the antiquities of the jews-1-第239章

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hoping　to　obtain　a　change　for　the　better。　As　for　Herod　himself　he
saw　that　there　was　no　one　of　royal　dignity　left　but　Hyrcanus；　and
therefore　he　thought　it　would　be　for　his　advantage　not　to　suffer
him　to　be　an　obstacle　in　his　way　any　longer；　for　that　in　case　he
himself　survived；　and　escaped　the　danger　he　was　in；　he　thought　it
the　safest　way　to　put　it　out　of　the　power　of　such　a　man　to　make
any　attempt　against　him；　at　such　junctures　of　affairs；　as　was
more　worthy　of　the　kingdom　than　himself；　and　in　case　he　should　be
slain　by　Caesar；　his　envy　prompted　him　to　desire　to　slay　him　that
would　otherwise　be　king　after　him。

2。　While　Herod　had　these　things　in　his　mind；　there　was　a　certain
occasion　afforded　him：　for　Hyrcanus　was　of　so　mild　a　temper；　both
then　and　at　other　times；　that　he　desired　not　to　meddle　with
public　affairs；　nor　to　concern　himself　with　innovations；　but　left
all　to　fortune；　and　contented　himself　with　what　that　afforded
him：　but　Alexandra　＇his　daughter＇　was　a　lover　of　strife；　and　was
exceeding　desirous　of　a　change　of　the　government；　and　spake　to
her　father　not　to　bear　for　ever　Herod's　injurious　treatment　of
their　family；　but　to　anticipate　their　future　hopes；　as　he　safely
might；　and　desired　him　to　write　about　these　matters　to　Malchus；
who　was　then　governor　of　Arabia；　to　receive　them；　and　to　secure
them　＇from　Herod＇；　for　that　if　they　went　away；　and　Herod's
affairs　proved　to　be　as　it　was　likely　they　would　be；　by　reason　of
Caesar's　enmity　to　him；　they　should　then　be　the　only　persons　that
could　take　the　government；　and　this；　both　on　account　of　the　royal
family　they　were　of；　and　on　account　of　the　good　disposition　of：
the　multitude　to　them。　While　she　used　these　persuasions；　Hyrcanus
put　off　her　suit；　but　as　she　showed　that　she　was　a　woman；　and　a
contentious　woman　too；　and　would　not　desist　either　night　or　day；
but　would　always　be　speaking　to　him　about　these　matters；　and
about　Herod's　treacherous　designs；　she　at　last　prevailed　with　him
to　intrust　Dositheus；　one　of　his　friends；　with　a　letter；　wherein
his　resolution　was　declared；　and　he　desired　the　Arabian　governor
to　send　to　him　some　horsemen；　who　should　receive　him；　and　conduct
him　to　the　lake　Asphaltites；　which　is　from　the　bounds　of
Jerusalem　three　hundred　furlongs：　and　he　did　therefore　trust
Dositheus　with　this　letter；　because　he　was　a　careful　attendant　on
him；　and　on　Alexandra；　and　had　no　small　occasions　to　bear
ill…will　to　Herod；　for　he　was　a　kinsman　of　one　Joseph；　whom　he
had　slain；　and　a　brother　of　those　that　were　formerly　slain　at
Tyre　by　Antony：　yet　could　not　these　motives　induce　Dositheus　to
serve　Hyrcanus　in　this　affair；　for；　preferring　the　hopes　he　had
from　the　present　king　to　those　he　had　from　him；　he　gave　Herod　the
letter。　So　he　took　his　kindness　in　good　part；　and　bid　him　besides
do　what　he　had　already　done；　that　is；　go　on　in　serving　him；　by
rolling　up　the　epistle　and　sealing　it　again；　and　delivering　it　to
Malchus；　and　then　to　bring　back　his　letter　in　answer　to　it；　for
it　would　be　much　better　if　he　could　know　Malchus's　intentions
also。　And　when　Dositheus　was　very　ready　to　serve　him　in　this
point　also；　the　Arabian　governor　returned　back　for　answer；　that
he　would　receive　Hyrcanus；　and　all　that　should　come　with　him；　and
even　all　the　Jews　that　were　of　his　party；　that　he　would；
moreover；　send　forces　sufficient　to　secure　them　in　their　journey；
and　that　he　should　be　in　no　want　of　any　thing　he　should　desire。
Now　as　soon　as　Herod　had　received　this　letter；　he　immediately
sent　for　Hyrcanus；　and　questioned　him　about　the　league　he　had
made　with　Malchus；　and　when　he　denied　it；　he　showed　his　letter　to
the　Sanhedrim；　and　put　the　man　to　death　immediately。

