the antiquities of the jews-1-第134章

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and　found　he　had　no　yokes　with　him；　he　contenmed　the　drivers　of
the　oxen；　who　advised　him　to　send　some　to　his　father；　to　bring
them　some　yokes；　but　he　thinking　that　he　ought　not　to　lose　his
time　while　they　should　be　sent　to　bring　him　the　yokes；　he
invented　a　kind　of　stratagem；　and　what　suited　an　age　older　than
his　own；　for　he　slew　ten　yoke　of　the　oxen；　and　distributed　their
flesh　among　the　laborers；　and　cut　their　hides　into　several
pieces；　and　made　him　yokes；　and　yoked　the　oxen　together　with
them；　by　which　means　he　sowed　as　much　land　as　his　father　had
appointed　him　to　sow；　and　returned　to　him。　And　when　he　was　come
back；　his　father　was　mightily　pleased　with　his　sagacity；　and
commended　the　sharpness　of　his　understanding；　and　his　boldness　in
what　he　did。　And　he　still　loved　him　the　more；　as　if　he　were　his
only　genuine　son；　while　his　brethren　were　much　troubled　at　it。

7。　But　when　one　told　him　that　Ptolemy　had　a　son　just　born；　and
that　all　the　principal　men　of　Syria；　and　the　other　countries
subject　to　him；　were　to　keep　a　festival；　on　account　of　the
child's　birthday；　and　went　away　in　haste　with　great　retinues　to
Alexandria；　he　was　himself　indeed　hindered　from　going　by　old　age；
but　he　made　trial　of　his　sons；　whether　any　of　them　would　be
willing　to　go　to　the　king。　And　when　the　elder　sons　excused
themselves　from　going；　and　said　they　were　not　courtiers　good
enough　for　such　conversation；　and　advised　him　to　send　their
brother　Hyrcanus；　he　gladly　hearkened　to　that　advice；　and　called
Hyrcanus；　and　asked　him　whether　he　would　go　to　the　king；　and
whether　it　was　agreeable　to　him　to　go　or　not。　And　upon　his
promise　that　he　would　go；　and　his　saying　that　he　should　not　want
much　money　for　his　journey；　because　he　would　live　moderately；　and
that　ten　thousand　drachmas　would　be　sufficient；　he　was　pleased
with　his　son's　prudence。　After　a　little　while；　the　son　advised
his　father　not　to　send　his　presents　to　the　king　from　thence；　but
to　give　him　a　letter　to　his　steward　at　Alexandria；　that　he　might
furnish　him　with　money；　for　purchasing　what　should　be　most
excellent　and　most　precious。　So　he　thinking　that　the　expense　of
ten　talents　would　be　enough　for　presents　to　be　made　the　king；　and
commending　his　son；　as　giving　him　good　advice；　wrote　to　Arion　his
steward；　that　managed　all　his　money　matters　at　Alexandria；　which
money　was　not　less　than　three　thousand　talents　on　his　account；
for　Joseph　sent　the　money　he　received　in　Syria　to　Alexandria。　And
when　the　day　appointed　for　the　payment　of　the　taxes　to　the　king
came；　he　wrote　to　Arion　to　pay　them。　So　when　the　son　had　asked
his　father　for　a　letter　to　the　steward；　and　had　received　it；　he
made　haste　to　Alexandria。　And　when　he　was　gone；　his　brethren
wrote　to　all　the　king's　friends；　that　they　should　destroy　him。

8。　But　when　he　was　come　to　Alexaudria；　he　delivered　his　letter　to
Arion；　who　asked　him　how　many　talents　he　would　have　（hoping　he
would　ask　for　no　more　than　ten；　or　a　little　more）；　he　said　he
wanted　a　thousand　talents。　At　which　the　steward　was　angry；　and
rebuked　him；　as　one　that　intended　to　live　extravagantly；　and　he
let　him　know　how　his　father　had　gathered　together　his　estate　by
painstaking；　and　resisting　his　inclinations；　and　wished　him　to
imitate　the　example　of　his　father：　he　assured　him　withal；　that　he
would　give　him　but　ten　talents；　and　that　for　a　present　to　the
king　also。　The　son　was　irritated　at　this；　and　threw　Arion　into
prison。　But　when　Arion's　wife　had　informed　Cleopatra　of　this；
with　her　entreaty；　that　she　would　rebuke　the　child　for　what　he
had　done；　（for　Arion　was　in　great　esteem　with　her；）　Cleopatra
informed　the　king　of　it。　And　Ptolemy　sent　for　Hyrcanus；　and　told
him　that　he　wondered；　when　he　was　sent　to　him　by　his　father；　that
he　had　not　yet　come　into　his　presence；　but　had　laid　the　steward
in　prison。　And　he　gave　order；　therefore；　that　he　should　come　to
him；　and　give　an　account　of　the　reason　of　what　he　had　done。　And
they　report　that　the　answer　he　made　to　the　king's　messenger　was
this：　That　〃there　was　a　law　of　his　that　forbade　a　child　that　was
born　to　taste　of　the　sacrifice；　before　he　had　been　at　the　temple
and　sacrificed　to　God。　According　to　which　way　of　reasoning　he　did
not　himself　come　to　him　in　expectation　of　the　present　he　was　to
make　to　him；　as　to　one　who　had　been　his　father's　benefactor；　and
that　he　had　punished　the　slave　for　disobeying　his　commands；　for
that　it　mattered　not　Whether　a　master　was　little　or　great：　so
that　unless　we　punish　such　as　these；　thou　thyself　mayst　also
expect　to　be　despised　by　thy　subjects。〃　Upon　hearing　this　his
answer　he　fell　a　laughing；　and　wondered　at　the　great　soul　of　the
child。

