the antiquities of the jews-1-第218章

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Jerusalem　To　Phasaelus；　As　Also　How　Herod　Upon　The　Jews'　Envy　At
Antipater　Was　Accused　Before　Hyrcanus。

1。　Now　when　Caesar　had　settled　the　affairs　of　Syria；　he　sailed
away。　And　as　soon　as　Antipater　had　conducted　Caesar　out　of　Syria；
he　returned　to　Judea。　He　then　immediately　raised　up　the　wall
which　had　been　thrown　down　by　Pompey；　and；　by　coming　thither；　he
pacified　that　tumult　which　had　been　in　the　country；　and　this　by
both　threatening　and　advising　them　to　be　quiet；　for　that　if　they
would　be　of　Hyrcanus's　side；　they　would　live　happily；　and　lead
their　lives　without　disturbance；　and　in　the　enjoyment　of　their
own　possessions；　but　if　they　were　addicted　to　the　hopes　of　what
might　come　by　innovation；　and　aimed　to　get　wealth　thereby；　they
should　have　him　a　severe　master　instead　of　a　gentle　governor；　and
Hyrcanus　a　tyrant　instead　of　a　king；　and　the　Romans；　together
with　Caesar；　their　bitter　enemies　instead　of　rulers；　for　that
they　would　never　bear　him　to　be　set　aside　whom　they　had　appointed
to　govern。　And　when　Antipater　had　said　this　to　them；　he　himself
settled　the　affairs　of　this　country。

2。　And　seeing　that　Hyrcanus　was　of　a　slow　and　slothful　temper；　he
made　Phasaelus；　his　eldest　son；　governor　of　Jerusalem；　and　of　the
places　that　were　about　it；　but　committed　Galilee　to　Herod；　his
next　son；　who　was　then　a　very　young　man；　for　he　was　but　fifteen
years　of　age　（14）　But　that　youth　of　his　was　no　impediment　to　him；
but　as　he　was　a　youth　of　great　mind；　he　presently　met　with　an
opportunity　of　signalizing　his　courage；　for　finding　that　there
was　one　Hezekiah；　a　captain　of　a　band　of　robbers；　who　overran　the
neighboring　parts　of　Syria　with　a　great　troop　of　them；　he　seized
him　and　slew　him；　as　well　as　a　great　number　of　the　other　robbers
that　were　with　him；　for　which　action　he　was　greatly　beloved　by
the　Syrians；　for　when　they　were　very　desirous　to　have　their
country　freed　from　this　nest　of　robbers；　he　purged　it　of　them。　So
they　sung　songs　in　his　commendation　in　their　villages　and　cities；
as　having　procured　them　peace；　and　the　secure　enjoyment　of　their
possessions；　and　on　this　account　it　was　that　he　became　known　to
Sextus　Caesar；　who　was　a　relation　of　the　great　Caesar；　and　was
now　president　of　Syria。　Now　Phasaetus；　Herod's　brother；　was　moved
with　emulation　at　his　actions；　and　envied　the　fame　be　had　thereby
gotten；　and　became　ambitious　not　to　be　behindhand　with　him　in
deserving　it。　So　he　made　the　inhabitants　of　Jerusalem　bear　him
the　greatest　good…will　while　he　held　the　city　himself；　but　did
neither　manage　its　affairs　improperly；　nor　abuse　his　authority
therein。　This　conduct　procured　from　the　nation　to　Antipater　such
respect　as　is　due　to　kings；　and　such　honors　as　he　might　partake
of　if　he　were　an　absolute　lord　of　the　country。　Yet　did　not　this
splendor　of　his；　as　frequently　happens；　in　the　least　diminish　in
him　that　kindness　and　fidelity　which　he　owed　to　Hyrcanus。

3。　But　now　the　principal　men　among　the　Jews；　when　they　saw
Antipater　and　his　sons　to　grow　so　much　in　the　good…will　the
nation　bare　to　them；　and　in　the　revenues　which　they　received　out
of　Judea；　and　out　of　Hyrcanus's　own　wealth；　they　became
ill…disposed　to　him；　for　indeed　Antipater　had　contracted　a
friendship　with　the　Roman　emperors；　and　when　he　had　prevailed
with　Hyrcanus　to　send　them　money；　he　took　it　to　himself；　and
purloined　the　present　intended；　and　sent　it　as　if　it　were　his
own；　and　not　Hyrcanus's　gift　to　them。　Hyrcanus　heard　of　this　his
management；　but　took　no　care　about　it；　nay；　he　rather　was　very
glad　of　it。　But　the　chief　men　of　the　Jews　were　therefore　in　fear；
because　they　saw　that　Herod　was　a　violent　and　bold　man；　and　very
desirous　of　acting　tyrannically；　so　they　came　to　Hyrcanus；　and
now　accused　Antipater　openly；　and　said　to　him；　〃How　long　wilt
thou　be　quiet　under　such　actions　as　are　now　done？　Or　dost　thou
not　see　that　Antipater　and　his　sons　have　already　seized　upon　the
government；　and　that　it　is　only　the　name　of　a　king　which　is　given
thee？　But　do　not　thou　suffer　these　things　to　be　hidden　from　thee；
nor　do　thou　think　to　escape　danger　by　being　so　careless　of
thyself　and　of　thy　kingdom；　for　Antipater　and　his　sons　are　not
now　stewards　of　thine　affairs：　do　not　thou　deceive　thyself　with
such　a　notion；　they　are　evidently　absolute　lords；　for　Herod；
Antipater's　son；　hath　slain　Hezekiah；　and　those　that　were　with
him；　and　hath　thereby　transgressed　our　law；　which　hath　forbidden
to　slay　any　man；　even　though　he　were　a　wicked　man；　unless　he　had
been　first　condemned　to　suffer　death　by　the　Sanhedrim　（15）　yet
hath　he　been　so　insolent　as　to　do　this；　and　that　without　any
authority　from　thee。〃

