speake any more He that constrained vs to raise our swords against the Romans was Florus who made his account that it was better for them to die all at once in great troupes then to perish by little and little In briefe the warre began the second yeere of the gouernment of Florus in that prouince which was the twelfth yeere of Neros Empire But they that desire to know exactly all that which we haue beene constrained both to doe and suffer may peruse my bookes as touching the Warres of the Iewes For which cause in this place I will end this ancient historie after which I haue begun to describe the historie of the Warre This auncient historie containeth all that which hath been reported to be done since the first creation of man vntill the twelfth yeere of Neros Empire omitting nothing that hath befallen the Iewes as well in Aegypt as in Syria and Palestine All that likewise which we haue beene enforced to suffer vnder the Assyrians and Babylonians as also our estate vnder the Persians and Macedons and finally vnder the Romans All this as I suppose I haue compiled and gathered togither with carefull diligence and I haue enforced my selfe to recite the number of those who haue been high priest for the space of two thousand yeeres I haue also collected the succession of kings their actions and gouernments with the power of their monarchies according as it is amply described in holy scriptures as also I haue promised in the beginning of my historie Furthermore I dare boldly say that whatsoeuer I haue set downe is so assured that there is no man either Iew or of what nation soeuer yea although he should haue employed the vttermost of his power could more exactly communicate the same vnto the Greekes then I haue done For in their confessions and opinions who are of our nation I haue such knowledge in that which concerneth our doctrine as I surpasse them all And as touching the Grecian disciplines I haue studied and learnt the toung although I cannot boast of the familiar and fit pronunciation of the same for that I haue liued in the countrey For amongst vs we make but slender reckoning of those who are exercised in diuers tongues for that this study is accounted prophane by vs and common not only vnto free persons but also vnto slaues and they onely are esteemed to haue profited in wisedome who fully know the contents of the lawe and who can expound the holy scriptures For this cause although diuers haue trauailed in this exercise of writing histories yet are there scarcely two or three of them that haue written successefully and haue receiued the fruits of their labours And it may be that it shall not be misthought of if I freely speake somewhat of my progenie and life considering that there are men at this day liuing who can approue or reproue me in that I set downe And in this place will I make an end of mine ancient historie which I haue reduced into twentie bookes containing sixtie thousand verses And if God grant me life I will shortly entreat of our warres and the euents of the same that haue hapned hitherto which is the thirteenth yeere of Domitianus Caesars Empire and the fiftie sixe yeere of mine age Moreouer I am resolued to discouer in foure bookes the diuers opinions of the sects of the Iewes as touching God and his essence and our lawes according to which certaine things are permitted vs and othersome are forbidden The end of the Antiquities of the Iewes THE LIFE OF FLAVIVS IOSEPHVS THE SONNE OF MATTHIAS WRITTEN BY HIMSELFE KNOW therfore that I am not basely but nobly descended being both on the father and mothers side deriued from the line of the priests for as much as some are accustomed to draw the ground of their nobility the one from this man the other from that so among our nation the marke of true nobilitie is to deriue a mans petegree from the priesthood Touching my selfe I am not only lineally issued from the priests but I draw my original from them who amongst the foure twenty ranks or families of priests iustly chalenge the superioritie Moreouer by my mothers side I am of the bloud royall For the heires of the Asmoneans from whom she is descended haue for a long time exercised the priesthood and princely power among our nation I wil likewise make it knowne how my predecessors haue succeeded the one after the other My great grandfathers father was Simon surnamed Psellus that is the stutterer who liued at such time as Hircanus the high priest the first of that name and the sonne of Simon the high priest was in office This Simon Psellus had nine sonnes the one of these was Matthias surnamed Aphlias This Matthias tooke to wife the daughter of the high priest Ionathan by whom he had one sonne who was Matthias surnamed Curtus who was borne in the first yeere of Hircanus priesthood Matthias begat Ioseph the ninth yeere of Alexandras gouernment and of Ioseph came Matthias the tenth yeere of the raigne of Archelaus and Matthias begat me the first yeere of the Empire of Caius Caesar. I likewise haue three sonnes mine eldest is Hircanus who was borne in the fourth my next Iustus who was borne in the seuenth and Agrippa my last