in the Greek tongue a History containing the occurrences of five thousand years But for that I see there are divers who being too much seduced by the scandalous Calumnies and Reports which some who are ill L affected towards us have published against us have misbelieved that which I have written of our Antiquity and labour to approve our Nation to be Modern because none of the ancient and most renowned Historians among the Grecians have thought our Ancestors worthy to be enrolled in their Writings For this cause I hold it a part of my duty to write a short Treatise hereupon The causes that moved him to write this Book both to reprove the malice and impostures of those our Calumniators and to correct their Ignorance by teaching those who are desirous to know the truth what the Original of our Nation is For proof whereof I will produce no other Testimony but such as from Antiquity hath been judged worthy of credit among the Greeks laying open before their Eyes that they who have slanderously and falsly written against us are convicted by their own mouthes I M will also endeavour to shew the Causes why very few Grecians have made mention of us in their Histories and moreover I will make it known that they who have written concerning us have been ignorant either really or feignedly of the Truth of those things which they have reported First of all therefore I do not a little marvel at those who in reference to matters of Antiquity suppose that the Truth ought only to be gathered from the Greeks and that they alone can justly claim the honour and knowledge of faithful writing whereas they neither vouchsafe either us or any others the credit of Truth in that we set down although I am able to prove that all things have fallen out quite contrary For which cause it behoveth us not to look to mens various opinions but to examine that which is N right and gather the same by the Effects For whatsoever is set down by the Greeks is new All things among the 〈…〉 and of late memory and hath been brought to execution in a manner but yesterday I mean the Foundations of Cities the Inventions of Arts and the Establishment
also some are desolate others newly erected as men please Whereas contrariwise they ought most constantly to keep their opinion of God and his Religion Apollonius Molon was one of these proud Fools but those Grecians that followed the B true Philosophy were not ignorant of what I have said of the Nature and Essence of God but agreed with us in our Opinions and laughed at these ridiculous Fictions Which Plato well seeing Plato decreed that no Poet should be permitted in a Common-wealth affirmeth that Poets are not to be permitted in a Common-wealth and sendeth Homer away very honourably crowned and anointed lest that he with his Fables should destroy or deprave the true opinion of God For Plato of all others especially imitated our Law-maker as he did herein also commanding his Citizens that all of them should perfectly learn his Laws and that for no casualty any strange forreign Custom should be admitted into their City but that their Common-wealth should be pure and they persist in the observation of their Laws But Apollonius Molon not respecting this inveigheth against us for not receiving into our society C men of strange opinions in Religion whereas not only we do so but commonly all Greeks yea and the most prudent amongst them The Lacedemonians expelled all strangers The Lacedemonians did expel all strangers and did not permit their Citizens to travel into other Countries fearing that both wayes their Laws might be corrupted They therefore are to be spoken against rather than we seeing they neither admit strangers to converse with them nor to inhabit amongst them nor impart their Religion unto them but we though not desirous to learn the Religion of other Nations yet do we not deny to impart ours to strangers who desire to embrace it which if I be not deceived is a token of magnanimity and clemency in us but this shall suffice concerning the Lacedemonians D Apollonius was ignorant how matters stood with the Athenians The Athenians manners who boast that their City was free to all Nations But they did most severely and without all mercy punish those that did but speak any word against their God For what was the cause of Socrates his death he neither betrayed the City to Enemies nor destroyed their Temples but only swore by a strange Oath which as he said whether in jest or in earnest a Devil taught him and for this offence he was put to death by drinking Hemlock his Accusers alledging that he corrupted young men and contemned the Laws and Religion of his Country Socrates a Citizen of Athens Anaxagoras And this Socrates sustained being a Citizen of Athens Anaxagoras was of Clazomenia and for that he affirmed the Sun which the Athenians worshipped for God to be a fiery stone he was by the sentence of some few condemned E to dye They also proclaimed that whosoever would kill Diagoras of Melus should be rewarded with a talent for his labour A talent is 600 Crowns only for that this Diagoras was said to deride their mysteries Protagoras also had been by them taken and put to death had he not escaped only for that they supposed him to have written certain doubts of the Athenian gods And what wonder is it that they used their men at this rate when they practised the same cruelty upon their Women one of their she Priests being put to death for worshiping a strange God their Laws appointing that who ever brought a strange God into their City should be punished with death It is therefore evident that they who enacted such strait Laws believed not the gods of other Nations for had they believed in them they would not have deprived themselves of the benefit of many F gods The very Scythians who delighted in man slaughter so much The Scythians that they very little differed from bruit Beasts yet did they think themselves bound to maintain their own Laws as best so that they slew Anacharsis a famous Greek that came unto them only for that he seemed to attribute too much unto the Grecian gods yea thou mayest find many among the Persians who for this cause have been tortured And it is evident that Apollonius approved the Persian Laws The Persians manners for when the Greeks admired their fortitude and concord of opinions concerning God I mean the fortitude they shewed at the burning of their Temples this Apollonius in all things imitated the Persians violating other mens Wives and putting out their Childrens Eyes whereas our Laws adjudg him G to death that so useth unreasonable beasts And neither the fear and terrour of Potentates nor the favour of them whom all men reverence could ever cause us to forsake or abandon these Laws The Jews constancy in their Laws neither do we exercise fortitude to deprive other men of their H goods and fortunes by War but to keep our own Laws and we who patiently put up all other injury yet if any man do in our Religion provoke us we presently seek revenge not respecting our own ability yea though thereby we work our own utter ruine and calamity What therefore should move us to imitate the Laws of other Nations when they that made those Laws yea even the Law-makers themselves did transgress them or how can the Lacedemonians avoid reproach for their inhospitality and neglecting marriage Against the Law-makers of the Gentiles Or the Elians and Thebans for accompanying with men contrary to the Law of Nature which fact most shameful they deemed good and necessary Yea not content to do so themselves they also ascribed the like unto their gods to be done by them which the Greeks also now of late have done and for this cause they I refused to marry with their own Women judging their satisfaction to be contrary to the prescript of Nature The injustice of Law-makers But I will speak no more of punishment neither how great malefactors those first Law-makers freed from punishment being bribed with money and how unjust they were in the Laws appertaining to Wedlock It is long to examine what great occasions of Impiety they gave For many have already long ago forsaken their Laws The Jews strict observation of the Law which cannot be said of us who for our Laws have suffered loss of our Cities Fortunes and Lives we keeping and persisting in our Laws even unto death and if any Jew be in a strange Country where there is a Tyrant King yet doth not he so fear him that he would for his command in any jot transgress our Laws If therefore we do valorously endure thus much for our Laws all men must needs K grant our Laws to be very good But if they say we suffer all these Calamities to maintain wicked or naughty Laws what punishment are they not worthy of who having as they say better Laws than we do so easily forsake them whereas we do maintain ours even with our Lives