the antiquities of the jews-1-第159章

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as　having　procured　them　peace；　and　the　secure　enjoyment　of　their
possessions；　and　on　this　account　it　was　that　he　became　known　to
Sextus　Caesar；　who　was　a　relation　of　the　great　Caesar；　and　was
now　president　of　Syria。　Now　Phasaetus；　Herod's　brother；　was　moved
with　emulation　at　his　actions；　and　envied　the　fame　be　had　thereby
gotten；　and　became　ambitious　not　to　be　behindhand　with　him　in
deserving　it。　So　he　made　the　inhabitants　of　Jerusalem　bear　him
the　greatest　good…will　while　he　held　the　city　himself；　but　did
neither　manage　its　affairs　improperly；　nor　abuse　his　authority
therein。　This　conduct　procured　from　the　nation　to　Antipater　such
respect　as　is　due　to　kings；　and　such　honors　as　he　might　partake
of　if　he　were　an　absolute　lord　of　the　country。　Yet　did　not　this
splendor　of　his；　as　frequently　happens；　in　the　least　diminish　in
him　that　kindness　and　fidelity　which　he　owed　to　Hyrcanus。

3。　But　now　the　principal　men　among　the　Jews；　when　they　saw
Antipater　and　his　sons　to　grow　so　much　in　the　good…will　the
nation　bare　to　them；　and　in　the　revenues　which　they　received　out
of　Judea；　and　out　of　Hyrcanus's　own　wealth；　they　became
ill…disposed　to　him；　for　indeed　Antipater　had　contracted　a
friendship　with　the　Roman　emperors；　and　when　he　had　prevailed
with　Hyrcanus　to　send　them　money；　he　took　it　to　himself；　and
purloined　the　present　intended；　and　sent　it　as　if　it　were　his
own；　and　not　Hyrcanus's　gift　to　them。　Hyrcanus　heard　of　this　his
management；　but　took　no　care　about　it；　nay；　he　rather　was　very
glad　of　it。　But　the　chief　men　of　the　Jews　were　therefore　in　fear；
because　they　saw　that　Herod　was　a　violent　and　bold　man；　and　very
desirous　of　acting　tyrannically；　so　they　came　to　Hyrcanus；　and
now　accused　Antipater　openly；　and　said　to　him；　〃How　long　wilt
thou　be　quiet　under　such　actions　as　are　now　done？　Or　dost　thou
not　see　that　Antipater　and　his　sons　have　already　seized　upon　the
government；　and　that　it　is　only　the　name　of　a　king　which　is　given
thee？　But　do　not　thou　suffer　these　things　to　be　hidden　from　thee；
nor　do　thou　think　to　escape　danger　by　being　so　careless　of
thyself　and　of　thy　kingdom；　for　Antipater　and　his　sons　are　not
now　stewards　of　thine　affairs：　do　not　thou　deceive　thyself　with
such　a　notion；　they　are　evidently　absolute　lords；　for　Herod；
Antipater's　son；　hath　slain　Hezekiah；　and　those　that　were　with
him；　and　hath　thereby　transgressed　our　law；　which　hath　forbidden
to　slay　any　man；　even　though　he　were　a　wicked　man；　unless　he　had
been　first　condemned　to　suffer　death　by　the　Sanhedrim　（15）　yet
hath　he　been　so　insolent　as　to　do　this；　and　that　without　any
authority　from　thee。〃

