the antiquities of the jews-1-第198章

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opinions　his　letters　sent　hither　are　sufficient　evidence；　and
that　it　was　not　reasonable　to　prefer　the　calumnies　of　such　as
proposed　to　raise　disturbances　before　those　letters；　the　greatest
part　of　which　calumnies　had　been　raised　during　his　absence；　which
gave　scope　to　his　enemies　to　forge　them；　which　they　had　not　been
able　to　do　if　he　had　been　there。　Moreover　he　showed　the　weakness
of　the　evidence　obtained　by　torture；　which　was　commonly　false；
because　the　distress　men　are　in　under　such　tortures　naturally
obliges　them　to　say　many　things　in　order　to　please　those　that
govern　them。　He　also　offered　himself　to　the　torture。

5。　Hereupon　there　was　a　change　observed　in　the　assembly；　while
they　greatly　pitied　Antipater；　who　by　weeping　and　putting　on　a
countenance　suitable　to　his　sad　case　made　them　commiserate　the
same；　insomuch　that　his　very　enemies　were　moved　to　compassion；
and　it　appeared　plainly　that　Herod　himself　was　affected　in　his
own　mind；　although　he　was　not　willing　it　should　be　taken　notice
of。　Then　did　Nicolaus　begin　to　prosecute　what　the　king　had　begun；
and　that　with　great　bitterness；　and　summed　up　all　the　evidence
which　arose　from　the　tortures；　or　from　the　testimonies。　He
principally　and　largely　cried　up　the　king's　virtues；　which　he　had
exhibited　in　the　maintenance　and　education　of　his　sons；　while　he
never　could　gain　any　advantage　thereby；　but　still　fell　from　one
misfortune　to　another。　Although　he　owned　that　he　was　not　so　much
surprised　with　that　thoughtless　behavior　of　his　former　sons；　who
were　but　young；　and　were　besides　corrupted　by　wicked　counselors；
who　were　the　occasion　of　their　wiping　out　of　their　minds　the
righteous　dictates　of　nature；　and　this　out　of　a　desire　of　coming
to　the　government　sooner　than　they　ought　to　do；　yet　that　he　could
not　but　justly　stand　amazed　at　the　horrid　wickedness　of
Antipater；　who；　although　he　had　not　only　had　great　benefits
bestowed　on　him　by　his　father；　enough　to　tame　his　reason；　yet
could　not　be　more　tamed　than　the　most　envenomed　serpents；　whereas
even　those　creatures　admit　of　some　mitigation；　and　will　not　bite
their　benefactors；　while　Antipater　hath　not　let　the　misfortunes
of　his　brethren　be　any　hinderance　to　him；　but　he　hath　gone　on　to
imitate　their　barbarity　notwithstanding。　〃Yet　wast　thou；　O
Antipater！　（as　thou　hast　thyself　confessed；）　the　informer　as　to
what　wicked　actions　they　had　done；　and　the　searcher　out　of　the
evidence　against　them；　and　the　author　of　the　punishment　they
underwent　upon　their　detection。　Nor　do　we　say　this　as　accusing
thee　for　being　so　zealous　in　thy　anger　against　them；　but　are
astonished　at　thy　endeavors　to　imitate　their　profligate　behavior；
and　we　discover　thereby　that　thou　didst　not　act　thus　for　the
safety　of　thy　father；　but　for　the　destruction　of　thy　brethren；
that　by　such　outside　hatred　of　their　impiety　thou　mightest　be
believed　a　lover　of　thy　father；　and　mightest　thereby　get　thee
power　enough　to　do　mischief　with　the　greatest　impunity；　which
design　thy　actions　indeed　demonstrate。　It　is　true；　thou　tookest
thy　brethren　off；　because　thou　didst　convict　theft　of　their
wicked　designs；　but　thou　didst　not　yield　up　to　justice　those　who
were　their　partners；　and　thereby　didst　make　it　evident　to　all　men
that　thou　madest　a　covenant　with　them　against　thy　father；　when
thou　chosest　to　be　the　accuser　of　thy　brethren；　as　desirous　to
gain　to　thyself　alone　this　advantage　of　laying　plots　to　kill　thy
father；　and　so　to　enjoy　double　pleasure；　which　is　truly　worthy　of
thy　evil　disposition；　which　thou　has　openly　showed　against　thy
brethren；　on　which　account　thou　didst　rejoice；　as　having　done　a
most　famous　exploit；　nor　was　that　behavior　unworthy　of　thee。　But
