155. And with such discourses as this did these men excite the young men to this action; and a report being come to them that the king was dead, this was an addition to the wise men’s persuasions; so, in the very middle of the day, they got upon the place, they pulled down the eagle, and cut it into pieces with axes, while a great number of the people were in the temple. And now the king’s captain, upon hearing what the undertaking was, and supposing it was a thing of a higher nature than it proved to be, came up thither, having a great band of soldiers with him, such as was sufficient to put a stop to the multitude of those who pulled down what was dedicated to God; so he fell upon them unexpectedly, and as they were upon this bold attempt, in a foolish presumption rather than a cautious circumspection, as is usual with the multitude, and while they were in disorder, and incautious of what was for their advantage; so he caught no fewer than forty of the young men, who had the courage to stay behind when the rest ran away, together with the authors of this bold attempt, Judas and Matthius, who thought it an ignominious thing to retire upon his approach, and led them to the king. And when they were come to the king, and he asked them if they had been so bold as to pull down what he had dedicated to God, “Yes, (said they,) what was contrived we contrived, and what hath been performed we performed it, and that with such a virtuous courage as becomes men; for we have given our assistance to those things which were dedicated to the majesty of God, and we have provided for what we have learned by hearing the law; and it ought not to be wondered at, if we esteem those laws which Moses had suggested to him, and were taught him by God, and which he wrote and left behind him, more worthy of observation than thy commands. Accordingly we will undergo death, and all sorts of punishments which thou canst inflict upon us, with pleasure, since we are conscious to ourselves that we shall die, not for any unrighteous actions, but for our love to religion.” And thus they all said, and their courage was still equal to their profession, and equal to that with which they readily set about this undertaking. And when the king had ordered them to be bound, he sent them to Jericho, and called together the principal men among the Jews; and when they were come, he made them assemble in the theater, and because he could not himself stand, he lay upon a couch, and enumerated the many labors that he had long endured on their account, and his building of the temple, and what a vast charge that was to him; while the Asamoneans, during the hundred and twenty-five years of their government, had not been able to perform any so great a work for the honor of God as that was; that he had also adorned it with very valuable donations, on which account he hoped that he had left himself a memorial, and procured himself a reputation after his death. He then cried out, that these men had not abstained from affronting him, even in his lifetime, but that in the very day time, and in the sight of the multitude, they had abused him to that degree, as to fall upon what he had dedicated, and in that way of abuse had pulled it down to the ground. They pretended, indeed, that they did it to affront him; but if any one consider the thing truly, they will find that they were guilty of sacrilege against God therein.
155. Καὶ οἱ μὲν τοιούτοις λόγοις ἐξῆραν τοὺς νέους. ἀφικνεῖται δὲ λόγος εἰς αὐτοὺς τεθνάναι φράζων τὸν βασιλέα καὶ συνέπραττε τοῖς σοφισταῖς. καὶ μέσης ἡμέρας ἀνελθόντες κατέσπων τε καὶ πελέκεσιν ἐξέκοψαν τὸν ἀετὸν πολλῶν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ διατριβόντων. καὶ ὁ στρατηγὸς τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀγγέλλεται γὰρ ἡ ἐπιχείρησις πρὸς αὐτόν, ἀπὸ μείζονος διανοίας ἢ ἐπράσσετο ὑπολαβὼν ἄνεισι χεῖρα πολλὴν ἀγόμενος, ὁπόσοι ἀνθέξοιεν τῷ πλήθει τῶν πειρωμένων καθαιρεῖν τὸ ἀνάθημα, ἐπιπεσών τε μὴ προσδεχομένοις, ἀλλʼ ὁποῖα ὄχλος φιλεῖ δόξῃ μᾶλλον ἀμαθεῖ ἢ προνοίᾳ ἀσφαλεῖ τετολμηκότας, ἀσυντάκτοις τε καὶ μηδὲν τοῦ ὀνήσοντος προανεσκοπημένοις, τῶν τε νέων οὐκ ἐλάσσους τεσσαράκοντα ἀνδρῶν, οἳ θάρσει ἔμενον ἐπιόντα ἐς φυγὴν τοῦ λοιποῦ πλήθους καταστάντος, λαμβάνει καὶ τοὺς εἰσηγητὰς τοῦ τολμήματος Ἰούδαν καὶ Ματθίαν ἄδοξον ἡγουμένους ὑποχωρεῖν τὴν ἔφοδον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνήγαγεν ἐπὶ τὸν βασιλέα. ἐρομένου δὲ ἐπεὶ ἀφίκοντο ἐπʼ αὐτὸν τοῦ βασιλέως, εἰ τολμήσειαν αὐτοῦ τὸ ἀνάθημα καθελεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πεφρόνηταί γε ἡμῖν τὰ φρονηθέντα καὶ πέπρακται τὰ πεπραγμένα μετʼ ἀρετῆς ἀνδράσι πρεπωδεστάτης· τοῦ τε γὰρ θείου τῇ ἀξιώσει βεβοήθηται ὑφʼ ἡμῶν καὶ τοῦ νόμου ἠκρόατο τὸ σῶφρον, θαυμαστόν τε οὐδέν, εἰ τῶν σῶν δογμάτων ἀξιωτέρους τετηρῆσθαι ἡγησάμεθα νόμους, οὓς Μωσῆς ὑπαγορεύσει καὶ διδαχῇ τοῦ θεοῦ γραψάμενος κατέλιπεν. ἡδονῇ τε τὸν θάνατον οἴσομεν καὶ τιμωρίαν ἥντινα ἐπιβάλοις διὰ τὸ μὴ ἐπʼ ἀδίκοις ἔργοις, ἀλλὰ φιλίᾳ τοῦ εὐσεβοῦς μέλλειν συνείσεσθαι τὸ ἐφομιλῆσον αὐτοῦ. καὶ οἱ μὲν ταῦτα πάντες ἔλεγον οὐδὲν ἐλλιπεστέρᾳ τῇ τόλμῃ τοῦ λόγου χρώμενοι, ᾗ θαρσήσαντες τὸ ἔργον πράττειν οὐκ ἀπετράποντο. βασιλεὺς δὲ αὐτοὺς καταδήσας μετέπεμπεν εἰς Ἱεριχοῦντα Ἰουδαίων τοὺς ἐν τέλει, καὶ παραγενομένων ἐξεκλησίασεν εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ θέατρον ἐπὶ κλινιδίου κείμενος ἀδυναμίᾳ τοῦ στῆναι, γωνεῖστων τε ἐφόσον αἵτινες ἦσαν ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς γεγονυῖαι ἀνηριθμεῖτο, καὶ τοῦ ναοῦ τὴν κατασκευὴν ὡς μεγάλοις τέλεσι τοῖς αὐτοῦ γένοιτο μὴ δυνηθέντων ἔτεσιν ἑκατὸν εἰκοσιπέντε τῶν Ἀσαμωναίου ἐν οἷς ἐβασίλευον τοιόνδε τι ἐπὶ τιμῇ πρᾶξαι τοῦ θεοῦ, κοσμῆσαι δὲ καὶ ἀναθήμασιν ἀξιολόγοις. ἀνθʼ ὧν ἐλπίδα μὲν αὐτῷ γενέσθαι κἂν μεθὸ θάνοι καταλελείψεσθαι μνήμην τε αὐτοῦ καὶ εὔκλειαν. κατεβόα τε ἤδη, διότι μηδὲ ζῶντα ὑβρίζειν ἀπόσχοιντο εἰς αὐτόν, ἀλλʼ ἡμέρας τε καὶ ἐν ὄψει τῆς πληθύος ὕβρει χρωμένους ἅψασθαι τῶν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ ἀνακειμένων καὶ καθαίρεσιν ὑβρίζοντάς τε ποιεῖσθαι, λόγῳ μὲν εἰς αὐτόν, ἀλήθειαν δὲ εἴ τις ἐξετάζοι τοῦ γεγονότος ἱεροσυλοῦντας.
