From the Taking of Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes to the Death of Herod the Great - Flavius Josephus

time would avenge himself on his enemies, and make his friends happy and
blessed, and themselves in the first place; that the men of power did already
pay respects to Alexander privately, and that the captains of the soldiery, and
the officers, did secretly come to him.
8. These confessions did so terrify Herod, that he durst not immediately
publish them; but he sent spies abroad privately, by night and by day, who
should make a close inquiry after all that was done and said; and when any
were but suspected [of treason], he put them to death, insomuch that the
palace was full of horribly unjust proceedings; for every body forged
calumnies, as they were themselves in a state of enmity or hatred against
others; and many there were who abused the king's bloody passion to the
disadvantage of those with whom they had quarrels, and lies were easily
believed, and punishments were inflicted sooner than the calumnies were
forged. He who had just then been accusing another was accused himself,
and was led away to execution together with him whom he had convicted;
for the danger the king was in of his life made examinations be very short.
He also proceeded to such a degree of bitterness, that he could not look on
any of those that were not accused with a pleasant countenance, but was in
the most barbarous disposition towards his own friends. Accordingly, he
forbade a great many of them to come to court, and to those whom he had
not power to punish actually he spake harshly. But for Antipater, he insulted
Alexander, now he was under his misfortunes, and got a stout company of
his kindred together, and raised all sorts of calumny against him; and for the
king, he was brought to such a degree of terror by those prodigious slanders
and contrivances, that he fancied he saw Alexander coming to him with a
drawn sword in his hand. So he caused him to be seized upon immediately,
and bound, and fell to examining his friends by torture, many of whom died
[under the torture], but would discover nothing, nor say any thing against
their consciences; but some of them, being forced to speak falsely by the
pains they endured, said that Alexander, and his brother Aristobulus, plotted
against him, and waited for an opportunity to kill him as he was hunting, and
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