299. SO when Varus had settled these affairs, and had placed the former legion at Jerusalem, he returned back to Antioch; but as for Archelaus, he had new sources of trouble come upon him at Rome, on the occasions following: for an embassage of the Jews was come to Rome, Varus having permitted the nation to send it, that they might petition for the liberty of living by their own laws. Now the number of the ambassadors that were sent by the authority of the nation were fifty, to which they joined above eight thousand of the Jews that were at Rome already. Hereupon Caesar assembled his friends, and the chief men among the Romans, in the temple of Apollo, which he had built at a vast charge; whither the ambassadors came, and a multitude of the Jews that were there already came with them, as did also Archelaus and his friends; but as for the several kinsmen which Archelaus had, they would not join themselves with him, out of their hatred to him; and yet they thought it too gross a thing for them to assist the ambassadors [against him], as supposing it would be a disgrace to them in Caesar’s opinion to think of thus acting in opposition to a man of their own kindred. Philip also was come hither out of Syria, by the persuasion of Varus, with this principal intention to assist his brother [Archelaus]; for Varus was his great friend: but still so, that if there should any change happen in the form of government, (which Varus suspected there would,) and if any distribution should be made on account of the number that desired the liberty of living by their own laws, that he might not be disappointed, but might have his share in it.
299. Οὔαρος μὲν δὴ ταῦτα καταστησάμενος καὶ φρουρὰν Ἱεροσολύμων τὸ καὶ πρότερον καταλιπὼν τάγμα ἐπʼ Ἀντιοχείας ἠπείγετο. Ἀρχελάῳ δʼ ἐπὶ Ῥώμης ἑτέρων πραγμάτων ἐφύοντο ἀρχαὶ κατὰ τοιαύτας αἰτίας. ἀφίκετο εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην πρεσβεία Ἰουδαίων Οὐάρου τὸν ἀπόστολον αὐτῶν τῷ ἔθνει ἐπικεχωρηκότος ὑπὲρ αἰτήσεως αὐτονομίας. καὶ ἦσαν οἱ μὲν πρέσβεις οἱ ἀποσταλέντες γνώμῃ τοῦ ἔθνους πεντήκοντα, συνίσταντο δὲ αὐτοῖς τῶν ἐπὶ Ῥώμης Ἰουδαίων ὑπὲρ ὀκτακισχίλιοι. Καίσαρός τε συνέδριον φίλων τε τῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ Ῥωμαίων τῶν πρώτων συνάγοντος ἐν ἱερῷ Ἀπόλλωνος μεγάλοις τέλεσιν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ ἱδρυμένῳ, οἱ μὲν πρέσβεις μετὰ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν αὐτόθι Ἰουδαίων ἀφικνοῦνται, Ἀρχέλαος δὲ μετὰ τῶν φίλων. ὁπόσοι δὲ συγγενεῖς τοῦ βασιλέως ἦσαν Ἀρχελάῳ μὲν συντετάχθαι διὰ μῖσος τὸ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὑστέρουν, τοῖς δὲ πρέσβεσιν ὁμοψηφεῖν κατʼ αὐτοῦ δεινὸν ἡγοῦντο ἐν αἰσχύνῃ τῇ αὐτῶν οἰόμενοι γενήσεσθαι παρὰ Καίσαρι κατʼ ἀνδρὸς οἰκείου τοιάδε πράσσειν προθυμεῖσθαι. παρῆν δὲ ἤδη καὶ Φίλιππος ἀπὸ Συρίας ἐξοτρύναντος αὐτὸν Οὐάρου τὸ μὲν κεφάλαιον ἐπὶ συνηγορίᾳ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, πάνυ γὰρ εὐνόει Οὔαρος αὐτῷ, γινομένης δὲ τῇ βασιλείᾳ μεταπτώσεως, καὶ τάδε ὑπώπτευεν Οὔαρος νέμησιν αὐτῆς γενήσεσθαι διὰ τὸ πολλοὺς εἶναι τοὺς αὐτονομίας γλιχομένους, οὐχ ὑστεριῶν τοῦ κἂν αὐτὸς μοῖραν αὐτῆς τινα φέρεσθαι.
304. Now upon the liberty that was given to the Jewish ambassadors to speak, they who hoped to obtain a dissolution of kingly government betook themselves to accuse Herod of his iniquities; and they declared that he was indeed in name a king, but that he had taken to himself that uncontrollable authority which tyrants exercise over their subjects, and had made use of that authority for the destruction of the Jews, and did not abstain from making many innovations among them besides, according to his own inclinations; and that whereas there were a great many who perished by that destruction he brought upon them, so many indeed as no other history relates, they that survived were far more miserable than those that suffered under him; not only by the anxiety they were in from his looks and disposition towards them, but from the danger their estates were in of being taken away by him. That he did never leave off adorning these cities that lay in their neighborhood, but were inhabited by foreigners; but so that the cities belonging to his own government were ruined, and utterly destroyed that whereas, when he took the kingdom, it was in an extraordinary flourishing condition, he had filled the nation with the utmost degree of poverty; and when, upon unjust pretenses, he had slain any of the nobility, he took away their estates; and when he permitted any of them to live, he condemned them to the forfeiture of what they possessed. And besides the annual impositions which he laid upon every one of them, they were to make liberal presents to himself, to his domestics and friends, and to such of his slaves as were vouchsafed the favor of being his tax-gatherers, because there was no way of obtaining a freedom from unjust violence without giving either gold or silver for it. That they would say nothing of the corruption of the chastity of their virgins, and the reproach laid on their wives for incontinency, and those things acted after an insolent and inhuman manner; because it was not a smaller pleasure to the sufferers to have such things concealed, than it would have been not to have suffered them. That Herod had put such abuses upon them as a wild beast would not have put on them, if he had power given him to rule over us; and that although their nation had passed through many subversions and alterations of government, their history gave no account of any calamity they had ever been under, that could be compared with this which Herod had brought upon their nation; that it was for this reason that they thought they might justly and gladly salute Archelaus as king, upon this supposition, that whosoever should be set over their kingdom, he would appear more mild to them than Herod had been; and that they had joined with him in the mourning for his father, in order to gratify him, and were ready to oblige him in other points also, if they could meet with any degree of moderation from him; but that he seemed to be afraid lest he should not be deemed Herod’s own son; and so, without any delay, he immediately let the nation understand his meaning, and this before his dominion was well established, since the power of disposing of it belonged to Caesar, who could either give it to him or not, as he pleased. That he had given a specimen of his future virtue to his subjects, and with what kind of moderation and good administration he would govern them, by that his first action, which concerned them, his own citizens, and God himself also, when he made the slaughter of three thousand of his own countrymen at the temple. How then could they avoid the just hatred of him, who, to the rest of his barbarity, hath added this as one of our crimes, that we have opposed and contradicted him in the exercise of his authority? Now the main thing they desired was this: That they might be delivered from kingly and the like forms of government, and might be added to Syria, and be put under the authority of such presidents of theirs as should be sent to them; for that it would thereby be made evident, whether they be really a seditious people, and generally fond of innovations, or whether they would live in an orderly manner, if they might have governors of any sort of moderation set over them.
