the antiquities of the jews-1-第236章

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took　some　parts　of　each　of　those　countries　away　from　their　former
governors；　and　gave　them　to　her。　Thus　he　gave　her　the　cities　that
were　within　the　river　Eleutherus；　as　far　as　Egypt；　excepting　Tyre
and　Sidon；　which　he　knew　to　have　been　free　cities　from　their
ancestors；　although　she　pressed　him　very　often　to　bestow　those　on
her　also。

2。　When　Cleopatra　had　obtained　thus　much；　and　had　accompanied
Antony　in　his　expedition　to　Armenia　as　far　as　Euphrates；　she
returned　back；　and　came　to　Apamia　and　Damascus；　and　passed　on　to
Judea；　where　Herod　met　her；　and　farmed　of　her　parts　of　Arabia；
and　those　revenues　that　came　to　her　from　the　region　about
Jericho。　This　country　bears　that　balsam；　which　is　the　most
precious　drug　that　is　there；　and　grows　there　alone。　The　place
bears　also　palm　trees；　both　many　in　number；　and　those　excellent
in　their　kind。　When　she　was　there；　and　was　very　often　with　Herod；
she　endeavored　to　have　criminal　conversation　with　the　king；　nor
did　she　affect　secrecy　in　the　indulgence　of　such　sort　of
pleasures；　and　perhaps　she　had　in　some　measure　a　passion　of　love
to　him；　or　rather；　what　is　most　probable；　she　laid　a　treacherous
snare　for　him；　by　aiming　to　obtain　such　adulterous　conversation
from　him：　however；　upon　the　whole；　she　seemed　overcome　with　love
to　him。　Now　Herod　had　a　great　while　borne　no　good…will　to
Cleopatra；　as　knowing　that　she　was　a　woman　irksome　to　all；　and　at
that　time　he　thought　her　particularly　worthy　of　his　hatred；　if
this　attempt　proceeded　out　of　lust；　he　had　also　thought　of
preventing　her　intrigues；　by　putting　her　to　death；　if　such　were
her　endeavors。　However；　he　refused　to　comply　with　her　proposals；
and　called　a　counsel　of　his　friends　to　consult　with　them　whether
he　should　not　kill　her；　now　he　had　her　in　his　power；　for　that　he
should　thereby　deliver　all　those　from　a　multitude　of　evils　to
whom　she　was　already　become　irksome；　and　was　expected　to　be　still
so　for　the　time　to　come；　and　that　this　very　thing　would　be　much
for　the　advantage　of　Antony　himself；　since　she　would　certainly
not　be　faithful　to　him；　in　case　any　such　season　or　necessity
should　come　upon　him　as　that　he　should　stand　in　need　of　her
fidelity。　But　when　he　thought　to　follow　this　advice；　his　friends
would　not　let　him；　and　told　him　that；　in　the　first　place；　it　was
not　right　to　attempt　so　great　a　thing；　and　run　himself　thereby
into　the　utmost　danger；　and　they　laid　hard　at　him；　and　begged　of
him　to　undertake　nothing　rashly；　for　that　Antony　would　never　bear
it；　no；　not　though　any　one　should　evidently　lay　before　his　eyes
that　it　was　for　his　own　advantage；　and　that　the　appearance　of
depriving　him　of　her　conversation；　by　this　violent　and
treacherous　method；　would　probably　set　his　affections　more　on　a
flame　than　before。　Nor　did　it　appear　that　he　could　offer　any
thing　of　tolerable　weight　in　his　defense；　this　attempt　being
against　such　a　woman　as　was　of　the　highest　dignity　of　any　of　her
sex　at　that　time　in　the　world；　and　as　to　any　advantage　to　be
expected　from　such　an　undertaking；　if　any　such　could　be　supposed
in　this　case；　it　would　appear　to　deserve　condemnation；　on　account
of　the　insolence　he　must　take　upon　him　in　doing　it：　which
considerations　made　it　very　plain　that　in　so　doing　he　would　find
his　government　filled　with　mischief；　both　great　and　lasting；　both
to　himself　and　his　posterity；　whereas　it　was　still　in　his　power
to　reject　that　wickedness　she　would　persuade　him　to；　and　to　come
off　honorably　at　the　same　time。　So　by　thus　affrighting　Herod；　and
representing　to　him　the　hazard　he　must；　in　all　probability；　run
by　this　undertaking；　they　restrained　him　from　it。　So　he　treated
Cleopatra　kindly；　and　made　her　presents；　and　conducted　her　on　her
way　to　Egypt。

3。　But　Antony　subdued　Armenia；　and　sent　Artabazes；　the　son　of
Tigranes；　in　bonds；　with　his　children　and　procurators；　to　Egypt；
and　made　a　present　of　them；　and　of　all　the　royal　ornaments　which
he　had　taken　out　of　that　kingdom；　to　Cleopatra。　And　Artaxias；　the
eldest　of　his　sons；　who　had　escaped　at　that　time；　took　the
kingdom　of　Armenia；　who　yet　was　ejected　by　Archclaus　and　Nero
Caesar；　when　they　restored　Tigranes；　his　younger　brother；　to　that
kingdom；　but　this　happened　a　good　while　afterward。