3。　And　this　account　we　give　the　reader；　as　it　is　contained　in　the
commentaries　of　king　Herod：　but　other　historians　do　not　agree
with　them；　for　they　suppose　that　Herod　did　not　find；　but　rather
make；　this　an　occasion　for　thus　putting　him　to　death；　and　that　by
treacherously　laying　a　snare　for　him；　for　thus　do　they　write：
That　Herod　and　he　were　once　at　a　treat；　and　that　Herod　had　given
no　occasion　to　suspect　＇that　he　was　displeased　at　him＇；　but　put
this　question　to　Hyrcanus；　Whether　he　had　received　any　letters
from　Malchus？　and　when　he　answered　that　he　had　received　letters；
but　those　of　salutation　only；　and　when　he　asked　further；　whether
he　had　not　received　any　presents　from　him？　and　when　he　had
replied　that　he　had　received　no　more　than　four　horses　to　ride　on；
which　Malchus　had　sent　him；　they　pretended　that　Herod　charged
these　upon　him　as　the　crimes　of　bribery　and　treason；　and　gave
order　that　he　should　be　led　away　and　slain。　And　in　order　to
demonstrate　that　he　had　been　guilty　of　no　offense；　when　he　was
thus　brought　to　his　end；　they　alleged　how　mild　his　temper　had
been；　and　that　even　in　his　youth　he　had　never　given　any
demonstration　of　boldness　or　rashness；　and　that　the　case　was　the
same　when　he　came　to　be　king；　but　that　he　even　then　committed　the
management　of　the　greatest　part　of　public　affairs　to　Antipater；
and　that　he　was　now　above　fourscore　years　old；　and　knew　that
Herod's　government　was　in　a　secure　state。　He　also　came　over
Euphrates；　and　left　those　who　greatly　honored　him　beyond　that
river；　though　he　were　to　be　entirely　under　Herod's　government；
and　that　it　was　a　most　incredible　thing　that　he　should　enterprise
any　thing　by　way　of　innovation；　and　not　at　all　agreeable　to　his
temper；　but　that　this　was　a　plot　of　Herod's　contrivance。

4。　And　this　was　the　fate　of　Hyrcanus；　and　thus　did　he　end　his
life；　after　he　had　endured　various　and　manifold　turns　of　fortune
in　his　lifetime。　For　he　was　made　high　priest　of　the　Jewish　nation
in　the　beginning　of　his　mother　Alexandra's　reign；　who　held　the
government　nine　years；　and　when；　after　his　mother's　death；　he
took　the　kingdom　himself；　and　held　it　three　months；　he　lost　it；
by　the　means　of　his　brother　Aristobulus。　He　was　then　restored　by
Pompey；　and　received　all　sorts　of　honor　from　him；　and　enjoyed
them　forty　years；　but　when　he　was　again　deprived　by　Antigonus；
and　was　maimed　in　his　body；　he　was　made　a　captive　by　the
Parthians；　and　thence　returned　home　again　after　some　time；　on
account　of　the　hopes　that　Herod　had　given　him；　none　of　which　came
to　pass　according　to　his　expectation；　but　he　still　conflicted
with　many　misfortunes　through　the　whole　course　of　his　life；　and；
what　was　the　heaviest　calamity　of　all；　as　we　have　related
already；　he　came　to　an　end　which　was　undeserved　by　him。　His
character　appeared　to　be　that　of　a　man　of　a　mild　and　moderate
disposition；　and　suffered　the　administration　of　affairs　to　be
generally　done　by　others　under　him。　He　was　averse　to　much
meddling　with　the　public；　nor　had　shrewdness　enough　to　govern　a
kingdom。　And　both　Antipater　and　Herod　came　to　their　greatness　by
reason　of　his　mildness；　and　at　last　he　met　with　such　an　end　from
them　as　was　not　agreeable　either　to　justice　or　piety。

5。　Now　Herod；　as　soon　as　he　had　put　Hyrcanus　out　of　the　way；　made
haste　to　Caesar；　and　because　he　could　not　have　any　hopes　of
kindness　from　him；　on　account　of　the　friendship　he　had　for
Antony；　he　had　a　suspicion　of　Alexandra；　lest　she　should　take
this　opportunity　to　bring　the　multitude　to　a　revolt；　and
introduce　a　sedition　into　the　affairs　of　the　kingdom；　so　he
committed　the　care　of　every　thing　to　his　brother　Pheroras；　and
placed　his　mother　Cypros；　and　his　sister　＇Salome＇；　and　the　whole
family　at　Masada；　and　gave　him　a　charge；　that　if　he　should　hear
any　sad　news　about　him；　he　should　take　care　of　the　government。
But　as　to　Mariamne　his　wife；　because　of　the　misunderstanding
between　her　and　his　sister；　and　his　sister's　mother；　which　made
it　impossible　for　them　to　live　together；　he　placed　her　at
Alexandrium；　with　Alexandra　her　mother；　and　left　his　treasurer
Joseph　and　Sohemus　of　Iturea　to　take　care　of　that　fortress。　These
two　had　been　very　faithful　to　him　from　the　beginning；　and　were
now　left　as　a　guard　to　the　women。　They　also　had　it　in　charge；
that　if　they　should　hear　any　mischief　had　befallen　him；　they
should　kill　them　both；　and；　as　far　as　they　were　able；　to　preserve
the　kingdom　for　his　sons；　and　for　his　brother　Pheroras。

6。　When　he　had　given　them　this　charge；　he　made　haste　to