304. Λόγου οὖν τοῖς Ἰουδαίων πρέσβεσι δοθέντος, οἳ ἐπὶ καταλύσει τῆς βασιλείας ἤλπιζον λέγειν, ἐπὶ κατηγορίᾳ τῶν Ἡρώδου παρανομιῶν τρέπονται, βασιλέα μὲν ὀνόματι ἀποφαίνοντες αὐτόν, τῶν δʼ ἐν ταῖς τυραννίσιν ἑκάστης τὸ ἀνήκεστον ἀναδεξάμενον εἰς ταὐτὸν ἐπʼ ὀλέθρῳ τῶν Ἰουδαίων συνθέντα χρῆσθαι τὰ πολλὰ καὶ φύσει τῇ αὐτοῦ προσκαινουργεῖν οὐκ ἀπηλλαγμένον. πολλῶν γοῦν ὄντων, οἳ ὀλέθροις ἀπολώλοιεν οὐχ ἱστορήσειν πω πρότερον, πολλῷ δὲ δυστυχεστέρους πάθους ἐκείνων τοὺς ζῶντας εἶναι, οὐ μόνον ὧν ὄψει καὶ διανοίᾳ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς ἀνιαθεῖεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧν ταῖς οὐσίαις. πόλεις τε τὰς μὲν περιοικίδας καὶ ὑπὸ ἀλλοφύλων οἰκουμένας κοσμοῦντα ῶν ἐκ παύσασθαι καὶ καταλύσεώς τε καὶ ἀφανισμῷ τῶν ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ αὐτοῦ κατῳκημένων. πενίας δὲ ἀπόρου τὸ ἔθνος ἀναπεπληκέναι σὺν ὀλίγοις εὔδαιμον παρειληφότα, τῶν τε εὐπατριδῶν ὁπότε κτείνειεν αὐτοὺς ἐπʼ ἀλόγοις αἰτίαις τὰς οὐσίας ἀποφερόμενον καὶ οἷς συγχωρήσειε τὴν ἀηδίαν τοῦ ζῆν ψίλωσιν χρημάτων καταδικάζοντα. καὶ χωρὶς μὲν πράσσεσθαι φόρους ἐπιβαλλομένους ἑκάστοις τὸ ἐπʼ ἔτος, χωρὶς δὲ εὐπορίας εἶναι παρακαταβολὰς αὐτῷ τε καὶ οἰκείοις καὶ φίλοις καὶ τῶν δούλων οἳ ἐπʼ ἐκπράξει τῶν φόρων ἐξίοιεν διὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι κτήσει τοῦ ἀνυβρίστως μηδʼ ὅπως μηδʼ ἀργυρίων διδομένων. παρθένων μέντοι φθορὰς καὶ γυναικῶν αἰσχύνας, ὁπόσας ἐπὶ παροινίᾳ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου δρώμενα σιγᾶν διὰ τὸ ἡδονὴν ἴσην εἶναι τοῖς πεπονθόσι τοῦ μὴ γεγονέναι τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἀνέκπυστα αὐτὰ εἶναι· τοσήνδε Ἡρώδην ἐπεισάγεσθαι τὴν ὕβριν αὐτοῖς, ὁπόσην οὐδʼ ἂν θηρίον ἀνθρώπων ἐπιστατεῖν δυνάμεως αὐτῷ παραγενομένης. πολλῶν γοῦν ἀναστάσεων καὶ μεταστάσεων παραλαβουσῶν τὸ ἔθνος οὐδεμίαν ἱστορεῖσθαι πώποτε τοιάνδε δυστυχίαν ἐπελθοῦσαν αὐτῷ, παράδειγμά τε κακώσεως ἣν αὐτῷ Ἡρώδης ἐπετίθει τὸ ἔθνος· καὶ ταῦτʼ εἰκότως ἂν γενέσθαι τὸ ἀσμένως Ἀρχέλαον βασιλέα προσειπεῖν οἰήσει τοῦ πάντʼ ὅντινʼ οὖν τὸν ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἐσόμενον Ἡρώδου μετριώτερον φαίνεσθαι, καὶ τόν τε πατέρα συνολοφύρεσθαι αὐτῷ θεραπεύοντας, εἴ γε μετρίου τυγχάνειν δυνηθεῖεν, καὶ τἆλλα οἰκειουμένους. τοῦ δὲ δείσαντος μὴ οὐχὶ Ἡρώδου γνήσιος πιστεύοιτο υἱός, οὐδὲν εἰς ἀναβολὰς ἀλλʼ ἐκ τοῦ ὀξέος ἐπάξειν ἂν τῷ ἔθνει τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ταῦτα μηδέπω τέλεον κρατυνάμενον ἡγεμονίαν διὰ τὸ ἐπὶ Καίσαρι δοῦναι καὶ μὴ τὴν ἐξουσίαν εἶναι, καὶ παράδειγμα τὴν τῆς εἰς αὖθις ἀρετῆς τιθέναι τοῖς ἀρχθησομένοις μετριότητος καὶ εὐνομίας, ᾗ χρήσαιτο ἂν πρὸς αὐτούς, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐν πρώτοις ἀποδειχθείσης πράξεως ἐπί τε τοῖς πολίταις καὶ τῷ θεῷ τρισχιλίων ὁμοφύλων ἀνδρῶν σφαγὴν ἐν τῷ τεμένει ποιησάμενον. πῶς οὐκ ἂν ἤδη καὶ δικαίῳ μίσει χρῆσθαι κατʼ αὐτῶν πρὸς τῇ λοιπῇ ὠμότητι καὶ ἔγκλημα τῆς ἀντιστάσεως καὶ ἀντιλογίας ἐπὶ τῇ ἀρχῇ προφερόμενον; ἦν δὲ κεφάλαιον αὐτοῖς τῆς ἀξιώσεως βασιλείας μὲν καὶ τοιῶνδε ἀρχῶν ἀπηλλάχθαι, προσθήκη δὲ Συρίας γεγονότες ὑποτάσσεσθαι τοῖς ἐκεῖσε πεμπομένοις στρατηγοῖς· φανερωθήσεσθαι γὰρ οὕτως, εἴτε ἀληθῶς στασιώδεις εἶεν καὶ νεωτερισμοῖς τὰ πολλὰ προσησκημένοι εἴτε καὶ οὔ, μετριωτέρων τυχόντες οἳ ἐπιστήσονται αὐτοῖς.
315. Now when the Jews had said this, Nicolaus vindicated the kings from those accusations, and said, that as for Herod, since he had never been thus accused all the time of his life, it was not fit for those that might have accused him of lesser crimes than those now mentioned, and might have procured him to be punished during his lifetime, to bring an accusation against him now he is dead. He also attributed the actions of Archlaus to the Jews’ injuries to him, who, affecting to govern contrary to the laws, and going about to kill those that would have hindered them from acting unjustly, when they were by him punished for what they had done, made their complaints against him; so he accused them of their attempts for innovation, and of the pleasure they took in sedition, by reason of their not having learned to submit to justice and to the laws, but still desiring to be superior in all things. This was the substance of what Nicolaus said.
315. Τοιαῦτα δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων εἰρηκότων Νικόλαος τούς τε βασιλεῖς ἀπήλλασσε τῶν ἐγκλημάτων, Ἡρώδην μὲν διὰ τὸ παρʼ ὃν ἔζη χρόνον τυχεῖν ἀκατηγόρητον· οὐ γὰρ δὴ τοὺς ἐγκαλεῖν ἔχοντας ἐπὶ μετρίοις παρὰ τοῦ ζῶντος τιμωρίαν λαβεῖν δυναμένους ἐπὶ νεκρῷ κατηγορίαν συντιθέναι· τὰ δὲ ὑπʼ Ἀρχελάου πραχθέντα ὕβρει τῇ ἐκείνων ἀνετίθει, οἳ ὀριγνώμενοι πραγμάτων παρὰ τοὺς νόμους καὶ σφαγῆς ἄρξαντες τῶν κωλύειν ὑβρίζοντας προμηθουμένων ἀμύνης γενομένης ἐγκαλοῖεν. ἐνεκάλει δὲ νεωτεροποιίας αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῦ στασιάζειν ἡδονὴν ἀπαιδευσίᾳ τοῦ πείθεσθαι δίκῃ καὶ νομίμοις ὑπὸ τοῦ θέλειν τὰ πάντα νικᾶν. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν Νικόλαος.
