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
of Lydia and Phrygia are newly growne to rebellion I haue thought good according to my duty to preuent the same and whilest I consulted with my friends what was to be done it hath been thought fit that two thousand families of the Iewes with all their housholds should be sent thither all which should be drawne out of Mesopotamia and Babylon to plant them in garrisons and places of securitie For I am perswaded of their good affection and zeale towards vs both in respect of their deuotion towards God as also for the testimony which our predecessors haue borne of them namely that they are faithfull and ready to execute that wherein they are imployed And although it be a difficult matter to remooue them yet resolue I my selfe that it shall be done and withall I permit them to liue according to their lawes Now when as they shall arriue in that place thou shalt bestow on euery one of them places to build them houses on with sufficient lands both for tillage and to plant their vineyards in for which they shall pay no tribute for ten yeeres space and during such time as they may gather of their owne for their sustenance they shall be allowed their prouision of corne for them and their seruants Our will is also that they who shall be employed in necessarie affaires be sufficiently prouided of that they neede to the intent that being so bountifully delt withall by vs they may shew themselues the more affectionate in that which concerneth vs. Thou shalt giue order also to the vttermost of thy power that this nation be no waies ouerpressed or interessed by any man Farewell Hitherto haue we sufficiently declared what friendship Antiochus the great bare vnto the Iewes After this Antiochus contracted alliance and friendship with Ptolomey who gaue him his daughter Cleopatra in mariage and assigned him for her dowry Coelesyria Samaria Iudaea and Phoenicia and for that these two kings deuided the tributes betweene them the chiefest in authoritie in euerie prouince redeemed the exaction of their countrey and paid the summe agreed vpon to the kings treasurie At that time the Samaritanes puffed vp with their prosperitie vexed the Iewes spoyling their countrey and leading them away prisoners perforce This hapned vnder the high Priest Onias For after the decease of Eleazar Manasses his vncle obtained the Priesthood and after the death of Manasses Onias the sonne of Simon surnamed the Iust enioyed this dignitie Simon was brother to Eleazar as I haue heretofore declared This Onias was of no great capacitie and withall was very couetous by which meanes he failed to paye the twenty talents of siluer which his predecessors were woont to pay to the kings of Aegypt of that tribute which the people paid vnto him Whereupon Ptolomey Euergetes the father of Philopator was grieuously incensed against him so as he sent an embassadour to Ierusalem to accuse him for that he failed to pay his accustomed tribute threatning him that if hence forward he receiued it not he would deuide his countrey amongst his souldiers and send them to inhabite the same When the Iewes were ascertained of his complaints they were confused and amazed but Onias was no whit mooued thereby because he was wholy giuen ouer to couetousnesse CHAP. IIII. Ioseph the sonne of Tobias preuenteth the imminent calamitie of the Iewes and becommeth Ptolomies friend BVt a certaine man called Ioseph the sonne of Tobias and of Onias sister who was the high Priest being yoong in yeeres but honoured in Ierusalem for his wisedome foresight and iustice hauing certaine notice by his mother of the arriuall of this Embassadour came vnto the Citie for he had been ablent in the village of Phicala where he was borne and sharpely reprooued Onias his vncle on the mothers side for that he did not any waies prouide for the securitie of his Citizens but sought to draw his countrymen into a generall hazard for that he retained in his hands that money which was leuied for the tribute Whereby he told him that he had obtained the gouernment ouer the people and purchased the high priesthood And that if he were so bewitched with money that for the loue of the same he could haue the patience to see his countrie in hazard and behold his Citizens also suffer all that which cruelty could inflict vpon them he counsailed him to repaire vnto the king and to require him to bestow the whole or the halfe of the Tribute vpon him Hereunto Onias answered that he would no more execute the gouernment and that if it were possible for him he was ready to giue ouer the priesthood and that therefore he would not repaire vnto the king because he was not any waies moued with these occurrences Whereupon Ioseph asked him if hee would permit him in the peoples behalfe to go Embassadour vnto Ptolomey Whereunto Onias answered that he gaue him free leaue Vpon this occasion Ioseph went vp into the temple and summoned the people to a generall assembly exhorting them to be no waies troubled and to conceiue no feare thorow the negligence of his vncle Onias requesting them to be confident in heart and estraunged from all sinister suspition promising them that he himselfe would go in Embassage vnto the king and faithfully pleade their cause before him and perswade him that they had committed no insolent neglect or contempt against his maiestie Which when the people vnderstood they gaue Ioseph harty thankes Whereupon he presently came downe from the temple and honourably entertained the Embassadors that came from Ptolomey and hauing presented them with gifts of great price and feasted them magnificently for many daies he sent them backe vnto their Prince assuring them that he himselfe would in person follow them And the rather was he incited to this iourney because the Embassador had perswaded him to repaire into Aegypt vnder such assurance that he would obtaine all his requests at Ptolomeies hands the rather for that he was woon with the yoong mans free spirit and noble entertainment Assoone as the Embassadour returned into Aegypt he certified the king of Onias ingratitude and Iosephs humanitie certifying him that he would come in person to intreat pardon for the people for that offence they had committed against him and the rather for that he was in especiall authoritie among the people and so farre vsurped he vpon Iosephs praises that both the king and the Queene Cleopatra had a good opinion of him notwithstanding he was as yet absent But Ioseph sent vnto Samaria vnto his friends and borrowed money making his preparation for his voiage Hauing therefore furnished himselfe with apparell vessels and horses with the expence of almost twenty thousand drachmes he arriued in Alexandria At that very time it chanced that the Princes and gouernours of Phoenicia and Syria repaired thither to buy their tributes for the king was accustomed euery yeere to sell them to the men of most respect in euery Citie
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
the second day of this solemnitie he shewed himselfe being apparrelled in a Robe of siluer made with admirable workmanship and came in the same to the Theater in the morning Whereas the first reflexe of the rising sunne â—…eat vpon his Robe he shined after such a sort that all those that beheld him were seazed with reuerence and feare Whereupon certaine sycophants which did not a little dishonour him exclaimed one on the one side the other on the other saluting him for a God and in speaking to him cried out thus Be mercifull vnto vs hitherto haue we feared thee as a man but hence forward we wil confesse and acknowledge thee to be of a nature more excellent then mortall frailtie can attaine vnto Agrippa reproued them not for vsing these words neither reiected he their palpable and detestable flattery But not long after he looking vpwards perceiued an owle ouer his head perched vpon a cord and knew the same incontinently that he was but a message of his misfortune whereas before time he had denounced vnto him his felicitie and conceiued thereupon a most hearty and inward griefe And sodainly he was seazed with a terrible griping in his belly which began with verie great vehemencie for which cause turning his eies towards his friends he spake vnto them after this manner Behold him said he whom you esteeme for a God condemned to die and destinie shall apparantly conuince you of those flattering and false speeches which you haue lately vsed in my behalfe For I who by you haue been adored as one immoitall am vnder the hands of death But I must willingly entertaine that which God pleaseth to send me For I haue not liued in obscuritie but in so great and wonderfull felicitie that each one of you haue tearmed and helde me happy Whilest he spake thus his griefes augmented in such sort as he was brought almost to his last for which cause with all expedition he was conuaied into his royall pallace and the rumor was spred in euerie place that verie shortly he would be dead For which cause the people with their wiues and children put on sackcloth according to the custome of the countrey to the end they might sollicit Gods mercie in the kings behalfe and all the Citie was filled with teares and lamentations The king that lay in an vpper chamber and looking downe into the court sawe them lying thus on the earth could not refraine himselfe from teares And after he had for the space of fiue daies without ceasing beene tormented with griping in his belly hee gaue vp the ghost in the fiftie fourth yeere of his age and the seuenth yeere of his raigne For hee had raigned foure yeeres vnder the Empire of Caius Caesar hauing first of all gouerned Philips Tetrarchy three yeeres to which was annexed the signiorie of Herode in the fourth yeere and three yeeres vnder the Empire of Claudius Caesar during which time he gouerned ouer the aboue named countries and moreouer ouer Iudaea Samaria and Caesarea His reuenue amounted to twelue hundreth myriades besides which he made many loanes For in that he was verie liberal in giuing he spent farre more then his reuenue and spared not any thing to shew himselfe magnificent Before the people knew of his death Herode his brother prince of Chalcis and Chelcias the kings lieutenaut and friend agreed betweene themselues to send Aristo one of their trustiest seruants to kill Silas who was their enemie as if they had beene commaunded by the king Thus died king Agrippa leauing behinde him a son called Agrippa seuenteen yeeres old and three daughters one of which that was called Bernice was married to Herode his fathers brother when she was sixteene yeeres olde The two other were Mariamme and Drâ—…silla this Mariamme being of the age of ten yeeres was promised in marriage by her father to Iulius Archelaus Chelcias sonne and Drusilla which was sixe yeeres olde was promised also to Epiphanes sonne to the king of Comagena After Agrippas death they of Caesarea Sebaste forgot themselues of those benefits they had receiued from him and vsed him no lesse despitefully then as if he had been their vtter enemy For they reprochfully abused him after his death and reuiled him in such sort as it is vnseemely to report the same Furthermore all the men of warre who were at that time many in number went vnto the kings lodging and with one accord seazed the statues of the kings daughters and carried them to the brothell house where after they had placed them they vttered all the indignities that they could possibly practizing such shamefull matters as they may not be expressed Besides this resting themselues in the publike places they banqueted in the open street wearing chaplets of flowres vpon their heads and perfuming themselues with odors to sacrifice to Charon drinking to one another for ioy the king was dead Thus expressed they their ingratitude not only towards their king Agrippa who had bestowed so many liberalities on them but also towards Herode his grandfather who had builded their Cities and to his extreame charge erected their ports and temples At that time Agrippa the deceased Agrippas son was at Rome and was brought vp vnder the Emperour Claudius When Caesar vnderstood how those of Caesarea and Sebaste had iniuriously dealt with Agrippa he was sore displeased and mooued with their ingratitude his purpose was to send the younger Agrippa with all expedition to take possession of the kingdome of his father and therewithall to discharge himselfe of his oath but diuers of his freeman and friends who were in great credit with him disswaded him from the same alleadging that it would be a dangerous matter to commit the greatnesse of such a kingdome to a young man who scarcely had as yet attained to the age of eighteene yeeres and for whom it was impossible to support the care of so great a kingdome considering that if he were at mans estate he should finde himselfe ouerburthened with the charge of a kingdome This aduice of theirs was allowed by Caesar and for this cause hee sent Cuspius Fadus to gouerne Iudaea and the whole realme honouring his dead friend in this in that he would not suffer Marsus who had been his enemy to enter into his kingdome He gaue especiall commission also that Fadus should sharply punish those of Caesarea and Sebaste for the outrages they had offered to his deceased friend and the excesse that was committed against his daughters who were yet liuing commaunding him to transport the companies of the Caesarians and Sebastens and the fiue Roman legions into the countrey of Pontus to serue in that place and to take those Roman souldiers that bare armes in Syria to serue in their place yet notwithstanding this commandement of his they were not displaced For they sent Embassadours to Claudius to appease him and by this means they obtained the fauour to remaine in Iudaea
by famine and the Romans hauing so much laboured at the lower vvals did now by fortune take these which their engines could neuer haue shaken for there vvere thre inexpugnable towers that could not be battered vvith the engines vvhereof before vve haue made mention So the tyrants hauing forsaken these or rather being by Gods vvill driuen from hence presently they fled vnto the valley Siloa after the feare was past they againe tooke heart and vvent vnto the wall that was in that place yet not vsing such courage and violence as their need required they were beaten by the watchmen that guarded it their strength now failing vvearied with labour feare famine and calamitie And some was driuen one way and some another so were forced to hide themselues in vaults and sinks The Romans hauing obtained the wal placed their colours in the towers and clapping their hands and singing for ioy they cried victorie finding the end of the warre nothing so terrible as the beginning Yet did they not beleeue that vvas the end because they got the vvall without any bloudshed but admired seeing no man did offer to resist them And now issuing into euerie street they slew whom soeuer they found without any respect and fired houses and all the people that had fled into them and destroying many whereas they entred 〈◊〉 to get a pray and they found whole families dead and houses full of dead bodies consumed by famine Thus terrified with that heauie sight they departed out not taking any thing away yet for all that they pitied not them that were left aliue but slew whom soeuer they met whereby they filled the narrow streets so ful of dead bodies by them slaine that none could passe that way for them all the whole citie flowed with bloud so that many things set on fire were quenched with the bloud of them that were slaine At euening they ceased from killing but all the night long the fire increased and so in the morning which was the eight day of September all was now on fire the citie in the time of the siege hauing endured more miserie and calamitie then euer it receiued ioy and happinesse from the time of the first foundation notwithstanding that they were so great that all cities might iustly enioy it and it no wise deserued so to be oppressed with such miserie saue onely for that it fostered and bred such impious persons as wrought the ouerthrow thereof Titus entring into the Citie amongst the rest admired the strong holds thereof and the rockie towers which the tyrants like madde men depriued themselues of seeing the height firmenes bignesse and the ioyning of the stones togither and their breadth and hight he said surely God hath assisted vs in the fight and he it was that did withdraw the Iewes from these fortresses For what could mens hands and engines preuaile against them And hauing spoken much to this effect communing with his friends he set them at libertie whom the tyraÌ„ts had left bound in the castles when he destroied the rest of the citie wals he left those towers standing as a monument of his good fortune and victorie by the which he had gained them though vnexpugnable The souldiers now being wearie with killing the miserable Iewes and yet a great multitude remaining aliue Caesar commaunded that onely the armed Iewes and they that resisted should be slaine and the rest left aliue But the souldiers also killed olde folkes and weake persons 〈◊〉 king all able men and lusty they caried them into the temple and shut them there in the place appointed for the women Caesar left one Fronto a libertine and his friend to keepe them giuing him also charge to make inquirie who had deserued punishment whollew all the thâ—… and seditious one of them bewraying another and reserued certaine chosen young men of 〈◊〉 stature and beautiful withall for the triumph and all the rest that were aboue sâ—…uenteen yeeres olde he sent bound into Aegypt to be imployed in certaine workes there as digging dâ—…ng 〈◊〉 manuring the fields and to be vsed in other publike busines Titus also sent many of â—…em vnto diuers prouinces to be slaine in the theaters with beasts or swords and they that were vnder seuenteene yeeres of age were sold. And during the time that Fronto kept them ten thousand died for hunger partly for that their keepers hating them would not giue them any meat parâ—…y for that som refused meat when it was offered them For there was now scarcitie of come by reason of the great multitude of the people CHAP. XVII Of the number of the captiues and them that were slaine THe number of all the captiues that were taken during the whole time of warre was foure score and seuenteene thousand the number of all that died and were slaine during the siege was eleuen hundreth thousand the most of them being Iewes by natioÌ„ but not inhabitants of that place For being assembled togither from all parts to the feast of vnleauened bread presently on a sodaine were enuironed with war and first of al a plague amongst them by reason of the streightnesse of the place and immediately after famine worse then it And that the Citie was capable of so many men it is euident for that Cestius before numbred them who desirous to signifie the flourishing estate and strength of Ierusalem vnto Nero who contemned our nation requested the high priests that if possibly they could they should number all the people in their Citie and that vpon the feast of Easter when they killed offerings from the ninth houre of the day vntill the eleuenth to eate a lambe not fewer then ten persons were assembled for it is not lawfull for any to feast alone yea many times twentie are in a companie they numbred two hundreth fiftie six thousand fiue hundreth oblations or lambs to be killed so that if we reckon to euery lambe ten men the number amounteth vnto seuen and twentie hundreth thousand men all purified whole sound For it was not lawful for any that were leapers or had a fluxe of seed nor women that had the monthly tearmes to eat of that sacrifice nor for any stranger except he came thither for religion sake And this multitude was assembled togither from other places was there by the prouidence of God shut vp as it were in a prison And the city being filled with men of warre was besieged that the number of them that were slaine passed all that euer perished either by any plague sent from God or by the means of men who were partly openly slaine partly taken by the Romans who searching the vaults opening the sepulchers spared none they met with all There also were found more then two thousand whereof some slew themselues with their own hands other some killed by others the rest perished with famine The stinch of dead bodies vvas so great that many
the sacred tongue signifieth a King and Sos a shepheard or shepheards according to the common speech and Hicsos is a compound word Some say these people were Arabians but in other coppies I find that Hicsos is not interpreted kings shepheards but shepheards that were captiues for Hic and Hac also when it is pronounced doth in the Egyptian tongue signifie a captiue and this latter exposition seemeth to me to bee the truest for it is more agreeable with the historie Wherefore Manathon reporteth these foresaide kinges and sheapheards to haue ruled Egypt fiue hundreth and eleuen yeares and after these the king of Thebes and the king of the residue of Egypt vniting their forces togither inuaded the sayde sheapheards and held on great and long wars against them and that the sayde sheapheards were ouercome by the king Alisfragumthosis also that then they lost all Egypt which hee had in their power and that they were shut vp in a place called Auaris conteining ten thousand acres of ground which as Manathon reporteth these shepheards enuironed round about with a huge wall to the end that all their whole prouision might be fortified and all their prayses which they got defended Moreouer that Themosis sonne of the saide Alisfragumthosis endeuored by force to subdue them and for this cause besieged them with foure hundreth and foure score thousand armed men and at last despairing to take them by siege he couenanted with them that they should safly depart out of Egypt whether they would and that they vpon these conditions togither with all their families and goods and cattle departed out of Egypt into the wildernes so into Syria being in number two hundreth fortie thousand that fearing the puissaunce of the Assirians who at that time raigned in Asia they builded a citie in the countrie now called Iudea which they made so large as that it might receiue them all and this citie they called Ierusalem Further the saide Manathon in an other booke of the Egyptians affaires sayth that in the holy writings he sendeth the foresaide shepheards called captiues wherein he saith most true For our auncesters were wont to feede cattle so leading a pastorall life were called shepheards neither are they vniustly called captiues for our forefather Ioseph tould the king of Egypt that he was a captiue and long time after hee called his brethren into Egypt by the kinges commaund but wee will hereafter examine this point more straightly I will now cite the testimonie of the Egyptians concerning this point and also relate the words of Manethon touching the time when this befell who sayeth as followeth After that the nation of shepheards were departed out of Egypt vnto Ierusalem king Themosis who droue them out of the land raigned twentie fiue yeares and foure moneths and then dyed and his sonne Chebron succeeded him who raigned thirteene yeares and after him Amenophis twentie yeares and seuen moneths next his sister Amesses one and twentie yeares and nine moneths then raigned Mephios twelue yeares and nine moneths Mephamuthosis twentie fiue yeares and ten moneths Thimosis nine yeares and eight moneths Amenophis thirtie yeares and ten moneths Orus thirtie sixe yeeres and fiue moneths after him his daughter Achencheres twelue yeeres and one moneth and the brother of Rathotis nine yeeres Achencheres twelue yeeres and fiue moneths an other Achencheres twelue yeeres and three moneths Armais foure yeeres and one moneth Armesis one yeere and foure moneths Armesesmiamus threescore and sixe yeeres and two moneths Amenophis nineteene yeeres and sixe moneths Moreouer that Sethosis hauing made readie a huge armie both of foote and horse and also a Nauie at Sea left the gouernment of Aegypt vnto his brother Armais and permitted vnto him all other kingly authoritie onely forbidding him to weare a Diademe and to oppresse the Queene mother to his children commaunding him also to abstaine from the rest of the Kings concubines And Sethosis himselfe went to Cyprus and Phaenicia against the Assirians and Medes and subdued them all partly by the sword partly by feare of his power and greatnesse and being proud of all this his fortunate successe he bent himselfe against the Easterne Countrie and destroyed with fire and sword the Cities of that place with whole Prouinces and spending much time in these warres his brother Armais whome hee left in Egypt did without feare commit all that hee forbad him to doe for hee oppressed the Queene violently and dayly lay with the rest of the Kings concubines and being thereto councelled by his friends hee put a Crowne vpon his head and rebelled against his brother Also that he who was then â—…hiefe of the Egyptians holy customes sent letters vnto Sethosis containing all that had happened and how Armais had rebelled against him who returning to Pelusia came and enioyed againe his owne kingdome which by his name was called Egypt for Manethon writeth that this Sethosis was named Egyptus and his brother Armais Danaus Thus farre Manethon out of whome it is euident by computation of the foresaid times that our nation was deliuered out of Egypt three hundred nintie and three yeeres before Danaus and inhabited this Countrie of Iudaea so long before Danaus came vnto Argos notwithstanding the Inhabitants of Argos boast that their Citie is most auncient Wherefore Manethon recounteth two things for vs out of the Egyptian letters first that we came from another place to them afterwards went out of their Countrie againe and that so long agoe as it was almost a thousand yeeres before the Troyan warres Touching those things which Manethon professeth himselfe not to haue gathered out of the writings of the Egyptians who did write out of certaine tales and reports I will hereafter shew how they are alleadged without any reason for them For I will once againe leaue these and go to the testimonie of the Phaenicians which they writ concerning our nation The Tyrians therefore haue Chronicles of verie great antiquitie which they haue kept with all diligence concerning that which hath beene done amongst them and indeed they are worthie of memorie Amongst these Recordes it is written that king Salomon built a Temple at Ierusalem a hundred fortie three yeeres and eight months before the Tyrians erected Carthage So they haue registred the building of our Temple for Hiramus king of the Tyrians was our kings Salomons friend obliged vnto him for his fathers sake who for this cause also of his owne liberalitie gaue Salomon a hundred and twentie talents of gold towardes the building of the Temple and cut downe the most goodly wood called Libanus which hee bestowed vpon him to make the roofe of the Temple withall for which bountie Salomon gaue him againe manie liberall gifts and among the rest a Countrie of Galilee named Zabulon but Salomons wisedome was the chiefe cause of this Kings friendship towards him For they sent problemes one to the other to bee answered and Salomon in his answeres appeared