was borne in the ninth yeere of Vespasians Empire This genealogie of mine do I in this manner propose according as I haue found it written in the publike registers to put them to silence who shal pretend to reproue or detract the same My father Matthias was not onely famous for his expresse nobilitie but hath also beene praised by reason of his iustice and authoritie in Ierusalem which is the mother citie of all the rest in our countrey My bringing vp during my tender yeeres was with Matthias who was my brother by the same father and mother with whom I happily profited in all kind of sciences hauing a good memorie and a quick apprehending spirit so that being as yet a child of fourteene yeers of age I was praised by al men in regard of the good affection I bare to learning and the priests noblest citizens alwaies assembled about me to receiue certaine exact instructions from me in any thing that concerned our ordinances About the age of sixteene yeeres my desire was to haue a search and insight into the sects of our nation which as I haue said are three the first of the Pharisees which is the chiefest The second of the Sadduces And the third of the Esseans For I truly thought with my selfe that I might easily choose the better of the three at such time as I had beene exercised and acquainted with them all for which cause with great abstinence and no lesse labour I passed thorow them all and not content with this experience after I had heard that a certaine man called Banus liued in the desart clothing himselfe with that which
high priest and because of his dull nature she thought that though he were in princely authoritie yet he would molest no man and therefore also made him king As for the yongest son Aristobulus because he was of a hot spirit she was willing that he should liue a priuate life Now there was a certaine sect among the Iewes which were called Pharisees who ioyned themselues with the Queene these people were thought to be of the godliest sort and to be more skilfull then other in interpreting the scriptures and for that cause Alexandra fauoured them the more because she was superstitiously giuen to religion These hauing by little and little insinuated themselues into the fauour of a simple woman now did domineere at their pleasure displacing deposing imprisoning and restoring to libertie whom they pleased for no other purpose but that they might enioy the profites and commodities of the kingdome and Alexandra bare all charges This Queene was alwayes desirous of high attempts and dayly studied to encrease her wealth she leuied two armies and hired a great many strangers whereby shee did not onely strengthen her owne countrey but also made her selfe to be feared of other nations She ruled others but her selfe was ruled by the Pharisees who at last killed Diogenes who was a gallant man and highly in fauour with king Alexander affirming that through his counsell the king commanded those eight hundred before mentioned to bee crucified and further they perswaded the Queene Alexandra that she should put to death all others through whose counsell Alexander her husband had beene incited against those eight hundred The Queene being blinded with superstition thought it vnlawfull to denie any thing which they requested so tha◅ they put to death whom they pleased till such time as the chiefest of those who were in this danger in humble wise came to Aristobulus who perswaded his mother to spare them for their dignitie and banish others whom she thought had deserued punishment who hauing obtained their liberty dispersed themselues through the whole country Now Alexandra sent an armie to Damascus and because Ptolomeus daylie vexed the citie she tooke it without doing anie thing worthy of memory she did solicite Tigranes king of Armenia with gifts and promises who with an armie had besieged Ptolemais wherein Cleopatra was but he for feare of troubles in his owne countrey in that Lucullus had entred into Armenia withdrew himselfe from thence In the meane time Alexandra being sicke her youngest sonne Aristobulus with his seruants which were manie in number all trusty for the heat their yong yeares got all the castels and hiring soldiers with the money he found in those castles he proclaimed himself king But Alexandra pitying the complaints of Hircanus imprisoned the wife and children of Aristobulus in a castle neere vnto the North part of the temple which in olde time was called Baris as wee said before afterwards Antonius being Emperour it was called Antonia as in like manner Sebaste and Agrippias other cities were named of Augustus and Agrippa But Alexandra died before she could reuenge Hircanus of the wrongs which Aristobulus had done him This Queene reigned nine yeeres left Hircanus in possession of al whom during her life time she had aduanced to the kingdome But Aristobulus being both stronger in power and more esteemed in authoritie encountred with his brother about Iericho where many of Hircanus souldiours forsaking their king fled vnto Aristobulus for which cause both he the remnāt of those that followed him were forced to flie into