4。　Upon　Hyrcanus　hearing　this；　he　complied　with　them。　The　mothers
also　of　those　that　had　been　slain　by　Herod　raised　his
indignation；　for　those　women　continued　every　day　in　the　temple；
persuading　the　king　and　the　people　that　Herod　might　undergo　a
trial　before　the　Sanhedrim　for　what　he　had　done。　Hyrcanus　was　so
moved　by　these　complaints；　that　he　summoned　Herod　to　come　to　his
trial　for　what　was　charged　upon　him。　Accordingly　he　came；　but　his
father　had　persuaded　him　to　come　not　like　a　private　man；　but　with
a　guard；　for　the　security　of　his　person；　and　that　when　he　had
settled　the　affairs　of　Galilee　in　the　best　manner　he　could　for
his　own　advantage；　he　should　come　to　his　trial；　but　still　with　a
body　of　men　sufficient　for　his　security　on　his　journey；　yet　so
that　he　should　not　come　with　so　great　a　force　as　might　look　like
terrifying　Hyrcanus；　but　still　such　a　one　as　might　not　expose　him
naked　and　unguarded　＇to　his　enemies。＇　However；　Sextus　Caesar；
president　of　Syria；　wrote　to　Hyrcanus；　and　desired　him　to　clear
Herod；　and　dismiss　him　at　his　trial；　and　threatened　him
beforehand　if　he　did　not　do　it。　Which　epistle　of　his　was　the
occasion　of　Hyrcanus　delivering　Herod　from　suffering　any　harm
from　the　Sanhedrim；　for　he　loved　him　as　his　own　son。　But　when
Herod　stood　before　the　Sanhedrim；　with　his　body　of　men　about　him；
he　aftrighted　them　all；　and　no　one　of　his　former　accusers　durst
after　that　bring　any　charge　against　him；　but　there　was　a　deep
silence；　and　nobody　knew　what　was　to　be　done。　When　affairs　stood
thus；　one　whose　name　was　Sameas；　（16）　a　righteous　man　he　was；　and
for　that　reason　above　all　fear；　rose　up；　and　said；　〃O　you　that
are　assessors　with　me；　and　O　thou　that　art　our　king；　I　neither
have　ever　myself　known　such　a　case；　nor　do　I　suppose　that　any　one
of　you　can　name　its　parallel；　that　one　who　is　called　to　take　his
trial　by　us　ever　stood　in　such　a　manner　before　us；　but　every　one；
whosoever　he　be；　that　comes　to　be　tried　by　this　Sanhedrim；
presents　himself　in　a　submissive　manner；　and　like　one　that　is　in
fear　of　himself；　and　that　endeavors　to　move　us　to　compassion；
with　his　hair　dishevelled；　and　in　a　black　and　mourning　garment：
but　this　admirable　man　Herod；　who　is　accused　of　murder；　and
called　to　answer　so　heavy　an　accusation；　stands　here　clothed　in
purple；　and　with　the　hair　of　his　head　finely　trimmed；　and　with
his　armed　men　about　him；　that　if　we　shall　condemn　him　by　our　law；
he　may　slay　us；　and　by　overbearing　justice　may　himself　escape
death。　Yet　do　not　I　make　this　complaint　against　Herod　himself；　he
is　to　be　sure　more　concerned　for　himself　than　for　the　laws；　but
my　complaint　is　against　yourselves；　and　your　king；　who　gave　him　a
license　so　to　do。　However；　take　you　notice；　that　God　is　great；
and　that　this　very　man；　whom　you　are　going　to　absolve　and
dismiss；　for　the　sake　of　Hyrcanus；　will　one　day　punish　both　you
and　your　king　himself　also。〃　Nor　did　Sameas　mistake　in　any　part
of　this　prediction；　for　when　Herod　had　received　the　kingdom；　he
slew　all　the　members　of　this　Sanhedrim；　and　Hyrcanus　himself
also；　excepting　Sameas；　for　he　had　a　great　honor　for　him　on
account　of　his　righteousness；　and　because；　when　the　city　was
afterward　besieged　by　Herod　and　Sosius；　he　persuaded　the　people
to　admit　Herod　into　it；　and　told　them　that　for　their　sins　they
would　not　be　able　to　escape　his　hands：　…　which　things　will　be
related　by　us　in　their　proper　places。

5。　But　when　Hyrcanus　saw　that　the　members　of　the　Sanhedrim　were
ready　to　pronounce　the　sentence　of　death　upon　Herod；　he　put　off
the　trial　to　another　day；　and　s