317. When Caesar had heard these pleadings, he dissolved the assembly; but a few days afterwards he appointed Archelaus, not indeed to be king of the whole country, but ethnarch of the one half of that which had been subject to Herod, and promised to give him the royal dignity hereafter, if he governed his part virtuously. But as for the other half, he divided it into two parts, and gave it to two other of Herod’s sons, to Philip and to Antipas, that Antipas who disputed with Archelaus for the whole kingdom. Now to him it was that Peres and Galilee paid their tribute, which amounted annually to two hundred talents, while Batanea, with Trachonitis, as well as Auranitis, with a certain part of what was called the House of Zenodorus, paid the tribute of one hundred talents to Philip; but Idumea, and Judea, and the country of Samaria paid tribute to Archelaus, but had now a fourth part of that tribute taken off by the order of Caesar, who decreed them that mitigation, because they did not join in this revolt with the rest of the multitude. There were also certain of the cities which paid tribute to Archelaus: Strato’s Tower and Sebaste, with Joppa and Jerusalem; for as to Gaza, and Gadara, and Hippos, they were Grecian cities, which Caesar separated from his government, and added them to the province of Syria. Now the tribute-money that came to Archelaus every year from his own dominions amounted to six hundred talents.
317. Καῖσαρ δʼ ἀκούσας διαλύει μὲν τὸ συνέδριον, ὀλίγων δʼ ἡμερῶν ὕστερον Ἀρχέλαον βασιλέα μὲν οὐκ ἀποφαίνεται, τῆς δʼ ἡμίσεως χώρας ἥπερ Ἡρώδῃ ὑπετέλει ἐθνάρχην καθίσταται, τιμήσειν ἀξιώματι βασιλείας ὑπισχνούμενος, εἴπερ τὴν εἰς αὐτὴν ἀρετὴν προσφέροιτο. τὴν δʼ ἑτέραν ἡμίσειαν νείμας διχῇ δυσὶν Ἡρώδου παισὶν ἑτέροις παρεδίδου Φιλίππῳ καὶ Ἀντίπᾳ τῷ πρὸς Ἀρχέλαον τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἀμφισβητήσαντι περὶ τῆς ὅλης ἀρχῆς. καὶ τούτῳ μὲν ἥ τε Περαία καὶ τὸ Γαλιλαῖον ὑπετέλουν, φορά τε ἦν τάλαντα διακόσια τὸ ἐπʼ ἔτος. Βαταναία δὲ σὺν Τράχωνι καὶ Αὐρανῖτις σύν τινι μέρει οἴκου τοῦ Ζηνοδώρου λεγομένου Φιλίππῳ τάλαντα ἑκατὸν προσέφερεν· τὰ δʼ Ἀρχελάῳ συντελοῦντα Ἰδουμαῖοί τε καὶ Ἰουδαία τό τε Σαμαρειτικόν. τετάρτην μοῖραν οὗτοι τῶν φόρων παραλέλυντο Καίσαρος αὐτοῖς κούφισιν ψηφισαμένου διὰ τὸ μὴ συναποστῆναι τῇ λοιπῇ πληθύι. καὶ ἦσαν πόλεις αἳ Ἀρχελάῳ ὑπετέλουν Στράτωνός τε πύργος καὶ Σεβαστὴ σὺν Ἰόππῃ καὶ Ἱεροσολύμοις· Γάζαν γὰρ καὶ Γάδαρα καὶ Ἵππον, Ἑλληνίδες εἰσὶν πόλεις, ἀπορρήξας αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀκροάσεως Συρίας προσθήκην ποιεῖται. προσῄει δὲ Ἀρχελάῳ φορὰ χρημάτων τὸ κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν εἰς τάλαντα ἑξακόσια ἐξ ἧς παρέλαβεν ἀρχῆς.
321. And so much came to Herod’s sons from their father’s inheritance. But Salome, besides what her brother left her by his testament, which were Jamnia, and Ashdod, and Phasaelis, and five hundred thousand [drachmae] of coined silver, Caesar made her a present of a royal habitation at Askelo; in all, her revenues amounted to sixty talents by the year, and her dwelling-house was within Archelaus’s government. The rest also of the king’s relations received what his testament allotted them. Moreover, Caesar made a present to each of Herod’s two virgin daughters, besides what their father left them, of two hundred and fifty thousand [drachmae] of silver, and married them to Pheroras’s sons: he also granted all that was bequeathed to himself to the king’s sons, which was one thousand five hundred talents, excepting a few of the vessels, which he reserved for himself; and they were acceptable to him, not so much for the great value they were of, as because they were memorials of the king to him.
321. Καὶ τάδε μὲν τοῖς Ἡρώδου υἱέσιν τῶν πατρῴων παρῆν. Σαλώμῃ δὲ πρὸς οἷς ὁ ἀδελφὸς ἐν ταῖς διαθήκαις ἀπονέμει, Ἰάμνεια δὲ ἦν ταῦτα καὶ Ἄζωτος καὶ Φασαηλὶς καὶ ἀργυρίου ἐπισήμου μυριάδες πεντήκοντα, Καῖσαρ χαρίζεται καὶ τὴν ἐν Ἀσκάλωνι βασίλειον οἴκησιν. ἦν δὲ καὶ ταύτῃ πρόσοδος ἐκ πάντων ταλάντων ἑξήκοντα τὸ ἐπʼ ἔτος· καὶ αὐτῆς ὁ οἶκος ἦν ἐν τῇ Ἀρχελάου ἀρχῇ. κομίζονται δὲ καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ τοῦ βασιλέως συγγενεῖς ὁπόσα αἱ διαθῆκαι διηγόρευον. δυοῖν δʼ αὐτοῦ θυγατράσιν παρθένοις χωρὶς ὧν ὁ πατὴρ κατέλιπεν Καῖσαρ ἑκατέρᾳ δωρεὰν ἐπετίθει μυριάδων ἀνὰ πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι ἀργυρίου ἐπισήμου καὶ συνῴκισεν αὐτὰς τοῖς Φερώρου υἱέσιν. χαρίζεται δὲ καὶ ὁπόσα αὐτῷ καταλέλειπτο τοῖς παισὶν τοῦ βασιλέως ὄντα πεντακοσίων ταλάντων καὶ χιλίων, ὀλίγα τῶν σκευῶν ὑπεξελόμενος οὐχ οὕτως μεγέθει τέλους ὡς μνήμῃ τοῦ βασιλέως αὐτῷ κεχαρισμένα.
324. WHEN these affairs had been thus settled by Caesar, a certain young man, by birth a Jew, but brought up by a Roman freed-man in the city Sidon, ingrafted himself into the kindred of Herod, by the resemblance of his countenance, which those that saw him attested to be that of Alexander, the son of Herod, whom he had slain; and this was an incitement to him to endeavor to obtain the government; so he took to him as an assistant a man of his own country, (one that was well acquainted with the affairs of the palace, but, on other accounts, an ill man, and one whose nature made him capable of causing great disturbances to the public, and one that became a teacher of such a mischievous contrivance to the other,) and declared himself to be Alexander, and the son of Herod, but stolen away. by one of those that were sent to slay him, who, in reality, slew other men, in order to deceive the spectators, but saved both him and his brother Aristobulus. Thus was this man elated, and able to impose on those that came to him; and when he was come to Crete, he made all the Jews that came to discourse with him believe him [to be Alexander]. And when he had gotten much money which had been presented to him there, he passed over to Melos, where he got much more money than he had before, out of the belief they had that he was of the royal family, and their hopes that he would recover his father’s principality, and reward his benefactors; so he made haste to Rome, and was conducted thither by those strangers who entertained him. He was also so fortunate, as, upon his landing at Dicearchia, to bring the Jews that were there into the same delusion; and not only other people, but also all those that had been great with Herod, or had a kindness for him, joined themselves to this man as to their king. The cause of it was this, that men were glad of his pretenses, which were seconded by the likeness of his countenance, which made those that had been acquainted with Alexander strongly to believe that he was no other but the very same person, which they also confirmed to others by oath; insomuch that when the report went about him that he was coming to Rome, the whole multitude of the Jews that were there went out to meet him, ascribing it to Divine Providence that he has so unexpectedly escaped, and being very joyful on account of his mother’s family. And when he was come, he was carried in a royal litter through the streets; and all the ornaments about him were such as kings are adorned withal; and this was at the expense of those that entertained him. The multitude also flocked about him greatly, and made mighty acclamations to him, and nothing was omitted which could be thought suitable to such as had been so unexpectedly preserved.
