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ready: which point of time renders the prediction impossible to be fulfilled." And when the old man had said this, he was dejected in his mind, and so continued. But in a little time news came, that Antigonus was slain in a subterraneous place, which was also called Strato's tower; by the same name with that Cesarea which lay by the sea side. And this ambiguity it was which caused the prophet's disorder.

Hereupon Aristobulus repented of the great crime he had been guilty of: and this gave occasion to the increase of his distemper. He also grew worse and worse, and his soul was constantly disturbed at the thoughts of what he had done; till his very bowels being torn to pieces by the intolerable grief he was under, he threw up a great quantity of blood. And as one of those servants that attended him carried out that blood, he, by some supernatural providence, slipped and fell down in the very place where Antigonus had been slain: and so he spilt some of the murderer's blood, upon the spots of the blood of him that had been murdered, which still appeared. Hereapon á lamentable cry arose among the spectators; as if the servant had spilled the blood on purpose in that place. And as the king heard that cry, he enquired what was the cause of it? and while no body durst tell him, he pressed them so much the more to let him know what was the matter. So at length, when he had threatened them, and forced them to speak out, they told him. He then burst into tears, and said, "I perceive I am not like to escape the all-seeing eye of God, as to the great crimes I have committed: but the vengeance of the blood of my kinsman pursues me hastily. O thou most impudent body, how long wilt thou retain a soul that ought to die on account of that punishment it ought to suffer for a mother, and a brother slain? How long shall I spend my blood drop by drop? Let them take it all at once: and let their ghosts no longer be disappointed by a few parcels of my bowels offered to them." As soon as he had said these words, he presently died: when he had reigned no longer than a year.*

CHAP. IV.

Now it happened that there was a battle between him and Ptolemy Lathyrus; who had taken the city Asochis. He indeed slew a great many of his enemies; but the victory rather inclined to Ptolemy. But when this Ptolemy was pursued by his mother Cleopatra, and retired into Egypt, Alexander besieged Gadara, and took if: as also he did Amathus; which was the strongest of all the fortresses that were about Jordan: and therein were the most precious of all the possessions of Theodorus, the son of Zeno. Hereupon Theodorus marched against him, and took what belonged to himself, as well as the king's baggage; and slew ten thousand of the Jews. However Alexander recovered this blow; and turned his force towards the maritime parts; and took Raphia, and Gaza, with Anthedon; which was afterward called Agrippias, by king Herod.

But when he had made slaves of the citizens of all these cities, the nation of the Jews made an insurrec. tion against him at a festival. For at those feasts seditions are generally begun; and it looked as if he should not be able to escape the plot they had laid for him; had not his foreign auxiliaries, the Pisidians and Cilicians assisted him. For as to the Syrians, he never admitted them among his mercenary troops: on account of their innate enmity against the Jewish nation. And when he had slain more than six thousand of the rebels, he made an incursion imo Arabia. And when he had taken that country, together with the Gileadites, and Moabites, he enjoined them to pay him tribute, and returned to Amathus. And as Theodorus was surprised at his great success, he took the fortress, and demolished it.

However, when he fought with Obodas, king of the Arabians who had laid an ambush for him near Golan, and a plot against him; he lost his entire army, which was crowded together in a deep valley, and broken to pieces by the multitude of camels. And when he had made his escape to Jerusalem, he provoked the multitude, which hated him before, to make an insurrection against him: and this on account of the greatness of the calamity that he was under. However, he was then too hard for them; and in the several battles that were fought on both sides he slew not fewer than fifty thousand of the

Of the actions of Alexander Janneus; who reigned Jews, in the interval of six years. Yet had he no reason

twenty-seven years.

NOW
TOW the queen liberated the king's brethren,

and made Alexander king, who appeared both elder in age, and more moderate in his temper than the rest. When he came to the government he slew one of his brethren, as affecting to govern himself, but had the other in great esteem; as loving a quiet life, without meddling with public affairs.†

* See Antiquities xiii. 11.

