the wars of the jews-第14章

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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；