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

Chapter 14
Antony and Caesar Join Their Interest to Make
Herod King
1. Now Herod did the more zealously pursue his journey into Arabia, as
making haste to get money of the king, while his brother was yet alive; by
which money alone it was that he hoped to prevail upon the covetous temper
of the barbarians to spare Phasaelus; for he reasoned thus with himself,: -
that if the Arabian king was too forgetful of his father's friendship with him,
and was too covetous to make him a free gift, he would however borrow of
him as much as might redeem his brother, and put into his hands, as a pledge,
the son of him that was to be redeemed. Accordingly he led his brother's son
along with him, who was of the age of seven years. Now he was ready to
give three hundred talents for his brother, and intended to desire the
intercession of the Tyrians, to get them accepted; however, fate had been too
quick for his diligence; and since Phasaelus was dead, Herod's brotherly love
was now in vain. Moreover, he was not able to find any lasting friendship
among the Arabians; for their king, Malichus, sent to him immediately, and
commanded him to return back out of his country, and used the name of the
Parthians as a pretense for so doing, as though these had denounced to him
by their ambassadors to cast Herod out of Arabia; while in reality they had a
mind to keep back what they owed to Antipater, and not be obliged to make
requitals to his sons for the free gifts the father had made them. He also took
the impudent advice of those who, equally with himself, were willing to
deprive Herod of what Antipater had deposited among them; and these men
were the most potent of all whom he had in his kingdom.
2. So when Herod had found that the Arabians were his enemies, and
this for those very reasons whence he hoped they would have been the most
friendly, and had given them such an answer as his passion suggested, he
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