the wars of the jews-第5章

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CHAPTER　5。

Alexandra　Reigns　Nine　Years；　During　Which　Time　The　Pharisees　Were　The　Real　Rulers　Of　The　Nation。

1。　Now　Alexander　left　the　kingdom　to　Alexandra　his　wife；　and　depended　upon　it　that　the　Jews　would　now　very　readily　submit　to　her；　because　she　had　been　very　averse　to　such　cruelty　as　he　had　treated　them　with；　and　had　opposed　his　violation　of　their　laws；　and　had　thereby　got　the　good…will　of　the　people。　Nor　was　he　mistaken　as　to　his　expectations；　for　this　woman　kept　the　dominion；　by　the　opinion　that　the　people　had　of　her　piety；　for　she　chiefly　studied　the　ancient　customs　of　her　country；　and　cast　those　men　out　of　the　government　that　offended　against　their　holy　laws。　And　as　she　had　two　sons　by　Alexander；　she　made　Hyrcanus　the　elder　high　priest；　on　account　of　his　age；　as　also；　besides　that；　on　account　of　his　inactive　temper；　no　way　disposing　him　to　disturb　the　public。　But　she　retained　the　younger；　Aristobulus；　with　her　as　a　private　person；　by　reason　of　the　warmth　of　his　temper。

2。　And　now　the　Pharisees　joined　themselves　to　her；　to　assist　her　in　the　government。　These　are　a　certain　sect　of　the　Jews　that　appear　more　religious　than　others；　and　seem　to　interpret　the　laws　more　accurately。　low　Alexandra　hearkened　to　them　to　an　extraordinary　degree；　as　being　herself　a　woman　of　great　piety　towards　God。　But　these　Pharisees　artfully　insinuated　themselves　into　her　favor　by　little　and　little；　and　became　themselves　the　real　administrators　of　the　public　affairs：　they　banished　and　reduced　whom　they　pleased；　they　bound　and　loosed　＇men＇　at　their　pleasure；　（4）　and；　to　say　all　at　once；　they　had　the　enjoyment　of　the　royal　authority；　whilst　the　expenses　and　the　difficulties　of　it　belonged　to　Alexandra。　She　was　a　sagacious　woman　in　the　management　of　great　affairs；　and　intent　always　upon　gathering　soldiers　together；　so　that　she　increased　the　army　the　one　half；　and　procured　a　great　body　of　foreign　troops；　till　her　own　nation　became　not　only　very　powerful　at　home；　but　terrible　also　to　foreign　potentates；　while　she　governed　other　people；　and　the　Pharisees　governed　her。

3。　Accordingly；　they　themselves　slew　Diogenes；　a　person　of　figure；　and　one　that　had　been　a　friend　to　Alexander；　and　accused　him　as　having　assisted　the　king　with　his　advice；　for　crucifying　the　eight　hundred　men　＇before　mentioned。＇　They　also　prevailed　with　Alexandra　to　put　to　death　the　rest　of　those　who　had　irritated　him　against　them。　Now　she　was　so　superstitious　as　to　comply　with　their　desires；　and　accordingly　they　slew　whom　they　pleased　themselves。　But　the　principal　of　those　that　were　in　danger　fled　to　Aristobulus；　who　persuaded　his　mother　to　spare　the　men　on　account　of　their　dignity；　but　to　expel　them　out　of　the　city；　unless　she　took　them　to　be　innocent；　so　they　were　suffered　to　go　unpunished；　and　were　dispersed　all　over　the　country。　But　when　Alexandra　sent　out　her　army　to　Damascus；　under　pretense　that　Ptolemy　was　always　oppressing　that　city；　she　got　possession　of　it；　nor　did　it　make　any　considerable　resistance。　She　also　prevailed　with　Tigranes；　king　of　Armenia；　who　lay　with　his　troops　about　Ptolemais；　and　besieged　Cleopatra；　（5）　by　agreements　and　presents；　to　go　away。　Accordingly；　Tigranes　soon　arose　from　the　siege；　by　reason　of　those　domestic　tumults　which　happened　upon　Lucullus's　expedition　into　Armenia。

4。　In　the　mean　time；　Alexandra　fell　sick；　and　Aristobulus；　her　younger　son；　took　hold　of　this　opportunity；　with　his　domestics；　of　which　he　had　a　great　many；　who　were　all　of　them　his　friends；　on　account　of　the　warmth　of　their　youth；　and　got　possession　of　all　the　fortresses。　He　also　used　the　sums　of　money　he　found　in　them　to　get　together　a　number　of　mercenary　soldiers；　and　made　himself　king；　and　besides　this；　upon　Hyrcanus's　complaint　to　his　mother；　she　compassionated　his　case；　and　put　Aristobulus's　wife　and　sons　under　restraint　in　Antonia；　which　was　a　fortress　that　joined　to　the　north　part　of　the　temple。　It　was；　as　I　have　already　said；　of　old　called　the　Citadel；　but　afterwards　got　the　name　of　Antonia；　when　Antony　was　＇lord　of　the　East＇；　just　as　the　other　cities；　Sebaste　and　Agrippias；　had　their　names　changed；　and　these　given　them　from　Sebastus　and　Agrippa。　But　Alexandra　died　before　she　could　punish　Aristobulus　for　his　disinheriting　his　brother；　after　she　had　reigned　nine　years。

