the wars of the jews-第24章

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2。　But　these　sons　were　not　able　to　bear　this　change　in　their　affairs；　but　when　they　saw　him　that　was　born　of　a　mother　of　no　family；　the　nobility　of　their　birth　made　them　unable　to　contain　their　indignation；　but　whensoever　they　were　uneasy；　they　showed　the　anger　they　had　at　it。　And　as　these　sons　did　day　after　day　improve　in　that　their　anger；　Antipater　already　exercised　all　his　own　abilities；　which　were　very　great；　in　flattering　his　father；　and　in　contriving　many　sorts　of　calumnies　against　his　brethren；　while　he　told　some　stories　of　them　himself；　and　put　it　upon　other　proper　persons　to　raise　other　stories　against　them；　till　at　length　he　entirely　cut　his　brethren　off　from　all　hopes　of　succeeding　to　the　kingdom；　for　he　was　already　publicly　put　into　his　father's　will　as　his　successor。　Accordingly；　he　was　sent　with　royal　ornaments；　and　other　marks　of　royalty；　to　Caesar；　excepting　the　diadem。　He　was　also　able　in　time　to　introduce　his　mother　again　into　Mariamne's　bed。　The　two　sorts　of　weapons　he　made　use　of　against　his　brethren　were　flattery　and　calumny；　whereby　he　brought　matters　privately　to　such　a　pass；　that　the　king　had　thoughts　of　putting　his　sons　to　death。

3。　So　the　father　drew　Alexander　as　far　as　Rome；　and。　charged　him　with　an　attempt　of　poisoning　him　before　Caesar。　Alexander　could　hardly　speak　for　lamentation；　but　having　a　judge　that　was　more　skillful　than　Antipater；　and　more　wise　than　Herod；　he　modestly　avoided　laying　any　imputation　upon　his　father；　but　with　great　strength　of　reason　confuted　the　calumnies　laid　against　him；　and　when　he　had　demonstrated　the　innocency　of　his　brother；　who　was　in　the　like　danger　with　himself；　he　at　last　bewailed　the　craftiness　of　Antipater；　and　the　disgrace　they　were　under。　He　was　enabled　also　to　justify　himself；　not　only　by　a　clear　conscience；　which　he　carried　within　him；　but　by　his　eloquence；　for　he　was　a　shrewd　man　in　making　speeches。　And　upon　his　saying　at　last；　that　if　his　father　objected　this　crime　to　them；　it　was　in　his　power　to　put　them　to　death；　he　made　all　the　audience　weep；　and　he　brought　Caesar　to　that　pass；　as　to　reject　the　accusations；　and　to　reconcile　their　father　to　them　immediately。　But　the　conditions　of　this　reconciliation　were　these；　that　they　should　in　all　things　be　obedient　to　their　father；　and　that　he　should　have　power　to　leave　the　kingdom　to　which　of　them　he　pleased。

4。　After　this　the　king　came　back　from　Rome；　and　seemed　to　have　forgiven　his　sons　upon　these　accusations；　but　still　so　that　he　was　not　without　his　suspicions　of　them。　They　were　followed　by　Antipater；　who　was　the　fountain…head　of　those　accusations；　yet　did　not　he　openly　discover　his　hatred　to　them；　as　revering　him　that　had　reconciled　them。　But　as　Herod　sailed　by　Cilicia；　he　touched　at　Eleusa；　（38）　where　Archclaus　treated　them　in　the　most　obliging　manner；　and　gave　him　thanks　for　the　deliverance　of　his　son…in…law；　and　was　much　pleased　at　their　reconciliation；　and　this　the　more；　because　he　had　formerly　written　to　his　friends　at　Rome　that　they　should　be　assisting　to　Alexander　at　his　trial。　So　he　conducted　Herod　as　far　as　Zephyrium；　and　made　him　presents　to　the　value　of　thirty　talents。

