and was thereupon
pursued by the Jews, Herod fell upon them with a small body of men, and
both put the Jews to flight and saved Silo, when he was very poorly able
to defend himself; but when Herod had taken Joppa, he made haste to set
free those of his family that were in Masada. Now of the people of the
country, some joined him because of the friendship they had had with his
father, and some because of the splendid appearance he made, and others
by way of requital for the benefits they had received from both of them;
but the greatest number came to him in hopes of getting somewhat from
him afterward, if he were once firmly settled in the kingdom.

2. Herod had now a strong army; and as he marched on, Antigonus laid
snares and ambushes in the passes and places most proper for them;
but in truth he thereby did little or no damage to the enemy. So Herod
received those of his family out of Masada, and the fortress Ressa,
and then went on for Jerusalem. The soldiery also that was with Silo
accompanied him all along, as did many of the citizens, being afraid of
his power; and as soon as he had pitched his camp on the west side
of the city, the soldiers that were set to guard that part shot their
arrows and threw their darts at him; and when some sallied out in a
crowd, and came to fight hand to hand with the first ranks of Herod's
army, he gave orders that they should, in the first place, make
proclamation about the wall, that he came for the good of the people,
and for the preservation of the city, and not to bear any old grudge at
even his most open enemies, but ready to forget the offenses which his
greatest adversaries had done him. But Antigonus, by way of reply to
what Herod had caused to be proclaimed, and this before the Romans, and
before Silo also, said that they would not do justly, if they gave the
kingdom to Herod, who was no more than a private man, and an Idumean,
i.e. a half Jew, [28] whereas they ought to bestow it on one of the
royal family, as their custom was; for that in case they at present bear
an ill-will to him, and had resolved to deprive him of the kingdom, as
having received it from the Parthians, yet were there many others of
his family that might by their law take it, and these such as had no way
offended the Romans; and being of the sacerdotal family, it would be an
unworthy thing to put them by. Now while they said thus one to another,
and fell to reproaching one another on both sides, Antigon