164. But the people, on account of Herod’s barbarous temper, and for fear he should be so cruel and to inflict punishment on them, said what was done was done without their approbation, and that it seemed to them that the actors might well be punished for what they had done. But as for Herod, he dealt more mildly with others [of the assembly] but he deprived Matthias of the high priesthood, as in part an occasion of this action, and made Joazar, who was Matthias’s wife’s brother, high priest in his stead. Now it happened, that during the time of the high priesthood of this Matthias, there was another person made high priest for a single day, that very day which the Jews observed as a fast. The occasion was this: This Matthias the high priest, on the night before that day when the fast was to be celebrated, seemed, in a dream, to have conversation with his wife; and because he could not officiate himself on that account, Joseph, the son of Ellemus, his kinsman, assisted him in that sacred office. But Herod deprived this Matthias of the high priesthood, and burnt the other Matthias, who had raised the sedition, with his companions, alive. And that very night there was an eclipse of the moon.
164. Οἱ δὲ διὰ τὴν ὠμότητα αὐτοῦ, μὴ δὴ καὶ κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐξαγριώσας εἰσπράττοιτο τιμωρίαν, οὔτε γνώμῃ ἔφασαν αὐτὰ πεπρᾶχθαι τῇ αὐτῶν, φαίνεσθαί τε αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἀπηλλαγμένα κολάσεως αὐτὰ εἶναι. ὁ δὲ τοῖς μὲν ἄλλοις πραϋτέρως ἔσχεν, Ματθίαν δὲ τὸν ἀρχιερέα παύσας ἱερᾶσθαι ὡς αἴτιον τοῦ μέρους τούτων γεγονότα καθίστα Ἰωάζαρον ἀρχιερέα, ἀδελφὸν γυναικὸς τῆς αὐτοῦ. ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ Μαθθίου τούτου ἱερωμένου συμβαίνει καὶ ἕτερον ἀρχιερέα καταστῆναι πρὸς μίαν ἡμέραν, ἣν Ἰουδαῖοι νηστείαν ἄγουσιν. αἰτία δʼ ἐστὶν ἥδε· ὁ Ματθίας ἱερώμενος ἐν νυκτὶ τῇ φερούσῃ εἰς ἡμέραν, ᾗ ἡ νηστεία ἐνίστατο, ἔδοξεν ἐν ὀνείρατι ὡμιληκέναι [γυναικί], καὶ διὰ τόδε οὐ δυναμένου ἱερουργεῖν Ἰώσηπος ὁ τοῦ Ἐλλήμου συνιεράσατο αὐτῷ συγγενὴς ὤν. Ἡρώδης δὲ τόν τε Ματθίαν ἐπεπαύκει τῆς ἀρχιερωσύνης καὶ τὸν ἕτερον Ματθίαν, ὃς ἐγηγέρκει τὴν στάσιν, καὶ ἄνδρας ἐκ τῶν ἑταίρων αὐτοῦ ἔκαυσεν ζώους. καὶ ἡ σελήνη δὲ τῇ αὐτῇ νυκτὶ ἐξέλιπεν.
168. But now Herod’s distemper greatly increased upon him after a severe manner, and this by God’s judgment upon him for his sins; for a fire glowed in him slowly, which did not so much appear to the touch outwardly, as it augmented his pains inwardly; for it brought upon him a vehement appetite to eating, which he could not avoid to supply with one sort of food or other. His entrails were also ex-ulcerated, and the chief violence of his pain lay on his colon; an aqueous and transparent liquor also had settled itself about his feet, and a like matter afflicted him at the bottom of his belly. Nay, further, his privy-member was putrefied, and produced worms; and when he sat upright, he had a difficulty of breathing, which was very loathsome, on account of the stench of his breath, and the quickness of its returns; he had also convulsions in all parts of his body, which increased his strength to an insufferable degree. It was said by those who pretended to divine, and who were endued with wisdom to foretell such things, that God inflicted this punishment on the king on 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, 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.
