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[177]
But when Hyrcanus saw that the members of the Sanhedrim were ready
to pronounce the sentence of death upon Herod, he put off the trial to
another day, and sent privately to Herod, and advised him to fly out of
the city, for that by this means he might escape. So he retired to Damascus,
as though he fled from the king; and when he had been with Sextus Caesar,
and had put his own affairs in a sure posture, he resolved to do thus;
that in case he were again summoned before the Sanhedrim to take his trial,
he would not obey that summons. Hereupon the members of the Sanhedrim had
great indignation at this posture of affairs, and endeavored to persuade
Hyrcanus that all these things were against him; which state of matters
he was not ignorant of; but his temper was so unmanly, and so foolish,
that he was able to do nothing at all. But when Sextus had made Herod general
of the army of Celesyria, for he sold him that post for money, Hyrcanus
was in fear lest Herod should make war upon him; nor was the effect of
what he feared long in coming upon him; for Herod came and brought an army
along with him to fight with Hyrcanus, as being angry at the trial he bad
been summoned to undergo before the Sanhedrim; but his father Antipater,
and his brother [Phasaelus], met him, and hindered him from assaulting
Jerusalem. They also pacified his vehement temper, and persuaded him to
do no overt action, but only to affright them with threatenings, and to
proceed no further against one who had given him the dignity he had: they
also desired him not only to be angry that he was summoned, and obliged
to come to his trial, but to remember withal how he was dismissed without
condemnation, and how he ought to give Hyrcanus thanks for the same; and
that he was not to regard only what was disagreeable to him, and be unthankful
for his deliverance. So they desired him to consider, that since it is
God that turns the scales of war, there is great uncertainty in the issue
of battles, and that therefore he ought of to expect the victory when he
should fight with his king, and him that had supported him, and bestowed
many benefits upon him, and had done nothing itself very severe to him;
for that his accusation, which was derived from evil counselors, and not
from himself, had rather the suspicion of some severity, than any thing
really severe in it. Herod was persuaded by these arguments, and believed
that it was sufficient for his future hopes to have made a show of his
strength before the nation, and done no more to it - and in this state
were the affairs of Judea at this time.
1
1 THE HONORS THAT WERE PAID THE JEWS; AND THE LEAGUES THAT WERE MADE BY THE ROMANS AND OTHER NATIONS, WITH THEM.
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