the antiquities of the jews-1-第177章

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under　his　progenitors；　and　that　for　the　same　reason　it　was　but
just　that　she　should　desire　that　country　for　him　of　Antony；　for
that　he　was　ready　to　transfer　his　friendship　to　her；　and　this　he
did；　not　because　he　was　better　pleased　to　be　under　Cleopatra's
government；　but　because　he　thought　that；　upon　the　diminution　of
Herod's　power；　it　would　not　be　difficult　for　him　to　obtain
himself　the　entire　government　over　the　Idumeans；　and　somewhat
more　also；　for　he　raised　his　hopes　still　higher；　as　having　no
small　pretenses；　both　by　his　birth　and　by　these　riches　which　he
had　gotten　by　his　constant　attention　to　filthy　lucre；　and
accordingly　it　was　not　a　small　matter　that　he　aimed　at。　So
Cleopatra　desired　this　country　of　Antony；　but　failed　of　her
purpose。　An　account　of　this　was　brought　to　Herod；　who　was
thereupon　ready　to　kill　Costobarus；　yet；　upon　the　entreaties　of
his　sister　and　mother；　he　forgave　him；　and　vouchsafed　to　pardon
him　entirely；　though　he　still　had　a　suspicion　of　him　afterward
for　this　his　attempt。

10。　But　some　time　afterward；　when　Salome　happened　to　quarrel　with
Costobarus；　she　sent　him　a　bill　of　divorce　（12）　and　dissolved　her
marriage　with　him；　though　this　was　not　according　to　the　Jewish
laws；　for　with　us　it　is　lawful　for　a　husband　to　do　so；　but　a
wife；　if　she　departs　from　her　husband；　cannot　of　herself　be
married　to　another；　unless　her　former　husband　put　her　away。
However；　Salome　chose　to　follow　not　the　law　of　her　country；　but
the　law　of　her　authority；　and　so　renounced　her　wedlock；　and　told
her　brother　Herod；　that　she　left　her　husband　out　of　her　good…will
to　him；　because　she　perceived　that　he；　with　Antipater；　and
Lysimachus；　and　Dositheus；　were　raising　a　sedition　against　him；
as　an　evidence　whereof；　she　alleged　the　case　of　the　sons　of
Babas；　that　they　had　been　by　him　preserved　alive　already　for　the
interval　of　twelve　years；　which　proved　to　be　true。　But　when　Herod
thus　unexpectedly　heard　of　it；　he　was　greatly　surprised　at　it；
and　was　the　more　surprised；　because　the　relation　appeared
incredible　to　him。　As　for　the　fact　relating　to　these　sons　of
Babas；　Herod　had　formerly　taken　great　pains　to　bring　them　to
punishment；　as　being　enemies　to　his　government；　but　they　were　now
forgotten　by　him；　on　account　of　the　length　of　time　＇since　he　had
ordered　them　to　be　slain＇。　Now　the　cause　of　his　ill…will　and
hatred　to　them　arose　hence；　that　while　Antigonus　was　king；　Herod；
with　his　army；　besieged　the　city　of　Jerusalem；　where　the　distress
and　miseries　which　the　besieged　endured　were　so　pressing；　that
the　greater　number　of　them　invited　Herod　into　the　city；　and
already　placed　their　hopes　on　him。　Now　the　sons　of　Babas　were　of
great　dignity；　and　had　power　among　the　multitude；　and　were
faithful　to　Antigonus；　and　were　always　raising　calumnies　against
Herod；　and　encouraged　the　people　to　preserve　the　government　to
that　royal　family　which　held　it　by　inheritance。　So　these　men
acted　thus　politically；　and；　as　they　thought；　for　their　own
advantage；　but　when　the　city　was　taken；　and　Herod　had　gotten　the
government　into　his　hands；　and　Costobarus　was　appointed　to　hinder
men　from　passing　out　at　the　gates；　and　to　guard　the　city；　that
those　citizens　that　were　guilty；　and　of　the　party　opposite　to　the
king；　might　not　get　out　of　it；　Costobarus；　being　sensible　that
the　sons　of　Babas　were　had　in　respect　and　honor　by　the　whole
multitude；　and　supposing　that　their　preservation　might　be　of
great　advantage　to　him　in　the　changes　of　government　afterward；　he
set　them　by　themselves；　and　concealed　them　in　his　own　farms；　and
when　the　thing　was　suspected；　he　assured　Herod　upon　oath　that　he
really　knew　nothing　of　that　matter；　and　so　overcame　the
suspicions　that　lay　upon　him；　nay；　after　that；　when　the　king　had
publicly　proposed　a　reward　for　the　discovery；　and　had　put　in
practice　all　sorts　of　methods　for　searching　out　this　matter；　he
would　not　confess　it；　but　being　persuaded　that　when　he　had　at
first　denied　it；　if　the　men　were　found；　he　should　not　escape
unpunished；　he　was　forced　to　keep　them　secret；　not　only　out　of
his　good…will　to　them；　but　out　of　a　necessary　regard　to　his　own
preservation　also。　But　when　the　king　knew　the　thing；　by　his
sister's　information；　he　sent　men　to　the　places　where　he　had　the
intimation　they　were　concealed；　and　ordered　both　them；　and　those
that　were　accused　as　guilty　with　them；　to　be　slain；　insomuch　that
there　were　now　none　at　all　left　of　the　kindred　of　Hyrcanus；　and
the　kingdom　was　entirely　in　Herod's　own　power；　and　there　was
nobody　remaining　of　such　dignity　as　could　put　a　stop　to　what　he
did　against　the　Jewish　laws。

