the antiquities of the jews-1-第188章

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sepulcher；　and　taken　out　of　it　three　thousand　talents　of　silver；
and　that　there　was　a　much　greater　number　left　behind；　and　indeed
enough　to　suffice　all　his　wants；　he　had　a　great　while　an
intention　to　make　the　attempt；　and　at　this　time　he　opened　that
sepulcher　by　night；　and　went　into　it；　and　endeavored　that　it
should　not　be　at　all　known　in　the　city；　but　took　only　his　most
faithful　friends　with　him。　As　for　any　money；　he　found　none；　as
Hyrcanus　had　done；　but　that　furniture　of　gold；　and　those　precious
goods　that　were　laid　up　there；　all　which　he　took　away。　However；
he　had　a　great　desire　to　make　a　more　diligent　search；　and　to　go
farther　in；　even　as　far　as　the　very　bodies　of　David　and　Solomon；
where　two　of　his　guards　were　slain；　by　a　flame　that　burst　out
upon　those　that　went　in；　as　the　report　was。　So　he　was　terribly
aftrighted；　and　went　out；　and　built　a　propitiatory　monument　of
that　fright　he　had　been　in；　and　this　of　white　stone；　at　the　mouth
of　the　sepulcher；　and　that　at　great　expense　also。　And　even
Nicolaus　（10）　his　historiographer　makes　mention　of　this　monument
built　by　Herod；　though　he　does　not　mention　his　going　down　into
the　sepulcher；　as　knowing　that　action　to　be　of　ill　repute；　and
many　other　things　he　treats　of　in　the　same　manner　in　his　book；
for　he　wrote　in　Herod's　lifetime；　and　under　his　reign；　and　so　as
to　please　him；　and　as　a　servant　to　him；　touching　upon　nothing　but
what　tended　to　his　glory；　and　openly　excusing　many　of　his
notorious　crimes；　and　very　diligently　concealing　them。　And　as　he
was　desirous　to　put　handsome　colors　on　the　death　of　Mariamne　and
her　sons；　which　were　barbarous　actions　in　the　king；　he　tells
falsehoods　about　the　incontinence　of　Mariamne；　and　the
treacherous　designs　of　his　sons　upon　him；　and　thus　he　proceeded
in　his　whole　work；　making　a　pompous　encomium　upon　what　just
actions　he　had　done；　but　earnestly　apologizing　for　his　unjust
ones。　Indeed；　a　man；　as　I　said；　may　have　a　great　deal　to　say　by
way　of　excuse　for　Nicolaus；　for　he　did　not　so　properly　write　this
as　a　history　for　others；　as　somewhat　that　might　be　subservient　to
the　king　himself。　As　for　ourselves；　who　come　of　a　family　nearly
allied　to　the　Asamonean　kings；　and　on　that　account　have　an
honorable　place；　which　is　the　priesthood；　we　think　it　indecent　to
say　any　thing　that　is　false　about　them；　and　accordingly　we　have
described　their　actions　after　an　unblemished　and　upright　manner。
And　although　we　reverence　many　of　Herod's　posterity；　who　still
reign；　yet　do　we　pay　a　greater　regard　to　truth　than　to　them；　and
this　though　it　sometimes　happens　that　we　incur　their　displeasure
by　so　doing。

2。　And　indeed　Herod's　troubles　in　his　family　seemed　to　be
augmented　by　reason　of　this　attempt　he　made　upon　David's
sepulcher；　whether　Divine　vengeance　increased　the　calamities　he
lay　under；　in　order　to　render　them　incurable；　or　whether　fortune
made　an　assault　upon　him；　in　those　cases　wherein　the
seasonableness　of　the　cause　made　it　strongly　believed　that　the
calamities　came　upon　him　for　his　impiety；　for　the　tumult　was　like
a　civil　war　in　his　palace；　and　their　hatred　towards　one　another
was　like　that　where　each　one　strove　to　exceed　another　in
calumnies。　However；　Antipater　used　stratagems　perpetually　against
his　brethren；　and　that　very　cunningly；　while　abroad　he　loaded
them　with　accusations；　but　still　took　upon　him　frequently　to
apologize　for　them；　that　this　apparent　benevolence　to　them　might
make　him　be　believed；　and　forward　his　attempts　against　them；　by
which　means　he；　after　various　manners；　circumvented　his　father；
who　believed　all　that　he　did　was　for　his　preservation。　Herod　also
recommended　Ptolemy；　who　was　a　great　director　of　the　affairs　of
his　kingdom；　to　Antipater；　and　consulted　with　his　mother　about
the　public　affairs　also。　And　indeed　these　were　all　in　all；　and
did　what　they　pleased；　and　made　the　king　angry　against　any　other
persons；　as　they　thought　it　might　be　to　their　own　advantage；　but
still　the　sons　of　Marianme　were　in　a　worse　and　worse　condition
perpetually；　and　while　they　were　thrust　out；　and　set　in　a　more
dishonorable　rank；　who　yet　by　birth　were　the　most　noble；　they
could　not　bear　the　dishonor。　And　for　the　women；　Glaphyra；
Alexander's　wife；　the　daughter　of　Archclaus；　hated　Salome；　both
because　of　her　love　to　her　husband；　and　because　Glaphyra　seemed
to　behave　herself　somewhat　insolently　towards　Salome's　daughter；
who　was　the　wife　of　Aristobulus；　which　equality　of　hers　to
herself　Glaphyra　took　very　impatiently。