if　thy　intention　were　otherwise；　thou　art　worse　than　they：　while
thou　didst　contrive　to　hide　thy　treachery　against　thy　father；
thou　didst　hate　them；　not　as　plotters　against　thy　father；　for　in
that　case　thou　hadst　not　thyself　fallen　upon　the　like　crime；　but
as　successors　of　his　dominions；　and　more　worthy　of　that
succession　than　thyself。　Thou　wouldst　kill　thy　father　after　thy
brethren；　lest　thy　lies　raised　against　them　might　be　detected；
and　lest　thou　shouldst　suffer　what　punishment　thou　hadst
deserved；　thou　hadst　a　mind　to　exact　that　punishment　of　thy
unhappy　father；　and　didst　devise　such　a　sort　of　uncommon
parricide　as　the　world　never　yet　saw。　For　thou　who　art　his　son
didst　not　only　lay　a　treacherous　design　against　thy　father；　and
didst　it　while　he　loved　thee；　and　had　been　thy　benefactor；　had
made　thee　in　reality　his　partner　in　the　kingdom；　and　had　openly
declared　thee　his　successor；　while　thou　wast　not　forbidden　to
taste　the　sweetness　of　authority　already；　and　hadst　the　firm　hope
of　what　was　future　by　thy　father's　determination；　and　the
security　of　a　written　testament；　but；　for　certain；　thou　didst　not
measure　these　things　according　to　thy　father's　various
disposition；　but　according　to　thy　own　thoughts　and　inclinations；
and　was　desirous　to　take　the　part　that　remained　away　from　thy　too
indulgent　father；　and　soughtest　to　destroy　him　with　thy　deeds；
whom　thou　in　words　pretendedst　to　preserve。　Nor　wast　thou　content
to　be　wicked　thyself；　but　thou　filledst　thy　mother's　head　with
thy　devices；　and　raised　disturbances　among　thy　brethren；　and
hadst　the　boldness　to　call　thy　father　a　wild　beast；　while　thou
hadst　thyself　a　mind　more　cruel　than　any　serpent；　whence　thou
sentest　out　that　poison　among　thy　nearest　kindred　and　greatest
benefactors；　and　invitedst　them　to　assist　thee　and　guard　thee；
and　didst　hedge　thyself　in　on　all　sides；　by　the　artifices　of　both
men　and　women；　against　an　old　man；　as　though　that　mind　of　thine
was　not　sufficient　of　itself　to　support　so　great　a　hatred　as　thou
baredst　to　him。　And　here　thou　appearest；　after　the　tortures　of
free…men；　of　domestics；　of　men　and　women；　which　have　been
examined　on　thy　account；　and　after　the　informations　of　thy　fellow
conspirators；　as　making　haste　to　contradict　the　truth；　and　hast
thought　on　ways　not　only　how　to　take　thy　father　out　of　the　world；
but　to　disannul　that　written　law　which　is　against　thee；　and　the
virtue　of　Varus；　and　the　nature　of　justice；　nay；　such　is　that
impudence　of　thine　on　which　thou　confidest；　that　thou　desirest　to
be　put　to　the　torture　thyself；　while　thou　allegest　that　the
tortures　of　those　already　examined　thereby　have　made　them　tell
lies；　that　those　that　have　been　the　deliverers　of　thy　father　may
not　be　allowed　to　have　spoken　the　truth；　but　that　thy　tortures
may　be　esteemed　the　discoverers　of　truth。　Wilt　not　thou；　O　Varus！
deliver　the　king　from　the　injuries　of　his　kindred？　Wilt　not　thou
destroy　this　wicked　wild　beast；　which　hath　pretended　kindness　to
his　father；　in　order　to　destroy　his　brethren；　while　yet　he　is
himself　alone　ready　to　carry　off　the　kingdom　immediately；　and
appears　to　be　the　most　bloody　butcher　to　him　of　them　all？　for
thou　art　sensible　that　parricide　is　a　general　injury　both　to
nature　and　to　common　life；　and　that　the　intention　of　parricide　is
not　inferior　to　its　perpetration；　and　he　who　does　not　punish　it
is　injurious　to　nature　itself。〃

6。　Nicolaus　added　further　what　belonged　to　Antipater's　mother；
and　whatsoever　she　had　prattled　like　a　woman；　as　also　about　the
predictions　and　the　sacrifices　relating　to　the　king；　and
whatsoever　Antipater　had　done　lasciviously　in　his　cups　and　his
amours　among　Pheroras's　women；　the　examination　upon　torture；　and
whatsoever　concerned　the　testimonies　of　the　witnesses；　which　were