to marrie Alexas Glaphyra somtimes Alexanders wife is sent back to Archelaus king of Cappadocia Hedio Ruffinus chap. 2. Herode bringeth vp his sons children Antipater hateth his brothers children Antipater laboreth his father to breake of the mariages he 〈◊〉 Herodes ninâ—… wiues The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs Natiuitie 3. Herode buildeth a castle in the region of the Trachonites and maketh Zamaris the Iew that came from Babylon gouernour therein Iacim Philip the sonnes of Zamaris Hedio Ruffinus chap. 3. Pheroras deceiued by women The yeare of thâ—… world 3961. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 3. Salome discouereth to Herode the conspiracies of the Ladies and others The Pharisees subtill and arrogant The Pharisees would not sweare obedience but were finde Pheroras wife paieth their fine for which benefit they promise her the kingdome Bagoas Carus and others are put to death by Herode Hedio Ruffinus chap. 4. Herode accuseth Pheroras wife and commandeth him to put her away The reare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Pheroras refuseth to put away his wife Herode interdicteth Pheroras and Antipater their priuic meetings and forbiddeth the Ladies no lesse Herod sendeth Antipater to Caesar. Antipater accuseth Syllaeus at Rome before Caesar. Aretas accuseth Syllaeus for killing Phabatus and others A traitor that sought the kings death is apprehended Anoth soleÌ„nly obserued Pheroras in his sicknes is visited by Herode and being dead is honourably buried by him The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs birth 3. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 5. Pheroras freemen accuse his wife for poisoning him Herode tortureth the Ladies bond women and soundeth out Antipaters their secrets Herode thrusteth Doris Antipaters mother cut of his pallace Antipater the Samaritane declareth how Antipater the kings sonne had prouided poison for his father The yeare of the world 3961. before Christs Natiuitie 3. Pheroras wife confesseth that she hath the poison and casts her selfe downe headlong from the roofe The yeare of the world 3962. before Christs natiuitie 2. The king putteth away his wife and blotteth his sonne out of his testament He degradeth Simon and enstateth Marthias in the Priesthood Archelaus and Philip are accused by Antipaters means Hedio Ruffinus chap. 6. Herod writeth friendly letters to Antipater and calleth him home from Rome The yeare of the world 3962. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 2. Celenderis in Cilicia Sebaste a hauen builded by Herode in honour of Caesar Antipater vpoÌ„ his returne is saluted by no man Quintilius Varus gouernout of Syria Herode calleth his son in question before Quintllius Varus Antipater accused by Herod The yeare of the world 3962. before Christs birth 2. Antipaters answere to his fathers obiectioÌ„ Nicholas Damascene prosecuteth the kings accusation The yeare of the world 3962. before Christs birth 2. Patricide the publike iniurie of life and nature The yeare of the world 3962. be fore Christs Natiuitie 2. Antipater accused by all men Varus giueth Antipater licence to iustify himselfe Antipater striueth by his protestations and inuocations of God to iustifie himselfe The poison is ministred to a condemned man and it killeth him Hedio Ruffinus chap. 7. Herode imprisoned his son sent embassadors to Caesar to certifie his abuses Antiphilus letter to Antipater Acmes letter to Antipater The yeare of the world 3962. before Christs birth 2. Acmes letters to Herode Herode inflamed with hatred against his sonne Antipater layeth all the fault vpon Antiphilus Hedio Russinus chap. 8. Herode falling sicke maketh his will and leueth his succession of the kingdome with his other goods to his friends and kinsfolkes Herode impatient in his old age and wonderous wayward The yeare of the world 3963. after Christs birth 1. A golden Eagle vpon the greatest gate of the temple The yeare of the world 3963. after Christs Natiuitie 1. Contempt of death The yong men pulling downe the goldeÌ„ eagle hew it in peeces with their axes Iudas Matthias with fortie other yong men being brought to the kings presence iustifie their actioÌ„s with ioy and the king sendeth them bounde to Iericho Herode assembleth the gouernours of the Iewes and expostulateth with theÌ„ about this coÌ„motion Matthias is depriued of the hie priesthood and Iozar is assigned his place Ioseph Ellemi for one day hie priest Matthias and Iudas burned The Ecclipse The yeare of the world 3963. after Christs birth 1. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 〈◊〉 Herodes horrible sicknes The hot bathâ—… of Calliroes that flow into the lake Asphaltite Herode bestoweth a distribution among his souldiers Herode commandeth that the noblest of the Iewes should be slain after his death The yeare of the world 3963. after Christs Natiuitie 1. Letters are sent froÌ„ Rome that Acme was executed by Caesars command and that he had authoritie to vse Antipater at his pleasure Herod calling for a knifâ—… and an apple intendeth to stab himselfe Achiab withholdeth his hand Antipater thinking his father to bee dead dealeth with his keeper for his deliuery which Herod heating of commandeth him to be slaine Hedio Ruffinus chap. 10. Herods will is changed His legacy to Caesar and Iulia his wife Herods death Herods mutable strange fortune Salome and Alexas after the kings death dismisse the Iewes y t were shut vp in the Hippodrome The yeare of the world 3963 after the Naâ—…tie of Christ. 1. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 11. Herods thaâ—…sgiuing to his armie and testament read Archelaus is applauded by the people Alias cap. 12. Herods corps is buried with great pompe and solemnity in Herodion The Germans and French serued vnder Herod Archelaus banquetteth the people Archelaus pro miseth that with Caesars approbation hee will carefully intend the desires and profits of the people The yeare of the world 3963. after Christs birth 1. Hedio Ruffinus chap. 12. â—…l 13. The seditious people bewail Matthias and those that were executed with them They would be reuenged on Herods friends and would depose the high priest The yeare of the world 3964. after Christs naâ—… 2. Sedition at the feast of the Passeouer The yeare of the world 3964. after Christs birth 2. Three thousand Iewes slaine Archelaus repaires to Rome and many of his faction follow him Hedio Ruffinus chap. 13. al. 14. Sabinus repaireth to Ierusalem with an intent to leaze Herodes treasures castles Antipas vnder hope to recouer the kingdome saileth to Rome Antipater Salomes son accuseth Archelaus before Augustus Caesar. The yeare of the world 3964. after Christs Natiuitie 2. Nicholaus excuseth Archelaus The yeare of the world 3964 after the Natiuitie of Chrisâ—… 2â—… Caesar pronounceth Archelaus to be worthy oâ—… the kingdome Hedio Ruffinus chap. 14. Marthace Archelaus mother dieth Varus pacifieth the seditious at Ierusalem Alias chap. 15. Sabinus auarice raiseth a great sedition in Ierusalem at the feast of Penticost A most bloudy battel fought betwixt the Romanes and Iewes neere vnto the teÌ„ple
hauing their eies sodainly darkned and blinded Othersome giuing order for the buriall of their houshold seruants died before they were thorowly interred and from the day break at which time the pestilent mortalitie began to rage vntill dinner time there died seuenty thousand persons And now had the Angell of God stretched out his hand ouer Ierusalem readie to inflict punishment thereon when as the king put on sackcloth and prostrated himselfe on the ground beseeching and praying God that it would please him to surcease his wrath and be pacified with the number of those that were already consumed by the pestilence Whilest thus he prayed lifting vp his eies he beheld the angell of God houering in the ayre ouer Ierusalem with his naked sword whereupon he besought God and said that it was hee that was the shepheard who had deserued to bee punished and not his flocke who ought to be fauoured in that they had not any waies offended praying him to satisfie his displeasure vpon him and his posteritie and to spare the people Hereupon God accepting this prayer surceased the plague and sent the Prophet Gad vnto him commanding him that he should presently repaire to the threshing floore of Oronna the Iebusite and there build an altar on which he should offer sacrifice vnto God Which when Dauid vnderstood he neglected not this ordinance but went presently to the appointed place When Oronna who threshed his come saw the king accompanied by his sonnes comming towards him he ranne out to meete him and humbled himselfe before him This man was by nation a Iebusite and one of the greatest friends that Dauid had by meanes whereof he left him vnspoiled at such time as the fortresse of the Iebusites was taken as we ha◅ heretofore declared Oronna asked him for what cause his Lord came thus vnto him who was his seruant Dauid answered him that it was to this intent that he might purchase his threshing floore to the intent that he might build an Altar in that place and offer sacrifice vnto God Oronna replied that both his floore chariots and oxen were the kings to offer vp for a burnt sacrifice beseeching God that he would graciously accept that offering To this the king answered that he highly esteemed his simplicitie and magnaminitie and that he fauourably respected the offer he had made him yet that it was his pleasure that he should receiue the price of the same because he held it an inconuenient to offer sacrifice vnto God vpon other mens charges To this Oronna aunswered that his Maiestie might doe as best pleased him Hereupon he bought the foresaid floore of him for fiftie sicles Then erected he an Altar in this place and offered sacrifices thereon as well burnt offerings as other sacrifices for prosperitie and by this meanes the diuine maiestie was appeased and euer after shewed himselfe fauourable Now this place was the verie same whereto Abraham in times past had brought his sonne Isaac to offer him vp for a burnt sacrifice vnto God and as he was about to sacrifice him a Wether vpon the instant presented it selfe neere vnto the Altar which Abraham offered vp in steede of his sonne as we haue heretofore made manifest Dauid seeing that God had heard his prayer and fauourably accepted his sacrifice decreed that in that place the generall Altar of the people should stand and that on the verie same floore he would build a Temple vnto God which words of his God afterwards ratified For sending his Prophet vnto him hee certified him that his sonne that should succeed him should build a Temple After this propheticall declaration the King commaunded to number the inhabitantes of Ierusalem and it was found that they were one hundreth and fourescore thousand men of which number hee appointed eightie thousand to intend the hewing of stones and ordered that the rest of the common people should beare stones vnto them and he appointed three thousand and fiue hundreth who should gouerne them haue the ouerseeing of the workes He gathered also a great quantitie of Iron and brasse to worke vpon with store of huge and mightie Cedar trees which they of Tyre and Sidon sent him whom he had put in trust to furnish him therewith telling his friends that he made that preparation at that time to the intent that when his sonne should fortune to gouerne after him he might haue stuffe in a readinesse for the building of the Temple and to the intent that he being as yet young and vnexperimented should not be troubled with the gathering therof but hauing all things in a readinesse might finish the building of the Temple CHAP. XI Dauid during his life time surrendreth the kingdome to Salomon THen calling vnto him his sonne Salomon he charged him that after his decease and his enstalment in the kingdome he should build a temple vnto God telling him that though he had both a will and intent to performe the same yet that he was contradicted by God for that he had beene soyled with slaughters and brought vp in warre Adding further that it was foreprophecied vnto him that the finishing of that edifice was by Gods ordinance reserued to his yonger sonne that should be called Salomon whom God should no lesse tender and care for then the father doth his sonne and how the whole land of the Hebrewes should be made happy vnder this Prince and among all other benefits that they should haue peace which is an especiall prerogatiue and blessing and not onely be freed from forraine warres but also from ciuill dissensions For which cause said he since by God thou wert appointed King before thou wast borne indeuour thy selfe to be capable and worthy to be conducted by his prouidence by honouring pietie iustice and fortitude keeping those his ordinances and lawes which he gaue vs by Moses and not permitting others to transgresse the same And as touching the temple which he will that thou shalt build when thou shalt obtaine the kingdome enforce thy selfe to discharge that duety towards God neither be thou dismaid or afraid at the greatnes of the work For before I shall depart out of this world I will set all things in a readines for thee Know therefore that I haue alreadie gathered ten thousand talents of gold and an hundreth thousand talents of siluer of brasse and yron there is as much which is a thing innumerable of stone and of wood a matter most incredible Moreouer thou shalt haue many thousands of masons and carpenters and if ought be defectiue besides these thou shalt thy selfe make prouision thereof when thou hast performed this thou shalt be gracious in gods sight who shall be thy soueraigne and safe conductor He exhorted also the gouernours of the people to set to their helping hand and yeelde their assistāce to his sonne in finishing this worke in furthering the seruice of God without suspition of any inconuenient assuring them that they
kingdom vpō him by the peoples consent To him therfore the Princes of the people resorted with Ierobod beseeching him that he would remit somewhat of their feruitude and shew himselfe more merciful then his father had beene for that vnder his gouernment they had beene sorely oppressed assuring him that by that meanes his kingdome should be the more assured if so be he had rather be beloued then feared He some three daies after promised them to returne an answere to their demaunds and by that meanes drew them into suspition that vpon the motion he misliked of the offers they had proposed for they thought that it became his yeares to be affable and readie to deserue well yet remained there some hope in them that they had not presently suffered the repulse Meane while he calling about him his fathers friends consulted vpon the matter what answere he should giue the people who for that they wished his welfare and knew the nature of the people very wel perswaded him to speake familiarly vnto the people and remitting a little of his kingly austeritie to apply himselfe to the fauour good liking of the multitude for that by this his affabilitie he might the more easily draw their hearts vnto him because that by a naturall inclination subiects take delight in those kings that are courteous who with a certaine decent familiaritie entertaine themselues amongst them But Roboam reiected this counsell of theirs which was both good and profitable in all occasions but especially at such time when it is vpon the point to be inseated in a kingdome and that not without Gods prouidence since contrarie to all reason he neglected the right course and followed the peruerse so that calling vnto him certaine youngmen of his owne humour and disposition he certified them what the Elders had counselled him and willed them to discouer their opinion in that matter but neither their age nor Gods permission suffered them to know that which was expedient For which cause they counseled him to answere the people that his little finger was more great then the loynes of his father and that if they had experimented endured grieuances vnder him that he would be far more rigorous and that if his father had chastised them with the stroke of the whip that they should expect to be punished by him with rude torments The king delighted herewith supposed the answere to be answerable to the dignitie of his Empire Whenas therefore the people were assembled on the third day to heare his resolution and all of them were in suspence expecting and desirous to heare him speake from whom they hoped nought else but sweetnes Roboam contemning the counsell of his friends proposed vnto himselfe that of the young men All which hapned by the will of God to the end that that which Achias had prophecied might be fulfilled They touched by these his answers no lesse then if they had beene wounded with the sword conceiued a most heartie griefe and were displeased with him and no lesse moued then if they had alreadie felt the mischiefe that was threatned so that they began all of them to crie with a loud voice That from that time forward they had nothing to doe with Dauids alliance neither with his succession telling him that they would onely leaue the temple his father had builded vnto his charge and threatning him to abandon him Furthermore they were so hainously and grieuously incensed that Roboam hauing sent vnto them Aduram the superintendent of the tribes to pacifie their wrath and to perswade them to pardon his youth if he had spoken any thing lightly and vnrespectiuelie vnto them they could not endtire to heare him speake but slewe and welny ouerwhelmed him with stones Which when Roboam perceiued supposing that it was himselfe who in the person of his officer was put to death and stoned by the people he feared least in effect his life and the fortune of his kingdome should fall into the like desaster For which cause he sodainly ascended his c◅iot and fled to Ierusalem where the tribe of Iuda and that of Beniamin by their common suffrages made him King But as touching the rest of the people from that day forward they reuolted from the successors of Dauid proclaimed Ieroboam King of their estates Roboam the sonne of Salomon being sore displeased herewith assembled the two tribes of his obeisance with an intent to muster one hundreth and fourscore thousand chosen men to make warre on Ieroboam and his people and to enforce them by warre to acknowledge him for their Soueraigne But God restrained him by the meanes of a prophet who forbad him to make warre saying that it was ill besitting that war should be waged betwixt two parties of one nation and the rather for that this their reuolt had hapned by the will of God by which means and perswasion he dismissed his army But first of all I will rehearse that which Ieroboam king of Israel did and afterwards subsequently I will declare the acts of Roboam King of the two Tribes thus shal the course of the historie continue in due order euery waies After that Ieroboam had planted his royall court in the Citie of Sichem he made his ordinarie aboad in that place except that sometimes he soiourned in the Citie of Phanuel Not long after this the feast of Tabernacles being at hand Ieroboam supposing that if he permitted the people to go vp and worship God in Ierusalem and solemnize the feast in that place they might either repent themselues of their reuolt or being retained and withdrawne by the temple seruice that was celebrated therein they might be perswaded to forsake him and submit themselues to their first King and by that meanes he might be drawne into danger of his life he practised and plotted this inuention He caused two golden calues to be cast and builded two seuerall temples the one in Bethel and the other in Dan which is scituate neere vnto the source of little Iordan In each of the chappels of these two townes he placed one of these calues and afterwards assembling the ten tribes that were vnder his subiection he spake vnto them in manner following My friends and countrey-men I know that you are not ignorant how God is in all places and that there cannot be any place wherein he assisteth not nor time wherein hee heareth and beholdeth them not that serue him with true affection For which cause I thinke it not conuenient that you go vp vnto Ierusalem at this time which is a Citie enemy vnto vs neither that you make so long a iourney in way of deuotion for it was a man that builded that temple euen as I haue consecrated two golden calues the one in Bethel and the other in Dan to the end that euery one of you that inhabite neere vnto these Cities transporting your selues to the same may adore God Neither shall you want