4。　Upon　Hyrcanus　hearing　this；　he　complied　with　them。　The　mothers
also　of　those　that　had　been　slain　by　Herod　raised　his
indignation；　for　those　women　continued　every　day　in　the　temple；
persuading　the　king　and　the　people　that　Herod　might　undergo　a
trial　before　the　Sanhedrim　for　what　he　had　done。　Hyrcanus　was　so
moved　by　these　complaints；　that　he　summoned　Herod　to　come　to　his
trial　for　what　was　charged　upon　him。　Accordingly　he　came；　but　his
father　had　persuaded　him　to　come　not　like　a　private　man；　but　with
a　guard；　for　the　security　of　his　person；　and　that　when　he　had
settled　the　affairs　of　Galilee　in　the　best　manner　he　could　for
his　own　advantage；　he　should　come　to　his　trial；　but　still　with　a
body　of　men　sufficient　for　his　security　on　his　journey；　yet　so
that　he　should　not　come　with　so　great　a　force　as　might　look　like
terrifying　Hyrcanus；　but　still　such　a　one　as　might　not　expose　him
naked　and　unguarded　＇to　his　enemies。＇　However；　Sextus　Caesar；
president　of　Syria；　wrote　to　Hyrcanus；　and　desired　him　to　clear
Herod；　and　dismiss　him　at　his　trial；　and　threatened　him
beforehand　if　he　did　not　do　it。　Which　epistle　of　his　was　the
occasion　of　Hyrcanus　delivering　Herod　from　suffering　any　harm
from　the　Sanhedrim；　for　he　loved　him　as　his　own　son。　But　when
Herod　stood　before　the　Sanhedrim；　with　his　body　of　men　about　him；
he　aftrighted　them　all；　and　no　one　of　his　former　accusers　durst
after　that　bring　any　charge　against　him；　but　there　was　a　deep
silence；　and　nobody　knew　what　was　to　be　done。　When　affairs　stood
thus；　one　whose　name　was　Sameas；　（16）　a　righteous　man　he　was；　and
for　that　reason　above　all　fear；　rose　up；　and　said；　〃O　you　that
are　assessors　with　me；　and　O　thou　that　art　our　king；　I　neither
have　ever　myself　known　such　a　case；　nor　do　I　suppose　that　any　one
of　you　can　name　its　parallel；　that　one　who　is　called　to　take　his
trial　by　us　ever　stood　in　such　a　manner　before　us；　but　every　one；
whosoever　he　be；　that　comes　to　be　tried　by　this　Sanhedrim；
presents　himself　in　a　submissive　manner；　and　like　one　that　is　in
fear　of　himself；　and　that　endeavors　to　move　us　to　compassion；
with　his　hair　dishevelled；　and　in　a　black　and　mourning　garment：
but　this　admirable　man　Herod；　who　is　accused　of　murder；　and
called　to　answer　so　heavy　an　accusation；　stands　here　clothed　in
purple；　and　with　the　hair　of　his　head　finely　trimmed；　and　with
his　armed　men　about　him；　that　if　we　shall　condemn　him　by　our　law；
he　may　slay　us；　and　by　overbearing　justice　may　himself　escape
death。　Yet　do　not　I　make　this　complaint　against　Herod　himself；　he
is　to　be　sure　more　concerned　for　himself　than　for　the　laws；　but
my　complaint　is　against　yourselves；　and　your　king；　who　gave　him　a
license　so　to　do。　However；　take　you　notice；　that　God　is　great；
and　that　this　very　man；　whom　you　are　going　to　absolve　and
dismiss；　for　the　sake　of　Hyrcanus；　will　one　day　punish　both　you
and　your　king　himself　also。〃　Nor　did　Sameas　mistake　in　any　part
of　this　prediction；　for　when　Herod　had　received　the　kingdom；　he
slew　all　the　members　of　this　Sanhedrim；　and　Hyrcanus　himself
also；　excepting　Sameas；　for　he　had　a　great　honor　for　him　on
account　of　his　righteousness；　and　because；　when　the　city　was
afterward　besieged　by　Herod　and　Sosius；　he　persuaded　the　people
to　admit　Herod　into　it；　and　told　them　that　for　their　sins　they
would　not　be　able　to　escape　his　hands：　…　which　things　will　be
related　by　us　in　their　proper　places。

5。　But　when　Hyrcanus　saw　that　the　members　of　the　Sanhedrim　were
ready　to　pronounce　the　sentence　of　death　upon　Herod；　he　put　off
the　trial　to　another　day；　and　sent　privately　to　Herod；　and
advised　him　to　fly　out　of　the　city；　for　that　by　this　means　he
might　escape。　So　he　retired　to　Damascus；　as　though　he　fled　from
the　king；　and　when　he　had　been　with　Sextus　Caesar；　and　had　put
his　own　affairs　in　a　sure　posture；　he　resolved　to　do　thus；　that
in　case　he　were　again　summoned　before　the　Sanhedrim　to　take　his
trial；　he　would　not　obey　that　summons。　Hereupon　the　members　of
the　Sanhedrim　had　great　indignation　at　this　posture　of　affairs；
and　endeavored　to　persuade　Hyrcanus　that　all　these　things　were
against　him；　which　state　of　matters　he　was　not　ignorant　of；　but
his　temper　was　so　unmanly；　and　so　foolish；　that　he　was　able　to　do
nothing　at　all。　But　when　Sextus　had　made　Herod　general　of　the
army　of　Celesyria；　for　he　sold　him　that　post　for　money；　Hyrcanus
was　in　fear　lest　Herod　should　make　war　upon　him；　nor　was　the
effect　of　what　he　feared　long　in　coming　upon　him；　for　Herod　came
and　brought　an　army　along　with　him　to　fight　with　Hyrcanus；　as
being　angry　at　the　trial　he　bad　been　summoned　to　undergo　before
the　Sanhedrim；　but　his　father　Antipater；　and　his　brother
＇Phasaelus＇；　met　him；　and　hindered　him　from　assaulting　Jerusalem。
They　also　pacified　his　vehement　temper；　and　persuaded　him　to　do
no　overt　action；　but　only　to　affright　them　with　threatenings；　and
to　proceed　no　further　against　one　who　had　given　him　the　dignity
he　had：　they　also　desired　him　not　only　to　be　angry　that　he　was
summoned；　and　obliged　to　come　to　his　trial；　but　to　remember
withal　how　he　was　dismissed　without　condemnation；　and　how　he
ought　to　give　Hyrcanus　thanks　for　the　same；　and　that　he　was　not
to　regard　only　what　was　disagreeable　to　him；　and　be　unthankful
for　his　deliverance。　So　they　desired　him　to　consider；　that　since
it　is　God　that　turns　the　scales　of　war；　there　is　great
uncertainty　in　the　issue　of　battles；　and　that　therefore　he　ought
of　to　expect　the　victory　when　he　should　fight　with　his　king；　and
him　that　had　supported　him；　and　bestowed　many　benefits　upon　him；
and　had　done　nothing　itself　very　severe　to　him；　for　that　his
accusation；　which　was　derived　from　evil　counselors；　and　not　from
himself；　had　rather　the　suspicion　of　some　severity；　than　any
thing　really　severe　in　it。　Herod　was　persuaded　by　these
arguments；　and　believed　that　it　was　sufficient　for　his　future
hopes　to　have　made　a　show　of　his　strength　before　the　nation；　and
done　no　more　to　it　…　and　in　this　state　were　the　affairs　of　Judea
at　this　time。

