the antiquities of the jews-1-第263章

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time　grew　much　worse；　for　it　now　appeared　certain；　nor　was　it
unforeseen　before…hand；　that　fortune　threatened　the　greatest　and
most　insupportable　misfortunes　possible　to　his　kingdom。　Its
progress　and　augmentation　at　this　time　arose　on　the　occasion
following：　One　Eurycles；　a　Lacedemonian；　（a　person　of　note　there；
but　a　man　of　a　perverse　mind；　and　so　cunning　in　his　ways　of
voluptuousness　and　flattery；　as　to　indulge　both；　and　yet　seem　to
indulge　neither　of　them；）　came　in　his　travels　to　Herod；　and　made
him　presents；　but　so　that　he　received　more　presents　from　him。　He
also　took　such　proper　seasons　for　insinuating　himself　into　his
friendship；　that　he　became　one　of　the　most　intimate　of　the　king's
friends。　He　had　his　lodging　in　Antipater's　house；　but　he　had　not
only　access；　but　free　conversation；　with　Alexander；　as　pretending
to　him　that　he　was　in　great　favor　with　Archclaus；　the　king　of
Cappadocia；　whence　he　pretended　much　respect　to　Glaphyra；　and　in
an　occult　manner　cultivated　a　friendship　with　them　all；　but
always　attending　to　what　was　said　and　done；　that　he　might　be
furnished　with　calumnies　to　please　them　all。　In　short；　he　behaved
himself　so　to　every　body　in　his　conversation；　as　to　appear　to　be
his　particular　friend；　and　he　made　others　believe　that　his　being
any　where　was　for　that　person's　advantage。　So　he　won　upon
Alexander；　who　was　but　young；　and　persuaded　him　that　he　might
open　his　grievances　to　him　with　assurance　and　with　nobody　else。
So　he　declared　his　grief　to　him；　how　his　father　was　alienated
from　him。　He　related　to　him　also　the　affairs　of　his　mother；　and
of　Antipater；　that　he　had　driven　them　from　their　proper　dignity；
and　had　the　power　over　every　thing　himself；　that　no　part　of　this
was　tolerable；　since　his　father　was　already　come　to　hate　them；
and　he　added；　that　he　would　neither　admit　them　to　his　table；　nor
to　his　conversation。　Such　were　the　complaints；　as　was　but
natural；　of　Alexander　about　the　things　that　troubled　him；　and
these　discourses　Eurycles　carried　to　Antipater；　and　told　him　he
did　not　inform　him　of　this　on　his　own　account；　but　that　being
overcome　by　his　kindness；　the　great　importance　of　the　thing
obliged　him　to　do　it；　and　he　warned　him　to　have　a　care　of
Alexander；　for　that　what　he　said　was　spoken　with　vehemency；　and
that；　in　consequence　of　what　he　said；　he　would　certainly　kill　him
with　his　own　hand。　Whereupon　Antipater；　thinking　him　to　be　his
friend　by　this　advice；　gave　him　presents　upon　all　occasions；　and
at　length　persuaded　him　to　inform　Herod　of　what　he　had　heard。　So
when　he　related　to　the　king　Alexander's　ill　temper；　as　discovered
by　the　words　he　had　heard　him　speak；　he　was　easily　believed　by
him；　and　he　thereby　brought　the　king　to　that　pass；　turning　him
about　by　his　words；　and　irritating　him；　till　he　increased　his
hatred　to　him　and　made　him　implacable；　which　he　showed　at　that
very　time；　for　he　immediately　gave　Eurycles　a　present　of　fifty
talents；　who；　when　he　had　gotten　them；　went　to　Archclaus；　king　of
Cappadocia；　and　commended　Alexander　before　him；　and　told　him　that
he　had　been　many　ways　of　advantage　to　him；　in　making　a
reconciliation　between　him　and　his　father。　So　he　got　money　from
him　also；　and　went　away；　before　his　pernicious　practices　were
found　out；　but　when　Eurycles　was　returned　to　Lacedemon；　he　did
not　leave　off　doing　mischief；　and　so；　for　his　many　acts　of
injustice；　he　was　banished　from　his　own　country。

2。　But　as　for　the　king　of　the　Jews；　he　was　not　now　in　the　temper
he　was　in　formerly　towards　Alexander　and　Aristobulus；　when　he　had
been　content　with　the　hearing　their　calumnies　when　others　told
him　of　them；　but　he　was　now　come　to　that　pass　as　to　hate　them
himself；　and　to　urge　men　to　speak　against　them；　though　they　did
not　do　it　of　themselves。　He　also　observed　all　that　was　said；　and
put　questions；　and　gave　ear　to　every　one　that　would　but　speak；　if
they　could　but　say　any　thing　against　them；　till　at　length　he
heard　that　Euaratus　of　Cos　was　a　conspirator　with　Alexander；
which　thing　to　Herod　was　the　most　agreeable　and　sweetest　news
imaginable。

