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When Caesar had spoken such obliging things to the king, and had
put the diadem again about his head, he proclaimed what he had bestowed
on him by a decree, in which he enlarged in the commendation of the man
after a magnificent manner. Whereupon Herod obliged him to be kind to him
by the presents he gave him, and he desired him to forgive Alexander, one
of Antony's friends, who was become a supplicant to him. But Caesar's anger
against him prevailed, and he complained of the many and very great offenses
the man whom he petitioned for had been guilty of; and by that means he
rejected his petition. After this Caesar went for Egypt through Syria,
when Herod received him with royal and rich entertainments; and then did
he first of all ride along with Caesar, as he was reviewing his army about
Ptolemais, and feasted him with all his friends, and then distributed among
the rest of the army what was necessary to feast them withal. He also made
a plentiful provision of water for them, when they were to march as far
as Pelusium, through a dry country, which he did also in like manner at
their return thence; nor were there any necessaries wanting to that army.
It was therefore the opinion, both of Caesar and of his soldiers, that
Herod's kingdom was too small for those generous presents he made them;
for which reason, when Caesar was come into Egypt, and Cleopatra and Antony
were dead, he did not only bestow other marks of honor upon him, but made
an addition to his kingdom, by giving him not only the country which had
been taken from him by Cleopatra, but besides that, Gadara, and Hippos,
and Samaria; and moreover, of the maritime cities, Gaza
1
and Anthedon, and Joppa, and Strato's Tower. He also made him a present
of four hundred Galls [Galatians] as a guard for his body, which they had
been to Cleopatra before. Nor did any thing so strongly induce Caesar to
make these presents as the generosity of him that received them.