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

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5. After this, the distemper seized upon his whole body, and greatly disordered all its parts with various symptoms; for there was a gentle fever upon him, and an intolerable itching over all the surface of his body, and continual pains in his colon, and dropsical turnouts about his feet, and an inflammation of the abdomen, and a putrefaction of his privy member, that produced worms. Besides which he had a difficulty of breathing upon him, and could not breathe but when he sat upright, and had a convulsion of all his members, insomuch that the diviners said those diseases were a punishment upon him for what he had done to the Rabbins. Yet did he struggle with his numerous disorders, and still had a desire to live, and hoped for recovery, and considered of several methods of cure. Accordingly, he went over Jordan, and made use of those hot baths at Callirrhoe, which ran into the lake Asphaltitis, but are themselves sweet enough to be drunk. And here the physicians thought proper to bathe his whole body in warm oil, by letting it down into a large vessel full of oil; whereupon his eyes failed him, and he came and went as if he was dying; and as a tumult was then made by his servants, at their voice he revived again. Yet did he after this despair of recovery, and gave orders that each soldier should have fifty drachmae a- piece, and that his commanders and friends should have great sums of money given them. 6. He then returned back and came to Jericho, in such a melancholy state of body as almost threatened him with present death, when he proceeded to attempt a horrid wickedness; for he got together the most illustrious men of the whole Jewish nation, out of every village, into a place called the Hippodrome, and there shut them in. He then called for his sister Salome, and her husband Alexas, and made this speech to them: "I know well enough that the Jews will keep a festival upon my death however, it is in my power to be mourned for on other accounts, and to have a splendid funeral, if you will but be subservient to my commands. Do you but take care to send soldiers to encompass these men that are now in custody, and slay them immediately upon my death, and then all Judea, and every family of them, 149
will weep at it, whether they will or no." 7. These were the commands he gave them; when there came letters from his ambassadors at Rome, whereby information was given that Acme was put to death at Caesar's command, and that Antipater was condemned to die; however, they wrote withal, that if Herod had a mind rather to banish him, Caesar permitted him so to do. So he for a little while revived, and had a desire to live; but presently after he was overborne by his pains, and was disordered by want of food, and by a convulsive cough, and endeavored to prevent a natural, death; so he took an apple, and asked for a knife for he used to pare apples and eat them; he then looked round about to see that there was nobody to hinder him, and lift up his right hand as if he would stab himself; but Achiabus, his first cousin, came running to him, and held his hand, and hindered him from so doing; on which occasion a very great lamentation was made in the palace, as if the king were expiring. As soon as ever Antipater heard that, he took courage, and with joy in his looks, besought his keepers, for a sum of money, to loose him and let him go; but the principal keeper of the prison did not only obstruct him in that his intention, but ran and told the king what his design was; hereupon the king cried out louder than his distemper would well bear, and immediately sent some of his guards and slew Antipater; he also gave order to have him buried at Hyrcanium, and altered his testament again, and therein made Archclaus, his eldest son, and the brother of Antipas, his successor, and made Antipas tetrarch. 8. So Herod, having survived the slaughter of his son five days, died, having reigned thirty-four years since he had caused Antigonus to be slain, and obtained his kingdom; but thirty-seven years since he had been made king by the Romans. Now as for his fortune, it was prosperous in all other respects, if ever any other man could be so, since, from a private man, he obtained the kingdom, and kept it so long, and left it to his own sons; but still in his domestic affairs he was a most unfortunate man. Now, before the 150
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BOOK 1 FROM THE TAKING OF JERUSALEM
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natural barbarity, indulged all sor
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Footnote: 1. I see little differenc
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of the empire [of Seleucus]. 3. Thi
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again within the wall; and when the
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that accordingly he was come with a
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a brother slain! How long shall I m
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country, together with the Gileadir
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marching against the Arabians; so h
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Chapter 5 The Time the Pharisees We
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as the other cities, Sebaste and Ag
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Hyrcanus was treated unjustly, by b
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low. However, Pompey commanded him
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Chapter 7 Pompey Took the Temple by
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with their Divine worship, and were
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Chapter 8 Alexander Makes an Expedi
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aristocracy. He also parted the who
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Judea; and, upon his taking Tariche
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had lived, to assist him, and came
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Chapter 10 Caesar Makes Antipater P
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sung in Herod's commendation, both
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this by exhorting him to carry his
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Chapter 11 Herod Is Made Procurator
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father's death; but, upon hearing t
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Chapter 12 Antonius Makes Herod and
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took fifteen of them, and put them
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Herod, in his rage for killing them
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egged of him that he would not go o
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11. This was the death of Phasaelus
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eturned back, and went for Egypt. N
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Chapter 15 Antigonus Besieges Those
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guards that were there shot their a
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Chapter 16 Herod Goes to Antony as
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father of seven children, whose chi
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Josephus, has coins still remaining
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ut Sosius sent two legions before h
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ear this blow, so that when the mul
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Chapter 18 Herod and Sosius Took Je
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their commanders, and with a most r
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Chapter 19 Antony Sent Herod to Fig
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accidental misfortunes, than that t
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y the Jews, and a great many by the
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Chapter 20 Herod Is Confirmed in hi
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addition to his kingdom, by giving
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Chapter 21 The Temple That Were Bui
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6. Now although the place where he
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up the remaining space with the mos
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failed, he was not himself the occa
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Chapter 22 The Murder of Aristobulu
Page 99 and 100: 4. When therefore he was about to t
Page 101 and 102: Chapter 23 Calumnies Against the So
Page 103 and 104: and was much pleased at their recon
Page 105 and 106: B. XV. p. 671. Stephanus of Byzanti
Page 107 and 108: or said. Thus did he act a part ver
Page 109 and 110: 4. Now upon these accounts, though
Page 111 and 112: time would avenge himself on his en
Page 113 and 114: Chapter 25 Reconciliation Between A
Page 115 and 116: 4. With this advice Pheroras compli
Page 117 and 118: Chapter 26 How Eurycles Calumniated
Page 119 and 120: provoke him so to do, insomuch that
Page 121 and 122: clearing those miserable creatures;
Page 123 and 124: together. The presidents sat first,
Page 125 and 126: should be no longer tortured]. When
Page 127 and 128: which children are recommended to m
Page 129 and 130: Alexas, a friend of his, and that o
Page 131 and 132: and particularly of the affronts sh
Page 133 and 134: Footnotes: 1. These daughters of He
Page 135 and 136: accordingly by agreement they went
Page 137 and 138: then it was that he called me to hi
Page 139 and 140: furniture, he might conceal the mon
Page 141 and 142: any discovery had been made, perhap
Page 143 and 144: which I showed him, he made use of
Page 145 and 146: thee! Yet was I absent, father, on
Page 147 and 148: Salome contained, a suspicion came
Page 149: the mean-spirited, and those that w
Page 153: domestic servants and freed-men fol
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From the Taking of Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes to the Death of Herod the Great - Flavius Josephus

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