the castle called Antonia where he found hostages to redeem him For as we haue already said Aristobulus wife and children were imprisoned in that place and least any worse mishap should betide him he concluded a peace vpon condition that Aristobulus should bee king and that he as brother to the king would content himselfe with other dignities Vpon these conditions they were made friends in the Temple where in the presence of all the people they in most friendly sort embraced each other which when they had done they changed houses and Aristobulus went into the kings pallace and Hircanus vnto Aristobulus his house CHAP. V. Of the warre betweene Hircanus and the Arabians and of the taking of Ierusalem NOw a sodaine feare inuaded all the enemies of Aristobulus when they saw him contrarie to all expectation made king and especially Antipater aboue all others whom Aristobulus a long time had hated This Antipater was an Idumaean borne and for his nobilitie and riches was the chiefest and best reputed of his nation This man perswaded Hircanus to flie vnto Aretas king of Arabia and craue his helpe to set him in his kingdome Furthermore he perswaded Aretas likewise to receiue Hyrcanus and to helpe him to recouer his kingdome speaking much against the manners of Aristobulus and praising Hyrcanus adding that he being king of so famous a nation ought to assist those who were vniustly oppressed and that Hyrcanus had manifest iniurie offered him being forced to forsake his kingdome which by the right of succession was due vnto him After he had thus made his way he in the night time tooke Hyrcanus and fled with him foorth of the Citie and making all haste possible they arriued at a towne called Petra with safetie which is a towne where the kings of Arabia were accustomed to keepe their court there he deliuered Hyrcanus into the kings hands and through many gifts and intreaties obtained the fauour that he might be conducted into his kingdome And to the effecting of the same Aretas gaue him an army of fifty thousand horse and foote which power since Aristobulus was not able to resist he was ouercome vpon the first onset and was forced to flie vnto Ierusalem and he had been surely taken if Scaurus a captaine of the Romans by taking opportunitie at those troubles had notraised the siege For Pompey the Great who warred againg Tigranes sent him out of Armenia into Syria who comming to Damascus found it newly taken by Metellus and Lolius who dismissing them from thence and finding how matters stood in Iudaea hasted thither in hope of a bootie So soone as he entred into the confines of the countrey both of the brethren sent embassadours vnto him desiring him to take their parts but Aristobulus hauing sent him three hundreth talents he neglected to doe Iustice for hauing receiued that sum Scaurus sent messengers vnto the Arabians and Hyrcanus threatning the displeasure of the Romans and Pompey except they would presently raise their siege for which cause Aretas being much abashed returned out of Iudaea vnto Philadelphia and Scaurus repaired vnto Damascus Yet sufficed it not Aristobulus that he had escaped from being taken but that gathering all his forces togither he pursued his enemies and ioyning battell with them about Papyron he slew six thousand of them in which number was Cephalon Antipaters brother But Hyrcanus and Antipater being destitute of the
was vpon the point of execution surprised her at such time as she thought to flye and yet notwithstanding he pardoned her that fault in that he durst not decree any punishmēt against hir though he could haue found in his heart to haue vsed seueritie for that Cleopatra vvould not haue contained her selfe had she but had such an occasiō offered her to expresse her hatred against Herod For which cause vnder the colour of a high and magnanimous spirit he made shewe to pardon her of his meere clemencie yet inwardly resolued hee to make young Aristobulus away yet not rashly and vpon the instant least the act should growe apparant and palpable Now the feast of Tabernacles was at hand which was one of those that was ceremoniously and solemnly celebrated among vs for which cause he concealed his intents during the festiuall daies intending both in himselfe and in the presence and companie of the people to follow all kinde of pleasure and delight yet did his enny incite him to hasten the execution of his will Aristobulus was at that time some seuenteene yeere olde who at such time as he approched the altar to offer sacrifices according to the lawe apparelled in the high priests ornaments to performe the ceremonies he who for amiable countenance and goodly stature surpassed the young and tendernesse of his yeeres expressing in his countenance the dignitie and nobilitie of his race drew the eies and good affection of all the people vnto him so that they openly called to remembrance the noble actions of Aristobulus his grandfather All the people therfore being surmounted by those their affections and at that present time being all of them troubled with the ioy they conceiued they brake out by little and little into happy