Doig's Biblical Chronology  . Exact Dating of the Exodus and Birth and Crucifixion of Jesus

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Index to Josephus

The Wars Of The Jews - Book I

CONTAINING THE INTERVAL OF ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN YEARS
FROM THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM BY ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES, TO THE DEATH OF HEROD THE GREAT

CHAPTER 1

HOW THE CITY JERUSALEM WAS TAKEN, AND THE TEMPLE PILLAGED [BY ANTIOCHUS
 EPIPHANES]. AS ALSO CONCERNING THE ACTIONS OF THE MACCABEES, MATTHIAS AND JUDAS;
 AND CONCERNING THE DEATH OF JUDAS

1. AT the same time that Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, had a quarrel with the sixth Ptolemy about his right to the whole country of Syria, a great sedition fell among the men of power in Judea, and they had a contention about obtaining the government; while each of those that were of dignity could not endure to be subject to their equals. However, Onias, one of the high priests, got the better, and cast the sons of Tobias out of the city; who fled to Antiochus, and besought him to make use of them for his leaders, and to make an expedition into Judea. The king being thereto disposed beforehand, complied with them, and came upon the Jews with a great army, and took their city by force, and slew a great multitude of those that favored Ptolemy, and sent out his soldiers to plunder them without mercy. He also spoiled the temple, and put a stop to the constant practice of offering a daily sacrifice of expiation for three years and six months. But Onias, the high priest, fled to Ptolemy, and received a place from him in the Nomus of Heliopolis, where he built a city resembling Jerusalem, and a temple that was like its temple (1) concerning which we shall speak more in its proper place hereafter.

2. Now Antiochus was not satisfied either with his unexpected taking the city, or with its pillage, or with the great slaughter he
had made there; but being overcome with his violent passions, and remembering what he had suffered during the siege, he
compelled the Jews to dissolve the laws of their country, and to keep their infants uncircumcised, and to sacrifice swine's flesh
upon the altar; against which they all opposed themselves, and the most approved among them were put to death. Bacchides
also, who was sent to keep the fortresses, having these wicked commands, joined to his own natural barbarity, indulged all
sorts of the extremest wickedness, and tormented the worthiest of the inhabitants, man by man, and threatened their city every
day with open destruction, till at length he provoked the poor sufferers by the extremity of his wicked doings to avenge
themselves.

3. Accordingly Matthias, the son of Asamoneus, one of the priests who lived in a village called Modin, armed himself, together
with his own family, which had five sons of his in it, and slew Bacchides with daggers; and thereupon, out of the fear of the
many garrisons [of the enemy], he fled to the mountains; and so many of the people followed him, that he was encouraged to
come down from the mountains, and to give battle to Antiochus's generals, when he beat them, and drove them out of Judea.
So he came to the government by this his success, and became the prince of his own people by their own free consent, and
then died, leaving the government to Judas, his eldest son.

4. Now Judas, supposing that Antiochus would not lie still, gathered an army out of his own countrymen, and was the first that
made a league of friendship with the Romans, and drove Epiphanes out of the country when he had made a second expedition
into it, and this by giving him a great defeat there; and when he was warmed by this great success, he made an assault upon the
garrison that was in the city, for it had not been cut off hitherto; so he ejected them out of the upper city, and drove the soldiers
into the lower, which part of the city was called the Citadel. He then got the temple under his power, and cleansed the whole
place, and walled it round about, and made new vessels for sacred ministrations, and brought them into the temple, because the
former vessels had been profaned. He also built another altar, and began to offer the sacrifices; and when the city had already
received its sacred constitution again, Antiochus died; whose son Antiochus succeeded him in the kingdom, and in his hatred to
the Jews also.

5. So this Antiochus got together fifty thousand footmen, and five thousand horsemen, and fourscore elephants, and marched
through Judea into the mountainous parts. He then took Bethsura, which was a small city; but at a place called Bethzacharis,
where the passage was narrow, Judas met him with his army. However, before the forces joined battle, Judas's brother
Eleazar, seeing the very highest of the elephants adorned with a large tower, and with military trappings of gold to guard him,
and supposing that Antiochus himself was upon him, he ran a great way before his own army, and cutting his way through the
enemy's troops, he got up to the elephant; yet could he not reach him who seemed to be the king, by reason of his being so
high; but still he ran his weapon into the belly of the beast, and brought him down upon himself, and was crushed to death,
having done no more than attempted great things, and showed that he preferred glory before life. Now he that governed the
elephant was but a private man; and had he proved to be Antiochus, Eleazar had performed nothing more by this bold stroke
than that it might appear he chose to die, when he had the bare hope of thereby doing a glorious action; nay, this
disappointment proved an omen to his brother [Judas] how the entire battle would end. It is true that the Jews fought it out
bravely for a long time, but the king's forces, being superior in number, and having fortune on their side, obtained the victory.
And when a great many of his men were slain, Judas took the rest with him, and fled to the toparchy of Gophna. So Antiochus
went to Jerusalem, and staid there but a few days, for he wanted provisions, and so he went his way. He left indeed a garrison
behind him, such as he thought sufficient to keep the place, but drew the rest of his army off, to take their winter-quarters in
Syria.

6. Now, after the king was departed, Judas was not idle; for as many of his own nation came to him, so did he gather those that
had escaped out of the battle together, and gave battle again to Antiochus's generals at a village called Adasa; and being too
hard for his enemies in the battle, and killing a great number of them, he was at last himself slain also. Nor was it many days
afterward that his brother John had a plot laid against him by Antiochus's party, and was slain by them.

                                        CHAPTER 2.

    CONCERNING THE SUCCESSORS OF JUDAS, WHO WERE JONATHAN AND SIMON, AND JOHN
                                          HYRCANUS.

1. WHEN Jonathan, who was Judas's brother, succeeded him, he behaved himself with great circumspection in other respects,
with relation to his own people; and he corroborated his authority by preserving his friendship with the Romans. He also made
a league with Antiochus the son. Yet was not all this sufficient for his security; for the tyrant Trypho, who was guardian to
Antiochus's son, laid a plot against him; and besides that, endeavored to take off his friends, and caught Jonathan by a wile, as
he was going to Ptolemais to Antiochus, with a few persons in his company, and put him in bonds, and then made an expedition
against the Jews; but when he was afterward driven away by Simon, who was Jonathan's brother, and was enraged at his
defeat, he put Jonathan to death.

2. However, Simon managed the public affairs after a courageous manner, and took Gazara, and Joppa, and Jamnia, which
were cities in his neighborhood. He also got the garrison under, and demolished the citadel. He was afterward an auxiliary to
Antiochus, against Trypho, whom he besieged in Dora, before he went on his expedition against the Medes; yet could not he
make the king ashamed of his ambition, though he had assisted him in killing Trypho; for it was not long ere Antiochus sent
Cendebeus his general with an army to lay waste Judea, and to subdue Simon; yet he, though he was now in years, conducted
the war as if he were a much younger man. He also sent his sons with a band of strong men against Antiochus, while he took
part of the army himself with him, and fell upon him from another quarter. He also laid a great many men in ambush in many
places of the mountains, and was superior in all his attacks upon them; and when he had been conqueror after so glorious a
manner, he was made high priest, and also freed the Jews from the dominion of the Macedonians, after one hundred and
seventy years of the empire [of Seleucus].

3. This Simon also had a plot laid against him, and was slain at a feast by his son-in-law Ptolemy, who put his wife and two
sons into prison, and sent some persons to kill John, who was also called Hyrcanus. (2) But when the young man was informed
of their coming beforehand, he made haste to get to the city, as having a very great confidence in the people there, both on
account of the memory of the glorious actions of his father, and of the hatred they could not but bear to the injustice of Ptolemy.
Ptolemy also made an attempt to get into the city by another gate; but was repelled by the people, who had just then admitted
of Hyrcanus; so he retired presently to one of the fortresses that were about Jericho, which was called Dagon. Now when
Hyrcanus had received the high priesthood, which his father had held before, and had offered sacrifice to God, he made great
haste to attack Ptolemy, that he might afford relief to his mother and brethren.

4. So he laid siege to the fortress, and was superior to Ptolemy in other respects, but was overcome by him as to the just
affection [he had for his relations]; for when Ptolemy was distressed, he brought forth his mother, and his brethren, and set them
upon the wall, and beat them with rods in every body's sight, and threatened, that unless he would go away immediately, he
would throw them down headlong; at which sight Hyrcanus's commiseration and concern were too hard for his anger. But his
mother was not dismayed, neither at the stripes she received, nor at the death with which she was threatened; but stretched out
her hands, and prayed her son not to be moved with the injuries that she suffered to spare the wretch; since it was to her better
to die by the means of Ptolemy, than to live ever so long, provided he might be punished for the injuries he done to their family.
Now John's case was this: When he considered the courage of his mother, and heard her entreaty, he set about his attacks; but
when he saw her beaten, and torn to pieces with the stripes, he grew feeble, and was entirely overcome by his affections. And
as the siege was delayed by this means, the year of rest came on, upon which the Jews rest every seventh year as they do on
every seventh day. On this year, therefore, Ptolemy was freed from being besieged, and slew the brethren of John, with their
mother, and fled to Zeno, who was also called Cotylas, who was tyrant of Philadelphia.

5. And now Antiochus was so angry at what he had suffered from Simon, that he made an expedition into Judea, and sat down
before Jerusalem and besieged Hyrcanus; but Hyrcanus opened the sepulcher of David, who was the richest of all kings, and
took thence about three thousand talents in money, and induced Antiochus, by the promise of three thousand talents, to raise
the siege. Moreover, he was the first of the Jews that had money enough, and began to hire foreign auxiliaries also.

6. However, at another time, when Antiochus was gone upon an expedition against the Medes, and so gave Hyrcanus an
opportunity of being revenged upon him, he immediately made an attack upon the cities of Syria, as thinking, what proved to be
the case with them, that he should find them empty of god troops. So he took Medaba and Samea, with the towns in their
neighborhood, as also Shechem, and Gerizzim; and besides these, [he subdued] the nation of the Cutheans, who dwelt round
about that temple which was built in imitation of the temple at Jerusalem; he also took a great many other cities of Idumea, with
Adoreon and Marissa.

7. He also proceeded as far as Samaria, where is now the city Sebaste, which was built by Herod the king, and encompassed
it all round with a wall, and set his sons, Aristobulus and Antigonus, over the siege; who pushed it on so hard, that a famine so
far prevailed within the city, that they were forced to eat what never was esteemed food. They also invited Antiochus, who was
called Cyzicenus, to come to their assistance; whereupon he got ready, and complied with their invitation, but was beaten by
Aristobulus and Antigonus; and indeed he was pursued as far as Scythopolis by these brethren, and fled away from them. So
they returned back to Samaria, and shut the multitude again within the wall; and when they had taken the city, they demolished
it, and made slaves of its inhabitants. And as they had still great success in their undertakings, they did not suffer their zeal to
cool, but marched with an army as far as Scythopolis, and made an incursion upon it, and laid waste all the country that lay
within Mount Carmel.

