Book 5

5.1. Now Tryphon destroyed Antiochus, who was also called the God, after he had reigned four years, having been his guardian. He gave out that the boy had died of disease, and promised the soldiers money if they would make him king. They, hoping to gain much, chose him as their ruler. Having received the kingdom, Tryphon laid aside his pretence; and the army, hating him, went over to Cleopatra the wife of Demetrius, who was shut up in Seleucia. While Antiochus, who was called Soter and was the brother of Demetrius, was wandering and shut in on every side because of Tryphon, Cleopatra sent for him, inviting him to marriage and to the kingdom; for she feared lest the people of Seleucia should give the city to Tryphon. So Antiochus, coming to Seleucia, set out against Tryphon, and defeating him drove him out of upper Syria, and besieged him when he had fled to a certain fortress, and invited the high priest Simon to friendship. Simon accepted the invitation, and supplied provisions to those besieging Tryphon. Fleeing thence and coming to Apamea, Tryphon was besieged, taken, and destroyed, after he had reigned three years.

But Antiochus, forgetting the services done him by Simon, sent Cendebaeus, charging him to ravage Judaea and to seize Simon. Simon, standing against him, conquered. And he passed the rest of his life in peace, having ruled Judaea for eight years. He died, plotted against by Ptolemy his son-in-law. The wife of Simon and his two sons were seized and bound, but the third, John, who was also called Hyrcanus, escaped, and was received by the people of Jerusalem on account of his father's benefactions, when Ptolemy came they thrust him away. Having recovered his ancestral priesthood, Hyrcanus marched against Ptolemy, who was in a fortress called Dagon. He prevailed in the siege, but was overcome by pity for his mother and brothers; for Ptolemy, bringing them up onto the wall, tortured them within his sight. But his mother begged him not to be softened on her account. While the siege thus dragged on, the seventh year came, in which it is the custom of the Jews to rest; and on account of this Ptolemy, released from the war, killed the mother of Hyrcanus and his brothers, and fled to Zeno, called Cotylas, the ruler of Philadelphia. Antiochus, angry with Simon for what he had suffered, came against Judaea, and overrunning the land besieged Hyrcanus; and raising very high towers on the northern side of the city, from them he assaulted the wall. But he accomplished nothing, both because of the courage of those within and because of the strength of the walls and the abundance of water from a recent rainfall. Hyrcanus, fearing lest necessities should fail them, chose out only the fighting men of the multitude and thrust the rest out of the city; but Antiochus would not let them depart, and so, remaining outside the walls, they were dying. Those within, pitying them, received them back again. When the feast of Tabernacles came, Hyrcanus, sending to Antiochus, asked for a truce of seven days on account of the feast. Antiochus both gave the truce and sent a costly sacrifice with offerings; whom, for his piety toward the divine, they called the Pious. Knowing the reverence of Antiochus toward God, Hyrcanus sent an embassy, asking that their ancestral form of government be restored to them. Antiochus said that, if they would surrender their arms, and agree to pay tribute on behalf of the other cities except Judaea, and receive a garrison, he would refrain from war and do the other things they asked. The Jews accepted the other terms, but did not consent to the garrison; instead they gave hostages and five hundred talents of silver. When Antiochus yielded on these terms, the siege was raised. Hyrcanus, opening the tomb of David, took from it three thousand talents of silver. Making friendship with Antiochus, he received him into the city, and joined his expedition against the Parthians; where Antiochus, fighting against Arsaces, perished together with the greater part of his army.

5.2. His brother Demetrius became successor to the kingdom of Syria, Arsaces having released him when Antiochus marched against the Parthians. When Antiochus died, Hyrcanus took many cities of Syria and others of Idumaea. And having subdued the Idumaeans, he permitted them to remain in the country if they would be circumcised and follow Jewish customs. For the sake of their homelands they submitted to circumcision and the rest. Demetrius, resolving to march against Hyrcanus, was checked, the Syrians and the soldiers hating him for his wickedness, and sending an embassy to Ptolemy Physcon to give them one of the kindred of Seleucus to take over the kingdom. He sent Alexander, called Zebinas. When a battle was joined between him and Demetrius, Demetrius was routed and fled to Ptolemais, and not being received by his wife Cleopatra, escaped to Tyre, where he was captured and, after suffering much, was destroyed. Alexander, having taken over the kingdom, made friendship with Hyrcanus. But when Antiochus Grypus, the son of Demetrius, rose against him, he was defeated in battle and perished.

This Antiochus, having become king of Syria, fought for many years over the kingdom with his brother Antiochus, surnamed Cyzicenus because he was reared in Cyzicus. This Cyzicenus was the son of Antiochus who died among the Parthians, the brother of Demetrius, so that he was a half-brother of Antiochus Grypus; for Cleopatra had lived with the two brothers, first with Demetrius and then with Antiochus, as has been written before, and by Demetrius she bore Antiochus Grypus, and by Antiochus Soter, the brother of Demetrius, she bore Antiochus Cyzicenus. While these were fighting one another, Hyrcanus remained at peace, and despising the two Antiochi, he revolted, no longer paying them anything; and at his leisure he reaped the fruit of Judaea, so that he gathered an immeasurable quantity of treasure. Marching also against Samaria, he besieged it through his sons Aristobulus and Antigonus. When famine pressed the city, the Samaritans summoned Antiochus Cyzicenus to their aid. He, joining battle with the forces of Aristobulus, was defeated; then again, gathering a multitude, he ravaged the country of Hyrcanus, that he might thus compel him to raise the siege. But losing many of his men, he departed to Tripolis. Hyrcanus took Samaria and utterly destroyed it. It is said that on the very day on which his sons were fighting Antiochus, he himself, as high priest, burning incense alone in the temple, heard a voice saying that his sons had just then conquered Antiochus; and going out he announced to the multitude what he had heard. And so it was.

Hyrcanus, having prospered, was envied by the Jews, and was especially hated by the Pharisees. These are one of the sects among the Jews, of which there are three. Now the Pharisees hold the doctrine of fate, but also that it falls to us that some things happen and others do not. The Essenes hold that fate is mistress of all things, and that all things befall men from it. The Sadducees reject fate, and place all things in our power, teaching that we are ourselves the causes of our good things, and that we choose the worse from our own want of counsel. Now the Pharisees had formerly been on friendly terms with Hyrcanus, for he had been a disciple of theirs; but it happened, from a certain cause, that he came to have enmity with them. And these men had great power with the multitude. Hyrcanus joined himself to the party of the Sadducees, breaking off from the Pharisees, and resolved to abolish the ordinances handed down by them. For the Sadducees said that those things ought to be held lawful which were written, but not to observe the things from tradition. For these reasons Hyrcanus was hated by the Pharisees. Having lived prosperously for thirty-one years, he died, leaving five sons. It is said that he was thought worthy of prophecy, and foretold concerning his two elder sons that they would not remain masters of affairs.

5.3. When Hyrcanus died, Aristobulus succeeded to the rule; and resolving to change it into a kingdom, he set a diadem upon himself, four hundred and eighty-one years after the people returned from Babylon to Jerusalem. He imprisoned the rest of his brothers and his mother, who had quarrelled with him over the rule, but loved Antigonus, who was next to him, and thought him worthy of equal honour. His mother he destroyed by starvation; and he made away with his brother Antigonus also, trusting in slanders. For when Antigonus had returned brilliantly from a campaign, Aristobulus was sick; and as the feast of Tabernacles was being kept, Antigonus went up to the temple with his men-at-arms about him splendidly adorned. Those who slandered him to his brother said that he had come to the feast not as a private man, but in royal splendour, and that, going up with so great a guard of soldiers, he was plotting against him.

Aristobulus, taking thought both for his own safety and for his brother, set bodyguards in a certain dark underground passage, charging them to spare his brother if he came unarmed, but to kill him if he came with weapons; and he sent to Antigonus, bidding him come unarmed. But the wife of Aristobulus and those who agreed with her against Antigonus persuaded the messenger to tell Antigonus, "Your brother, hearing that you have had new arms made, asks you to come armed, that he may see them." Antigonus, suspecting nothing, went, clad in his full armour; and when he came to the tower of Strato, where the place was without light, he was killed by the bodyguards. A certain Judas, an Essene by sect, who foretold many things and spoke truly, seeing Antigonus then passing by the temple, cried out and prayed to die, as one proved false while Antigonus still lived; for he had foretold that Antigonus would die on that day at the tower of Strato; and that place was six hundred stades distant, so that it was impossible for Antigonus to be there, the day being already on the wane. While Judas was saying this, it was announced that Antigonus had been killed in the underground passage, which itself was named the tower of Strato, with the same name as the coastal Caesarea.

Such was the end of Antigonus; and justice for the fratricide at once overtook Aristobulus. For when his bowels were destroyed and he began to bring up blood, one of those who served him, carrying it out, slipped at the very spot where Antigonus had been slain, which still bore stains of his blood, and poured it out, so that the blood of both was mingled. When a cry arose from those who saw it, Aristobulus, learning what had happened, groaned and was moved to tears, and said, "So I was not, after all, to escape the notice of God in such impious deeds." And adding some other words, he died, having reigned a year.

5.4. Salome his wife, who was also called Alexandra, having released her husband's brothers — for Aristobulus had held them in bonds — set up as king Jannaeus, also called Alexander, who excelled in age and was most moderate. Having received the kingdom, he killed one of his brothers, who was making revolution, but honoured the other, who lived without meddling in affairs. Having made certain wars against certain peoples, and in part prevailing and in part being defeated, at last he took up arms also against his own countrymen, who rose against him. For when there was a feast and he had gone up to the altar to sacrifice, the multitude pelted him with citrons — it being the custom at the feast of Tabernacles to hold in the hands wands of palm and citron — and heaped insults upon him. Provoked by this, Alexander killed about six thousand of them. Then, joining battle with the Arabs and being defeated, he fled to Jerusalem; and when the nation attacked him in his misfortune, fighting against it for six years — for he kept Pisidians and Cilicians — he destroyed no fewer than fifty thousand. For these things he was hated still more, so that, when he asked what should be done that their enmity might cease, the multitude cried out that he should die. And after this too the Jews fought against Alexander, and very many were destroyed. Having shut up the most powerful of them in a certain city, he besieged it, and mastering them led them away to Jerusalem. And feasting with his women in a conspicuous place, he committed a most savage deed, crucifying eight hundred of them, and slaughtering their children and wives before the eyes of the men while they still lived. This cruel deed persuaded those of the opposite party, who were about eight thousand, to flee. And Alexander from then enjoyed quiet.

Then Antiochus, called Dionysius, marched against Judaea. And when a fierce battle had taken place against the Jews, Antiochus died in the war, while conquering and going to the aid of the part that was hard pressed. When he was dead, his army fled and was destroyed by famine. After Antiochus, Aretas reigned over Coele Syria, and marching against Judaea, and conquering Alexander in battle, withdrew on terms.