CHAPTER　10。

The　Honors　That　Were　Paid　The　Jews；　And　The　Leagues　That　Were
Made　By　The　Romans　And　Other　Nations；　With　Them。

1。　Now　when　Caesar　was　come　to　Rome；　he　was　ready　to　sail　into
Africa　to　fight　against　Scipio　and　Cato；　when　Hyrcanus　sent
ambassadors　to　him；　and　by　them　desired　that　he　would　ratify　that
league　of　friendship　and　mutual　alliance　which　was　between　them；
And　it　seems　to　me　to　be　necessary　here　to　give　an　account　of　all
the　honors　that　the　Romans　and　their　emperor　paid　to　our　nation；
and　of　the　leagues　of　mutual　assistance　they　have　made　with　it；
that　all　the　rest　of　mankind　may　know　what　regard　the　kings　of
Asia　and　Europe　have　had　to　us；　and　that　they　have　been
abundantly　satisfied　of　our　courage　and　fidelity；　for　whereas
many　will　not　believe　what　hath　been　written　about　us　by　the
Persians　and　Macedonians；　because　those　writings　are　not　every
where　to　be　met　with；　nor　do　lie　in　public　places；　but　among　us
ourselves；　and　certain　other　barbarous　nations；　while　there　is　no
contradiction　to　be　made　against　the　decrees　of　the　Romans；　for
they　are　laid　up　in　the　public　places　of　the　cities；　and　are
extant　still　in　the　capitol；　and　engraven　upon　pillars　of　brass；
nay；　besides　this；　Julius　Caesar　made　a　pillar　of　brass　for　the
Jews　at　Alexandria；　and　declared　publicly　that　they　were　citizens
of　Alexandria。　Out　of　these　evidences　will　I　demonstrate　what　I
say；　and　will　now　set　down　the　decrees　made　both　by　the　senate
and　by　Julius　Caesar；　which　relate　to　Hyrcanus　and　to　our　nation。

2。　〃Caius　Julius　Caesar；　imperator　and　high　priest；　and　dictator
the　second　time；　to　the　magistrates；　senate；　and　people　of　Sidon；
sendeth　greeting。　If　you　be　in　health；　it　is　well。　I　also　and　the
army　are　well。　I　have　sent　you　a　copy　of　that　decree；　registered
on　the　tables；　which　concerns　Hyrcanus；　the　son　of　Alexander；　the
high　priest　and　ethnarch　of　the　Jews；　that　it　may　be　laid　up
among　the　public　records；　and　I　will　that　it　be　openly　proposed
in　a　table　of　brass；　both　in　Greek　and　in　Latin。　It　is　as
follows：　I　Julius　Caesar；　imperator　the　second　time；　and　high
priest；　have　made　this　decree；　with　the　approbation　of　the
senate。　Whereas　Hyrcanus；　the　son　of　Alexander　the　Jew；　hath
demonstrated　his　fidelity　and　diligence　about　our　affairs；　and
this　both　now　and　in　former　times；　both　in　peace　and　in　war；　as
many　of　our　generals　have　borne　witness；　and　came　to　our
assistance　in　the　last　Alexandrian　war；　（17）　with　fifteen　hundred
soldiers；　and　when　he　was　sent　by　me　to　Mithridates；　showed
himself　superior　in　valor　to　all　the　rest　of　that　army；　…　fo