the antiquities of the jews-1-第184章

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which　ought　to　be　valued；　though　no　such　fidelity　had　been；　for
you　have　hitherto　preserved　what　people　were　in　possession　of；
not　to　us　only；　but　almost　to　all　men；　and　have　added　greater
advantages　than　they　could　have　hoped　for；　and　thereby　your
government　is　become　a　great　advantage　to　them。　And　if　any　one
were　able　to　enumerate　the　prosperity　you　have　conferred　on　every
nation；　which　they　possess　by　your　means；　he　could　never　put　an
end　to　his　discourse；　but　that　we　may　demonstrate　that　we　are　not
unworthy　of　all　those　advantages　we　have　obtained；　it　will　be
sufficient　for　us；　to　say　nothing　of　other　things；　but　to　speak
freely　of　this　king　who　now　governs　us；　and　is　now　one　of　thy
assessors；　and　indeed　in　what　instance　of　good…will；　as　to　your
house；　hath　he　been　deficient？　What　mark　of　fidelity　to　it　hath
he　omitted？　What　token　of　honor　hath　he　not　devised？　What
occasion　for　his　assistance　of　you　hath　he　not　regarded　at　the
very　first？　What　hindereth；　therefore；　but　that　your　kindnesses
may　be　as　numerous　as　his　so　great　benefits　to　you　have　been？　It
may　also　perhaps　be　fit　not　here　to　pass　over　in　silence　the
valor　of　his　father　Antipater；　who；　when　Caesar　made　an
expedition　into　Egypt；　assisted　him　with　two　thousand　armed　men；
and　proved　inferior　to　none；　neither　in　the　battles　on　land；　nor
in　the　management　of　the　navy；　and　what　need　I　say　any　thing　of
how　great　weight　those　soldiers　were　at　that　juncture？　or　how
many　and　how　great　presents　they　were　vouchsafed　by　Caesar？　And
truly　I　ought　before　now　to　have　mentioned　the　epistles　which
Caesar　wrote　to　the　senate；　and　how　Antipater　had　honors；　and　the
freedom　of　the　city　of　Rome；　bestowed　upon　him；　for　these　are
demonstrations　both　that　we　have　received　these　favors　by　our　own
deserts；　and　do　on　that　account　petition　thee　for　thy
confirmation　of　them；　from　whom　we　had　reason　to　hope　for　them；
though　they　had　not　been　given　us　before；　both　out　of　regard　to
our　king's　disposition　towards　you；　and　your　disposition　towards
him。　And　further；　we　have　been　informed　by　those　Jews　that　were
there　with　what　kindness　thou　camest　into　our　country；　and　how
thou　offeredst　the　most　perfect　sacrifices　to　God；　and　honoredst
him　with　remarkable　vows；　and　how　thou　gavest　the　people　a　feast；
and　acceptedst　of　their　own　hospitable　presents　to　thee。　We　ought
to　esteem　all　these　kind　entertainments　made　both　by　our　nation
and　to　our　city；　to　a　man　who　is　the　ruler　and　manager　of　so　much
of　the　public　affairs；　as　indications　of　that　friendship　which
thou　hast　returned　to　the　Jewish　nation；　and　which　hath　been
procured　them　by　the　family　of　Herod。　So　we　put　thee　in　mind　of
these　things　in　the　presence　of　the　king；　now　sitting　by　thee；
and　make　our　request　for　no　more　but　this；　that　what　you　have
given　us　yourselves　you　will　not　see　taken　away　by　others　from
us。〃