VOL. II.-N9. XLI.

to rejoice in these victoris: since he did but consumie his own kingdom: till at length he left off fighting, and endeavored to come to a composition, by talking with his subjects. But this mutability and Irregu larity of his conduct made them hate him still more. And when he asked them, why they so hated him, and what he should do in order to appease them? they told him to kill himself; for that it would be then all they could do to be reconciled to him, who

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had done such tragical things to them, even when he was dead. At the same time they invited Demetrius, who was called Eucerus, to assist them. And as he redily complied with their request, in hopes of great advantages, and came with his army, the Jews joined with those auxiliaries about Shechem.

Alexander met both these forces with one thousand horsemen, and eight thousand mercenaries, that were on foot. He had also with him that part of the Jews which favored him, to the number of ten thousand. While the adverse party had three thousand horsemen, and fourteen thousand footmen. Now before they joined battle, the kings made proclamation, and endeavored to draw off each other's soldiers, and make them revolt. While Demetrius hoped to induce Alexander's mercenaries to leave him; and Alexander hoped to induce the Jews that were with Demetrius, to leave him. But since neither the Jews. would leave off their rage: nor the Greeks prove unfaithful, they came to an engagement; in which Demetrius was the conqueror: although Alexander's mercenaries performed the greatest exploits, both in soul and body. Yet did the result of this battle prove different from what was expected, as to both of them. For those that invited Demetrius to come to them, did not continue firmn to him, though he were conqueror: and six thousand Jews, out of pity to the change of Alexander's condition, when he was fled to the mountains, came over to him. Demetrius could not bear this turn of affairs; but supposing that Alexander was already become a match for him again, and that all the nation would at length run in to him, he left the country.

However, the rest of the Jewish multitude did not lay aside their quarrels with Alexander; when the foreign auxiliaries were gone. But they had a perpetual war with him until he had slain the greatest part of them, and driven the rest into the city Bemeselis: and when he had demolished that city, he carried the captives to Jerusalem. Nay, his rage was grown so extravagant, that his barbarity proceeded to the degree of impiety. For when he had ordered eight hundred to be hung upon crosses in the midst of the city, he had the throats of their wives and children cut before their eyes: and these executions he saw, as he was drinking, and lving down with his concubines. Upon which so deep a surprise seized on the people, that eight thousand of his opposers fled away, the very next night. out of all Judea: whose flight was only terminated by Alexander's death. So at last, though not till late, and with great difficulty, he, by such actions, procured quiet to his kingdom, and left off fighting any more.

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Yet did that Antiochus, who was also called Dionysus, become an origin of troubles again. This man was the brother of Demetrius, and the last of the race of the Seleucidæ. Alexander was afraid of him, when he was marching against the Arabians. So he cut a deep trench between Antipatris, which was near the mountains, and the shores of Joppa. He also erected a high wall before the trench, and built wooden towers, in order to hinder any sudden approaches. But still he was not able to exclude Antiochus: for he burnt the towers, and filled up the trenches, and marched on with his army. And as he looked upon taking his revenge on Alexander, for endeavoring to stop him, as a thing of less consequence, he marched directly against the Arabians. Whose king retired into such parts of the country as were fittest for engaging the enemy; and then on the sudden made his cavalry run back; which were in number ten thousand; and fell upon Antiochus's army, while they were in disorder. A terrible battle now ensued: Antiochus's troops so long as he was alive, fought it out; although a mighty slaughter was made among them by the Arabians: but when he fell, (for he was in the fore-front, in the utmost danger, in rallying his troops ;) they all gave ground; and the greatest part of the army were destroyed, either in the action or in the flight. And the rest, who fled to the village of Cana, were all consumed by want of necessaries, a few only excepted.

About this time the people of Damascus, out of their hatred to Ptolemy, the son of Menneus, invited Aretas to take the government; and made him king of Colesyria. This man also made an expedition against Judea, and beat Alexander in battle, but afterward retired by mutual agreement. But Alexander, when he had taken Pella, marched to Gerasa again, out of the covetous desire he had of Theodorus's possessions. And when he had built a triple wall about the garrison, he took the place by force. He also demolished Golan, and Seleucia, and what was called the valley of Antiochus, besides which he took the strong fortress of Gamala; and stripped Demetrius who was governor therein, of what he had, on account of the many crimes laid to his charge; and then returned into Judea: after he had been three whole years in this expedition. And now he was kindly received of the nation; because of the good success he had had. So when he was at rest from war, he fell into a distemper: for he was afflicted with a quartan ague: and supposed that by exercising himself again in martial affairs, he should get rid of his distemper. But by making such expeditions at unseasonable times; and forcing his body to undergo greater hardships than it was able to

Mus, who reigned or rather lay hid; till Pompey turned him out; as Dean Aldrich here notes, from Appian and bear,

Justin.