3。　Now；　besides　this　second　contention　that　had　fallen　among
them；　neither　did　the　king's　brother　Pheroras　keep　himself　out　of
trouble；　but　had　a　particular　foundation　for　suspicion　and
hatred；　for　he　was　overcome　with　the　charms　of　his　wife；　to　such
a　degree　of　madness；　that　he　despised　the　king's　daughter；　to
whom　he　had　been　betrothed；　and　wholly　bent　his　mind　to　the
other；　who　had　been　but　a　servant。　Herod　also　was　grieved　by　the
dishonor　that　was　done　him；　because　he　had　bestowed　many　favors
upon　him；　and　had　advanced　him　to　that　height　of　power　that　he
was　almost　a　partner　with　him　in　the　kingdom；　and　saw　that　he　had
not　made　him　a　due　return　for　his　labors；　and　esteemed　himself
unhappy　on　that　account。　So　upon　Pheroras's　unworthy　refusal；　he
gave　the　damsel　to　Phasaelus's　son；　but　after　some　time；　when　he
thought　the　heat　of　his　brother's　affections　was　over；　he　blamed
him　for　his　former　conduct；　and　desired　him　to　take　his　second
daughter；　whose　name　was　Cypros。　Ptolemy　also　advised　him　to
leave　off　affronting　his　brother；　and　to　forsake　her　whom　he　had
loved；　for　that　it　was　a　base　thing　to　be　so　enamored　of　a
servant；　as　to　deprive　himself　of　the　king's　good…will　to　him；
and　become　an　occasion　of　his　trouble；　and　make　himself　hated　by
him。　Pheroras　knew　that　this　advice　would　be　for　his　own
advantage；　particularly　because　he　had　been　accused　before；　and
forgiven；　so　he　put　his　wife　away；　although　he　already　had　a　son
by　her；　and　engaged　to　the　king　that　he　would　take　his　second
daughter；　and　agreed　that　the　thirtieth　day　after　should　be　the
day　of　marriage；　and　sware　he　would　have　no　further　conversation
with　her　whom　he　had　put　away；　but　when　the　thirty　days　were
over；　he　was　such　a　slave　to　his　affections；　that　he　no　longer
performed　any　thing　he　had　promised；　but　continued　still　with　his
former　wife。　This　occasioned　Herod　to　grieve　openly；　and　made　him
angry；　while　the　king　dropped　one　word　or　other　against　Pheroras
perpetually；　and　many　made　the　king's　anger　an　opportunity　for
raising　calumnies　against　him。　Nor　had　the　king　any　longer　a
single　quiet　day　or　hour；　but　occasions　of　one　fresh　quarrel　or
another　arose　among　his　relations；　and　those　that　were　dearest　to
him；　for　Salome　was　of　a　harsh　temper；　and　ill…natured　to
Mariamne's　sons；　nor　would　she　suffer　her　own　daughter；　who　was
the　wife　of　Aristobulus；　one　of　those　young　men；　to　bear　a
good…will　to　her　husband；　but　persuaded　her　to　tell　her　if　he
said　any　thing　to　her　in　private；　and　when　any　misunderstandings
happened；　as　is　common；　she　raised　a　great　many　suspicions　out　of
it；　by　which　means　she　learned　all　their　concerns；　and　made　the
damsel　ill…natured　to　the　young　man。　And　in　order　to　gratify　her
mother；　she　often　said　that　the　young　men　used　to　mention
Mariamne　when　they　were　by　themselves；　and　that　they　hated　their
father；　and　were　continually　threatening；　that　if　they　had　once
got　the　kingdom；　they　would　make　Herod's　sons　by　his　other　wives
country　schoolmasters；　for　that　the　present　education　which　was
given　them；　and　their　diligence　in　learning；　fitted　them　for　such
an　employment。　And　as　for　the　women；　whenever　they　saw　them
adorned　with　their　mother's　clothes；　they　threatened；　that
instead　of　their　present　gaudy　apparel；　they　should　be　clothed　in
sackcloth；　and　confined　so　closely　that　they　should　not　see　the
light　of　the　sun。　These　stories　were　presently　carried　by　Salome
to　the　king；　who　was　troubled　to　hear　them；　and　endeavored　to
make　up　matters；　but　these　suspicions　afflicted　him；　and　becoming
more　and　more　uneasy；　he　believed　every　body　against　every　body。
However；　upon　his　rebuking　his　sons；　and　hearing　the　defense　they
made　for　themselves；　he　was　easier　for　a　while；　though　a　little
afterwards　much　worse　accidents　came　upon　him。

