like to him that made him contrive his jour- || thereby. So he called the to him, and said, ney to Rome, and Pheroras contrive to go to his own tetrarchy. O woman! Antipater hath circumvented me in this affair of his father, and my brother; by persuading me to have a murderous intention against him, and procuring a potion to be subservient thereto. Do you, therefore, go and fetch the potion (since my brother appears to have still the same virtuous disposition towards me which he had formerly, and I do not expect to live long myself, and that I may not defile my forefathers by the murder of a brother); and burn it before my face.' Accordingly I immediately brought it, and did as my husband bade me, and burnt the greatest part of the potion; but a little of it was left, that if thou, after Pheroras's death, should treat me ill, I might poison myself, and thereby get clear of my miseries." Upon saying thus, she brought out the potion, and the box in which it was, before them all. Nay, there was another bro These confessions agreed with what Herod's sister had told him; and tended greatly to corroborate her testimony, and to free her from the suspicion of unfaithfulness. So the king having satisfied himself of the spite which Doris, Antipater's mother, as well as himself, bore to him, took away from her all her fine ornaments, which were worth many talents; and then sent her away, and entered into friendship with Pheroras's women. But he who most of all irritated the king against his son was one Antipater, the procurator of Antipater the king's son; who, when he was tortured, among other things said, that Anti- || pater had prepared a deadly potion, and given it to Pheroras: with his desire, that he would give it to his father during his absence, and when he was too remote to have the least sus-ther of Antiphilus, and his mother also, who, picion cast upon him thereto relating; that Antiphilus, one of Antipater's friends, brought that potion out of Egypt; and that it was sent to Pheroras by Theudion, the brother of the mother of Antipater, the king's son; and by that means came to Pheroras's wife, her husband having given it her to keep. And when the king asked her about it, she confessed it: and as she was running to fetch it, she threw herself down from the house top; yét did she not kill herself, because she fell upon her feet. The king then comforted her, and promised her and her domestics pardon, upon condition of their concealing nothing of the truth from him, but threatened her with the utmost miseries if she proved ungrateful, and concealed any thing. So she promised and swore, that she would speak out every thing, and tell after what manner every thing was done; and said what many took to be entirely true. by the extremity of pain and torture, confessed the same things, and owned the box to be that which had been brought out of Egypt. The high-priest's daughter also, who was the king's wife, was accused to have been conscious of all this, and had resolved to conceal it. For which reason Herod divorced her, and blotted her son out of his testament, wherein he had been mentioned as one that was to reign after him; and he took the high-priesthood away from his father-in-law, Simeon, the son of Boethus, and appointed Matthias, the son of Theophilus, who was born at Jerusalem, to be high-priest in his room. While this was doing, Bathyllus, also Antipater's freedman, came from Rome; and, upon the torture, was found to have brought another potion to give it into the hands of Antipater's mother, and of Pheroras; that if the former potion did not operate upon the king, this at least might carry him off. There "The potion," said she," was brought out came also letters from Herod's friends at of Egypt by Antiphilus; and his brother, who Rome, by the approbation, and at the sugges was a physician, had procured it; and when tion, of Antipater, to accuse Archelaus and Theudion brought it us, I kept it, upon Phe- Philip as if they calumniated their father, on roras committing it to me, and it was pre-account of the slaughter of Alexander and pared by Antipater for thee. When, therefore, Pheroras was fallen sick, and thou camedst to him, and when he saw the kindness thou hadst for him, his mind was agitated Aristobulus; and as if they commiserated their deaths and as if, because they were sent for home, (for their father had already recalled them,) they concluded they were themselves also ་ ་ also to be destroyed. These letters had been mother. Now some of his friends advised, CHAP. V. OKRANTIPATER'S RETURN FROM ROME; THE CHARGES W Quintilius Varus was at this time at Jerusalem; being sent to succeed Saturninus, as president of Syria: and was come as an assessor to Herod; who had desired his advice in the present affairs. And, as they were sitting together, Antipater came into the palace, clothed in purple. The porters, indeed, received him in; but excluded his friends. And Now upon Antipater's sending word, that now he was in great disorder, and presently . having done all he was to do, he