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tation a guard to himself. He also engaged to let him hold the country free from tribute; and that they should dwell entirely without paying such customs as used to be paid, and gave it him tax-free.

The Babylonian was induced by these offers to come thither. So he took possession of the land, and built in it fortresses, and a village; and named it Bathyra. Thus this man became a safeguard to the inhabitants against the Trachonites; and preserved those Jews who came out of Babylon, to offer their sacrifices at Jerusalem from being hurt by the Trachonite robberies. So that a great number came to him from all those parts where the ancient Jewish laws were observed; and the country became populous, by reason of their universal freedom from taxes. This continued during the life of Herod. But when Philip, who was tetrarch after him, took the government, he made them pay some small taxes, and that for a little while only. But Agrippa the great, and his son, of the same name, although they harassed them greatly, yet would not take their liberty away. From whom, when the Romans have now taken the government into their own hands, they still give them the privilege of their freedom; but oppress them entirely with the imposition of taxes.

At length Zamaris, the Babylonian, to whom Herod had given that country for a possession, died: having lived virtuously, and left children of a good character behind him. One of which was Jacim; who was famous for his valour, and taught his Babylonians how to ride their horses. And a troop of them were guards to the aforementioned kings. And when Jacim was dead in his old age, he left a son, whose name was Philip; one of great strength in his hands, and in other respects also more eminent for his valour than any of his contemporaries.On which account there was a confidence and firm friendship between him and king Agrippa. He had also an army, which he maintained, as great as that of aking: which he exercised, and led wheresoever he had occasion to march.

When the affairs of Herod were in the condition I have described, all the public affairs depended upon Antipater: and his power was such, that he could do good turns to as many as he VOL. III.

10

pleased; and this by his father's concession; and in hopes of his good will and fidelity to him: and this till he ventured to use his power still farther because his wicked designs were concealed from his father, and he made him believe every thing he said. He was also formidable to all; not so much on account of the power and authority he had, as for the shrewdness of his vile attempts beforehand. But he who principally cultivated a friendship with him was Pheroras; who received the like marks of his friendship; while Antipater had cunningly encompassed him with a company of women, whom he placed as guards about him. For Pheroras was greatly enslaved by his wife, and her mother and sister; and this notwithstanding the hatred he bare them, for the indignities they had offered to his virgin daughters. Yet did he bear them, and nothing was to be done without the women who had got this man into their circle, and continued still to assist each other in all things: insomuch that Antipater was entirely addicted to them, both by himself, and by his mother. For these *four women said all one and the same thing. But the opinions of Pheroras and Antipater were different in some points of no consequence. But the king's sister Salome was their antagonist; who for a good while had looked about all their affairs, and was apprised that this their friendship was made in order to do Herod some mischief; and was disposed to inform the king of it. And since these people knew that their friendship was very disagreeable to Herod; as tending to do him a mischief; they contrived that their meetings should not be discovered. So they pretended to hate one another, and to abuse each other, when time served; and especially when Herod was present, or when any one was there that would tell him. But still their intimacy was firmer than ever, when they were private. They could not, however, conceal from Salome their first contrivance, when they set about these their intentions; nor when they had made some progress in them. But she searched out every thing; and, aggravating the relations to her brother, declared to him, as well their secret

*Pheroras's wife, with her mother and sister, and Doris, Antipater's mother.

meetings as their counsels taken in a clandestine manner; which if they were not in order to destroy him, they might well have been open and public. "Now," said she, " to appearance they are at variance, and speak about one another as if they intended one another a mischief; but agree perfectly when they are out of the sight of the multitude. For when they are alone by themselves, they act in concert; and profess that they will never leave off their friendship, but will fight against those from whom they conceal their designs." And thus did she search out these things, and get a perfect knowledge of them; and then told her brother of them. He, indeed, understood of himself a great deal of what she said; but still durst not depend upon it; because of the suspicions he had of his sister's calumnies. For there was a second sect of men that were Jews, who valued themselves highly upon the exact skill they had in the law of their fathers, and *made men believe they were highly favoured by God, by whom this set of women were inveigled. These are those that are called the sect of the Pharisees; who are in a capacity of greatly opposing kings. A cunning sect they were; and soon elevated to a pitch of open fighting, and doing mischief. Accordingly when all the people of the Jews gave assurance of their good will to Cæsar, and to the king's government; these did not swear; being above six thousand. And when the king imposed a fine upon them, Pheroras's wife paid their fine for them. In order to requite which kindness of her's, since they were believed to have the foreknowledge of things to come, by divine inspiration; they foretold how God had decreed, that Herod's government should cease, and his posterity should be deprived of it; but that the kingdom should come to her, and Pheroras, and to their children. These predictions were not concealed from Salome; but were told the king: as also how they had perverted some persons about the palace.So the king slew such of the Pharisees as were principally accused, and Bagoas the eunuch; and one Carus, who exceeded