324. Τούτων δὲ ταύτῃ διαπεπραγμένων ὑπὸ Καίσαρος νεανίας Ἰουδαῖος μὲν τὸ γένος, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς Σιδωνίων τεθραμμένος πόλεως παρά τινι τῶν Ῥωμαϊκῶν ἀπελευθέρων εἰσῴκισεν αὑτὸν εἰς τὴν Ἡρώδου συγγένειαν ὁμοιότητι μορφῆς, ἣ πρὸς Ἀλέξανδρον αὐτῷ τὸν ἀνῃρημένον Ἡρώδου υἱὸν ἐμαρτυρεῖτο παρὰ τοῖς θεωροῦσιν. καὶ τοῦτο παρόρμημα ἦν αὐτῷ εἰς τὸ μεταποιεῖσθαι τῆς ἡγεμονίας. καὶ ὁμοπράγμονα παραλαβὼν ὁμόφυλον ἄνδρα, ἔμπειρον δὲ τῶν ἀμφὶ τὸ βασίλειον πονηρόν τε ἄλλως καὶ ταράξαι μεγάλα πράγματα φύσιν ἔχοντα καὶ τοιαύτης κακίας διδάσκαλον αὐτῷ γενόμενον, ἀπέφαινεν αὑτὸν Ἀλέξανδρον καὶ Ἡρώδου παῖδα ὄντα διακεκλεμμένον ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνελεῖν αὐτὸν ἐσταλμένων· κτείναντα γὰρ ἑτέρους, οἳ ἀπατήσειν ἔμελλον τοὺς θεωροῦντας, αὐτόν τε περιποιῆσαι καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν Ἀριστόβουλον. καὶ τούτοις αὐτός τε ἀνεπτέρωτο, καὶ τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας οὐκ ἀπήλλακτο ἀπατᾶν, ἀλλὰ Κρήτῃ προσενεχθεὶς Ἰουδαίων ὁπόσοις εἰς ὁμιλίαν ἀφίκετο ἐπηγάγετο εἰς πίστιν, καὶ χρημάτων εὐπορηθεὶς δόσει τῇ ἐκείνων ἐπὶ Μήλου διῆρεν. πολὺ πλέονα δὲ ἦν ἐντεῦθεν ὁπόσα αὐτῷ προσῄει χρήματα πίστει τῆς βασιλείου συγγενείας καὶ ἐλπίδι τοῦ ἀπολαβεῖν τὴν πάτριον ἀρχὴν καὶ ἀμείψασθαι τοὺς εὐεργέτας. ἐπὶ Ῥώμης ἠπείγετο παραπομπῇ τῶν ἰδιοξένων, καὶ Δικαιαρχείᾳ προσβαλὼν οὐκ ἠτύχει καὶ τοὺς τῇδε Ἰουδαίους ἀφʼ ὁμοίας ἀπάτης προσαγαγέσθαι, προσῄεσάν τε ὥσπερ βασιλεῖ οἵ τε ἄλλοι καὶ ὁπόσοις ξενία πρὸς Ἡρώδην καὶ εὔνοια ἦν. αἴτιον δὲ ἦν τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ ἡδονῇ δεχόμενον τοὺς λόγους σὺν τῷ φερεγγύῳ τῆς μορφῆς· καὶ γὰρ τοῖς πάνυ ὡμιληκόσιν Ἀλεξάνδρῳ πολὺ τὸ πιστὸν ἐνετίθει τοῦ μὴ οὐχ ἕτερος ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς εἶναι, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πλησίον ὤμνυσαν, ὥστε καὶ προελθόντος εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην λόγου τοῦ περὶ αὐτοῦ πᾶν τὸ τῇδε Ἰουδαίων ἔθνος ὑπαντιάζοντες ἐξῄεσαν τῷ παρὰ δόξαν τῆς σωτηρίας θειάζοντες τὸ ἔργον καὶ χάρμα ποιούμενοι διὰ τὸ μητρῷον αὐτῶν γένος, ὁπότε χωροίη κατὰ τοῦ στενωποῦ διφροφορούμενος· καὶ πάντα βασίλειον περὶ αὐτὸν σχῆμα ἦν ἀναλώμασιν τῶν ἰδιοξένων, μεγάλαι περιστάσεις ἐγίνοντο τῆς πληθύος ἐπιβοήσεις τε εὔφημοι ὁπόσα εἰκὸς τοῖς οὕτω παρʼ ἐλπίδα σωθεῖσιν συντυγχάνειν οὐδὲν ὅ τι οὐκ ἐπράσσετο.
332. When this thing was told Caesar, he did not believe it, because Herod was not easily to be imposed upon in such affairs as were of great concern to him; yet, having some suspicion it might be so, he sent one Celadus, a freed-man of his, and one that had conversed with the young men themselves, and bade him bring Alexander into his presence; so he brought him, being no more accurate in judging about him than the rest of the multitude. Yet did not he deceive Caesar; for although there was a resemblance between him and Alexander, yet was it not so exact as to impose on such as were prudent in discerning; for this spurious Alexander had his hands rough, by the labors he had been put to and instead of that softness of body which the other had, and this as derived from his delicate and generous education, this man, for the contrary reason, had a rugged body. When, therefore, Caesar saw how the master and the scholar agreed in this lying story, and in a bold way of talking, he inquired about Aristobulus, and asked what became of him who (it seems) was stolen away together with him, and for what reason it was that he did not come along with him, and endeavor to recover that dominion which was due to his high birth also. And when he said that he had been left in the isle of Crete, for fear of the dangers of the sea, that, in case any accident should come to himself, the posterity of Mariamne might not utterly perish, but that Aristobulus might survive, and punish those that laid such treacherous designs against them; and when he persevered in his affirmations, and the author of the imposture agreed in supporting it, Caesar took the young man by himself, and said to him, “If thou wilt not impose upon me, thou shalt have this for thy reward, that thou shalt escape with thy life; tell me, then, who thou art, and who it was that had boldness enough to contrive such a cheat as this. For this contrivance is too considerable a piece of villainy to be undertaken by one of thy age.” Accordingly, because he had no other way to take, he told Caesar the contrivance, and after what manner and by whom it was laid together. So Caesar, upon observing the spurious Alexander to be a strong active man, and fit to work with his hands, that he might not break his promise to him, put him among those that were to row among the mariners, but slew him that induced him to do what he had done; for as for the people of Melos, he thought them sufficiently punished, in having thrown away so much of their money upon this spurious Alexander. And such was the ignominious conclusion of this bold contrivance about the spurious Alexander. WHEN Archelaus was entered on his ethnarchy, and was come into Judea, he accused Joazar, the son of Boethus, of assisting the seditious, and took away the high priesthood from him, and put Eleazar his brother in his place. He also magnificently rebuilt the royal palace that had been at Jericho, and he diverted half the water with which the village of Neara used to be watered, and drew off that water into the plain, to water those palm trees which he had there planted: he also built a village, and put his own name upon it, and called it Archelais. Moreover, he transgressed the law of our fathers and married Glaphyra, the daughter of Archelaus, who had been the wife of his brother Alexander, which Alexander had three children by her, while it was a thing detestable among the Jews to marry the brother’s wife. Nor did this Eleazar abide long in the high priesthood, Jesus, the son of Sie, being put in his room while he was still living.