8. But then these successes of John and of his sons made them be envied, and occasioned a sedition in the country; and many
there were who got together, and would not be at rest till they brake out into open war, in which war they were beaten. So
John lived the rest of his life very happily, and administered the government after a most extraordinary manner, and this for
thirty-three entire years together. He died, leaving five sons behind him. He was certainly a very happy man, and afforded no
occasion to have any complaint made of fortune on his account. He it was who alone had three of the most desirable things in
the world, - the government of his nation, and the high priesthood, and the gift of prophecy. For the Deity conversed with him,
and he was not ignorant of any thing that was to come afterward; insomuch that he foresaw and foretold that his two eldest
sons would not continue masters of the government; and it will highly deserve our narration to describe their catastrophe, and
how far inferior these men were to their father in felicity.

                                        CHAPTER 3.

 HOW ARISTOBULUS WAS THE FIRST THAT PUT A DIADEM ABOUT HIS HEAD; AND AFTER HE HAD
 PUT HIS MOTHER AND BROTHER TO DEATH, DIED HIMSELF, WHEN HE HAD REIGNED NO MORE
                                         THAN A YEAR.

1. FOR after the death of their father, the elder of them, Aristobulus, changed the government into a kingdom, and was the first
that put a diadem upon his head, four hundred seventy and one years and three months after our people came down into this
country, when they were set free from the Babylonian slavery. Now, of his brethren, he appeared to have an affection for
Antigonus, who was next to him, and made him his equal; but for the rest, he bound them, and put them in prison. He also put
his mother in bonds, for her contesting the government with him; for John had left her to be the governess of public affairs. He
also proceeded to that degree of barbarity as to cause her to be pined to death in prison.

2. But vengeance circumvented him in the affair of his brother Antigonus, whom he loved, and whom he made his partner in the
kingdom; for he slew him by the means of the calumnies which ill men about the palace contrived against him. At first, indeed,
Aristobulus would not believe their reports, partly out of the affection he had for his brother, and partly because he thought that
a great part of these tales were owing to the envy of their relaters: however, as Antigonus came once in a splendid manner from
the army to that festival, wherein our ancient custom is to make tabernacles for God, it happened, in those days, that
Aristobulus was sick, and that, at the conclusion of the feast, Antigonus came up to it, with his armed men about him; and this
when he was adorned in the finest manner possible; and that, in a great measure, to pray to God on the behalf of his brother.
Now at this very time it was that these ill men came to the king, and told him in what a pompous manner the armed men came,
and with what insolence Antigonus marched, and that such his insolence was too great for a private person, and that
accordingly he was come with a great band of men to kill him; for that he could not endure this bare enjoyment of royal honor,
when it was in his power to take the kingdom himself.

3. Now Aristobulus, by degrees, and unwillingly, gave credit to these accusations; and accordingly he took care not to discover
his suspicion openly, though he provided to be secure against any accidents; so he placed the guards of his body in a certain
dark subterranean passage; for he lay sick in a place called formerly the Citadel, though afterwards its name was changed to
Antonia; and he gave orders that if Antigonus came unarmed, they should let him alone; but if he came to him in his armor, they
should kill him. He also sent some to let him know beforehand that he should come unarmed. But, upon this occasion, the
queen very cunningly contrived the matter with those that plotted his ruin, for she persuaded those that were sent to conceal the
king's message; but to tell Antigonus how his brother had heard he had got a very the suit of armor made with fine martial
ornaments, in Galilee; and because his present sickness hindered him from coming and seeing all that finery, he very much
desired to see him now in his armor; because, said he, in a little time thou art going away from me.

4. As soon as Antigonus heard this, the good temper of his brother not allowing him to suspect any harm from him, he came
along with his armor on, to show it to his brother; but when he was going along that dark passage which was called Strato's
Tower, he was slain by the body guards, and became an eminent instance how calumny destroys all good-will and natural
affection, and how none of our good affections are strong enough to resist envy perpetually.

5. And truly any one would be surprised at Judas upon this occasion. He was of the sect of the Essens, and had never failed or
deceived men in his predictions before. Now this man saw Antigonus as he was passing along by the temple, and cried out to
his acquaintance, (they were not a few who attended upon him as his scholars,) "O strange!" said he, "it is good for me to die
now, since truth is dead before me, and somewhat that I have foretold hath proved false; for this Antigonus is this day alive,
who ought to hare died this day; and the place where he ought to be slain, according to that fatal decree, was Strato's Tower,
which is at the distance of six hundred furlongs from this place; and yet four hours of this day are over already; which point of
time renders the prediction impossible to be fill filled." And when the old man had said this, he was dejected in his mind, and so
continued. But in a little time news came that Antigonus was slain in a subterraneous place, which was itself also called Strato's
Tower, by the same name with that Cesarea which lay by the sea-side; and this ambiguity it was which caused the prophet's
disorder.

6. Hereupon Aristobulus repented of the great crime he had been guilty of, and this gave occasion to the increase of his
distemper. He also grew worse and worse, and his soul was constantly disturbed at the thoughts of what he had done, till his
very bowels being torn to pieces by the intolerable grief he was under, he threw up a great quantity of blood. And as one of
those servants that attended him carried out that blood, he, by some supernatural providence, slipped and fell down in the very
place where Antigonus had been slain; and so he spilt some of the murderer's blood upon the spots of the blood of him that had
been murdered, which still appeared. Hereupon a lamentable cry arose among the spectators, as if the servant had spilled the
blood on purpose in that place; and as the king heard that cry, he inquired what was the cause of it; and while nobody durst tell
him, he pressed them so much the more to let him know what was the matter; so at length, when he had threatened them, and
forced them to speak out, they told; whereupon he burst into tears, and groaned, and said, "So I perceive I am not like to
escape the all-seeing eye of God, as to the great crimes I have committed; but the vengeance of the blood of my kinsman
pursues me hastily. O thou most impudent body! how long wilt thou retain a soul that ought to die on account of that
punishment it ought to suffer for a mother and a brother slain! How long shall I myself spend my blood drop by drop? let them
take it all at once; and let their ghosts no longer be disappointed by a few parcels of my bowels offered to them." As soon as he
had said these words, he presently died, when he had reigned no longer than a year.

                                        CHAPTER 4.

  WHAT ACTIONS WERE DONE BY ALEXANDER JANNEUS, WHO REIGNED TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS.

1. AND now the king's wife loosed the king's brethren, and made Alexander king, who appeared both elder in age, and more
moderate in his temper than the rest; who, when he came to the government, slew one of his brethren, as affecting to govern
himself; but had the other of them in great esteem, as loving a quiet life, without meddling with public affairs.

2. Now it happened that there was a battle between him and Ptolemy, who was called Lathyrus, who had taken the city
Asochis. He indeed slew a great many of his enemies, but the victory rather inclined to Ptolemy. But when this Ptolemy was
pursued by his mother Cleopatra, and retired into Egypt, Alexander besieged Gadara, and took it; as also he did Amathus,
which was the strongest of all the fortresses that were about Jordan, and therein were the most precious of all the possessions
of Theodorus, the son of Zeno. Whereupon Theodopus marched against him, and took what belonged to himself as well as the
king's baggage, and slew ten thousand of the Jews. However, Alexander recovered this blow, and turned his force towards the
maritime parts, and took Raphia and Gaza, with Anthedon also, which was afterwards called Agrippias by king Herod.

3. But when he had made slaves of the citizens of all these cities, the nation of the Jews made an insurrection against him at a
festival; for at those feasts seditions are generally begun; and it looked as if he should not be able to escape the plot they had
laid for him, had not his foreign auxiliaries, the Pisidians and Cilicians, assisted him; for as to the Syrians, he never admitted
them among his mercenary troops, on account of their innate enmity against the Jewish nation. And when he had slain more than
six thousand of the rebels, he made an incursion into Arabia; and when he had taken that country, together with the Gileadires
and Moabites, he enjoined them to pay him tribute, and returned to Areathus; and as Theodorus was surprised at his great
success, he took the fortress, and demolished it.

4. However, when he fought with Obodas, king of the Arabians, who had laid an ambush for him near Golan, and a plot against
him, he lost his entire army, which was crowded together in a deep valley, and broken to pieces by the multitude of camels.
And when he had made his escape to Jerusalem, he provoked the multitude, which hated him before, to make an insurrection
against him, and this on account of the greatness of the calamity that he was under. However, he was then too hard for them;
and, in the several battles that were fought on both sides, he slew not fewer than fifty thousand of the Jews in the interval of six
years. Yet had he no reason to rejoice in these victories, since he did but consume his own kingdom; till at length he left off
fighting, and endeavored to come to a composition with them, by talking with his subjects. But this mutability and irregularity of
his conduct made them hate him still more. And when he asked them why they so hated him, and what he should do in order to
appease them, they said, by killing himself; for that it would be then all they could do to be reconciled to him, who had done
such tragical things to them, even when he was dead. At the same time they invited Demetrius, who was called Eucerus, to
assist them; and as he readily complied with their requests, in hopes of great advantages, and came with his army, the Jews
joined with those their auxiliaries about Shechem.

5. Yet did Alexander meet both these forces with one thousand horsemen, and eight thousand mercenaries that were on foot.
He had also with him that part of the Jews which favored him, to the number of ten thousand; while the adverse party had three
thousand horsemen, and fourteen thousand footmen. Now, before they joined battle, the kings made proclamation, and
endeavored to draw off each other's soldiers, and make them revolt; while Demetrius hoped to induce Alexander's mercenaries
to leave him, and Alexander hoped to induce the Jews that were with Demetrius to leave him. But since neither the Jews would
leave off their rage, nor the Greeks prove unfaithful, they came to an engagement, and to a close fight with their weapons. In
which battle Demetrius was the conqueror, although Alexander's mercenaries showed the greatest exploits, both in soul and
body. Yet did the upshot of this battle prove different from what was expected, as to both of them; for neither did those that
invited Demetrius to come to them continue firm to him, though he was conqueror; and six thousand Jews, out of pity to the
change of Alexander's condition, when he was fled to the mountains, came over to him. Yet could not Demetrius bear this turn
of affairs; but supposing that Alexander was already become a match for him again, and that all the nation would [at length] run
to him, he left the country, and went his way.

6. However, the rest of the [Jewish] multitude did not lay aside their quarrels with him, when the [foreign] auxiliaries were gone;
but they had a perpetual war with Alexander, until he had slain the greatest part of them, and driven the rest into the city
Berneselis; and when he had demolished that city, he carried the captives to Jerusalem. Nay, his rage was grown so
extravagant, that his barbarity proceeded to the degree of impiety; for when he had ordered eight hundred to be hung upon
crosses in the midst of the city, he had the throats of their wives and children cut before their eyes; and these executions he saw
as he was drinking and lying down with his concubines. Upon which so deep a surprise seized on the people, that eight
thousand of his opposers fled away the very next night, out of all Judea, whose flight was only terminated by Alexander's death;
so at last, though not till late, and with great difficulty, he, by such actions, procured quiet to his kingdom, and left off fighting
any more.