CHAPTER　8。

How　Ten　Men　Of　The　Citizens　＇Of　Jerusalem＇　Made　A　Conspiracy
Against　Herod；　For　The　Foreign　Practices　He　Had　Introduced；　Which
Was　A　Transgression　Of　The　Laws　Of　Their　Country。　Concerning　The
Building　Of　Sebaste　And　Cesarea；　And　Other　Edifices　Of　Herod。

1。　On　this　account　it　was　that　Herod　revolted　from　the　laws　of
his　country；　and　corrupted　their　ancient　constitution；　by　the
introduction　of　foreign　practices；　which　constitution　yet　ought
to　have　been　preserved　inviolable；　by　which　means　we　became
guilty　of　great　wickedness　afterward；　while　those　religious
observances　which　used　to　lead　the　multitude　to　piety　were　now
neglected；　for；　in　the　first　place；　he　appointed　solemn　games　to
be　celebrated　every　fifth　year；　in　honor　of　Caesar；　and　built　a
theater　at　Jerusalem；　as　also　a　very　great　amphitheater　in　the
plain。　Both　of　them　were　indeed　costly　works；　but　opposite　to　the
Jewish　customs；　for　we　have　had　no　such　shows　delivered　down　to
us　as　fit　to　be　used　or　exhibited　by　us；　yet　did　he　celebrate
these　games　every　five　years；　in　the　most　solemn　and　splendid
manner。　He　also　made　proclamation　to　the　neighboring　countries；
and　called　men　together　out　of　every　nation。　The　wrestlers　also；
and　the　rest　of　those　that　strove　for　the　prizes　in　such　games；
were　invited　out　of　every　land；　both　by　the　hopes　of　the　rewards
there　to　be　bestowed；　and　by　the　glory　of　victory　to　be　there
gained。　So　the　principal　persons　that　were　the　most　eminent　in
these　sorts　of　exercises　were　gotten　together；　for　there　were
very　great　rewards　for　victory　proposed；　not　only　to　those　that
performed　their　exercises　naked；　but　to　those　that　played　the
musicians　also；　and　were　called　Thymelici；　and　he　spared　no　pains
to　induce　all　persons；　the　most　famous　for　such　exercises；　to
come　to　this　contest　for　victory。　He　also　proposed　no　small
rewards　to　those　who　ran　for　the　prizes　in　chariot　races；　when
they　were　drawn　by　two；　or　three；　or　four　pair　of　horses。　He　also
imitated　every　thing；　though　never　so　costly　or　magnificent；　in
other　nations；　out　of　an　ambition　that　he　might　give　most　public
demonstration　of　his　grandeur。　Inscriptions　also　of　the　great
actions　of　Caesar；　and　trophies　of　those　nations　which　he　had
conquered　in　his　wars；　and　all　made　of　the　purest　gold　and
silver；　encompassed　the　theater　itself；　nor　was　there　any　thing
that　could　be　subservient　to　his　design；　whether　it　were　precious
garments；　or　precious　stones　set　in　order；　which　was　not　also
exposed　to　sight　in　these　games。　He　had　also　made　a　great
preparation　of　wild　beasts；　and　of　lions　themselves　in　great
abundance；　and　of　such　other　beasts　as　were　either　of　uncommon
strength；　or　of　such　a　sort　as　were　rarely　seen。　These　were
prepared　either　to　fight　with　one　another；　or　that　men　who　were
condemned　to　death　were　to　fight　with　them。　And　truly　foreigners
were　greatly　surprised　and　delighted　at　the　vastness　of　the
expenses　here　exhibited；　and　at　the　great　dangers　that　were　here
seen；　but　to　natural　Jews；　this　was　no　better　than　a　dissolution
of　those　customs　for　which　they　had　so　great　a　veneration。　（13）
It　appeared　also　no　better　than　an　instance　of　barefaced　impiety；
to　throw　men　to　wild　beasts；　for　the　affording　delight　to　the
spectators；　and　it　appeared　an　instance　of　no　less　impiety；　to
change　their　own　laws　for　such　foreign　exercises：　but；　above　all
the　rest；　the　trophies　gave　most　distaste　to　the　Jews；　for　as
they　imagined　them　to　be　images；　included　within　the　armor　that
hung　round　about　them；　they　were　sorely　displeased　at　them；
because　it　was　not　the　custom　of　their　country　to　pay　honors　to
such　images。

