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1. After these things were over, Bathyllus came under
examination, in order to convict Antipater, who proved the
concluding attestation to Antipater's designs; for indeed he was
no other than his freed-man. This man came, and brought another
deadly potion, the poison of asps, and the juices of other
serpents, that if the first potion did not do the business,
Pheroras and his wife might be armed with this also to destroy
the king. He brought also an addition to Antipater's insolent
attempt against his father, which was the letters which he wrote
against his brethren, Archelaus and Philip, which were the king's
sons, and educated at Rome, being yet youths, but of generous
dispositions. Antipater set himself to get rid of these as soon
as he could, that they might not be prejudicial to his hopes; and
to that end he forged letters against them in the name of his
friends at Rome. Some of these he corrupted by bribes to write
how they grossly reproached their father, and did openly bewail
Alexander and Aristobulus, and were uneasy at their being
recalled; for their father had already sent for them, which was
the very thing that troubled Antipater.
2. Nay, indeed, while Antipater was in Judea, and before he was
upon his journey to Rome, he gave money to have the like letters
against them sent from Rome, and then came to his father, who as
yet had no suspicion of him, and apologized for his brethren, and
alleged on their behalf that some of the things contained in
those letters were false, and others of them were only youthful
errors. Yet at the same time that he expended a great deal of his
money, by making presents to such as wrote against his brethren,
did he aim to bring his accounts into confusion, by buying costly
garments, and carpets of various contextures, with silver and
gold cups, and a great many more curious things, that so, among
the view great expenses laid out upon such furniture, he might
conceal the money he had used in hiring men [to write the
letters]; for he brought in an account of his expenses, amounting
to two hundred talents, his main pretense for which was file
law-suit he had been in with Sylleus. So while all his rogueries,
even those of a lesser sort also, were covered by his greater
villainy, while all the examinations by torture proclaimed his
attempt to murder his father, and the letters proclaimed his
second attempt to murder his brethren; yet did no one of those
that came to Rome inform him of his misfortunes in Judea,
although seven months had intervened between his conviction and
his return, so great was the hatred which they all bore to him.
And perhaps they were the ghosts of those brethren of his that
had been murdered that stopped the mouths of those that intended
to have told him. He then wrote from Rome, and informed his
[friends] that he would soon come to them, and how he was
dismissed with honor by Caesar.
3. Now the king, being desirous to get this plotter against him
into his hands, and being also afraid lest he should some way
come to the knowledge how his affairs stood, and be upon his
guard, he dissembled his anger in his epistle to him, as in other
points he wrote kindly to him, and desired him to make haste,
because if he came quickly, he would then lay aside the
complaints he had against his mother; for Antipater was not
ignorant that his mother had been expelled out of the palace.
However, he had before received a letter, which contained an
account of the death of Pheroras, at Tarentum, and made
great lamentations at it; for which some commended him, as being
for his own uncle; though probably this confusion arose on
account of his having thereby failed in his plot [on his father's
life]; and his tears were more for the loss of him that was to
have been subservient therein, than for [an uncle] Pheroras:
moreover, a sort of fear came upon him as to his designs, lest
the poison should have been discovered. However, when he was in
Cilicia, he received the forementioned epistle from his father,
and made great haste accordingly. But when he had sailed to
Celenderis, a suspicion came into his mind relating to his
mother's misfortunes; as if his soul foreboded some mischief to
itself. Those therefore of his friends which were the most
considerate advised him not rashly to go to his father, till he
had learned what were the occasions why his mother had been
ejected, because they were afraid that he might be involved in
the calumnies that had been cast upon his mother: but those that
were less considerate, and had more regard to their own desires
of seeing their native country, than to Antipater's safety,
persuaded him to make haste home, and not, by delaying his
journey, afford his father ground for an ill suspicion, and give
a handle to those that raised stories against him; for that in
case any thing had been moved to his disadvantage, it was owing
to his absence, which durst not have been done had he been
present. And they said it was absurd to deprive himself of
certain happiness, for the sake of an uncertain suspicion, and
not rather to return to his father, and take the royal authority
upon him, which was in a state of fluctuation on his account
only. Antipater complied with this last advice, for Providence
hurried him on [to his destruction]. So he passed over the sea,
and landed at Sebastus, the haven of Cesarea.
4. And here he found a perfect and unexpected solitude, while
ever body avoided him, and nobody durst come at him; for he was
equally hated by all men; and now that hatred had liberty to show
itself, and the dread men were in at the king's anger made men
keep from him; for the whole city [of Jerusalem] was filled with
the rumors about Antipater, and Antipater himself was the only
person who was ignorant of them; for as no man was dismissed more
magnificently when he began his voyage to Rome so was no man now
received back with greater ignominy. And indeed he began already
to suspect what misfortunes there were in Herod's family; yet did
he cunningly conceal his suspicion; and while he was inwardly
ready to die for fear, he put on a forced boldness of
countenance. Nor could he now fly any whither, nor had he any way
of emerging out of the difficulties which encompassed him; nor
indeed had he even there any certain intelligence of the affairs
of the royal family, by reason of the threats the king had given
out: yet had he some small hopes of better tidings; for perhaps
nothing had been discovered; or if any discovery had been made,
perhaps he should be able to clear himself by impudence and
artful tricks, which were the only things he relied upon for his
deliverance.
5. And with these hopes did he screen himself, till he came to
the palace, without any friends with him; for these were
affronted, and shut out at the first gate. Now Varus, the
president of Syria, happened to be in the palace [at this
juncture]; so Antipater went in to his father, and, putting on a
bold face, he came near to salute him. But Herod Stretched out
his hands, and turned his head away from him, and cried out,
"Even this is an indication of a parricide, to be desirous to get
me into his arms, when he is under such heinous accusations. God
confound thee, thou vile wretch; do not thou touch me, till thou
hast cleared thyself of these crimes that are charged upon thee.
I appoint thee a court where thou art to be judged, and this
Varus, who is very seasonably here, to be thy judge; and get thou
thy defense ready against tomorrow, for I give thee so much time
to prepare suitable excuses for thyself." And as Antipater was so
confounded, that he was able to make no answer to this charge, he
went away; but his mother and wife came to him, and told him of
all the evidence they had gotten against him. Hereupon he
recollected himself, and considered what defense he should make
against the accusations.
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