was so resolved, they passed
the sentence of death upon her; but when the sentence was passed upon
her, this temper was suggested by himself, and by some others of the
court, that she should not be thus hastily put to death, but be laid in
prison in one of the fortresses belonging to the kingdom: but Salome
and her party labored hard to have the woman put to death; and they
prevailed with the king to do so, and advised this out of caution, lest
the multitude should be tumultuous if she were suffered to live; and
thus was Mariamne led to execution.

5. When Alexandra observed how things went, and that there were small
hopes that she herself should escape the like treatment from Herod,
she changed her behavior to quite the reverse of what might have been
expected from her former boldness, and this after a very indecent
manner; for out of her desire to show how entirely ignorant she was
of the crimes laid against Mariamne, she leaped out of her place, and
reproached her daughter in the hearing of all the people; and cried out
that she had been an ill woman, and ungrateful to her husband, and that
her punishment came justly upon her for such her insolent behavior, for
that she had not made proper returns to him who had been their common
benefactor. And when she had for some time acted after this hypocritical
manner, and been so outrageous as to tear her hair, this indecent and
dissembling behavior, as was to be expected, was greatly condemned by
the rest of the spectators, as it was principally by the poor woman
who was to suffer; for at the first she gave her not a word, nor was
discomposed at her peevishness, and only looked at her, yet did she out
of a greatness of soul discover her concern for her mother's offense,
and especially for her exposing herself in a manner so unbecoming her;
but as for herself, she went to her death with an unshaken firmness of
mind, and without changing the color of her face, and thereby evidently
discovered the nobility of her descent to the spectators, even in the
last moments of her life.

6. And thus died Mariamne, a woman of an excellent character, both for
chastity and greatness of soul; but she wanted moderation, and had too
much of contention in her nature; yet had she all that can be said in
the beauty of her body, and her majestic appearance in conversation; and
thence arose the greatest part of the occasions why she did not prove
so agreeable to the king, nor live so pleasantly w