* Great pretensions to the favour of God, is frequently suspicious, and proceeds from bad motives. It is certainly criminal when it is advanced in order to depreciate others. B.

all men of that time in comeliness; and one that was his catamite. He also slew all those of his own family, who had consented to what the Pharisees foretold. And for Bagoas, he had been puffed up by them, as though he should be named the father and benefactor of him who, by the prediction, was foretold to be their appointed king. For that this king would have all things in his power; and would enable Bagoas to marry, and to have children of his own body.

CHAP. III. ·

OF THE ENMITY BETWEEN HEROD AND PHERORAS; ANTIPATER'S JOURNEY TO ROME; AND THE DEATH OF PHERORAS.

WHEN Herod had punished those Pharisees who had been convicted of the foregoing crimes, he convened an assembly of his friends, and accused Pheroras's wife: and ascribing the abuses of the virgins to the impudence of that woman, laid an accusation against her for the dishonour she had brought upon them saying that she had studiously introduced a quarrel between him and his brother; and, by her natural ill temper, had brought them into a state of war; both by her words and actions: that the fines which he had imposed had not been paid, and the offenders had escaped punishment, by her means; and that nothing of late had been done without her. "For these reasons," said he, "thou Pheroras wilt do well, of thine own accord, and not at my entreaty, or as following my opinion, to put thy wife away; as one that will still be the occasion of war between thee and me. And now, if thou valuest thy relationship to me, put this wife of thine away. For by this means thou wilt continue to be a brother, and wilt abide in thy love to me." Pheroras, although pressed hard by the former words, replied, that although he would not do so unjust a thing as to renounce his brotherly relation, yet would he not leave off his affection for his wife: for he would rather choose to die, than to live and be deprived of a wife that was so dear to him. Hereupon Herod put off his anger against Pheroras on these accounts; although he himself thereby underwent a very uneasy

punishment. However, he forbade Antipater and his mother to have any conversation with Pheroras, and ordered them to take care to avoid the assemblies of the women. This they promised to do; but still got together, when occasion served: and both Pheroras and Antipater had their own merry meetings. It was also reported that Antipater had criminal conversation with Pheroras's wife; and that they were brought together by Antipater's mother.

Antipater had now a suspicion of his father; and was afraid that the effects of this hatred to him might increase. So he wrote to his friends at Rome, and bade them to send to Herod, that he would immediately send Antipater to Cæsar. Which, when it was done, Herod sent Antipater thither; and sent most noble presents along with him; as also his testament: wherein Antipater was appointed to be his successor. And that, if An

tipater should die first, his *son by the high-priest's daughter should succeed. And together with Antipater, there went to Rome Sylleus, the Arabian; although he had done nothing of all that Cæsar had enjoined him. Antipater also accused him of the same crimes of which he had been formerly accused by Herod. Sylleus was also accused by Aretas, that without his consent he had slain may of the chief of the Arabians at Petra; and particularly Solemus; a man that deserved to be honoured by all men: and that he had slain Fabatus, a servant of Cæsar. These were the things of which Sylleus was accused; and that on the following occasion: There was one Corinthus belonging to Herod, of the king's body guards; and one who was greatly trusted by him. Sylleus had persuaded this man, with the offer of a great sum of money, to kill Herod: and he had promised to do it. When Fabatus had been made acquainted with this, (for Sylleus had himself told him of it,) he informed the king of it; who caught Corinthus, and put him to the torture; and thereby got out of him the whole conspiracy. He also caught two other Arabians, who were discovered by Corinthus; the one the head of a tribe, and the other a friend

*Herod-Philip.

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