loosed one whom he had bound, immediately. However, there did not many days pass before he sent for him to his house, and had him shaved, and made him change his raiment. After which he put a diadem upon his head, and appointed him to be king of the tetrarchy of Philip. He also gave him the tetrarchy of Lysanias; and changed his iron chain for a golden one of equal weight. He also sent Marellus to be procurator of Judea.*

Now in the second year of the reign of Caius Cæsar, Agrippa desired leave to sail home, and settle the affairs of his government and he promised to return again, when he had put the rest in order. So upon the emperor's permission he came into his own country, and appeared to them all unexpectedly as a king; and thereby demonstrated to the men that saw him the power of fortune; when they compared his former poverty with his present happy affluence. So some called him a happy man, and others could not well believe that things were so much changed with him for the better.

CHAP. VII.

OF THE BANISHMENT OF HEROD THE TETRARCH.

he would sail to Rome, to court honors equal
to his: for she said, that she could not bear to
live any longer, while Agrippa, the son of that
Aristobulus, who was condemned to die by his
father; one that came to her husband in such
extreme poverty, that the necessaries of life
were forced to be entirely supplied him day by
day; and when he fled away from his creditors
by sea, he now returned a king. While he
was himself the son of a king; and, while the
near relation he bore to royal authority called
upon him to gain the like dignity, he sat still,
and was contented with a mere private life.
"But, Herod," said she," although thou wast
formerly not concerned to be in a lower con-
dition than thy father from whom thou wast
derived, yet do thou now seek after the dignity
which thy kinsman hath attained to.
not thou bear this contempt, that a man who
admired thy riches should be in greater honor
than thyself: nor suffer his poverty to shew
itself able to purchase greater things than our
abundance: nor do thou esteem it other than
a shameful thing, to be inferior to one who, the
other day, lived upon thy charity. But let us
go to Rome; and let us spare no pains, inor
expenses, either of silver or gold; since they
cannot be kept for any better use, than for the
obtaining of a kingdom."

And do

But, for Herod, he opposed her request at

BUT Herodias, Agrippa's sister, who now this time, out of the love of ease, and having

tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, took this autho- a suspicion of the trouble he should have at Rome. So he tried to instruct her better. rity of her brother in an envious manner; particularly when she saw that he had a greater But the more she saw him draw back, the more dignity bestowed on him than her husband she pressed him to it, and desired him to leave had since when he ran away, it was because no stone unturned in order to be a king. And he was not able to pay his debts; and now he at last she left not off, till she engaged him, was come back, he was in a way of dignity, whether he would or not, to be of her sentiand of great good fortune. She was thereforements; because he could no otherwise avoid grieved, and much displeased at so great a her importunity. So he got all things ready mutation of his affairs: and chiefly when she after as sumptuous a manner as he was able, saw him marching among the multitude with and spared for nothing, and went up to Rome, But the usual ensigns of royal authority, she was and took Herodias along with him. not able to conceal how miserable she was, by Agrippa, when he was made sensible of their reason of the envy she had towards him. But intentions and preparations, also prepared to she excited her husband, and desired him that go thither. And as soon as he heard they set

*

.

Although Caius now promised to give Agrippa the tetrarchy of Lysanias, yet was it not all actually conferred upon hiaf till the reign of Claudius, as we learn

XIX. 5.

This has been the pregnant cause of much mischief.

For the sake of enjoying the present, to what distress and
calamity have many exposed themselves as it regarded
futurity: whereas it was possible for them, by the most
trifling sacrifices, to have secured lasting felicity. B.
‡ A. D. 40.

sail, he sent Fortunatus, one of his freed-men, || awarded him a perpetual banishment: and
to Rome, to carry presents to the emperor, appointed Lyons, a city of Gaul, to be his
and letters against Herod; and to give Caius place of habitation. But when he was in-
a particular account of those matters, if he formed that Herodias was Agrippa's sister, he
should have an opportunity. This man follow-made her a present of what money was her
ed Herod so quick, and had so prosperous a own; and told her that it was her brother
voyage, and came so little after Herod, that who prevented her being put under the same
while Herod was with Caius he came him- calamity with her husband. But she made
self, and delivered his letters. For they both this reply: "Thou indeed, O emperor, actest
sailed to Dicearchia, and found Caius at after a magnificent manner, and as becomes
Baiæ, a little city of Campania, at the distance thyself in what thou offerest me: but the kind-
of about five furlongs from Dicearchia. There ness which I have for my husband binders me
are in that place royal palaces, with sumptuous from partaking of the favor of thy gift. For
apartments; every emperor still endeavoring it is not just that I, who have been made a
to outdo his predecessors in magnificence. partner in his prosperity, should forsake him
The place also affords warm baths, that spring in his misfortunes." Hereupon Caius was
out of the ground of their own accord; which angry at her, and sent her with Herod into
are of advantage for the recovery of the health banishment; and gave her estate to Agrippa.
of those who make use of them; and besides And thus did God punish Herodias, for her
they minister to men's luxury also. Now
envy at her brother; and Herod also for giving
Caius saluted Herod, for he first met with ear to the vain discourses of a woman. Now
him; and then looked upon the letters which Caius managed public affairs with very great
Agrippa had sent him, and which were writ- magnanimity, during the first and second
ten in order to accuse Herod: wherein he ac- years of his reign; and behaved himself with
cused him, that he had been in confederacy such moderation, that he gained the good will
with Sejanus against Tiberius's government: both of the Romans themselves, and of his
and that he was now confederate with Arta-other subjects. But in process of time he
banus, king of Parthia, in opposition to the went beyond the bounds of human nature,
government of Caius.
As a demonstration of in his conceit of himself: and by reason of
which he alleged, that he had armor suffi- the vastness of his dominions, made himself a
cient for seventy thousand men ready in his god; and took upon himself to act in all
armory. Caius was moved at this information; things to the reproach of the Deity itself.
and asked Herod, whether what was said
about the armor were true? And when he
confessed there was such armor there, (for he
could not deny the same, the truth of it being OF † THE AMBASSAGE OF THE JEWS TO CAIUS; AND OF THE

CHAP. VIII.

