the antiquities of the jews-1-第265章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Hereupon　he　hesitated；　and　said　he　had　been　imposed　upon。　The
covenants　also　were　read　about　the　money　he　had　borrowed；　and　the
letters　of　the　presidents　of　Syria；　and　the　complaints　of　the
several　cities；　so　many　as　had　been　injured　by　the　robbers。　The
conclusion　was　this；　that　Sylleus　was　condemned　to　die；　and　that
Caesar　was　reconciled　to　Herod；　and　owned　his　repentance　for　what
severe　things　he　had　written　to　him；　occasioned　by　calumny；
insomuch　that　he　told　Sylleus；　that　he　had　compelled　him；　by　his
lying　account　of　things；　to　be　guilty　of　ingratitude　against　a
man　that　was　his　friend。　At　the　last　all　came　to　this；　Sylleus
was　sent　away　to　answer　Herod's　suit；　and　to　repay　the　debt　that
he　owed；　and　after　that　to　be　punished　＇with　death＇。　But　still
Caesar　was　offended　with　Aretas；　that　he　had　taken　upon　himself
the　government；　without　his　consent　first　obtained；　for　he　had
determined　to　bestow　Arabia　upon　Herod；　but　that　the　letters　he
had　sent　hindered　him　from　so　doing；　for　Olympus　and　Volumnius；
perceiving　that　Caesar　was　now　become　favorable　to　Herod；　thought
fit　immediately　to　deliver　him　the　letters　they　were　commanded　by
Herod　to　give　him　concerning　his　sons。　When　Caesar　had　read　them；
he　thought　it　would　not　be　proper　to　add　another　government　to
him；　now　he　was　old；　and　in　an　ill　state　with　relation　to　his
sons；　so　he　admitted　Aretas's　ambassadors；　and　after　he　had　just
reproved　him　for　his　rashness；　in　not　tarrying　till　he　received
the　kingdom　from　him；　he　accepted　of　his　presents；　and　confirmed
him　in　his　government。

CHAPTER　11。

HOW　HEROD；　BY　PERMISSION　FROM　CAESAR　ACCUSED　HIS　SONS　BEFORE　An
Assembly　Of　Judges　At　Berytus　；　And　What　Tero　Suffered　For　Using
A　Boundless　And　Military　Liberty　Of　Speech。　Concerning　Also　The
Death　Of　The　Young　Men　And　Their　Burial　At　Alexandrium。

1。　So　Caesar　was　now　reconciled　to　Herod；　and　wrote　thus　to　him：
That　he　was　grieved　for　him　on　account　of　his　sons；　and　that　in
case　they　had　been　guilty　of　any　profane　and　insolent　crimes
against　him；　it　would　behoove　him　to　punish　them　as　parricides；
for　which　he　gave　him　power　accordingly；　but　if　they　had　only
contrived　to　fly　away；　he　would　have　him　give　them　an　admonition；
and　not　proceed　to　extremity　with　them。　He　also　advised　him　to
get　an　assembly　together；　and　to　appoint　some　place　near　Berytus；
（14）　which　is　a　city　belonging　to　the　Romans；　and　to　take　the
presidents　of　Syria；　and　Archelaus　king　of　Cappadocia；　and　as
many　more　as　he　thought　to　be　illustrious　for　their　friendship　to
him；　and　the　dignities　they　were　in；　and　determine　what　should　be
done　by　their　approbation。　These　were　the　directions　that　Caesar
gave　him。　Accordingly　Herod；　when　the　letter　was　brought　to　him；
was　immediately　very　glad　of　Caesar's　reconciliation　to　him；　and
very　glad　also　that　he　had　a　complete　authority　given　him　over
his　sons。　And　it　strangely　came　about；　that　whereas　before；　in
his　adversity；　though　he　had　indeed　showed　himself　severe；　yet
had　he　not　been　very　rash　nor　hasty　in　procuring　the　destruction
of　his　sons；　he　now；　in　his　prosperity；　took　advantage　of　this
change　for　the　better；　and　the　freedom　he　now　had；　to　exercise
his　hatred　against　them　after　an　unheard　of　manner；　he　therefore
sent　and　called　as　many　as　he　thought　fit　to　this　assembly；
excepting　Archclaus；　for　as　for　him；　he　either　hated　him；　so　that
he　would　not　invite　him；　or　he　thought　he　would　be　an　obstacle　to
his　designs。

