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by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be
too late。 Accordingly he was sent a prisoner; out of Herod's
suspicious temper; to Macherus; the castle I before mentioned;
and was there put to death。 Now the Jews had an opinion that the
destruction of this army was sent as a punishment upon Herod; and
a mark of God's displeasure to him。
3。 So Vitellius prepared to make war with Aretas; having with him
two legions of armed men; he also took with him all those of
light armature; and of the horsemen which belonged to them; and
were drawn out of those kingdoms which were under the Romans; and
made haste for Petra; and came to Ptolemais。 But as he was
marching very busily; and leading his army through Judea; the
principal men met him; and desired that he would not thus march
through their land; for that the laws of their country would not
permit them to overlook those images which were brought into it;
of which there were a great many in their ensigns; so he was
persuaded by what they said; and changed that resolution of his
which he had before taken in this matter。 Whereupon he ordered
the army to march along
the great plain; while he himself; with Herod the tetrarch and
his friends; went up to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice to God; an
ancient festival of the Jews being then just approaching; and
when he had been there; and been honorably entertained by the
multitude of the Jews; he made a stay there for three days;
within which time he deprived Jonathan of the high priesthood;
and gave it to his brother Theophilus。 But when on the fourth day
letters came to him; which informed him of the death of Tiberius;
he obliged the multitude to take an oath of fidelity to Caius; he
also recalled his army; and made them every one go home; and take
their winter quarters there; since; upon the devolution of the
empire upon Caius; he had not the like authority of making this
war which he had before。 It was also reported; that when Aretas
heard of the coming of Vitellius to fight him; he said; upon his
consulting the diviners; that it was impossible that this army of
Vitellius's could enter Petra; for that one of the rulers would
die; either he that gave orders for the war; or he that was
marching at the other's desire; in order to be subservient to his
will; or else he against whom this army is prepared。 So Vitellius
truly retired to Antioch; but Agrippa; the son of Aristobulus;
went up to Rome; a year before the death of Tiberius; in order to
treat of some affairs with the emperor; if he might be permitted
so to do。 I have now a mind to describe Herod and his family; how
it fared with them; partly because it is suitable to this history
to speak of that matter; and partly because this thing is a
demonstration of the interposition of Providence; how a multitude
of children is of no advantage; no more than any other strength
that mankind set their hearts upon; besides those acts of piety
which are done towards God; for it happened; that; within the
revolution of a hundred years; the posterity of Herod; which were
a great many in number; were; excepting a few; utterly destroyed。
(16) One may well apply this for the instruction of mankind; and
learn thence how unhappy they were: it will also show us the
history of Agrippa; who; as he was a person most worthy of
admiration; so was he from a private man; beyond all the
expectation of those that knew him; advanced to great power and
authority。 I have said something of them formerly; but I shall
now also speak accurately about them。
4。 Herod the Great had two daughters by Mariamne; the 'grand'
daughter of Hyrcanus; the one was Salampsio; who was married to
Phasaelus; her first cousin; who was himself the son of
Phasaelus; Herod's brother; her father making the match; the
other was Cypros; who was herself married also to her first
cousin Antipater; the son of Salome; Herod's sister。 Phasaelus
had five children by Salampsio; Antipater; Herod; and Alexander;
and two daughters; Alexandra and Cypros; which last Agrippa; the
son of Aristobulus; married; and Timius of Cyprus married
Alexandra; he was a man of note; but had by her no children。
Agrippa had by Cypros two sons and three daughters; which
daughters were named Bernice; Mariarune; and Drusius; but the
names of the sons were Agrippa and Drusus; of which Drusus died
before he came to the years of puberty; but their father;
Agrippa; was brought up with his other brethren; Herod and
Aristobulus; for these were also the sons of the son of Herod the
Great by Bernice; but Bernice was the daughter of Costobarus and
of Salome; who was Herod's sister。 Aristobulus left these infants
when he was slain by his father; together with his brother
Alexander; as we have already related。 But when they were arrived
at years of puberty; this Herod; the brother of Agrippa; married
Mariamne; the daughter of Olympias; who was the daughter of Herod
the king; and of Joseph; the son of Joseph; who was brother to
Herod the king; and had by her a son; Aristobulus; but
Aristobulus; the third brother of Agrippa; married Jotape; the
daughter of Sampsigeramus; king of Emesa; they had a daughter who
was deaf; whose name also was Jotape; and these hitherto were the
children of the male line。 But Herodias; their sister; was
married to Herod 'Philip'; the son of Herod the Great; who was
born of Mariamne; the daughter of Simon the high priest; who had
a daughter; Salome; after whose birth Herodias took upon her to
confound the laws of our country; and divorced herself from her
husband while he was alive; and was married to Herod 'Antipas';
her husband's brother by the father's side; he was tetrarch of
Galilee; but her daughter Salome was married to Philip; the son
of Herod; and tetrarch of Trachonitis; and as he died childless;
Aristobulus; the son of Herod; the brother of Agrippa; married
her; they had three sons; Herod; Agrippa; and Aristobulus; and
this was the posterity of Phasaelus and Salampsio。 But the
daughter of Antipater by Cypros was Cypros; whom Alexas Selcias;
the son of Alexas; married; they had a daughter; Cypros; but
Herod and Alexander; who; as we told you; were the brothers of
Antipater; died childless。 As to Alexander; the son of Herod the
king; who was slain by his father; he had two sons; Alexander and
Tigranes; by the daughter of Archelaus; king of Cappadocia。
Tigranes; who was king of Armenia; was accused at Rome; and died
childless; Alexander had ason of the same name with his brother
Tigranes; and was sent to take possession of the kingdom of
Armenia by Nero; he had a son; Alexander; who married Jotape;
(17) the daughter of Antiochus; the king of Commagena; Vespasian
made him king of an island in Cilicia。 But these descendants of
Alexander; soon after their birth; deserted the Jewish religion;
and went over to that of the Greeks。 But for the rest of the
daughters of Herod the king; it happened that they died
childless。 And as these descendants of Herod; whom we have
enumerated; were in being at the same time that Agrippa the Great
took the kingdom; and I have now given an account of them; it now
remains that I relate the several hard fo