4。　For　Pheroras　came　to　Alexander；　the　husband　of　Glaphyra；　who
was　the　daughter　of　Archelaus；　as　we　have　already　told　you；　and
said　that　he　had　heard　from　Salome　that　Herod　has　enamored　on
Glaphyra；　and　that　his　passion　for　her　was　incurable。　When
Alexander　heard　that；　he　was　all　on　fire；　from　his　youth　and
jealousy；　and　he　interpreted　the　instances　of　Herod's　obliging
behavior　to　her；　which　were　very　frequent；　for　the　worse；　which
came　from　those　suspicions　he　had　on　account　of　that　word　which
fell　from　Pheroras；　nor　could　he　conceal　his　grief　at　the　thing；
but　informed　him　what　word：　Pheroras　had　said。　Upon　which　Herod
was　in　a　greater　disorder　than　ever；　and　not　bearing　such　a　false
calumny；　which　was　to　his　shame；　was　much　disturbed　at　it；　and
often　did　he　lament　the　wickedness　of　his　domestics；　and　how　good
he　had　been　to　them；　and　how　ill　requitals　they　had　made　him。　So
he　sent　for　Pheroras；　and　reproached　him；　and　said；　〃Thou　vilest
of　all　men！　art　thou　come　to　that　unmeasurable　and　extravagant
degree　of　ingratitude；　as　not　only　to　suppose　such　things　of　me；
but　to　speak　of　them？　I　now　indeed　perceive　what　thy　intentions
are。　It　is　not　thy　only　aim　to　reproach　me；　when　thou　usest　such
words　to　my　son；　but　thereby　to　persuade　him　to　plot　against　me；
and　get　me　destroyed　by　poison。　And　who　is　there；　if　he　had　not　a
good　genius　at　his　elbow；　as　hath　my　son；　but　would　not　bear　such
a　suspicion　of　his　father；　but　would　revenge　himself　upon　him？
Dost　thou　suppose　that　thou　hast　only　dropped　a　word　for　him　to
think　of；　and　not　rather　hast　put　a　sword　into　his　hand　to　slay
his　father？　And　what　dost　thou　mean；　when　thou　really　hatest　both
him　and　his　brother；　to　pretend　kindness　to　them；　only　in　order
to　raise　a　reproach　against　me；　and　talk　of　such　things　as　no　one
but　such　an　impious　wretch　as　thou　art　could　either　devise　in
their　mind；　or　declare　in　their　words？　Begone；　thou　art　such　a
plague　to　thy　benefactor　and　thy　brother；　and　may　that　evil
conscience　of　thine　go　along　with　thee；　while　I　still　overcome　my
relations　by　kindness；　and　am　so　far　from　avenging　myself　of
them；　as　they　deserve；　that　I　bestow　greater　benefits　upon　them
than　they　are　worthy　of。〃

5。　Thus　did　the　king　speak。　Whereupon　Pheroras；　who　was　caught　in
the　very　act　of　his　villainy；　said　that　〃it　was　Salome　who　was
the　framer　of　this　plot；　and　that　the　words　came　from　her。〃　But
as　soon　as　she　heard　that；　for　she　was　at　hand；　she　cried　out；
like　one　that　would　be　believed；　that　no　such　thing　ever　came　out
of　her　mouth；　that　they　all　earnestly　endeavored　to　make　the　king
hate　her；　and　to　make　her　away；　because　of　the　good…will　she　bore
to　Herod；　and　because　she　was　always　foreseeing　the　dangers　that
were　coming　upon　him；　and　that　at　present　there　were　more　plots
against　him　than　usual；　for　while　she　was　the　only　person　who
persuaded　her　brother　to　put　away　the　wife　he　now　had；　and　to
take　the　king's　daughter；　it　w