to ascribe alwaies more credit vnto them then to the vaine plausible speech of such as currie fauour and no lesse to respect them then things of infinit profit since by them we are diuinely admonished what we ought to take heed of It behooueth vs also to consider what force the ordinance of God is of by examining those things which befell Achab. For it is impossible to auoid the preordinance of God notwithstanding that men flatter and nourish themselues with vaine hopes which inueigle them so far that finally they are ouertaken in the snares thereof For this carelesse inconsideration was fatall to King Achab in that he beleeued not his death which was foretold him but being deceiued by the flattering perswasions of false Prophets ranne headlong vpon his owne danger and death After him succeeded his sonne Ochozias THE NINTH BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 9. booke 1 Ioram Achabs sonne ouercommeth the Moabites in battell 2 Ioram King of Ierusalem obtaining the crowne killeth his brothers and his fathers friends 3 Iorams army is ouerthrowne by his enemies and his sonnes are slaine only one excepted at length he himselfe dieth a miserable death 4 The king of Damasco warreth against the king of Israel 5 Ioram with all his posteritie is slaine by Iehu Ochosias king of Ierusalem is slaine also 6 Iehu raigneth amongst the Israelites in Samaria and his posteritie after him till the fourth generation 7 Athalia raigneth fiue yeeres in Ierusalem and after she is slaine by the hie priest Ioas Ochosias sonne is proclaimed king 8 Azael King of Damasco gathereth an army first against the Israelites and afterwards against Ierusalem 9 Amasias King of Ierusalem maketh warre against the Idumeans and Amalechites and obtaineth the victorie 10 Amasias making warre against Ioas king of the Israelites is ouercome 11 Ozias ouercommeth the nations round about him 12 Rasin or Rabe king of Damasco vexeth the inhabitants of Ierusalem with warre Achaz their king is compelled to call the king of Assyria to assist him 13 The King of Assyria taketh Damasco by force and slaieth the king and translateth the people into Media and planteth other Colonies in the same 14 Salmanazar taking the king of Israel captiue translateth ten of the 12. Tribes into Media and causeth the Cuthaeans to inhabite their region CHAP. I. Ioram Achabs sonne ouercommeth the Moabites in battell AS soone as King Iosaphat was returned backe againe to Ierusalem from the warre wherein he had giuen succour to Achab against Adad the King of Syria as we haue heretofore declared the Prophet Iehu in his returne came forth and met him and reproued him because he had giuen Achab who had been a man both impious and wicked his assistance assuring him that God was displeased with that his confederacie yet notwithstanding that he of his goodnesse had deliuered him from his enemies although contrarie vnto his duetie he had demeaned himselfe vniustly After this admonition Iosaphat began to celebrate sacrifices and to offer vp thankesgiuings and peace offrings vnto God Which done he rode in progresse and circuit round about those countries that were vnder his dominion giuing order that the people should be instructed in those ordinances which were deliuered from God by the hands of Moses and exhorted his subiects to the practise of pietie contained in the same Hee planted iudges likewise in euery city commanding them to execute iustice vnto the people without respect of any thing but only iustice He charged them likewise that they should not be corrupted with rewards or seduced by dignitie riches or nobilitie but that they should doe iustice indifferently vnto all men knowing that God seeth all things how secretly soeuer they be carried or contriued Hauing in this sort ordered euery thing in each Citie of the two Tribes he returned againe into Ierusalem where he likewise chose iudges from amongst the Priests and Leuites and the Elders among the people exhorting them in all things to giue vpright and exact iudgement And if they of other cities had any causes of greater consequence which should bee referred to their finall determination he charged them with earnest industrie to decide them with as vpright and iust measure as might be for that it was very conuenient that the most exact and accomplished sentences should be deliuered in that Citie where as God had his temple and the King made his ordinarie aboad Ouer all these he placed his two friends Amasias the Priest and Zabadias of the Tribe of Iuda After this manner did the King dispose of his estate About this very time the Moabites and Ammonites and with them their confederates a great number of Arabians assaulted and assembled themselues against him and encamped themselues neere vnto Engaddi a Citie scituate neere vnto the lake Asphaltites and distant from Ierusalem some three hundreth stounds in which place flourish those goodly and holesome Palme-trees whence distilleth the pure and perfect liquor of balme When Iosaphat had intelligence that the enemies had past the lake and were already farre entred into his countrey he was affraid and assembled the people of Ierusalem in the temple and standing vpright and turning his face toward the propitiatorie he besought and requested God that he would giue him power and force to ouercome his enemies For such had been the forme of their supplication who in times past builded the temple namely that it might please him to fight for that Citie and oppose himselfe against those that durst attempt or assault that place to the intent to dispossesse them of that country which he himselfe had giuen them in possession and in pronouncing this prayer he wept and all the people likewise both men women and children made their requests vnto God Presently vpon this a certaine Prophet called Iaziel arose vp in the midst of the congregation and cried out and certified both the people and the King that God had heard their praiers and promised them to fight for them against their enemies enioyning them the next day to sally out in armes and go make head against their aduersaries whom they should incounter in the mountaine scituate betwixt Ierusalem and Engaddi in a place called the hillock of Sis which place in Hebrew signifieth Eminency willing them not to fight against them but onely to arrest in that place and see how God would fight and make warre for them When the Prophet had spoken these words the king and all the people prostrated themselues vpon their faces giuing thankes vnto God and adoring meane while the Leuites sung continuall hymnes with instruments and voices About the beginning of the day the king departed into the desart that is vnder the Citie of Thecoa aduising the people to beleeue all that which the prophet had said vnto them and not to arrange themselues in battell ray he commanded the Priests to march before
and of his sonne Titus who behaued themselues with such moderation after so great a warre and so grieuous battels as they had fought against vs. Now will I returne to my purpose from whence I haue digressed At such time as Antiochus the great raigned in Asia the countrey of Iewry was grieuously spoiled and both the Iewes and the inhabitants of Coelesyria endured many miseries For Antiochus making war against Ptolomey Philopator and his son called Ptolomey the Famous they were pitifully perplexed For whether Antiochus either ouercame or was ouercome they were continually spoiled so that betwixt the prosperitie aduersity of Antiochus they fared like a ship tossed and tormented with a storm Finally after Antiochus had ouercome Ptolomey he conquered Iewry After the death of Philopator his sonne sent a great army into Coelesyria vnder the conduct of Scopas who seazed a great number of those Cities and our nation also was inforced by warre and conquered by him Not long after this Antiochus fought with Scopas neere vnto the floud Iordan and obtained the victorie discomfiting the greater part of his enemies army at which time Antiochus recouered againe those Cities of Coelesyria which were before time surprised by Scopas He tooke Samaria also which when the Iewes perceiued they submitted themselues of their owne accord vnto him and hauing entertained him in the Citie of Ierusalem they gaue both his army and his Elephants abundance of prouision and willingly assisted him with their forces to subdue those garrisons which Scopas had planted in the fortresses of the higher Citie For which cause Antiochus supposing it to be a matter behoouefull for his honor to acknowledge and remunerate the affection and forwardnesse which the Iewes had expressed in his seruice wrote vnto his captaines and friends signifying vnto them how forward the Iewes had been in his warres and to expresse likewise what gifts he intended to bestow vpon them Hereafter I will insert the copy of his letters which he wrote in fauour of them after I haue recited that which Polybius the Megalopolitane writeth answerable to this purpose which I will recite out of the sixteenth booke of his histories Scopas saith he the generall of Ptolomeies army marching towards the midland did in one winter ouercome the whole nation of the Iewes He reciteth also in the same booke that after that Scopas had beene ouercome Antiochus seazed Bathanaea Samaria Abila and Gadara and anon after the Iewes which dwelt at Ierusalem where the temple was ioyned themselues with him and although we are to speake more amply and particularly of that apparition that hapned neere vnto the temple yet notwithstanding we will referre the recitall thereof vntill an other time This is that which Polybius hath written But to returne vnto our purpose I will recite in this place the copy of those letters which were sent by the King King Antiochus to Ptolomey Health Whereas the Iewes haue giuen vs a most apparant testimony of their affection towards vs since the first time of our entrance into their countrey and haue magnificently entertained vs at such time as we were in person before their Citie by presenting themselues before vs with all their Elders and haue also furnished vs largely with all that which was necessarie for our souldiers and our Elephants and haue likewise taken armes with vs against the Aegyptian garrison we haue thought it a matter answerable to our honor to affoord them some satisfaction in repairing their Citie ruinated by humane casualties to the intent it might be inhabited and peopled againe by gathering togither those Iewes that are scattered abroad in diuers places and planting them againe in the same And in especiall to the end that the seruice of God may be renued we haue set downe a certaine summe of money to be imployed in sacrifices and in buying beasts for their offrings wine oyle and incense that is to say twenty thousand sicles of siluer and for fine flower according to the law of the place one thousand four hundreth and sixtie measures of wheate and three hundreth seuentie and fiue measures of salt And my will is that all these things that are abouenamed be deliuered vnto them according to the forme of our ordinance We likewise commaund that the worke of the temple be finished with the galleries and other necessary buildings and that all the stuffe of timber be brought out of Iudaea and other places and especially out of Libanus without any taxe or tallage which exemption also shall take effect in all other necessaries that are requisite towards the reparation of so famous a temple My pleasure likewise is that all they of the same nation gouerne their estate according to their owne lawes Let the ancient Priests and Scribes of the temple also and the singing men be freed from all taxations that are paide by the powle and the tributes of the crowne and all other whatsoeuer And to the end that the city may be the sooner builded I grant vnto all them that inhabite the same at this present or that hereafter shall transport themselues thither within the moneth of October to inhabite the same exemption of all charges for three yeeres space We forgiue them moreouer the third part of their tributes to the intent they may recouer themselues of their losses We will also that those Citizens that haue beene forcibly led from thence into seruitude be set at liberty both they themselues as also those that are of their alliance commanding their goods to be restored vnto them Farewell These were the contents of this letter And to yeeld the more honour vnto the temple he sent an edict thorow all his kingdom to this effect That it should not be lawful for any stranger to enter within the inclosure of the temple without the Iewes permission except those that should be purified according to the law and custome of the place That no man should bring into the Citie any flesh of horse mulet wilde or tame asses leopards foxes or hares or generally of any cattell prohibited to be eaten by the lawes of the Iewes That it should not be lawful likewise for any man to bring their skins into the Citie or to nourish any such beasts in the same but that it might onely be lawfull to vse those beasts which might be sacrificed vnto God according to the law of their ancestors That whosoeuer should contradict those inhibitions he should pay 3000. drachmes of siluer vnto the Priests Furthermore to expresse his pietie and fidelitie towards vs at such time as he heard of the troubles that hapned in Phrygia and Lydia he wrote also vnto Zeuxis gouernour of one of the higher prouinces and his intire friend commaunding him to send certaine of our nation from Babylon to Phrygia writing vnto him to this effect King Antiochus to Zeuxis his father Health If thou art well I am glad of it I likewise am no lesse healthy Vnderstanding that those
the rather for that he excelled them in all things and had such parts in him as might draw them to emulate him Whereas therefore Ioseph was desirous to know which of his children had the ripest iudgement and vnderstanding he sent them one after another to those masters who were most renowmed for science in that time but all of them returned backe vnto him rude and illettered by reason they were negligent and idle Whereupon he sent Hircanus the youngest of them after all the rest into a desart place distant from the high way some seuen daies iourney and gaue him with him three hundreth couple of oxen to sow the ground in that barren place hiding from him before his departure the yokes that should couple them together When as therefore he came vnto the place and perceiued that the yokes were missing he asked aduise of some of the husbandmen who counsailed him to send some one backe vnto his father to fetch the couples But he supposing that he ought not to lose so much time as would be spent in sending backe a messenger deuised a cunning expedient stratageme more then might be expected from one of his yeares For he caused ten couple of oxen to be slaine and distributed the flesh amongst his workemen and made them cut the skins and fashion couples thereof and hauing yoked his oxen he caused the land to be manured according to his fathers direction and afterwards returned home vnto him Who loued him the more intirely by reason of his wisedom and the subtiltie of his vnderstanding praising besides that his resolution and execution esteeming him the more for that he was his only true sonne to the general discontent of the rest Whenas therefore newes was brought vnto Ioseph that about that time king Ptolomey was blessed with a young sonne and how all the chiefest Lords of Syria and the countries vnder his obeisance repaired to Alexandria in great pompe to celebrate the birth day of the kings sonne he being of himselfe vnable by reason of his age to repaire thither he sounded his children whether any one of them would go and visit the king Whenas therefore the elder sons had excused themselues and made refusall to vndertake the iourney pretending that they were of insufficient ability to performe the message and all of them gaue counsaile that their brother Hircanus might be sent Ioseph tooke great pleasure thereat and calling for Hircanus asked him if he would goe to king Ptolomey who promised to vndertake the iourney and told his father that he needed no great summe of money to performe the voyage because in the way he would trauell frugally and content himselfe for the whole expence with ten thousand drachmes Ioseph was verie glad to heare of his sons prudence and after Hircanus had kept silence for a while he counsailed his father that he should not present the King with any thing out of Iudaea but that he should write vnto his factor in Alexandria commaunding him to deliuer such summes of money as he thought conuenient to buy that which he found to be most magnificent of best esteeme in that Citie Ioseph imagining with himselfe that perhaps he would onely employ some tenne talents in presents and allowing his sonnes counsaile wrote vnto his factor Arion who had the vse of almost three thousand talents of his in Alexandria For gathering vp his money in Syria he was wont to send it thither and as oft as the prefixed time came wherein the kings tributes were to be paid he commaunded Arion to defray the same Hauing therefore letters of credence vnto him he iourneyed towards Alexandria Wherupon his brethren wrote presently vnto all the kings friends that by some meanes they would make him away As soone as he was arriued in Alexandria and had deliuered his fathers letters to Arion Arion asked him how many talents he would haue hoping that he would craue but ten or some little ouerplus but when Hircanus had told him that he had need of a thousand he waxed wroth and reproued him for his prodigalitie telling him how his father had gathered his goods with much trauaile and thriftie sparing and refusing his demaunds he praied him to imitate his fathers example who had begot him and in a word he told him that he would deliuer him no more then ten talents and that for no other vse then to buy giftes to present the king withall Whereupon Hircanus waxing angry caused Arion to be kept in prison All which his wife certified to Cleopatra praying her that she would moderate the young man for Arion was in great estimation with the Queene who for this cause acquainted the king with the matter Wherupon Ptolomey sent for Hircanus and said vnto him that he marueiled that being sent vnto him from his father he had not as yet visited him and besides that he had committed his fathers agent to prison he therefore commanded him to yeeld him a reason thereof Whereunto he answered that there was a law among the Iewes that no man should taste of the sacrifices that had not first of all visited the temple and sacrificed vnto God and that in that respect he had not hitherto visited his maiesty because he expected certaine presents to present his highnesse with from his father who was his bounden seruant Furthermore he alleadged that he had punished his fathers seruant because he had disobeyed his commandement which he ought not to doe whether his master were either noble or ignoble and if said he we chastise not such men as they haue deserued expect O King that you also shall be neglected by your subiects When Ptolomey heard these words he began to smile and wondered at the magnanimitie of the yoong man Arion perceiuing that the king held himselfe satisfied and that he was like to haue no assistance at his hands deliuered Hircanus the thousand talents and by this meanes was he set at libertie Some three daies after Hircanus came and saluted both the king and Queene who entertained him graciously and feasted him kindly for the affection sake which they bare vnto his father He priuily inquiring among the merchants bought one hundreth yoong laddes well lettered and in the flower of their age paying a talent for euery one and the like number of virgins for so many talents Being therefore inuited to a banquet by the king with all the Princes and other Lords he was placed beneath them all because that by reason of his yoong yeeres they that assigned the places according to euery mans dignitie made small accompt of him Now when as all the guests after they had eaten their meats laid all their bones before Hircanus so that the table was loaden round about him a certaine pleasant fellow of the Kings called Triphon whose merrie conceits and iests the king very willingly listned vnto during the time he was at meat being sollicited by those that were at the table came vnto the king and said
haue likewise discouered the great and grieuous conflicts which Iudas their captaine performed and in which he finally died in the behalfe of their libertie how likewise after the death of Iudas all the wicked Apostate Iewes who had reuolted from their religion tooke courage molesting and doing many iniuries to the rest of their countrimen Finally how besides their malice the famine inuaded the countrey so that diuers being vnable to sustaine these two mortall scourges of famine and warre were constrained to submit themselues vnto the Macedonians In the meane while Bacchides gathering togither the false Apostataes who were fallen from the religion of the Iewes with an intent to liue after the prophane manner of the Paganes committed the gouernment of the countrey vnto them who laying hold on Iudas friends and partakers betraied and deliuered them to Bacchides who first of all tormented and beat them at his pleasure and afterwards put them to death This so grieuous affliction then which the Iewes had neuer endured a worse since their returne from Babylon was the cause that those of Iudas faction who were yet aliue fearing the totall and cruell ruine of their nation addressed themselues to Ionathan his brother exhorting him to imitate his brother Iudas vertues to haue no lesse care of his countrimeÌ„ then the other had who fought for their libertie vntill his latest breath requiring him not to abandon the gouernment of his nation especially in that 〈◊〉 miserable estate wherin they were pluÌ„ged Ionathan answered them that he was ready to die for them and being in all things esteemed no lesse valiant and politique then his brother Iudas he was proclaimed generall and chiefetaine of the Iewes Bacchides hauing notice hereof feared least Ionathan should be no lesse infestuous to the king and Macedonians then his brother Iudas before him had been for which cause he sought the meanes to make him away by treason But both Ionathan and his brother Simon gat intelligence hereof and hauing discouered his practise they tooke all their families with them and fled into the desart that confined the Citie Ierusalem and retiring themselues neere vnto a water called the lake of Asphar they remained in that place When Bacchides perceiued that they mistrusted him and were drawne thither he went out against them with all his forces and being encamped on the other side of Iordan he gathered his army togither Ionathan knowing well that Bacchides came out to seeke him sent his brother Iohn surnamed Gaddis vnto the Arabians Nabatheans to commit the trust of their goods vnto their hand vntill the end of the warre betwixt him and Bacchides for the Arabians were his friends Whilest therefore Iohn marched towards the Nabatheans the sonnes of Amaraeus laid an ambuscado for him who were of the citie of Medaba and after they had furiously set vpon him on the way laid hold on whatsoeuer he brought with him they at length slew him and all his company for which fact of theirs they were shortly after punished by his brethren as we will make manifest in that which afterward followeth When Bacchides knew that Ionathan was incaÌ„ped in the marshes of Iordan he made choise of the Sabboth day to set vpon him hoping that he would not defend himselfe on that day because of the prohibition of the law But he contrary to his expectation incouraged his companions declared vnto them how it concerned their liues to be valiant for that it was impossible for them to escape because they were shut vp in the midst betwixt the floud and the enemy for they had the enemy before them and the floud on their backes As soone therefore as he had made his praier vnto God that it might please him to grant him the victorie he set vpon the enemy with a stout courage and slew a great number of them and perceiuing Bacchides how with great fiercenesse he set forward against him he stretched out his right hand to strike him but he preuenting the stroke by stepping aside Ionathan and his companions lept into the riuer and so saued themselues by swimming ouer to the other side of Iordan because the enemies durst not passe the water to pursue them Whereupon Bacchides returned incontinently to the Castle of Ierusalem after he had lost about some two thousand of his men After this he fortified diuers Cities which were before tâ—…ne ruinated namely Ierico Emaus Betheron Bethella Thamnata Pharathon Techoa and Gazara and builded in euery one of them certaine towers and great and strong walles and afterwards he planted garrisons therein to sally out vpon the Iewes and vex them but in especiall he fortified the cittadel of Ierusalem in which hee kept for hostages the children of the principallest men of Iudaea About that time there came a certaine man to Ionathan and his brother Simon bringing them newes that the sonnes of Amaraeus would solemnize their nuptials and were to leade the bride from the Citie of Gabatha which was daughter to one of the noblest amongst the Arabians for which cause she should be conducted with great magnificence and sumptuous pompe Ionathan and his brother supposing that a fit oportunitie was offered them to reuenge their brothers death and to punish the Medabanes for the wrongs they had done vnto their brother they tooke with them the greatest forces that they could and marched towards Medaba where they lay in ambush vnder the couert of a mountaine But when they saw them that led the bride and accompanied the bridegroome and a great troupe of their friends likewise according to the accustomed manner of marriages they brake out of their couert and put them all to the sword and after they had seazed their Iewels and all other bootie of that company that followed them they retired backe againe ioyfully hauing obtained their purpose and thus reuenged they the death of their brother Iohn vpon the sonnes of Amaraeus For not onely these alone but their friends that accompanied them with their wiues and children were all of them slaine to the number of foure hundreth And in this manner Simon and Ionathan returned into the marshes aforesaid and aboade there But Bacchides hauing fortified all the garrisons of Iudaea returned backe vnto the king And at that time the estate of the Iewes was in peace for the space of welny two yeeres But the wicked and such as were reuolted from the religion of the Iewes seeing that Ionathan and his followers conuersed in the countrey in great assurance by reason of the peace they sent certaine Embassadours vnto king Demetrius requiring him to send them Bacchides who might apprehend Ionathan declaring that it might easily be done and that in one night breaking in vpon them he might murther them all before they were aware When Bacchides by the kings commaundement came into Iury he wrote vnto all his friends both Iewes also his other allies requiring them to lay hold on Ionathan but