7. Yet did that Antiochus, who was also called Dionysius, become an origin of troubles again. This man was the brother of
Demetrius, and the last of the race of the Seleucidse. (3) Alexander was afraid of him, when he was marching against the
Arabians; so he cut a deep trench between Antipatris, which was near the mountains, and the shores of Joppa; he also erected
a high wall before the trench, and built wooden towers, in order to hinder any sudden approaches. But still he was not able to
exclude Antiochus, for he burnt the towers, and filled up the trenches, and marched on with his army. And as he looked upon
taking his revenge on Alexander, for endeavoring to stop him, as a thing of less consequence, he marched directly against the
Arabians, whose king retired into such parts of the country as were fittest for engaging the enemy, and then on the sudden made
his horse turn back, which were in number ten thousand, and fell upon Antiochus's army while they were in disorder, and a
terrible battle ensued. Antiochus's troops, so long as he was alive, fought it out, although a mighty slaughter was made among
them by the Arabians; but when he fell, for he was in the forefront, in the utmost danger, in rallying his troops, they all gave
ground, and the greatest part of his army were destroyed, either in the action or the flight; and for the rest, who fled to the
village of Cana, it happened that they were all consumed by want of necessaries, a few only excepted.

8. About this time it was that the people of Damascus, out of their hatred to Ptolemy, the son of Menhens, invited Aretas [to
take the government], and made him king of Celesyria. This man also made an expedition against Judea, and beat Alexander in
battle; but afterwards retired by mutual agreement. But Alexander, when he had taken Pella, marched to Gerasa again, out of
the covetous desire he had of Theodorus's possessions; and when he had built a triple wall about the garrison, he took the
place by force. He also demolished Golan, and Seleucia, and what was called the Valley of Antiochus; besides which, he took
the strong fortress of Gamala, and stripped Demetrius, who was governor therein, of what he had, on account of the many
crimes laid to his charge, and then returned into Judea, after he had been three whole years in this expedition. And now he was
kindly received of the nation, because of the good success he had. So when he was at rest from war, he fell into a distemper;
for he was afflicted with a quartan ague, and supposed that, by exercising himself again in martial affairs, he should get rid of this
distemper; but by making such expeditions at unseasonable times, and forcing his body to undergo greater hardships than it was
able to bear, he brought himself to his end. He died, therefore, in the midst of his troubles, after he had reigned seven and
twenty years.

                                        CHAPTER 5.

    ALEXANDRA REIGNS NINE YEARS, DURING WHICH TIME THE PHARISEES WERE THE REAL
                                    RULERS OF THE NATION.

1. NOW Alexander left the kingdom to Alexandra his wife, and depended upon it that the Jews would now very readily submit
to her, because she had been very averse to such cruelty as he had treated them with, and had opposed his violation of their
laws, and had thereby got the good-will of the people. Nor was he mistaken as to his expectations; for this woman kept the
dominion, by the opinion that the people had of her piety; for she chiefly studied the ancient customs of her country, and cast
those men out of the government that offended against their holy laws. And as she had two sons by Alexander, she made
Hyrcanus the elder high priest, on account of his age, as also, besides that, on account of his inactive temper, no way disposing
him to disturb the public. But she retained the younger, Aristobulus, with her as a private person, by reason of the warmth of his
temper.

2. And now the Pharisees joined themselves to her, to assist her in the government. These are a certain sect of the Jews that
appear more religious than others, and seem to interpret the laws more accurately. low Alexandra hearkened to them to an
extraordinary degree, as being herself a woman of great piety towards God. But these Pharisees artfully insinuated themselves
into her favor by little and little, and became themselves the real administrators of the public affairs: they banished and reduced
whom they pleased; they bound and loosed [men] at their pleasure; (4) and, to say all at once, they had the enjoyment of the
royal authority, whilst the expenses and the difficulties of it belonged to Alexandra. She was a sagacious woman in the
management of great affairs, and intent always upon gathering soldiers together; so that she increased the army the one half, and
procured a great body of foreign troops, till her own nation became not only very powerful at home, but terrible also to foreign
potentates, while she governed other people, and the Pharisees governed her.

3. Accordingly, they themselves slew Diogenes, a person of figure, and one that had been a friend to Alexander; and accused
him as having assisted the king with his advice, for crucifying the eight hundred men [before mentioned.] They also prevailed
with Alexandra to put to death the rest of those who had irritated him against them. Now she was so superstitious as to comply
with their desires, and accordingly they slew whom they pleased themselves. But the principal of those that were in danger fled
to Aristobulus, who persuaded his mother to spare the men on account of their dignity, but to expel them out of the city, unless
she took them to be innocent; so they were suffered to go unpunished, and were dispersed all over the country. But when
Alexandra sent out her army to Damascus, under pretense that Ptolemy was always oppressing that city, she got possession of
it; nor did it make any considerable resistance. She also prevailed with Tigranes, king of Armenia, who lay with his troops
about Ptolemais, and besieged Cleopatra, (5) by agreements and presents, to go away. Accordingly, Tigranes soon arose from
the siege, by reason of those domestic tumults which happened upon Lucullus's expedition into Armenia.

4. In the mean time, Alexandra fell sick, and Aristobulus, her younger son, took hold of this opportunity, with his domestics, of
which he had a great many, who were all of them his friends, on account of the warmth of their youth, and got possession of all
the fortresses. He also used the sums of money he found in them to get together a number of mercenary soldiers, and made
himself king; and besides this, upon Hyrcanus's complaint to his mother, she compassionated his case, and put Aristobulus's
wife and sons under restraint in Antonia, which was a fortress that joined to the north part of the temple. It was, as I have
already said, of old called the Citadel; but afterwards got the name of Antonia, when Antony was [lord of the East], just as the
other cities, Sebaste and Agrippias, had their names changed, and these given them from Sebastus and Agrippa. But Alexandra
died before she could punish Aristobulus for his disinheriting his brother, after she had reigned nine years.

                                        CHAPTER 6.

  WHEN HYRCANUS WHO WAS ALEXANDER'S HEIR, RECEDED FROM HIS CLAIM TO THE CROWN
    ARISTOBULUS IS MADE KING; AND AFTERWARD THE SAME HYRCANUS BY THE MEANS OF
 ANTIPATER, IS BROUGHT BACK BY ABETAS. AT LAST POMPEY IS MADE THE ARBITRATOR OF THE
                              DISPUTE BETWEEN THE BROTHERS.

1. NOW Hyrcanus was heir to the kingdom, and to him did his mother commit it before she died; but Aristobulus was superior
to him in power and magnanimity; and when there was a battle between them, to decide the dispute about the kingdom, near
Jericho, the greatest part deserted Hyrcanus, and went over to Aristobulus; but Hyrcanus, with those of his party who staid
with him, fled to Antonia, and got into his power the hostages that might he for his preservation (which were Aristobulus's wife,
with her children); but they came to an agreement before things should come to extremities, that Aristobulus should be king, and
Hyrcanus should resign that up, but retain all the rest of his dignities, as being the king's brother. Hereupon they were reconciled
to each other in the temple, and embraced one another in a very kind manner, while the people stood round about them; they
also changed their houses, while Aristobulus went to the royal palace, and Hyrcanus retired to the house of Aristobulus.

2. Now those other people which were at variance with Aristobulus were afraid upon his unexpected obtaining the government;
and especially this concerned Antipater (6) whom Aristobulus hated of old. He was by birth an Idumean, and one of the
principal of that nation, on account of his ancestors and riches, and other authority to him belonging: he also persuaded
Hyrcanus to fly to Aretas, the king of Arabia, and to lay claim to the kingdom; as also he persuaded Aretas to receive
Hyrcanus, and to bring him back to his kingdom: he also cast great reproaches upon Aristobulus, as to his morals, and gave
great commendations to Hyrcanus, and exhorted Aretas to receive him, and told him how becoming a filing it would be for him,
who ruled so great a kingdom, to afford his assistance to such as are injured; alleging that Hyrcanus was treated unjustly, by
being deprived of that dominion which belonged to him by the prerogative of his birth. And when he had predisposed them
both to do what he would have them, he took Hyrcanus by night, and ran away from the city, and, continuing his flight with
great swiftness, he escaped to the place called Petra, which is the royal seat of the king of Arabia, where he put Hyrcanus into
Aretas's hand; and by discoursing much with him, and gaining upon him with many presents, he prevailed with him to give him
an army that might restore him to his kingdom. This army consisted of fifty thousand footmen and horsemen, against which
Aristobulus was not able to make resistance, but was deserted in his first onset, and was driven to Jerusalem; he also had been
taken at first by force, if Scaurus, the Roman general, had not come and seasonably interposed himself, and raised the siege.
This Scaurus was sent into Syria from Armenia by Pompey the Great, when he fought against Tigranes; so Scaurus came to
Damascus, which had been lately taken by Metellus and Lollius, and caused them to leave the place; and, upon his hearing how
the affairs of Judea stood, he made haste thither as to a certain booty.

3. As soon, therefore, as he was come into the country, there came ambassadors from both the brothers, each of them desiring
his assistance; but Aristobulus's three hundred talents had more weight with him than the justice of the cause; which sum, when
Scaurus had received, he sent a herald to Hyrcanus and the Arabians, and threatened them with the resentment of the Romans
and of Pompey, unless they would raise the siege. So Aretas was terrified, and retired out of Judea to Philadelphia, as did
Scaurus return to Damascus again; nor was Aristobulus satisfied with escaping [out of his brother's hands,] but gathered all his
forces together, and pursued his enemies, and fought them at a place called Papyron, and slew about six thousand of them, and,
together with them Antipater's brother Phalion.

4. When Hyrcanus and Antipater were thus deprived of their hopes from the Arabians, they transferred the same to their
adversaries; and because Pompey had passed through Syria, and was come to Damascus, they fled to him for assistance; and,
without any bribes, they made the same equitable pleas that they had used to Aretas, and besought him to hate the violent
behavior of Aristobulus, and to bestow the kingdom on him to whom it justly belonged, both on account of his good character
and on account of his superiority in age. However, neither was Aristobulus wanting to himself in this case, as relying on the
bribes that Scaurus had received: he was also there himself, and adorned himself after a manner the most agreeable to royalty
that he was able. But he soon thought it beneath him to come in such a servile manner, and could not endure to serve his own
ends in a way so much more abject than he was used to; so he departed from Diospolis.

5. At this his behavior Pompey had great indignation; Hyrcanus also and his friends made great intercessions to Pompey; so he
took not only his Roman forces, but many of his Syrian auxiliaries, and marched against Aristobulus. But when he had passed
by Pella and Scythopolis, and was come to Corea, where you enter into the country of Judea, when you go up to it through the
Mediterranean parts, he heard that Aristobulus was fled to Alexandrium, which is a strong hold fortified with the utmost
magnificence, and situated upon a high mountain; and he sent to him, and commanded him to come down. Now his inclination
was to try his fortune in a battle, since he was called in such an imperious manner, rather than to comply with that call.
However, he saw the multitude were in great fear, and his friends exhorted him to consider what the power of the Romans was,
and how it was irresistible; so he complied with their advice, and came down to Pompey; and when he had made a long
apology for himself, and for the justness of his cause in taking the government, he returned to the fortress. And when his brother
invited him again [to plead his cause], he came down and spake about the justice of it, and then went away without any
hinderance from Pompey; so he was between hope and fear. And when he came down, it was to prevail with Pompey to allow
him the government entirely; and when he went up to the citadel, it was that he might not appear to debase himself too low.
However, Pompey commanded him to give up his fortified places, and forced him to write to every one of their governors to
yield them up; they having had this charge given them, to obey no letters but what were of his own hand-writing. Accordingly he
did what he was ordered to do; but had still an indignation at what was done, and retired to Jerusalem, and prepared to fight
with Pompey.