4。　When　Nicolaus　had　made　this　speech；　there　was　no　opposition
made　to　it　by　the　Greeks；　for　this　was　not　an　inquiry　made；　as　in
a　court　of　justice；　but　an　intercession　to　prevent　violence　to　be
offered　to　the　Jews　any　longer；　nor　did　the　Greeks　make　any
defense　of　themselves；　or　deny　what　it　was　supposed　they　had
done。　Their　pretense　was　no　more　than　this；　that　while　the　Jews
inhabited　in　their　country；　they　were　entirely　unjust　to　them　＇in
not　joining　in　their　worship＇　but　they　demonstrated　their
generosity　in　this；　that　though　they　worshipped　according　to
their　institutions；　they　did　nothing　that　ought　to　grieve　them。
So　when　Agrippa　perceived　that　they　had　been　oppressed　by
violence；　he　made　this　answer：　That；　on　account　of　Herod's
good…will　and　friendship；　he　was　ready　to　grant　the　Jews
whatsoever　they　should　ask　him；　and　that　their　requests　seemed　to
him　in　themselves　just；　and　that　if　they　requested　any　thing
further；　he　should　not　scruple　to　grant　it　them；　provided　they
were　no　way　to　the　detriment　of　the　Roman　government；　but　that
while　their　request　was　no　more　than　this；　that　what　privileges
they　had　already　given　them　might　not　be　abrogated；　he　confirmed
this　to　them；　that　they　might　continue　in　the　observation　of
their　own　customs；　without　any　one　offering　them　the　least
injury。　And　when　he　had　said　thus；　he　dissolved　the　assembly；
upon　which　Herod　stood　up　and　saluted　him；　and　gave　him　thanks
for　the　kind　disposition　he　showed　to　them。　Agrippa　also　took
this　in　a　very　obliging　manner；　and　saluted　him　again；　and
embraced　him　in　his　arms；　after　which　he　went　away　from　Lesbos；
but　the　king　determined　to　sail　from　Samos　to　his　own　country；
and　when　he　had　taken　his　leave　of　Agrippa；　he　pursued　his
voyage；　and　landed　at　Cesarea　in　a　few　days'　time；　as　having
favorable　winds；　from　whence　he　went　to　Jerusalem；　and　there
gathered　all　the　people　together　to　an　assembly；　not　a　few　being
there　out　of　the　country　also。　So　he　came　to　them；　and　gave　them
a　particular　account　of　all　his　journey；　and　of　the　affairs　of
all　the　Jews　in　Asia；　how　by　his　means　they　would　live　without
injurious　treatment　for　the　time　to　come。　He　also　told　them　of
the　entire　good　fortune　he　had　met　with　and　how　he　had
administered　the　government；　and　had　not　neglected　any　thing
which　was　for　their　advantage；　and　as　he　was　very　joyful；　he　now
remitted　to　them　the　fourth　part　of　their　taxes　for　the　last
year。　Accordingly；　they　were　so　pleased　with　his　favor　and　speech
to　them；　that　they　went　their　ways　with　great　gladness；　and
wished　the　king　all　manner　of　happiness。

CHAPTER　3

How　Great　Disturbances　Arose　In　Herods　Family　On　His　Preferring
Antipater　His　Eldest　Son　Before　The　Rest；　Till　Alexander　Took
That　Injury　Very　Heinously。

1。　But　now　the　affairs　in　Herod's　family　were　in　more　and　more
disorder；　and　became　more　severe　upon　him；　by　the　hatred　of
Salome　to　the　young　men　＇Alexander　and　Aristobulus＇；　which
descended　as　it　were　by　inheritance　＇from　their　mother　Mariamne＇；
and　as　she　had　fully　succeeded　against　their　mother；　so　she
proceeded　to　that　degree　of　madness　and　insolence；　as　to　endeavor
that　none　of　her　posterity　might　be　left　alive；　who　might　have　it
in　their　power　to　revenge　her　death。　The　young　men　had　also
somewhat　of　a　bold　and　uneasy　disposition　towards　their　father
occasioned　by　the　remembrance　of　what　their　mother　had　unjustly
suffered；　and　by　their　own　affectation　of　dominion。　The　old
grudge　was　also　renewed；　and　they　east　reproaches　on　Salome　and
Pheroras；　who　requited　the　young　men　with　malicious　designs；　and
actually　laid　treacherous　snares　for　them。　Now　as　for　this
hatred；　it　was　equal　on　both　sides；　but　the　manner　of　exerting
that　hatred　was　different；　for　as　for　the　young　men；　they　were
rash；　reproaching　and　affronting　the　others　openly；　and　were
inexperienced　enough　to　think　it　the　most　generous　to　declare
their　minds　in　that　undaunted　manner；　but　the　others　did　not　take
that　method；　but　made　use　of　calumnies　after　a　subtle　and　a
spiteful　manner；　still　provoking　the　young　men；　and　imagining
that　their　boldness　might　in　time　turn　to　the　offering　violence
to　their　father；　for　inasmuch　as　they　were　not　ashamed　of　the
pretended　crimes　of　their　mother；　nor　thought　she　suffered
justly；　these　supposed　that　might　at　length　exceed　all　bounds；
and　induce　them　to　think　they　ought　to　be　avenged　on　their
father；　though　it　were　by　despatching　him　with　their　own　hands。
At　length　it　came　to　this；　that　the　whole　city　was　full　of　their
discourses；　and；　as　is　usual　in　such　contests；　the　unskilfulness
of　the　young　men　was　pitied；　but　the　contrivance　of　Salome　was
too　hard　for　them；　and　what　imputations　she　laid　upon　them　came
to　be　believed；　by　means　of　their　own　conduct；　for　they　who　were
so　deeply　affected　with　the　death　of　their　mother；　that　while
they　said　both　she　and　themselves　were　in　a　miserable　case；　they
vehemently　complained　of　her　pitiable　end；　which　indeed　was　truly
such；　and　said　that　they　were　themselves　in　a　pitiable　case　also；
because　they　were　forced　to　live　with　those　that　had　been　her
murderers；　and　to　be　partakers　with　them。

