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[66]
BUT now the affairs in Herod's family were in more and more disorder,
and became more severe upon him, by the hatred of Salome to the young men
[Alexander and Aristobulus], which descended as it were by inheritance
[from their mother Mariamne]; and as she had fully succeeded against their
mother, so she proceeded to that degree of madness and insolence, as to
endeavor that none of her posterity might be left alive, who might have
it in their power to revenge her death. The young men had also somewhat
of a bold and uneasy disposition towards their father occasioned by the
remembrance of what their mother had unjustly suffered, and by their own
affectation of dominion. The old grudge was also renewed; and they east
reproaches on Salome and Pheroras, who requited the young men with malicious
designs, and actually laid treacherous snares for them. Now as for this
hatred, it was equal on both sides, but the manner of exerting that hatred
was different; for as for the young men, they were rash, reproaching and
affronting the others openly, and were inexperienced enough to think it
the most generous to declare their minds in that undaunted manner; but
the others did not take that method, but made use of calumnies after a
subtle and a spiteful manner, still provoking the young men, and imagining
that their boldness might in time turn to the offering violence to their
father; for inasmuch as they were not ashamed of the pretended crimes of
their mother, nor thought she suffered justly, these supposed that might
at length exceed all bounds, and induce them to think they ought to be
avenged on their father, though it were by despatching him with their own
hands. At length it came to this, that the whole city was full of their
discourses, and, as is usual in such contests, the unskilfulness of the
young men was pitied; but the contrivance of Salome was too hard for them,
and what imputations she laid upon them came to be believed, by means of
their own conduct; for they who were so deeply affected with the death
of their mother, that while they said both she and themselves were in a
miserable case, they vehemently complained of her pitiable end, which indeed
was truly such, and said that they were themselves in a pitiable case also,
because they were forced to live with those that had been her murderers,
and to be partakers with them.
[73]
These disorders increased greatly, and the king's absence abroad
had afforded a fit opportunity for that increase; but as soon as Herod
was returned, and had made the forementioned speech to the multitude, Pheroras
and Salome let fill words immediately as if he were in great danger, and
as if the young men openly threatened that they would not spare him any
longer, but revenge their mother's death upon him. They also added another
circumstance, that their hopes were fixed on Archclaus, the king of Cappadocia,
that they should be able by his means to come to Caesar, and accuse their
father. Upon hearing such things, Herod was immediately disturbed; and
indeed was the more astonished, because the same things were related to
him by some others also. He then called to mind his former calamity, and
considered that the disorders in his family had hindered him from enjoying
any comfort from those that were dearest to him or from his wife whom he
loved so well; and suspecting that his future troubles would soon be heavier
and greater than those that were past, he was in great confusion of mind;
for Divine Providence had in reality conferred upon him a great many outward
advantages for his happiness, even beyond his hopes; but the troubles he
had at home were such as he never expected to have met with, and rendered
him unfortunate; nay, both sorts came upon him to such a degree as no one
could imagine, and made it a doubtful question, whether, upon the comparison
of both, he ought to have exchanged so great a success of outward good
things for so great misfortunes at home, or whether he ought not to have
chosen to avoid the calamities relating to his family, though he had, for
a compensation, never been possessed of the admired grandeur of a kingdom.
[78]
As he was thus disturbed and afflicted, in order to depress these
young men, he brought to court another of his sons, that was born to him
when he was a private man; his name was Antipater; yet did he not then
indulge him as he did afterwards, when he was quite overcome by him, and
let him do every thing as he pleased, but rather with a design of depressing
the insolence of the sons of Marianme, and managing this elevation of his
so, that it might be for a warning to them; for this bold behavior of theirs
[he thought] would not be so great, if they were once persuaded that the
succession to the kingdom did not appertain to them alone, or must of necessity
come to them. So he introduced Antipater as their antagonist, and imagined
that he made a good provision for discouraging their pride, and that after
this was done to the young men, there might be a proper season for expecting
these to be of a better disposition; but the event proved otherwise than
he intended, for the young men thought he did them a very great injury;
and as Antipater was a shrewd man, when he had once obtained this degree
of freedom, and began to expect greater things than he had before hoped
for, he had but one single design in his head, and that was to distress
his brethren, and not at all to yield to them the pre-eminence, but to
keep close to his father, who was already alienated from them by the calumnies
he had heard about them, and ready to be wrought upon in any way his zeal
against them should advise him to pursue, that he might be continually
more and more severe against them. Accordingly, all the reports that were
spread abroad came from him, while he avoided himself the suspicion as
if those discoveries proceeded from him; but he rather chose to make use
of those persons for his assistants that were unsuspected, and such as
might be believed to speak truth by reason of the good-will they bore to
the king; and indeed there were already not a few who cultivated a friendship
with Antipater, in hopes of gaining somewhat by him, and these were the
men who most of all persuaded Herod, because they appeared to speak thus
out of their good-will to him: and with these joint accusations, which
from various foundations supported one another's veracity, the young men
themselves afforded further occasions to Antipater also; for they were
observed to shed tears often, on account of the injury that was offered
them, and had their mother in their mouths; and among their friends they
ventured to reproach their father, as not acting justly by them; all which
things were with an evil intention reserved in memory by Antipater against
a proper opportunity; and when they were told to Herod, with aggravations,
increased the disorder so much, that it brought a great tumult into the
family; for while the king was very angry at imputations that were laid
upon the sons of Mariamne, and was desirous to humble them, he still increased
the honor that he had bestowed on Antipater, and was at last so overcome
by his persuasions, that he brought his mother to court also. He also wrote
frequently to Caesar in favor of him, and more earnestly recommended him
to his care particularly. And when Agrippa was returning to Rome, after
he had finished his ten years' government in Asia. 2
Herod sailed from Judea; and when he met with him, he had none with him
but Antipater, whom he delivered to Agrippa, that he might take him along
with him, together with many presents, that so he might become Caesar's
friend, insomuch that things already looked as if he had all his father's
favor, and that the young men were already entirely rejected from any hopes
of the kingdom.
1 HOW GREAT DISTURBANCES AROSE IN HERODS FAMILY ON HIS PREFERRING ANTIPATER HIS ELDEST SON BEFORE THE REST, TILL ALEXANDER TOOK THAT INJURY VERY HEINOUSLY.
2 This interval of ten years for the duration of Marcus Agrippa's government in Asia seems to be true, and agreeable to the Roman history. See Usher's Annals at A.M. 3392.
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