Alexander, however, afterward took many cities of the Idumaeans and Cilicians and Phoenicians and Syrians, and having spent a third year on campaign, returned, the Jews receiving him eagerly because of his good fortune. Then, falling sick from drunkenness, and wrestling for three years with a quartan fever, he did not refrain from his campaigns. The queen, seeing him now given up, lamented for herself and her children. But he advised her to hide his death from the soldiers, until she should take the place — for he happened to be besieging one — and then, coming to Jerusalem as from a victory, to grant some authority to the Pharisees. For they could make the nation well disposed toward her; and he said that he himself had given offence to the nation because of these men, who had been insulted by him. "So you," he said, "summoning their rulers, allow them to use my corpse as they wish, as one who had grievously outraged them, and promise to do nothing against their judgment. If you speak thus, I shall be buried lavishly, and you will rule securely." Having given his wife this counsel, he died, after ruling twenty-seven years, having lived forty-nine. And Alexandra, having ordered all things according to her husband's advice, made the Pharisees well disposed toward herself and secured the kingdom, and gave her husband a burial more splendid than those of the kings before him.

5.5. Two sons had been born to Alexander, Hyrcanus and Aristobulus. Hyrcanus was sluggish in character and unfitted for the management of affairs, but the younger was energetic. Their mother appointed Hyrcanus high priest because of his lack of ambition, and committed everything to the Pharisees, and ordered the multitude to obey them; and she herself held the name of the kingdom, but the Pharisees held the power. The country was at peace, only the Pharisees stirring up trouble and persuading her to kill those who had advised Alexander to the destruction of the eight hundred. They slew one of them for the time, and after him others one upon another, until the powerful men, coming into the palace, and Aristobulus with them — for he was not pleased with what was being done — by speaking much and bewailing those already destroyed, moved those present to pity for those in danger and to tears. And Aristobulus on this account blamed his mother; but she had nothing she could do.

At this time it was announced that Tigranes had invaded Syria with a great army and would come against Judaea. This frightened both the nation and the queen, and they sent him many and very valuable gifts and envoys while he was besieging Ptolemais. He both received these and made fair promises. But just as he had sacked Ptolemais, it was announced to him that Acelaus had set out for Armenia, and on this account he withdrew to his own land. When the queen fell grievously sick, Aristobulus secretly slipped away and went to the fortresses where his father's friends were stationed, only his wife being privy to the deed, and was received by them. When his mother learned of his flight and that he had won over all the fortresses, she and the nation were in great disorder; and they placed his wife and children in the fortress above the temple. Hyrcanus and the elders of the Jews, learning that in fifteen days Aristobulus had mastered twenty-two strongholds and gathered much money and assembled an army, begged the queen to give her counsel concerning Aristobulus. But she said that affairs no longer concerned her, since she was already failing, and left them to do what they should judge expedient. And not long after she died, having reigned nine years and lived seventy-three.

When Alexandra was dead, Aristobulus at once took up war against his brother, and many of Hyrcanus's soldiers deserted to Aristobulus. Hyrcanus fled to the citadel, where the wife and children of Aristobulus had earlier been shut up. Coming to terms, the brothers dissolved their enmity, so that Aristobulus should reign, and Hyrcanus should live without meddling in affairs. Having confirmed the agreement with oaths, the one withdrew to the palace, and Hyrcanus to the house of Aristobulus.

A certain Antipater, an Idumaean, a friend of Hyrcanus, factious and energetic and abounding in much money, conversing secretly with the powerful among the Jews, and slandering Aristobulus to Hyrcanus as plotting to kill him, persuaded him to flee to Aretas the king of the Arabs. Hyrcanus sent Antipater to Aretas to receive pledges that he would not surrender him to his enemies if he came to him. Having received the pledges, Antipater returned, and taking Hyrcanus with him by night, brought him to the place called Petra, to Aretas. Hyrcanus begged him to bring him down into Judaea and restore him to the kingdom, promising, if this were done, to give him the territory and the twelve cities which his father Alexander had taken from the Arabs. And Aretas marched against Aristobulus and prevailed in the battle. When many deserted to Hyrcanus, Aristobulus fled to Jerusalem. And the Arab, assaulting the temple, besieged Aristobulus, the people also joining Hyrcanus, only the priests remaining with Aristobulus. A certain Onias, a just man and dear to God, who, when there was once a drought, had by prayer entreated God and broken the lack of rain, the Jews asked to pray against Aristobulus and those with him; but he would not. When he was compelled, he said, "O God, king of all, since both those who stand with me are yours, and the besieged priests are yours, I beg you neither to grant these men's prayers against those, nor those against these." At once they surrounded the man and stoned him. But not long after, the divine power exacted justice on them for their impiety, a violent wind blowing and destroying the fruit of the land.

5.6. Scaurus, sent into Syria by Pompey, who was warring against Tigranes in Armenia, received envoys from both Aristobulus and Hyrcanus, each asking for an alliance. Receiving four hundred talents from Aristobulus, he joined himself to him. And ordering Aretas to withdraw or be judged an enemy of the Romans, he raised the siege. When it was raised, Aristobulus marched against Aretas and Hyrcanus, and joining battle conquered. Not long after, when Pompey had come to Damascus, envoys came from many places and from Judaea, bringing a great gift from Aristobulus, a golden vine of five hundred talents. Josephus says he saw this at Rome, dedicated to Zeus in the Capitol. And again there came to him Antipater on behalf of Hyrcanus and Nicodemus on behalf of Aristobulus. He ordered the disputants themselves to come. When the Jews and their leaders had come to Damascus, some asked that they not be ruled by a king; for it was their ancestral custom to be ruled by the high priests, but these men, being of that family, had changed the rule into a kingdom. Hyrcanus accused his brother, that, when the rule had been allotted to him because of his greater age, it had been taken from him by Aristobulus, and he strung together many other charges against him. More than a thousand of the most respected Jews joined him in saying these things, Antipater having arranged it. Aristobulus, as the cause of Hyrcanus's losing the rule, brought forward his nature, which was inactive and on that account contemptible; and said that he himself had taken it up of necessity, for fear lest it pass to others; and that he was named what his father too had been. Pompey condemned the violence of Aristobulus, but speaking gently with them then, ordered them to keep quiet for a time, and promised that, coming into the country, he would arrange everything. Aristobulus, however, did not wait, but departed for Judaea. Angered, Pompey marched against him. When he had fled together to a stronghold called Alexandrium, Pompey ordered him to come to him. He, his friends asking him not to make war on the Romans, came down, and after pleading his case returned to the place from which he had come. When Pompey ordered him to hand over the strongholds and to write with his own hand to the garrison commanders — for they had been forbidden otherwise to abandon them — he obeyed, but, in vexation, withdrew to Jerusalem and prepared for war. While Pompey was marching against him, the death of Mithridates was announced to him, brought about by his son Pharnaces. When Pompey was near Jericho, where balsam is grown, the choicest of perfumes, which, when the bushes are cut with a sharp stone, oozes forth like sap, Aristobulus came to him and begged him to cease from war, giving money and receiving him into Jerusalem, so that he might do as he wished. Pompey, granting him pardon, sent Gabinius for the money and the city. But the soldiers of Aristobulus not allowing the agreement to be fulfilled, Gabinius returned without success. Pompey therefore came against the city, having imprisoned Aristobulus. Those within were not of one mind. For some thought to receive Pompey, but the partisans of Aristobulus thought the contrary; and they, having seized the temple, prepared for a siege. The others handed over the city and the palace to Pompey. He, encamping within, besieged the temple. When it was taken about the third month, the enemy rushed in and slaughtered those in it; but they no less continued to perform the sacred rites and to sacrifice. Everything was filled with slaughter; for some of the Jews were slain by the Romans, others by one another, or even threw themselves down from the heights. Pompey passed into the inner, untrodden part of the temple, and some of those about him, and they saw what was unseen to all but the high priests. He touched none of the offerings or the treasures in it, out of piety. The next day, ordering the temple to be purified and sacrifice to be made according to the law, he handed over the high priesthood to Hyrcanus, putting to death by the axe those responsible for the war, and making Jerusalem tributary to the Romans. Pompey, departing for Rome, took with him Aristobulus in bonds and his children. He had two daughters and as many sons, of whom the elder, Alexander, escaped and later overran Judaea, Hyrcanus being unable to withstand him.

5.7. When Gabinius came to Syria, he sent Marcus Antonius with an army against Alexander. A battle taking place, the Romans killed about three thousand of the enemy and took no fewer alive. When Alexander fled to a stronghold called Alexandrium, Gabinius besieged it. Alexander therefore sent an embassy to Gabinius asking pardon, and handed over the strongholds he held. The high priest Hyrcanus was brought down to Jerusalem by Gabinius. But Aristobulus, escaping from Rome and coming into Judaea, tried to fortify Alexandrium, which had just been demolished. Gabinius sent men to prevent him or even to seize him. Many of the Jews flocked to Aristobulus, of whom the greater part happened to be unarmed. These Aristobulus dismissed, but the armed ones, about eight thousand, he kept with him. When a battle was joined between them and the Romans, the Jews were defeated and fled, and some were killed, while the rest were scattered. Aristobulus fled to Machaerus with his son Antigonus, who had escaped from Rome with him. After two days, being wounded, he was captured, and with his son Antigonus was led as a prisoner to Gabinius, and sent back again to Rome, where he was kept in bonds, after reigning and serving as high priest three years. Gabinius departed for Egypt. Returning thence, he found Alexander the son of Aristobulus invading the country with a great army and killing all the Romans he met. Engaging him near Mount Itabyrium, where he was leading thirty thousand Jews, Gabinius killed about ten thousand. Having settled affairs in Jerusalem as Antipater wished, and having performed other great deeds of generalship, he departed for Rome, handing over the command to Crassus. This Crassus, coming into Judaea, took all the treasures in the temple, which Pompey had not touched, amounting to two thousand talents, and stripping the temple of all its adornment, plundered it, reckoned at eight thousand talents of gold. He took also a beam of hammered gold made of three hundred minas. The mina among the Jews weighs two pounds and a half. Taking these, he set out against the Parthians, and was destroyed together with his army. Cassius, fleeing thence into Syria, went up into Judaea. Antipater had great power with him, and among the Idumaeans, among whom he married a wife from Arabia, named Cypros, by whom he had four sons — Phasael and Herod, Joseph and Pheroras — and a daughter, Salome. Some time later Julius Gaius Caesar, having mastered Rome after Pompey and the greater part of the senate had fled from it, released Aristobulus and sent him into Syria with an army. But those who favoured Pompey, getting in first, destroyed Aristobulus with poison. Scipio, at Pompey's instruction, beheaded Aristobulus's son Alexander. After Pompey's death, Antipater made himself useful in many ways to Caesar, who was warring in Egypt, so that Caesar employed him throughout the whole war; in which it happened that he too was wounded. Antigonus the son of Aristobulus came at that time to Caesar and begged him to take pity on himself, who had been driven from his rule, and reminded him of his father, and how he died on Caesar's account. Antipater, who was present, made his defence. His words being judged the stronger, Caesar confirmed the high priesthood to Hyrcanus, and appointed Antipater procurator of Judaea. When Caesar departed for Rome, Antipater set in order the affairs of Judaea. Seeing Hyrcanus slow and sluggish, he appointed Phasael, the eldest of his sons, general of Jerusalem and the surrounding parts, and set Herod, who was next to him and very young, over Galilee.