6. But Pompey did not give him time to make any preparations [for a siege], but followed him at his heels; he was also obliged
to make haste in his attempt, by the death of Mithridates, of which he was informed about Jericho. Now here is the most fruitful
country of Judea, which bears a vast number of palm trees (7) besides the balsam tree, whose sprouts they cut with sharp
stones, and at the incisions they gather the juice, which drops down like tears. So Pompey pitched his camp in that place one
night, and then hasted away the next morning to Jerusalem; but Aristobulus was so aftrighted at his approach, that he came and
met him by way of supplication. He also promised him money, and that he would deliver up both himself and the city into his
disposal, and thereby mitigated the anger of Pompey. Yet did not he perform any of the conditions he had agreed to; for
Aristobulus's party would not so much as admit Gabinius into the city, who was sent to receive the money that he had
promised.

                                        CHAPTER 7.

 HOW POMPEY HAD THE CITY OF JERUSALEM DELIVERED UP TO HIM BUT TOOK THE TEMPLE BY
  FORCE. HOW HE WENT INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES; AS ALSO WHAT WERE HIS OTHER EXPLOITS
                                           IN JUDEA.

1. At this treatment Pompey was very angry, and took Aristobulus into custody. And when he was come to the city, he looked
about where he might make his attack; for he saw the walls were so firm, that it would be hard to overcome them; and that the
valley before the walls was terrible; and that the temple, which was within that valley, was itself encompassed with a very strong
wall, insomuch that if the city were taken, that temple would be a second place of refuge for the enemy to retire to.

2. Now as be was long in deliberating about this matter, a sedition arose among the people within the city; Aristobulus's party
being willing to fight, and to set their king at liberty, while the party of Hyrcanus were for opening the gates to Pompey; and the
dread people were in occasioned these last to be a very numerous party, when they looked upon the excellent order the
Roman soldiers were in. So Aristobulus's party was worsted, and retired into the temple, and cut off the communication
between the temple and the city, by breaking down the bridge that joined them together, and prepared to make an opposition
to the utmost; but as the others had received the Romans into the city, and had delivered up the palace to him, Pompey sent
Piso, one of his great officers, into that palace with an army, who distributed a garrison about the city, because he could not
persuade any one of those that had fled to the temple to come to terms of accommodation; he then disposed all things that were
round about them so as might favor their attacks, as having Hyrcanus's party very ready to afford them both counsel and
assistance.

3. But Pompey himself filled up the ditch that was oil the north side of the temple, and the entire valley also, the army itself being
obliged to carry the materials for that purpose. And indeed it was a hard thing to fill up that valley, by reason of its immense
depth, especially as the Jews used all the means possible to repel them from their superior situation; nor had the Romans
succeeded in their endeavors, had not Pompey taken notice of the seventh days, on which the Jews abstain from all sorts of
work on a religious account, and raised his bank, but restrained his soldiers from fighting on those days; for the Jews only acted
defensively on sabbath days. But as soon as Pompey had filled up the valley, he erected high towers upon the bank, and
brought those engines which they had fetched from Tyre near to the wall, and tried to batter it down; and the slingers of stones
beat off those that stood above them, and drove them away; but the towers on this side of the city made very great resistance,
and were indeed extraordinary both for largeness and magnificence.

4. Now here it was that, upon the many hardships which the Romans underwent, Pompey could not but admire not only at the
other instances of the Jews' fortitude, but especially that they did not at all intermit their religious services, even when they were
encompassed with darts on all sides; for, as if the city were in full peace, their daily sacrifices and purifications, and every
branch of their religious worship, was still performed to God with the utmost exactness. Nor indeed when the temple was
actually taken, and they were every day slain about the altar, did they leave off the instances of their Divine worship that were
appointed by their law; for it was in the third month of the siege before the Romans could even with great difficulty overthrow
one of the towers, and get into the temple. Now he that first of all ventured to get over the wall, was Faustus Cornelius the son
of Sylla; and next after him were two centurions, Furius and Fabius; and every one of these was followed by a cohort of his
own, who encompassed the Jews on all sides, and slew them, some of them as they were running for shelter to the temple, and
others as they, for a while, fought in their own defense.

5. And now did many of the priests, even when they saw their enemies assailing them with swords in their hands, without any
disturbance, go on with their Divine worship, and were slain while they were offering their drink-offerings, and burning their
incense, as preferring the duties about their worship to God before their own preservation. The greatest part of them were slain
by their own countrymen, of the adverse faction, and an innumerable multitude threw themselves down precipices; nay, some
there were who were so distracted among the insuperable difficulties they were under, that they set fire to the buildings that
were near to the wall, and were burnt together with them. Now of the Jews were slain twelve thousand; but of the Romans very
few were slain, but a greater number was wounded.

6. But there was nothing that affected the nation so much, in the calamities they were then under, as that their holy place, which
had been hitherto seen by none, should be laid open to strangers; for Pompey, and those that were about him, went into the
temple itself (8) whither it was not lawful for any to enter but the high priest, and saw what was reposited therein, the
candlestick with its lamps, and the table, and the pouring vessels, and the censers, all made entirely of gold, as also a great
quantity of spices heaped together, with two thousand talents of sacred money. Yet did not he touch that money, nor any thing
else that was there reposited; but he commanded the ministers about the temple, the very next day after he had taken it, to
cleanse it, and to perform their accustomed sacrifices. Moreover, he made Hyrcanus high priest, as one that not only in other
respects had showed great alacrity, on his side, during the siege, but as he had been the means of hindering the multitude that
was in the country from fighting for Aristobulus, which they were otherwise very ready to have done; by which means he acted
the part of a good general, and reconciled the people to him more by benevolence than by terror. Now, among the Captives,
Aristobulus's father-in-law was taken, who was also his uncle: so those that were the most guilty he punished with decollatlon;
but rewarded Faustus, and those with him that had fought so bravely, with glorious presents, and laid a tribute upon the
country, and upon Jerusalem itself.

7. He also took away from the nation all those cities that they had formerly taken, and that belonged to Celesyria, and made
them subject to him that was at that time appointed to be the Roman president there; and reduced Judea within its proper
bounds. He also rebuilt Gadara, (9) that had been demolished by the Jews, in order to gratify one Demetrius, who was of
Gadara, and was one of his own freed-men. He also made other cities free from their dominion, that lay in the midst of the
country, such, I mean, as they had not demolished before that time; Hippos, and Scythopolis, as also Pella, and Samaria, and
Marissa; and besides these Ashdod, and Jamnia, and Arethusa; and in like manner dealt he with the maritime cities, Gaza, and
Joppa, and Dora, and that which was anciently called Strato's Tower, but was afterward rebuilt with the most magnificent
edifices, and had its name changed to Cesarea, by king Herod. All which he restored to their own citizens, and put them under
the province of Syria; which province, together with Judea, and the countries as far as Egypt and Euphrates, he committed to
Scaurus as their governor, and gave him two legions to support him; while he made all the haste he could himself to go through
Cilicia, in his way to Rome, having Aristobulus and his children along with him as his captives. They were two daughters and
two sons; the one of which sons, Alexander, ran away as he was going; but the younger, Antigonus, with his sisters, were
carried to Rome.

                                        CHAPTER 8.

      ALEXANDER, THE SON OF ARISTOBULUS, WHO RAN AWAY FROM POMPEY, MAKES AN
  EXPEDITION AGAINST HYRCANUS; BUT BEING OVERCOME BY GABINIUS HE DELIVERS UP THE
 FORTRESSES TO HIM. AFTER THIS ARISTOBULUS ESCAPES FROM ROME AND GATHERS AN ARMY
TOGETHER; BUT BEING BEATEN BY THE ROMANS, HE IS BROUGHT BACK TO ROME; WITH OTHER
                    THINGS RELATING TO GABINIUS, CRASSUS AND CASSIUS.

1. IN the mean time, Scaurus made an expedition into Arabia, but was stopped by the difficulty of the places about Petra.
However, he laid waste the country about Pella, though even there he was under great hardship; for his army was afflicted with
famine. In order to supply which want, Hyrcanus afforded him some assistance, and sent him provisions by the means of
Antipater; whom also Scaurus sent to Aretas, as one well acquainted with him, to induce him to pay him money to buy his
peace. The king of Arabia complied with the proposal, and gave him three hundred talents; upon which Scaurus drew his army
out of Arabia (10)

2. But as for Alexander, that son of Aristobulus who ran away from Pompey, in some time he got a considerable band of men
together, and lay heavy upon Hyrcanus, and overran Judea, and was likely to overturn him quickly; and indeed he had come to
Jerusalem, and had ventured to rebuild its wall that was thrown down by Pompey, had not Gabinius, who was sent as
successor to Scaurus into Syria, showed his bravery, as in many other points, so in making an expedition against Alexander;
who, as he was afraid that he would attack him, so he got together a large army, composed of ten thousand armed footmen,
and fifteen hundred horsemen. He also built walls about proper places; Alexandrium, and Hyrcanium, and Machorus, that lay
upon the mountains of Arabia.

3. However, Gabinius sent before him Marcus Antonius, and followed himself with his whole army; but for the select body of
soldiers that were about Antipater, and another body of Jews under the command of Malichus and Pitholaus, these joined
themselves to those captains that were about Marcus Antonius, and met Alexander; to which body came Oabinius with his
main army soon afterward; and as Alexander was not able to sustain the charge of the enemies' forces, now they were joined,
he retired. But when he was come near to Jerusalem, he was forced to fight, and lost six thousand men in the battle; three
thousand of which fell down dead, and three thousand were taken alive; so he fled with the remainder to Alexandrium.

4. Now when Gabinius was come to Alexandrium, because he found a great many there en-camped, he tried, by promising
them pardon for their former offenses, to induce them to come over to him before it came to a fight; but when they would
hearken to no terms of accommodation, he slew a great number of them, and shut up a great number of them in the citadel.
Now Marcus Antonius, their leader, signalized himself in this battle, who, as he always showed great courage, so did he never
show it so much as now; but Gabinius, leaving forces to take the citadel, went away himself, and settled the cities that had not
been demolished, and rebuilt those that had been destroyed. Accordingly, upon his injunctions, the following cities were
restored: Scythopolis, and Samaria, and Anthedon, and Apollonia, and Jamnia, and Raphia, and Mariassa, and Adoreus, and
Gamala, and Ashdod, and many others; while a great number of men readily ran to each of them, and became their inhabitants.

5. When Gabinius had taken care of these cities, he returned to Alexandrium, and pressed on the siege. So when Alexander
despaired of ever obtaining the government, he sent ambassadors to him, and prayed him to forgive what he had offended him
in, and gave up to him the remaining fortresses, Hyrcanium and Macherus, as he put Alexandrium into his hands afterwards; all
which Gabinius demolished, at the persuasion of Alexander's mother, that they might not be receptacles of men in a second
war. She was now there in order to mollify Gabinius, out of her concern for her relations that were captives at Rome, which
were her husband and her other children. After this Gabinius brought Hyrcanus to Jerusalem, and committed the care of the
temple to him; but ordained the other political government to be by an aristocracy. He also parted the whole nation into five
conventions, assigning one portion to Jerusalem, another to Gadara, that another should belong to Amathus, a fourth to Jericho,
and to the fifth division was allotted Sepphoris, a city of Galilee. So the people were glad to be thus freed from monarchical
government, and were governed for the future by all aristocracy.

