THE WARS OF THE JEWS
OR
THE HISTORY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM
Book I: Chapter 11
HEROD IS MADE PROCURATOR OF ALL SYRIA; MALICHUS IS
AFRAID OF HIM, AND TAKES ANTIPATER OFF BY POISON;
WHEREUPON THE TRIBUNES OF THE SOLDIERS ARE PREVAILED
WITH TO KILL HIM.
1. THERE, was at this time a mighty
war raised among the Romans upon the sudden and
treacherous slaughter of Caesar by Cassius and Brutus,
after he had held the government for three years and
seven months. 14 Upon this murder there were very
great agitations, and the great men were mightily at
difference one with another, and every one betook
himself to that party where they had the greatest
hopes of their own, of advancing themselves.
Accordingly, Cassius came into Syria, in order to
receive the forces that were at Apamia, where he
procured a reconciliation between Bassus and Marcus,
and the legions which were at difference with him; so
he raised the siege of Apamia, and took upon him the
command of the army, and went about exacting tribute
of the cities, and demanding their money to such a
degree as they were not able to bear.
2. So he gave command that the Jews should bring in
seven hundred talents; whereupon Antipater, out of his
dread of Cassius’s threats, parted the raising of this
sum among his sons, and among others of his
acquaintance, and to be done immediately; and among
them he required one Malichus, who was at enmity with
him, to do his part also, which necessity forced him
to do. Now Herod, in the first place, mitigated the
passion of Cassius, by bringing his share out of
Galilee, which was a hundred talents, on which account
he was in the highest favor with him; and when he
reproached the rest for being tardy, he was angry at
the cities themselves; so he made slaves of Gophna and
Emmaus, and two others of less note; nay, he proceeded
as if he would kill Malichus, because he had not made
greater haste in exacting his tribute; but Antipater
prevented the ruin of this man, and of the other
cities, and got into Cassius’s favor by bringing in a
hundred talents immediately. 15
3. However, when Cassius was gone Malichus forgot
the kindness thatAntipater had done him, and laid
frequent plots against him that had saved him, as
making haste to get him out of the way, who was an
obstacle to his wicked practices; but Antipater was so
much afraid of the power and cunning of the man, that
he went beyond Jordan, in order to get an army to
guard himself against his treacherous designs; but
when Malichus was caught in his plot, he put upon
Antipater’s sons by his impudence, for he thoroughly
deluded Phasaelus, who was the guardian of Jerusalem,
and Herod who was intrusted with the weapons of war,
and this by a great many excuses and oaths, and
persuaded them to procure his reconciliation to his
father. Thus was he preserved again by Antipater, who
dissuaded Marcus, the then president of Syria, from
his resolution of killing Malichus, on account of his
attempts for innovation.
4. Upon the war between Cassius and Brutus on one
side, against theyounger Caesar [Augustus] and Antony
on the other, Cassius and Marcus got together an army
out of Syria; and because Herod was likely to have a
great share in providing necessaries, they then made
him procurator of all Syria, and gave him an army of
foot and horse. Cassius premised him also, that after
the war was over, he would make him king of Judea. But
it so happened that the power and hopes of his son
became the cause of his perdition; for as Malichus was
afraid of this, he corrupted one of the king’s
cup-bearers with money to give a poisoned potion to
Antipater; so he became a sacrifice to Malichus’s
wickedness, and died at a feast. He was a man in other
respects active in the management of affairs, and one
that recovered the government to Hyrcanus, and
preserved it in his hands.
5. However, Malichus, when lie was suspected ef
poisoning Antipater, and when the multitude was angry
with him for it, denied it, and made the people
believe he was not guilty. He also prepared to make a
greater figure, and raised soldiers; for he did not
suppose that Herod would be quiet, who indeed came
upon him with an army presently, in order to revenge
his father’s death; but, upon hearing the advice of
his brother Phasaelus, not to punish him in an open
manner, lest the multitude should fall into a
sedition, he admitted of Malichus’s apology, and
professed that he cleared him of that suspicion; he
also made a pompous funeral for his father.
6. So Herod went to Samaria, which was then in a
tumult, and settled the city in peace; after which at
the [Pentecost] festival, he returned to Jerusalem,
having his armed men with him: hereupon Hyrcanus, at
the request of Malichus, who feared his reproach,
forbade them to introduce foreigners to mix themselves
with the people of the country while they were
purifying themselves; but Herod despised the pretense,
and him that gave that command, and came in by night.
Upon which Malithus came to him, and bewailed
Antipater; Herod also made him believe [he admitted of
his lamentations as real], although he had much ado to
restrain his passion at him; however, he did himself
bewail the murder of his father in his letters to
Cassius, who, on other accounts, also hated Malichus.
Cassius sent him word back that he should avenge his
father’s death upon him, and privately gave order to
the tribunes that were under him, that they should
assist Herod in a righteous action he was about.
7. And because, upon the taking of Laodicea by
Cassius, the men of power were gotten together from
all quarters, with presents and crowns in their hands,
Herod allotted this time for the punishment of
Malichus. When Malichus suspected that, and was at
Tyre, he resolved to withdraw his son privately from
among the Tyrians, who was a hostage there, while he
got ready to fly away into Judea; the despair he was
in of escaping excited him to think of greater things;
for he hoped that he should raise the nation to a
revolt from the Romans, while Cassius was busy about
the war against Antony, and that he should easily
depose Hyrcanus, and get the crown for himself.
8. But fate laughed at the hopes he had; for Herod
foresaw what he was so zealous about, and invited both
Hyrcanus and him to supper; but calling one of the
principal servants that stood by him to him, he sent
him out, as though it were to get things ready for
supper, but in reality to give notice beforehand about
the plot that was laid against him; accordingly they
called to mind what orders Cassius had given them, and
went out of the city with their swords in their hands
upon the sea-shore, where they encompassed Malichus
round about, and killed him with many wounds. Upon
which Hyrcanus was immediately aftrighted, till he
swooned away and fell down at the surprise he was in;
and it was with difficulty that he was recovered, when
he asked who it was that had killed Malichus. And when
one of the tribunes replied that it was done by the
command of
1314 Cassius,” Then,” said he, “Cassius hath saved
both me and my country, by cutting off one that was
laying plots against them both.” Whether he spake
according to his own sentiments, or whether his fear
was such that he was obliged to commend the action by
saying so, is uncertain; however, by this method Herod
inflicted punishment upon Malichus.
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