Herod, being noble in spirit, made his command an occasion for displaying his valour, and seizing the chief brigand Ezekias, who was plundering the parts of Syria near at hand with a great band, he killed him and very many of those with him; whence he was loved by the Syrians. On this account he also became known to Sextus Caesar, who was a kinsman of the great Caesar and governor of Syria. Phasael too emulated his brother. They did these things that Antipater might obtain royal honour from the nation. But the rulers of the Jews on this account envied Antipater and his sons, and feared, seeing Herod violent and bold and enamoured of tyranny, and they accused Antipater to Hyrcanus, and incited him against him and his sons, saying that they were not procurators of the affairs of the kingdom, but masters. For Herod, they said, had killed Ezekias and many of those with him, though the law forbade a man to be put to death, even were he wicked, unless he had first been condemned by the council. Hyrcanus was stirred by this to anger. And the mothers of those murdered by Herod further kindled his anger, asking that he be brought to justice for what he had done. Hyrcanus, being moved, summoned Herod to be tried. He came with a band sufficient to keep him from going to trial defenceless and unguarded. Entering the council with his band, he struck terror into all, and no one dared to accuse him, but there was perplexity as to what should be done. But a certain man named Samaeas, a just man and confident as a lion, said, "Men, I know of no one summoned to trial who has stood thus, nor, I think, do you; but everyone who is to be judged stands in the posture of one afraid. But this excellent Herod, fleeing a charge of murder, stands with men-at-arms around him, ready, if he is condemned according to the law, to kill us. Yet I do not blame Herod, but you, who have granted him such license. Know, then, that God is just, and that this man, whom you now wish to release for Hyrcanus's sake, will one day punish you and Hyrcanus himself." That this came to pass the account will show as it proceeds. Hyrcanus postponed the trial to another day, and secretly advised Herod to slip away from the city. So Herod departed, and the members of the council were indignant. When Sextus sold to Herod for money the command of Coele Syria, not much time passed before Herod came with an army, angry against Hyrcanus because he had been called to trial at all. But his father and brother prevented him from attacking Jerusalem.

5.8. Such was the state of affairs in Judaea; but in Syria there was disorder, from a cause of this kind. Caecilius Bassus, one of those who favoured Pompey, killed Sextus Caesar by treachery, and himself mastered affairs. When the generals of Julius Caesar set out against Bassus, Antipater, through his sons, fought as their ally, remembering the benefits he had received from Caesar. While the war dragged on, Marcus came from Rome to the command of Sextus. Caesar, however, was killed at Rome by Brutus and Cassius and their party. When war broke out over the death of Caesar, and those in authority were scattered here and there for the gathering of armies, Cassius came into Syria, and going around it gathered arms and soldiers, and levied very heavy tribute, and exacted from Judaea seven hundred talents of silver, the collection of which Antipater divided between his two sons. So Herod, being the first to bring in what was assigned to him to Cassius, was especially his friend. Malichus would have been killed by Cassius, had not Hyrcanus checked his impulse, mollifying him with a hundred talents through Antipater. But when Cassius had now departed from Judaea, Malichus plotted against Antipater, since, if he were destroyed, there would be security for Hyrcanus in his rule. This did not escape Antipater, but he guarded himself; and Malichus denied it with oaths. Marcus, who was general in Syria, would nearly have killed Malichus, had not Antipater, by entreating him, saved him. Cassius and Marcus, gathering an army, committed the care of it to Herod, making him general of Coele Syria, and promising to declare him king of Judaea after the war, which had then been joined against Antony and the young Caesar. Then Malichus, having corrupted Hyrcanus's cup-bearer with money, killed Antipater with poison; for both were feasting with Hyrcanus. When the sons of Antipater learned of the plot, Malichus denied it. To Herod it at once seemed right to avenge his father's murder, but Phasael wished rather to deal with Malichus by guile, that they might not become the cause of civil war. They therefore pretended to believe Malichus's denial. When a feast came at Jerusalem, Herod came with an army to the city; but Hyrcanus, persuaded by Malichus, prevented his entrance into the city, on the pretext that a foreign crowd ought not to mix with the multitude keeping itself pure. But Herod, paying no heed to the words, entered the city by night. Malichus still held to his pretence, weeping for Antipater and calling him a friend, but secretly took measures for his own safety. When Cassius took Laodicea, both went off to him. And Herod was waiting there to exact justice from Malichus; but he, suspecting the matter, since his son was a hostage in Tyre, planned to steal him away and to escape into Judaea and seize the rule. But Herod, suspecting Malichus's intention, sent secretly beforehand to Tyre and persuaded the tribunes to go out against Malichus and destroy him. For it had already been determined for them by Cassius to assist Herod in a just deed. They, meeting him near the city, stabbed him to death. Hyrcanus from fear was speechless. Recovering, he asked how Malichus had been slain; and learning that it was by Cassius's order, he praised the deed, saying that Malichus was a wicked man and a plotter against his country.

5.9. When Cassius departed from Syria to Antony, Herod distinguished himself in various ways, and meeting in battle Aristobulus's son Antigonus, who had just set foot on the borders of the land of the Jews, he conquered and drove him from its borders. Whence, when he came to Jerusalem, both the people and Hyrcanus crowned him. He betrothed the granddaughter of Hyrcanus, the daughter of Alexander the son of Aristobulus. He had had earlier another wife, a commoner, called Doris, by whom a son Antipater was born to him, the eldest of the rest.

When Antony and Caesar had defeated Cassius and Brutus near Philippi, the one went off to Gaul, and Antony to Asia. When he was in Bithynia, embassies came to him from everywhere. There were present also Jews accusing Phasael and Herod. But when Herod came to make his defence, Antony treated him with honour, and the accusers were not even thought worthy of a word, Herod having bought this from Antony with money. When Antony came to Ephesus, Hyrcanus sent him a golden crown, and asked that the Jews whom Cassius had enslaved, contrary to the law of war, be set free, and that the land which Cassius had taken from them be restored. Judging the request just, Antony ordered it to be carried into effect. After this, when Antony came into Syria and was mastered by his love for Cleopatra, a hundred of the most powerful Jews came to him and accused Herod and his party, Hyrcanus also being present. Antony asked Hyrcanus which party governed the nation better; and he said that of Herod, being his kinsman. So Antony, being well disposed toward them because of the hospitality of their father, named both tetrarchs and committed to them the affairs of the Jews; and binding ten of the accusers, he would have killed them, had not the brothers interceded. Again a thousand met Antony near Tyre. He, prepossessed by gifts, ordered the local governor to punish the Jews as making revolution. But Herod advised them to depart quickly, that they might not suffer some great evil. When they did not obey, the Romans, rushing out, killed some and wounded many; and the rest, escaping, kept quiet. When the people cried out against Herod, Antony, provoked, killed those whom he had bound.

Antigonus promised Pacorus the king of the Parthians to give a thousand talents and five hundred women, if they would take the rule from Hyrcanus and hand it over to him, and destroy Herod and his party. For these things the Parthians marched against Judaea, bringing back Antigonus; and Herod's party, joining battle with them often, prevailed. But the general of the Parthians came into the city with a few horsemen, supposedly to quell the strife, but in truth to cooperate with Antigonus. When Phasael had entertained him, he persuaded Phasael to go on an embassy to Barzapharnes. And Hyrcanus and Phasael went as envoys, Herod not consenting; and the general escorted them. Barzapharnes at first received them genuinely, then plotted against them. Phasael's party were in suspicion of the barbarians, and learned that they were being watched secretly even by night. It was disclosed to them that they would have been seized, had not the barbarians put it off until Herod should be taken by the Parthians there, lest, learning what concerned them, he should escape. Some advised Phasael to ride off at once, and Ophellius even promised boats for flight, for the sea was near. But he would not abandon Hyrcanus. So they were seized and bound. When Herod learned this, taking the men-at-arms he had by night, and his mother and sister and the girl betrothed to him, the daughter of Hyrcanus's daughter, and the mother of this betrothed, and all the household, he went off toward Idumaea, unnoticed by the enemy. When the carriage overturned on the road, and his mother was in danger of death, he nearly killed himself. Having recovered his mother and provided care for her as the occasion pressed, he marched more vigorously toward the stronghold of Masada. On the way he both fought the pursuing Parthians and the Jews who again attacked him, and conquered and prevailed. But since the multitude following him was large, and the fortress of Masada, toward which they hastened, was not sufficient to receive all, he dismissed the greater part, giving them provisions, and taking with him those who were nimble and the most necessary, he came to the stronghold. And leaving there the women and the household with sufficient provisions, he himself set out for Petra in Arabia. At dawn the Parthians plundered the rest of Jerusalem, even the palace, but kept their hands only from Hyrcanus's treasures, amounting to about eighty talents; and the Parthians afflicted the country.

5.10. So Antigonus, having thus been brought into Judaea, received Hyrcanus and Phasael as prisoners. Fearing lest the multitude should restore the kingdom to Hyrcanus, he cut off his ears, the law ordering that those who are to be priests be whole. Phasael, knowing that he was to be slaughtered, since his hands were bound, dashed his head against a rock and so took himself out of life, and deprived the enemy of the pleasure of killing him. But before he entirely expired, hearing that his brother Herod had escaped the enemy, he died with good cheer, leaving an avenger and a punisher of his enemies. Herod hastened to Malchus the king of the Arabs, who had earlier been benefited by him, to receive from him money as ransom for his brother; for he had not yet learned what had befallen him. But when Malchus, through certain men, sent word to him to withdraw, since the Parthians had charged him not to receive him, he answered that he came to give no trouble, but to confer about the most pressing matters. And saying this, he went off to Egypt, and on the way heard what had befallen his brother. Malchus repented, and sent men to turn Herod back; but he was far away. Brought down to Egypt and coming thence to Rome, he told Antony what had befallen him and Phasael, and how Antigonus had been brought into the kingdom by the Parthians for the promise of money and women, and all that he had done and suffered. Pity for Herod's change of fortune came upon Antony. And Caesar too, both for other reasons and to gratify Antony, who grieved greatly for Herod, was the more ready to help. So they presented Herod to the senate, and recounted the benefits of his father and told of his goodwill toward the Romans; and they accused Antigonus, and called him an enemy, both on other grounds and because he had received the rule from the Parthians, slighting the Romans. Antony added that it was also expedient for Herod to be king for the war against the Parthians. This being approved by all, they decreed it.