168. Ἡρώδῃ δὲ μειζόνως ἡ νόσος ἐνεπικραίνετο δίκην ὧν παρανομήσειεν ἐκπρασσομένου τοῦ θεοῦ· πῦρ μὲν γὰρ μαλακὸν ἦν οὐχ ὧδε πολλὴν ἀποσημαῖνον τοῖς ἐπαφωμένοις τὴν φλόγωσιν ὁπόσην τοῖς ἐντὸς προσετίθει τὴν κάκωσιν. ἐπιθυμία δὲ δεινὴ τοῦ δέξασθαί τι ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ, οὐ γὰρ ἦν μὴ οὐχ ὑπουργεῖν, καὶ ἕλκωσις τῶν τε ἐντέρων καὶ μάλιστα τοῦ κόλου δειναὶ ἀλγηδόνες, καὶ φλέγμα ὑγρὸν περὶ τοὺς πόδας καὶ διαυγές· παραπλησία δὲ καὶ περὶ τὸ ἦτρον κάκωσις ἦν, ναὶ μὴν καὶ τοῦ αἰδοίου σῆψις σκώληκας ἐμποιοῦσα, πνεύματός τε ὀρθία ἔντασις καὶ αὐτὴ λίαν ἀηδὴς ἀχθηδόνι τε τῆς ἀποφορᾶς καὶ τῷ πυκνῷ τοῦ ἄσθματος, ἐσπασμένος τε περὶ πᾶν ἦν μέρος ἰσχὺν οὐχ ὑπομενητὴν προστιθέμενος. ἐλέγετο οὖν ὑπὸ τῶν θειαζόντων καὶ οἷς ταῦτα προαποφθέγγεσθαι σοφίᾳ πρόκειται, ποινὴν τοῦ πολλοῦ δυσσεβοῦς ταύτην ὁ θεὸς εἰσπράσσεσθαι παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως. καίπερ δὲ μειζόνως ἢ ἀντίσχοι ἄν τις ταλαιπωρούμενος ἐν ἐλπίδι τοῦ ἀνασφαλοῦντος ἦν, ἰατρούς τε μεταπέμπων καὶ ὁπόσα ἀρωγὰ ὑπαγορεύσειαν χρῆσθαι μὴ ἀποτετραμμένος, ποταμόν τε περάσας Ἰορδάνην θερμοῖς τοῖς κατὰ Καλλιρρόην αὑτὸν παρεδίδου, ἅπερ σὺν τῇ ἐς πάντα ἀρετῇ καὶ πότιμά ἐστιν· ἔξεισιν δὲ τὸ ὕδωρ τοῦτο εἰς λίμνην τὴν ἀσφαλτοφόρον λεγομένην. κἀνταῦθα τοῖς ἰατροῖς δοκῆσαν ὥστε ἀναθάλπειν αὐτόν, καθεθεὶς εἰς πύελον πλέων ἐλαίου δόξαν μεταστάσεως ἐνεποίησεν αὐτοῖς. τῶν δὲ οἰκετῶν οἰμωγῇ χρωμένων περιενεγκὼν καὶ μηδʼ ἥντινα ἀμφὶ τοῦ σωθησομένου ἐλπίδα ἔχων τοῖς στρατιώταις ἀνὰ πεντήκοντα δραχμὰς ἑκάστῳ κελεύει νεμηθῆναι· πολλὰ δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἡγεμόσιν αὐτῶν καὶ φίλοις τοῖς αὐτοῦ ἐδωρεῖτο. καὶ παρῆν αὖθις ἐπὶ Ἱεριχοῦντος μέλαινά τε αὐτὸν ᾕρει χολὴ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἐξαγριαίνουσα, ὥστε δὴ τελευτῶν πρᾶξιν τοιάνδε ἐπινοεῖ· ἀφικομένων προστάγματι τῷ αὐτοῦ Ἰουδαίων ἀνδρῶν παντὸς τοῦ ἔθνους ὁποίποτε ἀξιολόγων· πολλοὶ δὲ ἐγένοντο ὡς τοῦ παντὸς ἔθνους κατακεκλημένου καὶ πάντων ἀκροασαμένων τοῦ διατάγματος, εἰς γὰρ θάνατον ἦν ἀνακείμενα τοῖς ἀλογήσασι τῶν ἐπιστολῶν ἐμμαινομένου πᾶσιν τοῦ βασιλέως ὁμοίως τοῖς τε ἀναιτίοις καὶ παρεσχηκόσιν αἰτίαν· συγκλείσας αὐτοὺς πάντας ἐν τῷ ἱπποδρόμῳ τήν τε ἀδελφὴν αὐτοῦ Σαλώμην καὶ τὸν ἄνδρα αὐτῆς Ἀλεξᾶν μεταπέμψας τεθνήξεσθαι μὲν οὐ πόρρω ἔλεγεν ἐπὶ τοσόνδε τῶν ἀλγηδόνων αὐτὸν περιεπουσῶν· καὶ τόδε μὲν οἰστόν τε καὶ πᾶσι φίλον παρατυγχάνειν, τὸ δὲ ὀλοφυρμῶν τε ἄπορον καὶ πένθους ἐνδεᾶ ὁποῖον ἐπὶ βασιλεῖ πράσσοιτο ἂν μάλιστα αὐτῷ λυπηρὸν εἶναι· οὐ γὰρ ἀποσκοποῦν τὴν Ἰουδαίων διάνοιαν, ὡς εὐκτὸς αὐτοῖς καὶ πάνυ κεχαρισμένος ὁ θάνατος αὐτοῦ διὰ τὸ καὶ ζῶντος ἐπὶ ἀποστάσει ἐπείγεσθαι καὶ ὕβρει τῶν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ προτιθεμένων· ἔργον δʼ ἄρα ἐκείνων εἶναι κούφισίν τινα αὐτῷ ψηφίσασθαι τοῦ ἐπὶ τοιοῖσδε ἀλγεινοῦ· τὰ αὐτὰ γὰρ δὴ φρονῆσαι δόξῃ τῇ αὐτοῦ μὴ ἀπειπαμένων μέγαν τε αὐτοῦ τὸν ἐπιτάφιον γενέσθαι καὶ ὁποῖος οὐδʼ ἄλλοις βασιλέων καὶ πένθος διὰ τοῦ ἔθνους ἅπαντος ἐκ ψυχῆς ὀλοφυραμένων ἐπὶ παιδιᾷ καὶ γέλωτι αὐτοῦ. ἐπὰν οὖν θεάσωνται τὴν ψυχὴν ἀφέντα αὐτόν, περιστήσαντας τῷ ἱπποδρόμῳ τὸ στρατιωτικὸν ἀγνοοῦν ἔτι τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ, μὴ γὰρ πρότερον εἰς τοὺς πολλοὺς ἐξενεγκεῖν ἢ τάδε πρᾶξαι κελεύειν, ἀκοντίσαι τοὺς ἐγκαθειργμένους, καὶ πάντας τοῦτον ἀνελόντας τὸν τρόπον διχόθεν αὐτὸν οὐχ ἁμαρτήσαντας τοῦ εὐφρανοῦντος, κυρώσει τε ὧν ἐπιστείλειεν αὐτοῖς μέλλων τελευτᾶν καὶ τῷ πένθει ἀξιολόγῳ τετιμῆσθαι. καὶ ὁ μὲν μετὰ δακρύων ποτνιώμενος καὶ τοῦ συγγενοῦς τὴν εὔνοιαν καὶ πίστιν τοῦ θείου προσκαλῶν ἐπέσκηπτε μὴ ἠτιμῶσθαι ἀξιῶν, κἀκεῖνοι ὡμολόγουν οὐ παραβήσεσθαι.
180. 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.
180. Κατανοήσειεν δʼ ἄν τις τὴν διάνοιαν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ὅτῳ τὰ πρότερα ἤρεσκεν ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ φιλοζωεῖν πράξειε τὰ εἰς τοὺς συγγενεῖς πεπραγμένα, ἐκ γοῦν τῶν ἄρτι ἐπιστολῶν οὐδὲν ἀνθρώπειον εἰσφερομένην, εἴγε καὶ ἀπιὼν τοῦ βίου πρόνοιαν εἶχεν, ὡς ἐν πένθει καὶ ἐρημίᾳ τῶν φιλτάτων τὸ πᾶν καταστήσειεν ἔθνος, ἕνα ἀπὸ ἑκάστου οἴκου κελεύων μεταχειρίσαι μηδὲν ἄδικον μήτε εἰς αὐτὸν δεδρακότας μήτε ἐφʼ ἑτέροις ἐγκλήμασιν κατηγορίας αὐτῶν γενομένης, εἰωθότων οἷς προσποίησις ἀρετῆς καὶ πρὸς τοὺς δίκῃ ἐχθροὺς γεγονότας ἐν τοιοῖσδε καιροῖς τὰ μίση κατατίθεσθαι.
182. 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.
