From the Taking of Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes to the Death of Herod the Great - Flavius Josephus
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<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, and <strong>by</strong> <strong>the</strong> great uneasiness he showed upon any thing that troubled<br />
him. Antipater had also made <strong>the</strong>ir uncle Pheroras <strong>to</strong> be <strong>the</strong>ir enemy, as well<br />
as <strong>the</strong>ir aunt Salome, while he was always talking with her, as with a wife,<br />
and irritating her against <strong>the</strong>m. Moreover, Alexander's wife, Glaphyra,<br />
augmented this hatred against <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>by</strong> deriving her nobility and genealogy<br />
[from great persons], and pretending that she was a lady superior <strong>to</strong> all o<strong>the</strong>rs<br />
in that kingdom, as being derived <strong>by</strong> her fa<strong>the</strong>r's side from Temenus, and <strong>by</strong><br />
her mo<strong>the</strong>r's side from Darius, <strong>the</strong> son <strong>of</strong> Hystaspes. She also frequently<br />
reproached <strong>Herod</strong>'s sister and wives with <strong>the</strong> ignobility <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir descent; and<br />
that <strong>the</strong>y were every one chosen <strong>by</strong> him for <strong>the</strong>ir beauty, but not for <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
family. Now those wives <strong>of</strong> his were not a few; it being <strong>of</strong> old permitted <strong>to</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> Jews <strong>to</strong> marry many wives, (1) and this king delighting in many; all<br />
which hated Alexander, on account <strong>of</strong> Glaphyra's boasting and reproaches.<br />
3. Nay, Aris<strong>to</strong>bulus had raised a quarrel between himself and Salome,<br />
who was his mo<strong>the</strong>r-in-law, besides <strong>the</strong> anger he had conceived at Glaphyra's<br />
reproaches; for he perpetually upbraided his wife with <strong>the</strong> meanness <strong>of</strong> her<br />
family, and complained, that as he had married a woman <strong>of</strong> a low family, so<br />
had his bro<strong>the</strong>r Alexander married one <strong>of</strong> royal blood. At this Salome's<br />
daughter wept, and <strong>to</strong>ld it her with this addition, that Alexander threatened<br />
<strong>the</strong> mo<strong>the</strong>rs <strong>of</strong> his o<strong>the</strong>r brethren, that when he should come <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> crown, he<br />
would make <strong>the</strong>m weave with <strong>the</strong>ir maidens, and would make those bro<strong>the</strong>rs<br />
<strong>of</strong> his country schoolmasters; and brake this jest upon <strong>the</strong>m, that <strong>the</strong>y had<br />
been very carefully instructed, <strong>to</strong> fit <strong>the</strong>m for such an employment. Hereupon<br />
Salome could not contain her anger, but <strong>to</strong>ld all <strong>to</strong> <strong>Herod</strong>; nor could her<br />
testimony be suspected, since it was against her own son-in-law There was<br />
also ano<strong>the</strong>r calumny that ran abroad and inflamed <strong>the</strong> king's mind; for he<br />
heard that <strong>the</strong>se sons <strong>of</strong> his were perpetually speaking <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir mo<strong>the</strong>r, and,<br />
among <strong>the</strong>ir lamentations for her, did not abstain from cursing him; and that<br />
when he made presents <strong>of</strong> any <strong>of</strong> Mariamne's garments <strong>to</strong> his later wives,<br />
<strong>the</strong>se threatened that in a little time, instead <strong>of</strong> royal garments, <strong>the</strong>y would<br />
clo<strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>ft in no better than hair-cloth.<br />
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