the antiquities of the jews-1-第275章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


account　of　his　great　impiety；　yet　was　he　still　in　hopes　of
recovering；　though　his　afflictions　seemed　greater　than　any　one
could　bear。　He　also　sent　for　physicians；　and　did　not　refuse　to
follow　what　they　prescribed　for　his　assistance；　and　went　beyond
the　river　Jordan；　and　bathed　himself　in　the　warm　baths　that　were
at　Callirrhoe；　which；　besides　their　other　general　virtues；　were
also　fit　to　drink；　which　water　runs　into　the　lake　called
Asphaltiris。　And　when　the　physicians　once　thought　fit　to　have　him
bathed　in　a　vessel　full　of　oil；　it　was　supposed　that　he　was　just
dying；　but　upon　the　lamentable　cries　of　his　domestics；　he
revived；　and　having　no　longer　the　least　hopes　of　recovering；　he
gave　order　that　every　soldier　should　be　paid　fifty　drachmae；　and
he　also　gave　a　great　deal　to　their　commanders；　and　to　his
friends；　and　came　again　to　Jericho；　where　he　grew　so　choleric；
that　it　brought　him　to　do　all　things　like　a　madman；　and　though　he
were　near　his　death；　he　contrived　the　following　wicked　designs。
He　commanded　that　all　the　principal　men　of　the　entire　Jewish
nation；　wheresoever　they　lived；　should　be　called　to　him。
Accordingly；　they　were　a　great　number　that　came；　because　the
whole　nation　was　called；　and　all　men　heard　of　this　call；　and
death　was　the　penalty　of　such　as　should　despise　the　epistles　that
were　sent　to　call　them。　And　now　the　king　was　in　a　wild　rage
against　them　all；　the　innocent　as　well　as　those　that　had　afforded
ground　for　accusations；　and　when　they　were　come；　he　ordered　them
to　be　all　shut　up　in　the　hyppodrome；　（9）　and　sent　for　his　sister
Salome；　and　her　husband　Alexas；　and　spake　thus　to　them：　〃I　shall
die　in　a　little　time；　so　great　are　my　pains；　which　death　ought　to
be　cheerfully　borne；　and　to　be　welcomed　by　all　men；　but　what
principally　troubles　me　is　this；　that　I　shall　die　without　being
lamented；　and　without　such　mourning　as　men　usually　expect　at　a
king's　death。　For　that　he　was　not　unacquainted　with　the　temper　of
the　Jews；　that　his　death　would　be　a　thing　very　desirable；　and
exceedingly　acceptable　to　them；　because　during　his　lifetime　they
were　ready　to　revolt　from　him；　and　to　abuse　the　donations　he　had
dedicated　to　God　that　it　therefore　was　their　business　to　resolve
to　afford　him　some　alleviation　of　his　great　sorrows　on　this
occasion；　for　that　if　they　do　not　refuse　him　their　consent　in
what　he　desires；　he　shall　have　a　great　mourning　at　his　funeral；
and　such　as　never　had　any　king　before　him；　for　then　the　whole
nation　would　mourn　from　their　very　soul；　which　otherwise　would　be
done　in　sport　and　mockery　only。　He　desired　therefore；　that　as
soon　as　they　see　he　hath　given　up　the　ghost；　they　shall　place
soldiers　round　the　hippodrome；　while　they　do　not　know　that　he　is
dead；　and　that　they　shall　not　declare　his　death　to　the　multitude
till　this　is　done；　but　that　they　shall　give　orders　to　have　those
that　are　in　custody　shot　with　their　darts；　and　that　this
slaughter　of　them　all　will　cause　that　he　shall　not　miss　to
rejoice　on　a　double　account；　that　as　he　is　dying；　they　will　make
him　secure　that　his　will　shall　be　executed　in　what　he　charges
them　to　do；　and　that　he　shall　have　the　honor　of　a　memorable
mourning　at　his　funeral。　So　he　deplored　his　condition；　with　tears
in　his　eyes；　and　obtested　them　by　the　kindness　due　from　them；　as
of　his　kindred；　and　by　the　faith　they　owed　to　God；　and　begged　of
them　that　they　would　not　hinder　him　of　this　honorable　mourning　at
his　funeral。　So　they　promised　him　not　to　transgress　his　commands。

6。　Now　any　one　may　easily　discover　the　temper　of　this　man's　mind；
which　not　only　took　pleasure　in　doing　what　he　had　done　formerly
against　his　relations；　out　of　the　love　of　life；　but　by　those
commands　of　his　which　savored　of　no　humanity；　since　he　took　care；
when　he　was　departing　out　of　this　life；　that　the　whole　nation
should　be　put　into　mourning；　and　indeed　made　desolate　of　their
dearest　kindred；　when　he　gave　order　that　one　out　of　every　family
should　be　slain；　although　they　had　done　nothing　that　was　unjust；
or　that　was　against　him；　nor　were　they　accused　of　any　other
crimes；　while　it　is　usual　for　those　who　have　any　regard　to　virtue
to　lay　aside　their　hatred　at　such　a　time；　even　with　respect　to
those　they　justly　esteemed　their　enemies。