would understood the condition he was in: when, suddenly return home, Herod concealed his upon going to salute his father, he was repulsed anger, and wrote back to him, and bade him by him, as a murderer of his brethren, and a not to delay his journey, lest any harm should plotter of destruction against himself; and he befal him in his absence. At the same time was told that Varus should be his auditor and he made some little complaints about his judge the very next day. So he found that mother; but promised that he would lay those what misfortune he now heard of was already aside when he should return. He also ex- upon him: with the greatness of which he pressed his entire affection for him: as fearing went away in confusion. His mother and his lest he should have some suspicion, and defer wife then met him; (which wife was the his journey; and lest, while he lived at Rome, daughter of Antigonus, who was king of the he should lay plots for the kingdom, and do Jews before Herod :) from whom he learned somewhat against himself. This letter Anti-all circumstances which concerned him, and pater met with in Cilicia: but had received an then prepared himself for his trial. account of Pheroras's death before at Tarentum; which affected him deeply. Not out of any affection for Pheroras, but because he was dead, without having murdered his father: which he had promised him to do. And when he was at Celenderis, in Cilicia, he began to deliberate with himself about sailing home: as being inuch grieved with the ejection of his On the next day Varus and the king sat together in judgment: and both their friends were also called in; as also the king's relations, with his sister Salome, and as many as could discover any thing; and such as had been tortured: and besides these, some slaves of Antipater's mother, who were taken up a little before Antipater's coming, and brought with them a written letter; the sum of which was this, that he should not come back, because all was come to his father's knowledge; and that Cæsar was the only refuge be had left, to prevent both his and her delivery into his father's hands. Then did Antipater fall down at his father's feet, and besought him not to prejudge his cause; but that he might be first heard, and that his father should keep himself unprejudiced. So Herod ordered him to be brought into the midst; and then lamented himself about his children, from whom he had suffered such great misfortunes: and because Antipater fell upon him in his old age. He also reckoned up what maintenance and education he had given them: and what seasonable supplies of wealth he had afforded them, according to their own desires. None of which favors had hindered them from contriving plots against him, in order to gain his kingdom after an impious manner, by taking away his life before the course of nature, their father's wishes, or justice, required that that kingdom should come to them. And that he wondered what hopes could elevate Antipater to such a pass, as to be hardy enough to attempt such things; that he had, by his testament in writing, declared him his successor in the government; and, while he was alive, he was in no respect inferior to him, either in his illustrious dignity, or in power and authority; he having no less than fifty talents for his yearly income, and had received for his journey to Rome no fewer than thirty talents. He also objected to him the case of his brethren whom he had accused; and if they were guilty, he had imitated their example; and if not, he had brought groundless accusations against his near relations: for that he had been acquainted with all those things by him, and by nobody else: and had done what was done by his approbation; and whom he now absolved from all that was criminal, by becoming the inheritor of the guilt of such their parricide. When Herod had thus spoken, he began weeping, and was not able to say any more. But at his desire Nicolaus of Damascus, being the king's friend, and always conversant with him, and acquainted with whatsoever he did, and with the circumstances of his affairs, proceeded to what remained; and explained all that concerned the demonstrations and evidences of the facts. Upon which Antipater, in order to make his legal defence, turned himself to his father, and enlarged upon the many indications he had given of his good will to him; and instanced in the honors that had been done him: which yet had not been done, had he not deserved them by his virtuous concern about him: for that he had made provision for every thing that was fit to be foreseen beforehand, as to giving him his wisest advice; and whenever there was occasion for the labor of his own hands, he had not grudged any such pains for him. And that it was almost impossible that he who had delivered his father from so many treacherous contrivances should be himself in a plot against him; and so lose all the reputation he had gained for his virtue, by this wickedness which succeeded it; and this while he had nothing to prohibit him, who was already