the antiquities of the jews-1-第194部分

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she　all　that　can　be　said　in　the　beauty　of　her　body；　and　her
majestic　appearance　in　conversation；　and　thence　arose　the
greatest　part　of　the　occasions　why　she　did　not　prove　so　agreeable
to　the　king；　nor　live　so　pleasantly　with　him；　as　she　might
otherwise　have　done；　for　while　she　was　most　indulgently　used　by
the　king；　out　of　his　fondness　for　her；　and　did　not　expect　that　he
could　do　any　hard　thing　to　her；　she　took　too　unbounded　a　liberty。
Moreover；　that　which　most　afflicted　her　was；　what　he　had　done　to
her　relations；　and　she　ventured　to　speak　of　all　they　had　suffered
by　him；　and　at　last　greatly　provoked　both　the　king's　mother　and
sister；　till　they　became　enemies　to　her；　and　even　he　himself　also
did　the　same；　on　whom　alone　she　depended　for　her　expectations　of
escaping　the　last　of　punishments。

7。　But　when　she　was　once　dead；　the　king's　affections　for　her　were
kindled　in　a　more　outrageous　manner　than　before；　whose　old
passion　for　her　we　have　already　described；　for　his　love　to　her
was　not　of　a　calm　nature；　nor　such　as　we　usually　meet　with　among
other　husbands；　for　at　its　commencement　it　was　of　an　enthusiastic
kind；　nor　was　it　by　their　long　cohabitation　and　free　conversation
together　brought　under　his　power　to　manage；　but　at　this　time　his
love　to　Mariamne　seemed　to　seize　him　in　such　a　peculiar　manner；
as　looked　like　Divine　vengeance　upon　him　for　the　taking　away　her
life；　for　he　would　frequently　call　for　her；　and　frequently　lament
for　her　in　a　most　indecent　manner。　Moreover；　he　bethought　him　of
every　thing　he　could　make　use　of　to　divert　his　mind　from　thinking
of　her；　and　contrived　feasts　and　assemblies　for　that　purpose；　but
nothing　would　suffice；　he　therefore　laid　aside　the　administration
of　public　affairs；　and　was　so　far　conquered　by　his　passion；　that
he　would　order　his　servants　to　call　for　Mariamne；　as　if　she　were
still　alive；　and　could　still　hear　them。　And　when　he　was　in　this
way；　there　arose　a　pestilential　disease；　and　carried　off　the
greatest　part　of　the　multitude；　and　of　his　best　and　most　esteemed
friends；　and　made　all　men　suspect　that　this　was　brought　upon　them
by　the　anger　of　God；　for　the　injustice　that　had　been　done　to
Mariamne。　This　circumstance　affected　the　king　still　more；　till　at
length　he　forced　himself　to　go　into　desert　places；　and　there；
under　pretense　of　going　a　hunting；　bitterly　afflicted　himself；
yet　had　he　not　borne　his　grief　there　many　days　before　he　fell
into　a　most　dangerous　distemper　himself：　he　had　an　inflammation
upon　him；　and　a　pain　in　the　hinder　part　of　his　head；　joined　with
madness；　and　for　the　remedies　that　were　used；　they　did　him　no
good　at　all；　but　proved　contrary　to　his　case；　and　so　at　length
brought　him　to　despair。　All　the　physicians　also　that　were　about
him；　partly　because　the　medicines　they　brought　for　his　recovery
could　not　at　all　conquer　the　disease；　and　partly　because　his　diet
could　be　no　other　than　what　his　disease　inclined　him　to；　desired
him　to　eat　whatever　he　had　a　mind　to；　and　so　left　the　small　hopes
they　had　of　his　recovery　in　the　power　of　that　diet；　and　committed
him　to　fortune。　And　thus　did　his　distemper　go　on；　while　he　was　at
Samaria；　now　called　Sebaste。