9。　When　Arion　was　apprized　that　this　was　the　king's　disposition；
and　that　he　had　no　way　to　help　himself；　he　gave　the　child　a
thousand　talents；　and　was　let　out　of　prison。　So　after　three　days
were　over；　Hyrcanus　came　and　saluted　the　king　and　queen。　They　saw
him　with　pleasure；　and　feasted　him　in　an　obliging　manner；　out　of
the　respect　they　bare　to　his　father。　So　he　came　to　the　merchants
privately；　and　bought　a　hundred　boys；　that　had　learning；　and　were
in　the　flower　of　their　ages；　each　at　a　talent　apiece；　as　also　he
bought　a　hundred　maidens；　each　at　the　same　price　as　the　other。
And　when　he　was　invited　to　feast　with　the　king　among　the
principal　men　in　the　country；　he　sat　down　the　lowest　of　them　all；
because　he　was　little　regarded；　as　a　child　in　age　still；　and　this
by　those　who　placed　every　one　according　to　their　dignity。　Now
when　all　those　that　sat　with　him　had　laid　the　bones　Of　the
several　parts　on　a　heap　before　Hyrcanus；　（for　they　had　themselves
taken　away　the　flesh　belonging　to　them；）　till　the　table　where　he
sat　was　filled　full　with　them；　Trypho；　who　was　the　king's　jester；
and　was　appointed　for　jokes　and　laughter　at　festivals；　was　now
asked　by　the　guests　that　sat　at　the　table　＇to　expose　him　to
laughter＇。　So　he　stood　by　the　king；　and　said；　〃Dost　thou　not　see；
my　lord；　the　bones　that　lie　by　Hyrcanus？　by　this　similitude　thou
mayst　conjecture　that　his　father　made　all　Syria　as　bare　as　he
hath　made　these　bones。〃　And　the　king　laughing　at　what　Trypho
said；　and　asking　of　Hyrcanus；　How　he　came　to　have　so　many　bones
before　him？　he　replied；〃　Very　rightfully；　my　lord；　for　they　are
dogs　that　eat　the　flesh　and　the　bones　together；　as　these　thy
guests　have　done；　（looking　in　the　mean　time　at　those　guests；）　for
there　is　nothing　before　them；　but　they　are　men　that　eat　the
flesh；　and　cast　away　the　hones；　as　I；　who　am　also　a　man；　have　now
done。〃　Upon　which　the　king　admired　at　his　answer；　which　was　so
wisely　made；　and　bid　them　all　make　an　acclamation；　as　a　mark　of
their　approbation　of　his　jest；　which　was　truly　a　facetious　one。
On　the　next　day　Hyrcanus　went　to　every　one　of　the　king's　friends；
and　of　the　men　powerful　at　court；　and　saluted　them；　but　still
inquired　of　the　servants　what　present　they　would　make　the　king　on
his　son's　birthday；　and　when　some　said　that　they　would　give
twelve　talents；　and　that　others　of　greater　dignity　would　every
one　give　according　to　the　quantity　of　their　riches；　he　pretended
to　every　one　of　them　to　be　grieved　that　he　was　not　able　to　bring
so　large　a　present；　for　that　he　had　no　more　than　five　talents。
And　when　the　servants　heard　what　he　said；　they　told　their
masters；　and　they　rejoiced　in　the　prospect　that　Joseph　would　be
disapproved；　and　would　make　the　king　angry；　by　the　smallness　of
his　present。　When　the　day　came；　the　others；　even　those　that
brought　the　most；　offered　the　king　not　above　twenty　talents；　but
Hyrcanus　gave　to　every　one　of　the　hundred　boys　and　hundred
maidens　that　he　had　bought　a　talent　apiece；　for　them　to　carry；
and　introduced　them；　the　boys　to　the　king；　and　the　maidens　to
Cleopatra；　every　body　wondering　at　the　unexpected　richness　of　the
presents；　even　the　king　and　queen　themselves。　He　also　presented
those　that　attended　about　the　king　with　gifts　to　the　value　of　a
great　number　of　talents；　that　he　might　escape　the　danger　he　was
in　from　them；　for　to　these　it　was　that　Hyrcanus's　brethren　had
written　to　destroy　him。　Now　Ptolemy　admired　at　the　young　man's
magnanimity；　and　commanded　him　to　ask　what　gift　he　pleased。　But
he　desired　nothing　else　to　be　done　for　him　by　the　king　than　to
write　to　his　father　and　brethren　about　him。　So　when　the　king　had
paid　him　very　great　respects；　and　had　given　him　very　large　gifts；
and　had　written　to　his　father　and　his　brethren；　and　all　his
commanders　and　officers；　about　him；　he　sent　him　away。　But　when
his　brethren　heard　that　Hyrcanus　had　received　such　favors　from
the　king；　and　was　returning　home　with　great　honor；　they　went　out
to　meet　him；　and　to　destroy　him；　and　that　with　the　privity　of
their　father；　for　he　was　angry　at　him　for　the　＇large＇　sum　of
money　that　he　bestowed　for　presents；　and　so　had　no　concern　for
his　preservation。　However；　Joseph　concealed　the　anger　he　had　at
his　son；　out　of　fear　of　the　king。　And　when　Hyrcanus's　brethren
came　to　fight　him；　he　slew　many　others　of　those　that　were　with
them；　as　also　two　of　his　brethren　themselves；　but　the　rest　of
them　escaped　to　Jerusalem　to　their　father。　But　when　Hyrcanus　came
to　the　city；　where　nobody　would　receive　him；　he　was　afraid　for
himself；　and　retired　beyond　the　river　Jordan；　and　there　abode；
but　obliging　the　barbarians　to　pay　their　taxes。