acclamations mixed with wishes and praiers so that the good will the people bare to Aristobulus discouered it selfe openly and they manifestly although too hastily in such a kingdome declared what euils they generally endured For all which causes Herode concluded to execute that which he had heretofore complotted and conceited against Aristobulus As soone therefore as the feast was ouerpassed he soiourned in Iericho where Alexandra entertained him In that place he vsed Aristobulus with all kindnesse to the end to draw him into some place where he feared nothing playing also with him and counterfaiting to sport after the fashion of the young men to gratifie him Now for that the place where they disported themselues was by nature too hoat they quickly wearied left their sport and went out togither to take the fresh aire and recouering a pleasant shade vnder certaine arbors and neere certaine fishpooles which were largely spread round about they beheld certain of their seruants and friends that swomme therein with whom not long after Aristobulus began to swim being perswaded thereunto by Herode Whereupon Herodes confederates who were deputed to execute the murther laid hands of him and thrust him vnder the water pretending to duck him in sport and neuer gaue him ouer vntill such time as they had stifled him in the water This hapned about the euening and after this manner died Aristobulus after he had liued in all for the space of eighteene yeeres and administred the priesthood one whole yeere and after this Ananel presently recouered his former dignitie Now when this accident was reported to the women all of them were sodainly deuoured in teares and transported with strange lamentations which they spent ouer the dead body All the Citie also was marueilously amated neither was there any priuate family that thought not it selfe touched by this inconuenient but imagined the losse in particular to concerne himselfe and no other But aboue all when Alexandra had notice of this wicked deede she was more passionate and perplexed then any other being so much the more discomforted for that she knew how all things had hapned But the feare of a farre greater mischiefe constrained her to represse her passion in such sort that diuers times she was ready to bereaue her of her owne life and dispatch her selfe out of miserie with her owne hands But she contained her selfe to the end that suruiuing and liuing after her sonne who was so traiterously and fraudulently slaine and prolonging her owne life without giuing any suspition or shadow that she supposed her sonne to be thus cursedly murthered she might with more opportunitie expect the occasion to reuenge her selfe For which cause she dissembled all things gouerned her griefe and made shew that she knew nothing of that which was either intended or had hapned As for Herode he laboured by all means to perswade the strangers that this death had befallen Aristobulus without his knowledge and did not onely prepare that which was requisite for the funerall but vext himselfe likewise made shew of a man truely deuoured in his sorrow and it may be that in remembrance of Aristobulus beauty and flourishing young yeeres he was truely touched with compassion notwithstanding that he imagined that this death of his should be a means of his intire securitie demeasning himselfe in all things very circumspectly with intent to purge himselfe of that crime But especially he shewed his great magnificence in the interring of his body both in the furnishing and preparation of the herse as in the perfumes and other things thereunto belonging in such sort as the griefe which the Ladies had conceiued was pacified after this manner of consolation CHAP. IIII. Cleopatra thirsting after the kingdomes of Arabia and Iewry laboureth to beg a part of them at Anthonies hands BVt none of all these things could either mooue or mollifie Alexandra but that daily more and more she increased her sorrow and in the heart of her teares kindled her wrath and heate with a desire of reuenge She therefore certified Cleopatra by her priuate letters of Herodes treasons and her sonnes most miserable and vntimely death Cleopatra long before that time desirous to assist her and hauing compassion of her miserie vndertooke the matter and ceased not to incite Anthony to reuenge Aristobulus death telling him that it was an vnpardonable errour that Herode being created king in such a state whereunto he had no right should be suffered to practise such conspiracies against the true and lawfull kings Anthony perswaded by these her words as soone as he came vnto Laodicea sent for Herode to the end that making his appearance he might answere that which might be obiected against him as touching Aristobulus death for he disliked the act notvvithstanding that Herode himselfe had attempted it But although Herode vvas affraid of this accusation and did not a little suspect Cleopatraes displeasure for that she ceased not continually to prouoke Anthony against him yet obeyed he this commandement and transported himselfe thither the rather for that he durst not otherwise do notwithstanding he left his vncle Ioseph behind him committing the gouernment both of the kingdome his priuate