8。　Now　Alexandra　abode　at　this　time　at　Jerusalem；　and　being
informed　what　condition　Herod　was　in；　she　endeavored　to　get
possession　of　the　fortified　places　that　were　about　the　city；
which　were　two；　the　one　belonging　to　the　city　itself；　the　other
belonging　to　the　temple；　and　those　that　could　get　them　into　their
hands　had　the　whole　nation　under　their　power；　for　without　the
command　of　them　it　was　not　possible　to　offer　their　sacrifices；
and　to　think　of　leaving　on　those　sacrifices　is　to　every　Jew
plainly　impossible；　who　are　still　more　ready　to　lose　their　lives
than　to　leave　off　that　Divine　worship　which　they　have　been　wont
to　pay　unto　God。　Alexandra；　therefore；　discoursed　with　those　that
had　the　keeping　of　these　strong　holds；　that　it　was　proper　for
them　to　deliver　the　same　to　her；　and　to　Herod's　sons；　lest；　upon
his　death；　any　other　person　should　seize　upon　the　government；　and
that　upon　his　recovery　none　could　keep　them　more　safely　for　him
than　those　of　his　own　family。　These　words　were　not　by　them　at　all
taken　in　good　part；　and　as　they　had　been　in　former　times　faithful
＇to　Herod＇；　they　resolved　to　continue　so　more　than　ever；　both
because　they　hated　Alexandra；　and　because　they　thought　it　a　sort
of　impiety　to　despair　of　Herod's　recovery　while　he　was　yet　alive；
for　they　had　been　his　old　friends；　and　one　of　them；　whose　name
was　Achiabus；　was　his　cousin…german。　They　sent　messengers
therefore　to　acquaint　him　with　Alexandra's　design；　so　he　made　no
longer　delay；　but　gave　orders　to　have　her　slain；　yet　was　it　still
with　difficulty；　and　after　he　had　endured　great　pain；　that　he　got
clear　of　his　distemper。　He　was　still　sorely　afflicted；　both　in
mind　and　body；　and　made　very　uneasy；　and　readier　than　ever　upon
all　occasions　to　inflict　punishment　upon　those　that　fell　under
his　hand。　He　also　slew　the　most　intimate　of　his　friends；
Costobarus；　and　Lysimachus；　and　Cadias；　who　was　also　called
Antipater；　as　also　Dositheus；　and　that　upon　the　following
occasion。

9。　Costobarus　was　an　Idumean　by　birth；　and　one　of　principal
dignity　among　them；　and　one　whose　ancestors　had　been　priests　to
the　Koze；　whom　the　Idumeans　had　＇formerly＇　esteemed　as　a　god；　but
after　Hyrcanus　had　made　a　change　in　their　political　government；
and　made　them　receive　the　Jewish　customs　and　law；　Herod　made
Costobarus　governor　of　Idumea　and　Gaza；　and　gave　him　his　sister
Salome　to　wife；　and　this　was　upon　the　slaughter　of　＇his　uncle＇
Joseph；　who　had　that　government　before；　as　we　have　related
already。　When　Costobarus　had　gotten　to　be　so　highly　advanced；　it
pleased　him　and　was　more　than　he　hoped　for；　and　he　was　more　and
more　puffed　up　by　his　good　success；　and　in　a　little　while　he
exceeded　all　bounds；　and　did　not　think　fit　to　obey　what　Herod；　as
their　ruler；　commanded　him；　or　that　the　Idumeans　should　make　use
of　the　Jewish　customs；　or　be　subject　to　them。　He　therefore　sent
to　Cleopatra；　and　informed　her　that　the　Idumeans　had　been　always
under　his　progenitors；　and　that　for　the　same　reason　it　was　but
just　that　she　should　desire　that　country　for　him　of　Antony；　for
that　he　was　ready　to　transfer　his　friendship　to　her；　and　this　he
did；　not　because　he　was　better　pleased　to　be　under　Cleopatra's
government；　but　because　he　thought　that；　upon　the　diminution　of
Herod's　power；　it　would　not　be　difficult　for　him　to　obtain
himself　the　entire　government　over　the　Idumeans；　and　somewhat
more　also；　for　he　raised　his　hopes　still　higher；　as　having　no
small　pretenses；　both　by　his　birth　and　by　these　riches　which　he
had　gotten　by　his　constant　attention　to　filthy　lucre；　and
accordingly　it　was　not　a　small　matter　that　he　aimed　at。　So
Cleopatra　desired　this　country　of　Antony；　but　failed　of　her
purpose。　An　account　of　this　was　brought　to　Herod；　who　was
thereupon　ready　to　kill　Costobarus；　yet；　upon　the　entreaties　of
his　sister　and　mother；　he　forgave　him；　and　vouchsafed　to　pardon
him　entirely；　though　he　still　had　a　suspicion　of　him　afterward
for　this　his　attempt。