appointed his successor, to enjoy the royal honor with his father also at present: and that there was no likelihood that a person who had the one half of that authority without any danger, and with a good character, should seek after the whole with infamy and danger; and this when it was doubtful whether he could obtain it or not; and when he saw the sad example of his brethren before him; and was both the informer and the accuser against them, at a time when they might not otherwise have been discovered: nay, he was the author of the punishment inflicted on them, when it appeared evidently that they were guilty of a wicked attempt against their father. And that even the contentions there were in the king's family were indications that he had ever managed affairs out of the sincerest affection to his father. And as to what he had done at Rome, Cæsar was a witness thereto: who yet was no more to be imposed upon than God himself. Of whose opinions his letters afforded sufficient evidence: and that it was not reasonable to prefer the calumnies of such as proposed to raise disturbances, before those letters: the greatest part of which calumnies had been raised during his absence, which gave scope to his enemies to forge them which they had not been able to do, if he had been there. He also endeavoured to shew the weakness of evidence 1 : evidence obtained by torture; which was commonly false because the distress men are in under such tortures naturally obliges them to say many things in order to please those that govern them. He also offered himself to the torture. their profligate behaviour: and we discover thereby that thou didst not act thus for the safety of thy father, but for the destruction of thy brethren: that, by such pretended hatred of their impiety, thou mightest be believed a lover of thy father; and mightest thereby Hereupon there was a change observed in obtain power enough to do mischief with the the assembly while they greatly pitied An- greatest impunity. Which design thy actions tipater; who, by weeping and putting on a indeed demonstrate. It is true, thou tookest countenance suitable to his sad case, made thy brethren off, because thou didst convict them commiserate the same. Insomuch that them of their wicked designs: but thou didst his very enemies were moved to compassion: not yield up to justice those who were their and it appeared plainly that Herod himself partners; and thereby didst make it evident was affected in his own mind; although he to all men, that thou madest a covenant with was not willing it should be taken notice of. them against thy father, when thou chosest to Then did Nicolaus begin to prosecute what be the accuser of thy brethren, as desirous to the king had begun, and that with great bit-gain to thyself alone this advantage of laying terness and summed up all the evidence which arose from the tortures, or from the other testimonies. He principally extolled the king's virtue, which he had exhibited in the maintenance and education of his sons: while he could never gain any advantage thereby; but still fell from one misfortune to another. Although he owned that he was not so much surprised with that thoughtless behaviour of his former sons; who were but young, and were besides corrupted by wicked counsellors, who were the occasion of obliterating from their minds the righteous dictates of nature; and this out of a desire of coming to the government sooner than they ought to do. Yet he could not but justly stand amazed at the horrid wickedness of Antipater, who had benefits bestowed on him by his father, sufficient to tame his reason; yet could not it be more tamed than the most envenomed serpents. "Even those creatures," said he, "admit of some mitigation, and will not bite their benefactors: while Antipater hath not let the misfortunes of his brethren be any hindrance to him; but he hath gone on to imitate their barbarity notwithstanding. Yet wast thou, O Antipater, as thou hast thyself confessed, the informer as to what wicked actions they had done; and the searcher out of the evidence against them; and the author of the punishment they underwent upon their detection. Nor do we say this as accusing thee for being zealous in thy anger against them, but are astonished at thy endeavors to imitate VOL. II. (55.) plots to kill thy father, and so to enjoy double pleasure, which is truly worthy of thy evil disposition, which thou hast openly shewed against thy brethren. And on this account thou didst rejoice, as having done a most famous exploit. Nor was that behaviour unworthy of thee. But if thy intentions were otherwise, thou art worse than they while thou didst contrive to hide thy treachery against thy father, thou didst hate them, not as plotters against thy father (for in that case thou hadst not thyself fallen upon the like crime); but as successors of his dominions, and more worthy of that succession than thyself. Thou wouldest kill thy parent after thy brethren, lest thy lies raised against them might be detected and lest thou shouldest