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
present attended him came downe from the tower and humbled himselfe on his knees before Sosius feet who hauing no compassion of the change of that estate wherein he saw him outragiously scorned him calling him Madame Antigona yet left he him not without guard after the manner of a woman but fast bounde for his further assurance But Herode was busied in deuising how he might moderate his associates and strangers after he had had the vpper hand ouer his enemies For the strangers swarmed into the Citie by heapes and not onely into the Temple but also into the Sanctuarie Hee therefore exhorted some and threatned other some and restrained the rest by force of armes and he was more troubled at that present in being a conquerour then if he had been conquered for that those things that were not lawfull to be seene were beheld by prophane men He preuented likewise the spoile of the Citie as much as in him lay beseeching Sosius most instantly to preserue it to the vtmost asking him if the Romans would leaue him king of a desart after they had voided the Citie of men and goods Alleadging furthermore that he esteemed the gouernment of the whole world of no valew in regard of the life of one of his Citizens Sosius answered that it was reason that the pillage should be giuen to the souldier who had borne the hazard of the siege whereunto Herode answered that he would satisfie euerie man out of his owne treasurie and by this meanes he raunsomed the rest of the Citie by fulfilling those his promises For he gaue many mightie gifts vnto euerie one of the souldiers and by proportion vnto the captaines but aboue all hee royally rewarded Sosius so that euerie one of them departed very rich in siluer This calamitie hapned in the Citie of Ierusalem in the yeere wherein Marcus Agrippa and Canidius Gallus were Consuls which was in the hundreth fourescore and fift Olympiade in the third moneth on the daies wherein the solemne fast was celebrated as if this affliction had iumpt togither in one issue and instant with that of Pompeies for on the same day had the same Citie been taken twentie and seuen yeeres before Sosius offered a crowne of gold vnto God and afterwards departed from Ierusalem leading Antigonus prisoner with him vnto Anthony But Herode fearing least if Antigonus should be kept by Anthony and sent to Rome he should debate his title with him before the Senate by protest that he was descended of the royall line whereas Herode was but a Plebeian and common person and that although hee had offended the Romans and thereby might not deserue to be king yet at least his children who were of the princely line were not to be denyed their title Herode I say fearing these things wrought so much by force of his money with Anthony that he caused him to put Antigonus to death so that at that time Herode was truely deliuered from all feare Thus ended the estate of the Asmoneans after sixe score and sixe yeeres This family was famous both for their nobilitie as also by reason of their Sacerdotall dignitie and for the noble actions and exploites which their auncestors had atchieued for our nation but they lost their authoritie thorow their mutuall factions which soueraigntie was deriued to Herode Antipaters sonne who was ignoble by birth and of meane friends who were subiects and vassals to kings See heere what we haue receiued from our auncestors as touching the ende of the race of the Asmoneans THE XV. BOOKE OF THE ANTIQVITIES OF THE IEWES WRITTEN BY FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS The Contents of the Chapters of the 15. booke 1 Ierusalem being ouercome by Sosius and Herode Antigonus is beheaded by Anthonies commandement Herode maketh away the chiefest friends of Antigonus 2 How Hircanus being dismissed by the Parthians returneth to Herode 3 Herode after he had made Aristobulus his wife Mariammes brother high priest practiseth and worketh his death 4 Cleopatra thirsting after the kingdomes of Iewry and Arabia laboureth to beg a part of them at Anthonies hands 5 The arriuall of Queene Cleopatra in Iudaea 6 Herode maketh warre against Aretas at such time as Anthony was ouerthrowne by Caesar in the Actianwarre 7 Of the earthquake in Iewry 8 Herodes oration to his army 9 Herode intending to repaire vnto Caesar doth of necessitie kill Hircanus 10 How Herode obtained the continuance of his kingdome of Iudaea at Caesars hands 11 Herode maketh away Mariamme thorow false calumniations of her enemies 12 Of the famine that afflicted the land of Iewry 13 The building of Caesarea 14 Herode buildeth a new temple in Ierusalem CHAP. I. Ierusalem being taken by Sosius and Herode Antigonus is beheaded by Anthonies command Herode maketh away all his chiefest friendes IN the former booke I haue declared how Sosius and Herode tooke the Citie of Ierusalem by force with it Antigonus prisoner now wil we also declare that which hath subsequently followed For after that Herode had obtained the absolute gouernment ouer the whole land of Iudaea he aduanced all those among the common people who fauoured his proceedings as for those who were opposed against him there passed not a day wherein some one or other of them suffered not punishment But amongst the rest Pollio the Pharisee and Sameas his disciple were highly honoured by him For during the time of the siege of Ierusalem they counselled the inhabitants to receiue entertaine Herod for which cause he respected them accordingly This Pollio in times past when Herode was found guiltie of death foretolde Hircanus and the rest of the Iudges in way of exprobration that being absolued by them he should one day inflict punishment on them all Which prediction God in processe of time approoued by the euent no sooner therefore became he master of Ierusalem but he gathered togither all the rich houshold stuffe that was in the pallace and furthermore hauing spoiled the rich men of their goods and by this means leuied a great summe of gold and siluer he sent great presents to Anthony and his friends Moreouer he condemned fiue and fortie of Antigonus principall and noblest fauourites to death setting streight watch about their doores that none of them might be carried out vnder colour of being dead The dead bodies likewise were troden vnder foote and all the gold siluer or iewels that was to be found amongst them was carried to the king and conuerted to his vse so that there was no end of these miseries For the couetousnesse of the conquerour whose greedy and thirsting desire could hardly be quenched said hold on whatsoeuer was theirs And for that it was the seuenth yeere it necessarily came to passe that the land was left vnmanured for we are forbidden to sowe in this yeere Anthony hauing taken Antigonus prisoner resolued to keepe him in prison vntill the time of his triumph But after he had receiued tidings that the
nation of the Iewes were ready to innouate and rebell and continued their good affection toward Antigonus in regard of the hatred they conceiued against Herod he concluded with himselfe to take his head from him at Antioch For the Iewes could scarcely containe themselues Strabo of Cappadocia testifieth no lesse in these words Anthony hauing brought Antigonus the Iew to Antioch caused his head to be cut off and was the first among the Romans that hath caused a king to be beheaded in this manner supposing that the Iewes might neuer otherwaies be induced to change their opinions and receiue Herodeâ—… yet this opinion of his was not answerable to equitie For notwithstanding whatsoeuer impulsion he might deuise yet could they not be induced to call him king in so high estimate and account held they their former king But Anthony supposed that that infamie would obscure his renown and lessen the generall hate that they bare to Herode See here what Strabo writeth As soone as the high priest Hircanus who was prisoner among the Parthians heard that Herode had taken possession of the kingdome he returned backe vnto him being deliuered after this manner following Barzapharnes and Pacorus princes of the Parthians had taken Hircanus who was first high priest and afterwards king and with him Phasaelus Herodes brother and led them away prisoners with them into their own countrey Phasaelus not able to endure the dishonour of imprisonment and preferring an honorable death before a reprochful and ignominious life murthered himselfe as I haue heretofore declared CHAP. II. How Hircanus dismissed by the Parthians returned vnto Herode PHraates king of Parthia vnderstanding how nobly Hircanus was descended who was brought prisoner vnto him entertained him gratiously and for this cause drew him out of prison permitting him to conuerse in Babylon in which place there were a great number of Iewes who honoured Hircanus verie much and no lesse then their high priest and king The like also did all they of that nation inhabiting as farre as Euphrates which did not a little content Hircanus But after that he was aduertised that Herode was possessed of the kingdome he transferred his hopes another waie being of his owne nature tenderly affected toward his friends expecting that one day Herode would requite him for that he had deliuered him from death whereunto he was condemned and in danger likewise of the penalty and punishment He began therefore to consult with the Iewes as touching his iourney who in way of duetie and loue came to visit him and who besought him and importuned him to abide with them offering him all seruice and honour assuring him that he should in no lesse manner be respected among them then their high priest and king yea in farre higher regard then he might any waies be in his owne countrey by reason of the maime he had in his bodie thorow Antigonus tyranny alleadging that kings doe not ordinarily call to their remembrance those pleasures that they haue receiued in their infant fortunes because that with their estates they change both their manners and inclinations But notwithstanding all these or such like allegations yet could not Hircanus be withdrawne from the desire he had to repaire homeward Herode also wrote vnto him that he should require Phraates and the Iewes that inhabited his kingdome in no sort to enuie his felicitie in that he should partake with him both in dignitie and royaltie alleadging that the time was now come wherein he might acknowledge the benefits he had receiued by being heretofore nourished and preserued by him With these letters he sent Samaralla likewise on an embassage to Phraates furnished with great rich presents endeuouring by that meanes to winne him that he in no sort should hinder his gratulation and good intent towards one that had so highly deserued at his hands yet were not his protestations answerable to his pretence For insomuch as he gouerned not with that vprightnes which became a iust king he feared least some alteration might befall him according to his demerites for which cause he sought to get Hircanus vnder his power or at leastwise to dispatch him out of his life which he afterwards performed When as therefore Herode had perswaded the Parthian to dismisse Hircanus and the Iewes to furnish him with money sufficient to beare his expence in his iourney he receiued him with all honour In common assemblies he gaue him alwaies the highest place and in the time of festiuals he made him alwaies sit downe before him and the more closely to deceiue him he called him brother endeuouring himselfe by all means wholy to extinguish in him all colour and cause of suspicion of treacherie neitherintermitted he any other stratagems whereby in his opinion he might any waies further or promote his cause and yet by these meanes occasioned he no small sedition in his owne familie For carefully prouiding least any one among the nobilitie should be established high Priest he sent to Babylon for a certaine man of bace condition called Ananel and gaue him the Priesthood For which cause Alexandra grew sodainly displeased not being able to endure that outrage This woman was Hircanus daughter and Alexanders wife who was king Aristobulus sonne who had two children by her husband the one wondrous beautifull who also was called Aristobulus the other was Mariamme who was likewise faire and maried to Herode She was sore moued and highly displeased to see her sonne so much indignified for that during his life another was called to the honour of high Priesthood for which cause she wrote vnto Cleopatra by the meanes of a certaine Musition beseeching her to beg the high Priesthood at Antonius hands for hir sonne But for that Antonius made little reckoning of those suites a certaine friend of his called Gellius who was come into Iury about certain of his affaires and who had seene Aristobulus fell in loue with him by reason of his beautie and being abashed likewise at his great and goodly stature and allured by Mariammes admirable beautie he openly protested that he accounted Alexandra a happie mother in her children and deuising to this effect with her he perswaded her to send the pictures of her two children to Antonius for that if hee should but behold them he would refuse him in nothing wherein he should request his friendship Alexandra perswaded by these words sent their pictures vnto Antonius Gellius also made the matter more wonderfull telling him that the children seemed rather to be engendred of no mortall straine but by some diuine power labouring as much as in him lay that Antonius might be allured to affection them Who supposing it to be a matter ill be seeming him to send for Mariamme who was married to Herode and desirous likewise to auoid Clopatras suspicions wrote vnto Herode that vnder some honest pretext he should send Alexandras sonne vnto him with this addition if it might
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
they at that time againe subdued in the kings absence by the captaines that he left at home and forty of the chiefest of the theeues amongst them being taken the rest terrified by their example left their owne countrey and fled into Arabia where Syllaeus receiued them in reuenge that he could not obtaine Salome for his wife and receiuing of him a strong hold to dwell in they did not onely make incursions and rob and spoyle the borders of Iudaea but also of Coelesyria and droue away the praies they got into the place allotted them Syllaeus protecting them and their villanies Herode returning from Rome found that his people were greatly endomaged by these theeues and seeing he could not subdue them by reason the Arabians did protect them not enduring that iniurie and entering into Trachon he killed all their families whereby they were so much the more enraged against his countrey for they had a law amongst them whereby they were commanded to reuenge the death of their families and so contemning all dangers they came and wasted all Herodes countrey with continuall incursions Then the king complained hereof vnto Saturninus and Volumnius then presidents sent thither by Caesar requesting that he might haue the theeues to punish them They hearing this newes with as much speede as they might gathered their forces togither and making themselues stronger then they were before with sodaine incursions wasted all where they came destroying both the fields and villages and killing all they could finde so that now this resembled a warre rather then a robberie for now they were a thousand in number Wherefore Herode required these theeues and robbers to be deliuered vnto him and required the debt that Obodas ought him for Herode had lent Obodas threescore talents and sent them vnto him by Syllaeus and now the time was expired where in the money was to be repaied But Syllaeus who had taken all the rule from Obodas and himselfe now gouerned all denied that those theeues were in Arabia and deferred the payment of the money so that now this matter was debated on before Saturninus and Volumnius then Presidents of Syria At last it was by them determined that within thirtie daies the money dewe to Herode should be repaied and the runnawaies of both countries deliuered each to other But there was no one Arabian that either had fled vnto Herode for any offence committed nor for any other cause but the Arabians were conuicted to receiue the theeues that fled from Herode CHAP. XIIII How Herode went into Arabia with an army WHen the day was come that was appointed Syllaeus not minded to stand vnto the agreement made went in the meane time to Rome But Herode exacted his money and the theeues to be restored vnto him Saturnius and Volumnius permitting him with force of armes to persecute those obstinate people so he leuying an army went into Arabia in three daies space going as farre as ordinarily men were wont to march in seuen and comming vnto the castle wherein the theeues kept at the first onset he tooke it destroyed it being called Repta did no other harme vnto the inhabitants And a captain of the Arabians named Nacebus came to succor the theeues and so fought with Herodes army in which battaile a few of Herodes men were slaine but of the Arabians were slain fiue twentie with their general and the rest were put to flight Being thus reuenged vpon the theeues he led three thousand Idumaeans into Trachon to keepe the inhabitants from robbing and sent letters vnto the Roman gouernours who aboad in Phaenicia that he had only vsed the authoritie which they gaue him against the rebellious Arabians that resisted him and nothing else which afterwrad also they making enquirie they found true CHAP. XV. How Syllaeus accused Herode vnto Caesar. BVt then were messengers hastily sent vnto Syllaeus at Rome and enformed him otherwise aggrauating euerie thing according vnto their fashion Syllaeus being then before insinuated into Caesars acquaintance by chance was then also about the pallace and hearing these newes he presently chaunged his apparrell and clothing himselfe in blacke he went in this manner vnto Caesar informing him how Arabia was afflicted with warres that the whole kingdome was wasted by Herode who had entred into the countrey with an army and with teares complained that two thousand and fiue hundreth of the Arabian nobilitie were slaine and amongst them his friend and kinsman Nacebus and great riches were taken away which were laid vp at Repta and that all this was done in contempt of Obodes who had no army readie nor a fit captaine for his forces he being not there Syllaeus hauing thus spoken adding moreouer that he would not haue come to Rome but that he was perswaded that Caesar would haue had a care of the common peace and tranquilitie of his subiects and that had he beene at home Herode to his cost should haue violated that peace Caesar hereat was greatly mooued and enquired of some of Herodes friends who were then present and of certaine men that were larely come out of Syria also whether Herode had led an army out of the limits of his owne kingdome Which they not denying and Caesar not vouchsafing to heare the cause why his displeasure against Herod was greatly encreased so that he writ threatning letters vnto him telling him that hitherto hee had vsed him as a friend but hereafter he would vse him as a subiect which also Syllaeus signified vnto the Arabians By which letters of his they were made proud and would neither render vp vnto him the theeues that were escaped nor restore the money he lent their king not pay him rent for the pasture ground that they hired of him boulstering themselues herewith that the king had offended Casar Moreouer the Trachonites hearing this rebelled against the garrison of the Idumaeans and ioyning with the Arabian theeues who wasted their countrey not so much respecting their owne gaine as their reuenge and particular profit they did many misciefes and exercised great cruelty against them Herode did put vp all iniuries and durst not once mutter Caesar being offended at him for the which cause he was not couragious nor valiant as before For first of all Caesar would not admit his embassadours whom he sent to pleade his cause before Caesar and Herode againe sending other embassadours Caesar sent them backe a-againe their busines vndone Wherefore Herod being in this perplexitie greatly feared Syllaeus who being now at Rome did easily perswade Caesar anything for that Caesar was now verie credulous and Syllaeus aymed at some greater matter For Obodas dying Aeneas succeeded him in the kingdome of Arabia who chaunging his name called himselfe Aretas whom Syllaeus by forged calumniations did seeke to depose from the crowne and vsurpe the kingdome vnto himselfe giuing great summes of money vnto the courtiers and promising great summes