10。　But　some　time　afterward；　when　Salome　happened　to　quarrel　with
Costobarus；　she　sent　him　a　bill　of　divorce　（12）　and　dissolved　her
marriage　with　him；　though　this　was　not　according　to　the　Jewish
laws；　for　with　us　it　is　lawful　for　a　husband　to　do　so；　but　a
wife；　if　she　departs　from　her　husband；　cannot　of　herself　be
married　to　another；　unless　her　former　husband　put　her　away。
However；　Salome　chose　to　follow　not　the　law　of　her　country；　but
the　law　of　her　authority；　and　so　renounced　her　wedlock；　and　told
her　brother　Herod；　that　she　left　her　husband　out　of　her　good…will
to　him；　because　she　perceived　that　he；　with　Antipater；　and
Lysimachus；　and　Dositheus；　were　raising　a　sedition　against　him；
as　an　evidence　whereof；　she　alleged　the　case　of　the　sons　of
Babas；　that　they　had　been　by　him　preserved　alive　already　for　the
interval　of　twelve　years；　which　proved　to　be　true。　But　when　Herod
thus　unexpectedly　heard　of　it；　he　was　greatly　surprised　at　it；
and　was　the　more　surprised；　because　the　relation　appeared
incredible　to　him。　As　for　the　fact　relating　to　these　sons　of
Babas；　Herod　had　formerly　taken　great　pains　to　bring　them　to
punishment；　as　being　enemies　to　his　government；　but　they　were　now
forgotten　by　him；　on　account　of　the　length　of　time　＇since　he　had
ordered　them　to　be　slain＇。　Now　the　cause　of　his　ill…will　and
hatred　to　them　arose　hence；　that　while　Antigonus　was　king；　Herod；
with　his　army；　besieged　the　city　of　Jerusalem；　where　the　distress
and　miseries　which　the　besieged　endured　were　so　pressing；　that
the　greater　number　of　them　invited　Herod　into　the　city；　and
already　placed　their　hopes　on　him。　Now　the　sons　of　Babas　were　of
great　dignity；　and　had　power　among　the　multitude；　and　were
faithful　to　Antigonus；　and　were　always　raising　calumnies　against
Herod；　and　encouraged　the　people　to　preserve　the　government　to
that　royal　family　which　held　it　by　inheritance。　So　these　men
acted　thus　politically；　and；　as　they　thought；　for　their　own
advantage；　but　when　the　city　was　taken；　and　Herod　had　gotten　the
government　into　his　hands；　and　Costobarus　was　appointed　to　hinder
men　from　passing　out　at　the　gates；　and　to　guard　the　city；　that
those　citizens　that　were　guilty；　and　of　the　party　opposite　to　the
king；　might　not　get　out　of　it；　Costobarus；　being　sensible　that
the　sons　of　Babas　were　had　in　respect　and　honor　by　the　whole
multitude；　and　supposing　that　their　preservation　might　be　of
great　advantage　to　him　in　the　changes　of　government　afterward；　he
set　them　by　themselves；　and　concealed　them　in　his　own　farms；　and
when　the　thing　was　suspected；　he　assured　Herod　upon　oath　that　he
really　knew　nothing　of　that　matter；　and　so　overcame　the
suspicions　that　lay　upon　him；　nay；　after　that；　when　the　king　had
publicly　proposed　a　reward　for　the　discovery；　and　had　put　in
practice　all　sorts　of　methods　for　searching　out　this　matter；　he
would　not　confess　it；　but　being　persuaded　that　when　he　had　at
first　denied　it；　if　the　men　were　found；　he　should　not　escape
unpunished；　he　was　forced　to　keep　them　secret；　not　only　out　of
his　good…will　to　them；　but　out　of　a　necessary　regard　to　his　own
prese