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[317]
About this time it was that he sent five hundred chosen men out of
the guards of his body as auxiliaries to Caesar, whom Aelius Gallus 1
led to the Red Sea, and who were of great service to him there. When therefore
his affairs were thus improved, and were again in a flourishing condition,
he built himself a palace in the upper city, raising the rooms to a very
great height, and adorning them with the most costly furniture of gold,
and marble scats, and beds; and these were so large that they could contain
very many companies of men. These apartments were also of distinct magnitudes,
and had particular names given them; for one apartment was called Caesar's,
another Agrippa's. He also fell in love again, and married another wife,
not suffering his reason to hinder him from living as he pleased. The occasion
of this his marriage was as follows: There was one Simon, a citizen of
Jerusalem, the son of one Boethus, a citizen of Alexandria, and a priest
of great note there; this man had a daughter, who was esteemed the most
beautiful woman of that time; and when the people of Jerusalem began to
speak much in her commendation, it happened that Herod was much affected
with what was said of her; and when he saw the damsel, he was smitten with
her beauty, yet did he entirely reject the thoughts of using his authority
to abuse her, as believing, what was the truth, that by so doing he should
be stigmatized for violence and tyranny; so he thought it best to take
the damsel to wife. And while Simon was of a dignity too inferior to be
allied to him, but still too considerable to be despised, he governed his
inclinations after the most prudent manner, by augmenting the dignity of
the family, and making them more honorable; so he immediately deprived
Jesus, the son of Phabet, of the high priesthood, and conferred that dignity
on Simon, and so joined in affinity with him [by marrying his daughter].
1 This Aelius Gallus seems to be no other than that Aelius Lagus whom Dio speaks of as conducting an expedition that was about this time made into Arabia Felix, according to Betarius, who is here cited by Spanheim. See a full account of this expedition in Prideaux, at the years 23 and 24.
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