10。　At　this　time　Seleucus；　who　was　called　Soter；　reigned　over
Asia；　being　the　son　of　Antiochus　the　Great。　And　＇now＇　Hyrcanus's
father；　Joseph；　died。　He　was　a　good　man；　and　of　great
magnanimity；　and　brought　the　Jews　out　of　a　state　of　poverty　and
meanness；　to　one　that　was　more　splendid。　He　retained　the　farm　of
the　taxes　of　Syria；　and　Phoenicia；　and　Samaria　twenty…two　years。
His　uncle　also；　Onias；　died　＇about　this　time＇；　and　left　the　high
priesthood　to　his　son　Simeon。　And　when　he　was　dead；　Onias　his　son
succeeded　him　in　that　dignity。　To　him　it　was　that　Areus；　king　of
the　Lacedemonians；　sent　an　embassage；　with　an　epistle；　the　copy
whereof　here　follows：

〃Areus；　King　Of　The　Lacedemonians；　To　Onias；　Sendeth　Greeting。

〃We　have　met　with　a　certain　writing；　whereby　we　have　discovered
that　both　the　Jews　and　the　Lacedemonians　are　of　one　stock；　and
are　derived　from　the　kindred　of　Abraham　（14）　It　is　but　just
therefore　that　you；　who　are　our　brethren；　should　send　to　us　about
any　of　your　concerns　as　you　please。　We　will　also　do　the　same
thing；　and　esteem　your　concerns　as　our　own；　and　will　look　upon
our　concerns　as　in　common　with　yours。　Demoteles；　who　brings　you
this　letter；　will　bring　your　answer　back　to　us。　This　letter　is
four…square；　and　the　seal　is　an　eagle；　with　a　dragon　in　his
claws。〃

11。　And　these　were　the　contents　of　the　epistle　which　was　sent
from　the　king　of　the　Lacedemonians。　But；　upon　the　death　of
Joseph；　the　people　grew　seditious；　on　account　of　his　sons。　For
whereas　the　elders　made　war　against　Hyrcanus；　who　was　the
youngest　of　Joseph's　sons；　the　multitude　was　divided；　but　the
greater　part　joined　with　the　elders　in　this　war；　as　did　Simon　the
high　priest；　by　reason　he　was　of　kin　to　them。　However；　Hyrcanus
determined　not　to　return　to　Jerusalem　any　more；　but　seated
himself　beyond　Jordan；　and　was　at　perpetual　war　with　the
Arabians；　and　slew　many　of　them；　and　took　many　of　them　captives。
He　also　erected　a　strong　castle