CHAP. III.

ARISTOBULUS AND HYRCANUS COME TO POMPEY, IN ORDER TO ARGUE WHO OUGHT TO HAVE THE KINGDOM; AND UPON THE FLIGHT OF ARISTOBULUS TO THE FORTRESS ALEXANDRIUM, POMPEY LEADS HIS ARMY AGAINST HIM; AND ORDERS HIM TO DELIVER UP THE FORTRESSES WHICH HE POSSESSED.

so.

A LITTLE afterward Pompey came to Damascus, and marched over Colesyria. At which time there came ambassadors to him from all Syria, and Egypt, and out of Judea alFor Aristobulus had sent him a great present; which was a golden vine, of the value of five hundred talents. Now Strabo of Cappadocia mentions this present in these words: "There came also an ambassage out of Egypt, and a crown of the value of four thousand pieces of gold. And out of Judea there came another, whether you call it a vine or a garden. They called the thing T, the delight. However, we ourselves saw that present, deposited at Rome, in the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus; with this inscription: "The gift† of Alexander, king of the Jews." It was valued at five hundred talents. And the report is, that Aristobulus, the governor of the Jews, sent it.

In a little time afterward came ambassadors again to him; Antipater from Hyrcanus, and Nicodemus from Aristobulus:

* This golden vine or garden, seen by Strabo at Rome, has its inscription here, as if it were the gift of Alexander, the father of Aristobulus ; and not of Aristobulus himself, to whom yet Josephus ascribes it; and in order to prove the truth of that part of his history, introduces this testimony of Strabo's. So that the ordinary copies seem to be here either erroneous or defective; and the original reading seems to have been either Aristobulus, instead of Alexander, with one Greek copy; or else Aristobulus, the son of Alexander, with the Latin copies; which last seems to me the most probable. For as to archbishop Usher's conjectures, that Alexander made it, and dedicated it to God in the temple; and that thence Aristobulus took it, and sent it to Pompey; they are both very improbable, and no way agreeable to Josephus; who would hardly have avoided the recording both those uncommon points of history, had he known any thing of them. Nor would either the Jewish nation, or even Pompey himself, then have approved such a flagrant instance of sacrilege. See Dr. Hudson's note here.

+ Or, of Aristobulus, the son of Alexander.

which last also accused such as had taken bribes; first Gabinius, and then Scaurus; the one three hundred talents, and the other four hundred. By which procedure he made these two his enemies, besides those he had before. And when Pompey had ordered those that had controversies one with another to come to him in the beginning of the spring, he brought his army out of their winter quarters, and marched into their country of Damascus. And as he went along he demolished the citadel that was at Apamia; which Antiochus Cyzicenus had built; and took cognizance of the country of Ptolemy Menneus; a wicked man, and not less so than Dionysius of Tripoli, who had been beheaded, who was also his relation by marriage. Yet did he buy off the punishment of his crimes for a thousand talents with which money Pompey paid his soldiers their wages. He also conquered the place called Lysias; of which Silas, a Jew, was tyrant. And when he had passed over the cities of Heliopolis and Chalcis; and got over the mountain which is on the limit of Colesyria, he came from Pella to Damascus. And there he heard the causes of the Jews, and of their governors Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, who were at difference one with another: as also of the nation against them both: which did not desire to be under regal government. Because the form of government they received from their forefathers was that of subjection to the priests of that God whom they worshipped: and they complained that though these two were the posterity of priests, yet did they seek to change the government of their nation to another form; in order to enslave them. Hyrcanus complained, that although he was the elder brother, he was deprived of the prerogative of his birth by Aristobulus, and held but a small part of the country under him: Aristobulus having taken away the rest by force. He also accused him, that the incursions which had been made into their neighbours' countries, and the piracies that had been at sea, were owing to him: and that the nation would not have revolted, unless Aristobulus had been a man given to violence and disorder. And there were no fewer than a thousand Jews, of the best esteem among them, who confirmed this accusation; which confirmation was procured by Antipater. But Aristobulus alledged against him, that it was Hyrcanus's own temper, which was inactive, and on that account contemptible, which caused him

to be deprived of the government; and that for himself he was necessiated to take it upon him: lest it should be transferred to others. And that as to his title of king, it was no other than what his father had taken before him. He also called for witnesses of what he said, some persons who were both young and insolent; whose purple garments, fine heads of hair, and other ornaments, were detested by the court, and which they appeared in, not as though they were to plead their cause in a court of justice; but as if they were marching in a pompous procession.

When Pompey had heard the causes of these two, and had condemned Aristobulus for his violent procedure; he spake civilly to them, and dismissed them with an assurance that when he came again into their country he would settle all their affairs; after he had first taken a view of the affairs of the Nabateans. In the mean time he ordered them to be quiet; and treated Aristobulus civilly; lest he should make the nation revolt, and hinder his return. This, however, Aristobulus did: without expecting any farther determination, which Pompey had promised them, he went to the city Delius, and thence marched into Judea.

