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Now Herod was forced to bear all this, that confidence of his being
quite gone with which Caesar's favor used to inspire him; for Caesar would
not admit so much as an embassage from him to 'make an apology for him;
and when they came again, he sent them away without success. So he was
cast into sadness and fear; and Sylleus's circumstances grieved him exceedingly,
who was now believed by Caesar, and was present at Rome, nay, sometimes
aspiring higher. Now it came to pass that Obodas was dead; and Aeneas,
whose name was afterward changed to Aretas,
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took the government, for Sylleus endeavored by calumnies to get him turned
out of his principality, that he might himself take it; with which design
he gave much money to the courtiers, and promised much money to Caesar,
who indeed was angry that Aretas had not sent to him first before he took
the kingdom; yet did Aeneas send an epistle and presents to Caesar, and
a golden crown, of the weight of many talents. Now that epistle accused
Sylleus as having been a wicked servant, and having killed Obodas by poison;
and that while he was alive, he had governed him as he pleased; and had
also debauched the wives of the Arabians; and had borrowed money, in order
to obtain the dominion for himself: yet did not Caesar give heed to these
accusations, but sent his ambassadors back, without receiving any of his
presents. But in the mean time the affairs of Judea and Arabia became worse
and worse, partly because of the anarchy they were under, and partly because,
as bad as they were, nobody had power to govern them; for of the two kings,
the one was not yet confirmed in his kingdom, and so had not authority
sufficient to restrain the evil-doers; and as for Herod, Caesar was immediately
angry at him for having avenged himself, and so he was compelled to bear
all the injuries that were offered him. At length, when he saw no end of
the mischief which surrounded him, he resolved to send ambassadors to Rome
again, to see whether his friends had prevailed to mitigate Caesar, and
to address themselves to Caesar himself; and the ambassador he sent thither
was Nicolans of Damascus.
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