the antiquities of the jews-1-第154章

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always　preferred　the　present　to　futurity；　and　preferred　the　power
of　an　imperious　dominion　above　all　things；　and　in　comparison　of
that　had　no　regard　to　what　was　good；　or　what　was　right。　However；
she　brought　the　affairs　of　her　house　to　such　an　unfortunate
condition；　that　she　was　the　occasion　of　the　taking　away　that
authority　from　it；　and　that　in　no　long　time　afterward；　which　she
had　obtained　by　a　vast　number　of　hazards　and　misfortunes；　and
this　out　of　a　desire　of　what　does　not　belong　to　a　woman；　and　all
by　a　compliance　in　her　sentiments　with　those　that　bare　ill…will
to　their　family；　and　by　leaving　the　administration　destitute　of　a
proper　support　of　great　men；　and；　indeed；　her　management　during
her　administration　while　she　was　alive；　was　such　as　filled　the
palace　after　her　death　with　calamities　and　disturbance。　However；
although　this　had　been　her　way　of　governing；　she　preserved　the
nation　in　peace。　And　this　is　the　conclusion　of　the　affairs　of；
Alexandra。

BOOK　XIV。

Containing　The　Interval　Of　Thirty…Two　Years。

From　The　Death　Of　Queen　Alexandra　To　The　Death　Of　Antigonus。

CHAPTER　1。

The　War　Between　Aristobulus　And　Hyrcanus　About　The　Kingdom；　And
How　They　Made　Anagreement　That　Aristobulus　Should　Be　King；　And
Hyrcanus　Live　A　Private　Life；　As　Also　How　Hyrcanus　A　Little
Afterward　Was　Persuaded　By　Antipater　To　Fly　To　Aretas。

1。　We　have　related　the　affairs　of　queen　Alexandra；　and　her　death；
in　the　foregoing　book　and　will　now　speak　of　what　followed；　and
was　connected　with　those　histories；　declaring；　before　we　proceed；
that　we　have　nothing　so　much　at　heart　as　this；　that　we　may　omit
no　facts；　either　through　ignorance　or　laziness；　（1）　for　we　are
upon　the　history　and　explication　of　such　things　as　the　greatest
part　are　unacquainted　withal；　because　of　their　distance　from　our
times；　and　we　aim　to　do　it　with　a　proper　beauty　of　style；　so　far
as　that　is　derived　from　proper　words　harmonically　disposed；　and
from　such　ornaments　of　speech　also　as　may　contribute　to　the
pleasure　of　our　readers；　that　they　may　entertain　the　knowledge　of
what　we　write　with　some　agreeable　satisfaction　and　pleasure。　But
the　principal　scope　that　authors　ought　to　aim　at　above　all　the
rest；　is　to　speak　accurately；　and　to　speak　truly；　for　the
satisfaction　of　those　that　are　otherwise　unacquainted　with　such
transactions；　and　obliged　to　believe　what　these　writers　inform
them　of。

2。　Hyrcanus　then　began　his　high　priesthood　on　the　third　year　of
the　hundred　and　seventy…seventh　olympiad；　when　Quintus　Hortensius
and　Quintus　Metellus；　who　was　called　Metellus　of　Crete；　were
consuls　at　Rome；　when　presently　Aristobulus　began　to　make　war
against　him；　and　as　it　came　to　a　battle　with　Hyrcanus　at　Jericho；
many　of　his　soldiers　deserted　him；　and　went　over　to　his　brother；
upon　which　Hyrcanus　fled　into　the　citadel；　where　Aristobulus's
wife　and　children　were　imprisoned　by　their　mother；　as　we　have
said　already；　and　attacked　and　overcame　those　his　adversaries
that　had　fled　thither；　and　lay　within　the　walls　of　the　temple。　So
when　he　had　sent　a　message　to　his　brother　about　agreeing　the
matters　between　them；　he　laid　aside　his　enmity　to　him　on　these
conditions；　that　Aristobulus　should　be　king；　that　he　should　live
without　intermeddling　with　public　affairs；　and　quietly　enjoy　the
estate　he　had　acquired。　When　they　had　agreed　upon　these　terms　in
the　temple；　and　had　confirmed　the　agreement　with　oaths；　and　the
giving　one　an。　other　their　right　hands；　and　embracing　one　another
in　the　sight　of　the　whole　multitude；　they　departed；　the　one；
Aristobulus；　to　the　palace；　and　Hyrcanus；　as　a　private　man；　to
the　former　house　of　Aristobulus。