At this behaviour Pompey was angry: and taking with him that army which he was leading against the Nabateans, and the auxiliaries that came from Damascus, and the other parts of Syria; with the other Roman legions which he had with him; he made an expedition against Aristobulus. But as he passed by Pella, and Scythopolis, he came to Corea; which is the first entrance into Judea when one passes over the midland countries. There he came to a most beautiful fortress, (that was built on the top of the mountain called Alexandrium,) whither Aristobulus had fled; and thence Pompey sent his commands to him, that he should come to him. Accordingly, at the persuasions of many, that he would not make war with the Romans, he came down. And when he had disputed with his brother about his rights to the government, he went up again to the citadel; as Pompey gave him leave to do. And this he did two or three times: flattering himself with the hopes of having the kingdom granted to him. So that he still pretended he

See the note, Book XIII. chap. 10.

would obey Pompey in whatsoever he commanded: although at the same time he retired to his fortress; that he might not depress himself too low; and that he might be prepared for a war, in case it should prove as he feared, that Pompey would transfer the government to Hyrcanus. But when Pompey enjoined Aristobulus to deliver up the fortresses he held; and to send an injunction to their governors, under his own hand, for that purpose: (for they had been forbidden to deliver them up upon any other commands:) he submitted to do so; but still he retired in displeasure to Jerusalem, and made preparation for war. A little after this, certain persons came out of Pontus, and informed Pompey, as he was on the way, and conducting his army against Aristobulus, that Mithridates was slain by his son Pharnaces.

CHAP. IV.

OF THE IMPrisonment OF ARISTOBULUS, AND THE SIEGE AND REDUCTION OF JERUSALEM BY POMPEY.

WHEN Pompey had* pitched his camp at Jericho, (where thef palm-tree grows, and that balsam which is an ointment of all the most precious: which, upon an incision made in the wood with a sharp stone, distils out like a juice:) he marched in the morning to Jerusalem. Hereupon Aristobulus repented of what he was doing:‡ and came to Pompey, and promised to

* An. 63.

+ These express testimonies of Josephus's here, and VIII. 6, and XV. 4 that the only balsam gardens, and the best palm-trees were, at least in his days, near Jericho and Engaddi; about the north part of the Dead Sea: (whereabout also Alexander the Great saw the balsam drop, Thund. Legion, page 38, 56,) shew the mistake of those that understand Eusebius and Jerom, as if one of those gardens were at the south part of that sea, at Zoar or Segnor. Whereas they must either mean another Zoar or Segnor, which was between Jericho and Engaddi, agreeably to Josephus; which yet they do not appear to do: or else they directly contradict Josephus; and were therein greatly mistaken. I mean this, unless that balsam, and the best palm-trees, grew much more southward in Judea in the time of Eusebius and Jerom than they did in the days of Josephus.

The fourth book of the Maccabees, (chap. xxxvi.) says nothing of this submission of Aristobulus to the Roman general, but tells us, that Pompey marched directly against Jerusalem, where observing the situation of the place, the strength of its

give him money, and received him into Jerusalem, and desired that he would leave off the war, and do what he pleased peaceably. So Pompey, upon his intreaty, forgave him; and sent Gabinius, and soldiers with him, to receive the money, and the city. Yet was no part of this performed: but Gabinius came back; being both excluded out of the city, and receiving none of the money promised: because Aristobulus's soldiers would not permit the agreements to be executed. At this Pompey was very angry, and put Aristobulus into prison; and came himself to the city: which was strong on every side, excepting the north, which was not so well fortified. For there was a* broad deep ditch that encompassed the city; and included within it the temple: which was itself encompassed about with a very strong stone wall.

Now there was a sedition of the men that were within the city, who did not agree what was to be done in their circumpresent stances. Some thought it best to deliver up the city to Pompey: but Aristobulus's party exhorted them to shut the gates: because he was kept in prison. Now these prevented the others; and seized upon the temple; and cut off the bridge which reached from it to the city; and prepared themselves to sustain a siege. But the others admitted Pompey's army, and delivered up both the city, and the king's palace to him. So Pompey sent his lieutenant Piso with an army, and placed garrisons both in the city, and in the palace, to secure them; and fortified the house that joined to the temple; and all those which were more distant, and without it. And in the first place he offered terms of accommodation to those within: but when they would not comply with what was desired, he encompassed all

walls, tower, &c. he resolved to try to gain Aristobulus by fair means; that he invited him to come into his camp, and promised him all the safety that he could desire; that accordingly he came to him, and engaged to deliver up all the treasure of the temple, if he would but declare for him; but that the priests having refused to ratify the king's promise, this made the general lay siege to the temple. Universal History, lib. 2, c. 11. B.

* The particular depth and breadth of this ditch; whence the stones for the wall about the temple were probably taken, are omitted in our copies of Josephus ; but set down by Strabo, XIV. page 763. from whom we learn, that this ditch is 60 feet deep, and 250 feet broad. However, its depth is said by Josephus to be immense: which exactly, agrees with Strabo's description: and the numbers in Strabo are a strong confirmation of the truth of Josephus's description also.