the antiquities of the jews-1-第212章

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retain　what　belonged　to　him　by　prerogative　of　his　birth。　And　the
same　speeches　he　perpetually　made　to　Hyrcanus；　and　told　him　that
his　own　life　would　be　in　danger；　unless　he　guarded　himself；　and
got　shut　of　Aristobulus；　for　he　said　that　the　friends　of
Aristobulus　omitted　no　opportunity　of　advising　him　to　kill　him；
as　being　then；　and　not　before；　sure　to　retain　his　principality。
Hyrcanus　gave　no　credit　to　these　words　of　his；　as　being　of　a
gentle　disposition；　and　one　that　did　not　easily　admit　of
calumnies　against　other　men。　This　temper　of　his　not　disposing　him
to　meddle　with　public　affairs；　and　want　of　spirit；　occasioned　him
to　appear　to　spectators　to　be　degenerous　and　unmanly；　while。
Aristo…bulus　was　of　a　contrary　temper；　an　active　man；　and　one　of
a　great　and　generous　soul。

4。　Since　therefore　Antipater　saw　that　Hyrcanus　did　not　attend　to
what　he　said；　he　never　ceased；　day　by　day；　to　charge　reigned
crimes　upon　Aristobulus；　and　to　calumniate　him　before　him；　as　if
he　had　a　mind　to　kill　him；　and　so；　by　urging　him　perpetually；　he
advised　him；　and　persuaded　him　to　fly　to　Aretas；　the　king　of
Arabia；　and　promised；　that　if　he　would　comply　with　his　advice；　he
would　also　himself　assist　him　and　go　with　him＇。　When　Hyrcanus
heard　this；　he　said　that　it　was　for　his　advantage　to　fly　away　to
Aretas。　Now　Arabia　is　a　country　that　borders　upon　Judea。　However；
Hyrcanus　sent　Antipater　first　to　the　king　of　Arabia；　in　order　to
receive　assurances　from　him；　that　when　he　should　come　in　the
manner　of　a　supplicant　to　him；　he　would　not　deliver　him　up　to　his
enemies。　So　Antipater　having　received　such　assurances；　returned
to　Hyrcanus　to　Jerusalem。　A　while　afterward　he　took　Hyrcanus；　and
stole　out　of　the　city　by　night；　and　went　a　great　journey；　and
came　and　brought　him　to　the　city　called　Petra；　where　the　palace
of　Aretas　was；　and　as　he　was　a　very　familiar　friend　of　that　king；
he　persuaded　him　to　bring　back　Hyrcanus　into　Judea；　and　this
persuasion　he　continued　every　day　without　any　intermission。　He
also　proposed　to　make　him　presents　on　that　account。　At　length　he
prevailed　with　Aretas　in　his　suit。　Moreover；　Hyrcanus　promised
him；　that　when　he　had　been　brought　thither；　and　had　received　his
kingdom；　he　would　restore　that　country；　and　those　twelve　cities
which　his　father　Alexander　had　taken　from　the　Arabians；　which
were　these；　Medaba；　Naballo；　Libias；　Tharabasa；　Agala；　Athone；
Zoar；　Orone；　Marissa；　Rudda；　Lussa；　and　Oruba。

CHAPTER　2。

How　Aretas　And　Hyrcanus　Made　An　Expedition　Against　Aristobulus
And　Besieged　Jerusalem；　And　How　Scaurus　The　Roman　General　Raised
The　Siege。　Concerning　The　Death　Of　Onias。

1。　After　these　promises　had　been　given　to　Aretas；　he　made　an
expedition　against　Aristobulus　with　an　army　of　fifty　thousand
horse　and　foot；　and　beat　him　in　the　battle。　And　when　after　that
victory　many　went　over　to　Hyrcanus　as　deserters；　Aristobulus　was
left　desolate；　and　fled　to　Jerusalem；　upon　which　the　king　of
Arabia　took　all　his　army；　and　made　an　assault　upon　the　temple；
and　besieged　Aristobulus　therein；　the　people　still　supporting
Hyreanus；　and　assisting　him　in　the　siege；　while　none　but　the
priests　continued　with　Aristobulus。　So　Aretas　united　the　forces
of　the　Arabians　and　of　the　Jews　together；　and　pressed　on　the
siege　vigorously。　As　this　happened　at　the　time　when　the　feast　of
unleavened　bread　was　celebrated；　which　we　call　the　passover；　the
principal　men　among　the　Jews　left　the　country；　and　fled　into
Egypt。　Now　there　was　one；　whose　name　was　Onias；　a　righteous　man
be　was；　and　beloved　of　God；　who；　in　a　certain　drought；　had　prayed
to　God　to　put　an　end　to　the　intense　heat；　and　whose　prayers　God
had　heard；　and　had　sent　them　rain。　This　man　had　hid　himself；
because　he　saw　that　this　sedition　would　last　a　great　while。
However；　they　brought　him　to　the　Jewish　camp；　and　desired；　that
as　by　his　prayers　he　had　once　put　an　end　to　the　drought；　so　he
would　in　like　manner　make　imprecations　on　Aristobulus　and　those
of　his　faction。　And　when；　upon　his　refusal；　and　the　excuses　that
he　made；　he　was　still　by　the　multitude　compelled　to　speak；　he
stood　up　in　the　midst　of　them；　and　said；　〃O　God；　the　King　of　the
whole　world！　since　those　that　stand　now　with　me　are　thy　people；
and　those　that　are　besieged　are　also　thy　priests；　I　beseech　thee；
that　thou　wilt　neither　hearken　to　the　prayers　of　those　against
these；　nor　bring　to　effect　what　these　pray　against　those。〃
Whereupon　such　wicked　Jews　as　stood　about　him；　as　soon　as　he　had
made　this　prayer；　stoned　him　to　death。