6. Yet did Aristobulus afford another foundation for new disturbances. He fled away from Rome, and got together again many
of the Jews that were desirous of a change, such as had borne an affection to him of old; and when he had taken Alexandrium
in the first place, he attempted to build a wall about it; but as soon as Gabinius had sent an army against him under Siscuria, and
Antonius, and Servilius, he was aware of it, and retreated to Macherus. And as for the unprofitable multitude, he dismissed
them, and only marched on with those that were armed, being to the number of eight thousand, among whom was Pitholaus,
who had been the lieutenant at Jerusalem, but deserted to Aristobulus with a thousand of his men; so the Romans followed him,
and when it came to a battle, Aristobulus's party for a long time fought courageously; but at length they were overborne by the
Romans, and of them five thousand fell down dead, and about two thousand fled to a certain little hill, but the thousand that
remained with Aristobulus brake through the Roman army, and marched together to Macherus; and when the king had lodged
the first night upon its ruins, he was in hopes of raising another army, if the war would but cease a while; accordingly, he
fortified that strong hold, though it was done after a poor manner. But the Romans falling upon him, he resisted, even beyond
his abilities, for two days, and then was taken, and brought a prisoner to Gabinius, with Antigonus his son, who had fled away
together with him from Rome; and from Gabinius he was carried to Rome again. Wherefore the senate put him under
confinement, but returned his children back to Judea, because Gabinius informed them by letters that he had promised
Aristobulus's mother to do so, for her delivering the fortresses up to him.

7. But now as Gabinius was marching to the war against the Parthians, he was hindered by Ptolemy, whom, upon his return
from Euphrates, he brought back into Egypt, making use of Hyrcanus and Antipater to provide every thing that was necessary
for this expedition; for Antipater furnished him with money, and weapons, and corn, and auxiliaries; he also prevailed with the
Jews that were there, and guarded the avenues at Pelusium, to let them pass. But now, upon Gabinius's absence, the other part
of Syria was in motion, and Alexander, the son of Aristobulus, brought the Jews to revolt again. Accordingly, he got together a
very great army, and set about killing all the Romans that were in the country; hereupon Gabinius was afraid, (for he was come
back already out of Egypt, and obliged to come back quickly by these tumults,) and sent Antipater, who prevailed with some
of the revolters to be quiet. However, thirty thousand still continued with Alexander, who was himself eager to fight also;
accordingly, Gabinius went out to fight, when the Jews met him; and as the battle was fought near Mount Tabor, ten thousand
of them were slain, and the rest of the multitude dispersed themselves, and fled away. So Gabinius came to Jerusalem, and
settled the government as Antipater would have it; thence he marched, and fought and beat the Nabateans: as for Mithridates
and Orsanes, who fled out of Parthin, he sent them away privately, but gave it out among the soldiers that they had run away.

8. In the mean time, Crassus came as successor to Gabinius in Syria. He took away all the rest of the gold belonging to the
temple of Jerusalem, in order to furnish himself for his expedition against the Parthians. He also took away the two thousand
talents which Pompey had not touched; but when he had passed over Euphrates, he perished himself, and his army with him;
concerning which affairs this is not a proper time to speak [more largely].

9. But now Cassius, after Crassus, put a stop to the Parthians, who were marching in order to enter Syria. Cassius had fled into
that province, and when he had taken possession of the same, he made a hasty march into Judea; and, upon his taking
Taricheae, he carried thirty thousand Jews into slavery. He also slew Pitholaus, who had supported the seditious followers of
Aristobulus; and it was Antipater who advised him so to do. Now this Antipater married a wife of an eminent family among the
Arabisus, whose name was Cypros, and had four sons born to him by her, Phasaelus and Herod, who was afterwards king,
and, besides these, Joseph and Pheroras; and he had a daughter whose name was Salome. Now as he made himself friends
among the men of power every where, by the kind offices he did them, and the hospitable manner that he treated them; so did
he contract the greatest friendship with the king of Arabia, by marrying his relation; insomuch that when he made war with
Aristobulus, he sent and intrusted his children with him. So when Cassius had forced Alexander to come to terms and to be
quiet, he returned to Euphrates, in order to prevent the Parthians from repassing it; concerning which matter we shall speak
elsewhere. (11)

                                        CHAPTER 9.

    ARISTOBULUS IS TAKEN OFF BY POMPEY'S FRIENDS, AS IS HIS SON ALEXANDER BY SCIPIO.
    ANTIPATER CULTIVATES A FRIENDSHIP WITH CAESAR, AFTER POMPEY'S DEATH; HE ALSO
       PERFORMS GREAT ACTIONS IN THAT WAR, WHEREIN HE ASSISTED MITHRIDATES.

1. NOW, upon the flight of Pompey and of the senate beyond the Ionian Sea, Caesar got Rome and the empire under his
power, and released Aristobulus from his bonds. He also committed two legions to him, and sent him in haste into Syria, as
hoping that by his means he should easily conquer that country, and the parts adjoining to Judea. But envy prevented any effect
of Aristobulus's alacrity, and the hopes of Caesar; for he was taken off by poison given him by those of Pompey's party; and,
for a long while, he had not so much as a burial vouchsafed him in his own country; but his dead body lay [above ground],
preserved in honey, until it was sent to the Jews by Antony, in order to be buried in the royal sepulchers.

2. His son Alexander also was beheaded by Sci-pio at Antioch, and that by the command of Pompey, and upon an accusation
laid against him before his tribunal, for the mischiefs he had done to the Romans. But Ptolemy, the son of Menneus, who was
then ruler of Chalcis, under Libanus, took his brethren to him by sending his son Philippio for them to Ascalon, who took
Antigonus, as well as his sisters, away from Aristobulus's wife, and brought them to his father; and falling in love with the
younger daughter, he married her, and was afterwards slain by his father on her account; for Ptolemy himself, after he had slain
his son, married her, whose name was Alexandra; on the account of which marriage he took the greater care of her brother and
sister.

3. Now, after Pompey was dead, Antipater changed sides, and cultivated a friendship with Caesar. And since Mithridates of
Pergamus, with the forces he led against Egypt, was excluded from the avenues about Pelusium, and was forced to stay at
Asealon, he persuaded the Arabians, among whom he had lived, to assist him, and came himself to him, at the head of three
thousand armed men. He also encouraged the men of power in Syria to come to his assistance, as also of the inhabitants of
Libanus, Ptolemy, and Jamblicus, and another Ptolemy; by which means the cities of that country came readily into this war;
insomuch that Mithridates ventured now, in dependence upon the additional strength that he had gotten by Antipater, to march
forward to Pelusium; and when they refused him a passage through it, he besieged the city; in the attack of which place
Antipater principally signalized himself, for he brought down that part of the wall which was over against him, and leaped first of
all into the city, with the men that were about him.

4. Thus was Pelusium taken. But still, as they were marching on, those Egyptian Jews that inhabited the country called the
country of Onias stopped them. Then did Antipater not only persuade them not to stop them, but to afford provisions for their
army; on which account even the people about Memphis would not fight against them, but of their own accord joined
Mithridates. Whereupon he went round about Delta, and fought the rest of the Egyptians at a place called the Jews' Camp; nay,
when he was in danger in the battle with all his right wing, Antipater wheeled about, and came along the bank of the river to
him; for he had beaten those that opposed him as he led the left wing. After which success he fell upon those that pursued
Mithridates, and slew a great many of them, and pursued the remainder so far that he took their camp, while he lost no more
than fourscore of his own men; as Mithridates lost, during the pursuit that was made after him, about eight hundred. He was
also himself saved unexpectedly, and became an unreproachable witness to Caesar of the great actions of Antipater.

5. Whereupon Caesar encouraged Antipater to undertake other hazardous enterprises for him, and that by giving him great
commendations and hopes of reward. In all which enterprises he readily exposed himself to many dangers, and became a most
courageous warrior; and had many wounds almost all over his body, as demonstrations of his valor. And when Caesar had
settled the affairs of Egypt, and was returning into Syria again, he gave him the privilege of a Roman citizen, and freedom from
taxes, and rendered him an object of admiration by the honors and marks of friendship he bestowed upon him. On this account
it was that he also confirmed Hyrcanus in the high priesthood.

                                       CHAPTER 10.

 CAESAR MAKES ANTIPATER PROCURATOR OF JUDEA; AS DOES ANTIPATER APPOINT PHASAELUS
  TO BE GOVERNOR OF JERUSALEM, AND HEROD GOVERNOR OF GALILEE; WHO, IN SOME TIME,
  WAS CALLED TO ANSWER FOR HIMSELF [BEFORE THE SANHEDRIM], WHERE HE IS ACQUITTED.
    SEXTUS CAESAR IS TREACHEROUSLY KILLED BY BASSUS AND IS SUCCEEDED BY MARCUS.

1. ABOUT this time it was that Antigonus, the son of Aristobulus, came to Caesar, and became, in a surprising manner, the
occasion of Antipater's further advancement; for whereas he ought to have lamented that his father appeared to have been
poisoned on account of his quarrels with Pompey, and to have complained of Scipio's barbarity towards his brother, and not to
mix any invidious passion when he was suing for mercy; besides those things, he came before Caesar, and accused Hyrcanus
and Antipater, how they had driven him and his brethren entirely out of their native country, and had acted in a great many
instances unjustly and extravagantly with relation to their nation; and that as to the assistance they had sent him into Egypt, it
was not done out of good-will to him, but out of the fear they were in from former quarrels, and in order to gain pardon for
their friendship to [his enemy] Pompey.

2. Hereupon Antipater threw away his garments, and showed the multitude of the wounds he had, and said, that as to his
good-will to Caesar, he had no occasion to say a word, because his body cried aloud, though he said nothing himself; that he
wondered at Antigonus's boldness, while he was himself no other than the son of an enemy to the Romans, and of a fugitive,
and had it by inheritance from his father to be fond of innovations and seditions, that he should undertake to accuse other men
before the Roman governor, and endeavor to gain some advantages to himself, when he ought to be contented that he was
suffered to live; for that the reason of his desire of governing public affairs was not so much because he was in want of it, but
because, if he could once obtain the same, he might stir up a sedition among the Jews, and use what he should gain from the
Romans to the disservice of those that gave it him.

3. When Caesar heard this, he declared Hyrcanus to be the most worthy of the high priesthood, and gave leave to Antipater to
choose what authority he pleased; but he left the determination of such dignity to him that bestowed the dignity upon him; so he
was constituted procurator of all Judea, and obtained leave, moreover, to rebuild (12) those walls of his country that had been
thrown down. These honorary grants Caesar sent orders to have engraved in the Capitol, that they might stand there as
indications of his own justice, and of the virtue of Antipater.

4. But as soon as Antipater had conducted Caesar out of Syria he returned to Judea, and the first thing he did was to rebuild
that wall of his own country [Jerusalem] which Pompey had overthrown, and then to go over the country, and to quiet the
tumults that were therein; where he partly threatened, and partly advised, every one, and told them that in case they would
submit to Hyrcanus, they would live happily and peaceably, and enjoy what they possessed, and that with universal peace and
quietness; but that in case they hearkened to such as had some frigid hopes by raising new troubles to get themselves some
gain, they should then find him to be their lord instead of their procurator; and find Hyrcanus to be a tyrant instead of a king;
and both the Romans and Caesar to be their enemies, instead of rulers; for that they would not suffer him to be removed from
the government, whom they had made their governor. And, at the same time that he said this, he settled the affairs of the
country by himself, because he saw that Hyrcanus was inactive, and not fit to manage the affairs of the kingdom. So he
constituted his eldest son, Phasaelus, governor of Jerusalem, and of the parts about it; he also sent his next son, Herod, who
was very young, (13) with equal authority into Galilee.