3。　But　still　a　greater　misfortune　came　upon　the　young　men；　while
the　calumnies　against　them　were　continually　increased；　and；　as　a
man　may　say；　one　would　think　it　was　every　one's　endeavor　to　lay
some　grievous　thing　to　their　charge；　which　might　appear　to　be　for
the　king's　preservation。　There　were　two　guards　of　Herod's　body；
who　were　in　great　esteem　for　their　strength　and　tallness；
Jucundus　and　Tyrannus；　these　men　had　been　cast　off　by　Herod；　who
was　displeased　at　them；　these　now　used　to　ride　along　with
Alexander；　and　for　their　skill　in　their　exercises　were　in　great
esteem　with　him；　and　had　some　gold　and　other　gifts　bestowed　on
them。　Now　the　king　having　an　immediate　suspicion　of　those　men；
had　them　tortured；　who　endured　the　torture　courageously　for　a
long　time；　but　at　last　confessed　that　Alexander　would　have
persuaded　them　to　kill　Herod；　when　he　was　in　pursuit　of　the　wild
beasts；　that　it　might　be　said　he　fell　from　his　horse；　and　was　run
through　with　his　own　spear；　for　that　he　had　once　such　a
misfortune　formerly。　They　also　showed　where　there　was　money
hidden　in　the　stable　under　ground；　and　these　convicted　the　king's
chief　hunter；　that　he　had　given　the　young　men　the　royal　hunting
spears　and　weapons　to　Alexander's　dependents；　at　Alexander's
command。

4。　After　these；　the　commander　of　the　garrison　of　Alexandrium　was
caught　and　tortured；　for　he　was　accused　to　have　promised　to
receive　the　young　men　into　his　fortress；　and　to　supply　them　with
that　money　of　the　king's　which　was　laid　up　in　that　fortress；　yet
did　not　he　acknowledge　any　thing　of　it　himself；　but　his　son　came
ill；　and　said　it　was　so；　and　delivered　up　the　writing；　which；　so
far　as　could　be　guessed；　was　in　Alexander's　hand。　Its　contents
were　these：　〃When　we　have　finished；　by　God's　help；　all　that　we
have　proposed　to　do；　we　will　come　to　you；　but　do　your　endeavors；
as　you　have　promised；　to　receive　us　into　your　fortress。〃　After
this　writing　was　produced；　Herod　had　no　doubt　about　the
treacherous　designs　of　his　sons　against　him。　But　Alexander　said
that　Diophantus　the　scribe　had　imitated　his　hand；　and　that　the
paper　was　maliciously　drawn　up　by　Antipater；　for　Diophantus
appeared　to　be　very　cunning　in　such　practices；　and　as　he　was
afterward　convicted　of　forging　other　papers；　he　was　put　to　death
for　it。

5。　So　the　king　produced　those　that　had　been　tortured　before　the
multitude　at　Jericho；　in　order　to　have　them　accuse　the　young　men；
which　accusers　many　of　the　people　stoned　to　death；　and　when　they
were　going　to　kill　Alexander　and　Aristobulus　likewise；　the　king
would　not　permit　them　to　do　so；　but　restrained　the　multitude；　by
the　means　of　Ptolemy　and　Pheroras。　However；　the　young　men　were
put　under　a　guard；　and　kept　in　custody；　that　nobody　might　come　at
them；　and　all　that　they　did　or　said　was　watched；　and　the　reproach
and　fear　they　were　in　was　little　or　nothing　different　from　those
of　condemned　criminals：　and　one　of　them；　who　was　Aristobulus；　was
so　deeply　affected；　that　he　brought　Salome；　who　was　his　aunt；　and
his　mother…in…law；　to　lament　with　him　for　his　calamities；　and　to
hate　him　who　had　suffered　things　to　come　to　that　pass；　when　he
said　to　her；　〃Art　thou　not　in　danger　of　destruction　also；　while
the　report　goes　that　thou　hadst　disclosed　beforehand　all　our
affairs　to　Syllcus；　when　thou　wast　in　hopes　of　being　married　to
him？〃　But　she　immediately　carried　these　words　to　her　brother。
Upon　this　he　was　out　of　patience；　and　gave　command　to　bind　him；
and　enjoined　them　both；　now　they　were　kept　separate　one　from　the
other；　to　write　down　the　ill　things　they　had　done　against　their
father；　and　bring　the　writings　to　him；　So　when　this　was　enjoined
them；　they　wrote　this；　that　they　had　laid　no　treacherous　designs；
nor　made　any　preparations　against　their　father；　but　that　they　had
intended　to　fly　away；　and　that　by　the　distress　they　were　in；
their　lives　being　now　uncertain　and　tedious　to　them。

6。　About　this　time　there　came　an　ambassador　out　of　Cappadocia
from　Archelaus；　whose　name　was　Melas；　he　was　one　of　the　principal
rulers　under　him。　So　Herod；　being　desirous　to　show　Archelaus's
ill…will　to　him；　called　for　Alexander；　as　h