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[196]
But when one told him that Ptolemy had a son just born, and that
all the principal men of Syria, and the other countries subject to him,
were to keep a festival, on account of the child's birthday, and went away
in haste with great retinues to Alexandria, he was himself indeed hindered
from going by old age; but he made trial of his sons, whether any of them
would be willing to go to the king. And when the elder sons excused themselves
from going, and said they were not courtiers good enough for such conversation,
and advised him to send their brother Hyrcanus, he gladly hearkened to
that advice, and called Hyrcanus, and asked him whether he would go to
the king, and whether it was agreeable to him to go or not. And upon his
promise that he would go, and his saying that he should not want much money
for his journey, because he would live moderately, and that ten thousand
drachmas would be sufficient, he was pleased with his son's prudence. After
a little while, the son advised his father not to send his presents to
the king from thence, but to give him a letter to his steward at Alexandria,
that he might furnish him with money, for purchasing what should be most
excellent and most precious. So he thinking that the expense of ten talents
would be enough for presents to be made the king, and commending his son,
as giving him good advice, wrote to Arion his steward, that managed all
his money matters at Alexandria; which money was not less than three thousand
talents on his account, for Joseph sent the money he received in Syria
to Alexandria. And when the day appointed for the payment of the taxes
to the king came, he wrote to Arion to pay them. So when the son had asked
his father for a letter to the steward, and had received it, he made haste
to Alexandria. And when he was gone, his brethren wrote to all the king's
friends, that they should destroy him.
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