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bear, he brought himself to his end. He died therefore in the midst of his troubles; after he had reigned seven and twenty years.*

CHAP. V.

Of the reign of Alexandra, during which the Pharisees were the real rulers of the nation.

A

LEXANDER left the kingdom to Alexandra his wife; and depended upon it, that the Jews would very readily submit to her: because she had been very averse to such cruelty as he had treated them with; and had opposed his violation of their laws; and had thereby got the good will of the people. Nor was he mistaken as to his expectations. For this woman kept the dominion, by the opinion that the people had of her piety. For she chiefly studied the ancient customs of her country; and cast those men out of the government that offended against their holy laws. And as she had two sons by Alexander, she made Hyrcanus, the elder, high-priest; on account of his age; as also, besides that, on account of his inactive temper; no way disposing him to disturb the public. But she retained the younger, Aristobulus, with her, as a private person; by reason of the warmth of his temper.t

And now the Pharisees joined themselves to her, to assist her in the government. These are a certain sect of Jews, that appear more religious than others; and seem to interpret the laws more accurately. Now Alexandra hearkened to them to an extraordinary degree as being herself a woman of great piety towards God. But these Pharisees artfully insinuated themselves into her favor by little and little; and became themselves the real administrators of the public affairs; they banished and reduced whom they pleased; they bound and loosed men at their pleasure; and, to say all at once, they had the enjoyment of the royal authority; while the expences and the difficulties of it belonged to Alexandra. She was a sagacious woman in the management of great affairs; and intent always upon gathering soldiers to gether: so that she increased the army the one half, and procured a great body of foreign troops: till her own nation became not only very powerful at home.

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but terrible also to foreign potentates. While she governed other people, however, the Pharisees governed her.

Accordingly they slew Diogenes, a person of figure and one that had been a friend to Alexander: and accused him as having assisted the king with his advice, for crucifying the eight hundred men § beforementioned. They also prevailed with Alexandra to put to death the rest of those who had irritated him against them. Now she was so superstitious as to comply with their desires: and accordingly they slew whom they pleased: but the principal of those that were in danger fled to Aristobulus; who persuaded his mother to spare the men, on account of their dignity; but to expel them out of the city; unless she took them to be innocent. So they were suffered to go unpunished; and were dispersed all over the country. But when Alexandra sent out her army to Damascus ; under pretence that Ptolemy was always oppressing that city, she got possession of it. Nor did it make any considerable resistance.. She also prevailed with Tigranes, king of Armenia; who lay with his troops about Ptolemais, and besieged Cleopatra; by agreements and presents to go away. Accordingly Tigranes soon arose from the siege, by reason of those domestic tumults; which, happened upon Lucullus's expedition into Armenia.

In the mean time Alexandra fell sick; and Aristobulus, her younger son, took hold of this opportunity, with his domestics, of which he had a great many, who were all of them his friends, on account of the warmth of their youth: and got possession of all the fortresses. He also used the sums of money he found in them to get together a number of mercenary soldiers, and made himself king. And besides this, upon Hyrcanus's complaint to his mother, she compassionated his case; and put Aristobulus's wife and sons under restraint in Antonia: which was a fortress that adjoined to the north part of the temple. It was, as I have ** already said, formerly called the citadel: but afterward got the name of Antonia, when Antony was lord of the East: just as the other cities Sebaste, and Agrippias, had their names changed; and these given them, from ++ Sebastus and Agrippa. But Alexandra died before she could a punish Aristobulus, for disinheriting his brother, after she had reigned nine years. ‡‡

to me.

+

prison, he put her to death. Dean Aldrich supposes here > that Strabo contradicts Josephus: which does not appear For although Josephus says both here, and in the. Antiquities, XIII. 16. that Tigranes besieged her now in Ptolemais; and that he took the city; yet does be no where intimate that he now took the queen herself. So. that both the narrations of Strabo and Josephus may still. be true notwithstanding.

** Chap. 3. ++ Augustus. Antiq. xiii. 10.

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