suffer what punishment thou hadst deserved, thou hadst a mind to exact that punishment of thy unhappy father; and didst devise such a sort of uncommon parricide, as the world never yet saw. For thou, who art his son, didst not only lay a treacherous design against him; and didst it while he loved thee, and had been thy benefactor; had made thee in reality his partner in the kingdom; and had openly declared thee his successor: while thou wast not forbidden to taste the sweetness of authority already; and hadst the firm hopẻ of what was future by thy father's determination, and the security of a written testament : but, for certain, thou didst not measure these things according to thy father's virtuous disposition, but according to thine own thoughts and D inclinations; inclinations; and wast desirous to take the Nicolaus added farther, what belonged to part that remained away from thy too in- Antipater's mother; and whatsoever she had dulgent father; and soughtest to destroy bim prattled like a woman; as also about the * prewith thy deeds, whom thou in words pretend-dictions and the sacrifices relating to the edst to preserve. Nor wast thou content to king; and whatsoever Antipater had done lasbe wicked thyself, but thou filledst thy mo- civiously in his cups and his amours among ther's head with thy devices, and raisedst dis-Pheroras's women; the examinations upon turbances among thy brethren; and hadst the torture; and whatever concerned the testiboldness to call thy father a wild beast: while monies of the witnesses: which were many, thou hadst thyself a mind more cruel than any and of various kinds: some prepared beforeserpent: whence thou sendedst out that poi-hand, and others sudden answers; which farson among thy nearest kindred and greatest ther declared and confirmed the preced: benefactors; and invitedst them to assist thee, evidence. For those men who were not un and guard thee; and didst hedge thyself in acquainted with Antipater's practices, but on all sides, by the artifices of both men and concealed them out of fear, when they women, against an old man; as though that that he was exposed to the accusations of th mind of thine were not sufficient of itself to former witnesses; and that his good fortune, support so great a hatred as thou hadst against which had supported him hitherto, had now him. And here thou appearest after the tor-evidently betrayed him into the hands of his tures of freemen, of domestics, of men, and of enemies, who were indeed insatiable in their women, who have been examined on thy ac-hatred, told all they knew of him. And his count; and after the informations of thy fel-ruin was now hastened, not so much by the low-conspirators, as making haste to contra- enmity of those that were his accusers, as by dict the truth; and hast thought of ways, not his gross, impudent, and wicked contrivances; only how to take thy father out of the world, and by his ill will to his father and his brebut to disannul that written law which is thren: while he had filled their house with against thee; and the virtue of Varus; and disturbance, and caused them to murder one the nature of justice. Nay, such is that im- another and was neither open in his hatred, pudence of thine on which thou confidest, that nor kind in his friendship; but just so far as thou desirest to be put to the torture thyself: served his own turn. Now there was a great while thou allegest, that the tortures of those number who for a long time beforehand had already examined thereby have made them seen all this, and especially such as were natell lies; that those that have been the deli-turally disposed to judge of matters by the verers of thy father may not be allowed to have spoken the truth; but that thy tortures may be esteemed the discoverers of truth. Wilt not thou, O Varus, deliver the king from the injuries of his kindred? Wilt not thou destroy this wild beast, which hath pretended kindness to his father, in order to destroy his brethren? while yet he is himself alone ready to carry off the kingdom immediately, and ap-neither speak out of favor to Herod, nor pears to be the most sanguinary butcher of them all. For thou art sensible that parricide is a general injury, both to nature, in to common life; and that the intention of parricide is not inferior to its perpetration: and he who does not punish it is injurious to nature itself." * See Chap. 2. rules of virtue; because they were used to determine about affairs without passion; but had been restrained from making any open complaints before: these, upon the leave now given them, produced all that they knew before the public. The demonstrations also of these wicked facts could be no way disproved: because the many witnesses there were did were they obliged to keep what they had to say silent, out of suspicion of any danger they were in but they spake what they knew, because they thought such actions very wicked; and that Antipater deserved the greatest punishment: and indeed not so much for Herod's safety, as on account of the man's own |