vnto Caesar whom he now perceiued to be angry against Aretas for that without his consent he presumed to take vpon him the gouernment of the kingdome But at last he also sent letters and giftes vnto Caesar and amongst the rest a crowne of gold worth many talents and in those letters he accused Syllaeus who as an impious and disloyall seruant had poysoned his king Obodas in whose life time he had also inuaded the gouernment of the kingdome committing adulterie with the Arabians wiues getting togither other mens money thereby to obtaine the kingdome Caesar would not permit these embassadors to haue audience but refusing their gifts suffered them to depart without obtaining that they came for In the mean time the affaires of Iudaea and Arabia euerie day became worse and worse euerie one seeking to trouble the estate of both kingdomes and no man endeuouring to quiet them For the king of Arabia was not yet established in his kingdome and therefore could not controule his subiects And Herode feared that if he did defend himselfe he should so much the more incite Caesar against him and so was forced to put vp all iniuries that were done vnto him and finding no end of his miseries he finally determined to send againe to Rome embassadours to see if by the helpe of his friends Caesar might be perswaded to thinke better of him and so committed that embassage vnto Nicholaus of Damasco and sent him to Rome CHAP. XVI Of Euryclis his calumniations against Herodes sonnes AT this time the dissension of Herodes house was much encreased and although at all other times his court was neuer void of suspition which is a pernicious euill to Kings and Princes yet at that time especially this mischiefe was in his principal vigor and force For one Eurycles a Lacedemonian and a noble man of his countrey but hauing a turbulent wit giuen ouer to flattery pleasure yet cunningly dissembling both vices comming vnto Herode and giuing him gifts receiuing greater gifts at his hands was by him courteously entertained and familiarly conuersing with him brought it so to passe that he was receiued amongst his especiall friends This Eurycles lodged at Antipaters house being also familiar with Alexander for their often meeting one another for he said that Archelaus king of Cappadocia and himselfe were great friends and therefore he counterfaited himselfe to reuerence Glaphyra verie much and all men iudging him in different vnto all parties he diligently noted whatsoeuer past and euery word that was spoken seeking by all meanes he could matter to gratifie others by carrying of tales and with such flattering faire speeches he insinuated himselfe into euery mans friendship that he seemed as Alexanders sole trustie friend and to vse other men as it behooued a friend And by this his deceit he so insinuated himselfe into Alexanders fauour that the young man thought him to be his onely friend vnto whom he might impart his secrets so that Alexander opened vnto him his griefe for that his father was something alienated from him and recounted vnto him his mothers misfortune and that Antipater had now gotten all authoritie and dignity from him and his brother and was the onely man that could doe all and that these iniuries were no longer tollerable their father being now so incited against them that now he would neither admit them vnto his counsels nor banquets And he committed his griefes as he then thought into his friends bosome But Eurycles told Antipater all affirming that though it nothing concerned him yet he could not but speake of it for the greatnes of the daunger then imminent willing him to beware of Alexander who did not sticke openly to shew what mind he bare but did as it were manifestly shew that he desired to make away his father Which done he receiued of Antipater most rich gifts as pledges of his good will towards him and finally he was by him perswaded to relate this newes himselfe vnto Herode The king lent a greedie care whilest he recounted Alexanders malice and was so mooued with the circumstances of his speeches that he conceiued a deadly hatred against his sonne which also without futer delay he did make manifest for he rewaded Eurycles for his pains with fiftie talents Which he hauing receiued went vnto Archelaus and talâ—…g and speaking well of Alexander recounted vnto him in what steed he had stood him in reconciling him vnto his father and receiuing of him also a summe of money he departed before his maliâ—… was discoâ—…d and returning into his countrey and vsing the like shifts there also he was finally by his countrimen banished from Lacedemonia Furthermore Herode not content now as before he was to heare onely that which was tolde him of Alexander and Aristobulus did now himselfe also conceiue a proper hatred against them himselfe obseruing all things and making diligent enquirie though no man accused them and permitting all men to speake what they list against them And amongst the rest Euaratus of Cous had conspired with Alexander and he seemed now to heare no talke more willingly then this and such like But then greater misfortunes then all the rest befel the young mens false accusations neuer ceasing to be forged against them and euerie one as it were striuing to accuse them of some crime or other vnto the king pretending the care they bare of his safetie Herode had two champions Iucundus and Tyrannus both acceptable and gratefull vnto him for their strength and tall stature bignes of body these two for some offence were banished the court and receiued into Alexanders seruice and placed amongst his stipendarie horsemen and for that they were verie actiue he bestowed many gifts and much money vpon them Whereat the king presently conceiuing suspition began to torture them and after many torments they confessed that Alexander had hired them to kill Herode as he was a hunting wilde beasts for so it might easily be bruited abroad that he falling off of his horse fell vpon his owne launce and so was slaine which once before had almost hapned vnto him They also declared vnto him that certaine golde was hidden and buried in the stable and they also accused Herodes chiefe huntsman that at Alexanders commaund he had giuen Alexanders seruants the kings launces and his armour After them the Prefect of the Castle of Alexandrium was taken and examined vpon tortures and it was obiected against him that he promised to receiue them into the Castle and to deliuer vnto them the kings treasure there But he denying it his owne sonne affirmed all to be true and brought foorth letters to testifie the same resembling Alexanders hand written to this effect So soone as by Gods assistance we haue done that which we entend to doe we will presently come vnto you be carefull therefore that according vnto your promise you doe receiue vs into the Castle Herode hauing had a view of these
D. talents and that he had a writing in pawne wherein he was permitted after the day appointed if then it were not repaied him againe to pray vpon all the whole country and satisfie himselfe and that this was no hostile inuasion but according to law and equitie a requiring of his right and debt due vnto him And that this was not rashly done though by the writing he was so permitted to doe but by the consent of Saturninus and Volumnius presidents of Syria in whose presence Syllaeus swore by Caesars good fortune at Bery◅m that within thirtie daies after both the debt and also certaine fugitiues from the king should be restored vnto him and that Syllaeus performed none of this and so Herod went againe vnto the presidents and they permitted him to go and take pledges for his money and that so by their permission he went into Arabia And this quoth he is the warre that his aduersaries haue so tragically exaggerated and yet quoth he how can it be called a warre seeing that it was done by the consent of the presidents and that by couenant after periurie wherewith both other gods and also Caesars name was violated It now quoth he remaineth that I speake something concerning the captiues There were fortie theeues of Trachon and afterward more that fled from Herode for feare of punishment and fled vnto Arabia whom Syllaeus protected and succoured to the iniurie of all men and gaue them ground to inhabite and was partaker of their praies notwithstanding that by his forced oath he was bound to restore them togither with the borrowed money neither can he name any man beside them taken in Arabia and carried away captiue and some of them also escaped Thus his forged tale concerning the captiues being thus refuted heare O Soueraigne Caesar the lying inuention which to prouoke thee to wrath himselfe deuised For I am well able to affirme this that when the Arabian army assaulted vs and one or two of our men were slaine then at last Herode forced to make resistance he slew Nacebus and with him fiue and twentie and no more for euerie one of which Syllaeus falsely recounted vnto Caesar a hundreth and so told him that two thousand and fiue hundreth were slaine Caesar hereat greatly mooued with an angrie countenance looking vpon Syllaeus he asked him how manie Arabians were slaine in that fight he amazed and knowing not what to reply answered that he erred in the number Presently Caesar commanded the writings to be read containing the conditions betweene them and the writings of the presidents and the letters of the Cities containing the complaints of the robberies And so the matter was brought to this passe that Caesar was reconciled vnto Herode and condemned Syllaeus to die and repenting himselfe to haue written so threatning letters vnto Herode he obiected that also vnto Syllaeus affirming that by his false enformations he had caused him to passe the limits of friendship in vsing his friend so hardly And so he sent Syllaeus into his countrey that after he had satisfied his creditors he might be punished according to the sentence But he still continued angry with Aretas for that without his authoritie he had vsurped the crowne and kingdome and he was minded also to bestow Arabia vpon Herode but the letters which Herode sent him changed his minde For Olympus and Volumnius so soone as they vnderstood that Caesars wrath towards Herode was pacified presently they deliuered vnto him the letters as they were commanded wherein was contained the arguments whereby his sons were conuicted of treason against him Which Caesar hauing read he thought it not conuenient to trouble the olde man infortunate with his sonnes with an other kingdome and so he admitted Aretas Embassadours and chiding them that their king had rashly vsurped the kingdome without his authoritie and knowledge not expecting his pleasure he receiued their gifts and confirmed him in the kingdome by his authoritie This done being now reconciled vnto Herode he writ vnto him that he was sorrowfull for him that had such children and that he should if they had attempted any treason against him punish them as men that sought to murther their father for he gaue him free and full authoritie but if they onely attempted to flie he should also be sufficed with a lesse punishment Wherefore he counselled him to call a consistorie at Berytum and togither with the Roman presidents and Archelaus king of Cappadocia and the rest of his friends and the nobilitie thereabout according as they should aduise him so to doe And this was the effect of Caesars letters CHAP. XVII How Herodes sons were condemned in the councell at Berytum HErode receiuing this letter reioyced aboue measure both for that he had againe obtained Caesars fauour and also for that Caesar had giuen him full authoritie to doe what he pleased vnto his sonnes And yet I know not how it came to passe that he who in his prosperitie was a hard father did yet shew himselfe not rash in putting his sonnes to death and now his estate being better then it was and he recouering his wonted assurance he now began anew hatred Wherefore by letters he called togither all those whom Caesar appointed onely Archelaus excepted either for that he hated the man or els for that he feared he would haue withstood that his purpose and when they were all come togither as well the presidents as the rest who were called out of diuers Cities he would not bring his sonnes into the councell but kept them in a village of the Sidonians named Platan not farre distant from the Citie to the intent that if they were called for he might bring them forth Then Herod himselfe alone entring into the councel before an hundreth fifty men there assembled for that purpose began to accuse his sonnes before them and vsed a speech not onely pitifull for his owne calamities but also little becomming a father For he was verie vehement and vnheady in inueying against their offence neither did he sufficiently expresse his minde shewing many signes of furie and anger neither did he deliuer in writing any proofes of the accusations vnto the Iudges but vndecently himselfe alleadged there the father against the sonne himselfe also reading before them certaine letters written by them wherein was contained no impietie nor treason but only a consultation to fly away and certaine hard speeches whereby they shewed themselues offended Which when he came vnto he exclaimed as though hereby they confessed their trecherous practises greatly exaggerating the matter and protesting that he had rather die then heare such speeches Lastly affirming that both nature and Caesar permitted him authoritie against them and that his country lawes so cōmanded that if any one being accused his father or mother should lay their hands vpō his head and the standers by must presently stone him to death which though he might easily do in
his owne countrey and kingdome yet he thought good also to expect their censures Yet he came vnto them not for that they were to iudge his sons who were taken in a manifest crime but that by this occasion they might adde their suffrages to the iust indignation of a father offended and that they might leaue an example vnto all posteritie that such treasons ought not to be left vnpunished The king hauing thus spoken and not permitting the yong men to be brought vnto their answere all seeing what the king entended and that there was now no hope to reconcile the yong men vnto their father or saue their liues they all confirmed his authority And first of all Saturninus one that had beene Consul and had beene graced with many honours pronounced an indifferent sentence limited with circumstances to wit that he condemned Herodes sons yet not to die for quoth he my selfe haue sons and I would not adde this calamity to Herodes misfortune past After him also his three sonnes who were their fathers legats pronounced the same sentence But Volumnius pronoūced that they had deserued death who were so impious towards their father whose sentence after him the most part followed so that it seemed that they were now ordained to be put to death Presently Herode carried them with him to Tyre where he met Nicholaus who was now there arriued returning from Rome vnto whom the king first recounting what was done at Beryium he asked of him what his friends at Rome thought of his sonnes He answered that they iudged the yong mens intents impious and that they also iudged that they ought to be bound and imprisoned and then after due consideration if it were so thought expedient to be put to death least the king might be thought rather to haue giuen place vnto his choler then vnto reason yet if it might so please him they thought it best to acquit them least otherwise he do that which hereafter he may repent when it is too late And this was the opinion of most of his friends at Rome Then the king a long time pondered these his words and made no reply but commanded him to faile along in his company At his arriual at Caesarea all men were carefull what should become of his sonnes expecting an end of that tragedy for they greatly feared that by reason of the olde discord he would now cut them off yet notwithstanding they were sorrowful for them yet it was dangerous either to speake rashly or to heare any thing spoken freely concerning them but in their hearts compassionating them they concealed their griefes Onely one amongst all the rest an ancient soldier of the kings named Tyro others dissembling their griefe spake freely what he thought this Tyro had a sonne of Alexanders age and beloued of him whom Alexander much accounted of This follow many times amidst the multitudes exclaimed that truth and equitie was now banished from out of the world and that in their steede malice and vntruth reigned wherby there was such a mist and fogge caused ouer the whole world that no man could see his owne errors This his free speech though it was not without danger yet all men hereat were moued for that he had some reason to shew his fortitude in so dangerous a time and euery one was willing to heare this speech and though themselues for feare were silent yet did they not reprehend him for speaking freely For the expectation of the euent of so great mischiefe vvas able to haue wrested from euery one of them vvords of commiseration Tyro with great audacitie also came vnto the king and besought him that he might talke with him alone vvhich the king granting he vsed these words vvith great lamentation I can no longer O my king suppresse this my griefe vvhich causeth me so boldly to speake though with my own peril yet if it please thee my king that which I intend to speake shal be for thine aduantage Where now my Lord are thy wits where is that thy couragious mind euer hitherto able to match all difficult businesses whatsoeuer how hapeneth it that thou hast so few friends kinred for I account not them kinsmen or friends that permit such wickednes and hatred in thy court which earst was most happy and fortunate And what art thou vnto thy selfe wilt thou not looke and see what is done wilt thou put to death the two yong men borne vnto thee by the queene thy wife who abound in all vertue and commit thy selfe now in thy olde age vnto one onely sonne who nourisheth impious hopes desseignes and to thy kindred who by thy owne censure haue often deserued death Dost thou not perceiue that the people keeping themselues quiet and stil do both condemne the errour of thy friends and also pitie and compassionate the two young men Moreouer all thy soldiers and the captaines themselues haue compassion on them and curse the authors of this infortunate calamity The king at first tooke these words of Tyro in good part as being admonished of the perfidious dealing of them about him and his owne calamitie But Tyro immodestly and soldierlike vrging the king and for his owne simplicity not able to discerne what fitted that time the king at last thought this rather a turbulēt vpbraiding him then a friendly admonition and asking who those captaines and souldiers were he commanded them all Tyro also to be bound and kept in prison Then one Trypho the kings barbar taking hereat occasion told the king that Tyro had often sollicited him as he shaued the king to cut his throat with his razor promising him for a recōpence great rewards that he should be one of Alexāders chiefe friends Hauing spoken these words the King commanded him to be apprehended and the barbar and Tyro and his sonne to be tortured Tyro his sonne seeing his father in most miserable torments that he still obstinately persisted in them and by the Kings displeasure coniecturing that there was no hope of life told them that tortured his father that he would confesse all the truth conditionally that his father and himselfe might be no more tormented and hauing his request granted he told them that it was agreed that Tyro with his own hand should haue killed the king for he could get opportunitie to come vnto the king when no man else was with him so he would kill him and for Alexanders sake endure any torments whatsoeuer This spoken he deliuered himselfe and his father from further tortures but it is incertaine whether the tale he told was true or whether he deuised it to free them both from torments Then Herode now laying all doubt aside if before he were in any thought what death his sons should die leauing no place to repentance and mercie he hastened to execute his purpose and producing 300. captaines and Tyro his sonne and the Barbar his accuser he accused them all
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
frequented verie familiarly with Alexander held it for a matter most assured that he was the man none other and affirmed vnto other vpon their othes that it was he so that this rumor at last came to Rome And all the Iewes that dwelt there came forth to meet him saving that it was Gods handie worke that he was after that sort preserued beyond all mens expectation and they greatly reioyced in his mother Mariammes behalfe from whom he was descended and hee was carried in a litter thorow the streets with all the apparrell of a king the charge whereof was defraied by those who were his friends He was attended with a great multitude of men and honoured with great applause as it ordinarily falleth out at such time as beyond all expectation any one is found to haue been miraculously preserued When this newes was brought to Caesars eares he gaue small credit thereunto perswading himselfe that it was a hard matter to deceiue Herode in a cause of so great importance notwithstanding conforming himselfe in some sort to the opinions of men he sent a certaine free-man of his called Celadus who had very familiarly conuersed with Alexander and Aristobulus during their infancy giuing him in charge to bring Alexander vnto him to the end he might see him which he did and was neuer the wiser in discouering him This notwithstanding Caesar was not fully deceiued For although he resembled him somewhat yet was he not so neerely like him that he could deceiue those who narrowly obserued him For this counterfait Alexander had hard hands in that he had beene accustomed to labour which the true Alexander could not haue in regard of his tender and delicate education and contrariwise this man was of a rough skin and hard flesh Caesar therefore discouering the trecherie both of the counterfait scholler and lying master and how they accorded in their confident iustifications he enquired of them what was become of Aristobulus who was secretly hidde with him for what cause he presented not himselfe to enioy the honor that appertained to those who were so nobly descended It was answered him that he remained in the Isle of Cyprus for feare of dangers to which they are exposed who saile by sea to the end that if any misfortune should befall them all Mariammes race should not be extinguished but that at leastwise Aristobulus might be left aliue Whilest he auowed these things the author of this fable iustified no lesse Caesar drawing the young man aside said vnto him my friend if thou wilt not deceiue me thou shalt haue this recompence that thou shalt not be punished Tell me therefore what thou art who hath emboldned thee to practise this fraud for this malice is so great that it surpasseth thine age Whereupon being vnable to conceale the truth he discouered the trecherie to Caesar how and by whom it was contriued At that time Caesar being loth to falsifie his promise that he had past to this false Alexander and seeing that in times past he had trauailed with his hands he caused him to be enrowled among the number of his saylers to row caused the other that induced him to this fraud to be put to death contenting himselfe that the inhabitants of Melos had lost their charges which they had employed vpon this false Alexander who had a shameful end as it hath been heretofore declared CHAP. XV. Archelaus is accused anew and afterwards banished and sent into Vienna AFter that Archelaus had taken possession of that Soueraigntie that was allotted him he came into Iudaea where he deposed Ioazar the son of Boëthus from the high priesthood accusing him to haue fauoured the seditious and established Eleazar his brother in his place After this he reedified the pallace in Iericho and sumptuously adorned it drawing away the halfe of those waters which serued the burrough of Neara and conuaying them thorow a field which he had planted with palme trees he builded a burrough in that place which he named Archelais and contrarie to the lawes of his country he married Glaphyra Archelaus daughter who had been his brother Alexanders wife by whom also he had diuers children notwithstanding the lawe of the Iewes forbiddeth a man to marrie his brothers wife Neither did Eleazar enioy the priesthood any long time but during his life time Iesus the sonne of Sias was substituted in his place The tenth yeere of Archelaus gouernment the chiefest gouernours among the Iewes and Samaritanes vnable any longer to endure his crueltie and tyrannie accused him before Caesar and especially after they had vnderstood that he had transgressed Caesars commaund who had charged him to behaue himselfe gratiously towards them Which when Caesar vnderstood he was sore displeased and caused Archelaus agent to be called before him who was then at Rome and sent for Archelaus also and esteeming it too base an indignitie for him to write vnto him Go said he vnto him with all expedition and bring him vnto me without delay He posting forward with all diligence at length arriued in Iudaea where he found Archelaus banquetting with his friends and hauing certified him of Caesars pleasure he incited him to hasten onward of his way As soone as he came to Rome after that Caesar had heard certaine of his accusers and his iustifications he banished him and confined him in the Citie of Vienna in France and confiscated all his goods But before Archelaus was sent for to Rome he reported vnto his friends this dreame which ensueth Him thought that he sawe tenne eares full of wheate and verie ripe which the oxen broused vpon and as soone as he awoke he conceiued an opinion that his vision presaged some great matter For which cause he sent for certaine soothsaiers who made it their profession to interpret dreames Now whilest they were debating one with an other for they differed for the most part in their exposition a certaine man called Simon an Essean hauing first of all obtained securitie and licence to speake said that the vision pretended that a great alteration should befall in Archelaus estate to his vtter disgrace For the oxen signified afflictions in respect that those kinde of creatures doe ordinarily trauell and as touching the change of estate it was signified by this in that the earth being laboured by the trauell of the oxen retained not the same estate and as touching the ten eares of corne they signified the like number of yeeres And therefore when as one sommer should be ouerpast that then the time of Archelaus soueraigntie should be at an end Thus interpreted he this dreame And the fift day after the vision therof his factor Archelaus by Caesars commandement came into Iewrie to summon him to Rome Some such like matter happened to Glaphyra his wife also the daughter of king Archelaus she as we haue said married Alexander Herods sonne when she was a maid and brother to this Archelaus who being
