The Wars of the Jews; Or, The History of the Destruction of JerusalemJosephus, Flavius
Religion
The Wars of the Jews; Or, The History of the Destruction of Jerusalem
Josephus, Flavius
Jews -- History
6. However, he found it impossible to escape envy in such his
prosperity; for the glory of these young men affected even Hyrcanus
himself already privately, though he said nothing of it to any body; but
what he principally was grieved at was the great actions of Herod, and
that so many messengers came one before another, and informed him of the
great reputation he got in all his undertakings. There were also many
people in the royal palace itself who inflamed his envy at him; those, I
mean, who were obstructed in their designs by the prudence either of
the young men, or of Antipater. These men said, that by committing the
public affairs to the management of Antipater and of his sons, he
sat down with nothing but the bare name of a king, without any of its
authority; and they asked him how long he would so far mistake himself,
as to breed up kings against his own interest; for that they did not now
conceal their government of affairs any longer, but were plainly lords
of the nation, and had thrust him out of his authority; that this was
the case when Herod slew so many men without his giving him any command
to do it, either by word of mouth, or by his letter, and this in
contradiction to the law of the Jews; who therefore, in case he be not a
king, but a private man, still ought to come to his trial, and answer it
to him, and to the laws of his country, which do not permit any one to
be killed till he hath been condemned in judgment.
7. Now Hyrcanus was, by degrees, inflamed with these discourses, and at
length could bear no longer, but he summoned Herod to take his trial.
Accordingly, by his father's advice, and as soon as the affairs of
Galilee would give him leave, he came up to [Jerusalem], when he had
first placed garrisons in Galilee; however, he came with a sufficient
body of soldiers, so many indeed that he might not appear to have with
him an army able to overthrow Hyrcanus's government, nor yet so few as
to expose him to the insults of those that envied him. However, Sextus
Caesar was in fear for the young man, lest he should be taken by
his enemies, and brought to punishment; so he sent some to denounce
expressly to Hyrcanus that he should acquit Herod of the capital charge
against him; who acquitted him accordingly, as being otherwise inclined
also so to do, for he loved Herod.
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