182. Ταῦτα δὲ ἐπιστέλλοντος αὐτοῦ πρὸς τοὺς συγγενεῖς γράμματα παρῆν ὑπὸ τῶν εἰς Ῥώμην πρέσβεων ἀπεσταλμένων πρὸς Καίσαρα. καὶ ἀναγνωσθέντων τὸ κεφάλαιον ἦν, ὡς τῆς τε Ἀκμῆς ὀργῇ τῇ Καίσαρος ἀνῃρημένης ἐφʼ οἷς Ἀντιπάτρῳ συγκακουργήσειεν, αὐτόν τε Ἀντίπατρον ὡς ἐπὶ γνώμῃ τῇ ἐκείνου ποιοῖτο ὡς πατρὸς καὶ βασιλέως, εἴτε φυγάδα ἐλαύνειν ἐθελήσειεν, εἴτε καὶ κτιννύειν. τούτων ἀκροώμενος Ἡρώδης βραχὺ μὲν ἀνήνεγκεν ἡδονῇ τῶν γεγραμμένων θανάτῳ τε τῆς Ἀκμῆς ἐπαιρόμενος καὶ ἐξουσίᾳ τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ παιδὶ τιμωρίας, περιουσῶν δὲ εἰς μέγα τῶν ἀλγηδόνων παρίετο τεταλαιπωρημένος σιτίων· καὶ ᾔτησε μῆλον καὶ μαχαίριον· ἦν γὰρ ἐν ἔθει καὶ πρότερον αὐτῷ περιλέψαντι αὐτὸ διʼ αὐτοῦ καὶ κατʼ ὀλίγον τεμόντι ἐσθίειν. λαβὼν δὲ καὶ περισκεψάμενος γνώμην εἶχεν παίσων ἑαυτόν, κἂν ἐπεπράχει μὴ φθάσαντος αὐτοῦ καταλαβεῖν τὴν δεξιὰν Ἀχιάβου· ἀνεψιὸς ἦν αὐτοῦ. καὶ μέγα ἀνακραγόντος οἰμωγή τε αὖθις ἀνὰ τὸ βασίλειον ἦν καὶ θόρυβος μέγας ὡς οἰχομένου τοῦ βασιλέως. καὶ ὁ Ἀντίπατρος, πιστεύει γὰρ τέλος ἀληθῶς τὸν πατέρα ἔχειν, θάρσει τε ἐχρῆτο ἐπὶ τοῖς λόγοις ὅλος ὡς ἤδη τῶν δεσμῶν ἀφησόμενος καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἀκονιτὶ δεξόμενος εἰς χεῖρας, καὶ τῷ εἱρκτοφύλακι περὶ ἀφέσεως ἦν αὐτοῦ διάλογος μεγάλα ὑπισχνουμένου εἰς τὸ παρὸν καὶ ταὖθις, ὡς ἂν περὶ τοιῶνδε τοῦ ἀγῶνος ἐνεστηκότος. ὁ δὲ οὐ μόνον ἀπειθὴς ἦν πράσσειν ἐφʼ οἷς ἠξίου Ἀντίπατρος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ ἀποσημαίνει διάνοιαν τὴν ἐκείνου πολλῇ καὶ προσεισφορᾷ παρʼ αὑτοῦ χρώμενος. ὁ δὲ Ἡρώδης καὶ πρότερον οὐχ ἡσσώμενος οὐδʼ εὐνοίᾳ τοῦ υἱέος ἐπεὶ ἤκουσε τοῦ εἱρκτοφύλακος ταῦτα εἰρηκότος, ἀνεβόησέν τε ἀνατυψάμενος τὴν κεφαλὴν καίπερ ἐν τῷ ὑστάτῳ ὢν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγκῶνα περιάρας ἑαυτὸν κελεύει πέμψας τινὰ τῶν δορυφόρων μηδὲν εἰς ἀναβολὰς ἀλλʼ ἐκ τοῦ ὀξέος κτείνασιν αὐτὸν ἐν Ὑρκανίᾳ ταφὰς ἀσήμους ποιεῖσθαι.
188. 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 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. 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 was also very fortunate, because he was able to conquer his enemies, yet, in my opinion, he was herein very unfortunate.
188. Τὰς δὲ διαθήκας αὖθις μετέγραφεν μεταβολῆς αὐτῷ περὶ τὴν διάνοιαν γενομένης, Ἀντίπαν μέν, ᾧ τὴν βασιλείαν καταλελοίπει, τετράρχην καθιστὰς Γαλιλαίας τε καὶ Περαίας, Ἀρχελάῳ δὲ τὴν βασιλείαν χαριζόμενος, τὴν δὲ Γαυλωνῖτιν καὶ Τραχωνῖτιν καὶ Βαταναίαν καὶ Πανιάδα Φιλίππῳ παιδὶ μὲν τῷ αὐτοῦ Ἀρχελάου δὲ ἀδελφῷ γνησίῳ τετραρχίαν εἶναι, Ἰάμνειαν δὲ καὶ Ἄζωτον καὶ Φασαηλίδα Σαλώμῃ τῇ ἀδελφῇ κατανέμει καὶ ἀργυρίου ἐπισήμου μυριάδας πεντήκοντα. προυνόησε δὲ καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν, ὁπόσοι συγγενεῖς ἦσαν αὐτῷ, χρημάτων τε δόσεσι καὶ προσόδων ἀναφοραῖς ἑκάστους ἐν εὐπορίᾳ καθιστάμενος. Καίσαρι δὲ ἀργυρίου μὲν ἐπισήμου μυριάδας χιλίας, χωρὶς δὲ σκεύη τὰ μὲν χρυσοῦ τὰ δʼ ἀργύρου καὶ ἐσθῆτα πάνυ πολλοῦ τέλους, Ἰουλίᾳ δὲ τῇ Καίσαρος γυναικὶ καί τισιν ἑτέροις πεντακοσίας μυριάδας. ταῦτα πράξας ἡμέρᾳ πέμπτῃ μεθʼ ὃ Ἀντίπατρον κτείνει τὸν υἱὸν τελευτᾷ, βασιλεύσας μεθʼ ὃ μὲν ἀνεῖλεν Ἀντίγονον ἔτη τέσσαρα καὶ τριάκοντα, μεθʼ ὃ δὲ ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων ἀπεδέδεικτο ἑπτὰ καὶ τριάκοντα, ἀνὴρ ὠμὸς εἰς πάντας ὁμοίως καὶ ὀργῆς μὲν ἥσσων κρείσσων δὲ τοῦ δικαίου, τύχῃ δὲ εἰ καί τις ἕτερος κεχρημένος εὐμενεῖ. ἔκ τε γὰρ ἰδιώτου βασιλεὺς καταστὰς καὶ κινδύνοις περιστοιχιζόμενος μυρίοις πάντων ποιεῖται διάδρασιν καὶ τοῦ ζῆν ἐπὶ μήκιστον ἐξίκετο. ὁπόσα δὲ τὰ κατʼ οἶκον περὶ υἱεῖς τοὺς αὐτοῦ, ὅσα μὲν γνώμῃ τῇ ἐκείνου καὶ πάνυ δεξιᾷ κεχρημένος διὰ τὸ κρίνας ἐχθροὺς κρατεῖν οὐχ ὑστερῆσαι, δοκεῖν δʼ ἐμοὶ καὶ πάνυ δυστυχής.
193. But then Salome and Alexas, before the king’s death was made known, dismissed those that were shut up in the hippodrome, and told them that the king ordered them to go away to their own lands, and take care of their own affairs, which was esteemed by the nation a great benefit. And now the king’s death was made public, when Salome and Alexas gathered the soldiery together in the amphitheater at Jericho; and the first thing they did was, they read Herod’s letter, written to the soldiery, thanking them for their fidelity and good-will to him, and exhorting them to afford his son Archelaus, whom he had appointed for their king, like fidelity and good-will. After which Ptolemy, who had the king’s seal intrusted to him, read the king’s testament, which was to be of force no otherwise than as it should stand when Caesar had inspected it; so there was presently an acclamation made to Archelaus, as king; and the soldiers came by bands, and their commanders with them, and promised the same good-will to him, and readiness to serve him, which they had exhibited to Herod; and they prayed God to be assistant to him.