332. Καίσαρι δὲ ὡς ἀφίκετο ἀγγελία ἡ περὶ αὐτοῦ, ἠπίστει μὲν διὰ τὸ μὴ ἂν ῥᾳδίως ἀπατηθῆναι Ἡρώδην ἐν πράγμασιν ἐπὶ μέγα ἀνήκουσιν αὐτῷ, διδοὺς δὲ τῇ ἐλπίδι Κέλαδον τῶν αὐτοῦ τινὰ ἐξελευθέρων ὡμιληκότα τοῖς μειρακίοις πέμπει κελεύσας ἀγαγεῖν εἰς ὄψιν αὐτῷ τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον. ὁ δὲ ἀνῆγεν οὐδέν τι βελτίων ἐπὶ τῇ κρίσει τῶν πολλῶν γενόμενος. οὐ μὴν Καῖσάρ γε ἠπατᾶτο, ἀλλʼ ἦν μὲν ἐμφερής, οὐ μὴν ὥστε ἀπατῆσαι τοὺς σωφρόνως ἐκλογίζεσθαι δυναμένους· αὐτουργίᾳ τε γὰρ ἐτέτρυτο ὁ ψευδαλέξανδρος καὶ παρὰ τὸ ἐκείνῳ ῥαδαλὸν τοῦ σώματος ὑπὸ τρυφῆς καὶ γενναιότητος συνερχόμενον διὰ τὰ ἐναντία τῷδε ἐπισκληρότερον ἐξεβεβήκει τὸ σῶμα. θεασάμενος οὖν συμπνευσμὸν ἐπὶ ψευδολογίᾳ διδασκάλου καὶ μαθητοῦ καὶ λόγων τολμηρῶν συγκρότησιν, ἐξήταζε περὶ Ἀριστοβούλου, τί καὶ γεγόνοι συνεκκλαπεὶς αὐτῷ, καὶ διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν οὐ παραγεγόνοι μεταποιούμενος τῆς ἀξίας, ἧς προσῆκε τυγχάνειν τοὺς οὕτω γεγονότας; φαμένου δʼ ἐπὶ νήσου τῆς Κυπρίων καταλελεῖφθαι κινδύνων ὑφοράσει τῶν κατὰ θάλασσαν, εἰ περὶ αὐτῷ συσταίη τι δεινόν, μὴ παντελὲς ἐξαλείφοιτο τὸ Μαριάμμης γένος ἀλλὰ περιὼν Ἀριστόβουλος μένοι τοὺς ἐπιβεβουλευκότας, ταῦτα διισχυριζομένου καὶ συνεστῶτος αὐτῷ τοῦ μηχανοποιοῦ τῆς πράξεως Καῖσαρ καταμόνας ἀπολαβὼν τὸ μειράκιον ἀλλὰ σοὶ μισθός, ἔφη, προκείσεται τοῦ μὴ καὶ πρὸς ἐμὲ ἀπάτῃ χρησομένου τὸ μὴ ἀπολούμενον τῆς σωτηρίας· φάθι δή μοι αὐτόν τε ὃς ὢν τυγχάνεις καὶ ὅς σε τοιάδε ᾖξε τολμῆσαι διανοεῖσθαι· μεῖζον γὰρ τὸ ἐπιβούλευμα κακίας ἐγκεχείρηκας χρόνων οὓς γεγονὼς τυγχάνεις. καὶ δή, οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἄλλως πράσσειν, φράζει πρὸς τὸν Καίσαρα τὸ ἐπιβούλευμα, ὅν τε τρόπον καὶ ὑφʼ οὗ τυγχάνοι συγκείμενον. καὶ ὁ Καῖσαρ τὸν μὲν ψευδαλέξανδρον, οὐ γὰρ ἐψεύσατο ὁμολογίαν τὴν πρὸς αὐτόν, δραστήριον ὁρῶν αὐτουργῆσαι τῷ σώματι ἐρέσσειν ἐν τοῖς ναύταις καταλέγει, τὸν δὲ ἀναπείσαντα κτείνει. καταδίκη δʼ ἤρκει Μηλίοις ὁπόσα ἐτετελέκεσαν εἰς τὸν Ψευδαλέξανδρον διακενῆς ἀναλωκέναι. καὶ τὰ μὲν περὶ τὸν ψευδαλέξανδρον τολμηρῶς συντεθέντα οὕτως ἀκλεῶς ἔσχεν. Ἀρχέλαος δὲ τὴν ἐθναρχίαν παραλαβὼν ἐπεὶ εἰς Ἰουδαίαν ἀφικνεῖται, Ἰωάζαρον τὸν Βοηθοῦ ἀφελόμενος τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην ἐπικαλῶν αὐτῷ συστάντι τοῖς στασιώταις Ἐλεάζαρον τὸν ἐκείνου ἐπικαθίσταται ἀδελφόν. ἀνοικοδομεῖ δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐν Ἱεριχοῦντι βασίλειον ἐκπρεπῶς, τῶν τε ὑδάτων ὁπόσα Νεαρὰν τὴν κώμην ὠφελεῖ ἐπιρρέοντα ἐξ ἡμισείας ἀπέστρεψεν ἐπαγωγὴν αὐτῷ ποιούμενος τῷ πεδίῳ φοίνιξιν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ πεφυτευμένῳ, κώμην τε κτίσας Ἀρχελαΐδα ὄνομα αὐτῇ τίθεται. καὶ τοῦ πατρίου παράβασιν ποιησάμενος Γλαφύραν τὴν Ἀρχελάου μὲν θυγατέρα, Ἀλεξάνδρου δὲ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ γαμετὴν γενομένην, ἐξ οὗ καὶ τέκνα ἦν αὐτῇ, ἀπώμοτον ὂν Ἰουδαίοις γαμετὰς ἀδελφῶν ἄγεσθαι, γαμεῖ. διατρίβει δὲ οὐδὲ ὁ Ἑλεάζαρος ἐν τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ ἐπικατασταθέντος αὐτῷ ζῶντι Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Σεὲ παιδός.
342. But in the tenth year of Archelaus’s government, both his brethren, and the principal men of Judea and Samaria, not being able to bear his barbarous and tyrannical usage of them, accused him before Caesar, and that especially because they knew he had broken the commands of Caesar, which obliged him to behave himself with moderation among them. Whereupon Caesar, when he heard it, was very angry, and called for Archelaus’s steward, who took care of his affairs at Rome, and whose name was Archelaus also; and thinking it beneath him to write to Archelaus, he bid him sail away as soon as possible, and bring him to us: so the man made haste in his voyage, and when he came into Judea, he found Archelaus feasting with his friends; so he told him what Caesar had sent him about, and hastened him away. And when he was come [to Rome], Caesar, upon hearing what certain accusers of his had to say, and what reply he could make, both banished him, and appointed Vienna, a city of Gaul, to be the place of his habitation, and took his money away from him.
