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[355]
But for Herod himself, he raised his mind above the miserable state
he was in, and was of good courage in the midst of his misfortunes; and
as he passed along, he bid them every one to be of good cheer, and not
to give themselves up to sorrow, because that would hinder them in their
flight, which was now the only hope of safety that they had. Accordingly,
they tried to bear with patience the calamity they were under, as he exhorted
them to do; yet was he once almost going to kill himself, upon the overthrow
of a waggon, and the danger his mother was then in of being killed; and
this on two accounts, because of his great concern for her, and because
he was afraid lest, by this delay, the enemy should overtake him in the
pursuit: but as he was drawing his sword, and going to kill himself therewith,
those that were present restrained him, and being so many in number, were
too hard for him; and told him that he ought not to desert them, and leave
them a prey to their enemies, for that it was not the part of a brave man
to free himself from the distresses he was in, and to overlook his friends
that were in the same distresses also. So he was compelled to let that
horrid attempt alone, partly out of shame at what they said to him, and
partly out of regard to the great number of those that would not permit
him to do what he intended. So he encouraged his mother, and took all the
care of her the time would allow, and proceeded on the way he proposed
to go with the utmost haste, and that was to the fortress of Masada. And
as he had many skirmishes with such of the Parthians as attacked him and
pursued him, he was conqueror in them all.
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