the antiquities of the jews-1-第185章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


to　keep　close　to　his　father；　who　was　already　alienated　from　them
by　the　calumnies　he　had　heard　about　them；　and　ready　to　be　wrought
upon　in　any　way　his　zeal　against　them　should　advise　him　to
pursue；　that　he　might　be　continually　more　and　more　severe　against
them。　Accordingly；　all　the　reports　that　were　spread　abroad　came
from　him；　while　he　avoided　himself　the　suspicion　as　if　those
discoveries　proceeded　from　him；　but　he　rather　chose　to　make　use
of　those　persons　for　his　assistants　that　were　unsuspected；　and
such　as　might　be　believed　to　speak　truth　by　reason　of　the
good…will　they　bore　to　the　king；　and　indeed　there　were　already
not　a　few　who　cultivated　a　friendship　with　Antipater；　in　hopes　of
gaining　somewhat　by　him；　and　these　were　the　men　who　most　of　all
persuaded　Herod；　because　they　appeared　to　speak　thus　out　of　their
good…will　to　him：　and　with　these　joint　accusations；　which　from
various　foundations　supported　one　another's　veracity；　the　young
men　themselves　afforded　further　occasions　to　Antipater　also；　for
they　were　observed　to　shed　tears　often；　on　account　of　the　injury
that　was　offered　them；　and　had　their　mother　in　their　mouths；　and
among　their　friends　they　ventured　to　reproach　their　father；　as
not　acting　justly　by　them；　all　which　things　were　with　an　evil
intention　reserved　in　memory　by　Antipater　against　a　proper
opportunity；　and　when　they　were　told　to　Herod；　with　aggravations；
increased　the　disorder　so　much；　that　it　brought　a　great　tumult
into　the　family；　for　while　the　king　was　very　angry　at　imputations
that　were　laid　upon　the　sons　of　Mariamne；　and　was　desirous　to
humble　them；　he　still　increased　the　honor　that　he　had　bestowed　on
Antipater；　and　was　at　last　so　overcome　by　his　persuasions；　that
he　brought　his　mother　to　court　also。　He　also　wrote　frequently　to
Caesar　in　favor　of　him；　and　more　earnestly　recommended　him　to　his
care　particularly。　And　when　Agrippa　was　returning　to　Rome；　after
he　had　finished　his　ten　years'　government　in　Asia。　（2）　Herod
sailed　from　Judea；　and　when　he　met　with　him；　he　had　none　with　him
but　Antipater；　whom　he　delivered　to　Agrippa；　that　he　might　take
him　along　with　him；　together　with　many　presents；　that　so　he　might
become　Caesar's　friend；　insomuch　that　things　already　looked　as　if
he　had　all　his　father's　favor；　and　that　the　young　men　were
already　entirely　rejected　from　any　hopes　of　the　kingdom。

CHAPTER　4。

How　During　Antipater's　Abode　At　Rome；　Herod　Brought　Alexander　And
Aristobulus　Before　Caesar　And　Accused　Them。　Alexander's　Defense
Of　Himself　Before　Caesar　And　Reconciliation　To　His　Father。

