the affairs of this country.

2. And seeing that Hyrcanus was of a slow and slothful temper, he made
Phasaelus, his eldest son, governor of Jerusalem, and of the places that
were about it, but committed Galilee to Herod, his next son, who was
then a very young man, for he was but fifteen years of age [14] But that
youth of his was no impediment to him; but as he was a youth of great
mind, he presently met with an opportunity of signalizing his courage;
for finding that there was one Hezekiah, a captain of a band of robbers,
who overran the neighboring parts of Syria with a great troop of them,
he seized him and slew him, as well as a great number of the other
robbers that were with him; for which action he was greatly beloved
by the Syrians; for when they were very desirous to have their country
freed from this nest of robbers, he purged it of them. So they sung
songs in his commendation in their villages and cities, as having
procured them peace, and the secure enjoyment of their possessions; and
on this account it was that he became known to Sextus Caesar, who was
a relation of the great Caesar, and was now president of Syria. Now
Phasaetus, Herod's brother, was moved with emulation at his actions, and
envied the fame he had thereby gotten, and became ambitious not to
be behindhand with him in deserving it. So he made the inhabitants
of Jerusalem bear him the greatest good-will while he held the city
himself, but did neither manage its affairs improperly, nor abuse his
authority therein. This conduct procured from the nation to Antipater
such respect as is due to kings, and such honors as he might partake of
if he were an absolute lord of the country. Yet did not this splendor of
his, as frequently happens, in the least diminish in him that kindness
and fidelity which he owed to Hyrcanus.

3. But now the principal men among the Jews, when they saw Antipater and
his sons to grow so much in the good-will the nation bare to them, and
in the revenues which they received out of Judea, and out of Hyrcanus's
own wealth, they became ill-disposed to him; for indeed Antipater
had contracted a friendship with the Roman emperors; and when he had
prevailed with Hyrcanus to send them money, he took it to himself, and
purloined the present intended, and sent it as if it were his own, and
not Hyrcanus's gift to them. Hyrcanus heard of this his management, but
took no care about it; nay, he rather was very glad of it. But the chief