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When he had given these commands, there came letters from his ambassadors at Rome, whereby information was given that Acme was put to death at Cæsar's command; and that Antipater was condemned to die. However, they wrote withal, that if Herod had a mind rather to banish him, Cæsar permitted him so to do. So he, for a little while, revived, and had a desire to live. But presently after he was overborne by his pains: and was disordered by want of food, and by a convulsive cough, and endeavoured to prevent a natural death. So he took an apple, and asked for a knife; for he used to pare apples, and eat them. He then looked round about to see that there was nobody to hinder him and lifted up his right hand, as if he would stab himself. But Achiabus, his first cousin, came running to him, and held his hand, and hindered him from so doing. On which occasion a very great lamentation was made in the palace; as if the king were expiring. As soon as Antipater heard that, he took courage: and, with joy in his looks, besought his keepers, for a sum of money, to loose him, and let him go. But the principal keeper of the prison did not only obstruct him in that intention, but ran and told the king what his design was. Hereupon he king cried out louder than his distemper would well bear : and immediately sent some of his guards, and slew Antipater. He also gave order to have him buried at Hyrcanium, and altered his testament again, and therein made Archelaus, his eldest son, and the brother of Antipater, his successor, and made Antipas tetrarch.*

So Herod, having survived the slaughter of his son five days, died; having reigned thirty-four years, since he had caused Antigonus to be slain, and obtained his kingdom; but thirtyseven years since he had been made king by the Romans.Now as for his fortune it was propserous in all other respects, if ever any other man could be so since from a private man he obtained a kingdom; and kept it so long; and left it to his

our present distinction of these two books of the Jewish War, both in the Greek original, and Ruffinus's old version, is different from that used by Eusebius; and that this first very long book was not, in his copy, so much longer than any of the other six, as it now is.

*Antiq. XVII, 8,

own sons. But still, in his domestic affairs, he was most unfortunate. Now before the soldiers knew of his death, Salome and her husband came out, and dismissed those that were in bonds, whom the king had commanded to be slain; and told them, that he had altered his mind; and would have every one of them sent to their own homes. When these men were gone, Salome told the soldiers the king was dead and got them, and the rest of the multitude together, to an assembly, in the amphitheatre at Jericho. There Ptolemy, who was intrusted by the king with his signet-ring, came before them, and spake of the happiness the king had attained; and comforted the multitude; and read the epistle which had been left for the soldiers; wherein he earnestly exhorted them to bear good will to his And after he had read the epistle, he opened and· read his testament; wherein Philip was to inherit Trachonitis, and the neighbouring countries; and Antipas was to be tetrarch, and Archelaus was made king. He had also been commanded to carry Herod's ring to Cæsar, and the settlements he had made sealed up, because Cæsar was to be lord of all the settlements he had made; and was to confirm his testament. And he ordered that the other dispositions he had made were to be kept as they were in his former testament.

successor.

So there was an acclamation made to Archelaus, to congratulate him upon his advancement; and the soldiers, with the multitude, went round about in troops, and promised him their good will; and besides, prayed God to bless his government. After this, they betook themselves to prepare for the king's funeral. And Archelaus omitted nothing of magnificence therein; but brought out all the royal ornaments to augment the pomp of the deceased. There was a bier all of gold, embroidered with precious stones; and a purple bed of various contexture, with the dead body upon it, covered with purple: and a diadem was put upon his head, and a crown of gold above it, and a sceptre in his right hand. And near to the bier were Herod's sons, and a multitude of his kindred. Next came his guards, and the regiment of Thracians; the Germans also, and Gauls, all accoutred as if they were going to war. But the rest of the army went foremost, armed; and following their cap

tains and officers in a regular manner. After whom, five hundred of the domestic servants and freedmen followed with* sweet spices in their hands. And the body was carried two hundred furlongs, to Herodium, where he had given orders to be buried.

* See Mark xvi. 1. Luke xxiii. 56. John xix. 40.

VOL. III,

57

THE

JEWISH WAR.

BOOK II.

Containing an Interval of Sixty-nine Years.

FROM THE DEATH OF HEROD, TILL VESPASIAN WAS SENT TO SUBDUE THE JEWS BY NERO.

CHAP. I.

OF THE FUNERAL FEAST MADE BY ARCHELAUS: THE TUMULT RAISED RY THE MULTITUDE, AND THEIR PUNISHMENT BY THE SOLDIERY.

NOW the necessity which Archelaus was under of taking a journey to Rome, was the occasion of new disturbances. For when he had mourned for his father *seven days, and had

* "The law, or custom of the Jews,” says Dean Aldrich, “requires seven days' mourning for the dead. Antiq. XVII. 8. Whence the author of the book of Ecclesiasticus, xxiii. 12. assigns seven days as the proper time of mourning for the dead and xxxviii. 17. enjoins men to mourn for the dead that they may not be evil spoken of. For, as Josephus says presently, if any one omit this mourning, (funeral feast,) he is not esteemed a holy person. Now it is certain, that such a seven days' mourning has been customary from times of the greatest antiquity. Gen. i. 10. Funeral feasts are also mentioned as of considerable antiquity. Ezek. xxiv. 17. Jer. xvi. 7. Prov. xxxi. 6. Deut. xxvi. 14. Josephus, Of the War, III. 9."

† To make a funeral feast was anciently a method of honouring the dead, and is still continued in the east. Chardin says, "The Oriental Christians still make banquets of this kind, by a custom derived from the Jews: and I have been many times present at them among the Arminians in Persia." See Jer. xvi. 8. B.

given a very expensive funeral feast to the multitude: (which custom is the occasion of poverty to many of the Jews; because they are forced to feast the multitude: for if any one omit it, he is not esteemed a holy person :) he put on a white garment, and went up to the temple, where the people accosted him with various acclamations. He also spake kindly to the multitude, from an elevated seat, and a throne of gold; and returned them thanks for the zeal they had shown about his father's funeral; and the submission they had made to him, as if he were already settled in the kingdom. But he told them withal, that he would not, at present, take upon him either the authority of a king, or the names thereto belonging, until Cæsar, who was made lord of this whole affair by the testament, should confirm the succession. For that when the soldiers would have set the diadem on his head at Jericho, he would not accept of it: but that he would make abundant requitals, not to the soldiers only, but to the people, for their alacrity and good will to him, when the *superior lords should have given him a complete title to the kingdom; for that it should be his study to appear in all things better than his father.

Upon this the multitude were pleased; and presently made a trial of what he intended, by asking great things of him. For some made a clamour that he would ease them in their taxes; others that he would take off the duties upon commodities; and some, that he would liberate those that were in prison. In all which cases, he answered readily to their satisfaction, in order to get the good will of the multitude. He then offered the proper sacrifices, and feasted with his friends. And here it was that a great many of those that desired innovations came in crowds towards the evening; and began to mourn on their own account, when the public mourning for the king was over. These lamented those men that were put to death by Herod, because they had cut down the golden eagle that had been over the gate of the temple. Nor was this a mourning of a private nature; but the lamentations were very great, the mourning solemn, and the weeping such as was loudly heard all over the

The Roma

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