, to find any friendship among the
Arabians, for their king sent to him and commanded him to turn back
immediately from the country. So when Herod found that the Arabians were
his enemies, he turned back to Egypt. And when he came to Pelusium, he
could not obtain passage from those who lay with the fleet. Therefore he
besought their captains to let him go with them. So out of respect for the
fame and rank of the man they carried him to Alexandria. And when he came
to the city, he was received with great splendor by Cleopatra, who hoped
he might be persuaded to be the commander of her forces in the expedition
she was about to undertake. But he rejected the queen's entreaty and
sailed for Rome, where first of all he went to Antony and laid before him
the calamities that had overtaken himself and his family.

[Sidenote: Jos. Jew. War, I, 14:4]
Thereupon Antony's pity was aroused because of the change that had come
about in Herod's affairs, so he then resolved to have him made king of the
Jews. Herod found Caesar even more ready than Antony because he recalled
the campaigns through which he had gone with Herod's father, Antipater,
in Egypt, and his hospitable treatment and good will in all things.
Besides he recognized the energy of Herod. Accordingly he called the
senate together. There Messala, and after him Atratinus, introduced Herod
to them and gave a full account of his father's merits and of his own good
will to the Romans. Antony also came in and told them that it was to their
advantage in the Parthian war that Herod should be king. So they all gave
their votes for it. And when the senate disbanded, Antony and Caesar went
out with Herod between them. Antony also made a feast for Herod on the
first day of his reign.

[Sidenote: Jos. Jew. War, I, 15:3a,b, 4, 16:1]
Herod then sailed from Italy and came to Ptolemais. And as soon as he had
assembled a considerable army of foreigners and of his own countrymen, he
marched through Galilee against Antigonus. The number of his forces
increased each day as he went along, and all Galilee with few exceptions
joined him. After this Herod took Joppa, and then he marched to Masada to
free his kinsmen. Then he marched to Jerusalem, where the soldiers who
were with the Roman general Silo joined his own, as did many from the city
because they feared his power. Herod did not lie idle, but seized Idumea
and held it with two thousand footmen and four hundred horsemen. He also
removed hi