5. Now Herod was an active man, and soon found proper materials for his active spirit to work upon. As therefore he found
that Hezekias, the head of the robbers, ran over the neighboring parts of Syria with a great band of men, he caught him and
slew him, and many more of the robbers with him; which exploit was chiefly grateful to the Syrians, insomuch that hymns were
sung in Herod's commendation, both in the villages and in the cities, as having procured their quietness, and having preserved
what they possessed to them; on which occasion he became acquainted with Sextus Caesar, a kinsman of the great Caesar,
and president of Syria. A just emulation of his glorious actions excited Phasaelus also to imitate him. Accordingly, he procured
the good-will of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, by his own management of the city affairs, and did not abuse his power in any
disagreeable manner; whence it came to pass that the nation paid Antipater the respects that were due only to a king, and the
honors they all yielded him were equal to the honors due to an absolute lord; yet did he not abate any part of that good-will or
fidelity which he owed to Hyrcanus.

6. However, he found it impossible to escape envy in such his prosperity; for the glory of these young men affected even
Hyrcanus himself already privately, though he said nothing of it to any body; but what he principally was grieved at was the
great actions of Herod, and that so many messengers came one before another, and informed him of the great reputation he got
in all his undertakings. There were also many people in the royal palace itself who inflamed his envy at him; those, I mean, who
were obstructed in their designs by the prudence either of the young men, or of Antipater. These men said, that by committing
the public affairs to the management of Antipater and of his sons, he sat down with nothing but the bare name of a king, without
any of its authority; and they asked him how long he would so far mistake himself, as to breed up kings against his own interest;
for that they did not now conceal their government of affairs any longer, but were plainly lords of the nation, and had thrust him
out of his authority; that this was the case when Herod slew so many men without his giving him any command to do it, either
by word of mouth, or by his letter, and this in contradiction to the law of the Jews; who therefore, in case he be not a king, but
a private man, still ought to come to his trial, and answer it to him, and to the laws of his country, which do not permit any one
to be killed till he hath been condemned in judgment.

7. Now Hyrcanus was, by degrees, inflamed with these discourses, and at length could bear no longer, but he summoned
Herod to take his trial. Accordingly, by his father's advice, and as soon as the affairs of Galilee would give him leave, he came
up to [Jerusalem], when he had first placed garrisons in Galilee; however, he came with a sufficient body of soldiers, so many
indeed that he might not appear to have with him an army able to overthrow Hyrcanus's government, nor yet so few as to
expose him to the insults of those that envied him. However, Sextus Caesar was in fear for the young man, lest he should be
taken by his enemies, and brought to punishment; so he sent some to denounce expressly to Hyrcanus that he should acquit
Herod of the capital charge against him; who acquitted him accordingly, as being otherwise inclined also so to do, for he loved
Herod.

8. But Herod, supposing that he had escaped punishment without the consent of the king, retired to Sextus, to Damascus, and
got every thing ready, in order not to obey him if he should summon him again; whereupon those that were evil-disposed
irritated Hyrcanus, and told him that Herod was gone away in anger, and was prepared to make war upon him; and as the king
believed what they said, he knew not what to do, since he saw his antagonist was stronger than he was himself. And now, since
Herod was made general of Coelesyria and Samaria by Sextus Caesar, he was formidable, not only from the good-will which
the nation bore him, but by the power he himself had; insomuch that Hyrcanus fell into the utmost degree of terror, and
expected he would presently march against him with his army.

9. Nor was he mistaken in the conjecture he made; for Herod got his army together, out of the anger he bare him for his
threatening him with the accusation in a public court, and led it to Jerusalem, in order to throw Hyrcanus down from his
kingdom; and this he had soon done, unless his father and brother had gone out together and broken the force of his fury, and
this by exhorting him to carry his revenge no further than to threatening and affrighting, but to spare the king, under whom he
had been advanced to such a degree of power; and that he ought not to be so much provoked at his being tried, as to forget to
be thankful that he was acquitted; nor so long to think upon what was of a melancholy nature, as to be ungrateful for his
deliverance; and if we ought to reckon that God is the arbitrator of success in war, an unjust cause is of more disadvantage than
an army can be of advantage; and that therefore he ought not to be entirely confident of success in a case where he is to fight
against his king, his supporter, and one that had often been his benefactor, and that had never been severe to him, any
otherwise than as he had hearkened to evil counselors, and this no further than by bringing a shadow of injustice upon him. So
Herod was prevailed upon by these arguments, and supposed that what he had already done was sufficient for his future hopes,
and that he had enough shown his power to the nation.

10. In the mean time, there was a disturbance among the Romans about Apamia, and a civil war occasioned by the treacherous
slaughter of Sextus Caesar, by Cecilius Bassus, which he perpetrated out of his good-will to Pompey; he also took the
authority over his forces; but as the rest of Caesar's commanders attacked Bassus with their whole army, in order to punish him
for the murder of Caesar, Antipater also sent them assistance by his sons, both on account of him that was murdered, and on
account of that Caesar who was still alive, both of which were their friends; and as this war grew to be of a considerable length,
Marcus came out of Italy as successor to Sextus.

                                       CHAPTER 11.

    HEROD IS MADE PROCURATOR OF ALL SYRIA; MALICHUS IS AFRAID OF HIM, AND TAKES
   ANTIPATER OFF BY POISON; WHEREUPON THE TRIBUNES OF THE SOLDIERS ARE PREVAILED
                                      WITH TO KILL HIM.

1. THERE, was at this time a mighty war raised among the Romans upon the sudden and treacherous slaughter of Caesar by
Cassius and Brutus, after he had held the government for three years and seven months. (14) Upon this murder there were very
great agitations, and the great men were mightily at difference one with another, and every one betook himself to that party
where they had the greatest hopes of their own, of advancing themselves. Accordingly, Cassius came into Syria, in order to
receive the forces that were at Apamia, where he procured a reconciliation between Bassus and Marcus, and the legions which
were at difference with him; so he raised the siege of Apamia, and took upon him the command of the army, and went about
exacting tribute of the cities, and demanding their money to such a degree as they were not able to bear.

2. So he gave command that the Jews should bring in seven hundred talents; whereupon Antipater, out of his dread of Cassius's
threats, parted the raising of this sum among his sons, and among others of his acquaintance, and to be done immediately; and
among them he required one Malichus, who was at enmity with him, to do his part also, which necessity forced him to do. Now
Herod, in the first place, mitigated the passion of Cassius, by bringing his share out of Galilee, which was a hundred talents, on
which account he was in the highest favor with him; and when he reproached the rest for being tardy, he was angry at the cities
themselves; so he made slaves of Gophna and Emmaus, and two others of less note; nay, he proceeded as if he would kill
Malichus, because he had not made greater haste in exacting his tribute; but Antipater prevented the ruin of this man, and of the
other cities, and got into Cassius's favor by bringing in a hundred talents immediately. (15)

3. However, when Cassius was gone Malichus forgot the kindness that Antipater had done him, and laid frequent plots against
him that had saved him, as making haste to get him out of the way, who was an obstacle to his wicked practices; but Antipater
was so much afraid of the power and cunning of the man, that he went beyond Jordan, in order to get an army to guard himself
against his treacherous designs; but when Malichus was caught in his plot, he put upon Antipater's sons by his impudence, for
he thoroughly deluded Phasaelus, who was the guardian of Jerusalem, and Herod who was intrusted with the weapons of war,
and this by a great many excuses and oaths, and persuaded them to procure his reconciliation to his father. Thus was he
preserved again by Antipater, who dissuaded Marcus, the then president of Syria, from his resolution of killing Malichus, on
account of his attempts for innovation.

4. Upon the war between Cassius and Brutus on one side, against the younger Caesar [Augustus] and Antony on the other,
Cassius and Marcus got together an army out of Syria; and because Herod was likely to have a great share in providing
necessaries, they then made him procurator of all Syria, and gave him an army of foot and horse. Cassius premised him also,
that after the war was over, he would make him king of Judea. But it so happened that the power and hopes of his son became
the cause of his perdition; for as Malichus was afraid of this, he corrupted one of the king's cup-bearers with money to give a
poisoned potion to Antipater; so he became a sacrifice to Malichus's wickedness, and died at a feast. He was a man in other
respects active in the management of affairs, and one that recovered the government to Hyrcanus, and preserved it in his hands.

5. However, Malichus, when lie was suspected ef poisoning Antipater, and when the multitude was angry with him for it, denied
it, and made the people believe he was not guilty. He also prepared to make a greater figure, and raised soldiers; for he did not
suppose that Herod would be quiet, who indeed came upon him with an army presently, in order to revenge his father's death;
but, upon hearing the advice of his brother Phasaelus, not to punish him in an open manner, lest the multitude should fall into a
sedition, he admitted of Malichus's apology, and professed that he cleared him of that suspicion; he also made a pompous
funeral for his father.

6. So Herod went to Samaria, which was then in a tumult, and settled the city in peace; after which at the [Pentecost] festival,
he returned to Jerusalem, having his armed men with him: hereupon Hyrcanus, at the request of Malichus, who feared his
reproach, forbade them to introduce foreigners to mix themselves with the people of the country while they were purifying
themselves; but Herod despised the pretense, and him that gave that command, and came in by night. Upon which Malithus
came to him, and bewailed Antipater; Herod also made him believe [he admitted of his lamentations as real], although he had
much ado to restrain his passion at him; however, he did himself bewail the murder of his father in his letters to Cassius, who,
on other accounts, also hated Malichus. Cassius sent him word back that he should avenge his father's death upon him, and
privately gave order to the tribunes that were under him, that they should assist Herod in a righteous action he was about.

7. And because, upon the taking of Laodicea by Cassius, the men of power were gotten together from all quarters, with
presents and crowns in their hands, Herod allotted this time for the punishment of Malichus. When Malichus suspected that,
and was at Tyre, he resolved to withdraw his son privately from among the Tyrians, who was a hostage there, while he got
ready to fly away into Judea; the despair he was in of escaping excited him to think of greater things; for he hoped that he
should raise the nation to a revolt from the Romans, while Cassius was busy about the war against Antony, and that he should
easily depose Hyrcanus, and get the crown for himself.

8. But fate laughed at the hopes he had; for Herod foresaw what he was so zealous about, and invited both Hyrcanus and him
to supper; but calling one of the principal servants that stood by him to him, he sent him out, as though it were to get things
ready for supper, but in reality to give notice beforehand about the plot that was laid against him; accordingly they called to
mind what orders Cassius had given them, and went out of the city with their swords in their hands upon the sea-shore, where
they encompassed Malichus round about, and killed him with many wounds. Upon which Hyrcanus was immediately aftrighted,
till he swooned away and fell down at the surprise he was in; and it was with difficulty that he was recovered, when he asked
who it was that had killed Malichus. And when one of the tribunes replied that it was done by the command of Cassius," Then,"
said he, "Cassius hath saved both me and my country, by cutting off one that was laying plots against them both." Whether he
spake according to his own sentiments, or whether his fear was such that he was obliged to commend the action by saying so,
is uncertain; however, by this method Herod inflicted punishment upon Malichus.