CHAPTER　6。

When　Hyrcanus　Who　Was　Alexander's　Heir；　Receded　From　His　Claim　To　The　Crown　Aristobulus　Is　Made　King；　And　Afterward　The　Same　Hyrcanus　By　The　Means　Of　Antipater；　Is　Brought　Back　By　Abetas。　At　Last　Pompey　Is　Made　The　Arbitrator　Of　The　Dispute　Between　The　Brothers。

1。　Now　Hyrcanus　was　heir　to　the　kingdom；　and　to　him　did　his　mother　commit　it　before　she　died；　but　Aristobulus　was　superior　to　him　in　power　and　magnanimity；　and　when　there　was　a　battle　between　them；　to　decide　the　dispute　about　the　kingdom；　near　Jericho；　the　greatest　part　deserted　Hyrcanus；　and　went　over　to　Aristobulus；　but　Hyrcanus；　with　those　of　his　party　who　staid　with　him；　fled　to　Antonia；　and　got　into　his　power　the　hostages　that　might　he　for　his　preservation　（which　were　Aristobulus's　wife；　with　her　children）；　but　they　came　to　an　agreement　before　things　should　come　to　extremities；　that　Aristobulus　should　be　king；　and　Hyrcanus　should　resign　that　up；　but　retain　all　the　rest　of　his　dignities；　as　being　the　king's　brother。　Hereupon　they　were　reconciled　to　each　other　in　the　temple；　and　embraced　one　another　in　a　very　kind　manner；　while　the　people　stood　round　about　them；　they　also　changed　their　houses；　while　Aristobulus　went　to　the　royal　palace；　and　Hyrcanus　retired　to　the　house　of　Aristobulus。　　2。　Now　those　other　people　which　were　at　variance　with　Aristobulus　were　afraid　upon　his　unexpected　obtaining　the　government；　and　especially　this　concerned　Antipater　（6）　whom　Aristobulus　hated　of　old。　He　was　by　birth　an　Idumean；　and　one　of　the　principal　of　that　nation；　on　account　of　his　ancestors　and　riches；　and　other　authority　to　him　belonging：　he　also　persuaded　Hyrcanus　to　fly　to　Aretas；　the　king　of　Arabia；　and　to　lay　claim　to　the　kingdom；　as　also　he　persuaded　Aretas　to　receive　Hyrcanus；　and　to　bring　him　back　to　his　kingdom：　he　also　cast　great　reproaches　upon　Aristobulus；　as　to　his　morals；　and　gave　great　commendations　to　Hyrcanus；　and　exhorted　Aretas　to　receive　him；　and　told　him　how　becoming　a　filing　it　would　be　for　him；　who　ruled　so　great　a　kingdom；　to　afford　his　assistance　to　such　as　are　injured；　alleging　that　Hyrcanus　was　treated　unjustly；　by　being　deprived　of　that　dominion　which　belonged　to　him　by　the　prerogative　of　his　birth。　And　when　he　had　predisposed　them　both　to　do　what　he　would　have　them；　he　took　Hyrcanus　by　night；　and　ran　away　from　the　city；　and；　continuing　his　flight　with　great　swiftness；　he　escaped　to　the　place　called　Petra；　which　is　the　royal　seat　of　the　king　of　Arabia；　where　he　put　Hyrcanus　into　Aretas's　hand；　and　by　discoursing　much　with　him；　and　gaining　upon　him　with　many　presents；　he　prevailed　with　him　to　give　him　an　army　that　might　restore　him　to　his　kingdom。　This　army　consisted　of　fifty　thousand　footmen　and　horsemen；　against　which　Aristobulus　was　not　able　to　make　resistance；　but　was　deserted　in　his　first　onset；　and　was　driven　to　Jerusalem；　he　also　had　been　taken　at　first　by　force；　if　Scaurus；　the　Roman　general；　had　not　come　and　seasonably　interposed　himself；　and　raised　the　siege。　This　Scaurus　was　sent　into　Syria　from　Armenia　by　Pompey　the　Great；　when　he　fought　against　Tigranes；　so　Scaurus　came　to　Damascus；　which　had　been　lately　taken　by　Metellus　and　Lollius；　and　caused　them　to　leave　the　place；　and；　upon　his　hearing　how　the　affairs　of　Judea　stood；　he　made　haste　thither　as　to　a　certain　booty。

