the antiquities of the jews-1-第149章

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Demolished　It；　And　How　Hyrcaus　Joined　Himself　To　The　Sect　Of　The
Sadducees；　And　Left　That　Of　The　Pharisees。

1。　When　Antiochus　had　taken　the　kingdom；　he　was　afraid　to　make
war　against　Judea；　because　he　heard　that　his　brother　by　the　same
mother；　who　was　also　called　Antiochus；　was　raising　an　army
against　him　out　of　Cyzicum；　so　he　staid　in　his　own　land；　and
resolved　to　prepare　himself　for　the　attack　he　expected　from　his
brother；　who　was　called　Cyzicenus；　because　he　had　been　brought　up
in　that　city。　He　was　the　son　of　Antiochus　that　was　called　Soter；
who　died　in　Parthia。　He　was　the　brother　of　Demetrius；　the　father
of　Grypus；　for　it　had　so　happened；　that　one　and　the　same
Cleopatra　was　married　to　two　who　were　brethren；　as　we　have
related　elsewhere。　But　Antiochus　Cyzicenus　coming　into　Syria；
continued　many　years　at　war　with　his　brother。　Now　Hyrcanus　lived
all　this　while　in　peace；　for　after　the　death　of　Antlochus；　he
revolted　from　the　Macedonians；　（27）　nor　did　he　any　longer　pay
them　the　least　regard；　either　as　their　subject　or　their　friend；
but　his　affairs　were　in　a　very　improving　and　flourishing
condition　in　the　times　of　Alexander　Zebina；　and　especially　under
these　brethren；　for　the　war　which　they　had　with　one　another　gave
Hyrcanus　the　opportunity　of　enjoying　himself　in　Judea　quietly；
insomuch　that　he　got　an　immense　quantity　of　money。　How　ever；　when
Antiochus　Cyzicenus　distressed　his　land；　he　then　openly　showed
what　he　meant。　And　when　he　saw　that　Antiochus　was　destitute　of
Egyptian　auxiliaries；　and　that　both　he　and　his　brother　were　in　an
ill　condition　in　the　struggles　they　had　one　with　another；　he
despised　them　both。

2。　So　he　made　an　expedition　against　Samaria　which　was　a　very
strong　city；　of　whose　present　name　Sebaste；　and　its　rebuilding　by
Herod；　we　shall　speak　at　a　proper　time；　but　he　made　his　attack
against　it；　and　besieged　it　with　a　great　deal　of　pains；　for　he
was　greatly　displeased　with　the　Samaritans　for　the　injuries　they
had　done　to　the　people　of　Merissa；　a　colony　of　the　Jews；　and
confederate　with　them；　and　this　in　compliance　to　the　kings　of
Syria。　When　he　had　therefore　drawn　a　ditch；　and　built　a　double
wall　round　the　city；　which　was　fourscore　furlongs　long；　he　set
his　sons　Antigonus　and　Arisrobulna　over　the　siege；　which　brought
the　Samaritans　to　that　great　distress　by　famine；　that　they　were
forced　to　eat　what　used　not　to　be　eaten；　and　to　call　for
Antiochus　Cyzicenus　to　help　them；　who　came　readily　to　their
assistance；　but　was　beaten　by　Aristobulus；　and　when　he　was
pursued　as　far　as　Scythopolis　by　the　two　brethren；　he　got　away。
So　they　returned　to　Samaria；　and　shut　them　again　within　the　wall；
till　they　were　forced　to　send　for　the　same　Antiochus　a　second
time　to　help　them；　who　procured　about　six　thousand　men　from
Ptolemy　Lathyrus；　which　were　sent　them　without　his　mother's
consent；　who　had　then　in　a　manner　turned　him　out　of　his
government。　With　these　Egyptians　Antiochus　did　at　first　overrun
and　ravage　the　country　of　Hyrcanus　after　the　manner　of　a　robber；
for　he　durst　not　meet　him　in　the　face　to　fight　with　him；　as　not
having　an　army　sufficient　for　that　purpose；　but　only　from　this
supposal；　that　by　thus　harassing　his　land　he　should　force
Hyrcanus　to　raise　the　siege　of　Samaria；　but　because　he　fell　into
snares；　and　lost　many　of　his　soldiers　therein；　he　went　away　to
Tripoli；　and　committed　the　prosecution　of　the　war　against　the
Jews　to　Callimander　and　Epicrates。