                                       CHAPTER 12.

  PHASAELUS IS TOO HARD FOR FELIX; HEROD ALSO OVERCOMES ANTIGONUS IN RATTLE; AND
  THE JEWS ACCUSE BOTH HEROD AND PHASAELUS BUT ANTONIUS ACQUITS THEM, AND MAKES
                                      THEM TETRARCHS.

1. WHEN Cassius was gone out of Syria, another sedition arose at Jerusalem, wherein Felix assaulted Phasaelus with an army,
that he might revenge the death of Malichus upon Herod, by falling upon his brother. Now Herod happened then to be with
Fabius, the governor of Damascus, and as he was going to his brother's assistance, he was detained by sickness; in the mean
time, Phasaelus was by himself too hard for Felix, and reproached Hyrcanus on account of his ingratitude, both for what
assistance he had afforded Maliehus, and for overlooking Malichus's brother, when he possessed himself of the fortresses; for
he had gotten a great many of them already, and among them the strongest of them all, Masada.

2. However, nothing could be sufficient for him against the force of Herod, who, as soon as he was recovered, took the other
fortresses again, and drove him out of Masada in the posture of a supplicant; he also drove away Marion, the tyrant of the
Tyrians, out of Galilee, when he had already possessed himself of three fortified places; but as to those Tyrians whom he had
caught, he preserved them all alive; nay, some of them he gave presents to, and so sent them away, and thereby procured
good-will to himself from the city, and hatred to the tyrant. Marion had indeed obtained that tyrannical power of Cassius, who
set tyrants over all Syria (16) and out of hatred to Herod it was that he assisted Antigonus, the son of Aristobulus, and
principally on Fabius's account, whom Antigonus had made his assistant by money, and had him accordingly on his side when
he made his descent; but it was Ptolemy, the kinsman of Antigonus, that supplied all that he wanted.

3. When Herod had fought against these in the avenues of Judea, he was conqueror in the battle, and drove away Antigonus,
and returned to Jerusalem, beloved by every body for the glorious action he had done; for those who did not before favor him
did join themselves to him now, because of his marriage into the family of Hyrcanus; for as he had formerly married a wife out
of his own country of no ignoble blood, who was called Doris, of whom he begat Antipater; so did he now marry Mariamne,
the daughter of Alexander, the son of Aristobulus, and the granddaughter of Hyrcanus, and was become thereby a relation of
the king.

4. But when Caesar and Antony had slain Cassius near Philippi, and Caesar was gone to Italy, and Antony to Asia, amongst
the rest of the cities which sent ambassadors to Antony unto Bithynia, the great men of the Jews came also, and accused
Phasaelus and Herod, that they kept the government by force, and that Hyrcanus had no more than an honorable name. Herod
appeared ready to answer this accusation; and having made Antony his friend by the large sums of money which he gave him,
he brought him to such a temper as not to hear the others speak against him; and thus did they part at this time.

5. However, after this, there came a hundred of the principal men among the Jews to Daphne by Antioch to Antony, who was
already in love with Cleopatra to the degree of slavery; these Jews put those men that were the most potent, both in dignity and
eloquence, foremost, and accused the brethren. (17) But Messala opposed them, and defended the brethren, and that while
Hyrcanus stood by him, on account of his relation to them. When Antony had heard both sides, he asked Hyrcanus which party
was the fittest to govern, who replied that Herod and his party were the fittest. Antony was glad of that answer, for he had been
formerly treated in an hospitable and obliging manner by his father Antipater, when he marched into Judea with Gabinius; so he
constituted the brethren tetrarchs, and committed to them the government of Judea.

6. But when the ambassadors had indignation at this procedure, Antony took fifteen of them, and put them into custody, whom
he was also going to kill presently, and the rest he drove away with disgrace; on which occasion a still greater tumult arose at
Jerusalem; so they sent again a thousand ambassadors to Tyre, where Antony now abode, as he was marching to Jerusalem;
upon these men who made a clamor he sent out the governor of Tyre, and ordered him to punish all that he could catch of
them, and to settle those in the administration whom he had made tetrarchs.

7. But before this Herod, and Hyrcanus went out upon the sea-shore, and earnestly desired of these ambassadors that they
would neither bring ruin upon themselves, nor war upon their native country, by their rash contentions; and when they grew still
more outrageous, Antony sent out armed men, and slew a great many, and wounded more of them; of whom those that were
slain were buried by Hyrcanus, as were the wounded put under the care of physicians by him; yet would not those that had
escaped be quiet still, but put the affairs of the city into such disorder, and so provoked Antony, that he slew those whom he
had in bonds also.

                                       CHAPTER 13.

 THE PARTHIANS BRING ANTIGONUS BACK INTO JUDEA, AND CAST HYRCANUS AND PHASAELUS
 INTO PRISON. THE FLIGHT OF HEROD, AND THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM AND WHAT HYRCANUS
                                  AND PHASAELUS SUFFERED.

1. Now two years afterward, when Barzapharnes, a governor among the Parthians, and Paeorus, the king's son, had possessed
themselves of Syria, and when Lysanias had already succeeded upon the death of his father Ptolemy, the son of Menneus, in
the government [of Chalcis], he prevailed with the governor, by a promise of a thousand talents, and five hundred women, to
bring back Antigonus to his kingdom, and to turn Hyrcanus out of it. Pacorus was by these means induced so to do, and
marched along the sea-coast, while he ordered Barzapharnes to fall upon the Jews as he went along the Mediterranean part of
the country; but of the maritime people, the Tyrians would not receive Pacorus, although those of Ptolemais and Sidon had
received him; so he committed a troop of his horse to a certain cup-bearer belonging to the royal family, of his own name
[Pacorus], and gave him orders to march into Judea, in order to learn the state of affairs among their enemies, and to help
Antigonus when he should want his assistance.

2. Now as these men were ravaging Carmel, many of the Jews ran together to Antigonus, and showed themselves ready to
make an incursion into the country; so he sent them before into that place called Drymus, [the woodland (18) ] to seize upon
the place; whereupon a battle was fought between them, and they drove the enemy away, and pursued them, and ran after
them as far as Jerusalem, and as their numbers increased, they proceeded as far as the king's palace; but as Hyrcanus and
Phasaelus received them with a strong body of men, there happened a battle in the market-place, in which Herod's party beat
the enemy, and shut them up in the temple, and set sixty men in the houses adjoining as a guard to them. But the people that
were tumultuous against the brethren came in, and burnt those men; while Herod, in his rage for killing them, attacked and slew
many of the people, till one party made incursions on the other by turns, day by day, in the way of ambushes, and slaughters
were made continually among them.

3. Now when that festival which we call Pentecost was at hand, all the places about the temple, and the whole city, was full of a
multitude of people that were come out of the country, and which were the greatest part of them armed also, at which time
Phasaelus guarded the wall, and Herod, with a few, guarded the royal palace; and when he made an assault upon his enemies,
as they were out of their ranks, on the north quarter of the city, he slew a very great number of them, and put them all to flight;
and some of them he shut up within the city, and others within the outward rampart. In the mean time, Antigonus desired that
Pacorus might be admitted to be a reconciler between them; and Phasaelus was prevailed upon to admit the Parthian into the
city with five hundred horse, and to treat him in an hospitable manner, who pretended that he came to quell the tumult, but in
reality he came to assist Antigonus; however, he laid a plot for Phasaelus, and persuaded him to go as an ambassador to
Barzapharnes, in order to put an end to the war, although Herod was very earnest with him to the contrary, and exhorted him
to kill the plotter, but not expose himself to the snares he had laid for him, because the barbarians are naturally perfidious.
However, Pacorus went out and took Hyrcanus with him, that he might be the less suspected; he also (19) left some of the
horsemen, called the Freemen, with Herod, and conducted Phasaelus with the rest.

4. But now, when they were come to Galilee, they found that the people of that country had revolted, and were in arms, who
came very cunningly to their leader, and besought him to conceal his treacherous intentions by an obliging behavior to them;
accordingly, he at first made them presents; and afterward, as they went away, laid ambushes for them; and when they were
come to one of the maritime cities called Ecdippon, they perceived that a plot was laid for them; for they were there informed
of the promise of a thousand talents, and how Antigonus had devoted the greatest number of the women that were there with
them, among the five hundred, to the Parthians; they also perceived that an ambush was always laid for them by the barbarians
in the night time; they had also been seized on before this, unless they had waited for the seizure of Herod first at Jerusalem,
because if he were once informed of this treachery of theirs, he would take care of himself; nor was this a mere report, but they
saw the guards already not far off them.

5. Nor would Phasaelus think of forsaking Hyrcanus and flying away, although Ophellius earnestly persuaded him to it; for this
man had learned the whole scheme of the plot from Saramalla, the richest of all the Syrians. But Phasaelus went up to the
Parfilian governor, and reproached him to his face for laying this treacherous plot against them, and chiefly because he had done
it for money; and he promised him that he would give him more money for their preservation, than Antigonus had promised to
give for the kingdom. But the sly Parthian endeavored to remove all this suspicion by apologies and by oaths, and then went [to
the other] Pacorus; immediately after which those Parthians who were left, and had it in charge, seized upon Phasaelus and
Hyrcanus, who could do no more than curse their perfidiousness and their perjury.

6. In the mean time, the cup-bearer was sent [back], and laid a plot how to seize upon Herod, by deluding him, and getting him
out of the city, as he was commanded to do. But Herod suspected the barbarians from the beginning; and having then received
intelligence that a messenger, who was to bring him the letters that informed him of the treachery intended, had fallen among the
enemy, he would not go out of the city; though Pacorus said very positively that he ought to go out, and meet the messengers
that brought the letters, for that the enemy had not taken them, and that the contents of them were not accounts of any plots
upon them, but of what Phasaelus had done; yet had he heard from others that his brother was seized; and Alexandra (20) the
shrewdest woman in the world, Hyrcanus's daughter, begged of him that he would not go out, nor trust himself to those
barbarians, who now were come to make an attempt upon him openly.

7. Now as Pacorus and his friends were considering how they might bring their plot to bear privately, because it was not
possible to circumvent a man of so great prudence by openly attacking him, Herod prevented them, and went off with the
persons that were the most nearly related to him by night, and this without their enemies being apprized of it. But as soon as the
Parthians perceived it, they pursued after them; and as he gave orders for his mother, and sister, and the young woman who
was betrothed to him, with her mother, and his youngest brother, to make the best of their way, he himself, with his servants,
took all the care they could to keep off the barbarians; and when at every assault he had slain a great many of them, he came to
the strong hold of Masada.

8. Nay, he found by experience that the Jews fell more heavily upon him than did the Parthians, and created him troubles
perpetually, and this ever since he was gotten sixty furlongs from the city; these sometimes brought it to a sort of a regular
battle. Now in the place where Herod beat them, and killed a great number of them, there he afterward built a citadel, in
memory of the great actions he did there, and adorned it with the most costly palaces, and erected very strong fortifications,
and called it, from his own name, Herodium. Now as they were in their flight, many joined themselves to him every day; and at
a place called Thressa of Idumea his brother Joseph met him, and advised him to ease himself of a great number of his
followers, because Masada would not contain so great a multitude, which were above nine thousand. Herod complied with this
advice, and sent away the most cumbersome part of his retinue, that they might go into Idumea, and gave them provisions for
their journey; but he got safe to the fortress with his nearest relations, and retained with him only the stoutest of his followers;
and there it was that he left eight hundred of his men as a guard for the women, and provisions sufficient for a siege; but he
made haste himself to Petra of Arabia.