193. Σαλώμη δὲ καὶ Ἀλεξᾶς πρὶν ἔκπυστον γενέσθαι τὸν θάνατον τοῦ βασιλέως τοὺς ἐπὶ τὸν ἱππόδρομον κατακεκλημένους ἐκπέμπονται ἐπὶ τὰ αὐτῶν, φάμενοι βασιλέα κελεύειν ἀπιοῦσιν αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀγροὺς νέμεσθαι τὰ οἰκεῖα, πράσσεταί τε αὐτοῖς ἥδε εὐεργεσία μεγίστη εἰς τὸ ἔθνος. ἐφανεροῦτο δʼ ἤδη ὁ θάνατος τοῦ βασιλέως, καὶ Σαλώμη καὶ Ἀλεξᾶς συναγαγόντες τὸ στρατιωτικὸν εἰς τὸ ἀμφιθέατρον τὸ ἐν Ἱεριχοῦντι πρῶτον μὲν ἐπιστολὴν ἀνέγνωσαν πρὸς τοὺς στρατιώτας γεγραμμένην ἐπὶ πίστεως εὐχαριστίᾳ καὶ εὐνοίας τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν καὶ παρακλήσει τῶν ὁμοίων παροκωχῆς Ἀρχελάῳ τῷ παιδὶ αὐτοῦ, ὃν βασιλέα καθίσταιτο. εἶτα μέντοι Πτολεμαῖος τὸν σημαντῆρα τοῦ βασιλέως πεπιστευμένος τὰς διαθήκας ἀνέλεγεν, αἳ λήψεσθαι κύρωσιν οὐκ ἄλλως ἔμελλον ἢ Καίσαρος ἐντυχόντος αὐταῖς. βοὴ οὖν εὐθὺς ἦν ἐκτιμώντων Ἀρχέλαον βασιλέα, καὶ οἱ στρατιῶται κατὰ στίφη τε αὐτοὶ καὶ οἱ ἡγεμόνες εὔνοιάν τε ὑπισχνοῦνται καὶ προθυμίαν τὴν αὐτῶν καὶ συλλήπτορα τὸν θεὸν παρεκάλουν.
196. After this was over, they prepared for his funeral, it being Archelaus’s care that the procession to his father’s sepulcher should be very sumptuous. Accordingly, he brought out all his ornaments to adorn the pomp of the funeral. The body was carried upon a golden bier, embroidered with very precious stones of great variety, and it was covered over with purple, as well as the body itself; he had a diadem upon his head, and above it a crown of gold: he also had a scepter in his right hand. About the bier were his sons and his numerous relations; next to these was the soldiery, distinguished according to their several countries and denominations; and they were put into the following order: First of all went his guards, then the band of Thracians, and after them the Germans; and next the band of Galatians, every one in their habiliments of war; and behind these marched the whole army in the same manner as they used to go out to war, and as they used to be put in array by their muster-masters and centurions; these were followed by five hundred of his domestics carrying spices. So they went eight furlongs to Herodium; for there by his own command he was to be buried. And thus did Herod end his life.
196. Ἐντεῦθεν δὲ τάφον ἡτοίμαζον τῷ βασιλεῖ μελῆσαν Ἀρχελάῳ πολυτελεστάτην γενέσθαι τὴν ἐκκομιδὴν τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ πάντα τὸν κόσμον προκομίσαντος εἰς ὃ συμπομπεύσειε τῷ νεκρῷ. ἐφέρετο δὲ ἐπὶ κλίνης χρυσέας λίθοις πολυτελέσιν καὶ ποικίλοις διαπεπασμένης, στρωμνή τε ἦν ἁλουργὴς καὶ ἠμπέσχετο πορφυρίσιν ὁ νεκρὸς διαδήματι ἠσκημένος ὑπερκειμένου στεφάνου χρυσέου σκῆπτρόν τε τῇ δεξιᾷ παρακείμενον. περί τε τὴν κλίνην οἵ τε υἱεῖς καὶ τὸ πλῆθος ἦν τῶν συγγενῶν, ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις τὸ στρατιωτικὸν κατὰ οἰκεῖα ἔθνη ἢ προσηγορίας διέκειντο αὐτοῖς νεμηθέντες, πρῶτοι μὲν οἱ δορυφόροι, μετὰ δὲ τὸ Θρᾴκιον, ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις ὁπόσοι Γερμανῶν, καὶ τὸ Γαλατικὸν μετʼ αὐτούς, ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ πάντες τῷ πολεμιστηρίῳ. τούτων δὲ κατόπιν ἤδη πᾶς ὁ στρατὸς ὥσπερ ἐς πόλεμον ἐξοδεύοντες [ὥσπερ] ὑπὸ λοχαγῶν ἀγόμενοι καὶ τοῖς ταξιαρχοῦσιν αὐτῶν. τούτοις ἐπετετάχατο πεντακόσιοι τῶν οἰκετῶν ἀρωματοφόροι. ᾔεσαν δὲ ἐπὶ Ἡρωδίου στάδια ὀκτώ· τῇδε γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐγένοντο αἱ ταφαὶ κελεύσματι τῷ αὐτοῦ. Ἡρώδης μὲν δὴ τοῦτον ἐτελεύτα τὸν τρόπον.
200. Now Archelaus paid him so much respect, as to continue his mourning till the seventh day; for so many days are appointed for it by the law of our fathers. And when he had given a treat to the multitude, and left off his motoring, he went up into the temple; he had also acclamations and praises given him, which way soever he went, every one striving with the rest who should appear to use the loudest acclamations. So he ascended a high elevation made for him, and took his seat, in a throne made of gold, and spake kindly to the multitude, and declared with what joy he received their acclamations, and the marks of the good-will they showed to him; and returned them thanks that they did not remember the injuries his father had done them to his disadvantage; and promised them he would endeavor not to be behindhand with them in rewarding their alacrity in his service, after a suitable manner; but that he should abstain at present from the name of king, and that he should have the honor of that dignity, if Caesar should confirm and settle that testament which his father had made; and that it was on this account, that when the army would have put the diadem on him at Jericho, he would not accept of that honor, which is usually so much desired, because it was not yet evident that he who was to be principally concerned in bestowing it would give it him; although, by his acceptance of the government, he should not want the ability of rewarding their kindness to him and that it should be his endeavor, as to all things wherein they were concerned, to prove in every respect better than his father. Whereupon the multitude, as it is usual with them, supposed that the first days of those that enter upon such governments declare the intentions of those that accept them; and so by how much Archelaus spake the more gently and civilly to them, by so much did they more highly commend him, and made application to him for the grant of what they desired. Some made a clamor that he would ease them of some of their annual payments; but others desired him to release those that were put into prison by Herod, who were many, and had been put there at several times; others of them required that he would take away those taxes which had been severely laid upon what was publicly sold and bought. So Archelaus contradicted them in nothing, since he pretended to do all things so as to get the good-will of the multitude to him, as looking upon that good-will to be a great step towards his preservation of the government. Hereupon he went and offered sacrifice to God, and then betook himself to feast with his friends.
