the wars of the jews-第22部分

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and　that　he　would　let　his　daughter　continue　espoused　to　him：　but　Archelaus　made　him　strongly　believe　that　he　would　permit　her　to　be　married　to　any　one　else；　but　not　to　Alexander；　because　he　looked　upon　it　as　a　very　valuable　advantage；　that　the　relation　they　had　contracted　by　that　affinity；　and　the　privileges　that　went　along　with　it；　might　be　preserved。　And　when　the　king　said　that　his　son　would　take　it　for　a　great　favor　to　him；　if　he　would　not　dissolve　that　marriage；　especially　since　they　had　already　children　between　the　young　man　and　her；　and　since　that　wife　of　his　was　so　well　beloved　by　him；　and　that　as　while　she　remains　his　wife　she　would　be　a　great　preservative　to　him；　and　keep　him　from　offending；　as　he　had　formerly　done；　so　if　she　should　be　once　torn　away　from　him；　she　would　be　the　cause　of　his　falling　into　despair；　because　such　young　men's　attempts　are　best　mollified　when　they　are　diverted　from　them　by　settling　their　affections　at　home。　So　Arehelaus　complied　with　what　Herod　desired；　but　not　without　difficulty；　and　was　both　himself　reconciled　to　the　young　man；　and　reconciled　his　father　to　him　also。　However；　he　said　he　must；　by　all　means；　be　sent　to　Rome　to　discourse　with　Caesar；　because　he　had　already　written　a　full　account　to　him　of　this　whole　matter。

6。　Thus　a　period　was　put　to　Archelaus's　stratagem；　whereby　he　delivered　his　son…in…law　out　of　the　dangers　he　was　in；　but　when　these　reconciliations　were　over；　they　spent　their　time　in　feastings　and　agreeable　entertainments。　And　when　Archelaus　was　going　away；　Herod　made　him　a　present　of　seventy　talents；　with　a　golden　throne　set　with　precious　stones；　and　some　eunuchs；　and　a　concubine　who　was　called　Pannychis。　He　also　paid　due　honors　to　every　one　of　his　friends　according　to　their　dignity。　In　like　manner　did　all　the　king's　kindred；　by　his　command；　make　glorious　presents　to　Archelaus；　and　so　he　was　conducted　on　his　way　by　Herod　and　his　nobility　as　far　as　Antioch。

CHAPTER　26。

How　Eurycles　（40）　Calumniated　The　Sons　Of　Mariamne；　And　How　Euaratus　Of　Costs　Apology　For　Them　Had　No　Effect。

1。　Now　a　little　afterward　there　came　into　Judea　a　man　that　was　much　superior　to　Arehelaus's　stratagems；　who　did　not　only　overturn　that　reconciliation　that　had　been　so　wisely　made　with　Alexander；　but　proved　the　occasion　of　his　ruin。　He　was　a　Lacedemonian；　and　his　name　was　Eurycles。　He　was　so　corrupt　a　man；　that　out　of　the　desire　of　getting　money；　he　chose　to　live　under　a　king；　for　Greece　could　not　suffice　his　luxury。　He　presented　Herod　with　splendid　gifts；　as　a　bait　which　he　laid　in　order　to　compass　his　ends；　and　quickly　received　them　back　again　manifold；　yet　did　he　esteem　bare　gifts　as　nothing；　unless　he　imbrued　the　kingdom　in　blood　by　his　purchases。　Accordingly；　he　imposed　upon　the　king　by　flattering　him；　and　by　talking　subtlely　to　him；　as　also　by　the　lying　encomiums　which　he　made　upon　him；　for　as　he　soon　perceived　Herod's　blind　side；　so　he　said　and　did　every　thing　that　might　please　him；　and　thereby　became　one　of　his　most　intimate　friends；　for　both　the　king　and　all　that　were　about　him　had　a　great　regard　for　this　Spartan；　on　account　of　his　country。　（41）