being about some hundreth stades off of the citie robbed one Steuen that was Caesars seruant in the high way and tooke from him all that which hee had Which when Cumanus vnderstood he presently sent some of his souldiers to spoyle those villages which were neerest to the place where the fact was committed and to bring the chiefest inhabitants thereof in bonds vnto him In this pillage a certaine souldier found a booke of the law of Moses in one of these villages which hee tooke and brought and before them all ◅ore it in peeces with hainous blasphemies and vile speeches against the law and whole nation The Iewes vnderstanding hereof sodainly assembled themselues in great numbers and ran to Caesarea where Cumanus kept for that present requiring him that he would reuenge not their cause but Gods whose law was on that sort dishonoured signifying vnto him that it was impossible for them to liue so long as their law was thus contemned Cumanus fearing least a second mutinie and vpore should be raised among the people by the counsell of his friends cut off the souldiers head who had committed that outrage against the law and by this meanes appeased he the sedition that was ready to take head CHAP. V. The sedition of the Iewes against the Samaritanes THere hapned also an enmitie betwixt the Samaritanes and Iewes vpon this occasion They of Galilee who resorted to the citie of Ierusalem at the times of our solemne feasts were accustomed to passe thorow the countrey of the Samaritanes And at that time it hapned that their way lay thorow a borough called Nais scituate in a great champion field where a quarrell arising betwixt diuers inhabitants of the place and certaine passengers a great number of the Galileans were murthered Which when the magistrates of Galilee vnderstood they resorted to Cumanus requiring him to execute iustice on those that had murthered their countrimen but he being corrupted with money by the Samaritanes made no account of their complaint The Galileans being prouoked by this contempt of his perswaded the common people of the Iewes to betake them to their weapons and maintaine their liberty telling them that seruitude is of itselfe tedious but that when it is accompanied with outrages it is intolerable But their gouernours laboured to pacifie them promising them to deale so effectually with Cumanus that he should take punishment of the murtherers but they gaue them no audience but fell to armes requiring Eleazar the sonne of Dinaeus to be their chieftaine This Eleazar was a theefe who for many yeeres made his abode in the mountaines They therfore spoyled and burnt certaine villages of the Samaritanes After that the report of all that which had passed came to Cumanus eares he tooke a company of the souldiers of Sebaste with foure bands of footmen and armed the Samaritanes likewise to go and make warre against the Iewes whom they tooke and slue many of them and led more of them away prisoners When the chiefest gouernours in Ierusalem saw into what an infinitie of mischiefs they were fallen they cloathed themselues in sackcloth and cast ashes on their heads exhorting those that were mutinous to forethinke themselues of the ruine of their countrey the daunger the temple was in to be burned the seruitude both of themselues their wiues and children to prophane and straunge nations and desired them to chaunge their aduice and to lay aside their weapons and cease to offer violence to the end that they might hereafter liue in quiet and that euery one of them would retire themselues peaceably to his owne habitation By which words in the end they being perswaded returned home and betooke them to their busines The theeues also retired themselues againe into their strong holds and from that time all Iudaea was replenished with thefts The gouernours of Samaria resorted to Numidius Quadratus gouernour of Syria who dwelt at that time in Tyre to accuse the Iewes for that they had fired their villages and spoiled them telling him that their losse did not so much trouble them as for that they saw the Romanes were contemned by the Iewes who notwithstanding ought to appeare before them as their competent Iudges yet naithelesse that they assembled themselues in such sort as if the Romaines were not their superiours For which cause they addressed themselues to him to the end they might haue redresse of those wrongs which they had receiued by them This is that wherewith the Samaritanes charged the Iewes who answered to the contrary alledging that the Samaritanes themselues had beene the authors of that mutiny and vprore and that Cumanus being wholy corrupted by their money had smothered the matter and done no iustice on the murtherers When Quadratus heard this he reserued the iudgement till another time telling them that he would giue sentence in the matter at such time as he came into Iudaea and had examined the truth of both sides so that they returned without doing any thing Anone after Quadratus came into Samaria where he heard that the Samaritanes had beene the authors of the trouble and on the other side knowing that some Iewes likewise intended some insurrection he caused them to be crucified whom Cumanus had left in prison From thence he transported himself to Lydda which is a burrow of no lesse bignesse then a citie in which place he sitting on his tribunall seat heard the Samaritanes the second time and discouered by the report of a certaine Samaritane that one Dortus one of the principallest among the Iewes and foure other his confederates induced the people to rebell against the Romanes These did Quadratus cause to be executed As for Ananias who was the high Priest and the captaine Ananus he sent them bound to Rome to render an account to the Emperour Claudius of that which they had don Moreouer he commaunded the chiefe gouernours both of the Samaritanes and Iewes that they should speedily repaire to Rome whither Cumanus and captain Celer should conduct them to the end they might be iudged by Caesar himselfe vpon the information taken on both sides And fearing least the common people of the Iewes should breake out into some rebellion he repaired to the citie of Ierusalē to giue order that the Iewes should attempt to raise no new stirres but when he came thither he found all in peace busied in the celebration of the feast and offering sacrifices to God according to their accustomed ceremonies Being therefore assured that no man would innouate or rebell in that place he left them to their solemnities and repaired to Antioch But the Iewes that were sent to Rome with Cumanus and the principall Samaritanes had a day assigned them by the Emperour to decide the differents that were betweene them Cumanus and the Samaritanes laboured all that they might by the mediation of Caesars friends and freemen to haue the vpper hand of the Iewes and indeed the day had beene theirs if young
awaked and so prepared as I was w◅nt I downe into the plaine and as soone as I came thither all the people of Galilee with their wiues and children humbling themselues vpon the earth and weeping besought me that I would not leaue them for a pray to their enemies neither that I would abandon their countrey to serue for a pray and mockerie to their aduersaries But seeing that I made small reckoning of their praiers they constrained me by oath to remaine amongst them and vttered diuers iniurious outrages against the people of Ierusalem that enuied them the peace and happines which they enioyed After I had heard these words and seene the desolation of the people my heart was broken with compassion and I resolued my selfe that in respect of so great a multitude my life could not be better hazarded then for their contentment I therefore gaue my consent to remaine with them I gaue order that fiue thousand of their best souldiers with their prouision should attend me as for the rest I sent them backe euerie owne to his owne house When these fiue thousand presented themselues I annexed them to the other three thousand that I had with me and drew out with them fourescore horsemen and marched on towards Chabalon a burrough vpon the marches of Ptolemais where I vndertooke to prepare them for the battell expecting some assault from Placidus who was come with two companies of footmen and one of horsemen sent by Cestius Gallus to burne the countrey townes of Galilee and other little burroughs that bordered on Ptolemais And for that he was entrenched before the Citie of Ptolemais I encamped mine army likewise not farre from the burrough Chabalon some sixtie stades off and diuers times drew I out my forces to bid him battell but neuer would he offer any thing but skirmishes For Placidus perceiuing my forwardnesse to fight was abashed thereat and retired himselfe yet departed he not from Ptolemais About that time came Ionathan with the other Embassadours who as we haue heretofore declared were sent by Simon and the high priest Ananus who laboured to entrap me by policie for that they durst not assaile me in open field They therefore wrote a letter vnto me to this effect Ionathan and the Embassadours with him who are sent by those of Ierusalem to Ioseph Greeting We are certified by the chiefest men of Ierusalem that Iohn of Gischala hath oftentimes sought to betray you for which cause we are sent to represse his malice and to exhort him hereafter to submit himselfe vnto you and being desirous to conferre with you as touching that which concerneth the publike profit we pray you to resort vnto vs as soone as you can with some few attendants because the burrough is not able to entertain many To this effect wrote they vnto me hoping that one of these two effects would fal out either that I comming disarmed should be easily surprised by them or that bringing with me a great companie I should be condemned for an enemy of my countrey The messenger that brought me this letter was a valiant young man mounted on horsebacke who had in times past borne armes for the king The time wherein he came vnto me was two houres within night and euen then was I banquetting with my friends and the chiefest goue◅nours of Galilee After that one of my houshold seruants had certified me that a certaine Iew on horsebacke came to speake with me I commanded he should be brought in who embracing me but coldly and deliuering me the letter said vnto me They that are come frō Ierusalem send you this letter giue them a speedy answere For I am commanded to make a speedy returne They that sate at the table with me were amazed at the souldiers boldnesse But for my selfe I willed him to sit downe and to make merrie with me but he refusing the same I kept the letter in my hand in such manner as I had receiued the same and began to talke with my friends of other affaires and not long after arising from supper and dismissing the rest to their rest I onely retained with me some of my most inward friends and commanding my page to fill me wine I opened the letters before any man perceiued the same and conceiting incontinently what they meant I sealed them anew and as if I had knowne nothing of the contents hauing the letter in my hands I gaue order that the soldier should receiue twenty drachmes for to beare the charges of his voiage He hauing receiued the same and giuing me thankes I perceiued well that he was addicted to gaine and might easily be wrought with money Wherupon I said vnto him if thou wilt drinke with me thou shalt haue a drachme for euerie glasse thou drinkest To this the souldier listned willingly and hauing dranke good store of wine to get him the greater store of money he grew drunken so that he was vnable any longer to conceale his secrets but of his owne accord he declared the treason that was prepared and how the sentence of death was giuen by them against me Which when I vnderstood I answered them to this effect Ioseph to Ionathan and those that accompanie him Health I am verie glad to heare that you are arriued in Galilee in good health especially for that I may now redeliuer into your hands the gouernment of the affaires thereof to the end according as I haue long time desired I might returne into my countrey I will not onely therefore visit you at Xallon but in anie further place also notwithstanding you had neuer sent for me Notwithstanding pardon me though I come not at this present for I am now at Chabalon to confront Placidus who pretendeth to inuade Galilee Resort you therefore vnto mee vvho shall reade my letters Farewell After I had written this answere and deliuered it to the souldier to carrie it vnto them I sent by the same way thirtie of my most approoued friends of Galilee commanding them to salute them that were come without anie further speech I assigned also to each of these one of my most resolute and best souldiers to take heede least any of those I sent should conferre with Ionathans men They therefore set forward on their way and Ionathan and the other seeing their first purpose failed them they sent me another letter after this tenour which ensueth Ionathan and his companie to Ioseph Health We commaund you that within three daies you make your appearance before vs without anie of your souldiers in the burrough of Gadara to the end you maie answere to that which Iohn hath obiected against you As soone as they had written this saluted those whom I had sent they went to Iapha which is the greatest towne of Galilee defenced with strong walles and peopled with manie inhabitants Against these the people of that Citie their wiues and children came forth exclaiming against them with huge cries
Ionathan and his adherents hearing this were afraid least if the Galileans should set vpon them they should grow in daunger of their lifes and began to bethinke themselues how they might escape But perceiuing that they might not retire for that I required them instantly to stay they were altogither dismaid and past their senses I therefore commaunded the people to surcease their shouting and planted the souldiers of greatest trust in euerie passage to preuent least Iohn should charge them vnawares After this I exhorted the people to betake them to their weapons to the end that if the enemie should sodainly assaile them they might not be driuen into disorder This done I first of all beganne to rippe vp to Ionathans followers and fellowes what letters they had written and how they had certified him that they were sent by the communaltie and inhabitants of Ierusalem to make an end of those debates that were betweene me and Iohn and how they had incited me to come vnto them Afterwards in sequell of my discourse I produced their letters in open view to the end they might not denie any thing seeing themselues conuicted by their owne hand writing and spake thus vnto them If being accused by Iohn I should produce two or three witnesses that were men of reputation to testifie for my life it were a matter most euident that thou shouldest be compelled O Ionathan and you my Lords Embassadours after you had foreinquired of their liues to acknowledge mine innocencie and to acquit me of that whereof I am accused But to the intent you may know that I haue faithfully gouerned the estate of Galilee I suppose that three witnesses are too little for an vpright man for which cause I produce all these Enquire of them how I haue liued and whether I haue gouerned this countrie in all honestie and Iustice. I adiure you all therefore who are my fellowes and friends of Galilee that you hide nothing of the truth but that before these men as before your iudges you professe if I haue done any thing that is contrarie to right Whilest I spake after this manner all of them with one accord called me their benefactor and defender and gaue testimonie of my forepassed gouernment and exhorted me to continue the same hereafter And all of them affirmed by a publike oth that I had carefully preuented least any woman should be violated or any man by my meanes should be drawne into any iniurie or inconuenience This done I publikely red the two letters in the presence of all the Galileans which were taken from Ionathans messengers by those who were appointed by me to beset the waies and were by them sent to me which were full of iniuries and falshoods alledging that I rather behaued my selfe like a tyrant then a gouernour towards them and besides that there were diuers other things written and vrged verie impudently These letters said I were voluntarily offered me by those that caried the same For I was vnwilling that mine aduersaries should know that I had beset the waies fearing least they should forbeare to write hereafter The people hauing heard this were displeased and animated against Ionathan and his followers and flocked on to murther them and they had surely done it had I not pacified the displeasure of the Galileans As for the Embassadours that accompanied Ionathan I told all of them that I pardoned whatsoeuer was past if so be they would repent themselues of that which was done and if vpon their returne into their countrey they would truely report vnto those who had sent them how all things had past vnder my gouernment This said I dismissed them notwithstāding that I knew they would performe nothing of that which they had promised But the whole multitude prosecuted their displeasure against them requiring me to giue them leaue to punish those with all rigour who had committed this slaunderous act But I laboured all that I might to perswade them to lay no hands vpon them knowing full well that whatsoeuer mutinie it be it cannot but breed preiudice to the common weale This notwithstanding the multitude would by no meanes be satisfied but all of them ranne in heapes with great furie to the lodging where Ionathan and the Embassadours kept Whereupon seeing that it was impossible to restraine their furie I incontinently betooke me to my horse and commanded the people to follow me to Sogan a borough of the Arabians distant from thence some twentie stades By this stratageme I brought to passe that the beginning of the ciuill warre might not be imputed to me After I came neere to Sogan I assembled the people and told them that they should not violently submit themselues to their froward displeasures nor entertaine their vnquenchable desire of reuenge I commanded them to pick out an hundreth of the chiefest oldest men amongst them who should make their repaire to the citie of Ierusalem and there complaine vnto the people against those that had kindled sedition in their country And I said vnto them if the people be fauourable and listen to your discourse you shall perswade them to write vnto me that according to their command I remaine in Galilee and that Ionathan and his partners depart from hence After I had giuen them this charge and that they were furnished with all things necessarie for their iourney in all expedition on the third day after the generall assembly I dispatched them and sent fiue hundreth armed men with them I wrote also to my friends in Samaria so to further them that they might finish their iourney in all securitie For Samaria was alreadie in subiection to the Romans and it behooued my men of necessitie who would make a short iourney to passe that way For from Galilee by this meanes a man may in three daies arriue at Ierusalem Furthermore I guarded the Embassadours my selfe as farre as the frontiers of Galilee laying forces and guards vpon the waies to the end that no man might easily discouer or know of their departure Which done I soiourned for a certaine time at Iapha But Ionathan and his companions hauing failed of their purpose intended against me dismissed Iohn to Gischala as for themselues they went to Tiberias hoping to bring the same vnder their obeisance For that Iesus who was President at that time had written vnto them and promised them to perswade the people to entertaine them and take their part if they came and vnder this hope they also retired themselues thither Silas who as I declared was left by me as mine Agent in Tiberias certified me of all this by his letters requiring me to vse all diligence and I condescending thereunto was brought in danger of my life vpon this occasion that ensueth Ionathan and his followers being come to Tiberias perswaded diuers who were mine enemies to reuolt from me but after they were certified that I was there in person they were affraid and
third at Amathunt the fourth at Iericho the fift at Sephoris a citie of Galilee and the Iewes being deliuered from the gouernment of one man only willingly suffered themselues to be ruled by the nobility But shortly after Aristobulus escaping from Rome raised new troubles who gathering a great army partly of those that desired a change partly of them that loued him before tooke Alexandrium began to compasse it again with a wal but hearing that Gabinius had sent Sisenna Antonius Seruilius against him with an army he went to Macherunt and forsaking those that were not fit for warre he tooke with him almost 8000. armed men amongst whom was Pytholaus gouernor of them that were reuolted who with 1000. men fled out of Ierusalem But the Romans followed pursued them and ioyning battell with them Aristobulus with his men fought valiantly till being by force ouercome the Romanes slue fiue thousand of them and almost two thousand fled into a mountaine and the other thousand breaking the ranks of the Romans with Aristobulus vvere forced to Macherunt where the king hiding himselfe the first night amongst the ruines hoped that hauing respite he might gather another army fortifie the castle but hauing for two daies sustained the forces of the Romans although vnable to do it at last he was taken with his son Antigonus who had bin imprisoned with him at Rome he was carried to Gabinius from thence to Rome and the Senate put him in prison but his sonnes they sent into Iudaea because Gabinius writ that he had so promised Aristobulus his wife vpon condition the castles might be yeelded Now Gabinius being prepared to warre against the Parthians Ptolomaeus hindred him who returning from Euphrates wēt into Aegypt leauing Antipater Hyrcanus his friends to dispose of al things belonging to the vvar for Antipater helped him vvith mony vveapons corne men and he perswaded the Iewes vvho kept the vvaies that lead vnto Pelusium to suffer Gabinius to passe Now in the other part of Syria at the departure of Gabinius there began a commotion Alexander Aristobulus son once more incited the Iewes to rebellion hauing gathered a mightie power purposed to destroy all the Romans that vvere in that country vvhich Gabinius fearing vvho vvas returned out of Aegypt at the beginning of these tumults he sent Antipater before who perswaded some of the rebels to be quiet yet 30000. remained with Alexander For which cause he was very forward to fight and went out to battel the Iewes came against him neere vnto Itabyrium they fought where 10000. were slaine and the rest were put to flight and Gabinius returned to Ierusalem through the counsell of Antipater who hauing established that estate went from thence and ouercame the Nabathaeans in battel he likewise permitted Mithridates Orsanes priuily to depart who were fled from the Parthians saying that they had escaped from the souldiers In the meane time Crassus who was appointed to be his successor had Syria deliuered him who toward the maintenance of the Parthian wars tooke all the gold that was in the temple of Ierusalem and the 2000. talents which Pompeius had forborne to do who passing ouer Euphrates was both himselfe and his whole army vtterly ouerthrowne of which thing it behooueth vs not to speake in this place After the death of Crassus the Parthians endeuored themselues to enter Syria but Cassius who succeeded him in the gouernment repulsed them and hauing gotten the vpper hand he speedily resorted into Iudaea and taking Tarichea he caried away about 3000. men captiues and put Pytholaus to death for gathering a company of seditious people vnto Aristobulus his part He that caused and consailed his death was Antipater who was maried vnto a noble woman of Arabia called Cypris by vvhom he had foure sons Phasaolus king Herode Ioseph and Pheroras and one daughter called Salome vvho sought the friendship of al potentates round about him by courtesie and hospitalitie and especially he got the good vvill of the king of Arabia by affinitie vnto whose fidelitie he committed his sonnes because he had vndertaken the wars against Aristobulus But Cassius made a truce vvith Alexander and in the meane time went to Euphrates to hinder the passage of the Parthians of which we vvill speake hereafter CHAP. VII Of the death of Aristobulus and the warre betweene Antipater and Mithridates AFter that Caesar had forced the Senate and Pompey to flie beyond the Ionian sea and by that means made himselfe sole Master of all at Rome he set Aristobulus at libertie and with two legions of men sent him in haste into Syria hoping through his means speedily to winne both it and also all places adioining to Iudaea but both the hope of Caesar and the forwardnes of Aristobulus was ouerthrown through enuie for he was poysoned by Pompeies fauorites and euen in his owne countrey his bodie lay vnburied which notwithstanding was preserued from putrefaction with hony till such time as Antonius sent it vnto the Iewes commaunding them to burie it in the kings sepulcher His sonne Alexander also was beheaded at Antiochia by Scipio being first according to the tenour of Pompeies letters accused before the tribunall seat of such things as he had committed against the Romanes Ptolemaeus the sonne of Minaeus who ruled Chalcis which was vnder Libanus hauing taken his brethren sent his sonne Philippio with them to Ascalon and he violently taking away Antigonus and his sisters from the wife of Aristobulus brought them to his father and falling in loue with the yongest tooke her to his wife for which cause he was afterward put to death by his father For Ptolemaeus hauing slaine his sonne married Alexandra and for that affinitie sake was more carefull for her brethren After the death of Pompey Antipater sought all meanes to get Caesars fauour and when Mithridates of Pergamenus was hindred by the garrison at Pelusium to passe any further with an armie into Aegypt and was by that meanes staied at Ascalon he perswaded the Arabians to assist him the rather because he was but a straunger and he himselfe also seconded him with almost three thousand armed Iewes Moreouer he incited the potentate of Syria and Ptolemaeus who inhabited Libanus and Iamblicus and another Ptolemaeus to assist him for whose sakes the cities of that countrey did willingly vndertake the wars And now Mithridates strengthned by Antipaters meanes came to Pelusium and because they would not suffer him to passe he besieged the citie in which siege Antipater shewed his valour for making a breach on that side of the wall where his quarter was he first of all with his company brake into the citie and so Pelusium was taken But the inhabitants of Onias countrey who were Aegyptians and Iewes suffered him not to passe any further yet did Antipater handle the matter so discreetly with them that they did not only suffer him to passe