200. Ἀρχέλαος δὲ ἐπὶ μὲν ἑβδόμην ἡμέραν πένθος τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ πατρὶ τιμῶν διετέλει· τόσας γὰρ διαγορεύει τὸ νόμιμον τοῦ πατρίου. ἑστιάσας δὲ τοὺς ὁμίλους καὶ καταλύσας τὸ πένθος ἄνεισιν εἰς τὸ ἱερόν. ἦσάν τε εὐφημίαι καὶ ἔπαινοι καθʼ οὕστινας ἴοι ἑκάστων τὰ πρὸς ἀλλήλους φιλοτιμουμένων εἰς τὸ δοκεῖν μείζοσι χρῆσθαι ταῖς εὐφημίαις. ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ ὑψηλὸν βῆμα πεποιημένον ἀνελθὼν καὶ ἱδρυθεὶς εἰς θρόνον χρυσοῦν [πεποιημένον] ἀντεδεξιοῦτο τοὺς ὁμίλους χάρματι τῶν εὐφημιῶν τὴν εὔνοιαν αὐτῶν ἡδονῇ φέρων, χάριν τε ὡμολόγει, διότι μηδὲν αὐτῷ μνησικακοῖεν ἀνθʼ ὧν ὁ πατὴρ εἰς αὐτοὺς ὑβρίσειεν καὶ πειράσεσθαι μὴ ἐλλείψειν ἀμειβόμενον τὸ πρόθυμον αὐτῶν. ἄρτι μέντοι φειδὼ ποιεῖσθαι τοῦ βασιλείου ὀνόματος, τετιμῆσθαι γὰρ αὐτὸν τῇ ἀξιώσει ὅπερ βεβαίως Καῖσαρ ἐπικυρώσειε τὰς διαθήκας, αἳ ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς ἐγράφησαν αὐτοῦ· διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν οὐδὲ τοῦ στρατεύματος ἐν Ἱεριχοῦντι τὸ διάδημα αὐτῷ περιθέσθαι προθυμουμένου δέξασθαι τὸ περιμάχητον τῆς ἐνθένδε τιμῆς διὰ τὸ μηδέπω τὸν κυρίως ἀποδώσοντα φανερὸν εἶναι παρασχόμενον. περιιόντων μέν γε εἰς αὐτὸν τῶν πραγμάτων οὐ λείψειν ἀρετῆς τοῦ ἀμειψομένου τὴν εὔνοιαν αὐτῶν· σπουδάσειν γὰρ ἐν πᾶσιν τὰ πρὸς αὐτοὺς φανεῖσθαι τοῦ πατρὸς ἀμείνων τὰ πάντα. οἱ δὲ οἷον ὄχλος εἴωθεν, φιλεῖν οἰόμενοι τὰς πρώτας εἶναι τῶν ἡμερῶν τὰς διανοίας ἐμφανίζειν τῶν παριόντων ἐπὶ τοιάσδε ἀρχάς, ὅσῳ πρᾴως καὶ θεραπευτικῶς ὁ Ἀρχέλαος διελέγετο αὐτοῖς, τοσῷδε μειζόνως τε ἐχρῶντο τοῖς ἐπαίνοις καὶ κατὰ αἰτήσεις δωρεῶν ἐτετράφατο, οἱ μὲν εἰσφορὰς ἃς ἐνιαυσίους φέροιεν ἐπικουφίζειν βοῇ χρώμενοι, οἱ δὲ αὖ δεσμωτῶν, οἳ ὑφʼ Ἡρώδου ἐδέδεντο, πολλοὶ δὲ ἦσαν κἀκ πολλῶν χρόνων, ἀπόλυσιν. εἰσὶν δὲ οἳ ἄρσεις τῶν τελῶν ἃ ἐπὶ πράσεσιν ἢ ὠναῖς ἐπεβάλλετο πρασσόμενα πικρῶς ᾐτοῦντο. ἀντέλεγέν τε οὐδαμῶς Ἀρχέλαος ἐπειρᾶτο ὁμίλους σπουδαῖος ὢν ποιεῖν πάντα διὰ τὸ νομίζειν μέγα πρᾶγμα εἰς τήρησιν τῆς ἀρχῆς γενήσεσθαι τὴν εὔνοιαν αὐτῷ τῆς πληθύος. ἐντεῦθεν δὲ θύσας τῷ θεῷ κατʼ εὐωχίαν τρέπεται μετὰ τῶν φίλων.
206. AT this time also it was that some of the Jews got together out of a desire of innovation. They lamented Matthias, and those that were slain with him by Herod, who had not any respect paid them by a funeral mourning, out of the fear men were in of that man; they were those who had been condemned for pulling down the golden eagle. The people made a great clamor and lamentation hereupon, and cast out some reproaches against the king also, as if that tended to alleviate the miseries of the deceased. The people assembled together, and desired of Archelaus, that, in way of revenge on their account, he would inflict punishment on those who had been honored by Herod; and that, in the first and principal place, he would deprive that high priest whom Herod had made, and would choose one more agreeable to the law, and of greater purity, to officiate as high priest. This was granted by Archelaus, although he was mightily offended at their importunity, because he proposed to himself to go to Rome immediately to look after Caesar’s determination about him. However, he sent the general of his forces to use persuasions, and to tell them that the death which was inflicted on their friends was according to the law; and to represent to them that their petitions about these things were carried to a great height of injury to him; that the time was not now proper for such petitions, but required their unanimity until such time as he should be established in the government by the consent of Caesar, and should then be come back to them; for that he would then consult with them in common concerning the purport of their petitions; but that they ought at present to be quiet, lest they should seem seditious persons.
206. Ἐν τούτῳ δέ τινες τῶν Ἰουδαίων συνελθόντες νεωτέρων ἐπιθυμίᾳ πραγμάτων Ματθίαν καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ ὑφʼ Ἡρώδου ἀποθανόντας, οἳ παραχρῆμα τῆς εἰς τὸ πενθεῖσθαι τιμῆς φόβῳ τῷ ἐκείνου ἀπεστέρηντο, ἦσαν δὲ οἱ τῶν ἐπὶ καθαιρέσει τοῦ χρυσοῦ ἀετοῦ δεδικαιωμένων, ἐπὶ μέγα τε τῇ βοῇ καὶ οἰμωγῇ χρώμενοι καί τινα ὡς κούφισιν φέροντα τοῖς τεθνεῶσιν ἀπερρίπτουν εἰς τὸν βασιλέα. συνόδου τε αὐτοῖς γενομένης ἠξίουν τιμωρίαν αὐτοῖς ὑπʼ Ἀρχελάου γενέσθαι κολάσεσιν τῶν ὑπὸ Ἡρώδου τιμωμένων, καὶ πάντων γε καὶ πρῶτον καὶ ἐκδηλότατα τὸν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ ἀρχιερέα καθεστῶτα παύσαντα νομιμώτερόν τε ἅμα καὶ καθαρὸν ἀρχιερᾶσθαι ἄνδρα αἱρεῖσθαι. τούτοις Ἀρχέλαος καίπερ δεινῶς φέρων ἐπένευεν τὴν ὁρμὴν αὐτῶν διὰ τὴν ἐπὶ Ῥώμης ὁδὸν ἀνύεσθαι προκείμενον αὐτῷ τάχος ἐπὶ περισκοπήσει τῶν δοξάντων Καίσαρι. πέμψας δὲ τὸν στρατηγὸν πειθοῖ χρῆσθαι, καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τοιούτοις μωρίας ἀποστάντας σκοπεῖν, θάνατόν τε, ὃς τοῖς φίλοις αὐτῶν συνέλθοι, μετὰ νόμων γεγονότα, καὶ τὰς αἰτήσεις ὡς ἐπὶ μέγα τοῦ ὑβρίζειν προΐοιεν, τούς τε καιροὺς οὐκ ἐν τοιοῖσδε εἶναι, μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦ ὁμονοεῖν ἕως καταστησάμενος τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπινεύσει τῇ Καίσαρος ἀφίκοιτο ὡς αὐτούς· τότε γὰρ κοινῇ βουλεύσειν περὶ ὧν ἀξιοῖεν σὺν αὐτοῖς· ἄρτι δὲ ἀνέχειν, μὴ καὶ στασιάζειν δοκοῖεν.
