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[62]
However, no such things could overcome Alexandra's grief; but the
remembrance of this miserable case made her sorrow, both deep and obstinate.
Accordingly, she wrote an account of this treacherous scene to Cleopatra,
and how her son was murdered; but Cleopatra, as she had formerly been desirous
to give her what satisfaction she could, and commiserating Alexandra's
misfortunes, made the case her own, and would not let Antony be quiet,
but excited him to punish the child's murder; for that it was an unworthy
thing that Herod, who had been by him made king of a kingdom that no way
belonged to him, should be guilty of such horrid crimes against those that
were of the royal blood in reality. Antony was persuaded by these arguments;
and when he came to Laodicea, he sent and commanded Herod to come and make
his defense, as to what he had done to Aristobulus, for that such a treacherous
design was not well done, if he had any hand in it. Herod was now in fear,
both of the accusation, and of Cleopatra's ill-will to him, which was such
that she was ever endeavoring to make Antony hate him. He therefore determined
to obey his summons, for he had no possible way to avoid it. So he left
his uncle Joseph procurator for his government, and for the public affairs,
and gave him a private charge, that if Antony should kill him, he also
should kill Mariamne immediately; for that he had a tender affection for
this his wife, and was afraid of the injury that should be offered him,
if, after his death, she, for her beauty, should be engaged to some other
man: but his intimation was nothing but this at the bottom, that Antony
had fallen in love with her, when he had formerly heard somewhat of her
beauty. So when Herod had given Joseph this charge, and had indeed no sure
hopes of escaping with his life, he went away to Antony.
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