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[240]
So when Antipater had made this speech, and had confirmed what he
had said by producing many witnesses from among Archelaus's own relations,
he made an end of his pleading. Upon which Nicolaus arose up to plead for
Archelaus, and said, "That what had been done at the temple was rather
to be attributed to the mind of those that had been killed, than to the
authority of Archelaus; for that those who were the authors of such things
are not only wicked in the injuries they do of themselves, but in forcing
sober persons to avenge themselves upon them. Now it is evident that what
these did in way of opposition was done under pretense, indeed, against
Archelaus, but in reality against Caesar himself, for they, after an injurious
manner, attacked and slew those who were sent by Archelaus, and who came
only to put a stop to their doings. They had no regard, either to God or
to the festival, whom Antipater yet is not ashamed to patronize, whether
it be out of his indulgence of an enmity to Archelaus, or out of his hatred
of virtue and justice. For as to those who begin such tumults, and first
set about such unrighteous actions, they are the men who force those that
punish them to betake themselves to arms even against their will. So that
Antipater in effect ascribes the rest of what was done to all those who
were of counsel to the accusers; for nothing which is here accused of injustice
has been done but what was derived from them as its authors; nor are those
things evil in themselves, but so represented only in order to do harm
to Archelaus. Such is these men's inclination to do an injury to a man
that is of their kindred, their father's benefactor, and familiarity acquainted
with them, and that hath ever lived in friendship with them; for that,
as to this testament, it was made by the king when he was of a sound mind,
and so ought to be of more authority than his former testament; and that
for this reason, because Caesar is therein left to be the judge and disposer
of all therein contained; and for Caesar, he will not, to be sure, at all
imitate the unjust proceedings of those men, who, during Herod's whole
life, had on all occasions been joint partakers of power with him, and
yet do zealously endeavor to injure his determination, while they have
not themselves had the same regard to their kinsman [which Archelaus had].
Caesar will not therefore disannul the testament of a man whom he had entirely
supported, of his friend and confederate, and that which is committed to
him in trust to ratify; nor will Caesar's virtuous and upright disposition,
which is known and uncontested through all the habitable world, imitate
the wickedness of these men in condemning a king as a madman, and as having
lost his reason, while he hath bequeathed the succession to a good son
of his, and to one who flies to Caesar's upright determination for refuge.
Nor can Herod at any time have been mistaken in his judgment about a successor,
while he showed so much prudence as to submit all to Caesar's determination."
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