5。　Now　when　Herod　was　come　to　Jerusalem；　he　gathered　the　people　together；　and　presented　to　them　his　three　sons；　and　gave　them　an　apologetic　account　of　his　absence；　and　thanked　God　greatly；　and　thanked　Caesar　greatly　also；　for　settling　his　house　when　it　was　under　disturbances；　and　had　procured　concord　among　his　sons；　which　was　of　greater　consequence　than　the　kingdom　itself；　…〃　and　which　I　will　render　still　more　firm；　for　Caesar　hath　put　into　my　power　to　dispose　of　the　government；　and　to　appoint　my　successor。　Accordingly；　in　way　of　requital　for　his　kindness；　and　in　order　to　provide　for　mine　own　advantage；　I　do　declare　that　these　three　sons　of　mine　shall　be　kings。　And；　in　the　first　place；　I　pray　for　the　approbation　of　God　to　what　I　am　about；　and；　in　the　next　place；　I　desire　your　approbation　also。　The　age　of　one　of　them；　and　the　nobility　of　the　other　two；　shall　procure　them　the　succession。　Nay；　indeed；　my　kingdom　is　so　large　that　it　may　be　sufficient　for　more　kings。　Now　do　you　keep　those　in　their　places　whom　Caesar　hath　joined；　and　their　father　hath　appointed；　and　do　not　you　pay　undue　or　unequal　respects　to　them；　but　to　every　one　according　to　the　prerogative　of　their　births；　for　he　that　pays　such　respects　unduly；　will　thereby　not　make　him　that　is　honored　beyond　what　his　age　requires　so　joyful；　as　he　will　make　him　that　is　dishonored　sorrowful。　As　for　the　kindred　and　friends　that　are　to　converse　with　them；　I　will　appoint　them　to　each　of　them；　and　will　so　constitute　them；　that　they　may　be　securities　for　their　concord；　as　well　knowing　that　the　ill　tempers　of　those　with　whom　they　converse　will　produce　quarrels　and　contentions　among　them；　but　that　if　these　with　whom　they　converse　be　of　good　tempers；　they　will　preserve　their　natural　affections　for　one　another。　But　still　I　desire　that　not　these　only；　but　all　the　captains　of　my　army；　have　for　the　present　their　hopes　placed　on　me　alone；　for　I　do　not　give　away　my　kingdom　to　these　my　sons；　but　give　them　royal　honors　only；　whereby　it　will　come　to　pass　that　they　will　enjoy　the　sweet　parts　of　government　as　rulers　themselves；　but　that　the　burden　of　administration　will　rest　upon　myself　whether　I　will　or　not。　And　let　every　one　consider　what　age　I　am　of；　how　I　have　conducted　my　life；　and　what　piety　I　have　exercised；　for　my　age　is　not　so　great　that　men　may　soon　expect　the　end　of　my　life；　nor　have　I　indulged　such　a　luxurious　way　of　living　as　cuts　men　off　when　they　are　young；　and　we　have　been　so　religious　towards　God；　that　we　＇have　reason　to　hope　we＇　may　arrive　at　a　very　great　age。　But　for　such　as　cultivate　a　friendship　with　my　sons；　so　as　to　aim　at　my　destruction；　they　shall　be　punished　by　me　on　their　account。　I　am　not　one　who　envy　my　own　children；　and　therefore　forbid　men　to　pay　them　great　respect；　but　I　know　that　such　＇extravagant＇　respects　are　the　way　to　make　them　insolent。　And　if　every　one　that　comes　near　them　does　but　revolve　this　in　his　mind；　that　if　he　prove　a　good　man；　he　shall　receive　a　reward　from　me；　but　that　if　he　prove　seditious；　his　ill…intended　complaisance　shall　get　him　nothing　from　him　to　whom　it　is　shown；　I　suppose　they　will　all　be　of　my　side；　that　is；　of　my　sons'　side；　for　it　will　be　for　their　advantage　that　I　reign；　and　that　I　be　at　concord　with　them。　But　do　you；　O　my　good　children；　reflect　upon　the　holiness　of　nature　itself；　by　whose　means　natural　affection　is　preserved；　even　among　wild　beasts；　in　the　next　place；　reflect　upon　Caesar；　who　hath　made　this　reconciliation　among　us；　and　in　the　third　place；　reflect　upon　me；　who　entreat　you　to　do　what　I　have　power　to　command　you；　…　continue　brethren。　I　give　you　royal　garments；　and　royal　honors；　and　I　pray　to　God　to　preserve　what　I　have　determined；　in　case　you　be　at　concord　one　with　another。〃　When　the　king　had　thus　spoken；　and　had　saluted　every　one　of　his　sons　after　an　obliging　manner；　he　dismissed　the　multitude；　some　of　which　gave　their　assent　to　what　he　had　said；　and　wished　it　might　take　effect　accordingly；　but　for　those　who　wished　for　a　change　of　affairs；　they　pretended　they　did　not　so　much　as　hear　what　he　said。

CHAPTER　24。

The　Malice　Of　Antipater　And　Doris。　Alexander　Is　Very　Uneasy　On　Glaphyras　Account。　Herod　Pardons　Pheroras；　Whom　He　Suspected；　And　Salome　Whom　He　Knew　To　Make　Mischief　Among　Them。　Herod's　Eunuchs　Are　Tortured　And　Alexander　Is　Bound。

1。　But　now　the　quarrel　that　was　between　them　still　accompanied　these　brethren　when　they　parted；　and　the　suspicions　they　had　one　of　the　other　grew　worse。　Alexander　and　Aristobulus　were　much　grieved　that　the　privilege　of　the　first…born　was　confirmed　to　Antipater；　as　was　Antipater　very　angry　at　his　brethren　that　they　were　to　succeed　him。　But　then　this　last　being　of　a　disposition　that　was　mutable　and　politic；　he　knew　how　to　hold　his　tongue；　and　used　a　great　deal　of　cunning；　and　thereby　concealed　the　hatred　he　bore　to　them；　while　the　former；　depending　on　the　nobility　of　their　births；　had　every　thing　upon　their　tongues　which　was　in　their　minds。　Many　also　there　were　who　provoked　them　further；　and　many　of　their　＇seeming＇　friends　insinuated　themselves　into　their　acquaintance；　to　spy　out　what　they　d