CHAPTER　7。

Herod　Has　Thoughts　Of　Killing　Himself　With　His　Own　Hand；　And　A
Little　Afterwards　He　Orders　Antipater　To　Be　Slain。

1。　As　he　was　giving　these　commands　to　his　relations；　there　came
letters　from　his　ambassadors；　who　had　been　sent　to　Rome　unto
Caesar；　which；　when　they　were　read；　their　purport　was　this：　That
Acme　was　slain　by　Caesar；　out　of　his　indignation　at　what　hand；
she　had　in　Antipater's　wicked　practices；　and　that　as　to　Antipater
himself；　Caesar　left　it　to　Herod　to　act　as　became　a　father　and　a
king；　and　either　to　banish　him；　or　to　take　away　his　life；　which
he　pleased。　When　Herod　heard　this；　he　was　some…what　better；　out
of　the　pleasure　he　had　from　the　contents　of　the　letters；　and　was
elevated　at　the　death　of　Acme；　and　at　the　power　that　was　given
him　over　his　son；　but　as　his　pains　were　become　very　great；　he　was
now　ready　to　faint　for　want　of　somewhat　to　eat；　so　he　called　for
an　apple　and　a　knife；　for　it　was　his　custom　formerly　to　pare　the
apple　himself；　and　soon　afterwards　to　cut　it；　and　eat　it。　When　he
had　got　the　knife；　he　looked　about；　and　had　a　mind　to　stab
himself　with　it；　and　he　had　done　it；　had　not　his　first　cousin；
Achiabus；　prevented　him；　and　held　his　hand；　and　cried　out　loudly。
Whereupon　a　woeful　lamentation　echoed　through　the　palace；　and　a
great　tumult　was　made；　as　if　the　king　were　dead。　Upon　which
Antipater；　who　verily　believed　his　father　was　deceased；　grew　bold
in　his　discourse；　as　hoping　to　be　immediately　and　entirely
released　from　his　bonds；　and　to　take　the　kingdom　into　his　hands
without　any　more　ado；　so　he　discoursed　with　the　jailer　about
letting　him　go；　and　in　that　case　promised　him　great　things；　both
now　and　hereafter；　as　if　that　were　the　only　thing　now　in
question。　But　the　jailer　did　not　only　refuse　to　do　what　Antipater
would　have　him；　but　informed　the　king　of　his　intentions；　and　how
many　solicitations　he　had　had　from　him　＇of　that　nature＇。　Hereupon
Herod；　who　had　formerly　no　affection　nor　good…will　towards　his
son　to　restrain　him；　when　he　heard　what　the　jailer　said；　he　cried
out；　and　beat　his　head；　although　he　was　at　death's　door；　and
raised　himself　upon　his　elbow；　and　sent　for　some　of　his　guards；
and　commanded　them　to　kill　Antipater　without　tiny　further　delay；
and　to　do　it　presently；　and　to　bury　him　in　an　ignoble　manner　at
Hyrcania。

CHAPTER　8。

Concerning　Herod's　Death；　And　Testament；　And　Burial。

1。　And　now　Herod　altered　his　testament　upon　the　alteration　of　his
mind；　for　he　appointed　Antipas；　to　whom　he　had　before　left　the
kingdom；　to　be　tetrarch　of　Galilee　and　Perea；　and　granted　the
kingdom　to　Archclaus。　He　also　gave　Gaulonitis；　and　Trachonitis；
and　Paneas　to　Philip；　who　was　his　son；　but　own　brother　to
Archclaus　（10）　by　the　name　of　a　tetrarchy；　and　bequeathed
Jarnnia；　and　Ashdod；　and　Phasaelis　to　Salome　his　sister；　with
five　hundred　thousand　＇drachmae＇　of　silver　that　was　coined。　He
also　made　provision　for　all　the　rest　of　his　kindred；　by　giving
them　sums　of　money　and　annual　revenues；　and　so　left　them　all　in　a
wealthy　condition。　He　bequeathed　also　to　Caesar　ten　millions　＇of
drachmae＇　of　coined　money；　besides　both　vessels　of　gold　and
silver；　and　garments　exceeding　costly；　to　Julia；　Caesar's　wife；
and　to　certain　others；　five　millions。　When　he　had　done　these
things；　he　died；　the　fifth　day　after　he　had　caused　Antipater　to
be　slain；　having　reigned；　since　he　had　procured　Antigonus　to　be
slain；　thirty…four　years；　but　since　he　had　been　declared　king　by
the　Romans；　thirty…seven。　（11）　A　man　he　was　of　great　barbarity
towards　all　men　equally；　and　a　slave　to　his　passion；　but　above
the　consideration　of　what　was　right；　yet　was　he　favored　by
fortune　as　much　as　any　man　ever　was；　for　from　a　private　man　he
became　a　king；　and　though　he　were　encompassed　with　ten　thousand
dangers；　he　got　clear　of　them　all；　and　continued　his　life　till　a
very　old　age。　But　then；　as　to　the　affairs　of　his　family　and
children；　in　which　indeed；　according　to　his　own　opinion；　he　wa