3。　But　as　to　Callimander；　he　attacked　the　enemy　too　rashly；　and
was　put　to　flight；　and　destroyed　immediately；　and　as　to
Epicrates；　he　was　such　a　lover　of　money；　that　he　openly　betrayed
Scythopolis；　and　other　places　near　it；　to　the　Jews；　but　was　not
able　to　make　them　raise　the　siege　of　Samaria。　And　when　Hyrcanus
had　taken　that　city；　which　was　not　done　till　after　a　year's
siege；　he　was　not　contented　with　doing　that　only；　but　he
demolished　it　entirely；　and　brought　rivulets　to　it　to　drown　it；
for　he　dug　such　hollows　as　might　let　the　water　run　under　it；　nay；
he　took　away　the　very　marks　that　there　had　ever　been　such　a　city
there。　Now　a　very　surprising　thing　is　related　of　this　high　priest
Hyrcanus；　how　God　came　to　discourse　with　him；　for　they　say　that
on　the　very　same　day　on　which　his　sons　fought　with　Antiochus
Cyzicenus；　he　was　alone　in　the　temple；　as　high　priest；　offering
incense；　and　heard　a　voice；　that　his　sons　had　just　then　overcome
Antiochus。　And　this　he　openly　declared　before　all　the　multitude
upon　his　coming　out　of　the　temple；　and　it　accordingly　proved
true；　and　in　this　posture　were　the　affairs　of　Hyrcanus。

4。　Now　it　happened　at　this　time；　that　not　only　those　Jews　who
were　at　Jerusalem　and　in　Judea　were　in　prosperity；　but　also　those
of　them　that　were　at　Alexandria；　and　in　Egypt　and　Cyprus；　for
Cleopatra　the　queen　was　at　variance　with　her　son　Ptolemy；　who　was
called　Lathyrus；　and　appointed　for　her　generals　Chelcias　and
Ananias；　the　sons　of　that　Onias　who　built　the　temple　in　the
prefecture　of　Heliopolis；　like　to　that　at　Jerusalem；　as　we　have
elsewhere　related。　Cleopatra　intrusted　these　men　with　her　army；
and　did　nothing　without　their　advice；　as　Strabo　of　Cappadocia
attests；　when　he　saith　thus；　〃Now　the　greater　part；　both　those
that　came　to　Cyprus　with　us；　and　those　that　were　sent　afterward
thither；　revolted　to　Ptolemy　immediately；　only　those　that　were
called　Onias's　party；　being　Jews；　continued　faithful；　because
their　countrymen　Chelcias　and　Ananias　were　in　chief　favor　with
the　queen。〃　These　are　the　words　of　Strabo。

5。　However；　this　prosperous　state　of　affairs　moved　the　Jews　to
envy　Hyrcanus；　but　they　that　were　the　worst　disposed　to　him　were
the　Pharisees；　（28）　who　were　one　of　the　sects　of　the　Jews；　as　we
have　informed　you　already。　These　have　so　great　a　power　over　the
multitude；　that　when　they　say　any　thing　against　the　king；　or
against　the　high　priest；　they　are　presently　believed。　Now
Hyrcanus　was　a　disciple　of　theirs；　and　greatly　beloved　by　them。
And　when　he　once　invited　them　to　a　feast；　and　entertained　them
very　kindly；　when　he　saw　them　in　a　good　humor；　he　began　to　say　to
them；　that　they　knew　he　was　desirous　to　be　a　righteous　man；　and
to　do　all　things　whereby　he　might　please　God；　which　was　the
profession　of　the　Pharisees　also。　However；　he　desired；　that　if
they　observed　him　offending　in　any　point；　and　going　out　of　the
right　way；　they　would　call　him　back　and　correct　him。　On　which
occasion　they　attested　to　his　being　entirely　virtuous；　with　which
commendation　he　was　well　pleased。　But　still　there　was　one　of　his
guests　there；　whose　name　was　Eleazar；　a　man　of　an　ill　temper；　and
delighting　in　seditious　practices。　This　man　said；〃　Since　thou
desirest　to　know　the　truth；　if　thou　wilt　be　righteous　in　earnest；
lay　down　the　high　priesthood；　and　content　thyself　with　the　civil
government　of　the　people；〃　And　when　he　desired　to　know　for　what
cause　he　ought　to　lay　down　the　high　priesthood；　the　other
replied；　〃We　have　heard　it　from　old　men；　that　thy　mother　had　been
a　captive　under　the　reign　of　Antiochus　Epiphanes。　（29）〃　This
story　was　false；　and　Hyrcanus　was　provoked　against　him；　and　all
the　Pharisees　had　a　very　great　indignation　against　him。

