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[183]
NOW, upon the flight of Pompey and of the senate beyond the Ionian
Sea, Caesar got Rome and the empire under his power, and released Aristobulus
from his bonds. He also committed two legions to him, and sent him in haste
into Syria, as hoping that by his means he should easily conquer that country,
and the parts adjoining to Judea. But envy prevented any effect of Aristobulus's
alacrity, and the hopes of Caesar; for he was taken off by poison given
him by those of Pompey's party; and, for a long while, he had not so much
as a burial vouchsafed him in his own country; but his dead body lay [above
ground], preserved in honey, until it was sent to the Jews by Antony, in
order to be buried in the royal sepulchers.
[185]
His son Alexander also was beheaded by Sci-pio at Antioch, and that
by the command of Pompey, and upon an accusation laid against him before
his tribunal, for the mischiefs he had done to the Romans. But Ptolemy,
the son of Menneus, who was then ruler of Chalcis, under Libanus, took
his brethren to him by sending his son Philippio for them to Ascalon, who
took Antigonus, as well as his sisters, away from Aristobulus's wife, and
brought them to his father; and falling in love with the younger daughter,
he married her, and was afterwards slain by his father on her account;
for Ptolemy himself, after he had slain his son, married her, whose name
was Alexandra; on the account of which marriage he took the greater care
of her brother and sister.
[187]
Now, after Pompey was dead, Antipater changed sides, and cultivated
a friendship with Caesar. And since Mithridates of Pergamus, with the forces
he led against Egypt, was excluded from the avenues about Pelusium, and
was forced to stay at Asealon, he persuaded the Arabians, among whom he
had lived, to assist him, and came himself to him, at the head of three
thousand armed men. He also encouraged the men of power in Syria to come
to his assistance, as also of the inhabitants of Libanus, Ptolemy, and
Jamblicus, and another Ptolemy; by which means the cities of that country
came readily into this war; insomuch that Mithridates ventured now, in
dependence upon the additional strength that he had gotten by Antipater,
to march forward to Pelusium; and when they refused him a passage through
it, he besieged the city; in the attack of which place Antipater principally
signalized himself, for he brought down that part of the wall which was
over against him, and leaped first of all into the city, with the men that
were about him.
[190]
Thus was Pelusium taken. But still, as they were marching on, those
Egyptian Jews that inhabited the country called the country of Onias stopped
them. Then did Antipater not only persuade them not to stop them, but to
afford provisions for their army; on which account even the people about
Memphis would not fight against them, but of their own accord joined Mithridates.
Whereupon he went round about Delta, and fought the rest of the Egyptians
at a place called the Jews' Camp; nay, when he was in danger in the battle
with all his right wing, Antipater wheeled about, and came along the bank
of the river to him; for he had beaten those that opposed him as he led
the left wing. After which success he fell upon those that pursued Mithridates,
and slew a great many of them, and pursued the remainder so far that he
took their camp, while he lost no more than fourscore of his own men; as
Mithridates lost, during the pursuit that was made after him, about eight
hundred. He was also himself saved unexpectedly, and became an unreproachable
witness to Caesar of the great actions of Antipater.
[193]
Whereupon Caesar encouraged Antipater to undertake other hazardous
enterprises for him, and that by giving him great commendations and hopes
of reward. In all which enterprises he readily exposed himself to many
dangers, and became a most courageous warrior; and had many wounds almost
all over his body, as demonstrations of his valor. And when Caesar had
settled the affairs of Egypt, and was returning into Syria again, he gave
him the privilege of a Roman citizen, and freedom from taxes, and rendered
him an object of admiration by the honors and marks of friendship he bestowed
upon him. On this account it was that he also confirmed Hyrcanus in the
high priesthood.
1 ARISTOBULUS IS TAKEN OFF BY POMPEY'S FRIENDS, AS IS HIS SON ALEXANDER BY SCIPIO. ANTIPATER CULTIVATES A FRIENDSHIP WITH CAESAR, AFTER POMPEY'S DEATH; HE ALSO PERFORMS GREAT ACTIONS IN THAT WAR, WHEREIN HE ASSISTED MITHRIDATES.
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