9. As for the Parthians in Jerusalem, they betook themselves to plundering, and fell upon the houses of those that were fled, and
upon the king's palace, and spared nothing but Hyrcanus's money, which was not above three hundred talents. They lighted on
other men's money also, but not so much as they hoped for; for Herod having a long while had a suspicion of the perfidiousness
of the barbarians, had taken care to have what was most splendid among his treasures conveyed into Idumea, as every one
belonging to him had in like manner done also. But the Parthians proceeded to that degree of injustice, as to fill all the country
with war without denouncing it, and to demolish the city Marissa, and not only to set up Antigonus for king, but to deliver
Phasaelus and Hyrcanus bound into his. hands, in order to their being tormented by him. Antigonus himself also bit off
Hyrcanus's ears with his own teeth, as he fell down upon his knees to him, that so he might never be able upon any mutation of
affairs to take the high priesthood again, for the high priests that officiated were to be complete, and without blemish.

10. However, he failed in his purpose of abusing Phasaelus, by reason of his courage; for though he neither had the command
of his sword nor of his hands, he prevented all abuses by dashing his head against a stone; so he demonstrated himself to be
Herod's own brother, and Hyrcanus a most degenerate relation, and died with great bravery, and made the end of his life
agreeable to the actions of it. There is also another report about his end, viz. that he recovered of that stroke, and that a
surgeon, who was sent by Antigonus to heal him, filled the wound with poisonous ingredients, and so killed him; whichsoever of
these deaths he came to, the beginning of it was glorious. It is also reported that before he expired he was informed by a certain
poor woman how Herod had escaped out of their hands, and that he said thereupon, "I now die with comfort, since I leave
behind me one alive that will avenge me of mine enemies."

11. This was the death of Phasaelus; but the Parthians, although they had failed of the women they chiefly desired, yet did they
put the government of Jerusalem into the hands of Antigonus, and took away Hyrcanus, and bound him, and carried him to
Parthia.

                                       CHAPTER 14.

    WHEN HEROD IS REJECTED IN ARABIA, HE MAKES HASTE TO ROME WHERE ANTONY AND
                      CAESAR JOIN THEIR INTEREST TO MAKE HIM KING .

1. NOW Herod did the more zealously pursue his journey into Arabia, as making haste to get money of the king, while his
brother was yet alive; by which money alone it was that he hoped to prevail upon the covetous temper of the barbarians to
spare Phasaelus; for he reasoned thus with himself,: - that if the Arabian king was too forgetful of his father's friendship with
him, and was too covetous to make him a free gift, he would however borrow of him as much as might redeem his brother, and
put into his hands, as a pledge, the son of him that was to be redeemed. Accordingly he led his brother's son along with him,
who was of the age of seven years. Now he was ready to give three hundred talents for his brother, and intended to desire the
intercession of the Tyrians, to get them accepted; however, fate had been too quick for his diligence; and since Phasaelus was
dead, Herod's brotherly love was now in vain. Moreover, he was not able to find any lasting friendship among the Arabians; for
their king, Malichus, sent to him immediately, and commanded him to return back out of his country, and used the name of the
Parthians as a pretense for so doing, as though these had denounced to him by their ambassadors to cast Herod out of Arabia;
while in reality they had a mind to keep back what they owed to Antipater, and not be obliged to make requitals to his sons for
the free gifts the father had made them. He also took the impudent advice of those who, equally with himself, were willing to
deprive Herod of what Antipater had deposited among them; and these men were the most potent of all whom he had in his
kingdom.

2. So when Herod had found that the Arabians were his enemies, and this for those very reasons whence he hoped they would
have been the most friendly, and had given them such an answer as his passion suggested, he returned back, and went for
Egypt. Now he lodged the first evening at one of the temples of that country, in order to meet with those whom he left behind;
but on the next day word was brought him, as he was going to Rhinocurura, that his brother was dead, and how he came by his
death; and when he had lamented him as much as his present circumstances could bear, he soon laid aside such cares, and
proceeded on his journey. But now, after some time, the king of Arabia repented of what he had done, and sent presently away
messengers to call him back: Herod had prevented them, and was come to Pelusium, where he could not obtain a passage from
those that lay with the fleet, so he besought their captains to let him go by them; accordingly, out of the reverence they bore to
the fame and dignity of the man, they conducted him to Alexandria; and when he came into the city, he was received by
Cleopatra with great splendor, who hoped he might be persuaded to be commander of her forces in the expedition she was
now about; but he rejected the queen's solicitations, and being neither aftrighted at the height of that storm which. then
happened, nor at the tumults that were now in Italy, he sailed for Rome.

3. But as he was in peril about Pamphylia, and obliged to cast out the greatest part of the ship's lading, he with difficulty got safe
to Rhodes, a place which had been grievously harassed in the war with Cassius. He was there received by his friends, Ptolemy
and Sappinius; and although he was then in want of money, he fitted up a three-decked ship of very great magnitude, wherein
he and his friends sailed to Brundusium, (21) and went thence to Rome with all speed; where he first of all went to Antony, on
account of the friendship his father had with him, and laid before him the calamities of himself and his family; and that he had left
his nearest relations besieged in a fortress, and had sailed to him through a storm, to make supplication to him for assistance.

4. Hereupon Antony was moved to compassion at the change that had been made in Herod's affairs, and this both upon his
calling to mind how hospitably he had been treated by Antipater, but more especially on account of Herod's own virtue; so he
then resolved to get him made king of the Jews, whom he had himself formerly made tetrarch. The contest also that he had with
Antigonus was another inducement, and that of no less weight than the great regard he had for Herod; for he looked upon
Antigonus as a seditious person, and an enemy of the Romans; and as for Caesar, Herod found him better prepared than
Antony, as remembering very fresh the wars he had gone through together with his father, the hospitable treatment he had met
with from him, and the entire good-will he had showed to him; besides the activity which he saw in Herod himself. So he called
the senate together, wherein Messalas, and after him Atratinus, produced Herod before them, and gave a full account of the
merits of his father, and his own good-will to the Romans. At the same time they demonstrated that Antigonus was their enemy,
not only because he soon quarreled with them, but because he now overlooked the Romans, and took the government by the
means of the Parthians. These reasons greatly moved the senate; at which juncture Antony came in, and told them that it was
for their advantage in the Parthian war that Herod should be king; so they all gave their votes for it. And when the senate was
separated, Antony and Caesar went out, with Herod between them; while the consul and the rest of the magistrates went
before them, in order to offer sacrifices, and to lay the decree in the Capitol. Antony also made a feast for Herod on the first
day of his reign.

                                       CHAPTER 15.

       ANTIGONUS BESIEGES THOSE THAT WERE IN MASADA, WHOM HEROD FREES FROM
 CONFINEMENT WHEN HE CAME BACK FROM ROME, AND PRESENTLY MARCHES TO JERUSALEM
                         WHERE HE FINDS SILO CORRUPTED BY BRIBES.

1. NOW during this time Antigonus besieged those that were in Masada, who had all other necessaries in sufficient quantity,
but were in want of water; on which account Joseph, Herod's brother, was disposed to run away to the Arabians, with two
hundred of his own friends, because he had heard that Malichus repented of his offenses with regard to Herod; and he had
been so quick as to have been gone out of the fortress already, unless, on that very night when he was going away, there had
fallen a great deal of rain, insomuch that his reservoirs were full of water, and so he was under no necessity of running away.
After which, therefore, they made an irruption upon Antigonus's party, and slew a great many of them, some in open battles,
and some in private ambush; nor had they always success in their attempts, for sometimes they were beaten, and ran away.

2. In the mean time Ventidius, the Roman general, was sent out of Syria, to restrain the incursions of the Parthians; and after he
had done that, he came into Judea, in pretense indeed to assist Joseph and his party, but in reality to get money of Antigonus;,
and when he had pitched his camp very near to Jerusalem, as soon as he had got money enough, he went away with the
greatest part of his forces; yet still did he leave Silo with some part of them, lest if he had taken them all away, his taking of
bribes might have been too openly discovered. Now Antigonus hoped that the Parthians would come again to his assistance,
and therefore cultivated a good understanding with Silo in the mean time, lest any interruption should be given to his hopes.

3. Now by this time Herod had sailed out of Italy, and was come to Ptolemais; and as soon as he had gotten together no small
army of foreigners, and of his own countrymen, he marched through Galilee against Antigonus, wherein he was assisted by
Ventidius and Silo, both whom Dellius, (22) a person sent by Antony, persuaded to bring Herod [into his kingdom]. Now
Ventidius was at this time among the cities, and composing the disturbances which had happened by means of the Parthians, as
was Silo in Judea corrupted by the bribes that Antigonus had given him; yet was not Herod himself destitute of power, but the
number of his forces increased every day as he went along, and all Galilee, with few exceptions, joined themselves to him. So
he proposed to himself to set about his most necessary enterprise, and that was Masada, in order to deliver his relations from
the siege they endured. But still Joppa stood in his way, and hindered his going thither; for it was necessary to take that city
first, which was in the enemies' hands, that when he should go to Jerusalem, no fortress might be left in the enemies' power
behind him. Silo also willingly joined him, as having now a plausible occasion of drawing off his forces [from Jerusalem]; and
when the Jews pursued him, and pressed upon him, [in his retreat,] Herod made all excursion upon them with a small body of
his men, and soon put them to flight, and saved Silo when he was in distress.

4. After this Herod took Joppa, and then made haste to Masada to free his relations. Now, as he was marching, many came in
to him, induced by their friendship to his father, some by the reputation he had already gained himself, and some in order to
repay the benefits they had received from them both; but still what engaged the greatest number on his side, was the hopes from
him when he should be established in his kingdom; so that he had gotten together already an army hard to be conquered. But
Antigonus laid an ambush for him as he marched out, in which he did little or no harm to his enemies. However, he easily
recovered his relations again that were in Masada, as well as the fortress Ressa, and then marched to Jerusalem, where the
soldiers that were with Silo joined themselves to his own, as did many out of the city, from a dread of his power.

5. Now when he had pitched his camp on the west side of the city, the guards that were there shot their arrows and threw their
darts at them, while others ran out in companies, and attacked those in the forefront; but Herod commanded proclamation to
be made at the wall, that he was come for the good of the people and the preservation of the city, without any design to be
revenged on his open enemies, but to grant oblivion to them, though they had been the most obstinate against him. Now the
soldiers that were for Antigonus made a contrary clamor, and did neither permit any body to hear that proclamation, nor to
change their party; so Antigonus gave order to his forces to beat the enemy from the walls; accordingly, they soon threw their
darts at them from the towers, and put them to flight.

6. And here it was that Silo discovered he had taken bribes; for he set many of the soldiers to clamor about their want of
necessaries, and to require their pay, in order to buy themselves food, and to demand that he would lead them into places
convenient for their winter quarters; because all the parts about the city were laid waste by the means of Antigonus's army,
which had ta