So Herod received the kingdom, but Antigonus continued to besiege Masada. Those within it were in want of water, so that even Herod's brother Joseph planned to escape with two hundred men to the Arabs; but he was prevented, a rain falling by night. Ventidius, the Roman general sent from Syria to drive back the Parthians, made his way into Judaea, supposedly to aid the besieged, but in fact to extort money from Antigonus. Having fulfilled his purpose, he withdrew, and left Silo with part of the army, so that the bribe might not become evident. Herod, having sailed from Italy to Ptolemais, marched against Antigonus, having gathered a force. Taking Joppa on the way, that the enemy might have no stronghold, he hastened to Masada to rescue his household; and taking them up, he marched toward Jerusalem; and the army with Silo was with him. He encamped outside; but those within, fighting from the wall, drove them back from the towers. And Silo had some of his own soldiers cry out against Herod because of the scarcity of necessities, and began to move the camp as if to withdraw. He did this out of regard for Antigonus, because of the bribe. But Herod begged him to stay, and setting out, brought back a quantity of provisions, so as no longer to leave Silo a pretext for withdrawal. So they were in abundance; and Herod, coming to Samaria, deposited there his mother and the rest of his household, while he himself went off to Galilee. And he won over all of it except those dwelling in the caves. The caves were enclosed in mountains everywhere broken and rugged, surrounded by sharp rocks. These too he mastered, with difficulty but nevertheless. Having settled affairs there, the king set out for Samaria, intending to decide matters by battle with Antigonus. Meanwhile, Pacorus having fallen in war, and the Parthians having been routed by the Romans, Ventidius sent Machaeras with an army as a help to Herod. With him Herod left his brother Joseph, charging him not to take risks nor to quarrel with Machaeras, while he himself hastened to Antony, who was besieging Samosata, a city on the Euphrates. As Herod drew near, Antony sent the army to meet him, and when he came, greeted him, and charged him to assist Sossius; and Herod fulfilled the command. But Joseph the brother of Herod, hastening to Jericho, fell among the forces of Antigonus, and being cut off in difficult ground, died fighting nobly, and lost his whole army. Antigonus, cutting off his head, sold it to his brother Pheroras for fifty talents.

5.11. The Galileans, revolting, drowned in the lake those who favoured Herod, and there were many uprisings in Judaea. These things were announced to Herod, together with the death of his brother at Daphne near Antioch. As he hastened on, when he came into Galilee, the enemy met him. Being defeated, they shut themselves up in a certain place; but he hurried to Jericho, wishing to avenge himself on them for his brother. Antigonus sent to Samaria a general named Pappus with a force, giving the enemy the impression of one warring from a position of strength. Herod came against Pappus, and joining battle with the enemy, prevailed, and followed the fugitives into the village, killing whomever he overtook. When the houses were filled with men-at-arms, and many fled up onto the roofs, by pulling down the roofs of the houses he mastered them. As the roofs were pulled down, the lower parts were seen full of soldiers, whom they killed by throwing stones from above. This broke the spirit of the enemy; and Herod would have come at once to Jerusalem with his army and accomplished everything, had not a heavy winter prevented him. Then, it being evening, king Herod entered a certain small room to bathe, and stripping bathed, with one servant attending him. But in the inner chamber some of the enemy had fled together, armed, and were hiding there for fear. And while the king was bathing, one came out with a drawn sword, and after him another, and again another likewise armed, striking no one out of fear, but content if they themselves were saved. Such a danger did Herod escape. The next day, cutting off the head of Pappus, who had already been slain, he sent it to his brother Pheroras in payment for Joseph; for this Pappus had been Joseph's slayer with his own hand.

When the winter ended, he came to Jerusalem and encamped very near the city; and leaving there those who should prepare for the siege, he himself went to Samaria to be wed to the daughter of Alexander, already betrothed to him, as has been recorded. After the marriage he came from Samaria; and Sossius too came with an army. They gathered before the wall of Jerusalem, and raising mounds and bringing up siege-engines, they shook the wall. Those within, generaled with desperation rather than prudence, withstood them. There mounted the wall first twenty chosen men, then centurions of Sossius. For the first wall was taken in forty days, the second in fifteen. When the outer temple and the lower city were taken, the Jews fled together into the inner temple and the upper city. These too were taken, and everything was filled with slaughter. Antigonus, mindful neither of his present fortune nor of his former, came down from the citadel and fell at Sossius's feet. But Sossius, taking no pity on him for his change, mocked him and called him Antigone, and binding him kept him under guard. When the allies rushed to behold the temple and the holy things in the sanctuary, king Herod, exhorting some, threatening others, and even checking some with arms, restrained them, and prevented also the plundering in the city, promising himself to distribute their wages to each from his own funds. And so, having preserved the rest of the city, he fulfilled his promises. To Sossius himself he gave most royal gifts. Sossius left Jerusalem, leading Antigonus in bonds to Antony. Herod, fearing lest Antigonus, brought to Rome, should plead his case before the senate, showing himself to be of royal stock and Herod a private man, and that, even if he himself had offended against the Romans, the kingdom belonged to his children, persuaded Antony with much money to kill Antigonus. So he was killed, and the rule was taken from the family of the Asamonaeans, which had lasted a hundred and twenty years, and passed to Herod the son of Antipater, who was of private stock and a commoner's house.

5.12. So Herod, having taken up the rule of all Judaea, drew to himself those who favoured him, and punished those who opposed him. He honoured especially Pollio the Pharisee and Samaeas his disciple; for when the siege was being formed, these advised that Herod be received. This Samaeas, as has already been said before, had foretold to Hyrcanus and the judges that Herod, if preserved, would punish them all. He killed forty of the chief men of Antigonus's party and took their property, and there was no end of evil. Hyrcanus, however, who was a prisoner among the Parthians, found the Parthian king Phraates gracious, and being loosed from his bonds, was permitted to dwell in Babylon, where there was a multitude of Jews, who honoured Hyrcanus as high priest and king. When he learned that Herod had taken over the kingdom, he resolved to go over to him, both because of the marriage-connection and supposing that Herod would remember that he had saved him from danger when on trial for murder. The Jews in Babylon asked him to stay, since he was honoured by them as high priest and king, and because, even if he went, he could not obtain the high priesthood, having been maimed in body by Antigonus. So they tried to prevent him, but he would not be persuaded, both longing to return himself and being invited by Herod. Herod sent an embassy to Phraates and sent gifts, asking him not to hinder the kindnesses he wished to show his benefactor. But his zeal was not for Hyrcanus's sake; rather, since he did not rule worthily, fearing reasonable changes, he was eager either to put Hyrcanus out of the way or to keep him for the present in his hands. The Parthian permitting his departure, Hyrcanus went and was treated by Herod with all honour, being called father and given precedence at banquets, and deceived in every way, that he might not perceive that he was being plotted against.

Herod, being cautious about appointing one of the distinguished men as high priest, sent for from Babylon a priest of the more obscure, named Ananel, and assigned to him the high priesthood. But Alexandra, the mother-in-law of Herod, who had a son by Alexander the son of Aristobulus, most beautiful in his prime, called Aristobulus, took the slighting of her son hard; and she wrote to Cleopatra to ask the high priesthood for the boy from Antony. When Antony was rather sluggish about the request, Dellius, coming into Judaea and seeing Aristobulus, admired him, and no less Mariamme, who lived with the king; and he persuaded Alexandra to send Antony portraits of both children; for, he said, when Antony saw them, he would fail of nothing he asked. So she sent the portraits to Antony, but he was ashamed to send for the girl, who was married to Herod, and at the same time he avoided the slanders concerning Cleopatra. He wrote to Herod to send the boy, adding, "if it does not seem burdensome." Herod, judging it not to his advantage that Aristobulus, who was very handsome and superior in birth, should come to Antony, who was powerful as a Roman and prone to loves and easily inclined to pleasures, wrote back that, if the youth left the country, everything would be filled with disorder. And so he excused himself to Antony; but gathering his friends, he blamed Alexandra as plotting that he be deprived of the rule. "But I," he said, "shall not on this account be unjust; instead I now give the priesthood to the youth; for it was because he was altogether a child that I formerly made another high priest." When he had said this, joy and fear together possessed Alexandra — joy because of her son's honour, fear because of Herod's suspicion. And she defended herself in tears, saying that she had been zealous for the priesthood, but had not attempted the kingdom; and that she now accepted the honour for her son, and would be obedient in everything.

5.13. Having so conversed, they parted, as if all suspicion were removed. When the high priesthood had been given to the boy Aristobulus, it seemed good that the affairs of the household should be tended. But Alexandra was suspect to Herod, and he required that she stay in the palace and do nothing on her own authority, and certain men carefully guarded her. She grew savage, preferring to endure anything rather than to live in slavery and fear; and she begged Cleopatra to aid her, making known the state she was in. Cleopatra bade her flee to her with her son. So preparing two coffins as if for the carrying out of dead bodies, she meant to put herself and her son in them, having charged those of the household who were privy to it to carry them out by night and bring them to the sea, where a boat had been made ready for them to sail to Egypt. Herod, learning this from one of her household, and letting it go forward as far as the attempt, seized her in the very act of the flight. He passed over the offence from fear of Cleopatra, not from clemency. But it had been resolved by him to put the youth out of the way. So when Aristobulus was seventeen years old, he went up to the altar to sacrifice at the feast of Tabernacles, robed as high priest. And an impulse of goodwill arose in the multitude toward him, because of his beauty and the size of his body and the dignity of his birth; they rejoiced and were moved together, and uttered auspicious cries mingled with prayers. Stirred by this, Herod fixed the more upon his design against the youth. And when the feast had passed, after a banquet, treating the youth kindly, he sported with him and played with him in friendly fashion. And they swam in the pools; and Herod's friends, swimming with him as in play, who were privy to the secret, did not let up but kept pressing Aristobulus down and dipping him until they drowned him. So he perished, not yet having completed his eighteenth year, and the calamity was felt by all as a private misfortune. And Alexandra, understanding also the cause of his destruction, was the more gripped by grief, but endured for fear of further evils. Herod did everything to put away the suspicion, weeping and showing distress and providing a costly funeral. But Alexandra was softened by none of these things, and wrote to Cleopatra of her son's destruction by Herod's plotting. Cleopatra urged Antony to avenge the boy's murder. So Antony sent, ordering Herod to come to Laodicea and make his defence. He, fearing the charge and Cleopatra's hostility, on departing left Joseph his uncle as procurator of affairs there, charging him secretly that, if he himself should suffer anything from Antony, he should at once kill Mariamme, that she might not, after his death, belong to another because of her beauty. So Herod departed; and Joseph, managing the affairs of the rule and continually meeting with Mariamme and Alexandra, told them of the king's disposition toward Mariamme. When they spoke ironically about his words, he was led to reveal the secret of the charge. But this drove the women into greater despair. There was also a report, spread by those who hated Herod, that Antony had killed him. Meanwhile letters came from Herod recounting Antony's honour toward him, and how he sat with him in his deliberations and feasted with him, and that he enjoyed these things even though Cleopatra was hard upon him with her slander. When these letters were brought, the false report ceased.