2。　Now　as　soon　as　this　fellow　perceived　the　rotten　parts　of　the　family；　and　what　quarrels　the　brothers　had　one　with　another；　and　in　what　disposition　the　father　was　towards　each　of　them；　he　chose　to　take　his　lodging　at　the　first　in　the　house　of　Antipater；　but　deluded　Alexander　with　a　pretense　of　friendship　to　him；　and　falsely　claimed　to　be　an　old　acquaintance　of　Archelaus；　for　which　reason　he　was　presently　admitted　into　Alexander's　familiarity　as　a　faithful　friend。　He　also　soon　recommended　himself　to　his　brother　Aristobulus。　And　when　he　had　thus　made　trial　of　these　several　persons；　he　imposed　upon　one　of　them　by　one　method；　and　upon　another　by　another。　But　he　was　principally　hired　by　Antipater；　and　so　betrayed　Alexander；　and　this　by　reproaching　Antipater；　because；　while　he　was　the　eldest　son　he　overlooked　the　intrigues　of　those　who　stood　in　the　way　of　his　expectations；　and　by　reproaching　Alexander；　because　he　who　was　born　of　a　queen；　and　was　married　to　a　king's　daughter；　permitted　one　that　was　born　of　a　mean　woman　to　lay　claim　to　the　succession；　and　this　when　he　had　Archelaus　to　support　him　in　the　most　complete　manner。　Nor　was　his　advice　thought　to　be　other　than　faithful　by　the　young　man；　because　of　his　pretended　friendship　with　Archelaus；　on　which　account　it　was　that　Alexander　lamented　to　him　Antipater's　behavior　with　regard　to　himself；　and　this　without　concealing　any　thing　from　him；　and　how　it　was　no　wonder　if　Herod；　after　he　had　killed　their　mother；　should　deprive　them　of　her　kingdom。　Upon　this　Eurycles　pretended　to　commiserate　his　condition；　and　to　grieve　with　him。　He　also；　by　a　bait　that　he　laid　for　him；　procured　Aristobulus　to　say　the　same　things。　Thus　did　he　inveigle　both　the　brothers　to　make　complaints　of　their　father；　and　then　went　to　Antipater；　and　carried　these　grand　secrets　to　him。　He　also　added　a　fiction　of　his　own；　as　if　his　brothers　had　laid　a　plot　against　him；　and　were　almost　ready　to　come　upon　him　with　their　drawn　swords。　For　this　intelligence　he　received　a　great　sum　of　money；　and　on　that　account　he　commended　Antipater　before　his　father；　and　at　length　undertook　the　work　of　bringing　Alexander　and　Aristobulus　to　their　graves；　and　accused　them　before　their　father。　So　he　came　to　Herod；　and　told　him　that　he　would　save　his　life；　as　a　requital　for　the　favors　he　had　received　from　him；　and　would　preserve　his　light　＇of　life＇　by　way　of　retribution　for　his　kind　entertainment；　for　that　a　sword　had　been　long　whetted；　and　Alexander's　right　hand　had　been　long　stretched　out　against　him；　but　that　he　had　laid　impediments　in　his　way；　prevented　his　speed；　and　that　by　pretending　to　assist　him　in　his　design：　how　Alexander　said　that　Herod　was　not　contented　to　reign　in　a　kingdom　that　belonged　to　others；　and　to　make　dilapidations　in　their　mother's　government　after　he　had　killed　her；　but　besides　all　this；　that　he　introduced　a　spurious　successor；　and　proposed　to　give　the　kingdom　of　their　ancestors　to　that　pestilent　fellow　Antipater：　…　that　he　would　now　appease　the　ghosts　of　Hyrcanus　and　Mariamne；　by　taking　vengeance　on　him；　for　that　it　was　not　fit　for　him　to　take　the　succession　to　the　government　from　such　a　father　without　bloodshed：　that　many　things　happen　every　day　to　provoke　him　so　to　do；　insomuch　that　he　can　say　nothing　at　all；　but　it　affords　occasion　for　calumny　against　him；　for　that　if　any　mention　be　made　of　nobility　of　birth；　even　in　other　cases；　he　is　abused　unjustly；　while　his　father　would　say　that　nobody；　to　be　sure；　is　of　noble　birth　but　Alexander；　and　that　his　father　was　inglorious　for　want　of　such　nobility。　If　they　be　at　any　time　hunting；　and　he　says　nothing；　he　gives　offense；　and　if　he　commends　any　body；　they　take　it　in　way　of　jest。　That　they　always　find　their　father　unmercifully　severe；　and　have　no　natural　affection　for　any　of　them　but　for　Antipater；　on　which　accounts；　if　this　plot　does　not　take；　he　is　very　willing　to　die；　but　that　in　case　he　kill　his　father；　he　hath　sufficient　opportunities　for　saving　himself。　In　the　first　place；　he　hath　Archelaus　his　father…in…law　to　whom　he　can　easily　fly；　and　in　the　next　place；　he　hath　Caesar；　who　had　never　known　Herod's　character　to　this　day；　for　that　he　shall　not　appear　then　before　him　with　that　dread　he　used　to　do　when　his　father　was　there　to　terrify　him；　and　that　he　will　not　then　produce　the　accusations　that　concerned　himself　alone；　but　would；　in　the　first　place；　openly　insist　on　the　calamities　of　their　nation；　and　how　they　are　taxed　to　death；　and　in　what　ways　of　luxury　and　wicked　practices　that　wealth　is　spent　which　was　gotten　by　bloodshed；　what　sort　of　persons　they　are　that　get　our　riches；　and　to　whom　those　cities　belong　upon　whom　he　bestows　his　favors；　that　he　would　have　inquiry　made　what　became　of　his　grandfather　＇Hyrcanus＇；　and　his　mother　＇Mariamne＇；　and　would　openly　proclaim　the　gross　wickedness　that　was　in　the　kingdom；　on　which　accounts　he　should　not　be　deemed　a　parricide。

