按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Torture Found The Poison； But So That It Had Been Prepared For
Himself By His Son Antipater； And Upon An Inquiry By Torture He
Discovered The Dangerous Designs Of Antipater。
1。 As soon as Pheroras was dead； and his funeral was over； two of
Pheroras's freed…men； who were much esteemed by him； came to
Herod； and entreated him not to leave the murder of his brother
without avenging it； but to examine into such an unreasonable and
unhappy death。 When he was moved with these words； for they
seemed to him to be true； they said that Pheroras supped with his
wife the day before he fell sick； and that a certain potion was
brought him in such a sort of food as he was not used to eat； but
that when he had eaten； he died of it： that this potion was
brought out of Arabia by a woman； under pretense indeed as a
love…potion； for that was its name； but in reality to kill
Pheroras； for that the Arabian women are skillful in making such
poisons： and the woman to whom they ascribe this was confessedly
a most intimate friend of one of Sylleus's mistresses； and that
both the mother and the sister of Pheroras's wife had been at the
places where she lived； and had persuaded her to sell them this
potion； and had come back and brought it with them the day before
that his supper。 Hereupon the king was provoked； and put the
women slaves to the torture； and some that were free with them；
and as the fact did not yet appear； because none of them would
confess it； at length one of them； under the utmost agonies； said
no more but this； that she prayed that God would send the like
agonies upon Antipater's mother； who had been the occasion of
these miseries to all of them。 This prayer induced Herod to
increase the women's tortures； till thereby all was discovered；
their merry meetings； their secret assemblies； and the disclosing
of what he had said to his son alone unto Pheroras's （4） women。
（Now what Herod had charged Antipater to conceal； was the gift of
a hundred talents to him not to have any conversation with
Pheroras。） And what hatred he bore to his father； and that he
complained to his mother how very long his father lived； and that
he was himself almost an old man； insomuch that if the kingdom
should come to him； it would not afford him any great pleasure；
and that there were a great many of his brothers； or brothers'
children； bringing up； that might have hopes of the kingdom as
well as himself； all which made his own hopes of it uncertain；
for that even now； if he should himself not live； Herod had
ordained that the government should be conferred； not on his son；
but rather on a brother。 He also had accused the king of great
barbarity； and of the slaughter of his sons； and that it was out
of the fear he was under； lest he should do the like to him； that
made him contrive this his journey to Rome； and Pheroras contrive
to go to his own tetrarchy。 （5）
2。 These confessions agreed with what his sister had told him；
and tended greatly to corroborate her testimony； and to free her
from the suspicion of her unfaithfulness to him。 So the king
having satisfied himself of the spite which Doris； Antipater's
mother； as well as himself； bore to him； took away from her all
her fine ornaments； which were worth many talents； and then sent
her away； and entered into friendship with Pheroras's women。 But
he who most of all irritated the king against his son was one
Antipater； the procurator of Antipater the king's son； who； when
he was tortured； among other things； said that Antipater had
prepared a deadly potion； and given it to Pheroras； with his
desire that he would give it to his father during his absence；
and when he was too remote to have the least suspicion cast upon
him thereto relating； that Antiphilus； one of Antipater's
friends； brought that potion out of Egypt； and that it was sent
to Pheroras by Thendion； the brother of the mother of Antipater；
the king's son； and by that means came to Pheroras's wife； her
husband having given it her to keep。 And when the king asked her
about it； she confessed it； and as she was running to fetch it；
she threw herself down from the house…top； yet did she not kill
herself； because she fell upon her feet； by which means； when the
king had comforted her； and had promised her and her domestics
pardon； upon condition of their concealing nothing of the truth
from him； but had threatened her with the utmost miseries if she
proved ungrateful ＇and concealed any thing＇： so she promised； and
swore that she would speak out every thing； and tell after what
manner every thing was done； and said what many took to be
entirely true； that the potion was brought out of Egypt by
Antiphilus； and that his brother； who was a physician； had
procured it； and that〃 when Thendion brought it us； she kept it
upon Pheroras's committing it to her； and that it was prepared by
Antipater for thee。 When； therefore； Pheroras was fallen sick；
and thou camest to him and tookest care of him； and when he saw
the kindness thou hadst for him； his mind was overborne thereby。
So he called me to him； and said to me； 'O woman！ Antipater hath
circumvented me in this affair of his father and my brother； by
persuading me to have a murderous intention to him； and procuring
a potion to be subservient thereto； do thou； therefore； go and
fetch my potion； （since my brother appears to have still the same
virtuous disposition towards me which he had formerly； and I do
not expect to live long myself； and that I may not defile my
forefathers by the murder of a brother；） and burn it before my
face：' that accordingly she immediately brought it； and did as
her husband bade her； and that she burnt the greatest part of the
potion； but that a little of it was left； that if the king； after
Pheroras's death； should treat her ill； she might poison herself；
and thereby get clear of her miseries。〃 Upon her saying thus； she
brought out the potion； and the box in which it was； before them
all。 Nay； there was another brother of Antiphilus； and his mother
also； who； by the extremity of pain and torture； confessed the
same things； and owned the box ＇to be that which had been brought
out of Egypt＇。 The high priest's daughter also； who was the
king's wife； was accused to have been conscious of all this； and
had resolved to conceal it； for which reason Herod divorced her；
and blotted her son out of his testament； wherein he had been
mentioned as one that was to reign after him； and he took the
high priesthood away from his father…in…law； Simeon the son of
Boethus； and appointed Matthias the son of Theophilus； who was
born at Jerusalem； to be high priest in his room。
3。 While this was doing； Bathyllus also； Antipater's freed…man；
came from Rome； and； upon the torture； was found to have brought
another potion； to give it into the hands of Antipater's mother；
and of Pheroras； that if the former potion did not operate upon
the king； this at least might carry him off。 There came also
letters from Herod's friends at Rome； by the approbation and at
the suggestion of Antipater； to accuse Archelaus and Philip； as
if they calumniated their father on account of the slaughter of
Alexander and Aristobulus； and as if they commiserated their
deaths； and as if； because they were sent for home； （for their
father had already recalled them；） they concluded they were
themselves also to be destroyed。 These letters had been procured
by great rewards by Antipater's friends； but Antipater himself
wrote to his father about them； and laid the heaviest things to
their charge； yet did he entirely excuse them of any guilt； and
said they were but young men； and so imputed their words to their
youth。 But he said that he had himself been very busy in the
affair relating to Sylleus； and in getting interest among the
great men； and on that account had bought splendid ornaments to
present them withal； which cost him two hundred talents。 Now one
may wonder how it came about； that while so many accusations were
laid against him in Judea during seven months before this time；
he was not made acquainted with any of them。 The causes of which
were； that the roads were exactly guarded； and that men hated
Antipater； for there was nobody who would run any hazard himself
to gain him any advantages。
CHAPTER 5。
Antipater's Navigation From Rome To His Father； And How He Was
Accused By Nicolaus Of Damascus And Condemned To Die By His
Father； And By Quintilius Varus； Who Was Then President Of Syria；
And How He Was Then Bound Till Caesar Should Be Informed Of His
Cause。
1。 Now Herod； upon Antipater's writing to him； that having done
all that he was to do； and this in the manner he was to do it； he
would suddenly come to him； concealed his anger against him； and
wrote back to him； and bid him not delay his journey； lest any
harm should befall himself in his absence。 At the same time also
he made some little complaint about his mother； but promised that
he would lay those complaints aside when he should return。 He
withal expressed his entire affection for him； as fearing lest he
should have some suspicion of him； and defer his journey to him；
and lest； while he lived at Rome； he should lay plots for the
ki