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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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3. However, when Cassius was gone Malichus forgot <strong>the</strong> kindness that<br />

Antipater had done him, and laid frequent plots against him that had saved<br />

him, as making haste <strong>to</strong> get him out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> way, who was an obstacle <strong>to</strong> his<br />

wicked practices; but Antipater was so much afraid <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> power and cunning<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> man, that he went beyond Jordan, in order <strong>to</strong> get an army <strong>to</strong> guard<br />

himself against his treacherous designs; but when Malichus was caught in his<br />

plot, he put upon Antipater's sons <strong>by</strong> his impudence, for he thoroughly<br />

deluded Phasaelus, who was <strong>the</strong> guardian <strong>of</strong> <strong>Jerusalem</strong>, and <strong>Herod</strong> who was<br />

intrusted with <strong>the</strong> weapons <strong>of</strong> war, and this <strong>by</strong> a great many excuses and<br />

oaths, and persuaded <strong>the</strong>m <strong>to</strong> procure his reconciliation <strong>to</strong> his fa<strong>the</strong>r. Thus<br />

was he preserved again <strong>by</strong> Antipater, who dissuaded Marcus, <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>n<br />

president <strong>of</strong> Syria, from his resolution <strong>of</strong> killing Malichus, on account <strong>of</strong> his<br />

attempts for innovation.<br />

4. Upon <strong>the</strong> war between Cassius and Brutus on one side, against <strong>the</strong><br />

younger Caesar [Augustus] and An<strong>to</strong>ny on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r, Cassius and Marcus got<br />

<strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r an army out <strong>of</strong> Syria; and because <strong>Herod</strong> was likely <strong>to</strong> have a great<br />

share in providing necessaries, <strong>the</strong>y <strong>the</strong>n made him procura<strong>to</strong>r <strong>of</strong> all Syria,<br />

and gave him an army <strong>of</strong> foot and horse. Cassius premised him also, that<br />

after <strong>the</strong> war was over, he would make him king <strong>of</strong> Judea. But it so happened<br />

that <strong>the</strong> power and hopes <strong>of</strong> his son became <strong>the</strong> cause <strong>of</strong> his perdition; for as<br />

Malichus was afraid <strong>of</strong> this, he corrupted one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> king's cup-bearers with<br />

money <strong>to</strong> give a poisoned potion <strong>to</strong> Antipater; so he became a sacrifice <strong>to</strong><br />

Malichus's wickedness, and died at a feast. He was a man in o<strong>the</strong>r respects<br />

active in <strong>the</strong> management <strong>of</strong> affairs, and one that recovered <strong>the</strong> government<br />

<strong>to</strong> Hyrcanus, and preserved it in his hands.<br />

5. However, Malichus, when lie was suspected ef poisoning Antipater,<br />

and when <strong>the</strong> multitude was angry with him for it, denied it, and made <strong>the</strong><br />

people believe he was not guilty. He also prepared <strong>to</strong> make a greater figure,<br />

and raised soldiers; for he did not suppose that <strong>Herod</strong> would be quiet, who<br />

indeed came upon him with an army presently, in order <strong>to</strong> revenge his<br />

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