5.14. When king Herod, having escorted Antony against the Parthians, returned into Judaea, at once his sister Salome and their mother accused Alexandra and Mariamme. Salome even brought a charge against her own husband, that he had consorted with Mariamme; this was Joseph, the procurator of the affairs of the kingdom. She said these things out of long-standing resentment, because he reproached her with her low birth. Herod was at once disturbed, and out of jealousy questioned Mariamme privately. When she swore her innocence, he relaxed his anger, and was mastered by his love, and assured her of his affection toward her. But she said, "It was no sign of love to charge that I too be destroyed if anything harsh should befall you from Antony." This word troubled Herod, and he cried out that by this Joseph's love for her was clearly detected. For he would not, he said, have revealed the secret, unless a great intimacy had joined them. And he would have killed his wife at once, had he not been enslaved by his love for her. But Joseph, without even bringing him into his sight, he ordered to be put to death, and bound and guarded Alexandra as the cause of all.

Antony, corrupted by his love for Cleopatra, or rather by her sorceries, was enslaved to her wishes. She destroyed by poison her brother, to whom the kingdom belonged, and through Antony killed her sister Arsinoe; and she pressed Antony to assign Judaea and Arabia to her. He, ashamed of so manifest an injustice, yet compelled to gratify her because of his loves and her enchantments, cut off parts of both lands and with these appeased her insatiable greed. So Antony marched against Armenia, and Cleopatra, returning, came into Judaea, Herod meeting her. When familiarity arose between her and Herod, she invited him to her bed, being unrestrained in her appetite for intercourse, and perhaps too feeling something amorous toward him; though, what is more likely, she was contriving the beginning of an ambush against her husband by means of this intimacy. Herod rejected her words, but treating her with gifts, escorted her to Egypt.

When the seventh year of Herod's reign had now come, the land of the Jews was shaken as never before, and there was great destruction of cattle, and of men about thirty thousand were buried in the fallen houses. When Herod had farmed the tribute of the lands assigned to Cleopatra out of Arabia and Judaea, the Arab was negligent about the payment of the tax. The king therefore resolved to go against the Arab, and being permitted this by Antony, and joining battle often, at last conquered, and was chosen by the Arabs to be protector of their nation. And he returned home, having won a great name by his exploits and being full of spirit.

Just as Caesar had defeated Antony in the battle at Actium, Herod's affairs were thrown into confusion or wholly despaired of. For there was no hope, so great a friendship having been formed between him and Antony, that he should not be harmed by Caesar. Whence, planning to put Hyrcanus out of the way, he thought then more than ever that the attempt was to his advantage, that no man might survive worthier than himself to obtain the kingdom. So Herod had resolved; and a certain occurrence further spurred him to the deed. For Alexandra, being a contentious woman, did not cease urging her father to go over to Malchus, who held Arabia. He at first rejected the words, but when she pressed him, at last he wrote a letter to Malchus about receiving them, and gave it to a certain Dositheus, one of his friends. He delivered the letter to Herod; and Herod asked Dositheus to give the writing to Malchus and to bring back his reply. When Dositheus had done this, the Arab wrote back that he would receive Hyrcanus himself and all who were with him. So Herod, receiving this letter, sent for Hyrcanus and questioned him about the agreement with Malchus; and when he denied it, Herod showed the letters to the council and put the man to death. Many say that the affair of Hyrcanus was a pretext of Herod's, who wished to put him out of the way, and they make the man's mildness or simplicity a proof of it, and the fact that he had shown no boldness or rashness even in his youth; and at that time he was eighty-one years old.

5.15. Herod, hastening to Caesar, settled his mother and sister and all his family at Masada, but brought his wife Mariamme together with her mother Alexandra to Alexandrium, setting over them, on the pretext of honour, as guards Joseph the steward and the Ituraean Soemus, the most faithful to him, charging them that, if they should learn anything harsh concerning him, they should at once kill both women, and keep the kingdom for his children and his brother Pheroras. Having given such instructions, he hastened to Rhodes to Caesar. When he landed, he took off the diadem, but yielded nothing of his other dignity; rather, conversing with Caesar, he displayed the greatness of his spirit, neither turning to supplications nor giving an account of his deeds with any concealment. So he won Caesar over in no small measure, and Caesar restored the diadem to him and treated him with honour. Having thus, beyond hope, secured his kingdom more firmly, he escorted Caesar to Egypt, presenting both him and his friends most generously; and he returned to Judaea with greater honour and freedom, but found his household in disorder. For Mariamme and Alexandra, supposing — what was the truth — that they had been shut up as in a prison at Alexandrium, that they might not even have power over themselves, took it hard, and won over the guards by attentions, and especially Soemus, courting him with words and gifts. He yielded little by little, and revealed to them the king's instructions. They were grieved at these, and especially Mariamme. For when Herod, as was fitting, told his wife first the good news about himself and greeted her before the rest, she groaned at his greetings and seemed vexed at his good fortune, so that the king was disturbed and distressed by the strangeness of her hatred, and was often impelled to avenge himself for her contempt, but was checked because he was held captive by love. Above all he feared lest, in punishing her, he should unwittingly do himself the greater harm, his beloved being no more. His mother and sister provoked Herod with slanders that put jealousy and hatred into him. And he was always worse disposed toward her, she not concealing her feeling toward him, and his love always changing to anger. And had he not been hastening to Caesar, who had now prevailed, Antony and Cleopatra being dead, into Egypt, perhaps the dreadful deed would at once have been done. But as it was, he left the affairs of his household as they were, and coming to Egypt was thought worthy of the greatest honours by Caesar, and returned more brilliant. But he loved Mariamme, and that very ardently. She, though in other respects chaste and faithful to him, presuming upon her husband, who was enslaved by his love, often insulted him, and mocked his mother and sister for their low birth. The hatred broke out into the open from such an occasion. At midday the king entered his chamber to rest, and called for Mariamme; but she, coming in, reproached him as the murderer of her grandfather and her brother. The king was vexed at this. And Salome, seizing the moment, having already corrupted the cup-bearer to accuse Mariamme, persuaded him to go then to the king and tell him what he had been taught by her. He said that he had been bribed by Mariamme, who urged him to give the king a love-potion; and that it was a certain drug whose power, he insisted, he did not know. Hearing this, the king was moved still more to anger, and tortured the woman's cup-bearer, who was most faithful to her. But he neither knew nor said anything about what he was tortured for, but said that the woman's hatred had arisen because of the words which Soemus had told her. Scarcely had he brought his words to an end when Herod, crying out loudly, said, "Indeed, Soemus would not have made light of my instructions, unless some intimacy had arisen between him and the woman." So he ordered Soemus to be killed at once, but accused the woman, gathering his most intimate friends, concerning love-potions and drugs, and was disposed angrily against her. Those present, seeing him so disposed, voted her death. And she was led off to die, but her mother Alexandra, now fearing also for herself, and pretending ignorance of the charges against Mariamme, leaped out and called her daughter wicked and ungrateful toward her husband, and said that she suffered justly. But Mariamme, neither disturbed at this nor giving a word, went off to her death with calm bearing and noble spirit, showing her nobility even in her last moments.

5.16. So she died, Salome having hastened her death; but Herod was then the more inflamed with love for her, and there were often callings of her name and unseemly lamentations. And his grief so mastered him that he even ordered his servants to summon Mariamme. And at last giving himself over to solitude, and brooding in it, he fell into a dreadful disease; and there was inflammation, and pain in the back of the head, and derangement of mind. While he was thus sick, Alexandra in Jerusalem, learning of the king's illnesses, tried to seize two fortresses near the city. When Herod learned this, he ordered her to be killed at once. He himself, scarcely escaping the danger from his sickness, was harsh and ill-tempered and ready for punishments and murders; and there were murders not only of many ordinary men, but even of his most intimate friends. He transgressed the ancestral customs too, and corrupted the ancient order with foreign practices. At these things the multitude was disturbed and aggrieved. Ten men of the citizens, conspiring together and hiding daggers in their garments, went to the theatre by a signal, either to kill Herod himself or at least many of those about him. Being detected, and not even denying their plan, but even displaying their swords, they endured every torment and were destroyed. The one who informed against them was a little later seized by some men and torn limb from limb and thrown to the dogs. Herod, finding them out, punished them with their whole households. But the anger of the multitude remained.

There befell at that time most grievous calamities throughout the country, both famine and diseases of the body arising from the unaccustomed diet caused by lack of food, and on top of all these a plague. Herod, eager to help in the crisis, neither had abundance of money, having spent it beforehand on the rebuilding of cities for display, nor did the neighboring lands have grain, the same scarcity prevailing in them too. But resolving to help as best he could, he cut up into coin the adornment that was in the palace, and sent to Egypt and bought grain from there. When it was brought, to those who were able by their own efforts to prepare their food he distributed grain; but for those who, through age or other weakness, were not able to prepare food for themselves, he took thought, appointing bakers and providing them with ready food. These things not only changed the minds of those who had formerly been hostile to him, but even turned them to goodwill. And so, having recovered his rule, which had been harmed, he no less relieved also the neighboring peoples who were suffering equally in the calamity, so that the measures of grain given outside his realm came to ten thousand, and those within his kingdom to about eighty thousand. The measure, according to Josephus, equals ten Attic medimni. This generosity and the timeliness of the favour turned even the Jews from enmity to love, and won him good repute among those outside.

He brought about for himself also a marriage from amorous desire. For a certain priest, Simon, in Jerusalem, had a most beautiful daughter; with her Herod fell in love. But since Simon was unfit for the marriage-connection because of his obscurity, Herod took the priesthood from the one who then held it, Jesus the son of Phabes, and made Simon high priest, and married his daughter. When all things went well for him, he surrounded himself with security from without, conversing skillfully with the cities and courting the rulers, so that everything increased for him in every way. But by his ambition in this and his courting of Caesar and the most powerful Romans, he both transgressed the customs and corrupted the laws, founding cities and raising temples, not in the land of the Jews but in the country outside, defending himself to the Jews that he did these things by command and not of himself, but rendering favours to Caesar and the Romans by departing from the ancestral customs for their honour. For he set up statues and molded images and built cities and broad and sheltered harbours and costly palaces and splendid dwellings.

