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[155]
When the Arabians were in these circumstances, they sent ambassadors
to Herod, in the first place, to propose terms of accommodation, and after
that to offer him, so pressing was their thirst upon them, to undergo whatsoever
he pleased, if he would free them from their present distress; but he would
admit of no ambassadors, of no price of redemption, nor of any other moderate
terms whatever, being very desirous to revenge those unjust actions which
they had been guilty of towards his nation. So they were necessitated by
other motives, and particularly by their thirst, to come out, and deliver
themselves up to him, to be carried away captives; and in five days' time
the number of four thousand were taken prisoners, while all the rest resolved
to make a sally upon their enemies, and to fight it out with them, choosing
rather, if so it must be, to die therein, than to perish gradually and
ingloriously. When they had taken this resolution, they came out of their
trenches, but could no way sustain the fight, being too much disabled,
both in mind and body, and having not room to exert themselves, and thought
it an advantage to be killed, and a misery to survive; so at the first
onset there fell about seven thousand of them, after which stroke they
let all the courage they had put on before fall, and stood amazed at Herod's
warlike spirit under his own calamities; so for the future they yielded,
and made him ruler of their nation; whereupon he was greatly elevated at
so seasonable a success, and returned home, taking great authority upon
him, on account of so bold and glorious an expedition as he had made.
1
1 HOW HEROD SLEW HYRCANUS AND THEN HASTED AWAY TO CAESAR, AND OBTAINED THE KINGDOM FROM HIM ALSO; AND HOW A LITTLE TIME AFTERWARD, HE ENTERTAINED CAESAR IN A MOST HONORABLE MANNER.
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