1。　And　now　what　happened　during　Antipater's　absence　augmented　the
honor　to　which　he　had　been　promoted；　and　his　apparent　eminence
above　his　brethren；　for　he　had　made　a　great　figure　in　Rome；
because　Herod　had　sent　recommendations　of　him　to　all　his　friends
there；　only　he　was　grieved　that　he　was　not　at　home；　nor　had
proper　opportunities　of　perpetually　calumniating　his　brethren；
and　his　chief　fear　was；　lest　his　father　should　alter　his　mind；
and　entertain　a　more　favorable　opinion　of　the　sons　of　Mariamne；
and　as　he　had　this　in　his　mind；　he　did　not　desist　from　his
purpose；　but　continually　sent　from　Rome　any　such　stories　as　he
hoped　might　grieve　and　irritate　his　father　against　his　brethren；
under　pretense　indeed　of　a　deep　concern　for　his　preservation；　but
in　truth　such　as　his　malicious　mind　dictated；　in　order　to
purchase　a　greater　hope　of　the　succession；　which　yet　was　already
great　in　itself：　and　thus　he　did　till　he　had　excited　such　a
degree　of　anger　in　Herod；　that　he　was　already　become　very
ill…disposed　towards　the　young　men；　but　still　while　he　delayed　to
exercise　so　violent　a　disgust　against　them；　and　that　he　might　not
either　be　too　remiss　or　too　rash；　and　so　offend；　he　thought　it
best　to　sail　to　Rome；　and　there　accuse　his　sons　before　Caesar；
and　not　indulge　himself　in　any　such　crime　as　might　be　heinous
enough　to　be　suspected　of　impiety。　But　as　he　was　going　up　to
Rome；　it　happened　that　he　made　such　haste　as　to　meet　with　Caesar
at　the　city　Aquilei　（3）　so　when　he　came　to　the　speech　of　Caesar；
he　asked　for　a　time　for　hearing　this　great　cause；　wherein　he
thought　himself　very　miserable；　and　presented　his　sons　there；　and
accused　them　of　their　mad　actions；　and　of　their　attempts　against
him：　That　they　were　enemies　to　him；　and　by　all　the　means　they
were　able；　did　their　endeavors　to　show　their　hatred　to　their　own
father；　and　would　take　away　his　life；　and　so　obtain　his　kingdom；
after　the　most　barbarous　manner：　that　he　had　power　from　Caesar　to
dispose　of　it；　not　by　necessity；　but　by　choice；　to　him　who　shall
exercise　the　greatest　piety　towards　him；　while　these　my　sons　are
not　so　desirous　of　ruling；　as　they　are；　upon　a　disappointment
thereof；　to　expose　their　own　life；　if　so　be　they　may　but　deprive
their　father　of　his　life；　so　wild　and　polluted　is　their　mind　by
time　become；　out　of　their　hatred　to　him：　that　whereas　he　had　a
long　time　borne　this　his　misfortune；　he　was　now　compelled　to　lay
it　before　Caesar；　and　to　pollute　his　ears　with　such　language；
while　he　himself　wants　to　know　what　severity　they　have　ever
suffered　from　him；　or　what　hardships　he　hath　ever　laid　upon　them
to　make　them　complain　of　him；　and　how　they　can　think　it　just　that
he　should　not　be　lord　of　that　kingdom　which　he　in　a　long　time；
and　with　great　danger；　had　gained；　and　not　allow　him　to　keep　it
and　dispose　of　it　to　him　who　should　deserve　best；　and　this；　with
other　advantages；　he　proposes　as　a　reward　for　the　piety　of　such　a
one　as　will　hereafter　imitate　the　care　he　hath　taken　of　it；　and
that　such　a　one　may　gain　so　great　a　requital　as　that　is：　and　that
it　is　an　impious　thing　for　them　to　pretend　to　meddle　with　it
beforehand；　for　he　who　hath　ever　the　kingdom　in　his　view；　at　the
same　time　reckons　upon　procuring　the　death　of　his　father；　because
otherwise　he　cannot　come　at　the　government：　that　as　for　himself；
he　had　hitherto　given　them　all　that　he　was　able；　and　what　was
agreeable　to　such　as　are　subject　to　the　royal　authority；　and　the
sons　of　a　king；　what　ornaments　they　wanted；　with　servants　and
delicate　fare；　and　had　married　them　into　the　most　illustrious
families；　the　one　＇Aristobulus＇　to　his　sister's　daughter；　but
Alexander　to　the　daughter　of　king　Archelaus；　and；　what　was　the
greatest　favor　of　all；　when　their　crimes　were　so　very　bad；　and　he
had　authority　to　punish　them；　yet　had　he　not　made　use　of　it
against　them；　but　had　brought　them　before　Caesar；　their　common
benefactor；　and　had　not　used　the　severity　which；　either　as　a
father　who　had　been　impiously　abused；　or　as　a　king　who　had　been
assaulted　treacherously；　he　might　have　done；　but　made　them　stand
upon　a　level　with　him　in　judgment：　that；　however；　it　was
necessary　that　all　this　should　not　be　passed　over　without
punishment；　nor　himself　live　in　the　greatest　fears；　nay；　that　it
was　not　for　their　own　advantage　to　see　the　light　of　the　sun　after
what　they　have　done；　although　they　should　escape　at　this　time；
since　they　had　done　the　vilest　things；　and　would　certainly　suffer
the　greatest　punishments　that　ever　were　known　among　mankind。