with like hatred that they were hated of them For they for their ingenuous manners and noble race dissembled not their anger but with lauish tongues declared their mindes But Salome and Pheroras contrariwise enuiously and craftily prepared themselues a way by calumniations alwaies prouoking the magnanimous spirits of these young men whose fiercenesse might soone bring them into suspition with their father to the intent that hee might gather hereby that they wanted not will to reuenge their mothers death yea euen with their owne hands forasmuch as they were not ashamed to be the children of such a mother and would contend that she was vniustly put to death And now all the whole Citie talked of them euerie one pitying the young mens simplicitie Salome not ceasing to gather by their owne speeches probable arguments of suspition that they did not only take their mothers death impatiently but also raging like young men did both bewaile her death and their owne case who were compelled to liue with the murtherers of their infortunat mother as it were contaminat themselues with liuing amongst them And the absence of the king greatly increased this their dissension who being returned and hauing made a speech vnto the people he presently was admonished both by Pheroras and Salome his sister that he was in great danger by reason of the two young men who did openly boast that they would be reuenged of them that killed their mother feining moreouer that they were incouraged for that they hoped that Archelaus king of Cappadocia would helpe them to accuse their father vnto Caesar. Herod hearing this was greatly troubled and so much the more for that he heard the same also reported vnto him by others And hereby he was put in memorie of that which was past how that for the dissension of his house he could not long enioy his friends and dearest wife And as it were foreseeing by that that was past what would ensue and fearing some greater calamitie would befall him he was altogither amazed And truely as abroad he was most fortunate aboue all hope so at home he was most vnhappy and infortunate beyond mens opinion So that one may well doubt whether his fortunate successe abroad did counteruaile his misfortunes at home or whether it had beene more expedient for him to haue had neither the one nor the other but to haue had onely a common and ordinarie fauour at fortunes hands Deliberating thus with himselfe he thought it good to call vnto the court another sonne of his whom he begat when he was a priuate man and to grace him with honours and to oppose him against the other two brethren to the end to bring downe and represse their fierce and hautie mindes this sonne of his was called Antipater not minded which after ouercome by affection he did to make him sole heire of all but thinking hereby to bridle Mariammes children and to diminish their arrogancie by setting them see that it was not needfull to keepe the inheritance of so flourishing a kingdome onely for them wherefore he introduced Antipater one opposed against them that thereby the young men laying their pride aside might shew themselues more tractable to their father and so now hee thought he had by this meanes prouided for the safetie of these young men But it fell out farre otherwise then he expected for the young men esteemed this fact as an iniurie done vnto them And Antipater was of that nature that hauing gotten promotion contrarie to his expectation he did endeuour all waies possible to be in greater account with his father then the two young men who was now through false accusations alienated from him and euerie day as he also desired ready to beleeue any thing that might incense him against them Wherefore this was all his labour yet had he an especiall care not to be thought an accuser of his brethren but he vsed others of his accomplices whom the king nothing suspected who for the trust the king put in them might also haue better credit giuen vnto their words For now this man had many followers and fauourers as it were gaping after preferment by his meanes who with a kinde of counterfeit goodwill made a shewe of loue and goodwill towards Herode And being many in number and trusty one to an other the young men were euerie day entrapped more and more for many times they shed teares for very griefe of the contumelies and iniuries that they suffered and many times they mentioned their mother and complained vnto those whom they thought to be their friends of their father as one that dealt not well with them all which Antipaters partakers malitiously noting and adding therunto something of their own inuention they did presently tell it vnto Herode and so did nourish the dissension of his house For the king being mooued hereat and purposing to humble Mariammes children did daily encrease and augment Antipaters honours and at his entreaties at last brought his mother into the court and many times secretly writing vnto Caesar in fauour of Antipater he especially commended him in particular