210. So when the king had suggested these things, and instructed his general in what he was to say, be sent him away to the people; but they made a clamor, and would not give him leave to speak, and put him in danger of his life, and as many more as were desirous to venture upon saying openly any thing which might reduce them to a sober mind, and prevent their going on in their present courses, because they had more concern to have all their own wills performed than to yield obedience to their governors; thinking it to be a thing insufferable, that, while Herod was alive, they should lose those that were most dear to them, and that when he was dead, they could not get the actors to be punished. So they went on with their designs after a violent manner, and thought all to be lawful and right which tended to please them, and being unskillful in foreseeing what dangers they incurred; and when they had suspicion of such a thing, yet did the present pleasure they took in the punishment of those they deemed their enemies overweigh all such considerations; and although Archelaus sent many to speak to them, yet they treated them not as messengers sent by him, but as persons that came of their own accord to mitigate their anger, and would not let one of them speak. The sedition also was made by such as were in a great passion; and it was evident that they were proceeding further in seditious practices, by the multitude running so fast upon them.
210. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ταῦτα ὑπειπὼν καὶ διδάξας τὸν στρατηγὸν ἐκπέμπει πρὸς αὐτούς. οἱ δὲ βοῶντες λέγειν τε οὐκ εἴων καὶ εἰς κίνδυνον τοῦ ἀπολουμένου ἐκεῖνόν τε καθίστασαν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὅστις γε ἐπὶ σωφρονισμῷ καὶ ἀποτροπῇ τοῦ μὴ τοιῶνδε ὀριγνᾶσθαι τολμήσειν φθέγξασθαι φανερὸς ἦν διὰ τὸ πάντα βουλήσει τῇ αὐτῶν μᾶλλον ἢ ἐξουσίᾳ τῶν ἐφεστηκότων συγχωρεῖν, δεινὸν ἡγούμενοι, εἰ ζῶντός τε Ἡρώδου στερηθεῖεν τῶν φιλτάτων καὶ τελευτῆς αὐτῷ γενομένης τιμωριῶν τῶν ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς, ὠργηκότες ταῖς γνώμαις καὶ νόμιμόν τε καὶ δίκαιον ἡγούμενοι ὅ τι μελλήσοι ἡδονὴν αὐτοῖς φέρειν, κίνδυνον δὲ τὸν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ προϊδέσθαι τε ἀμαθεῖς καὶ εἴ τῳ ὑποπτευθείη, ὑπερβολῆς αὐτῷ γενομένης τῆς παραχρῆμα ἡδονῆς ἐκ τοῦ τιμωρήσασθαι τοὺς ἐχθίστους δοκοῦντας αὐτοῖς. πολλῶν δὲ ὑπὸ Ἀρχελάου πεμπομένων, οἳ διαλέξοιντο αὐτοῖς, τῶν τε ἐνεστώτων μὲν ὑπʼ ἐκείνου γνώμῃ δὲ τῇ αὐτῶν δοκεῖν παριόντων, ὅπως εἰς τὸ πραΰτερον καταστήσονται αὐτούς, οὐδενὸς ἠνείχοντο εἰπεῖν ἀνάστασίς τε ἦν δεύειν ὀργῇ χρωμένων, φανεροί τε ἦσαν ἐπὶ μέγα αὐξήσοντες τὴν στάσιν πλήθους ἐπισυρρυέντος αὐτοῖς.
213. Now, upon the approach of that feast of unleavened bread, which the law of their fathers had appointed for the Jews at this time, which feast is called the Passover and is a memorial of their deliverance out of Egypt, when they offer sacrifices with great alacrity; and when they are required to slay more sacrifices in number than at any other festival; and when an innumerable multitude came thither out of the country, nay, from beyond its limits also, in order to worship God, the seditious lamented Judas and Matthias, those teachers of the laws, and kept together in the temple, and had plenty of food, because these seditious persons were not ashamed to beg it. And as Archelaus was afraid lest some terrible thing should spring up by means of these men’s madness, he sent a regiment of armed men, and with them a captain of a thousand, to suppress the violent efforts of the seditious before the whole multitude should be infected with the like madness; and gave them this charge, that if they found any much more openly seditious than others, and more busy in tumultuous practices, they should bring them to him. But those that were seditious on account of those teachers of the law, irritated the people by the noise and clamors they used to encourage the people in their designs; so they made an assault upon the soldiers, and came up to them, and stoned the greatest part of them, although some of them ran away wounded, and their captain among them; and when they had thus done, they returned to the sacrifices which were already in their hands. Now Archelaus thought there was no way to preserve the entire government but by cutting off those who made this attempt upon it; so he sent out the whole army upon them, and sent the horsemen to prevent those that had their tents without the temple from assisting those that were within the temple, and to kill such as ran away from the footmen when they thought themselves out of danger; which horsemen slew three thousand men, while the rest went to the neighboring mountains. Then did Archelaus order proclamation to be made to them all, that they should retire to their own homes; so they went away, and left the festival, out of fear of somewhat worse which would follow, although they had been so bold by reason of their want of instruction. So Archelaus went down to the sea with his mother, and took with him Nicolaus and Ptolemy, and many others of his friends, and left Philip his brother as governor of all things belonging both to his own family and to the public. There went out also with him Salome, Herod’s sister who took with her, her children, and many of her kindred were with her; which kindred of hers went, as they pretended, to assist Archelaus in gaining the kingdom, but in reality to oppose him, and chiefly to make loud complaints of what he had done in the temple. But Sabinus, Caesar’s steward for Syrian affairs, as he was making haste into Judea to preserve Herod’s effects, met with Archclaus at Caesarea; but Varus (president of Syria) came at that time, and restrained him from meddling with them, for he was there as sent for by Archceaus, by the means of Ptolemy. And Sabinus, out of regard to Varus, did neither seize upon any of the castles that were among the Jews, nor did he seal up the treasures in them, but permitted Archelaus to have them, until Caesar should declare his resolution about them; so that, upon this his promise, he tarried still at Cesarea. But after Archelaus was sailed for Rome, and Varus was removed to Antioch, Sabinus went to Jerusalem, and seized on the king’s palace. He also sent for the keepers of the garrisons, and for all those that had the charge of Herod’s effects, and declared publicly that he should require them to give an account of what they had; and he disposed of the castles in the manner he pleased; but those who kept them did not neglect what Archelaus had given them in command, but continued to keep all things in the manner that had been enjoined them; and their pretense was, that they kept them all for Caesar, At the same time also did Antipas, another of Herod’s sons, sail to Rome, in order to gain the government; being buoyed up by Salome with promises that he should take that government; and that he was a much honester and fitter man than Archelaus for that authority, since Herod had, in his former testament, deemed him the worthiest to be made king, which ought to be esteemed more valid than his latter testament.