2。　Nor　was　Herod　unacquainted　with　the　disturbance　they　were
under；　and　as　he　thought　it　unseasonable　to　use　violence　with
them；　so　he　spake　to　some　of　them　by　way　of　consolation；　and　in
order　to　free　them　from　that　superstitious　fear　they　were　under；
yet　could　not　he　satisfy　them；　but　they　cried　out　with　one
accord；　out　of　their　great　uneasiness　at　the　offenses　they
thought　he　had　been　guilty　of；　that　although　they　should　think　of
bearing　all　the　rest　yet　would　they　never　bear　images　of　men　in
their　city；　meaning　the　trophies；　because　this　was　disagreeable
to　the　laws　of　their　country。　Now　when　Herod　saw　them　in　such　a
disorder；　and　that　they　would　not　easily　change　their　resolution
unless　they　received　satisfaction　in　this　point；　he　called　to　him
the　most　eminent　men　among　them；　and　brought　them　upon　the
theater；　and　showed　them　the　trophies；　and　asked　them　what　sort
of　things　they　took　these　trophies　to　be；　and　when　they　cried　out
that　they　were　the　images　of　men；　he　gave　order　that　they　should
be　stripped　of　these　outward　ornaments　which　were　about　them；　and
showed　them　the　naked　pieces　of　wood；　which　pieces　of　wood；　now
without　any　ornament；　became　matter　of　great　sport　and　laughter
to　them；　because　they　had　before　always　had　the　ornaments　of
images　themselves　in　derision。

3。　When　therefore　Herod　had　thus　got　clear　of　the　multitude；　and
had　dissipated　the　vehemency　of　passion　under　which　they　had
been；　the　greatest　part　of　the　people　were　disposed　to　change
their　conduct；　and　not　to　be　displeased　at　him　any　longer；　but
still　some　of　them　continued　in　their　displeasure　against　him；
for　his　introduction　of　new　customs；　and　esteemed　the　violation
of　the　laws　of　their　country　as　likely　to　be　the　origin　of　very
great　mischiefs　to　them；　so　that　they　deemed　it　an　instance　of
piety　rather　to　hazard　themselves　＇to　be　put　to　death＇；　than　to
seem　as　if　they　took　no　notice　of　Herod；　who；　upon　the　change　he
had　made　in　their　government；　introduced　such　customs；　and　that
in　a　violent　manner；　which　they　had　never　been　used　to　before；　as
indeed　in　pretense　a　king；　but　in　reality　one　that　showed　himself
an　enemy　to　their　whole　nation；　on　which　account　ten　men　that
were　citizens　＇of　Jerusalem＇　conspired　together　against　him；　and
sware　to　one　another　to　undergo　any　dangers　in　the　attempt；　and
took　daggers　with　them　under　their　garments　＇for　the　purpose　of
killing　Herod＇。　Now　there　was　a　certain　blind　man　among　those
conspirators　who　had　thus　sworn　to　one　another；　on　account　of　the
indignation　he　had　against　what　he　heard　to　have　been　done；　he
was　not　indeed　able　to　afford　the　rest　any　assistance　in　the
undertaking；　but　was　ready　to　undergo　any　suffering　with　them；　if
so　be　they　should　come　to　any　harm；　insomuch　that　he　became　a
very　great　encourager　of　the　rest　of　the　undertakers。

4。　When　they　had　taken　this　resolution；　and　that　by　common
consent；　they　went　into　the　theater；　hoping　that；　in　the　first
place；　Herod　himself　could　not　escape