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
3. So the father drew Alexander as far as Rome, and charged him with an
attempt of poisoning him before Caesar. Alexander could hardly speak for
lamentation; but having a judge that was more skillful than Antipater,
and more wise than Herod, he modestly avoided laying any imputation upon
his father, but with great strength of reason confuted the calumnies
laid against him; and when he had demonstrated the innocency of his
brother, who was in the like danger with himself, he at last bewailed
the craftiness of Antipater, and the disgrace they were under. He was
enabled also to justify himself, not only by a clear conscience, which
he carried within him, but by his eloquence; for he was a shrewd man
in making speeches. And upon his saying at last, that if his father
objected this crime to them, it was in his power to put them to death,
he made all the audience weep; and he brought Caesar to that pass, as
to reject the accusations, and to reconcile their father to them
immediately. But the conditions of this reconciliation were these,
that they should in all things be obedient to their father, and that he
should have power to leave the kingdom to which of them he pleased.
4. After this the king came back from Rome, and seemed to have forgiven
his sons upon these accusations; but still so that he was not without
his suspicions of them. They were followed by Antipater, who was the
fountain-head of those accusations; yet did not he openly discover his
hatred to them, as revering him that had reconciled them. But as Herod
sailed by Cilicia, he touched at Eleusa, 38 where Archelaus treated them
in the most obliging manner, and gave him thanks for the deliverance of
his son-in-law, and was much pleased at their reconciliation; and this
the more, because he had formerly written to his friends at Rome that
they should be assisting to Alexander at his trial. So he conducted
Herod as far as Zephyrium, and made him presents to the value of thirty
talents.
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