vnto him and being to sayle to salute Agrippa who now was to depart out of Asia hauing gouerned that prouince ten yeeres he onely tooke with him Antipater of all his sonnes whom also he committed vnto Agrippa with many gifts to go with him to Rome and to be brought into fauour with Caesar so that now all things seemed to be done as it were by this mans becke and the young men to be already disinherited CHAP. VII How Antipater liuing at Rome Herode brought Alexander and his brother thither and accused them before Caesar. THis iourney did greatly aduantage Antipater and increase his honour and preeminence aboue his brethren for he became famous at Rome being by his fathers letters commended vnto all his friends there yet this was a great griefe vnto him that he could not daily calumniate his brethren for he feared least his fathers minde should change and so hee should affect Mariammes children most This was his daily cogitation but though he were absent yet he ceased not by letters to incite his father against them as hauing care of his safetie but in deede for that he thereby through his bad practises hoped to obtaine the kingdome so that he so encreased Herodes wrath against them that he now was become a deadly enemy vnto the young men But indeuouring to resist this affection and fearing rashly in his anger to commit any thing to preiudice them he determined to saile againe to Rome and there accuse his sons before Caesar least he being lead away thorow indignation and displeasure conceiued against the young men should seeme to cast off all loue fatherly affection towards them And repairing to Rome and not finding Caesar there he followed him vnto Aquileia and comming to speech of him and requesting him to take notice of his misfortunes he presented his
but also prouided victuals for his army Whereupon the citizens of Memphis would not fight but yeelded of their own accord vnto Mithridates so that passing through Delta he fought with the other Aegyptians in a place called the tents of the Iewes being with all his cōpany in danger he was rescued by Antipater who marching along the riuer side set vpon discomfited the left wing of the enemies battel rushing vpon them that pressed vpon Mithridates he slue many pursued the rest that fled till he got their tents and al with the losse of fourescore men But Mithridates flying lost eight hundreth men being against all hope preserued out of those wars was without all enuie a true witnes before Caesar of al that vvhich Antipater had both done deserued Wherupon Caesar redoubled his courage vvith praise and promises vnto him and made him forward to hazard himselfe for him In a word he proued shewed himselfe a stout vvarrior hauing many vvounds in euery part of his bodie he bare a badge testimonie of his valour and vertue Afterward when the state of Aegypt was quiet he returned into Syria where he made him a citizen of Rome and granted him the immunities thereof and did so honour him in other things and vse him so friendly that he made him a patterne for all to imitate and for his sake he confirmed Hyrcanus in the high Priesthood CHAP. VIII How Antipater was accused before Caesar of the Priesthood of Hyrcanus and how Herode made warre AT the same time Antigonus the sonne of Aristobalus repairing to Caesar against his will was a cause of Antipaters greater felicity for comming to complain of his fathers death who was as it was thought through Pompeies enuie poisoned and to accuse Scipio of crueltie which was vsed against his brother whereas he should haue abandoned all passion which moued him to mingle hatred with his miseries contrariwise he accused Hyrcanus and Antipater as though they had vniustly driuen him and his brethren out of their natiue soile and grieuously iniured the people to obtaine their intent Alleadging that they had sent aide into Aegypt to Caesars forces not for good will but for feare of auncient enmitie and that hereby they might acquite themselues of the good will they bare to Pompey At these words Antipater casting away his vesture shewed the number of his wounds saying it was not needfull to vse words to proue what affection he had borne to Caesar for his verie body would shew it although hee himselfe held his peace adding that he admired the impudent boldnesse of Antigonus who being sonne to an enemie of the Romans and a fugitiue from the Romans and still continued his fathers purpose of noueltie and sedition should dare to accuse others before the Roman Emperour demaunding of him how he durst hope to obtaine any good thing who ought to be contented with his life onely alleadging that hee craued not maintenance for that he wanted but that he might raise a rebellion amongst the Iewes and against them who should bestow any thing vpon him Which when Caesar heard he said that Hyreanus was most worthy to be high priest and bid Antipater wish what dignitie he would haue who leauing that to the pleasure of the giuer he was made gouernour of all Iudaea And moreouer he obtained to reedifie the rased wals of his countrey and Caesar commanded that those honours should be engraued in the