.
Herod Agrippa having been raised to the dignity of king by Caligula,
the jealous Herodias swore that she also would be queen. Pressed
incessantly by this ambitious woman, who treated him as a coward,
because he suffered a superior in his family, Antipas overcame his
natural indolence, and went to Rome to solicit the title which his
nephew had just obtained (the year 39 of our era). But the affair
turned out in the worst possible manner. Injured in the eyes of the
emperor by Herod Agrippa, Antipas was removed, and dragged out the
rest of his life in exile at Lyons and in Spain. Herodias followed him
in his misfortunes.[1] A hundred years, at least, were to elapse
before the name of their obscure subject, now become deified, should
appear in these remote countries to brand upon their tombs the murder
of John the Baptist.

[Footnote 1: Jos., _Ant._, XVIII. vii. 1, 2; _B.J._, II. ix. 6.]

As to the wretched Judas of Kerioth, terrible legends were current
about his death. It was maintained that he had bought a field in the
neighborhood of Jerusalem with the price of his perfidy. There was,
indeed, on the south of Mount Zion, a place named _Hakeldama_ (the
field of blood[1]). It was supposed that this was the property
acquired by the traitor.[2] According to one tradition,[3] he killed
himself. According to another, he had a fall in his field, in
consequence of which his bowels gushed out.[4] According to others, he
died of a kind of dropsy, accompanied by repulsive circumstances,
which were regarded as a punishment from heaven.[5] The desire of
showing in Judas the accomplishment of the menaces which the Psalmist
pronounces against the perfidious friend[6] may have given rise to
these legends. Perhaps, in the retirement of his field of Hakeldama,
Judas led a quiet and obscure life; while his former friends conquered
the world, and spread his infamy abroad. Perhaps, also, the terrible
hatred which was concentrated on his head, drove him to violent acts,
in which were seen the finger of heaven.

[Footnote 1: St. Jerome, _De situ et nom. loc. hebr._ at the word
_Acheldama_. Eusebius (_ibid._) says to the north. But the Itineraries
confirm the reading of St. Jerome. The tradition which styles the
necropolis situated at the foot of the valley of Hinnom _Haceldama_,
dates back, at least, to the time of Constantine.]

[Footnote 2: _Acts_ i. 18, 19. Matthew, or rather his interpolator,
has here given a less satisfactory turn