but after he had made him high Priest in the seuenteenth yeere of his age he presently put him to death after he had so honoured him who when he came to the Altar clothed in sacred attire vpon a festiuall day all the people wept and the same night was he sent to Iericho and drowned in a lake by the Galatheans who had receiued commission to performe the murther These things did Mariamme daily cast in Herodes teeth and vpbraided both his mother and sister with verie sharpe and reprochfull words yet he so loued her that notwithstanding all this he held his peace But the women were set on fire and that they might the rather moue Herode against her they accused her of adulterie and of many other things which bare a shew of truth obiecting against her that she had sent her portraicture into Aegypt vnto Antonius and that through immoderate lust she did what she could to make her selfe knowen vnto him who doted vpon womens loue and was of sufficient power to do what wrong he pleased Hereat Herode was sore moued especially for that he was iealous of her whom he loued bethinking himselfe vpon the crueltie of Cleopatra for vvhose sake king Lysanias and Malichus king of Arabia were put to death and now he measured not the daunger by the losse of his wife but by his owne death which he feared For which cause being drawen by his affaires into the countrey he gaue secret commaundement vnto Ioseph his sister Salomes husband whom he knew to be trustie and one who for affinitie was his well-willer to kill his wife Mariamme if so be Antonius should haue killed him But Ioseph not maliciously but simply to shew her how greatly the king loued her disclosed that secret vnto her and she when Herode was returned and amongst other talke with many oaths sware that he neuer loued woman but her indeed quoth she it may well be knowne how greatly you loue me by the commaundement you gaue to Ioseph whom you charged to kill me Herode hearing this which he thought to be secret was like a mad man and presently perswaded himselfe that Ioseph would neuer haue disclosed that commaundement of his except he had abused her so that hereupon he became furious and leaping out of his bed he walked vp and downe the pallace vvhereupon his sister Salome hauing fit opportunitie confirmed his suspition of Ioseph For which cause Herode growing now raging mad with Iealousie commanded both of them to be killed Which done his wrath was seconded by repentance and after his anger ceased the affection of loue was presently renewed yea so great was the power of his affection that he would not beleeue she was dead but spake vnto her as though she were aliue vntill in processe of time being assertained of her funerall he equalled the affection he bare her during her life by the vehemencie of his passion for her death Mariammes sonnes succeeded their mother in her wrath and recogitating what an impious act it was they accounted their father as a mortall enemie both before and after they went to studie at Rome and especially after they came againe into Iudaea For as they encreased in yeeres so did the violence of their mind encrease And they being now mariageable one of them maried the daughter of their aunt Salome who accused their mother the other maried the daughter of Archelaus king of Cappadocia And now to their hatred was there ioyned a libertie to speake more freely against them and by this occasion of their boldnes many were animated to calumniate them so that some did openly tell the king that both his sonnes sought to worke treason against him and that the one of them prepared an army to helpe the other to reuenge the death of their mother and that the other to wit he that was sonne in law to Archelaus purposed to flie and accuse Herode before Caesar. Herode giuing eare vnto those calumniations sent for Antipater whom he had by Doris to the end he might defend him against his two sons and sought to aduance him aboue them But they thought this alteration intolerable seeing one whose mother was but a priuate woman so preferred and they moued with their owne noblenes of birth could not containe their indignation but vpon euerie occasion shewed themselues offended yet were they euery day lesse accounted of As for Antipater he wrought himselfe into fauour for he knew how to flatter his father and raised many slaunders vpon his two brethren partly inuented by himselfe partly diuulgated by some of his fauorites whom he set a worke about that matter till that at last he put his brethren out of all hope of hauing the kingdome For he was now by the kings Will and Testament declared king so that he was sent as a King vnto Caesar in a kingly habit and pompe only he wore no Crowne and in time he so preuailed that he wrought his mother into Mariammes steed and with flatteries and calumniation so moued the king that he began to deliberate about the putting to death of his sonnes For which cause he conducted his sonne Alexander with him to Rome and accused him before Caesar that he had giuen him poyson But he with much adoe hauing obtained libertie to plead his owne cause and that before an vnskilfull Iudge yet more wise then Herode or Antipater he modestly held his peace in all things that his father had offended in and first of all he purged his brother from daunger of that crime and taking the vvhole matter vpon himself he in verie good sort acquited himselfe therof And afterwards he inueighed against Antipaters subtiltie complained of those iniuries which had been offered him hauing besides the equitie of his cause sufficient eloquence to acquit himselfe for he was a vehement orator and knew wel how to perswade Last of al he obiected that his father hauing a desire to put both him and his brother to death had laid an accusation vpon him where at the whole audience wept and Caesar was so moued that not regarding the accusations that were laid vnto them he presently made Herode and them friends vpon these conditions that they in all things should be obedient vnto their father and that their father should leaue the kingdome to whom he pleased Hereupon Herode returned from Rome and though he seemed to haue forgiuen his sonnes yet laid he not his iealousie and suspition aside For Antipater stil vrged his argument to make Herod hate his other two sonnes though for feare of him that reconciled them he durst not openly shew himselfe an enemie vnto them Afterward Herode sailed by Cilicia and arriued at Elaeusa where Archelaus receiued him verie courteously thanking him for the safetie of his sonne in law and verie ioyfull for that they were made friends for he wrote vnto his friends at Rome with all speede possible that they should be
last for the same put to death Herod caused the Gouernour of the castle to be tortured but he confessed nothing that was laid against him and although he had no good proofe of any thing yet he commaunded his two sonnes to bee kept in hold He likewise called Eurycles who was the bane of his house and the breeder of all the mischiefe author of his safetie and one who had well deserued at his hands and gaue him fiftie talents who departing from Iudaea before matters were well knowne went to Archelaus and faining that he had reconciled Alexander and Herod he receiued there a peece of money From thence he went into Achaia and spent that which he had euilly gotten in as bad manner as he got it Lastly he was accused vnto Caesar that he had caused dissension in all Achaia and spoyled the Cities for the which cause hee was banished And this was the punishment which was inflicted vpon him for Alexanders and Aristobulus troubles It is not amisse here in this placeto compare Euaratus of Cous vnto this Eurycles who being a deare friend vnto Alexander and arriuing about the same time that Eurycles did being put to his oath sware that he heard the young men say nothing yet his oath nothing preuailed nor profited them poore soules For Herod would onely heare and giue eare vnto accusatitions and hee highly esteemed them that would beleeue them with him and shewe themselues moued thereat Moreouer Salome encreased his crueltie towards his sonnes for Aristobulus minding to bring her into the same trouble with himselfe who was his mother in law and his Aunt sent vnto her willing her to looke to her selfe as though the King was minded to put her to death Who being now called into question for the matters whereof she was before accused to wit that she purposed to marrie with the kings enemie Syllaeus the Arabian to whom she priuilie reuealed the Kings secrets and this was the vtter ruine of the young men wherewithall they were ouer throwne as it were with a violent tempest For presently Salome went vnto the King and told him what Aristobulus had admonished her of and he being now outragious caused both his sonnes to be bound and imprisoned in seuerall places Then sent he Volumnius who was the Generall of his Armie and Olympus one of his familiar friends vnto Caesar to carie him the informations against his sonnes in writing who sayling to Rome after their arriuall deliuered the Kings letters And Caesar was verie sorie for the young men yet hee permitted the father to doe what hee would with his children and so wrote vnto him that he should haue licence to do what he thought good yet he signified vnto him that he should do better to cal his Nobles together and let them make enquirie concerning the treasons and then if he found them guiltie of these things whereof they were accused to put them to death Hereupon Herod according to Caesars letters and appointment came vnto Berytum and there gathered an assembly to sit in iudgement the chiefe in that iudgement were the Gouernors that Caesar in his letters appointed Saturninus and Pedanius Ambassadors and with them Volumnius Procurator next the kings kinred and Salome and Pheroras and then the nobilitie of Syria Archelaus onely excepted who because he was father in law to his sonne Herod suspected him to be partiall But hee suffered not his sonnes to come into iudgement for he knew that the verie sight of them would haue moued all men to compassion And moreouer if they were permitted to speake for themselues that then Alexander would easily haue acquited them both for which cause they were kept in Platane in a Castle of Sidonia The king beginning his oration was as vehement as though they had beene present against whom he spake and he was halfe afraid to obiect anie treason against them for that he had no proofe thereof and therfore he prosecuted their opprobrious words iniuries and offences which they had committed against him the which he affirmed to be more grieuous then death At last when no man contradicted him he began to lament as though by ouercomming in such sort himself was also ouercome thereupon requested euery one to giue their vedict And first of all Saturninus condemned his sonnes but not to die saying that he had three sonnes present and he thought it not lawfull to adiudge other mens sons to death The two Legats also affirmed the same and many followed their aduise But Volumnius was the first that pronounced the sorrowfull sentence after whom all the rest followed some to flatter Herod some for hatred they bare him but none for anie indignation against the young men Then all Iudaea and Syria expected an end of this tragedie yet no man thought Herod to be such a Tyrant as that he would haue put his two sonnes to death Herod caused his sonnes to be brought to Tyre from thence by ship he conueyed them to Caesarea bethinking himself what death he should put them to In the meane time there was an old souldiour of the kings named Tyro who had a sonne belonging to Alexander and highly in his sauour and he himselfe greatly loued the two young men who being verie much grieued in mind at that which had past went about crying that iustice was troden vnder foote truth opprest that nature was confounded and the life of man full of iniquitie and whatsoeuer else griefe put into his mind who nothing esteemed his owne life At last this Tiro came boldly vnto the king and sayd vnto him O king thou seemest to me most vnhappie who doest giue credite vnto wicked and vile persons against thy dearest sons For Pheroras Salome thou beleeuest before thy owne children whom notwithstanding thou hast often found to haue deserued death and thou dost perceiue that they do this to the intent to make thee want lawfull successors and leaue thee none but Antipater whom they with all their harts would haue king because they can rule him as they list But bethinke thy selfe O king how all thy souldiours will hate him for the death of his two brethren for there is no man that doth not pitie the two young men and many of the Nobilitie are displeased hereat After he had spoken this he named them who were displeased whereupon the king presently commaunded them and him and his sonne to be laid hold on and presently one of the kings Barbers named Tryphon shewing himselfe to be in I know not what furie came forth and said vnto Herode Tiro perswaded me to kill thee with my razour promising me that if I would so do Alexander would giue me great rewards Herod hearing this caused Tiro and his sonne and the barber to be tortured and they denyed all and the Barber affirmed nothing more then hee had already said Then he commaunded Tiro to be more tormented Whereupon his sonne moued with
4 How certaine townes were taken and the description of Iericho 5 Of the lake called Asphaltites 6 How Gerasa was destroied and of the death of Nero and of Galba and Otho 7 Of Simon of Gerasa Prince of a new conspiracie 8 Of Galba Otho Vitellius and Vespasian 9 Of Simons actes against the Zelous 10 How Vespasian was chosen Emperour 11 The description of Aegypt and Pharus 12 How Vespasian redeemed Ioseph from captiuitie 13 Of Vitellius his death and manners 14 How Titus was sent against the Iewes by his father CHAP. I. Of another massacre and of the returne of the Idumaeans and the crueltie of the Zelous SVCH was the end of Ananus and Iesus After whose death the Idumaeans and the Zelous massacred the people as though they had beene a flocke of pernicious beasts and euerie one was slaine wheresoeuer he was found and taking the nobilitie and younger sort of men they kept them bound in prison hoping that by deferring their deaths some of them would become partakers with them Yet none was thereby mooued but euerie one desired to die rather then impiously to conspire against their owne countrey yet were they most cruelly whipped before they were put to death their whole body being all as it were one sore place by whipping and stripes and so when they could not indure these torments any longer then were they killed And who so was taken on the day time was in the night carried to prison and those that died in prison and torments they then cast their dead bodies out that they might haue place to imprison others in their roome And the people were so terrified that none durst weepe openly for his friend nor burie the dead body of his kinsman yea those that were in prison durst not openly weepe but secretly looking about them least any of their enemies should espie them For whosoeuer mourned for any that was afflicted was presently himselfe vsed in the same manner as he had been for whom he lamented somtime some in the night scraped vp a little earth with their hands and therewithall couered the dead body of their friend and some bolder then the rest did the like in the day time And in this generall slaughter were twelue thousand young noblemen slaine by this means and thus being hated for these massacres they mocked and flouted the magistrates and made no account of their iudgments So that when they determined to put one Zacharie the sonne of Baruch to death a noble man one of the chiefe of the citie for they perceiued that he was an enemy to their wickednes and loued the vertuous and one that was rich by whose death they hoped not onely to haue the spoile of his goods but also to be rid of such a one who might be able to resist their bad purposes they called seuentie of the best amongst the common people togither as it were in iudgment yet they hauing no authoritie and before them they accused Zacharie that he had betraied the common wealth vnto the Romans and that for that intâ—… he had sent vnto Vespasian but neither shewed any euidence nor proofe thereof but onely they affirmed it to be so and therefore would haue credit giuen vnto their words When Zacharie perceiued that vnder pretence of being called into iudgement he was deceitfully brought into prison and hauing no hope of life yet he spared not to speake liberally his minde but began to scorne the rage and pretence of his enemies and purged himselfe of the crimes whereof he was accused and conuerting his speech against his accusers he laid open all their iniquities and much lamented the miseries and troubles of the Citie In the meane while the Zelous gnashed their teeth and could scarcely containe themselues from drawing their swords and were desrious that their pretended accusation and iudgement might be ended He also requested them who by these miscreants were appointed his iudges to remember iustice notwithstanding those dangerous times These seuentie iudges all pronounced that he was to be absolued and freed as vnguiltie and rather chose to die then to cause his death who was innocent This sentence being pronounced the Zelous began to shoute and crie with a loud voice and they all were angry at the iudges who did not vnderstand to what end that counterfeit authoritie was giuen them Then two of the boldest amongst them set vpon Zacharie and killed him in the middest of the temple and mocked him saying thou hast now our sentence and absolution farre more certaine then the other was and presently they cast him downe from the temple into the valley vnderneath and then contumeliously with the hilts of their swords they did beat the Iudges out of the temple yet they did not kill them to the ende that being dispersed through the whole citie they might tell the people as messengers from them of their miserable captiuitie The Idumaeans were now sorrowfull for their comming for they misliked these proceedings who being assembled altogither one of the Zelous secretly told them all that their faction had done from their beginning and that the Idumaeans had taken armes because they were enformed how that the Metropolitane citie was by the priests betraied vnto the Romans but as they might perceiue there was no proofe nor signe of any such matter and that in deede the Zelous who pretended themselues conseruers of the citie were meere enemies and exercised tyrannie ouer the Citizens euen from their beginning And although they had associated themselues with such wicked persons and made themselues partakers of such and so many murthers yet thought now to cease from such wickednes not assist men so impious to destroie their countrie lawes and religion For although they tooke it in bad part that the citie gates were shut vpon them yet now they were sufficiently reuenged of those that were the cause thereof Now was Ananus himselfe slaine and almost all the people in one night whereof many of them ere long would repent and that they might now themselues perceiue the crueltie of them who requested their aide to be more then barbarous so that they blusht not to commit their villanies openlie in the sight of them who had saued their liues and their misdemeanour and impietie would be imputed vnto the Idumaeans because they neither hindred their mischieuous practises nor sorsooke their societie And that therefore it was their parts seeing that it was now euident that the report of treason was onely calumniation and that no assault by the Romans was to be feared likewise that an inuincible force was established against the citie for to depart home and by forsaking the societie of the impious acquite themselues of their impietie as being by them deceiued and so against their wils made partakers thereof The Idumaeans were hereby perswaded and first of all they loosed them that were in prison in number two thousand of the vulgar sort