Capitoll that it might be a token in time to come of Antipaters Iustice and vertue Antipater hauing attended Caesar out of Syria first of all repaired the ruined walles of his countrey which Pompey had raced and going thorowout all the countrey he threatned the obstinate and perswaded the seditious to obedience admonishing them that if they obeied Hyrcanus they might liue in wealth and peace and enioy happinesse and an vniuersall selicitie but if they suffered themselues to be led with the vaine hopes of those who for their priuate commodities sought for alteration that then they should find him in steed of a Procurator the Lord of all and Hyrcanus in steed of a king a tyrant and the Romans and Caesar in steed of friends deadly enemies for that they would not suffer his power to be ouerthrowne whom they themselues had established for king But notwithstanding he spake these words yet because he saw Hyrcanus more dull and not of so seruent a spirit as the care of a kingdome required he himselfe setled the estate of the countrey and made Phasaelus his eldest sonne gouernour of the army and the Lord of Ierusalem and of his owne liuing and sent Herode his youngest son to gouerne Galilee although he was very young who being by nature of a valiant courage found out a present occasion to shew his braue minde for he tooke Ezechias which was captain of theeues who as he vnderstood was woont to pray vpon the confines of Syria with a great multitude and put him to death with many other theeues which thing was so gratefull vnto the Syrians that in all townes and villages they made songs of Herod as though he had restored them to peace and to their possessions At length the glorie of this fact came to the eares of Sextus Caesar who was Caesar the Emperours kinsman who then ruled Syria Phasaelus also did striue to ouercome the towardnesse and good reputation of his brother by daily increasing and winning to himselfe the good wils of the inhabitants of Ierusalem so that during the time he gouerned the Citie he did nothing insolently through might or power for which cause the people honoured Antipater as their king and reuerenced him as Lord of all yet was his fidelitie and good will neuerthelesse towards Hyrcanus But it is impossible that any man that liueth in prosperitie should not be enuied For Hyrcanus although before time he were mooued something at the glorie of these young men and especially with the prosperous successe of Herod being often annoied with frequent messengers who spred his praise for euerie thing he did yet in particular he was stirred vp by many enuious persons who are woont to haunt the courts of Princes who were grieued that Antipater and his sonnes ruled without offence These men tolde Hyrcanus that he onely enioyed the bare name of a king and that Antipater and his sonnes ruled all and that he so long would permit winke at them til that at last they would make themselues kings for they now did no more so much as pretend themselues to be procurators But leauing that title they took vpon them the dignities of Lords and maisters without any regard or reuerence toward him for Herod had put to death a great multitude of Iewes against the law whereas neither by word of mouth nor by writing the king had giuen him any such authoritie and that Herode if he were not a king but a priuate
ground After this he presently assaulted Oboda king of the Arabians who hauing laid ambushments in the countrey of Galaad in a place fit for such a purpose discomfited him and his whole army being driuen thence into a deepe valley where they were pestered with a multitude of Camels But Alexander escaped vnto Ierusalem where the people who had conceiued a hatred against him being encouraged by his great losse and slaughter of men began againe to rebell but then also he ouercame them and in six yeeres space at sundry battels he slewe aboue fiftie thousand Iewes notwithstanding he neuer reioiced in his victorie because the strength of his country was consumed thereby For which cause giuing ouer his warres he began to seeke the peoples fauour by sweete and milde speeches but they so much hated his inconstant and variable manners that when he demaunded of them what he might doe to win their fauours they answered if he would die for that scarcely they would pardon him if so be he were dead who had committed so many hainous crimes And thereupon the Iewes sent vnto Demetrius surnamed Aâ—…aerus for helpe who in hope of great rewards came and ioyned his forces with the Iewes about Sichem where Alexander met them both with a thousand horsmen and six thousand footmen that were hired hauing at that time ten thousand Iewes his fauourites and of the contrarie part there were three thousand horsemen and forâ—…ie thousand footmen Before the fight began the two kings sent messengers one vnto anothers army perswading one anothers men to forsake their colours and captaines for Demetrius hoped that Alexanders hired men would haue forsaken Alexander and come vnto him Alexander hoped that the Iewes that followed Demetrius would haue left Demetrius and come to him But when both