2。　When　the　presidents；　and　the　rest　that　belonged　to　the　cities；
were　come　to　Berytus；　he　kept　his　sons　in　a　certain　village
belonging　to　Sidon；　called　Platana；　but　near　to　this　city；　that
if　they　were　called；　he　might　produce　them；　for　he　did　not　think
fit　to　bring　them　before　the　assembly：　and　when　there　were　one
hundred　and　fifty　assessors　present；　Herod　came　by　himself　alone；
and　accused　his　sons；　and　that　in　such　a　way　as　if　it　were　not　a
melancholy　accusation；　and　not　made　but　out　of　necessity；　and
upon　the　misfortunes　he　was　under；　indeed；　in　such　a　way　as　was
very　indecent　for　a　father　to　accuse　his　sons；　for　he　was　very
vehement　and　disordered　when　he　came　to　the　demonstration　of　the
crime　they　were　accused　of；　and　gave　the　greatest　signs　of
passion　and　barbarity：　nor　would　he　suffer　the　assessors　to
consider　of　the　weight　of　the　evidence；　but　asserted　them　to　be
true　by　his　own　authority；　after　a　manner　most　indecent　in　a
father　against　his　sons；　and　read　himself　what　they　themselves
had　written；　wherein　there　was　no　confession　of　any　plots　or
contrivances　against　him；　but　only　how　they　had　contrived　to　fly
away；　and　containing　withal　certain　reproaches　against　him；　on
account　of　the　ill…will　he　bare　them；　and　when　he　came　to　those
reproaches；　he　cried　out　most　of　all；　and　exaggerated　what　they
said；　as　if　they　had　confessed　the　design　against　him；　and　took
his　oath　that　he　had　rather　lose　his　life　than　hear　such
reproachful　words。　At　last　he　said　that　he　had　sufficient
authority；　both　by　nature　and　by　Caesar's　grant　to　him；　＇to　do
what　he　thought　fit＇。　He　also　added　an　allegation　of　a　law　of
their　country；　which　enjoined　this：　That　if　parents　laid　their
hands　on　the　head　of　him　that　was　accused；　the　standers　by　were
obliged　to　cast　stones　at　him；　and　thereby　to　slay　him；　which
though　he　were　ready　to　do　in　his　own　country　and　kingdom；　yet
did　he　wait　for　their　determination；　and　yet　they　came　thither
not　so　much　as　judges；　to　condemn　them　for　such　manifest　designs
against　him；　whereby　he　had　almost　perished　by　his　sons'　means；
but　as　persons　that　had　an　opportunity　of　showing　their
detestation　of　such　practices；　and　declaring　how　unworthy　a　thing
it　must　be　in　any；　even　the　most　remote；　to　pass　over　such
treacherous　designs　＇without　punishment＇。

3。　When　the　king　had　said　this；　and　the　young　men　had　not　been
produced　to　make　any　defense　for　themselves；　the　assessors
perceived　there　was　no　room　for　equity　and　reconciliation；　so
they　confirmed　his　authority。　And　in　the　first　place；　Saturninus；
a　person　that　had　been　consul；　and　one　of　great　dignity；
pronounced　his　sentence；　but　with　great　moderation　and　trouble；
and　said　that　he　condemned　Herod's　sons；　but　did　not　think　they
should　be　put　to　death。　He　had　sons　of　his　own；　and　to　put　one's
son　to　death　is　a　greater　misfortune　than　any　other　that　could
befall　him　by　their　means。　After　him　Saturninus's　sons；　for　he
had　three　sons　that　followed　him；　and　were　his　legates；
pronounced　the　same　sentence　with　their　father。　On　the　contrary；
Volumnius's　sentence　was　to　inflict　death　on　such　as　had　been　so
impiously　undutiful　to　their　father；　and　the　greatest　part　of　the
rest　said　the　same；　insomuch　that　the　conclusion　seemed　to　be；
that　the　young　men　were　condemned　to　die。　Immediately　after　this
Herod　came　away　from　thence；　and　took　his　sons　to　Tyre；　where
Nicolaus　met　him　in　his　voyage　from　Rome；　of　whom　he　inquired；
after　he　had　related　to　him　what　had　passed　at　Berytus；　what　his
sentiments　were　about　his　sons；　and　what　his　friends　at　Rome
thought　of　that　matter。　His　answer　was；　〃That　what　they　had
determined　to　do　to　thee　was　impious；　and　that　thou　oughtest　to
keep　them　in　prison；　and　if　thou　thinkest　any　thing　further
necessary；　thou　mayst　indeed　so　punish　them；　that　thou　mayst　not
appear　to　indulge　thy　anger　more　than　to　govern　thyself　by
judgment；　but　if　thou　inclinest　to　the　milder　side；　thou　mayst
absolve　them；　lest　perhaps　thy　misfortunes　be　rendered　incurable；
and　this　is　the　opinion　of　the　greatest　part　of　thy　friends　at
Rome　also。〃　Whereupon　Herod　was　silent；　and　in　great
thoughtfulness；　and　bid　Nicolaus　sail　along　with　him。

4。　Now　as　they　came　to　Cesarea；　every　body　was　there　talking　of
Herod's　sons；　and　the　kingdom　was　in　suspense；　and　the　people　in
great　expectation　of　what　would　become　of　them；　for　a　terrible
fear　seized　upon　all　men；　lest　the　ancient　disorders　of　the
family　should　come　to　a　sad　conclusion；　and　they　were　in　great
trouble　about　their　sufferings；　nor　was　it　without　danger　to　say
any　rash　thing　about　this　matter；　nor　even　to　hear　another　saying
it；　but　men's　pity　was　forced　to　be　shut　up　in　themselves；　which
rendered　the　excess　of　their　sorrow　very　irk