4。　But　then；　as　to　the　tributes　which　Herod　was　to　pay　Cleopatra
for　that　country　which　Antony　had　given　her；　he　acted　fairly　with
her；　as　deeming　it　not　safe　for　him　to　afford　any　cause　for
Cleopatra　to　hate　him。　As　for　the　king　of　Arabia；　whose　tribute
Herod　had　undertaken　to　pay　her；　for　some　time　indeed　he　paid　him
as　much　as　came　to　two　hundred　talents；　but　he　afterwards　became
very　niggardly　and　slow　in　his　payments；　and　could　hardly　be
brought　to　pay　some　parts　of　it；　and　was　not　willing　to　pay　even
them　without　some　deductions。

CHAPTER　5。

How　Herod　Made　War　With　The　King　Of　Arabia；　And　After　They　Had
Fought　Many　Battles；　At　Length　Conquered　Him；　And　Was　Chosen　By
The　Arabs　To　Be　Governor　Of　That　Nation；　As　Also　Concerning　A
Great　Earthquake。

1。　Hereupon　Herod　held　himself　ready　to　go　against　the　king　of
Arabia；　because　of　his　ingratitude　to　him；　and　because；　after
all；　he　would　do　nothing　that　was　just　to　him；　although　Herod
made　the　Roman　war　an　occasion　of　delaying　his　own；　for　the
battle　at　Actium　was　now　expected；　which　fell　into　the　hundred
eighty　and　seventh　olympiad；　where　Caesar　and　Antony　were　to
fight　for　the　supreme　power　of　the　world；　but　Herod　having
enjoyed　a　country　that　was　very　fruitful；　and　that　now　for　a　long
time；　and　having　received　great　taxes；　and　raised　great　armies
therewith；　got　together　a　body　of　men；　and　carefully　furnished
them　with　all　necessaries；　and　designed　them　as　auxiliaries　for
Antony。　But　Antony　said　he　had　no　want　of　his　assistance；　but　he
commanded　him　to　punish　the　king　of　Arabia；　for　he　had　heard　both
from　him；　and　from　Cleopatra；　how　perfidious　he　was；　for　this　was
what　Cleopatra　desired；　who　thought　it　for　her　own　advantage　that
these　two　kings　should　do　one　another　as　great　mischief　as
possible。　Upon　this　message　from　Antony；　Herod　returned　back；　but
kept　his　army　with　him；　in　order　to　invade　Arabia　immediately。　So
when　his　army　of　horsemen　and　footmen　was　ready；　he　marched　to
Diospolis；　whither　the　Arabians　came　also　to　meet　them；　for　they
were　not　unapprized　of　this　war　that　was　coming　upon　them；　and
after　a　great　battle　had　been　fought；　the　Jews　had　the　victory。
But　afterward　there　were　gotten　together　another　numerous　army　of
the　Arabians；　at　Cana；　which　is　a　place　of　Celesyria。　Herod　was
informed　of　this　beforehand；　so　he　came　marching　against　them
with　the　greatest　part　of　the　forces　he　had；　and　when　he　was　come
near　to　Cana；　he　resolved　to　encamp　himself；　and　he　cast　up　a
bulwark；　that　he　might　take　a　proper　season　for　attacking　the
enemy；　but　as　he　was　giving　those　orders；　the　multitude　of　the
Jews　cried　out　that　he　should　make　no　delay；　but　lead　them
against　the　Arabians。　They　went　with　great　spirit；　as　believing
they　were　in　very　good　order；　and　those　especially　were　so　that
had　been　in　the　former　battle；　and　had　been　conquerors；　and　had
not　permitted　their　enemies　so　much　as　to　come　to　a　close　fight
with　them。　And　when　they　were　so　tumultuous；　and　showed　such
great　alacrity；　the　king　resolved　to　make　use　of　that　zeal　the
multitude　then　exhibited；　and　when　he　had　assured　them　he　would
not　be　behindhand　with　them　in　courage；　he　led　them　on；　and　stood
before　them　all　in　his　armor；　all　the　regiments　following　him　in
their　several　ranks：　whereupon　a　consternation　fell　upon　the
Arabians；　for　when　they　perceived　that　the　Jews　were　not　to　be
conquered；　and　were　full　of　spirit；　the　greater　part　of　them　ran
away；　and　avoided　fighting；　and　they　had　been　quite　destroyed；
had　not　Anthony　fallen　upon　the　Jews；　and　distressed　them；　for
this　man　was　Cleopatra's　general　over　the　soldiers　she　had　there；
and　was　at　enmity　with　Herod；　and　very　wistfully　looked　on　to　see
what　the　event　of　the　battle　would　be。　He　had　also　resolved；　that
in　case　the　Arabians　did　any　thing　that　was　brave　and　successful；
he　would　lie　still；　but　in　case　they　were　beaten；　as　it　really
happened；　he　would　attack　the　Jews　with　those　forces　he　had　of
his　own；　and　with