many；　and　of　various　kinds；　some　prepared　beforehand；　and　others
were　sudden　answers；　which　further　declared　and　confirmed　the
foregoing　evidence。　For　those　men　who　were　not　acquainted　with
Antipater's　practices；　but　had　concealed　them　out　of　fear；　when
they　saw　that　he　was　exposed　to　the　accusations　of　the　former
witnesses；　and　that　his　great　good　fortune；　which　had　supported
him　hitherto；　had　now　evidently　betrayed　him　into　the　hands　of
his　enemies；　who　were　now　insatiable　in　their　hatred　to　him；　told
all　they　knew　of　him。　And　his　ruin　was　now　hastened；　not　so　much
by　the　enmity　of　those　that　were　his　accusers；　as　by　his　gross；
and　impudent；　and　wicked　contrivances；　and　by　his　ill…will　to　his
father　and　his　brethren；　while　he　had　filled　their　house　with
disturbance；　and　caused　them　to　murder　one　another；　and　was
neither　fair　in　his　hatred；　nor　kind　in　his　friendship；　but　just
so　far　as　served　his　own　turn。　Now　there　were　a　great　number　who
for　a　long　time　beforehand　had　seen　all　this；　and　especially　such
as　were　naturally　disposed　to　judge　of　matters　by　the　rules　of
virtue；　because　they　were　used　to　determine　about　affairs　without
passion；　but　had　been　restrained　from　making　any　open　complaints
before；　these；　upon　the　leave　now　given　them；　produced　all　that
they　knew　before　the　public。　The　demonstrations　also　of　these
wicked　facts　could　no　way　be　disproved；　because　the　many
witnesses　there　were　did　neither　speak　out　of　favor　to　Herod；　nor
were　they　obliged　to　keep　what　they　had　to　say　silent；　out　of
suspicion　of　any　danger　they　were　in；　but　they　spake　what　they
knew；　because　they　thought　such　actions　very　wicked；　and　that
Antipater　deserved　the　greatest　punishment；　and　indeed　not　so
much　for　Herod's　safety；　as　on　account　of　the　man's　own
wickedness。　Many　things　were　also　said；　and　those　by　a　great
number　of　persons；　who　were　no　way　obliged　to　say　them；　insomuch
that　Antipater；　who　used　generally　to　be　very　shrewd　in　his　lies
and　impudence；　was　not　able　to　say　one　word　to　the　contrary。　When
Nicolaus　had　left　off　speaking；　and　had　produced　the　evidence；
Varus　bid　Antipater　to　betake　himself　to　the　making　his　defense；
if　he　had　prepared　any　thing　whereby　it　might　appear　that　he　was
not　guilty　of　the　crimes　he　was　accused　of；　for　that；　as　he　was
himself　desirous；　so　did　he　know　that　his　father　was　in　like
manner　desirous　also；　to　have　him　found　entirely　innocent。　But
Antipater　fell　down　on　his　face；　and　appealed　to　God　and　to　all
men　for　testimonials　of　his　innocency；　desiring　that　God　would
declare；　by　some　evident　signals；　that　he　had　not　laid　any　plot
against　his　father。　This　being　the　usual　method　of　all　men
destitute　of　virtue；　that　when　they　set　about　any　wicked
undertakings；　they　fall　to　work　according　to　their　own
inclinations；　as　if　they　believed　that　God　was　unconcerned　in
human　affairs；　but　when　once　they　are　found　out；　and　are　in
danger　of　undergoing　the　punishment　due　to　their　crimes；　they
endeavor　to　overthrow　all　the　evidence　against　them　by　appealing
to　God；　which　was　the　very　thing　which　Antipater　now　did；　for
whereas　he　had　done　everything　as　if　there　were　no　God　in　the
world；　when　he　was　on　all　sides　distressed　by　justice；　and　when
he　had　no　other　advantage　to　expect　from　any　legal　proofs；　by
which　he　might　disprove　the　accusations　laid　against　him；　he
impudently　abused　the　majesty　of　God；　and　ascribed　it　to　his
power　that　he　had　been　preserved　hitherto；　and　produced　before
them　all　what　difficulties　he　had　ever　undergone　in　his　bold
acting　for　his　father's　preservation。

7。　So　when　Varus；　upon　asking　Antipater　what　he　had　to　say　for
himself；　found　that　he　had　nothing　to　say　besides　his　appeal　to
God；　and　saw　that　there　was　no　end　of　that；　he　bid　them　bring　the
potion　before　the　cou