6。　Now　there　was　one　Jonathan；　a　very　great　friend　of　Hyrcanus's；
but　of　the　sect　of　the　Sadducees；　whose　notions　are　quite
contrary　to　those　of　the　Pharisees。　He　told　Hyrcanus　that　Eleazar
had　cast　such　a　reproach　upon　him；　according　to　the　common
sentiments　of　all　the　Pharisees；　and　that　this　would　be　made
manifest　if　he　would　but　ask　them　the　question；　What　punishment
they　thought　this　man　deserved？　for　that　he　might　depend　upon　it；
that　the　reproach　was　not　laid　on　him　with　their　approbation；　if
they　were　for　punishing　him　as　his　crime　deserved。　So　the
Pharisees　made　answer；　that　he　deserved　stripes　and　bonds；　but
that　it　did　not　seem　right　to　punish　reproaches　with　death。　And
indeed　the　Pharisees；　even　upon　other　occasions；　are　not　apt　to
be　severe　in　punishments。　At　this　gentle　sentence；　Hyrcanus　was
very　angry；　and　thought　that　this　man　reproached　him　by　their
approbation。　It　was　this　Jonathan　who　chiefly　irritated　him；　and
influenced　him　so　far；　that　he　made　him　leave　the　party　of　the
Pharisees；　and　abolish　the　decrees　they　had　imposed　on　the
people；　and　to　punish　those　that　observed　them。　From　this　source
arose　that　hatred　which　he　and　his　sons　met　with　from　the
multitude：　but　of　these　matters　we　shall　speak　hereafter。　What　I
would　now　explain　is　this；　that　the　Pharisees　have　delivered　to
the　people　a　great　many　observances　by　succession　from　their
fathers；　which　are　not　written　in　the　laws　of　Moses；　and　for　that
reason　it　is　that　the　Sadducees　reject　them；　and　say　that　we　are
to　esteem　those　observances　to　be　obligatory　which　are　in　the
written　word；　but　are　not　to　observe　what　are　derived　from　the
tradition　of　our　forefathers。　And　concerning　these　things　it　is
that　great　disputes　and　differences　have　arisen　among　them；　while
the　Sadducees　are　able　to　persuade　none　but　the　rich；　and　have
not　the　populace　obsequious　to　them；　but　the　Pharisees　have　the
multitude　on　their　side。　But　about　these　two　sects；　and　that　of
the　Essens；　I　have　treated　accurately　in　the　second　book　of
Jewish　affairs。

7。　But　when　Hyrcanus　had　put　an　end　to　this　sedition；　he　after
that　lived　happily；　and　administered　the　government　in　the　best
manner　for　thirty…one　years；　and　then　died；　（30）　leaving　behind
him　five　sons。　He　was　esteemed　by　God　worthy　of　three　of　the
greatest　privileges；　…　the　government　of　his　nation；　the　dignity
of　the　high　priesthood；　and　prophecy；　for　God　was　with　him；　and
enabled　him　to　know　futurities；　and　to　foretell　this　in
particular；　that；　as　to　his　two　eldest　sons；　he　foretold　that
they　would　not　long　continue　in　the　government　of　public　affairs；
whose　unhappy　catastrophe　will　be　worth　our　description；　that　we
may　thence　learn　how　very　much　they　were　inferior　to　their
father's　happiness。

CHAPTER　11。

How　Aristobulus；　When　He　Had　Taken　The　Government　First　Of　All
Put　A　Diadem　On　His　Head；　And　Was　Most　Barbarously　Cruel　To　His
Mother　And　His　Brethren；　And　How；　After　He　Had　Slain　Antigonus；
He　Himself　Died。

1。　Now　when　their　father　Hyrcanus　was　dead；　the　eldest　son
Aristobulus；　intending　to　change　the　government　into　a　kingdom；
for　so　he　resolved　to　do；　first　of　all　put　a　diadem　on　his　head；
four　hundred　eighty　and　one　years　and　three　months　after　the
people　had　been　delivered　from　the　Babylonish　slavery；　and　were
returned　to　their　own　country　again。　This　Aristobulus　loved　his
next　brother　Antigonus；　and　treated　him　as　his　equal；　but　the
others　he　held　in　bonds。　He　also　cast　his　mother　into　prison；
because　she　disputed　the　government　with　him；　for　Hyrcanus　had
left　her　to　be　mistress　of　all。　He　also　proceeded　to　that　degree
of　barbarity；　as　to　kill　her　in　prison　with　hunger；　nay；　he　was
alienated　from　his　brother　Antigonus　by　calumnies；　and　added　him
to　the　rest　whom　he　slew；　yet　he　seemed　to　have　an　affection　for
him；　and　made　him　above　the　rest　a　partner　with　him　in　the
kingdom。　Those　calumnies　he　at　first　did　not　give　credit　to；
partly　because　he　loved　him；　and　so　did　not　give　heed　to　what　was
said　against　him；　and　partly　because　he　thought　the　reproaches
were　derived　from　the