ORDERS GIVEN TO PETRONIUS TO MAKE WAR AGAINST
THE JEWS, UNLESS THEY WOULD RECEIVE THE EMPEROR'S
STATUE.

HERE was now a tumult in Alexandria

notorious,) Caius took that to be a sufficient
proof of the accusation, that he intended to
revolt. So he took away from him his tetrar-
chy, and gave it, by way of addition, to Agrip-between the Jewish inhabitants and the
pa's kingdom. He also gave Herod's mo-
Greeks: and three ambassadors were chosen
ney to Agrippa: and, by way
+
of punishment,

Puteoli.

+ This is a most remarkable chapter; as containing such instances of the interposition of Providence, as have been always very rare among the other idolatrous nations; but of old very many among the posterity of Abraham, the worshippers of the true God. Nor do these seem much inferior to those in the Old Testament: which are the more remarkable, because among all their other follies and vices, the Jews were not at this time idolators; and the deliverances here mentioned were done in orde. to prevent their relapse into that idolatry.

Josephus here assures us tifat the ambassadors from Alexandria to Caius were on each part no more than three in number, for the Jews and for the Gentiles, which are but six in all. Whereas Philo, who was the principal ambassador from the Jews, as Josephus here confesses, (as was Apion for the Gentiles,) says, the Jews' ambassadors were themselves no fewer than five, towards the end of his legation to Caius: which, if there be no mistake in the copies, must be supposed the truth. Nor, in that case, would Josephus have contradicted so authentic a

out

the great anger of God also, who, even thyself being judge, is superior to Caius."

but would write to Caius, that the Jews had an insuperable aversion to the reception of the When Petronius saw by their words that statue; and how they continued with him, their determination was hard to be removed, and left off the tillage of their ground: that and that without a war he should not be able they were not willing to go to war with him, to be subservient to Caius in the dedication of hecause they were not able to do it; but were his statue, and that there must be a great deal ready to die with pleasure, rather than suffer of bloodshed, he took his friends, and the ser- their laws to be transgressed. And that upon vants that were about him, and hasted to Ti-the land's continuing unsown, robberies would berius; as wanting to know in what posture grow up, on the inability they would be unthe affairs of the Jews were. And manyder of paying their tributes. And that, perthousands of the Jews met him again, when haps, Caius might be thereby moved to pity, he was come to Tiberius. These thought they and not order any barbarous action to be done must run a mighty hazard if they should have to them, nor think of destroying the nation. a war with the Romans; but judged that the That if he continued inflexible in his former transgression of the law was of much greater opinion, to bring a war upon them, he might consequence; and made supplication to him, then himself set about it. And thus did Aristhat he would by no means reduce them to tobulus, and the rest with him, supplicate such distresses, nor defile their city by the de- Petronius. So † Petronius, partly on account dication of the statue. Then Petronius said of the pressing instances which Aristobulus to them, "Will you then make war with and the rest of them made; and because of Cæsar, without considering his great prepara- the great consequence of what they desired, tions for war, and your own weakness ?" They and the earnestness wherewith they made the replied, "We will not by any means make supplication; partly on account of the firmness war with him; but still we will die before of the opposition made by the Jews, which he we will see our laws transgressed." So they saw, while he thought it a horrible thing for threw themselves down upon their faces, and him to be such a slave to the madness of Caius, stretched out their throats, and said, they as to slay so many thousand men, only because were ready to be slain. And this they did for of their religious disposition towards God, and forty days together and in the mean time left after that to pass his life in expectation of off the tilling of their ground; and that while* punishment: Petronius, I say, thought it much the season of the year required them to sow better to send to Caius, and to let him know it. Thus they continued firm in their resolu- how intolerable it was to bear the anger he tion, and proposed to themselves to die will-might have against him for not serving him ingly, rather than to see the dedication of the

statue.

When matters were in this state, Aristobulus, king Agrippa's brother, and Helcias the Great, and the other principal men of that family with them, went in unto Petronius, and besought him, that since he saw the resolution of the multitude, he would not make any alteration, and thereby drive them to despair;

sooner, in obedience to his epistle: for that perhaps he might persuade him; and that, if his mad resolution continued, he might then begin the war against them: nay that in case he should turn his hatred against himself, it was fit for virtuous persons even to die for the sake of such vast multitudes of men. Accordingly he determined to hearken to the. petitioners in this matter.

* What Josephus here relates as done by the Jews be-published a severe decree against the inhabitants of Dora; fore seed time, is, in Philo, not far off the time when the who, in a sort of imitation of Caius, had set up a statue corn was ripe who, as Le Clerc notes, differ here one of Claudius in a Jewish synagogue there. This decree is from the other. This is another indication that Josephus, extant, XIX. 6. and greatly confirms the present acwhen he wrote this account, had not seen Philo's Legat. counts of Josephus: as do the other decrees of Claudius ad Caium, otherwise he would hardly have herein dif- relating to the like Jewish affairs, XIX. 5. To which fered from him. I here refer the inquisitive reader; a also to Usher's Annals, at A. D. 42. till which year Petronius continued president of Syria..

†This Publius Petronius was after this still president of Syria under Claudius; and, at the desire of Agrippa,