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！
even those creatures admit of some mitigation； and will not bite
their benefactors； while Antipater hath not let the misfortunes
of his brethren be any hinderance to him； but he hath gone on to
imitate their barbarity notwithstanding。 〃Yet wast thou； O
Antipater！ （as thou hast thyself confessed；） the informer as to
what wicked actions they had done； and the searcher out of the
evidence against them； and the author of the punishment they
underwent upon their detection。 Nor do we say this as accusing
thee for being so zealous in thy anger against them； but are
astonished at thy endeavors to imitate their profligate behavior；
and we discover thereby that thou didst not act thus for the
safety of thy father； but for the destruction of thy brethren；
that by such outside hatred of their impiety thou mightest be
believed a lover of thy father； and mightest thereby get thee
power enough to do mischief with the greatest impunity； which
design thy actions indeed demonstrate。 It is true； thou tookest
thy brethren off； because thou didst convict theft of their
wicked designs； but thou didst not yield up to justice those who
were their partners； and thereby didst make it evident to all men
that thou madest a covenant with them against thy father； when
thou chosest to be the accuser of thy brethren； as desirous to
gain to thyself alone this advantage of laying plots to kill thy
father； and so to enjoy double pleasure； which is truly worthy of
thy evil disposition； which thou has openly showed against thy
brethren； on which account thou didst rejoice； as having done a
most famous exploit； nor was that behavior unworthy of thee。 But
if thy intention were otherwise； thou art worse than they： while
thou didst contrive to hide thy treachery against thy father；
thou didst hate them； not as plotters against thy father； for in
that case thou hadst not thyself fallen upon the like crime； but
as successors of his dominions； and more worthy of that
succession than thyself。 Thou wouldst kill thy father after thy
brethren； lest thy lies raised against them might be detected；
and lest thou shouldst suffer what punishment thou hadst
deserved； thou hadst a mind to exact that punishment of thy
unhappy father； and didst devise such a sort of uncommon
parricide as the world never yet saw。 For thou who art his son
didst not only lay a treacherous design against thy father； and
didst it while he loved thee； and had been thy benefactor； had
made thee in reality his partner in the kingdom； and had openly
declared thee his successor； while thou wast not forbidden to
taste the sweetness of authority already； and hadst the firm hope
of what was future by thy father's determination； and the
security of a written testament； but； for certain； thou didst not
measure these things according to thy father's various
disposition； but according to thy own thoughts and inclinations；
and was desirous to take the part that remained away from thy too
indulgent father； and soughtest to destroy him with thy deeds；
whom thou in words pretendedst to preserve。 Nor wast thou content
to be wicked thyself； but thou filledst thy mother's head with
thy devices； and raised disturbances among thy brethren； and
hadst the boldness to call thy father a wild beast； while thou
hadst thyself a mind more cruel than any serpent； whence thou
sentest out that poison among thy nearest kindred and greatest
benefactors； and invitedst them to assist thee and guard thee；
and didst hedge thyself in on all sides； by the artifices of both
men and women； against an old man； as though that mind of thine
was not sufficient of itself to support so great a hatred as thou
baredst to him。 And here thou appearest； after the tortures of
free…men； of domestics； of men and women； which have been
examined on thy account； and after the informations of thy fellow
conspirators； as making haste to contradict the truth； and hast
thought on ways not only how to take thy father out of the world；
but to disannul that written law which is against thee； and the
virtue of Varus； and the nature of justice； nay； such is that
impudence of thine on which thou confidest； that thou desirest to
be put to the torture thyself； while thou allegest that the
tortures of those already examined thereby have made them tell
lies； that those that have been the deliverers of thy father may
not be allowed to have spoken the truth； but that thy tortures
may be esteemed the discoverers of truth。 Wilt not thou； O Varus！
deliver the king from the injuries of his kindred？ Wilt not thou
destroy this wicked wild beast； which hath pretended kindness to
his father； in order to destroy his brethren； while yet he is
himself alone ready to carry off the kingdom immediately； and
appears to be the most bloody butcher to him of them all？ for
thou art sensible that parricide is a general injury both to
nature and to common life； and that the intention of parricide is
not inferior to its perpetration； and he who does not punish it
is injurious to nature itself。〃
6。 Nicolaus added further what belonged to Antipater's mother；
and whatsoever she had prattled like a woman； as also about the
predictions and the sacrifices relating to the king； and
whatsoever Antipater had done lasciviously in his cups and his
amours among Pheroras's women； the examination upon torture； and
whatsoever concerned the testimonies of the witnesses； which were
many； and of various kinds； some prepared beforehand； and others
were sudden answers； which further declared and confirmed the
foregoing evidence。 For those men who were not acquainted with
Antipater's practices； but had concealed them out of fear； when
they saw that he was exposed to the accusations of the former
witnesses； and that his great good fortune； which had supported
him hitherto； had now evidently betrayed him into the hands of
his enemies； who were now insatiable in their hatred to him； told
all they knew of him。 And his ruin was now hastened； not so much
by the enmity of those that were his accusers； as by his gross；
and impudent； and wicked contrivances； and by his ill…will to his
father and his brethren； while he had filled their house with
disturbance； and caused them to murder one another； and was
neither fair in his hatred； nor kind in his friendship； but just
so far as served his own turn。 Now there were a great number who
for a long time beforehand had seen all this； and especially such
as were naturally disposed to judge of matters by the rules of
virtue； because they were used to determine about affairs without
passion； but had been restrained from making any open complaints
before； these； upon the leave now given them； produced all that
they knew before the public。 The demonstrations also of these
wicked facts could no way be disproved； because the many
witnesses there were did neither speak out of favor to Herod； nor
were they obliged to keep what they had to say silent； out of
suspicion of any danger they were in； but they spake what they
knew； because they thought such actions very wicked； and that
Antipater deserved the greatest punishment； and indeed not so
much for Herod's safety； as on account of the man's own
wickedness。 Many things were also said； and those by a great
number of persons； who were no way obliged to say them； insomuch
that Antipater； who used generally to be very shrewd in his lies
and impudence； was not able to say one word to the contrary。 When
Nicolaus had left off speaking； and had produced the evidence；
Varus bid Antipater to betake himself to the making his defense；
if he had prepared any thing whereby it might appear that he was
not guilty of the crimes he was accused of； for that； as he was
himself desirous； so did he know that his father was in like
manner desirous also； to have him found entirely innocent。 But
Antipater fell down on his face； and appealed to God and to all
men for testimonials of his innocency； desiring that God would
declare； by some evident signals； that he had not laid any plot
against his father。 This being the usual method of all men
destitute of virtue； that when they set about any wicked
undertakings； they fall to work according to their own
inclinations； as if they believed that God was unconcerned in
human affairs； but when once they are found out； and are in
danger of undergoing the punishment due to their crimes； they
endeavor to overthrow all the evidence against them by appealing
to God； which was the very thing which Antipater now did； for
whereas he had done everything as if there were no God in the
world； when he was on all sides distressed by justice； and when
he had no other advantage to expect from any legal proofs； by
which he might disprove the accusations laid against him； he
impudently abused the majesty of God； and ascribed it to his
power that he had been preserved hitherto； and produced before
them all what difficulties he had ever undergone in his bold
acting for his father's preservation。
7。 So when Varus； upon asking Antipater what he had to say for
himself； found that he had nothing to say besides his appeal to
God； and saw that there was no end of that； he bid them bring the
potion before the court； t