342. Δεκάτῳ δὲ ἔτει τῆς ἀρχῆς Ἀρχελάου οἱ πρῶτοι τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἔν τε Ἰουδαίοις καὶ Σαμαρεῦσι μὴ φέροντες τὴν ὠμότητα αὐτοῦ καὶ τυραννίδα κατηγοροῦσιν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ Καίσαρος, καὶ μάλιστα ἐπεὶ ἔγνωσαν αὐτὸν παραβεβηκότα τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ἐπιεικῶς ἀναστραφῇ τὰ πρὸς αὐτούς. ὁ τοίνυν Καῖσαρ ὡς ἤκουσεν, ὀργῇ φέρων τὸν ἐπίτροπον τὸν Ἀρχελάου τῶν ἐν Ῥώμῃ πραγμάτων, Ἀρχέλαος δὲ καὶ τούτῳ ὄνομα ἦν, μετακαλέσας γράφειν μὲν Ἀρχελάῳ ταπεινὸν ἡγεῖται, σὺ δὲ παραχρῆμα, φησίν, πλέων μηδὲν εἰς ἀναβολὰς ἐπαναγαγεῖν αὐτὸν πρὸς ἡμᾶς. καὶ ὃς ἔκπλουν ἐκ τοῦ ὀξέος ποιησάμενος καὶ ἀφικόμενος εἰς Ἰουδαίαν λαμβάνει τὸν Ἀρχέλαον ἐν εὐωχίαις ὄντα μετὰ τῶν φίλων, τήν τε διάνοιαν ἀποσημαίνει τὴν Καίσαρος καὶ ὥρμησεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ἔξοδον. καὶ ὁ Καῖσαρ ἀφικομένου ἐπί τινων κατηγόρων ἀκροᾶται καὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντος ἐκεῖνον μὲν φυγάδα ἐλαύνει δοὺς οἰκητήριον αὐτῷ Βίενναν πόλιν τῆς Γαλατίας, τὰ δὲ χρήματα ἀπηνέγκατο.
345. Now, before Archelaus was gone up to Rome upon this message, he related this dream to his friends: That he saw ears of corn, in number ten, full of wheat, perfectly ripe, which ears, as it seemed to him, were devoured by oxen. And when he was awake and gotten up, because the vision appeared to beof great importance to him, he sent for the diviners, whose study was employed about dreams. And while some were of one opinion, and some of another, (for all their interpretations did not agree,) Simon, a man of the sect of the Essens, desired leave to speak his mind freely, and said that the vision denoted a change in the affairs of Archelaus, and that not for the better; that oxen, because that animal takes uneasy pains in his labors, denoted afflictions, and indeed denoted, further, a change of affairs, because that land which is ploughed by oxen cannot remain in its former state; and that the ears of corn being ten, determined the like number of years, because an ear of corn grows in one year; and that the time of Archelaus’s government was over. And thus did this man expound the dream. Now on the fifth day after this dream came first to Archelaus, the other Archelaus, that was sent to Judea by Caesar to call him away, came hither also.
345. Πρότερον δὲ ἢ κληθεὶς ἐπὶ Ῥώμης ἀνελθεῖν Ἀρχέλαος ὄναρ τοιόνδε ἐκδιηγεῖται τοῖς φίλοις θεασάμενος· ἀστάχυας δέκα τὸν ἀριθμὸν πλέους πυροῦ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀκμὴν ἀπειληφότας δόξα ἦν αὐτῷ βιβρωσκομένους ὑπὸ βοῶν θεωρεῖν. καὶ περιεγρόμενος φέρειν εἰς μέγα δόξαν τὴν ὄψιν αὐτῷ μεταστέλλεται τοὺς μάντεις, οἷς περὶ ὀνειράτων ἦσαν αἱ ἀναστροφαί. σκιδναμένων δὲ ἑτέρων ἐφʼ ἑτέροις, οὐ γὰρ εἰς ἕνα ἔκειτο πᾶσιν ἀφήγησις, Σίμων ἀνὴρ γένος Ἐσσαῖος ἀσφάλειαν αἰτησάμενος, μεταβολὴν πραγμάτων ἔλεγεν Ἀρχελάῳ φέρειν τὴν ὄψιν οὐκ ἐπʼ ἀγαθοῖς πράγμασιν· βόας μὲν γὰρ κακοπαθείας τε ἀποσαφεῖν διὰ τὸ ἔργοις ἐπιταλαιπωρεῖν τὸ ζῷον, μεταβολὰς δὲ αὖ πραγμάτων διὰ τὸ τὴν γῆν πόνῳ τῷ ἐκείνων ἀρουμένην ἐν ταὐτῷ μένειν οὐ δύνασθαι· τοὺς δὲ ἀστάχυας δέκα ὄντας τοσῶνδε ἀριθμὸν ἐνιαυτῶν ὁρίζειν, περιόδῳ γὰρ ἑνὸς παραγίνεσθαι θέρος, καὶ τὸν χρόνον ἐξήκειν Ἀρχελάῳ τῆς ἡγεμονίας. καὶ ὁ μὲν ταύτῃ ἐξηγήσατο τὸν ὄνειρον. πέμπτῃ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ μεθʼ ὃ τὸ πρῶτον αὐτοῦ ἡ ὄψις Ἀρχελάῳ συνῆλθεν ὁ ἀνακαλούμενος Ἀρχέλαος πεμπτὸς εἰς Ἰουδαίαν ἀφίκετο.
349. The like accident befell Glaphyra his wife, who was the daughter of king Archelaus, who, as I said before, was married, while she was a virgin, to Alexander, the son of Herod, and brother of Archelaus; but since it fell out so that Alexander was slain by his father, she was married to Juba, the king of Lybia; and when he was dead, and she lived in widowhood in Cappadocia with her father, Archclaus divorced his former wife Mariamne, and married her, so great was his affection for this Glphyra; who, during her marriage to him, saw the following dream: She thought she saw Alexander standing by her, at which she rejoiced, and embraced him with great affection; but that he complained o her, and said, O Glaphyra! thou provest that saying to be true, which assures us that women are not to be trusted. Didst not thou pledge thy faith to me? and wast not thou married to me when thou wast a virgin? and had we not children between us? Yet hast thou forgotten the affection I bare to thee, out of a desire of a second husband. Nor hast thou been satisfied with that injury thou didst me, but thou hast been so bold as to procure thee a third husband to lie by thee, and in an indecent and imprudent manner hast entered into my house, and hast been married to Archelaus, thy husband and my brother. However, I will not forget thy former kind affection for me, but will set thee free from every such reproachful action, and cause thee to be mine again, as thou once wast. When she had related this to her female companions, in a few days’ time she departed this life.
