d to them the fourth
part of their taxes for the last year. Accordingly, they were so pleased
with his favor and speech to them, that they went their ways with great
gladness, and wished the king all manner of happiness.

CHAPTER 3

How Great Disturbances Arose In Herods Family On His Preferring
Antipater His Eldest Son Before The Rest, Till Alexander Took That
Injury Very Heinously.

1. But now the affairs in Herod's family were in more and more disorder,
and became more severe upon him, by the hatred of Salome to the
young men [Alexander and Aristobulus], which descended as it were by
inheritance [from their mother Mariamne]; and as she had fully succeeded
against their mother, so she proceeded to that degree of madness and
insolence, as to endeavor that none of her posterity might be left
alive, who might have it in their power to revenge her death. The young
men had also somewhat of a bold and uneasy disposition towards their
father occasioned by the remembrance of what their mother had unjustly
suffered, and by their own affectation of dominion. The old grudge
was also renewed; and they east reproaches on Salome and Pheroras,
who requited the young men with malicious designs, and actually laid
treacherous snares for them. Now as for this hatred, it was equal on
both sides, but the manner of exerting that hatred was different; for as
for the young men, they were rash, reproaching and affronting the others
openly, and were inexperienced enough to think it the most generous to
declare their minds in that undaunted manner; but the others did
not take that method, but made use of calumnies after a subtle and a
spiteful manner, still provoking the young men, and imagining that their
boldness might in time turn to the offering violence to their father;
for inasmuch as they were not ashamed of the pretended crimes of their
mother, nor thought she suffered justly, these supposed that might at
length exceed all bounds, and induce them to think they ought to be
avenged on their father, though it were by despatching him with their
own hands. At length it came to this, that the whole city was full of
their discourses, and, as is usual in such contests, the unskilfulness
of the young men was pitied; but the contrivance of Salome was too hard
for them, and what imputations she laid upon them came to be believed,
by means of their own conduct; for they who were so deeply affected with
the death of their mother, that whi