213. Ἐνστάσης δὲ κατὰ τόνδε τὸν καιρὸν ἑορτῆς, ἐν ᾗ Ἰουδαίοις ἄζυμα προτίθεσθαι πάτριον· φάσκα δʼ ἡ ἑορτὴ καλεῖται ὑπόμνημα οὖσα τῆς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἀπάρσεως αὐτῶν γενομένης, καὶ θύουσιν αὐτὴν προθύμως πλῆθός τε ἱερείων ὡς οὐκ ἐν ἄλλῃ κατακόπτειν ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς νόμιμον· κάτεισιν δὲ πληθὺς ἀναρίθμητος ἐκ τῆς χώρας ἤδη δὲ καὶ ἐκ τῆς ὑπερορίας ἐπὶ θρησκείᾳ τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ οἱ νεωτερισταὶ τοὺς περὶ τὸν Ἰούδαν τε καὶ Ματθίαν ἐξηγητὰς τῶν νόμων ὀδυρόμενοι συστάντες ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τροφῆς ηὐποροῦντο τοῖς στασιασταῖς οὐκ ὂν ἐν αἰσχύνῃ μεταιτεῖν αὐτούς. καὶ δείσας Ἀρχέλαος, μὴ καί τι δεινὸν βλαστήσειεν αὐτῶν τῇ ἀπονοίᾳ, πέμπει σπεῖράν τε ὁπλιτῶν χιλίαρχόν τε τὴν ὁρμὴν τῶν ἐνεστηκότων πρότερον τὸν πάντα ὅμιλον τοῦ μανιώδους αὐτῶν πλέω καταστῆναι, καὶ εἴ τινες διάδηλοι πολὺ τῶν ἄλλων καθίσταιντο προθυμίᾳ τοῦ στασιάζειν ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἀγαγεῖν. ἐπὶ τούτῳ οἱ στασιῶται τῶν ἐξηγητῶν καὶ τὸ πλῆθος ἐξηγρίωσε βοῇ καὶ διακελευσμῷ χρώμενοι ὥρμησάν τε ἐπὶ τοὺς στρατιώτας καὶ περιστάντες λεύουσιν τοὺς πλείστους αὐτῶν. ὀλίγοι δέ τινες καὶ ὁ χιλίαρχος τραυματίαι διέφυγον. καὶ τοῖς μὲν ταῦτα πράξασιν διὰ χειρῶν αὖθις ἡ θυσία ἦν· Ἀρχελάῳ δὲ ἄπορον ἐδόκει σώζεσθαι τὰ πάντα μὴ οὐκ ἀνακόψειν τὴν ἐπὶ τοιοῖσδε ὁρμὴν τῆς πληθύος, ἐκπέμπει δὲ πᾶν τὸ στρατόπεδον οἳ τούς τε αὐτόθι ἐσκηνωκότας κωλύοιεν τοῖς κατὰ τὸ ἱερὸν βοηθεῖν καὶ τοὺς ἐκπίπτοντας ὑπὸ τῶν πεζῶν δέχοιντο ἀντειλῆφθαι τἀσφαλοῦς ἤδη πεπιστευκότας. καὶ εἰς μὲν τρισχιλίους ἄνδρας ἔκτειναν οἱ ἱππεῖς· τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ᾤχετο ἐπὶ ὄρη τὰ πλησίον ἰόντες. ἐκήρυσσε δʼ Ἀρχέλαος ἀναχωρεῖν ἐπὶ τὰ αὑτῶν πᾶσιν. οἱ δὲ ἀπῄεσαν τὴν ἑορτὴν καταλιπόντες φόβῳ κακοῦ μείζονος καίπερ θρασεῖς ὄντες διὰ τὸ ἀπαίδευτον. Ἀρχέλαος δʼ ἐπὶ θαλάσσης κατῄει μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς Νικόλαον καὶ Πτολεμαῖον καὶ Πτόλλαν τῶν φίλων ἐπαγόμενος, Φιλίππῳ τἀδελφῷ τὰ πάντα ἐφεὶς καθίστασθαι τοῦ οἴκου καὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς. συνεξῄει δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ Σαλώμη ἡ Ἡρώδου ἀδελφὴ γενεὰν ἀγομένη τὴν αὐτῆς, πολλοί τε τῶν συγγενῶν, λόγῳ μὲν ὡς συναγωνιούμενοι τῷ Ἀρχελάῳ ἐπὶ κτήσει τῆς βασιλείας, ἔργῳ δὲ ἀντιπράξοντες καὶ μάλιστα περὶ τῶν πεπραγμένων ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ποιησόμενοι καταβοάς. ὑπαντιάζει δʼ ἐν Καισαρείᾳ τὸν Ἀρχέλαον Σαβῖνος Καίσαρος ἐπίτροπος τῶν ἐν Συρίᾳ πραγμάτων εἰς Ἰουδαίαν ὡρμημένος ἐπὶ φυλακῇ τῶν Ἡρώδου χρημάτων. καὶ αὐτὸν τῆς ἐπὶ τοῖσδε ὁρμῆς ἔσχεν ὁ Οὔαρος παρελθών· διὰ γὰρ Πτολεμαίου μετάπεμπτος ὑπʼ Ἀρχελάου παρῆν. καὶ Οὐάρῳ Σαβῖνος χαριζόμενος οὔτε τὰς ἄκρας, ὅσαι ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἦσαν, παρέλαβεν οὔτε τοὺς θησαυροὺς κατεσημήνατο, εἴα δʼ ἔχειν Ἀρχέλαον μέχρι Καίσαρι δόξειέν τι περὶ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔμενεν ἐν τῇ Καισαρείᾳ τοῦθʼ ὑποσχόμενος. ἐπεὶ δʼ ἐκπλεῖ μὲν ἐπὶ τῆς Ῥώμης Ἀρχέλαος, Οὐάρῳ δʼ ἐπʼ Ἀντιοχείας ἐγένοντο κομιδαί, Σαβῖνος ἐπὶ Ἱεροσολύμων χωρήσας παραλαμβάνει τὰ βασίλεια. μεταπέμψας δὲ τοὺς φρουράρχους καὶ ὁπόσοι διοικηταὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἦσαν λόγους τε ἀπαιτεῖν πρόδηλος ἦν καὶ τὰς ἄκρας καθίστατο ᾗ αὐτῷ δοκοῖ. οὐ μὴν οἱ φύλακες ἐν ὀλίγῳ τὰς Ἀρχελάου ἐπιστολὰς ἐποιοῦντο, ἀλλʼ ἔμενον σώζοντες τὰ πάντα ᾗ προσετέτακτο αὐτοῖς. Καίσαρι δὲ φυλάσσειν ἕκαστʼ ἦν προσποίησις αὐτοῖς.