be a piece of insolence of Herod, when he did not act as a
king, but as a tyrant, and thus contemptuously, and without any regard
to his subjects, did he venture to introduce such a punishment. Now this
penalty, thus brought into practice, was like Herod's other actions, and
became a part of his accusation, and an occasion of the hatred he lay
under.

2. Now at this time it was that he sailed to Italy, as very desirous to
meet with Caesar, and to see his sons who lived at Rome; and Caesar was
not only very obliging to him in other respects, but delivered him his
sons again, that he might take them home with him, as having already
completed themselves in the sciences; but as soon as the young men were
come from Italy, the multitude were very desirous to see them, and they
became conspicuous among them all, as adorned with great blessings of
fortune, and having the countenances of persons of royal dignity. So
they soon appeared to be the objects of envy to Salome, the king's
sister, and to such as had raised calumnies against Mariamne; for they
were suspicious, that when these came to the government, they should
be punished for the wickedness they had been guilty of against their
mother; so they made this very fear of theirs a motive to raise
calumnies against them also. They gave it out that they were not pleased
with their father's company, because he had put their mother to death,
as if it were not agreeable to piety to appear to converse with their
mother's murderer. Now, by carrying these stories; that had indeed a
true foundation [in the fact], but were only built on probabilities as
to the present accusation, they were able to do them mischief, and to
make Herod take away that kindness from his sons which he had before
borne to them; for they did not say these things to him openly, but
scattered abroad such words, among the rest of the multitude; from which
words, when carried to Herod, he was induced [at last] to hate them, and
which natural affection itself, even in length of time, was not able
to overcome; yet was the king at that time in a condition to prefer the
natural affection of a father before all the suspicions and calumnies
his sons lay under. So he respected them as he ought to do, and married
them to wives, now they were of an age suitable thereto. To Aristobulus
he gave for a wife Bernice, Salome's daughter; and to Alexander,
Glaphyra, the daughter of Archelaus, king of Cappadocia.

CHAPTER 2