5.17. While he was thus engaged, he sent his sons Alexander and Aristobulus to Rome to meet with Caesar. Caesar received them kindly, and granted Herod to assign the kingdom to whichever of his offspring he wished, and added more territory, and joined him also to the governors of Syria, charging them to do everything with his consent. Having prospered so greatly, he asked Caesar for a tetrarchy for his brother Pheroras, and remitted a third part of the taxes to those in his kingdom — as he said, that they might recover from the dearth, but as it seemed to others, that he might cure the ill-will of the multitude toward himself; for, their customs being changed, they took it hard. Therefore too he took away their liberties, always giving them orders and forbidding assemblies and watching their walks and ways of life and most severely punishing those caught; and both in the city and on the roads there were men who watched those who gathered together. Some say that he himself, taking the guise of a private man, sometimes by night mingled with the crowds and tested their mind toward his rule. Those who were defiant he pursued in every way, but the multitude he required to confirm their loyalty to him with oaths. So most yielded; but those who were displeased he made away with in every manner. He tried to persuade Pollio the Pharisee and Samaeas and most of those who studied with them to swear. But these neither were persuaded nor were punished, the king sparing them out of respect for Pollio. From this necessity the so-called Essenes too were exempted; this is a sect that follows a Pythagorean way of life. He honoured them because of Manaem. This Manaem was one of them, a man good in other respects and one who foresaw the future, who, when Herod was still a boy going to school, saw him and addressed him as king of the Jews. Herod said he was a private man. But Manaem, smiling and striking him gently, said, "Nevertheless you will be king, and will conduct the rule most happily, and remember these blows of mine. You will be best if you love justice and piety toward God and clemency toward the citizens. But I know you will not be such." When Herod became king, he summoned Manaem and asked about the length of his rule. When Manaem was silent, Herod himself asked whether the years of his reign would be ten or twenty or thirty; but Manaem set no limit to the term of his life. Herod, content even with this, dismissed Manaem with honour, and for his sake honoured all the Essenes.

When he was now completing the eighteenth year of his reign, he resolved to rebuild the temple, and to raise it to a greater height and to finish it more worthily. But the multitude hesitated at the undertaking. He said that he would not pull down the temple until he had prepared everything needed for the work. When all had been prepared, pulling it down and laying other foundations, he raised the temple to a length of a hundred cubits, and a height of twenty more. It was built of white and strong stones, each of them about twenty-five cubits in length, and eight in height, and about twelve in breadth. On the northern side a well-fenced corner-citadel was built into the wall, remarkable for its strength, which the kings of the family of the Asamonaeans, who were at once kings and high priests, had built and called the Baris, so that the high-priestly robe was stored in it. This Baris, then, Herod rebuilt more strongly for the security of the temple, and named it Antonia in memory of Antony. The temple itself and all that pertained to it were built in eight years. It is recorded that during that time when the temple itself was being raised — for in one year and six months it was built — it did not rain by day, but the showers came in the nights, that the works might not be hindered.

Trying to check wrongdoing, Herod made a law that house-breakers be sold for export from the country; this was both burdensome as a punishment for those who suffered it, and not least a dissolution of the laws. For to serve foreigners and to be forced to live according to their customs was, so far as it lay with them, a dissolution of their religion. For the laws ordered thieves to be sold, if they had not the means to repay fourfold what they had stolen, but not to foreigners — rather to their countrymen, that they might neither fall away from their religion nor serve through their whole life, but obtain release after six years. These things were part of the slanders against him and of the ill-will of the multitude toward him.

5.18. Coming into Italy at that time, that he might confer with Caesar and see his sons staying at Rome, Herod was kindly received by Caesar, and took his sons, as now perfected in their studies, to lead them home. When they returned, they became conspicuous both for their spirit and for the beauty of their forms, and were objects of envy to Salome the king's sister and to those who had wrought their mother's destruction by slanders. And these now made ready their weapons against the young men also, with which they had overcome the one who bore them, spreading the report that the youths bore themselves resentfully toward their father because of their mother's murder, and from this they contrived, as far as they could, that hatred should grow in the father toward his sons. For a time, however, the father, still affectionately disposed toward them, both shared honour with them and, when they had come of age, joined them in marriage — to Aristobulus the daughter of Salome, Berenice, and to Alexander the daughter of Archelaus the king of Cappadocia, Glaphyra. But these things rather fostered Salome's ill-will toward the young men, since she made an ally of everyone who had helped accomplish Mariamme's murder. And the young men too gave some handles, by their memory of their mother and their desire for power; for there were slanders from them against Salome and Pheroras, and the ill-will of these against them grew, and malicious slanders against them advanced, taking their occasions from the young men themselves. For when the abominable Salome spoke evil of them and their mother, and drew them into speech, they would represent their mother's end as pitiable, and call themselves wretched at being forced to live with her murderers. These things happened while the king was abroad. When he returned, at once Pheroras and Salome brought their words to him, saying that great danger hung over them, the young men openly threatening to avenge their mother's murder. Herod, with others too reporting these things, was disturbed. So disposed, he resolved, for the bringing down of the young men, to make a close ally of another son named Antipater, born to him while he was still a private man; and he resolved to honour him, that he might check the boldness of Mariamme's sons, making them know that the succession of the kingdom was owed neither to them alone nor of necessity. So he brought in Antipater as a kind of rival. He, being a clever man, when he obtained free speech, had one single design — to cling to his father and to estrange his brothers by slanders. And they still gave occasions, weeping as though dishonoured, and calling on their mother, and openly saying their father was not just. These things the party of Antipater maliciously reported to Herod with additions, and produced greater enmity toward them. The father, wishing to humble Mariamme's sons, gave Antipater greater honour; and at last he brought in his mother too. And he commended him to Caesar, writing on his behalf, and sent him to Rome with many gifts, so that now everything seemed to rest on him, but the youths were wholly thrust aside from the rule. Antipater, fearing lest, during his absence, his father should become more lenient toward Mariamme's sons, even while abroad did not cease continually writing to his father against his brothers and inciting him to enmity, until he brought him to this — to sail to Rome and there accuse the young men before Caesar. Going off to Rome with his sons, he presented them to Caesar, and accused them of madness, as hating their own father and plotting to make away with him and so take the kingdom. While the father was still speaking, the young men were in tears and at last in lamentation, fearing that, if they kept silent, they would seem from a guilty conscience to be without means of defence. When they perceived goodwill on Caesar's part, and that of the rest some wept with them and all grieved with them, Alexander undertook to dissolve the charges, making a speech to his father. When he had spoken rather persuasively, Caesar, who even before had not believed the slanders against them, was the more moved, and kept looking at Herod, seeing him too somewhat confounded. And the assembly was in suspense. But Caesar said that the young men, even if they seemed far from the slanders, had erred in this very thing — that they had not shown themselves to their father such that there should be no charge against them; and he urged Herod to be reconciled to his sons, putting away all suspicion; for he judged it not just to hold these charges against the sons credible. Giving such counsel, he nodded to the young men to fall at their father's feet. As they rushed forward, the father, anticipating them, embraced them weeping and clasped each one. So then, having given thanks to Caesar, they departed together, and Antipater with them, pretending to be pleased at the reconciliation. The next day Caesar granted Herod the authority to appoint whichever of his sons he wished as successor, or even to divide the kingdom among them all — but after his death; for during his life he did not permit the division, but wished him to be master both of his sons and of the kingdom. As he returned, near Cilicia, Archelaus the father-in-law of Alexander met Herod, rejoicing with him over the reconciliation of his sons. Thence Herod, coming into Judaea and gathering an assembly, recounted what he had done abroad, and ended his speech with an admonition to his sons, and announced to them that he would leave the kingdom first to Antipater, and then to Mariamme's sons. Having said this, he dissolved the gathering.

5.19. He was in disposition, toward others, most ambitious and most beneficent, but toward his subjects oppressive and most unjust, and toward his own household and friends an inexorable chastiser. The causes of these things were love of glory and love of rule. For out of love of glory, if he was likely to obtain remembrance or good repute hereafter or in the present, he did not spare expense; but being of great expenditure, he pressed his subjects with heavy exactions and was harsh toward them. And out of love of rule, if he had any suspicion that someone aimed at the rule or sought to disturb anything about it, he treated him like an enemy, and on this account punished kinsmen and friends without sparing, wishing to be honoured alone. A proof of his wishing to get money from every quarter because of his great expenditure is this: having heard that Hyrcanus, who had reigned before him, opening the tomb of David, had taken three thousand talents of silver, he opened the tomb by night and entered, taking with him the most faithful of his friends, that the deed might not be made known. And he found no money — silver, that is — but much adornment of golden treasures, which he took all of. He was eager to advance further into the inner chambers, in which the bodies of the kings David and Solomon had been laid up. But as he was forcing his way in, two of his bodyguards were destroyed by a flame that met them from within, as the report goes; and he himself came out in terror. And on account of this attempt his household affairs seemed to fare worse; for what concerned the royal court resembled a civil war. Antipater always plotted against his brothers, being clever, involving them in charges through others, but himself often pleading on their behalf, that, seeming well disposed toward them, he might be unsuspected by his father in his designs and might seem alone to care for his father's safety. And he was everything to his father, while Mariamme's sons were ever more harshly treated, and could not bear the dishonour because of their nobility, being thrust aside and holding a more dishonourable rank. And the wives — Glaphyra, who lived with Alexander, the daughter of Archelaus, hated Salome both because of her disposition toward her husband and because of Salome's daughter, who lived with Aristobulus, toward whom Glaphyra bore herself haughtily, and resented her equality of honour. There arose also a certain occasion that brought the king's brother Pheroras into suspicion and hatred with his brother. For the king's daughter had been betrothed to him; but he, mastered by a slave-woman with whom he was, and madly in love with the woman, paid no heed to his brother's daughter, but clung to the slave. Herod was vexed at this, and married the girl to the son of Phasael; but when time had passed, he both blamed his brother for the former matters and asked him to take the second daughter, supposing that his love for the slave had now passed its peak. But Pheroras sent away the slave, by whom he had a child, and undertook to take the king's daughter after thirty days. But when the appointed time had passed, he was so maddened with love for the slave that he set at naught what had been agreed, and went back to the former woman. These things drove Herod to fury; and always some new thing falling out did not allow him to be at rest. And Salome, being harsh toward Mariamme's sons, persuaded her own daughter, who lived with Aristobulus, not to be well disposed toward her husband, but to report to her if he should say anything in private. She said that the young men remembered their mother and hated their father, and threatened, when they obtained the rule, to make the sons of Herod's other wives village clerks, and to shut up the wives so that they should not even see the sun. These things were reported to the king through the wicked Salome. He heard them with grief, but tried to set things right; and when the sons defended themselves, he became calmer.

5.20. Pheroras again threw affairs into confusion, telling Alexander that he had heard Salome saying that Herod was in love with Glaphyra. Alexander was disturbed at the word from jealousy, and not bearing the pain, reported to his father what had been said by Pheroras. Herod, deeply distressed, and not enduring the falsehood of the slander, and being thrown into confusion, sent for Pheroras, and said, "Most wicked man, in saying such things against us, do you think you have put a word into your son's soul or a sword into his right hand?" Pheroras said that Salome had persuaded him to it, and that the words were hers. She denied it, and clutched at her hair and beat her breast, but because of the wickedness of her ways she was not believed. At last the king dismissed both his brother and his sister, but praised his son for his self-control and for referring the words to him.

