1
[
445]
NOW Mariamne's sons were heirs to that hatred which had been borne
their mother; and when they considered the greatness of Herod's crime towards
her, they were suspicious of him as of an enemy of theirs; and this first
while they were educated at Rome, but still more when they were returned
to Judea. This temper of theirs increased upon them as they grew up to
be men; and when they were Come to an age fit for marriage, the one of
them married their aunt Salome's daughter, which Salome had been the accuser
of their mother; the other married the daughter of Archclaus, king of Cappadocia.
And now they used boldness in speaking, as well as bore hatred in their
minds. Now those that calumniated them took a handle from such their boldness,
and certain of them spake now more plainly to the king that there were
treacherous designs laid against him by both his sons; and he that was
son-in-law to Archelaus, relying upon his father-in-law, was preparing
to fly away, in order to accuse Herod before Caesar; and when Herod's head
had been long enough filled with these calumnies, he brought Antipater,
whom he had by Doris, into favor again, as a defense to him against his
other sons, and began all the ways he possibly could to prefer him before
them.
[
449]
But these sons were not able to bear this change in their affairs;
but when they saw him that was born of a mother of no family, the nobility
of their birth made them unable to contain their indignation; but whensoever
they were uneasy, they showed the anger they had at it. And as these sons
did day after day improve in that their anger, Antipater already exercised
all his own abilities, which were very great, in flattering his father,
and in contriving many sorts of calumnies against his brethren, while he
told some stories of them himself, and put it upon other proper persons
to raise other stories against them, till at length he entirely cut his
brethren off from all hopes of succeeding to the kingdom; for he was already
publicly put into his father's will as his successor. Accordingly, he was
sent with royal ornaments, and other marks of royalty, to Caesar, excepting
the diadem. He was also able in time to introduce his mother again into
Mariamne's bed. The two sorts of weapons he made use of against his brethren
were flattery and calumny, whereby he brought matters privately to such
a pass, that the king had thoughts of putting his sons to death.
[
452]
So the father drew Alexander as far as Rome, and. charged him with
an attempt of poisoning him before Caesar. Alexander could hardly speak
for lamentation; but having a judge that was more skillful than Antipater,
and more wise than Herod, he modestly avoided laying any imputation upon
his father, but with great strength of reason confuted the calumnies laid
against him; and when he had demonstrated the innocency of his brother,
who was in the like danger with himself, he at last bewailed the craftiness
of Antipater, and the disgrace they were under. He was enabled also to
justify himself, not only by a clear conscience, which he carried within
him, but by his eloquence; for he was a shrewd man in making speeches.
And upon his saying at last, that if his father objected this crime to
them, it was in his power to put them to death, he made all the audience
weep; and he brought Caesar to that pass, as to reject the accusations,
and to reconcile their father to them immediately. But the conditions of
this reconciliation were these, that they should in all things be obedient
to their father, and that he should have power to leave the kingdom to
which of them he pleased.
[
455]
After this the king came back from Rome, and seemed to have forgiven
his sons upon these accusations; but still so that he was not without his
suspicions of them. They were followed by Antipater, who was the fountain-head
of those accusations; yet did not he openly discover his hatred to them,
as revering him that had reconciled them. But as Herod sailed by Cilicia,
he touched at Eleusa,
2
where Archclaus treated them in the most obliging manner, and gave him
thanks for the deliverance of his son-in-law, and was much pleased at their
reconciliation; and this the more, because he had formerly written to his
friends at Rome that they should be assisting to Alexander at his trial.
So he conducted Herod as far as Zephyrium, and made him presents to the
value of thirty talents.
[
457]
Now when Herod was come to Jerusalem, he gathered the people together,
and presented to them his three sons, and gave them an apologetic account
of his absence, and thanked God greatly, and thanked Caesar greatly also,
for settling his house when it was under disturbances, and had procured
concord among his sons, which was of greater consequence than the kingdom
itself, -" and which I will render still more firm; for Caesar hath
put into my power to dispose of the government, and to appoint my successor.
Accordingly, in way of requital for his kindness, and in order to provide
for mine own advantage, I do declare that these three sons of mine shall
be kings. And, in the first place, I pray for the approbation of God to
what I am about; and, in the next place, I desire your approbation also.
The age of one of them, and the nobility of the other two, shall procure
them the succession. Nay, indeed, my kingdom is so large that it may be
sufficient for more kings. Now do you keep those in their places whom Caesar
hath joined, and their father hath appointed; and do not you pay undue
or unequal respects to them, but to every one according to the prerogative
of their births; for he that pays such respects unduly, will thereby not
make him that is honored beyond what his age requires so joyful, as he
will make him that is dishonored sorrowful. As for the kindred and friends
that are to converse with them, I will appoint them to each of them, and
will so constitute them, that they may be securities for their concord;
as well knowing that the ill tempers of those with whom they converse will
produce quarrels and contentions among them; but that if these with whom
they converse be of good tempers, they will preserve their natural affections
for one another. But still I desire that not these only, but all the captains
of my army, have for the present their hopes placed on me alone; for I
do not give away my kingdom to these my sons, but give them royal honors
only; whereby it will come to pass that they will enjoy the sweet parts
of government as rulers themselves, but that the burden of administration
will rest upon myself whether I will or not. And let every one consider
what age I am of, how I have conducted my life, and what piety I have exercised;
for my age is not so great that men may soon expect the end of my life;
nor have I indulged such a luxurious way of living as cuts men off when
they are young; and we have been so religious towards God, that we [have
reason to hope we] may arrive at a very great age. But for such as cultivate
a friendship with my sons, so as to aim at my destruction, they shall be
punished by me on their account. I am not one who envy my own children,
and therefore forbid men to pay them great respect; but I know that such
[extravagant] respects are the way to make them insolent. And if every
one that comes near them does but revolve this in his mind, that if he
prove a good man, he shall receive a reward from me, but that if he prove
seditious, his ill-intended complaisance shall get him nothing from him
to whom it is shown, I suppose they will all be of my side, that is, of
my sons' side; for it will be for their advantage that I reign, and that
I be at concord with them. But do you, O my good children, reflect upon
the holiness of nature itself, by whose means natural affection is preserved,
even among wild beasts; in the next place, reflect upon Caesar, who hath
made this reconciliation among us; and in the third place, reflect upon
me, who entreat you to do what I have power to command you, - continue
brethren. I give you royal garments, and royal honors; and I pray to God
to preserve what I have determined, in case you be at concord one with
another." When the king had thus spoken, and had saluted every one
of his sons after an obliging manner, he dismissed the multitude; some
of which gave their assent to what he had said, and wished it might take
effect accordingly; but for those who wished for a change of affairs, they
pretended they did not so much as hear what he said.