349. Παραπλήσια δὲ καὶ Γλαφύρᾳ τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ συντυγχάνει βασιλέως Ἀρχελάου θυγατρὶ οὔσῃ, ᾗ καὶ πρότερον εἶπον συνῴκει παρθένον λαβὼν Ἀλέξανδρος Ἡρώδου μὲν υἱὸς Ἀρχελάου δʼ ἀδελφός. ἐπεὶ δὲ συμβαίνει τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς τελευτῆσαι, Ἰόβᾳ τῷ Λιβύων βασιλεῖ γαμεῖται, μεταστάντος δὲ τοῦ Λίβυος χηρεύουσαν ἐν Καππαδοκίᾳ παρὰ τῷ πατρὶ Ἀρχέλαος ἄγεται τὴν συνοῦσαν αὐτῷ Μαριάμμην ἐκβαλών· τοσόσδε τῆς Γλαφύρας ἀνέστρεψεν ἔρως. καὶ συνοικοῦσα τῷ Ἀρχελάῳ τοιόνδε ὄναρ θεᾶται· ἐδόκει τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον ἐπιστάντα θεασαμένη χαίρειν καὶ περιβάλλειν προθύμως, τὸν δὲ κατάμεμψίν τε αὐτῆς ποιεῖσθαι καὶ φάναι· Γλαφύρα, συνηγορεῖς ἄρα λόγῳ, ὃς ἄπιστα ἔλεγεν εἶναι γυναιξίν, εἰ συνομόσασά τέ μοι καὶ συγκατοικισθεῖσα παρθένος παίδων ἡμῖν γεγονότων λήθῃ παραδίδως ἔρωτας τοὺς ἐμοὺς δευτέρων ἐπιθυμίᾳ γάμων. πληθώρα δέ σοι οὐδʼ οὕτως ὕβρεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ τρίτον ἐτόλμησας σαυτῇ παρακατακλῖναι νυμφίον ἀπρεπῶς καὶ ἀναισχύντως ἐπεισιοῦσα οἴκῳ τῷ ἐμῷ, καὶ γάμον συντιθεμένη πρὸς Ἀρχέλαον ἄνδρα μὲν σεαυτῆς ἀδελφὸν δὲ ἡμέτερον. ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔγωγε λήθην ποιήσομαι εὐνοίας τῆς σῆς, ἀπαλλάξω δέ σε παντὸς τοῦ ὀνειδιοῦντος ἐμὴν ὥσπερ ἦν κατασκευασάμενος. ταῦτα διηγησαμένη πρὸς τὰς συνήθεις τῶν γυναικῶν μετʼ ὀλίγας ἡμέρας τελευτᾷ τὸν βίον.
354. Now I did not think these histories improper for the present discourse, both because my discourse now is concerning kings, and otherwise also on account of the advantage hence to be drawn, as well for the confirmation of the immortality of the soul, as of the providence of God over human affairs, I thought them fit to be set down; but if any one does not believe such relations, let him indeed enjoy his own opinion, but let him not hinder another that would thereby encourage himself in virtue. So Archelaus’s country was laid to the province of Syria; and Cyrenius, one that had been consul, was sent by Caesar to take account of people’s effects in Syria, and to sell the house of Archelaus. NOW Cyrenius, a Roman senator, and one who had gone through other magistracies, and had passed through them till he had been consul, and one who, on other accounts, was of great dignity, came at this time into Syria, with a few others, being sent by Caesar to he a judge of that nation, and to take an account of their substance. Coponius also, a man of the equestrian order, was sent together with him, to have the supreme power over the Jews. Moreover, Cyrenius came himself into Judea, which was now added to the province of Syria, to take an account of their substance, and to dispose of Archelaus’s money; but the Jews, although at the beginning they took the report of a taxation heinously, yet did they leave off any further opposition to it, by the persuasion of Joazar, who was the son of Beethus, and high priest; so they, being over-pesuaded by Joazar’s words, gave an account of their estates, without any dispute about it. Yet was there one Judas, a Gaulonite, of a city whose name was Gamala, who, taking with him Sadduc, a Pharisee, became zealous to draw them to a revolt, who both said that this taxation was no better than an introduction to slavery, and exhorted the nation to assert their liberty; as if they could procure them happiness and security for what they possessed, and an assured enjoyment of a still greater good, which was that of the honor and glory they would thereby acquire for magnanimity. They also said that God would not otherwise be assisting to them, than upon their joining with one another in such councils as might be successful, and for their own advantage; and this especially, if they would set about great exploits, and not grow weary in executing the same; so men received what they said with pleasure, and this bold attempt proceeded to a great height. All sorts of misfortunes also sprang from these men, and the nation was infected with this doctrine to an incredible degree; one violent war came upon us after another, and we lost our friends which used to alleviate our pains; there were also very great robberies and murder of our principal men. This was done in pretense indeed for the public welfare, but in reality for the hopes of gain to themselves; whence arose seditions, and from them murders of men, which sometimes fell on those of their own people, (by the madness of these men towards one another, while their desire was that none of the adverse party might be left,) and sometimes on their enemies; a famine also coming upon us, reduced us to the last degree of despair, as did also the taking and demolishing of cities; nay, the sedition at last increased so high, that the very temple of God was burnt down by their enemies’ fire. Such were the consequences of this, that the customs of our fathers were altered, and such a change was made, as added a mighty weight toward bringing all to destruction, which these men occasioned by their thus conspiring together; for Judas and Sadduc, who excited a fourth philosophic sect among us, and had a great many followers therein, filled our civil government with tumults at present, and laid the foundations of our future miseries, by this system of philosophy, which we were before unacquainted withal, concerning which I will discourse a little, and this the rather because the infection which spread thence among the younger sort, who were zealous for it, brought the public to destruction.
354. Ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ἀλλότρια νομίσας αὐτὰ τῷδε τῷ λόγῳ εἶναι διὰ τὸ περὶ τῶν βασιλέων αὐτὸν ἐνεστηκέναι καὶ ἄλλως ἐπὶ παραδείγματι φέρειν τοῦ τε ἀμφὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἀθανασίας ἐμφεροῦς καὶ τοῦ θείου προμηθείᾳ τὰ ἀνθρώπεια περιειληφότος τῇ αὐτοῦ, καλῶς ἔχειν ἐνόμισα εἰπεῖν. ὅτῳ δὲ ἀπιστεῖται τὰ τοιάδε γνώμης ὀνινάμενος τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κώλυμα οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο τῷ ἐπʼ ἀρετὴν αὐτῷ προστιθεμένῳ. τῆς δʼ Ἀρχελάου χώρας ὑποτελοῦς προσνεμηθείσης τῇ Σύρων πέμπεται Κυρίνιος ὑπὸ Καίσαρος ἀνὴρ ὑπατικὸς ἀποτιμησόμενός τε τὰ ἐν Συρίᾳ καὶ τὸν Ἀρχελάου ἀποδωσόμενος οἶκον. Ὡς Κυρίνιος ὑπὸ Καίσαρος ἐπέμφθη τιμητὴς Συρίας καὶ Ἰουδαίας καὶ ἀποδωσόμενος τὴν Ἀρχελάου οὐσίαν. ὡς Κωπώνιος ἐκ τοῦ ἱππικοῦ τάγματος ἐπέμφθη ἔπαρχος Ἰουδαίας. ὡς Ἰούδας ὁ Γαλιλαῖος ἔπεισεν τὸ πλῆθος μὴ ἀπογράψασθαι τὰς οὐσίας, μέχρις Ἰώζαρος ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ἔπεισεν αὐτοὺς μᾶλλον ὑπακοῦσαι Ῥωμαίοις. τίνες αἱρέσεις καὶ ὁπόσαι παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις φιλοσόφων καὶ τίνες οἱ νόμοι. ὡς Ἡρώδης καὶ Φίλιππος οἱ τετράρχαι πόλεις ἔκτισαν εἰς τιμὴν Καίσαρος. ὡς Σαμαρεῖς ὀστᾶ νεκρῶν διαρρίψαντες εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν τὸν λαὸν ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ἐμίαναν. ὡς Σαλώμη ἡ ἀδελφὴ Ἡρώδου τελευτήσασα τὰ αὐτῆς κατέλιπεν Ἰουλίᾳ τῇ τοῦ Καίσαρος γαμετῇ. ὡς Πόντιος Πιλᾶτος ἠθέλησε κρύφα εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα εἰσενέγκαι προτομὰς Καίσαρος, ὁ δὲ λαὸς οὐ κατεδέξατο στασιάσας. τὰ συμβάντα Ἰουδαίοις ἐν Ῥώμῃ κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν καιρὸν ὑπὸ τῶν Σαμαρέων. κατηγορία ὑπὸ Σαμαρέων Πιλάτου ἐπὶ Οὐιτελλίου καὶ ὡς Οὐιτέλλιος ἠνάγκασεν αὐτὸν ἀναβῆναι εἰς Ῥώμην λόγον τῶν πεπραγμένων ἀποδώσοντα. πόλεμος Ἡρώδου τοῦ τετράρχου πρὸς Ἀρέταν τὸν Ἀράβων βασιλέα καὶ ἧττα. ὡς Τιβέριος Καῖσαρ ἔγραψεν Οὐιτελλίῳ Ἀρταβάνην μὲν τὸν Πάρθον πεῖσαι ὁμήρους αὐτῷ πέμψαι, πρὸς Ἀρέταν δὲ πολεμεῖν. τελευτὴ Φιλίππου καὶ ὡς ἡ τετραρχία αὐτοῦ ἐπαρχία ἐγένετο. ἀπόπλους Ἀγρίππα εἰς Ῥώμην καὶ ὡς κατηγορηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἰδίου ἀπελευθέρου ἐδέθη. ὃν τρόπον ἐλύθη ὑπὸ Γαΐου μετὰ τὴν Τιβερίου τελευτὴν καὶ ἐγένετο βασιλεὺς τῆς Φιλίππου τετραρχίας. ὡς Ἡρώδης ἀναβὰς εἰς Ῥώμην ἐξωρίσθη καὶ ὡς τὴν τετραρχίαν αὐτοῦ ἐδωρήσατο Γάιος Ἀγρίππᾳ. στάσις τῶν ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ Ἰουδαίων καὶ Ἑλλήνων καὶ πρεσβεία ἀφ' ἑκατέρων πρὸς Γάιον. κατηγορία Ἰουδαίων ὑπὸ Ἀπίωνος καὶ τῶν συμπρέσβεων ἐπὶ τῷ μὴ ἔχειν Καίσαρος ἀνδριάντα. τὴν συμβᾶσαν φθορὰν τοῖς ἐν Βαβυλῶνι Ἰουδαίοις δι' Ἀσιναῖον καὶ Ἀνιλαῖον τοὺς ἀδελφούς. περιέχει ἡ βίβλος χρόνον ἐτῶν λβ. Κυρίνιος δὲ τῶν εἰς τὴν βουλὴν συναγομένων ἀνὴρ τάς τε ἄλλας ἀρχὰς ἐπιτετελεκὼς καὶ διὰ πασῶν ὁδεύσας ὕπατος γενέσθαι τά τε ἄλλα ἀξιώματι μέγας σὺν ὀλίγοις ἐπὶ Συρίας παρῆν, ὑπὸ Καίσαρος δικαιοδότης τοῦ ἔθνους ἀπεσταλμένος καὶ τιμητὴς τῶν οὐσιῶν γενησόμενος, Κωπώνιός τε αὐτῷ συγκαταπέμπεται τάγματος τῶν ἱππέων, ἡγησόμενος Ἰουδαίων τῇ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἐξουσίᾳ. παρῆν δὲ καὶ Κυρίνιος εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν προσθήκην τῆς Συρίας γενομένην ἀποτιμησόμενός τε αὐτῶν τὰς οὐσίας καὶ ἀποδωσόμενος τὰ Ἀρχελάου χρήματα. οἱ δὲ καίπερ τὸ κατʼ ἀρχὰς ἐν δεινῷ φέροντες τὴν ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀπογραφαῖς ἀκρόασιν ὑποκατέβησαν τοῦ μὴ εἰς πλέον ἐναντιοῦσθαι πείσαντος αὐτοὺς τοῦ ἀρχιερέως Ἰωαζάρου, Βοηθοῦ δὲ οὗτος υἱὸς ἦν. καὶ οἱ μὲν ἡττηθέντες τοῦ Ἰωαζάρου τῶν λόγων ἀπετίμων τὰ χρήματα μηδὲν ἐνδοιάσαντες· Ἰούδας δὲ Γαυλανίτης ἀνὴρ ἐκ πόλεως ὄνομα Γάμαλα Σάδδωκον Φαρισαῖον προσλαβόμενος ἠπείγετο ἐπὶ ἀποστάσει, τήν τε ἀποτίμησιν οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἢ ἄντικρυς δουλείαν ἐπιφέρειν λέγοντες καὶ τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἐπʼ ἀντιλήψει παρακαλοῦντες τὸ ἔθνος· ὡς παρασχὸν μὲν κατορθοῦν εἰς τὸ εὔδαιμον ἀνακειμένης τῆς κτήσεως, σφαλεῖσιν δὲ τοῦ ταύτης περιόντος ἀγαθοῦ τιμὴν καὶ κλέος ποιήσεσθαι τοῦ μεγαλόφρονος, καὶ τὸ θεῖον οὐκ ἄλλως ἢ ἐπὶ συμπράξει τῶν βουλευμάτων εἰς τὸ κατορθοῦν συμπροθυμεῖσθαι μᾶλλον, ἂν μεγάλων ἐρασταὶ τῇ διανοίᾳ καθιστάμενοι μὴ ἐξαφίωνται πόνου τοῦ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς. καὶ ἡδονῇ γὰρ τὴν ἀκρόασιν ὧν λέγοιεν ἐδέχοντο οἱ ἄνθρωποι, προύκοπτεν ἐπὶ μέγα ἡ ἐπιβολὴ τοῦ τολμήματος, κακόν τε οὐκ ἔστιν, οὗ μὴ φυέντος ἐκ τῶνδε τῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ περαιτέρω τοῦ εἰπεῖν ἀνεπλήσθη τὸ ἔθνος· πολέμων τε ἐπαγωγαῖς οὐχ οἷον τὸ ἄπαυστον τὴν βίαν ἔχειν, καὶ ἀποστέρησιν φίλων, οἳ καὶ ἐπελαφρύνοιεν τὸν πόνον, λῃστηρίων τε μεγάλων ἐπιθέσεσιν καὶ διαφθοραῖς ἀνδρῶν τῶν πρώτων, δόξα μὲν τοῦ ὀρθουμένου τῶν κοινῶν, ἔργῳ δὲ οἰκείων κερδῶν ἐλπίσιν. ἐξ ὧν στάσεις τε ἐφύησαν διʼ αὐτὰς καὶ φόνος πολιτικός, ὁ μὲν ἐμφυλίοις σφαγαῖς μανίᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἴς τε ἀλλήλους καὶ αὑτοὺς χρωμένων ἐπιθυμίᾳ τοῦ μὴ λείπεσθαι τῶν ἀντικαθεστηκότων, ὁ δὲ τῶν πολεμίων, λιμός τε εἰς ὑστάτην ἀνακείμενος ἀναισχυντίαν, καὶ πόλεων ἁλώσεις καὶ κατασκαφαί, μέχρι δὴ καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἐνείματο πυρὶ τῶν πολεμίων ἥδε ἡ στάσις. οὕτως ἄρα ἡ τῶν πατρίων καίνισις καὶ μεταβολὴ μεγάλας ἔχει ῥοπὰς τοῦ ἀπολουμένου τοῖς συνελθοῦσιν, εἴ γε καὶ Ἰούδας καὶ Σάδδωκος τετάρτην φιλοσοφίαν ἐπείσακτον ἡμῖν ἐγείραντες καὶ ταύτης ἐραστῶν εὐπορηθέντες πρός τε τὸ παρὸν θορύβων τὴν πολιτείαν ἐνέπλησαν καὶ τῶν αὖθις κακῶν κατειληφότων ῥίζας ἐφυτεύσαντο τῷ ἀσυνήθει πρότερον φιλοσοφίας τοιᾶσδε· περὶ ἧς ὀλίγα βούλομαι διελθεῖν, ἄλλως τε ἐπεὶ καὶ τῷ κατʼ αὐτῶν σπουδασθέντι τοῖς νεωτέροις ὁ φθόρος τοῖς πράγμασι συνέτυχε.