Another thing fell out that again raised disturbances in the king's household. He had eunuchs prized for their beauty, of whom one was appointed to pour his wine, another to bring his dinner, and another to put him to bed. These, it was reported, had been corrupted by Alexander with money. And when the eunuchs were given over to torture, they confessed to intercourse with the young man, but knew nothing else against the father with Alexander. When the torturers intensified the scourgings, they said that Alexander had ill-will and hatred toward his father, and advised Herod to give up because of his age, and to attend to him, since the kingdom would come round to him, even if the father were unwilling, both because of his birth and because of the disposition of the commanders and friends. Hearing this, Herod was full of fear, and held suspicions and hatreds toward all, and forbade many of his friends access to the palace. The cause of all was Antipater. So Herod first examined under torture all whom he supposed faithful to Alexander, whether they knew of anything ventured against himself; but they died, having nothing to say. One man, not bearing the tortures, said that Alexander, when praised for the size of his body and his accuracy in shooting from a bow and the rest, used to say that, if anything good had been given him by nature or had come from training, it turned to misfortune, for his father was grieved at his good qualities. He added that Alexander had even plotted with Aristobulus to kill the father in a hunt and to flee to Rome to claim the kingdom. There were found also letters of Alexander to his brother, saying that their father did not act justly in preferring Antipater. On these grounds Herod seized and bound Alexander. But he was eager to get some greater proof against his son, that he might not seem to have bound him rashly. So he tortured many even of those in office and destroyed them, though they said nothing of the kind he expected. But when one of the younger men came under the tortures, he said that Alexander was writing to his friends in Rome, asking to be summoned by Caesar to inform that Mithridates the king of the Parthians had made friendship with his father against the Romans; and that he had a drug prepared at Ascalon. These things Herod reckoned as a consolation for his haste. The drug, however, when at once sought, was not found. But because of the excess of his evils Alexander, being contentious, and wishing to avenge himself on his enemies, that they might perish along with him, sent letters to his father saying that there was no need to torture; for the plot had been devised, and Pheroras and the most faithful of his friends shared in it; and that Salome had even come to him by night and lain with him against his will; but that all came to one thing — that, with him out of the way, they might be freed from the constant expectation of being destroyed.

Archelaus the king of the Cappadocians, learning this, and being anxious for his daughter and his son-in-law, came, and skillfully set about the correction of the troubles, condemning the young man and calling Herod reasonable, and saying he would dissolve the marriage. When Archelaus said such things, Herod gave way from his harshness and was moved to grief and tears, and begged him not to dissolve the marriage, but to relax his anger at the young man's errors. Archelaus, seeing Herod now softened, shifted the blame onto others, and especially onto Pheroras. Pheroras then turned to Archelaus, that he might be his reconciler with Herod. Archelaus advised him that it was better to go to his brother by himself and entreat him, confessing that he himself was the cause of all; for thus he would soften the harshness of his anger; and he promised that he himself would be present and help. Pheroras was persuaded. And Alexander was freed from the charges, and Archelaus reconciled Pheroras to Herod.

5.21. After some time the affairs of Herod's sons and household became much worse. For Eurycles, from Lacedaemon, not undistinguished among those there, but a most wicked man in his purpose, having come to Herod, gave him gifts, and receiving more, became one of the king's chief friends. His lodging was with Antipater; but he also approached Alexander, saying he was known to Archelaus too, whence he pretended also to honour Glaphyra. To this man, having become his familiar, Alexander bewailed his condition, and told him about his mother, and said that things did not seem bearable. He, in grief, made such speeches to Eurycles, who reported everything to Antipater. Antipater treated him with gifts and asked him to tell his father these things. He so disposed the king as to make his hatred irrevocable. So he departed, having got his pay; but Herod was so enraged against his sons that he no longer needed slanders, but himself busied himself with their affairs and watched everything.

Two of the king's bodyguards, who had been thrust away in his anger, rode about with Alexander's party and received gifts from him. Suspecting these, Herod at once tortured them. At first they held out, then reported that Alexander urged them to kill Herod while he was hunting. And the commander of the garrison of Alexandrium was examined, as having promised to receive the young men in the fortress. He confessed nothing, but his son testified that this had been done, and produced letters about it, which, as could be conjectured, were in Alexander's hand. So Herod was no longer in doubt about his sons' plot, but Alexander insisted that the little letter had been forged by Antipater. So then there was a guarding of the young men, and they had the disrepute and fear of the condemned. Aristobulus, supposing that his mother-in-law Salome shared his grief and hated the one who believed such things, said to her, "This same thing forebodes danger to you too, who are slandered in the hope of marriage with Syllaeus." She at once brought these words to her brother. He ordered both his sons to be bound and separated from each other, and that each write down what they had plotted against their father. They wrote that they had neither conceived nor contrived any plot against their father, but had planned flight, and that of necessity, since their life was suspect and full of fear. Then, when an envoy from Archelaus came, Herod brought out Alexander in bonds and questioned him about the flight, in the hearing of the envoy, where and how they had resolved to withdraw. He said he had agreed with Archelaus to be sent on from there to Rome, but had reckoned nothing else amiss or harsh against his father. When these things had been so spoken, the king, giving letters to Caesar to two of his men, ordered them, putting in at Cilicia on their voyage, to meet Archelaus and blame him for having taken part in the plot with his sons. Archelaus, however, defended himself, saying that he had agreed to receive the young men for the advantage both of them and of their father, but not to send them to Caesar. When the bearers of the letters had been conveyed to Rome, they gave them to Caesar. He wrote back that he grieved over the sons, but gave Herod full authority to act; and if they had done anything unholy, to proceed against them as parricides, but if they had only thought of flight, to admonish them otherwise and do nothing irremediable. He advised him to gather a council at Berytus, and taking the commanders and the king of the Cappadocians Archelaus and as many others as he knew distinguished in dignity, to consider with them what should be done.

5.22. Having received this letter, Herod called to the council those he wished, excluding Archelaus out of enmity, or because he thought he would oppose his opinion. When the commanders and the rest had gathered, the king accused his sons, and read out what they had themselves written; in which nothing else was written than that they had planned flight, and certain reproaches against him containing insults because of their ill-will. And at last, saying that authority had been given him both by nature and by Caesar, he added an ancestral law, which ordered that, if parents accusing someone laid their hands on his head, the bystanders should be obliged to stone him and so put him to death. He said that he himself could do this in his country and kingdom, but had awaited their judgment. When Herod had said this, those of the council confirmed the authority to him, the young men not even being brought into the council; and some condemned the sons of Herod, but not even to death, while the greater number declared that they should be punished even with death. And on this the council was dissolved. Herod came to Tyre, leading his sons. When they came to Caesarea, all were in suspense, awaiting what would come to pass concerning the young men; and they were displeased at what was happening, but it was not without danger either to say anything on their behalf or to listen to another speaking, but they bore the excess of their grief painfully but in silence.

A certain soldier named Tero, whose son, of the same age, was a friend of Alexander, said many things to the multitude, and speaking freely to the king himself, asked to meet him alone. When the king consented, he said, "Where, then, has that excellent mind of yours gone? What is this desolation of friends and kinsmen? Will you not consider what is being done, if you destroy two young men born to you of a royal wife and supreme in every virtue, leaving yourself in old age with one son and with kinsmen whom you yourself have so often condemned to death? Will you not bear in mind that the silence of the crowds too is because of the greatness of their grief, and that the whole army has pity for the unfortunate and hatred for those who bring these things to pass?" The king at first heard this not unfavourably. But Tero, using immoderate and soldierly frankness, disturbed Herod. And he was stirred to indignation at the soldiers, and ordered them to bind Tero and keep him in custody. The king's barber, Tryphon, seizing the occasion, attacked too, saying that he had often been urged by Tero to cut the king's throat with a razor; for, he said, he would be among the first with Alexander. Having said this, he too was seized. And Tero and his son and the barber himself were put to torture. When Tero held out under the tortures, his son, seeing his father in distress, said he would tell the king the truth, if he would rescue his father and himself from the tortures. Receiving pledges, he said there had been an agreement for Tero to attack the king with his own hand. Saying this, he delivered his father from the torment. But Herod, leaving no doubt in his soul about the killing of his children, at last carried out his purpose. And brought to Sebaste, Alexander and Aristobulus, at their father's order, were strangled with a cord. Bringing before the multitude the three hundred commanders who had come under accusation, and Tero with his son and the barber, he accused them; and the crowd, pelting them with whatever was at hand, killed them.

But for Antipater, who had wrought the destruction of his brothers, the attainment of the kingdom was the more troublesome, since hatred toward him sprang up in the nation, and especially in the army. For the time he ruled jointly with his father and was trusted by him. Herod sent Alexander's wife back to her father, but reared the children of the dead with great care. Alexander had two sons by Glaphyra, and Aristobulus three sons and two daughters by Berenice. The king also had a son Herod by the daughter of the high priest. For nine wives lived with the king, it being ancestral to live with several at the same time. There were the mother of Antipater and the daughter of the high priest, by whom, as has been said, a son was born to him of the same name. There was also a daughter of his brother married to him, and a cousin with her — that is, a second cousin; for the ancients called second cousins "cousins," as may be found in many places, both in Plutarch and in the books of law. There was also among Herod's wives one of the nation of the Samaritans, whose children were Antipas and Archelaus and a daughter Olympias. Cleopatra of Jerusalem too was numbered among his wives; and her children were Herod and Philip. And Pallas was among his consorts, having borne him a son Phasael. And besides the rest, Phaedra and Elpis lived with him. Herod had also two daughters by Mariamme; and by Phaedra and Elpis there were born to him daughters Roxane and Salome.

5.23. Such was the family of Herod; but affairs looked only to Antipater. And he was fearful to all, not so much by his power as by the wickedness of his ways. Pheroras especially courted him and was courted in return. But Salome opposed them, being always disposed contrary to the meaning of her name; for the name signified one peaceable and of peace, but she was very warlike, and stirred up others to fights and factions and the estrangement of kindred. She, spying out the intimacy of Antipater and Pheroras, told Herod that their goodwill was for his harm. So they, learning of Salome's slander, openly affected hatred and reproaches toward each other, but secretly kept their concord with each other. But they did not escape Salome, who tracked out everything and reported to the king their secret meetings and banquets and unspeakable councils. And he himself for the most part understood. The Pharisees, making the women's quarters their own — men who prided themselves on exactness in the ancestral law and opposed the king — when all had sworn to be loyal to Caesar and to king Herod, they themselves were not persuaded, being more than six thousand, and being well disposed toward Pheroras's wife, foretold to Herod that the end of his rule had been decreed against him by God, and that it would be assigned to Pheroras and his offspring. This did not escape Salome's malice, and it was at once reported to the king. So those of the Pharisees who were convicted of these things were killed, and the eunuch Bagoas, and a certain Carus, distinguished for the beauty of his body and a favourite of Herod, and others of those about the king, as accomplices. Then the king, convening a council, accused Pheroras's wife and enumerated many charges, and at last, turning his speech to Pheroras, said that he ought, even before being bidden, to have sent the woman away on account of these things. "Now then, if you lay claim to my kinship, give up your life with her." But he answered that he would rather die than be deprived of his wife while alive. From this Herod forbade Antipater and his mother to associate with Pheroras or to meet with the women. They agreed, but met one another and reveled together as occasion offered. Antipater, fearing his father's anger, wrote to his friends in Rome to write to Herod to send Antipater to Caesar. So Antipater was sent to Rome with gifts, bearing also a will of Herod giving him the rule, but, if he should die first, giving it to Herod the son of the high priest's daughter. And Herod ordered Pheroras, since he would not give up his wife, to withdraw. He departed to his tetrarchy, having sworn not to return until he should learn that his brother had died. So that even when the king fell sick and summoned him, he did not obey, that he might not break his oath. But Herod later, when Pheroras was sick, came to him uncalled, and when he died, honoured him.