3。　When　Eurycles　had　made　this　portentous　speech；　he　greatly　commended　Antipater；　as　the　only　child　that　had　an　affection　for　his　father；　and　on　that　account　was　an　impediment　to　the　other's　plot　against　him。　Hereupon　the　king；　who　had　hardly　repressed　his　anger　upon　the　former　accusations；　was　exasperated　to　an　incurable　degree。　At　which　time　Antipater　took　another　occasion　to　send　in　other　persons　to　his　father　to　accuse　his　brethren；　and　to　tell　him　that　they　had　privately　discoursed　with　Jucundus　and　Tyrannus；　who　had　once　been　masters　of　the　horse　to　the　king；　but　for　some　offenses　had　been　put　out　of　that　honorable　employment。　Herod　was　in　a　very　great　rage　at　these　informations；　and　presently　ordered　those　men　to　be　tortured；　yet　did　not　they　confess　any　thing　of　what　the　king　had　been　informed；　but　a　certain　letter　was　produced；　as　written　by　Alexander　to　the　governor　of　a　castle；　to　desire　him　to　receive　him　and　Aristobulus　into　the　castle　when　he　had　killed　his　father；　and　to　give　them　weapons；　and　what　other　assistance　he　could；　upon　that　occasion。　Alexander　said　that　this　letter　was　a　forgery　of　Diophantus。　This　Diophantus　was　the　king's　secretary；　a　bold　man；　and　cunning　in　counterfeiting　any　one's　hand；　and　after　he　had　counterfeited　a　great　number；　he　was　at　last　put　to　death　for　it。　Herod　did　also　order　the　governor　of　the　castle　to　be　tortured；　but　got　nothing　out　of　him　of　what　the　accusations　suggested。　　4。　However；　although　Herod　found　the　proofs　too　weak；　he　gave　order　to　have　his　sons　kept　in　custody；　for　till　now　they　had　been　at　liberty。　He　also　called　that　pest　of　his　family；　and　forger　of　all　this　vile　accusation；　Eurycles；　his　savior　and　benefactor；　and　gave　him　a　reward　of　fifty　talents。　Upon　which　he　prevented　any　accurate　accounts　that　could　come　of　what　he　had　done；　by　going　immediately　into　Cappadocia；　and　there　he　got　money　of　Archelaus；　having　the　impudence　to　pretend　that　he　had　reconciled　Herod　to　Alexander。　He　thence　passed　over　into　Greece；　and　used　what　he　had　thus　wickedly　gotten　to　the　like　wicked　purposes。　Accordingly；　he　was　twice　accused　before　Caesar；　that　he　had　filled　Achaia　with　sedition；　and　had　plundered　its　cities；　and　so　he　was　sent　into　banishment。　And　thus　was　he　punished　for　wh