2。　These　were　the　accusations　which　Herod　laid　with　great
vehemency　against　his　sons　before　Caesar。　Now　the　young　men；　both
while　he　was　speaking；　and　chiefly　at　his　concluding；　wept；　and
were　in　confusion。　Now　as　to　themselves；　they　knew　in　their　own
conscience　they　were　innocent；　but　because　they　were　accused　by
their　father；　they　were　sensible；　as　the　truth　was；　that　it　was
hard　for　them　to　make　their　apology；　since　though　they　were　at
liberty　to　speak　their　minds　freely　as　the　occasion　required；　and
might　with　force　and　earnestness　refute　the　accusation；　yet　was
it　not　now　decent　so　to　do。　There　was　therefore　a　difficulty　how
they　should　be　able　to　speak；　and　tears；　and　at　length　a　deep
groan；　followed；　while　they　were　afraid；　that　if　they　said
nothing；　they　should　seem　to　be　in　this　difficulty　from　a
consciousness　of　guilt；　…　nor　had　they　any　defense　ready；　by
reason　of　their　youth；　and　the　disorder　they　were　under；　yet　was
not　Caesar　unapprized；　when　he　looked　upon　them　in　the　confusion
they　were　in；　that　their　delay　to　make　their　defense　did　not
arise　from　any　consciousness　of　great　enormities；　but　from　their
unskilfulness　and　modesty。　They　were　also　commiserated　by　those
that　were　there　in　particular；　and　they　moved　their　father's
affections　in　earnest　till　he　had　much　ado　to　conceal　them。

3。　But　when　they　saw　there　was　a　kind　disposition　arisen　both　in
him　and　in　Caesar；　and　that　every　one　of　the　rest　did　either　shed
tears；　or　at　least　did　all　grieve　with　them；　the　one　of　them；
whose　name　was　Alexander；　called　to　his　father；　and　attempted　to
answer　his　accusation；　and　said；　〃O　father；　the　benevolence　thou
hast　showed　to　us　is　evident；　even　in　this　very　judicial
procedure；　for　hadst　thou　had　any　pernicious　intentions　about　us；
thou　hadst　not　produced　us　here　before　the　common　savior　of　all；
for　it　was　in　thy　power；　both　as　a　king　and　as　a　father；　to
punish　the　guilty；　but　by　thus　bringing　us　to　Rome；　and　making
Caesar　himself　a　witness　to　what　is　done；　thou　intimatest　that
thou　intendest　to　save　us；　for　no　one　that　hath　a　design　to　slay
a　man　will　bring　him　to　the　temples；　and　to　the　altars；　yet　are
our　circumstances　still　worse；　for　we　cannot　endure　to　live
ourselves　any　longer；　if　it　be　believed　that　we　have　injured　such
a　father；　nay；　perhaps　it　would　be　worse　for　us　to　live　with　this
suspicion　upon　us；　that　we　have　injured　him；　than　to　die　without
such　guilt。　And　if　our　open　defense　may　be　taken　to　be　true；　we
shall　be　happy；　both　in　pacifying　thee；　and　in　escaping　the
danger　we　are　in；　but　if　this　calumny　so　prevails；　it　is　more
than　enough　for　us　that　we　have　seen　the　sun　this　day；　which　why
should　we　see；　if　this　suspicion　be　fixed　upon　us？　Now　it　is　easy
to　say　of　young　men；　that　they　desire　to　reign；　and　to　say
further；　that　this　evil　proceeds　from　the　case　of　our　unhappy
mother。　This　is　abundantly　sufficient　to　produce　our　present
misfortune　out　of　the　former；　but　consider　well；　whether　such　an
accusation　does　not　suit　all　such　young　men；　and　may　not　be　said
of　them　all　promiscuously；　for　nothing　can　hinder　him　that
reigns；　if　he　have　children；　and　their　mother　be　dead；　but　the
father　may　have　a　suspicion　upon　all　his　sons；　as　intending　some
treachery　to　him；　but　a　suspicion　is　not　sufficient　to　prove　such
an　impious　practice。　Now　let　any　man　say；　whether　we　have
actually　and　insolently　attempted　any　such　thing；　whereby　actions
otherwise　incredible　use　to　be　made　credible？　Can　any　body　prove
that　poison　hath　been　prepared？　or　prove　a　conspiracy　of　our
equals；　or　the　corruption　of　servants；　or　letters　written　against
thee？　though　indeed　there　are　none　of　those　things　but　have
sometimes　been　pretended　by　way　of　calumny；　when　they　were　never
done；　for　a　royal　family　that　is　at　variance　with　itself　is　a
terrible　thing；　and　that　which　thou　callest　a　reward　of　piety
often　becomes；　among　very　wicked　men；　such　a　foundation　of　hope；
as　makes　them　leave　no　sort　of　mischief　untried。　Nor　does　any　one
lay　any　wicked　practices　to　our　charge；　but　as　to　calumnies　by
hearsay；　how　can　he　put　an　end　to　them；　who　will　not　hear　what　we
have　to　say？　Have