2。　But　God　punished　them　immediately　for　this　their　barbarity；
and　took　vengeance　of　them　for　the　murder　of　Onias；　in　the　manner
following：　While　the　priests　and　Aristobulus　were　besieged；　it
happened　that　the　feast　called　the　passover　was　come；　at　which　it
is　our　custom　to　offer　a　great　number　of　sacrifices　to　God；　but
those　that　were　with　Aristobulus　wanted　sacrifices；　and　desired
that　their　countrymen　without　would　furnish　them　with　such
sacrifices；　and　assured　them　they　should　have　as　much　money　for
them　as　they　should　desire；　and　when　they　required　them　to　pay　a
thousand　drachmae　for　each　head　of　cattle；　Aristobulus　and　the
priests　willingly　undertook　to　pay　for　them　accordingly；　and
those　within　let　down　the　money　over　the　walls；　and　gave　it　them。
But　when　the　others　had　received　it；　they　did　not　deliver　the
sacrifices；　but　arrived　at　that　height　of　wickedness　as　to　break
the　assurances　they　had　given；　and　to　be　guilty　of　impiety
towards　God；　by　not　furnishing　those　that　wanted　them　with
sacrifices。　And　when　the　priests　found　they　had　been　cheated；　and
that　the　agreements　they　had　made　were　violated；　they　prayed　to
God　that　he　would　avenge　them　on　their　countrymen。　Nor　did　he
delay　that　their　punishment；　but　sent　a　strong　and　vehement　storm
of　wind；　that　destroyed　the　fruits　of　the　whole　country；　till　a
modius　of　wheat　was　then　bought　for　eleven　drachmae。

3。　In　the　mean　time　Pompey　sent　Scaurus　into　Syria；　while　he　was
himself　in　Armenia；　and　making　war　with　Tigranes；　but　when
Scaurus　was　come　to　Damascus；　and　found　that　Lollins　and　Metellus
had　newly　taken　the　city；　he　came　himself　hastily　into　Judea。　And
when　he　was　come　thither；　ambassadors　came　to　him；　both　from
Aristobulus　and　Hyrcanus；　and　both　desired　he　would　assist　them。
And　when　both　of　them　promised　to　give　him　money；　Aristobulus
four　hundred　talents；　and　Hyrcanus　no　less；　he　accepted　of
Aristobulus's　promise；　for　he　was　rich；　and　had　a　great　soul；　and
desired　to　obtain　nothing　but　what　was　moderate；　whereas　the
other　was　poor；　and　tenacious；　and　made　incredible　promises　in
hopes　of　greater　advantages；　for　it　was　not　the　same　thing　to
take　a　city　that　was　exceeding　strong　and　powerful；　as　it　was　to
eject　out　of　the　country　some　fugitives；　with　a　greater　number　of
Mabateans；　who　were　no　very　warlike　people。　He　therefore　made　an
agreement　with　Aristobulus；　for　the　reasons　before　mentioned；　and
took　his　money；　and　raised　the　siege；　and　ordered　Aretas　to
depart；　or　else　he　should　be　declared　an　enemy　to　the　Romans。　So
Scaurus　returned　to　Damascus　again；　and　Aristobulus；　with　a　great
army；　made　war　with　Aretas　and　Hyrcanus；　and　fought　them　at　a
place　called　Papyron；　and　beat　them　in　the　battle；　and　slew　about
six　thousand　of　the　enemy；　with　whom　fell　Phalion　also；　the
brother　of　Antipater。

CHAPTER　3。

How　Aristobulus　And　Hyrcanus　Came　To　Pompey　In　Order　To　Argue　Who
Ought　To　Have　The　Kingdom；　And　How　Upon　The　Plight　Of　Aristobulus
To　The　Fortress　Alexandrium　Pompey　Led　His　Army　Against　Him　And
Ordered　Him　To　Deliver　Up　The　Fortresses　Whereof　He　Was
Possessed。

1。　A　Little　afterward　Pompey　came　to　Damascus；　and　marched　over
Celesyria；　at　which　time　there　came　ambassadors　to　him　from　all
Syria；　and　Egypt；　and　out　of　Judea　also；　for　Aristobulus　had　sent
him　a　great　present；　which　was　a　golden　vine　（3）　of　the　value　of
five　hundred　talents。　Now　Strabo　of　Cappadocia　mentions　this
present　in　these　words：　〃There　came　also　an　embassage　out　of
Egypt；　and　a　crown　of　the　value　of　four　thousand　pieces　of　gold；
and　out　of　Judea　there　came　another；　whether　you　call　it　a　vine
or　a　garden；　they　call　the　thing　Terpole；　the　Delight。　However；
we　ourselves　saw