The death of Pheroras became the beginning of evils for Antipater, his uncle exacting from him the penalty of his fratricide. For two freedmen, honoured by Pheroras, begged Herod not to leave his brother unavenged, who had been destroyed by poison. These things, seeming credible, moved the king to inquiry, and women both slave and free were tortured. The others held out in silence, but one of them said nothing else, but called upon God that Antipater's mother had fallen into such necessities, as the cause of evils. This moved Herod to further search; and the women, subjected to more severe tortures, made everything known — the revelries and the secret meetings, and the words Antipater had spoken to the women of Pheroras, his hatred toward his father, his lamentations to his mother that his father's life was prolonged to the utmost, so that he could not even taste the pleasures of the kingdom, if ever it should come to him, because of the old age already pressing upon him; and many other things, too, touching his father, the women said. On these grounds the king, now condemning Antipater, took from his mother Doris all the adornment about her, worth many talents, and sent her away. But what especially roused Herod against his son was Antipater's own procurator, who, among other things told under torture, said that Antipater had given a drug to Pheroras, charging him to give it to his father during his absence, that he might be unsuspected by not being present, and that Pheroras had kept it to give to his wife. The woman admitted it, and going out to fetch the drug, threw herself from the roof, yet did not die. When she had recovered, the king again questioned her; and she swore to tell everything as it had been done. She said she had received the drug from her husband, prepared against the father by Antipater. "But when Pheroras fell sick, since you yourself came and tended your brother, he, seeing your goodwill toward him, said, 'Bring the drug, woman, and burn it before my eyes.' And I at once did as he charged, giving the most of it to the fire, but keeping a little for myself, that I might use it on myself if any harm should come to me from you when Pheroras was gone." And she brought the box and the drug into the open. The king's wife too, the daughter of the high priest, was accused as privy to everything; her he at once cast out, and struck her son from the will, in which he was mentioned to reign. And he took the high priesthood from his father-in-law Simon the son of Boethus, and appointed another, Matthias the son of Theophilus.

5.24. Meanwhile a freedman of Antipater, Bathyllus, came from Rome bringing a drug to Antipater's mother and Pheroras; he, on examination, said it had been sent so that, if the former did not affect the father, by this at least he might be destroyed. He carried also letters from Herod's friends in Rome, containing an accusation against Archelaus and Philip, who were staying at Rome for their studies, as though they accused their father over the murder of their brothers and feared for themselves too. These things were done for Antipater at great cost. Herod, concealing his anger, ordered him not to delay; and bringing reproaches against his mother, he promised to lay these aside for her when he arrived. With these letters Antipater met near Cilicia. At Tarentum, learning of Pheroras's death, he took it hard, not out of goodwill, but because Pheroras had died before he had killed Herod, as he had promised. When he landed at the harbour called Sebastos, so named after Caesar, his evils were already plain, no one coming to him or greeting him. He came to Jerusalem, while Varus the governor of Syria was sitting in council with Herod, summoned for advice about present matters. And he entered the palace still wearing his purple robe. Those at the doors received Antipater, but kept out his friends. He was already troubled, perceiving where he had come, since his father too thrust him away as he came up to greet him, calling him fratricide and a plotter against his life, and saying that Varus on the morrow would be the hearer and judge of these things. So he went off amid such evils. His mother and his wife met him — this wife was a daughter of Antigonus, who had reigned before Herod — and from them, having learned everything, he prepared for the contest. The next day Herod and Varus sat in council; the friends of both came together, and the kinsmen of Herod, and the informers of what Antipater had plotted, and the slaves of Antipater's mother, bearing a letter from her that he should not return, since all had become known to his father, and that his only refuge was Caesar and not to fall into his father's hands. When Antipater fell at his father's feet and begged him to hear him and so to vote, Herod ordered him to be led into the midst, and himself bewailed the disposition of his sons and that his old age had come round to Antipater, and said he was astonished that Antipater should come to such a pass, who was written down as successor of the rule and during his father's life had power over everything, and in return for these things incited his kinsmen to his father's murder. Saying these things, he was moved to tears. And Nicolaus of Damascus, the king permitting, accused Antipater, recounting everything in order. Many others too spoke against Antipater of their own accord. When Nicolaus ended his words, Varus ordered Antipater to make his defence. But he lay prostrate on his face, calling upon God to witness for him that he did no wrong. When nothing was said by Antipater except the calling on God, Varus ordered the drug to be brought into the midst. When it was brought, one of those condemned to death was bidden to drink it; and drinking, he died at once. Varus, rising, departed from the council, and Herod at once bound Antipater, and sent letters about him to Caesar at Rome.

5.25. There was caught at that time also a little letter sent by Antiphilus to Antipater, saying, "I have sent you the letter from Acme, not sparing my own life. For you know that I am again in danger from two households, if I should be discovered. May you prosper in the matter." The king sought the other letter too. And the slave of Antiphilus insisted he had not received another. But someone, seeing the slave's inner tunic stitched up, guessed that the little letter was hidden there; and so it was. So they took the letter, which made plain: "Acme to Antipater. I have written to your father such a letter as you wished, and making a copy of one as though sent by Salome to my mistress, I have sent it, and I know that when he reads it he will punish Salome." The letter to Herod was as follows: "Making it my business that nothing be hidden from you of what is being done against you, I have found a letter of Salome to my mistress against you, and have sent you a copy of it, at risk to myself but to your benefit." Now Acme was a Jewess by birth, and was a slave of Julia the wife of Caesar, and did these things, having been bought with much money by Antipater. Herod set out at once to kill Antipater as a stirrer-up of great affairs, but Salome, beating her breast, roused him and asked to be killed herself, if any credible proof should be found against her. Restraining himself, he sent for his son, ordering him to make no answer that aroused suspicion. Antipater laid the cause of everything on Antiphilus. Herod again sent letters to Caesar accusing Antipater, making plain also what Acme had been found to have wrought together with him; and he sent also copies of her letters.

Meanwhile the king fell into a sickness and wrote a will, giving the kingdom to the youngest of his sons, out of hatred toward Archelaus and Philip because of Antipater's slanders. Despairing of living longer, being about seventy years old, he grew savage; the cause was that he seemed to be despised and that all rejoiced at his misfortunes. He was roused to this from such a thing. Many things had been done by Herod contrary to the law, one of which was the golden eagle set up over the great gate of the temple. But the law forbids the dedication of images or the making of likenesses of living things. This eagle Judas and Matthias, men most learned among the Jews and dear to the people because of their teaching of the young, resolved to pull down. For even if anyone should be in danger because of this, they said, that man is blessed who dies for the laws. Inciting the youth with such words, a report arose that the king had died. And at once, in the middle of the day, they pulled down the eagle and cut it to pieces with axes. So many of the young men were seized, and Judas and Matthias, the instigators and trainers of those who did this, and they were brought to Herod. He asked whether they had dared to pull down his offering. And the men said, "It is done; and there is no need to wonder if we prefer the laws which Moses, taught by God, left us, to your decrees." So he sent those who were bound to Jericho, and calling the chief men of the Jews, lying on a couch, he reminded them of his benefactions to them and of the building of the temple, and cried out that, even while he yet lived, they insulted him by pulling down his offerings, so as to seem to insult him but in truth to commit sacrilege. They, fearing his cruelty, said that those who had dared this deserved punishment. The king dealt more gently with the rest, but took the honour from Matthias the high priest and appointed another to officiate, Joazar the brother of his own wife; but Matthias, who had raised the sedition, and some of the rebels, he burned alive.

5.26. The disease, however, grew more bitter upon him, exacting the penalty of the things he had done unlawfully. For a slow fire afflicted his inward parts, and there were ulcerations of the intestines, and especially pains of the colon, and a watery and clear discharge about his feet, and an affliction of the abdomen and a putrefaction of the privy parts breeding worms, and besides these a difficulty of breathing, offensive both in its odour and in the constancy of its panting, and convulsions came over every limb of his. Yet even so afflicted, he was in hope of life, and did not refuse to use even desperate remedies. Crossing the Jordan, he used the warm springs at Callirrhoe, which, besides their other virtue, are also drinkable. There, lowered by the physicians into a tub full of oil, he seemed to expire. Recovering, he was brought to Jericho, where black bile seized him upon everything.

As he was dying, he devised an unholy deed. For by his command the most honourable of the whole nation came there, and shutting them all up in the hippodrome, he charged his sister Salome and her husband Alexas that, when he himself should give up his soul, they should kill all those imprisoned, that the people might not rejoice at his death, saying, "Nor let them applaud, but, with each one mourning his own, so I too shall seem to be mourned, and my departure will be honoured by the tears of many." He gave these charges weeping and entreating, and they promised not to transgress the command.

Meanwhile letters were brought, sent by those in Rome, making plain that Acme had been put to death, and referring the matter of Antipater to the father's judgment. Hearing this, Herod was glad and revived a little. But as his pains grew great, he abstained from food, and asking for an apple and a knife, he intended to kill himself. And he would have done the deed, had not someone, foreknowing it, restrained his right hand. When he cried out loudly, there was lamentation and great tumult, as though the king had gone. And Antipater, supposing him now dead, took heart, and begged the keeper of the prison to release him, promising great things. But the keeper made his intention known to the king. And he both cried out and sent some men to kill him at once. Then he altered his will again, giving Antipas the tetrarchy of Galilee and Peraea, and assigning to Archelaus the kingdom, but allotting to Philip his son, the true brother of Archelaus, the tetrarchy of Gaulanitis and Trachonitis and Batanaea and Paneas, and granting to his sister Salome Jamnia and Azotus and Phasaelis. Having done these things, and leaving gifts of many talents to Caesar and his wife Julia, he died on the fifth day after he had killed Antipater, having reigned, after he killed Antigonus, thirty-four years, and, after he had been declared king by the Romans, thirty-seven.

Salome and Alexas, before his death became known, sent away those shut up in the hippodrome, saying that the king ordered them to go off to their farms and tend their own affairs. And this was a very great benefaction from them to the nation. Then the king's death was made public, and the will was read, allotting the kingdom to his son Archelaus. But Ptolemy, who had been entrusted with the king's signet ring, said that the will could not be ratified otherwise than through Caesar. And at once there was a shout of those acclaiming Archelaus king. And after this the king's funeral was carried out lavishly.