2。　These　disorders　increased　greatly；　and　the　king's　absence
abroad　had　afforded　a　fit　opportunity　for　that　increase；　but　as
soon　as　Herod　was　returned；　and　had　made　the　forementioned　speech
to　the　multitude；　Pheroras　and　Salome　let　fill　words　immediately
as　if　he　were　in　great　danger；　and　as　if　the　young　men　openly
threatened　that　they　would　not　spare　him　any　longer；　but　revenge
their　mother's　death　upon　him。　They　also　added　another
circumstance；　that　their　hopes　were　fixed　on　Archclaus；　the　king
of　Cappadocia；　that　they　should　be　able　by　his　means　to　come　to
Caesar；　and　accuse　their　father。　Upon　hearing　such　things；　Herod
was　immediately　disturbed；　and　indeed　was　the　more　astonished；
because　the　same　things　were　related　to　him　by　some　others　also。
He　then　called　to　mind　his　former　calamity；　and　considered　that
the　disorders　in　his　family　had　hindered　him　from　enjoying　any
comfort　from　those　that　were　dearest　to　him　or　from　his　wife　whom
he　loved　so　well；　and　suspecting　that　his　future　troubles　would
soon　be　heavier　and　greater　than　those　that　were　past；　he　was　in
great　confusion　of　mind；　for　Divine　Providence　had　in　reality
conferred　upon　him　a　great　many　outward　advantages　for　his
happiness；　even　beyond　his　hopes；　but　the　troubles　he　had　at　home
were　such　as　he　never　expected　to　have　met　with；　and　rendered　him
unfortunate；　nay；　both　sorts　came　upon　him　to　such　a　degree　as　no
one　could　imagine；　and　made　it　a　doubtful　question；　whether；　upon
the　comparison　of　both；　he　ought　to　have　exchanged　so　great　a
success　of　outward　good　things　for　so　great　misfortunes　at　home；
or　whether　he　ought　not　to　have　chosen　to　avoid　the　calamities
relating　to　his　family；　though　he　had；　for　a　compensation；　never
been　possessed　of　the　admired　grandeur　of　a　kingdom。

3。　As　he　was　thus　disturbed　and　afflicted；　in　order　to　depress
these　young　men；　he　brought　to　court　another　of　his　sons；　that
was　born　to　him　when　he　was　a　private　man；　his　name　was
Antipater；　yet　did　he　not　then　indulge　him　as　he　did　afterwards；
when　he　was　quite　overcome　by　him；　and　let　him　do　every　thing　as
he　pleased；　but　rather　with　a　design　of　depressing　the　insolence
of　the　sons　of　Marianme；　and　managing　this　elevation　of　his　so；
that　it　might　be　for　a　warning　to　them；　for　this　bold　behavior　of
theirs　＇he　thought＇　would　not　be　so　great；　if　they　were　once
persuaded　that　the　succession　to　the　kingdom　did　not　appertain　to
them　alone；　or　must　of　necessity　come　to　them。　So　he　introduced
Antipater　as　their　antagonist；　and　imagined　that　he　made　a　good
provision　for　discouraging　their　pride；　and　that　after　this　was
done　to　the　young　men；　there　might　be　a　proper　season　for
expecting　these　to　be　of　a　better　disposition；　but　the　event
proved　otherwise　than　he　intended；　for　the　young　men　thought　he
did　them　a　very　great　injury；　and　as　Antipater　was　a　shrewd　man；
when　he　had　once　obtained　this　degree　of　freedom；　and　began　to
expect　greater　things　than　he　had　before　hoped　for；　he　had　but
one　single　design　in　his　head；　and　that　was　to　distress　his
brethren；　and　not　at　all　to　yield　to　them　the　pre…eminence；　but
to　keep　close　to　his　father；　who　was　already　alienated　from　them
by　the　calumnies　he　had　heard　about　them