3。　As　soon；　therefore；　as　he　was　come　into　the　country；　there　came　ambassadors　from　both　the　brothers；　each　of　them　desiring　his　assistance；　but　Aristobulus's　three　hundred　talents　had　more　weight　with　him　than　the　justice　of　the　cause；　which　sum；　when　Scaurus　had　received；　he　sent　a　herald　to　Hyrcanus　and　the　Arabians；　and　threatened　them　with　the　resentment　of　the　Romans　and　of　Pompey；　unless　they　would　raise　the　siege。　So　Aretas　was　terrified；　and　retired　out　of　Judea　to　Philadelphia；　as　did　Scaurus　return　to　Damascus　again；　nor　was　Aristobulus　satisfied　with　escaping　＇out　of　his　brother's　hands；＇　but　gathered　all　his　forces　together；　and　pursued　his　enemies；　and　fought　them　at　a　place　called　Papyron；　and　slew　about　six　thousand　of　them；　and；　together　with　them　Antipater's　brother　Phalion。

4。　When　Hyrcanus　and　Antipater　were　thus　deprived　of　their　hopes　from　the　Arabians；　they　transferred　the　same　to　their　adversaries；　and　because　Pompey　had　passed　through　Syria；　and　was　come　to　Damascus；　they　fled　to　him　for　assistance；　and；　without　any　bribes；　　they　made　the　same　equitable　pleas　that　they　had　used　to　Aretas；　and　besought　him　to　hate　the　violent　behavior　of　Aristobulus；　and　to　bestow　the　kingdom　on　him　to　whom　it　justly　belonged；　both　on　account　of　his　good　character　and　on　account　of　his　superiority　in　age。　However；　neither　was　Aristobulus　wanting　to　himself　in　this　case；　as　relying　on　the　bribes　that　Scaurus　had　received：　he　was　also　there　himself；　and　adorned　himself　after　a　manner　the　most　agreeable　to　royalty　that　he　was　able。　But　he　soon　thought　it　beneath　him　to　come　in　such　a　servile　manner；　and　could　not　endure　to　serve　his　own　ends　in　a　way　so　much　more　abject　than　he　was　used　to；　so　he　departed　from　Diospolis。

5。　At　this　his　behavior　Pompey　had　great　indignation；　Hyrcanus　also　and　his　friends　made　great　intercessions　to　Pompey；　so　he　took　not　only　his　Roman　forces；　but　many　of　his　Syrian　auxiliaries；　and　marched　against　Aristobulus。　But　when　he　had　passed　by　Pella　and　Scythopolis；　and　was　come　to　Corea；　where　you　enter　into　the　country　of　Judea；　when　you　go　up　to　it　through　the　Mediterranean　parts；　he　heard　that　Aristobulus　was　fled　to　Alexandrium；　which　is　a　strong　hold　fortified　with　the　utmost　magnificence；　and　situated　upon　a　high　mountain；　and　he　sent　to　him；　and　commanded　him　to　come　down。　Now　his　inclination　was　to　try　his　fortune　in　a　battle；　since　he　was　called　in　such　an　imperious　manner；　rather　than　to　comply　with　that　call。　However；　he　saw　the　multitude　were　in　great　fear；　and　his　friends　exhorted　him　to　consider　what　the　power　of　the　Romans　was；　and　how　it　was　irresistible；　so　he　complied　with　their　advice；　and　came　down　to　Pompey；　and　when　he　had　made　a　long　apology　for　himself；　and　for　the　justness　of　his　cause　in　taking　the　government；　he　returned　to　the　fortress。　And　when　his　brother　invited　him　again　＇to　plead　his　cause＇；　he　came　down　and　spake　about　the　justice　of　it；　and　then　went　away　without　any　hinderance　from　Pompey；　so　he　was　between　hope　and　fear。　And　when　he　came　down；　it　was　to　prevail　with　Pompey　to　allow　him　the　government　entirely；　and　when　he　went　up　to　the　citadel；　it　was　that　he　might　not　appear　to　debase　himself　too　low。　However；　Pompey　commanded　him　to　give　up　his　fortified　places；　and　forced　him　to　write　to　every　one　of　their　governors　to　yield　them　up；　they　having　had　this　charge　given　them；　to　obey　no　letters　but　what　were　of　his　own　hand…writing。　Accordingly　he　did　what　he　was　ordered　to　do；　but　had　still　an　indignation　at　what　was　done；　and　retired　to　Jerusalem；　and　prepared　to　fight　with　Pompey。

6。　But　Pompey　did　not　give　him　time　to　make　any　preparations　＇for　a　siege＇；　but　foll