3。　But　there　was　a　certain　friend　of　Hyrcanus；　an　Idumean；　called
Antipater；　who　was　very　rich；　and　in　his　nature　an　active　and　a
seditious　man；　who　was　at　enmity　with　Aristobulus；　and　had
differences　with　him　on　account　of　his　good…will　to　Hyrcanus。　It
is　true　that　Nicolatls　of　Damascus　says；　that　Antipater　was　of
the　stock　of　the　principal　Jews　who　came　out　of　Babylon　into
Judea；　but　that　assertion　of　his　was　to　gratify　Herod；　who　was
his　son；　and　who；　by　certain　revolutions　of　fortune；　came
afterward　to　be　king　of　the　Jews；　whose　history　we　shall　give　you
in　its　proper　place　hereafter。　However；　this　Antipater　was　at
first　called　Antipas；　（2）　and　that　was　his　father's　name　also；　of
whom　they　relate　this：　That　king　Alexander　and　his　wife　made　him
general　of　all　Idumea；　and　that　he　made　a　league　of　friendship
with　those　Arabians；　and　Gazites；　and　Ascalonites；　that　were　of
his　own　party；　and　had；　by　many　and　large　presents；　made　them　his
fast　friends。　But　now　this　younger　Antipater　was　suspicious　of
the　power　of　Aristobulus；　and　was　afraid　of　some　mischief　he
might　do　him；　because　of　his　hatred　to　him；　so　he　stirred　up　the
most　powerful　of　the　Jews；　and　talked　against　him　to　them
privately；　and　said　that　it　was　unjust　to　overlook　the　conduct　of
Aristobulus；　who　had　gotten　the　government　unrighteously；　and
ejected　his　brother　out　of　it；　who　was　the　elder；　and　ought　to
retain　what　belonged　to　him　by　prerogative　of　his　birth。　And　the
same　speeches　he　perpetually　made　to　Hyrcanus；　and　told　him　that
his　own　life　would　be　in　danger；　unless　he　guarded　himself；　and
got　shut　of　Aristobulus；　for　he　said　that　the　friends　of
Aristobulus　omitted　no　opportunity　of　advising　him　to　kill　him；
as　being　then；　and　not　before；　sure　to　retain　his　principality。
Hyrcanus　gave　no　credit　to　these　words　of　his；　as　being　of　a
gentle　disposition；　and　one　that　did　not　easily　admit　of
calumnies　against　other　men。　This　temper　of　his　not　disposing　him
to　meddle　with　public　affairs；　and　want　of　spirit；　occasioned　him
to　appear　to　spectators　to　be　degenerous　and　unmanly；　while。
Aristo…bulus　was　of　a　contrary　temper；　an　active　man；　and　one　of
a　great　and　generous　soul。

4。　Since　therefore　Antipater　saw　that　Hyrcanus　did　not　attend　to
what　he　said；　he　never　ceased；　day　by　day；　to　charge　reigned
crimes　upon　Aristobulus；　and　to　calumniate　him　before　him；　as　if
he　had　a　mind　to　kill　him；　and　so；　by　urging　him　perpetually；　he
advised　him；　and　persuaded　him　to　fly　to　Aretas；　the　king　of
Arabia；　and　promised；　that　if　he　would　comply　with　his　advice；　he
would　also　himself　assist　him　and　go　with　him＇。　When　Hyrcanus
heard　this；　he　said　that　it　was　for　his　advantage　to　fly　away　to
Aretas。　Now　Arabia　is　a　country　that　borders　upon　Judea。　However；
Hyrcanus　sent　Antipater　first　to　the　king　of　Arabia；　in　order　to
receive　assurances　from　him；　that　when　he　should　come　in　the
manner　of　a　supplicant　to　him；　he　would　not　deliver　him　up　to　his
enemies。　So　Antipater　having　received　such　assurances；　returned
to　Hyrcanus　to　Jerusalem。　A　while　afterward　he　took　Hyrcanus；　and
stole　out　of　the　city　by　night；　and　went　a　great　journey；　and
came　and　brought　him　to　the　city　called　Petra；　where　the　palace
of　Aretas　was；　and　as　he　was　a　very　familiar　friend　of　that　king；
he　persuaded　him　to　bring　back　Hyrcanus　into　Judea；　and　this
persuasion　he　continued　every　day　without　any　intermission。　He
also　proposed　to　make　him　presents　on　that　account。　At　length　he
prevailed　with　Aretas　in　his　suit。　Moreover；　Hyrcanus　promised
him；　that　when　he　had　been　brought　thither；　and　had　received　his
kingdom；　he　would　restore　that　country；　and　those　twelve　cities
which　his　father　Alexander　had　taken　from　the　Arabians；　which
were　these；　Medaba；　Naballo；　Libias；　Tharabasa；　Agala；　Athone；
Zoar；　Orone；　Marissa；　Rudda；　Lussa；　and　Oruba。

