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than a fable； it may not be amiss to take notice of this
occasional clause in the speech of Alexander before his father
Herod； in his and his brother's vindication； which mentions the
temple as known by every body to have been built by Herod。
（5） See John 2：20。 See also another speech of Herod's own to the
young men that pulled down his golden eagle from the front of the
temple； where he takes notice how the building of the temple cost
him a vast sum； and that the Asamoneans； in those one hundred and
twenty…five years they held the government； were not able to
perform so great a work； to the honor of God； as this was； Antiq。
B。 XVII。 ch。 6。 sect。 3。
（6） Dr。 Hudson here gives us the words of Suetonius concerning
this Nicopolis； when Augustus rebuilt it： 〃And that the memory of
the victory at Actium might be celebrated the more afterward； he
built Nicopolis at Actium； and appointed public shows to be there
exhibited every fifth year。〃 In August； sect。 18。
（7） Augustus here calls Julius Caesar his father； though by birth
he was only his uncle； on account of his adoption by him。 See the
same Antiq。 B。 XIV。 ch。 14。 sect。 4。
（8） This is authentic evidence that the Jews； in the days of
Augustus； began to prepare for the celebration of the sabbath at
the ninth hour on Friday； as the tradition of the elders did； it
seems； then require of them。
（9） The remaining part of this chapter is remarkable； as justly
distinguishing natural justice； religion； and morality； from
positive institutions in all countries； and evidently preferring
the former before the latter； as did the true prophets of God
always under the Old Testament； and Christ and his New； whence
Josephus seems to have been at this time nearer Christianity than
were the Scribes and Pharisees of his age； who； as we know from
the New Testament； were entirely of a different opinion and
practice。
（10） It is here worth our observation； how careful Josephus was
as to the discovery of truth in Herod's history； since he would
not follow Nicolaus of Damascus himself； so great an historian；
where there was great reason to suspect that he flattered Herod；
which impartiality in history Josephus here solemnly pro fesses；
and of which impartiality he has given more demonstrations than
almost any historian whomsoever； but as to Herod's taking great
wealth out of David's sepulcher； though I cannot prove it； yet do
I strongly suspect it from this very history。
（11） These joint presidents of Syria； Saturninus and Volumnius；
were not perhaps of equal authority； but the latter like a
procurator under the former； as the very learned Noris and Pagi；
and with them Dr。 Hudson； determine。
（12） This Aretas was now become so established a name for the
kings of Arabia； ＇at Petra and Damascus；＇ that when the crown
came to this Aeneas； he changed his name to Aretas； as Havercamp
here justly observes。 See Antiq。 B。 XIII。 ch。 15。 sect； 2。
（13） This oath； by the fortune of Caesar； was put to Polycarp； a
bishop of Smyrna； by the Roman governor； to try whether he were a
Christian； as they were then esteemed who refused to swear that
oath。 Martyr。 Polycarp； sect。 9。
（14） What Josephus relates Augustus to have here said； that
Berytus was a city belonging to the Romans； is confirmed by
Spanheim's notes here： 〃It was；〃 says he； 〃a colony placed there
by Augustus。 Whence Ulpian； De Gens。 bel。 L。 T。 XV。 The colony of
Berytus was rendered famous by the benefits of Caesar； and thence
it is that； among the coins of Augustus； we meet with some having
this inscription： The happy colony of Augustus at Berytua〃
（15） The reader is here to note； that this eighth section is
entirely wanting in the old Latin version； as Spanheim truly
observes； nor is there any other reason for it； I suppose； than
the great difficulty of an exact translation。
BOOK 17 FOOTNOTES
（1） Those who have a mind to know all the family and descendants
of Antipater the Idumean； and of Herod the Great； his son； and
have a memory to preserve them all distinctly； may consult
Josephus； Antiq。 B。 XVIII。 ch。 5。 sect。 4； and Of the War； B。 I。
ch。 28。 sect。 4； in Havercamp's edition； p。 336； and Spanheim；
lb。 p。 402405； and Reland； Paleslin。 Part I。 p。 178； 176。
（2） This is now wanting。
（3） Pheroras's wife； and her mother and sister； and Doris；
Antipater's mother。
（4）His wife； her mother； and sister。
（5） It seems to me； by this whole story put together； that
Pheroras was not himself poisoned； as is commonly supposed； for
Antipater had persuaded him to poison Herod； ch。 v。 sect。 1；
which would fall to the ground if he wore himself poisoned； nor
could the poisoning of Pheroras serve any design that appears now
going forward； it was only the supposal of two of his freed…men；
that this love…potion； or poison； which they knew was brought to
Pheroras's wife； was made use of for poisoning him； whereas it
appears to have been brought for her husband to poison Herod
withal； as the future examinations demonstrate。
（6） That the making of images； without an intention to worship
them； was not unlawful to the Jews； see the note on Antiq。 B
VIII。 ch。 7。 sect。 5。
（7） This fact； that one Joseph was made high priest for a single
day； on occasion of the action here specified； that befell
Matthias； the real high priest； in his sleep； the night before
the great day of expiation； is attested to both in the Mishna and
Talmud； as Dr。 Hudson here informs us。 And indeed； from this
fact； thus fully attested； we may confute that pretended rule in
the Talmud here mentioned； and endeavored to be excused lay
Reland； that the high priest was not suffered to sleep the night
before that great day of expiation； which watching would surely
rather unfit him for the many important duties he was to perform
on that solemn day； than dispose him duly to perform them。 Nor do
such Talmudical rules； when unsupported by better evidence； much
less when contradicted there by； seem to me of weight enough to
deserve that so great a man as Reland should spend his time in
endeavors at their vindication。
（8） This eclipse of the moon （which is the only eclipse of either
of the luminaries mentioned by our Josephus in any of his
writings） is of the greatest consequence for the determination of
the time for the death of Herod and Antipater； and for the birth
and entire chronology of Jesus Christ。 It happened March 13th； in
the year of the Julian period 4710； and the 4th year before the
Christian era。 See its calculation by the rules of astronomy； at
the end of the Astronomical Lectures； edit。 Lat。 p。 451； 452。
（9） A place for the horse…races。
（10） When it is here said that Philip the tetrarch； and Archelaus
the king； or ethnarch； were own brother； or genuine brothers； if
those words mean own brothers； or born of the same father and
mother； there must be here some mistake； because they had indeed
the same father； Herod； but different mothers； the former
Cleopatra； and Archclaus Malthace。 They were indeed brought up
together privately at Rome like when he went to have his kingdom
confirmed to him at Rome； ch。 9。 sect。 5； and Of the War； B。 II。
ch。 2。 sect。 1； which in