us; for he thought it a
part of prudence to cultivate a friendship with the Romans, and to gain
their goodwill at the expense of others; whereas the curators of the
other cities, with their citizens, were sold for slaves; and Cassius
reduced four cities into a state of slavery, the two most potent of
which were Gophna and Emmaus; and, besides these, Lydia and Thamna. Nay,
Cassius was so very angry at Malichus, that he had killed him, [for he
assaulted him,] had not Hyrcanus, by the means of Antipater, sent him a
hundred talents of his own, and thereby pacified his anger against him.

3. But after Cassius was gone out of Judea, Malichus laid snares for
Antipater, as thinking that his death would-be the preservation of
Hyrcanus's government; but his design was not unknown to Antipater,
which when he perceived, he retired beyond Jordan, and got together
an army, partly of Arabs, and partly of his own countrymen. However,
Malichus, being one of great cunning, denied that he had laid any snares
for him, and made his defense with an oath, both to himself and his
sons; and said that while Phasaelus had a garrison in Jerusalem, and
Herod had the weapons of war in his custody, he could never have a
thought of any such thing. So Antipater, perceiving the distress that
Malichus was in, was reconciled to him, and made an agreement with him:
this was when Marcus was president of Syria; who yet perceiving that
this Malichus was making a disturbance in Judea, proceeded so far that
he had almost killed him; but still, at the intercession of Antipater,
he saved him.

4. However, Antipater little thought that by saving Malichus he had
saved his own murderer; for now Cassius and Marcus had got together
an army, and intrusted the entire care of it with Herod, and made him
general of the forces of Celesyria, and gave him a fleet of ships, and
an army of horsemen and footmen; and promised him, that after the war
was over they would make him king of Judea; for a war was already begun
between Antony and the younger Caesar: but as Malichus was most afraid
of Antipater, he took him out of the way; and by the offer of money,
persuaded the butler of Hyrcanus, with whom they were both to feast, to
kill him by poison. This being done, and he having armed men with him,
settled the affairs of the city. But when Antipater's sons, Herod and
Phasaelus, were acquainted with this conspiracy against their father,
and had indignation at it, Malichus denied