CHAPTER　2。

How　Aretas　And　Hyrcanus　Made　An　Expedition　Against　Aristobulus
And　Besieged　Jerusalem；　And　How　Scaurus　The　Roman　General　Raised
The　Siege。　Concerning　The　Death　Of　Onias。

1。　After　these　promises　had　been　given　to　Aretas；　he　made　an
expedition　against　Aristobulus　with　an　army　of　fifty　thousand
horse　and　foot；　and　beat　him　in　the　battle。　And　when　after　that
victory　many　went　over　to　Hyrcanus　as　deserters；　Aristobulus　was
left　desolate；　and　fled　to　Jerusalem；　upon　which　the　king　of
Arabia　took　all　his　army；　and　made　an　assault　upon　the　temple；
and　besieged　Aristobulus　therein；　the　people　still　supporting
Hyreanus；　and　assisting　him　in　the　siege；　while　none　but　the
priests　continued　with　Aristobulus。　So　Aretas　united　the　forces
of　the　Arabians　and　of　the　Jews　together；　and　pressed　on　the
siege　vigorously。　As　this　happened　at　the　time　when　the　feast　of
unleavened　bread　was　celebrated；　which　we　call　the　passover；　the
principal　men　among　the　Jews　left　the　country；　and　fled　into
Egypt。　Now　there　was　one；　whose　name　was　Onias；　a　righteous　man
be　was；　and　beloved　of　God；　who；　in　a　certain　drought；　had　prayed
to　God　to　put　an　end　to　the　intense　heat；　and　whose　prayers　God
had　heard；　and　had　sent　them　rain。　This　man　had　hid　himself；
because　he　saw　that　this　sedition　would　last　a　great　while。
However；　they　brought　him　to　the　Jewish　camp；　and　desired；　that
as　by　his　prayers　he　had　once　put　an　end　to　the　drought；　so　he
would　in　like　manner　make　imprecations　on　Aristobulus　and　those
of　his　faction。　And　when；　upon　his　refusal；　and　the　excuses　that
he　made；　he　was　still　by　the　multitude　compelled　to　speak；　he
stood　up　in　the　midst　of　them；　and　said；　〃O　God；　the　King　of　the
whole　world！　since　those　that　stand　now　with　me　are　thy　people；
and　those　that　are　besieged　are　also　thy　priests；　I　beseech　thee；
that　thou　wilt　neither　hearken　to　the　prayers　of　those　against
these；　nor　bring　to　effect　what　these　pray　against　those。〃
Whereupon　such　wicked　Jews　as　stood　about　him；　as　soon　as　he　had
made　this　prayer；　stoned　him　to　death。

2。　But　God　punished　them　immediately　for　this　their　barbarity；
and　took　vengeance　of　them　for　the　murder　of　Onias；　in　the　manner
following：　While　the　priests　and　Aristobulus　were　besieged；　it
happened　that　the　feast　called　the　passover　was　come；　at　which　it
is　our　custom　to　offer　a　great　number　of　sacrifices　to　God；　but
those　that　were　with　Aristobulus　wanted　sacrifices；　and　desired
that　their　countrymen　without　would　furnish　them　with　such
sacrifices；　and　assured　them　they　should　have　as　much　money　for
them　as　they　should　desire；　and　when　they　required　them　to　pay　a
thousand　drachmae　for　each　head　of　cattle；　Aristobulus　and　the
priests　willingly　undertook　to　pay　for　them　accordingly；　and
those　within　let　down　the　money　over　the　walls；　and　gave　it　them。
But　when　the　others　had　received　it；　they　did　not　deliver　the
sacrifices；　but　arrived　at　that　height　of　wickedness　as　to　break
the　assurances　they　had　given；　and　to　be　guilty　of　impiety
towards　God；　by　not　furnishing　those　that　wanted　them　with
sacrifices。　And　when　the　priests　found　they　had　been　cheated；　and
that　the　agreements　they　had　made　were　violated；　they　prayed　to
God　that　he　would　avenge　them　on　their　countrymen。　Nor　did　he
delay　that　their　punishment；　but　sent　a　strong　and　vehement　storm
of　wind；　that　destroyed　the　fruits　of　the　whole　country；　till　a
modius　of　wheat　was　then　bought　for　eleven　drachmae。

3。　In　the　mean　time　Pompey　sent　Scaurus　into　Syria；　while　he　was
himself　in　Armenia；　and　making　war　with　Tigranes；　but　when
Scaurus　was　come　to　Damascus；　and　found　that　Lollins　and　Metellus
had　newly　taken　the　city；　he　came　himself　hastily　into　Judea。　And
when　he　was　come　thither；　ambassadors　came