parties perceiued that the Iewes continued obstinate in their purpose and the Greekes kept their fidelitie the two armies encountred in which encounter Demetrius had the vpper hand although Alexanders hirelings euidently shewed strength and courage But the end of this victorie was such as neither partie expected for they who sent for Demetrius after his victorie did forsake him and fortune chaunging her colours six thousand Iewes fled vnto Alexander into the mountaines whither for saferie he had betaken himselfe This reuolting much displeased discouraged Demetrius for he now thought that Alexander vniting his forces was able to bid him battel he feared that al the Iewes would at that present follow Alexander for which cause he returned home Yet the rest of the Iewes hauing thus lost the helpe of Demetrius would not for all this desist from their rebellion nay they so long warred with Alexander till at last the most of them being slaine he droue the rest into the citie of Bemeselin and when he had surprised and sackt the citie he led them captiues into Ierusalem But immoderate anger turned his crueltie into impietie for hauing crucified eight hundreth captiues in the middest of the citie he killed their wiues and the children he massacred before their mothers faces and this pitifull spectacle he beheld with pleasure drinking and making merry with his concubines Whereat the people were so terrified that the night after eight thousand of the contrarie part fled out of the countrey of Iudaea who staied in banishment during the life of Alexander Thus after he had by those actions sought for the tranquillitie of his kingdome which he obtained not but with long time and great difficultie he ceased to make warre against his countrey CHAP. IIII. Of the warre of Alexander with Antiochus and Aretas and of Alexandra and Hircanus AFter this Antiochus who likewise was called Dionysius the brother to Demetrius who was the last of all the race of Seleucus raised vp new broiles against Alexander who fearing him because he had prepared warre against the Arabians drew a deepe trench along that ground which lieth betweene Antipatris and the sea coast of Ioppe and before the trench he builded a verie high wall and raised towers of wood to hinder his enemies passage But all this could not keepe out Antiochus but that burning the towers and filling vp the trenches he entred and passed ouer them with his forces And not tarrying at that time to reuenge himselfe of him who had thus forbidden him passage â—…he presently marched forward against the Arabians But the king of Arabia retiring himselfe into certaine places of his countrey which were fittest for defence returning sodainly to battel with his horsmen who were in num ber ten thousand rushed hastily vpon Antiochus souldiers and found them vnprouided so that a hotte skirmish began betwixt them in which the souldiers of Antiochus whilst he liued shewed themselues valiant though they were on euerie side massacred by the Arabians but so soon as he was slaine who was alwaies readie to assist those that were in danger all of them fled and the greatest part of them were slaine in the battaile and in flight as for those that escaped they fled into the towne of Cana where they all except a very few died for hunger After this the people of Damascus being incited by the hatred they bare to Ptolomey the sonne of Mineus sent for Aretas and established him King ouer Coelesyria who warring against Iudaea and ouercomming Alexander in battell retired himâ—…lfe vpon composition Alexander hauing taken Pella resorted once more to the towne of Gerasa in that he was desirous of Theodorus riches and tooke the place notwithstanding that it was foâ—…ified with three walles and that vpon euerie wall there was planted a garrison He tooke Gaulan and Seleucia and that towne which is called the valley of Antiochus Moreouer hauing taken Gamala which was a most strong castle and imprisoned the gouernour thereof who was called Demetrius because he was a wicked person he returned into Iudaea after he had spent three yeeres in warrâ—…s where for his prosperous successe he was ioyfully receiued of his nation But no sooner ceased he from warre but he fell sicke and falling into a quartaine ague he thought that he should driue away his sicknes if he employed himselfe in some busines for which cause being not rid of his disease he applied himselfe to warre and labouring aboue his strength amids those tumults yeelded vp the ghost in the seuen and thirtith yeere of his raigne leauing the kingdome to Alexandra his wife fully acouâ—…ting that the Iewes would in all things obey her because that she alwaies by misliking and seeking to hinder his crueltie and iniquitie had woone the hearts of the people Neither was he doceiued for she being admired for her pietie amongst them obtained the principalitie the rather for that she was well acquainted with the customes of her countrey and euen from her childhood detested them who violated the holy law She had by Alexander two sonnes the eldest was called Hircanus whom by reason of his yeeres she proclaimed