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[240]
BUT Herodias, Agrippa's sister, who now lived as wife to that Herod
who was tetrarch of Galilee and Peres, took this authority of her brother
in an envious manner, particularly when she saw that he had a greater dignity
bestowed on him than her husband had; since, when he ran away, it was because
he was not able to pay his debts; and now he was come back, he was in a
way of dignity, and of great good fortune. She was therefore grieved and
much displeased at so great a mutation of his affairs; and chiefly when
she saw him marching among the multitude with the usual ensigns of royal
authority, she was not able to conceal how miserable she was, by reason
of the envy she had towards him; but she excited her husband, and desired
him that he would sail to Rome, to court honors equal to his; for she said
that she could not bear to live any longer, while Agrippa, the son of that
Aristobulus who was condemned to die by his father, one that came to her
husband in such extreme poverty, that the necessaries of life were forced
to be entirely supplied him day by day; and when he fled away from his
creditors by sea, he now returned a king; while he was himself the son
of a king, and while the near relation he bare to royal authority called
upon him to gain the like dignity, he sat still, and was contented with
a privater life. "But then, Herod, although thou wast formerly not
concerned to be in a lower condition than thy father from whom thou wast
derived had been, yet do thou now seek after the dignity which thy kinsman
hath attained to; and do not thou bear this contempt, that a man who admired
thy riches should he in greater honor than thyself, nor suffer his poverty
to show itself able to purchase greater things than our abundance; nor
do thou esteem it other than a shameful thing to be inferior to one who,
the other day, lived upon thy charity. But let us go to Rome, and let us
spare no pains nor expenses, either of silver or gold, since they cannot
be kept for any better use than for the obtaining of a kingdom."
Flavius Josephus. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by. William Whiston, A.M. Auburn and Buffalo. John E. Beardsley. 1895.
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