a tumult begun in Syria He also recordeth the greatnesse of our countrey and the fertilitie thereof they inhabite quoth he a countrey that hath almost thirtie hundreth thousand acres of most fertile ground for Iurie is of this largenesse that in time past we inhabited a large and very great citie which was verie populous he speaketh also of the building of our temple in this manner The Iewes haue many other townes and villages in euerie prouince but they haue one most strong citie the compasse of whose wals is fiftie stounds and in it inhabite a hundred and fiftie thousand men and this citie they called Ierusalem in the midst of it is a building of stone with foure porches a hundreth cubits about it hath also double gates wherein is a foure squared Altar made of vnhewen stones ioyned together and it is twentie cubites square euerie way and ten cubites high and about it is a most huge building where in is an Altar and a Candlesticke both of gold weighing two talents and there is kept a continuall light night and day which neuer goeth forth therein is no Image nor gift notrees nor wood growing there nor any thing of this sort Therein inhabite Priests both night and day celebrating certaine purifications and they drinke no wine in the Temple Moreouer he shewed how our nation warred vnder Alexanders successors and he reporteth that which he heard of a certaine Iew in the armie and I will set downe the Authors owne words As I went quoth he to the red Sea a certaine Iewe one of the horsemen that conducted vs named Mosollamus who was a couragious man and one who excelled all archers else both Greeks and other nations This Iewe euerie one hasting on forward of his iourney and being willed by a southsayer to stand he asked for what cause the multitude staied and went not forward presently the Southsayer shewed him a bird which hee diligently viewed and told the Iewe that if that bird did stand still in the place that then it was expedient for them to stand and if the bird did mount vp and flie that then they ought to march on forward but if it flew towards the place from whence they came that then it was wisedome to retire The Iewe hereat was silent yet drawing his bow hee shot an arrow and killed the bird whereat the Southsayer and certaine other were offended and cursed him But he taking the vnhappie bird in his hand said vnto them Are yee so mad as to thinke that this bird not hauing the foresight to preserue her selfe from this death is able to direct vs in the successe of our iourney Had this bird foreknowne future euents shee would haue eschewed this place for dread that Mosollamus a Iewe should haue strucken her with an arrow But wee will now leaue the testimonie of Hecataeus for euerie one that list may reade his booke and there vnderstand this more at large I will not omit the testimonie of Agatarchides a man of no euill in his owne opinion yet indeed one who hath vsed detraction to our owne nation This man speaking of Stratonice how leauing her husband Demetrius shee came into Syria and how Seleucus would not marrie her as shee hoped who hauing an armie at Babylon warred against Antioch and had taken the Citie and that shee fled into Seleucia where as she might haue made a more speedie escape by water but that shee was forwarned in a sleepe so to do that she was there taken and died c. Agatarchides hauing vsed this Preface and inueighed against Stratonices superstition he vseth an example of our nation in this manner The people that are called Iewes inhabite a most strong Citie which they call Ierusalem these people are wont to rest vpon the seuenth day and doe neither beare armes nor till their grounds nor doe anie other businesse vpon that day but their custome is to remaine in their Temple and there with stretched out armes continue in praier till night And so vpon a time they perseuering in that foolerie whilest they should haue defended their Citie Ptolomaeus Lagus entered it with many people and a great armie who greatly tyrannized ouer them and so they found by experience that the solemnitie appointed by their law was preiudiciall vnto them such like Churches as this did teach them and all nations else to flie vnto dreames which their law teacheth neuer considering that humane pollicie cannot preuaile against that which must necessarily happen Agatarchides thought this which he reporteth of vs to be ridiculous but they who weigh it with indifferencie shall perceiue that it is great commendation to our nation who rather suffer their Countrie and our saftie to be lost and endamaged then to violate the lawes of God I thinke I am thus able to shew that many writers omitted to make mention of our nation not for that they knew vs not but for enuie For Ierome who writ a booke of succession in the same time that Hecataeus liued who was a friend vnto King Antigonus and being president of Syria neuer mentioneth vs in all his Historie notwithstanding he was brought vp almost in our Countrie But Haecataeus writ a booke of vs so different are the minds of men for one of them thought our nation worthie to bee diligently recorded the other through malice was hindred from speaking the truth yet the Histories of the Chaldies Aegyptians and Phaenicians may suffice to proue our antiquitie together with the Greeke writers for besides those before mentioned Theophrastus also Theodotus Manaseas Ariphanes Hermogenes Euemeus Conon Zopyrion and many others no doubt for I haue not perused all mens bookes haue manifestly restified of vs. For many of the foresaid men were blinded with errors as not hauing gread our holy Scriptures yet they all ioyntly testifie our antiquitie for which I now alleadge them Truely Demetrius Phalereus Philon the elder and Eupolemus did not much erre from the truth and therefore reason it is that they should be borne with alâ—… for they were not so skilful as to search our writings with so much curiositie Being come thus farre it resteth that I now present one point more wherof I made mention in the beginning of this booke to wit that I declare the detractions and slaunderous reports of diuers concerning our nation to be false and voide of truth and I will vse the testimonie of those writers who record that the lying Historiographers at such time as they committed to writing the foresaid detractions did also euen against themselues register such like slaunders as they did against vs. And I doubt not but that all those who are conuersant in Histories can testifie that the like hath beene done by most writers for certaine priuate hatred or such like respects For some of the Gentiles haue attempted to deface the honour and reputation of the most renowmed Cities and to defame the manners of their Inhabitants Thus did Theopompus
Ant. lib. 14. cap. 11. Alexanders mother striueth to pacifie Gabinius with rewards The change of y e gouernment of the Iewes Ant. lib. 14. cap. 12. Aristobulus escaping from Rome raiseth new troubles Aristobulus fighteth with the Romans The Romans obtaine the victory and cary away Aristobulus and his son to Rome Alexander Aristobulus son once more prouoketh the Iewes to rebellion The Iewes ouercome by the Romans Gabinius ouercommeth the Nabathaeans in battell Ant. lib. 14. cap 13. Marcus crassus taketh away the rest of the gold of the temple Antipaters wife a noble woman of Arabia The yeare of the world 3917 before Christs birth 47. Ant lib. 14. cap. 14. Caesar deliuereth Aristobulus from his bonds Aristobulus his son slain by PoÌ„peies frieÌ„ds Ant. lib. 14. cap. 15. Ptolemaeus son marieth Antigonus yonger daughter and for that cause is slaine by his father Ant. lib. 14. cap. 16. Mithridates goeth to Pelusium therby obtaineth Antigonus helpe Mithridates victory against the Egyptians Antipater performeth many noble exploits and exposeth himselfe to all daunger for Caesars sake Caesar maketh Antipater a free citizen of Rome Antigonus Aristobulus son commeth to Caesar to accuse Pompeies friends for his fathers death The yeare of the world 3917. before the birth of Christs 47. Antigonus fallely accuseth Hyrcanus and Antipater Antipater casting off his garment sheweth his many woundes Caesar createth Hyrcanus hie priest and to Antipater he giueth the gouerâ—…ment of Iudaea Ant. lib. 14. cap. 16. Antipater repaireth y e wals of his country Antipater chargeth his subiects to obey Hyrcanus Phasaelus and Herode Antipaters sonnes Herodes fortitude Herod banisheth y e theeues out of Syria Phasaelus obtained the fauour of the people of Ierusalem Hyrcanus animated by enuious men against Antipater and his sonnes Herode called to his answere before the councell The yeare of the world 3922. before Christs birth 24. Hyrcanus absolueth Herod Hircanus once more incited by the wicked Herode gathering a great army commeth to Ierusalem to depose Hyrcanus Herode disswaded by Antipater from attempting against Hyrcanus Bassus murthereth Sextus Caesar by treason Marcus Sextus successor Ant. lib. 14. cap. 2. Iulius Caesar slaâ—…ne by Brutus Cassius Cassius leuieth money in the cities Herode Cassius friend Cassius seuere in his exactions The yeare of the world 3922. before Christs birth 42. Malichus forgetfull of Antipaters kindnes Antipater gathereth an armie against Malichus Octauius Augustus succeedeth after Caesar Cassius promiseth Herode after the warre to make him king of Iudaea Antipater poisoned by Malichus Herode intendeth to reuege his fathers death Malichus ioyneth with Hyrcanus Cassius chargeth Herode by letters to reuenge his fathers death The decree of fate laugheth at human hope Herods tribunes murther Malichus The yeare of the world 3923 before Christs birth 41. Ant. lib. 14. cap. 20. Foelix commeth with an army against Phasaelus Phasaelus ouercommeth Foelix toucheth Hyrcanus with ingratitude Antigonus Aristobulus son put to flight by Herode Doris Herods first wife of good birth by whom he had Antipater The chiefest Iewes repaire to Caesar to accuse Phasaelus and Herod Ant. lib. 14. cap 21. The Iewes once more coÌ„plaine against y e two brothers Antonius maketh the two brothers Tetrarches Antonius coÌ„mandeth in Tyre Sedition in IerusaleÌ„ against the brethren Antonius slue the captiues The yeare of the world 3923. before the birth of Christ. 41. Ant. lib. 14. cap. 21. Lysanias persuadeth Batzapharnes to depose Hyrcanus and enstate Antigonus A sore fight in the market place betwixt Antigonus and Hyrcanus Daily slaughters in Ierusalem Phasaelus entertaineth the Parthians and with him fiue hundreth horse Pacorus treason and subtiltie The yeare of the world 3924. before the Natiuitie of Christ. 40. * Or free Herode in Ierusalem and Phasaelus in the camp are in danger of their liues The yeare of the world 3924. before Christs birth 40. Herod is laid for to be betraied Herode in the night time flieth into Idumaea Herod more hotely pursued by the Iewes then the Parthians Herods victory Herodium Massada Petra a citie of Arabia The yeare of the world 3925. before Christs birth 39. Antigonus â—…weth off Hircanus eares Phasaelus words before he died The Parthians establish Antigonus king The yeare of the world 3925. before Christs Natiuitie 39. Animaters to impudence Herode perceiueth the Arabians to be his enemies Herod in great dangers repaireth to Rome Herod repairing to Rome hath conference with Antonius Ant. lib. 14. cap. 13. Herod â—…ndeth both Caesar and Antonius fauourable vnto him Herode praised before the Senate Herode made king by the 〈◊〉 Romane Senate The yeare of the world 3925 before Christs birth 39. Ant. lib. 14. cap. 23. Antigonus getteth Massada The wars between Antigonus soldiers Ioseph Herods brother Ventidius the Romane generall taketh money from Antigonus Ant. lib. 14. cap. 24. Herod against Antigonus Herod intendeth that after he hath taken Massada and Ioppe to besiege Ierusalem Herod begirteth Ierusalem with a siege proclaimeth the cause of his comming Siloes subtiltie being corrupted by y e Iewes Herod gathereth great store of prouision The yeare of the world 3925. before Christs birth 39. Herod accompanied with ten troupes commeth to Iericho The Romane got a great pray Ant. lib. 14. cap. 24. Herod taketh the citie of Sephoris Herode setteth forth against the theeues The yeare of the world 3926. before Christs birth 38. Ant. lib. ca. 25. The description of the caues where the theeues kept The yeere of the world 3926. before Christs birth 38. Ptolemey captaine of Herods souldiers slaine Machaeras iniquitie The yeare of the world 3927. before Christs birth 37. Antonius admireth Herods valour Antigonus cruelty against Iosephs care as The yeare of the world 3927. before Christs Natiuitie 37. Herode certified of his brothers death in a dreame Herods dining roume fell after he had forsaken it and gone to bed The number of the carcasses hinder the souldiers passage The yeare of the world 3928 before Christs birth 36. Herode beheadeth Pappus Antigonus captaine Ant. lib. 14. cap. 1â—… Ierusalem besieged The yeare of the world 3929 before Christs birth 35. The Iewes valiantly defend themselues Herods souldiers after fiue moneths siege enter the citie Slaughter in Ierusalem Sosius taketh Antigonus The yeare of the world 3929. before the birth of Christ. 35. Herode liberally bestoweth mony vpoÌ„ the souldiers Antigonus beheaded Ant. lib. 14. cap. 1. Cleopatras cruelty against her kinred Cleopatras couetousnes The yeare of the world 3934. before Christs birth 30. Ant. lib. 15. cap. 5. Clapatras subtill treason against Herode The yeare of the world 3934. before Christs birth 30. Ant. lib. 15. cap. 6. The Arabians defeat Herods army The Actian warre between Antonius and Augustus Another calamitie of Herodes Herodes oration to his dismaied souldiers Feare giueth confidence Thâ—… yâ—…re of 〈◊〉 world 3934. befoâ—… Christs birth 30. Herodes peroration Herode sacrificeth to God before the battell Herode assaileth the enemie The Arabiâ—…
one of the maids were tortured apart all their examinations agreed so that now it was euident wherfore Antipater had compacted to go to Rome and Pheroras beyond the riuer Iordan For they were often wont to say that Herode hauing killed Alexander and Aristobulus now he vvould come to them and their wiues and that it was vnlike that he would spare any one who spared not Mariamme and her sonnes and therefore it was best to flie as farre as it was possible from such a beast And that Antipater was wont often to complaine vnto his mother that now he grew gray-haired and his father waxed young and lustie and that it might so chaunce that hee should neuer liue to bee king or if euer his father died he should enioy the pleasure of the kingdome but a short time And moreouer the heads of Hydra that is to say Alexanders and Aristobulus sons began to spring vp againe and that his father had iniuriously cut off all hope from his sonnes appointing none of them to succeed him but the sonne of Mariamme wherein he was perswaded that he doted if so be hee thought his wil should be of force for he would take such an order that he would leaue none of all his progenie aliue and that Herod was the greatest hater of his sonnes of any father in the world and was not therewithall contented but he also hated his owne brethren Furthermore that he not long ago gaue him an hundreth talents that he should haue no conference with Pheroras and when Pheroras asked wherein they hurt him Antipater answered I would to God that he would take away all men else and leaue onely vs two naked so that he would grant vs life but quoth he it is impossible to escape this dangerous beast who will not suffer men openly to shew friendship to one another Lastly though we now secretly meete yet if we beare the hearts and hands of men the time will be when we may talke and meete openly The maides in torments disclosed these speeches and that Pheroras was determined to fly with them into Petra Herod beleeued all their sayingâ—… and the rather for that which was said concerning the hundreth talents For he said nothing of them to any one but to Antipater And first of all he bent his furie against Doris Antipaters mother and taking from her all the ornaments which he had bestowed vpon her and bought with many talents he banished her When his wrath was somewhat appeased he released Pheroras maids from torments and now he became timorous and feareful and prone to any suspition torturing many that were innocent for feare he should let any escape that were guiltie Hereupon he set vpon Antipater the Samaritane who was procurator for his sonne Antipater who through torments confessed that his sonne Antipater had procured poyson out of Aegypt to kill him by the meanes of a friend of Antiphilus which poyson Theudion Antipaters vncle tooke of him and deliuered to Pheroras whom Antipater charged to dispatch Herod whilest he was at Rome far from suspition and that Pheroras gaue his wife the poyson to keepe Wherefore the king calling for her commaunded her to bring forth that which was deliuered vnto her And she making as though she would haue gone forth to fetch it cast her selfe downe from a house top thereby to preuent the torments which if she were connicted they would inflict vpon her But by the prouidence of God as it should seem it came so to passe that she fel not on her head but vpon her side so escaped death to the end that God might inflict punishment vpon Antipater And being brought vnto the king so soone as she began to come to her selfe for she was amazed with the fall the king demanded of her wherefore she had done so and sware vnto her that if she would truly disclose all he would pardon her for all but if she told an vntruth her bodie should be tome in peeces with torments and not be buried She a while held her peace and at last sayd Wherefore should I keepe any thing secret seeing Pheroras is dead to saue Antipater who hath caused all our ouerthrowes Heare O king and God be witnesse of the truth hereof who cannot be deceiued When I sate weeping by Pheroras as he lay a dying he called me vnto him and said see wife how much I am deceiued concerning my brothers loue towards me for I hated sought to kill him who thus loueth me and sorroweth so much for me though I am not yet dead but truly I am iustly rewarded for my iniquity And now wife bring me hither the poison which was left by Antipater in thy keeping for my brother make it away before my face that I carrie not with me to hell a guiltie conscience for that crime So I brought it as he willed me the most part of the poison I cast into the fire where it was â—…onsumed kept a little therof to my self for feare of mischances and of thee And hauing thus said she brought forth a box which had in it a very little of the poison And then the king tortured the brother mother of Antiphilus and they also confessed that Antiphilus brought a boxe out of Aegypt and that he receiued poison from his brother who practised physicke at Alexandria The ghosts also of Alexander and Aristobulus went all about the whole kingdome and became as it were spies to giue notice of such things as were vncertaine who also caused those that dwelt in the vttermost parts of the kingdome to come and giue euidence of such things as were suspected At last it was proued that Mariamme the daughter of the high Priest was acquainted with these conspiracies for her brethren being tortured did confesse it Wherefore the king reuenged the mothers fault vpon her child for hauing writ in his will that Herod her sonne should succeed Antipater in the kingdome now for her fault he blotted that out CHAP. XX. How Antipaters malicious practises against Herod were knowne and reuenged AFter all this Bathyllus ioyned himselfe with Antipater as it were to adde the last hand vnto all his practises This Bathyllus was one of his libertines who brought another sort of poyson to wit of Aspes and the poison also of other serpents that if the first proued too weake and tooke not effect that then Pheroras and his wife should make an end of the King with these And beside these shamefull practises of his against his father hee also had letters which he had counterfeited against his brethren For Archelaus and Philip two of the kings sonnes were at that time at Rome to studie who were verie toward young men and for that Antipater feared they might be some hinderance to him in that which he expected hee hasted by all meanes possible to make them away And the better to effect his purpose he counterfeited letters in his friends names that were
at Rome and hee for money got others to write that these two young men vsed in taunting wise to raile against their father and openly to complaine of the death of Alexander and Aristobulus and that they tooke it in bad part that they were sent for home for their father sent word that they should come away and thereat Antipater was mâ—…st troubled For he before his departure from Iudaea to Rome procured such like letters to be forged against them at Rome and so deliuering them to his father that he might auoid all suspicion seemed to excuse his brethren affirming some things that were written to bee lies other things to be offences whereunto yong men were prone At which time he gaue great summes of money to them in whose names he had counterfeited the letters against his brethren hereby as it were hiring them to be secret He gaue them also rich apparell and Tapistrie of curious workeâ—… also siluer and golden cups with many things more to the end that by the precious gifts and rewards which he bestowed he might haue all things kept close so that at his returne hee made his father account that he had spent two hundred talents the greatest portion whereof was consumed in following the law against Syllaeus Antipaters small faults were all hid by a greater for all they that had beene tortured gaue euidence against him how that hee practised his fathers death and the letters witnessed how againe he went about to make away other two of his brethren and yet for all this none of those who came out of Iudaea to Rome bare him so mâ—…ch good will as to giue 〈◊〉 intelligence what troubles were in the court at home although it was seuen moneths after 〈◊〉 was conuicted before he came to Iudaea from Rome Peraduenture they who were minded to tell him all were forced to hold their peace by the ghosts of them who were put to death At last he sent letters from Rome to his father that now he would shortly returne home and that Caesar had dismissed him very honorably The king desired greatly that the Traitor were in his power and fearing that if he had an inckling of any matter that hee would looke to himselfe fained great kindnesse towards him and sent backe againe vnto him verie louing and familiar letters willing him to hasten his returne for if he made hast it might be he should obtaine pardon for his mothers offence for Antipater vnderstood that she was banished About this time he receiued a letter at Tarentum wherby he vnderstood the death of Pheroras and greatly lamented it which diuers thought well of Yet as farre as one may coniecture the cause of his griefe was that his treason went not forward as hee wished and hee did lament Pheroras so much as though he had lost one to effect his treacherie Moreouer he feared least that which had passed should come to light and least the poison should be found yet when he came to Cilicia and there receiued his fathers letters which before we mentioned he then made great hast homeward yet when he came to Celenderis hee began earnestly to thinke vpon his mothers mishap 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 hee were certaine for what cause his mother was banished and diuorced For it was to be feared that he should be accused also of the same that was laid to his mothers charge But the vnwiser sort being more desirous to see their countrey then to bethinke themselues what was expedient for Antipater admonished him to make hast least that his long delay should breed any suspition in his father and least thereby he should giue occasion vnto malignant people to raise vp slanders For said they if any thing hath passed against you it was in your absence were you in presence no man durst do nor speake against you and it were a verie vnwise part for vncertaine suspitions to depriue himselfe of certaine felicitie and not to returne speedily vnto his father and receiue the kingdome at his hands who had him in whom onely his hope was This counsell for fortune would haue it so Antipater followed so arriued in the hauen of Cesarea passing Sebaste where contrarie to his expectation he fell into a great sorrow and admiration for all men eschewed his companie and no man durst come neere him For although that he was alwayes hated of them yet then they had libertie to shew their hatred Manie abstained from comming to him for feare of the king and now the rumour of those things which Antipater had done was knowne in euerie Citie and to euerie man only Antipater himselfe was ignorant thereof For there was neuer any man brought thither with more maiestie then he when hee was to saile to Rome nor neuer any man more basely entertained at his returne And now vnderstanding of the massacre at home he craftily made himselfe ignorant thereof and notwithstanding that he was almost dead for feare yet in his countenance he counterfeited confidence For hee could not now possibly make anie escape nor rid himselfe out of those present daungers and yet he heard no certaine newes of matters at home nor there for the king by an edict had forbidden all men to giue him notice thereof So that manie times he comforted himselfe thus that either all matters concerning him were yet secret or if any thing was come to light that he by policie and impudencie could acquite himselfe thereof for these two were his refuge and hope Being thus determined he went into the kings pallace alone without anie of his friendes and followers which at the verie first gate were most contumeliously repulsed And by chaunce Varus the ruler of Syria was there within then he boldly going in to his father came neere vnto him as though hee would haue saluted him But Herode stretching forth his hand and shaking his head cried out O thou that hast attempted to murther thy father darest thou yet presume to offer to embrace me who art guiltie of so manie treacheries God confound thee wicked wretch and come not neere me till thou hast cleared thy selfe of all that which is laid against thee for thou shalt haue iustice and Varus shall be thy iudge who is by good fortune now here Go and premeditate how to acquite thee against to morrow for I will giue thy subtill and craftie braine some time to do it Hereat Antipater was astonished with feare that he was not able to reply anie thing but so went his way Presently his mother and his wife came vnto him and told him all the proofes of treasons against him Then he calling his wits together be thought himselfe how to answere euerie point The next day the king caused an assemblie of his friends and kinsfolks and to them admitted Antipaters friends and he and