mother? Yes; but not
because she is dead, but because she was evil spoken of by those that
had no reason so to do. Are we desirous of that dominion which we know
our father is possessed of? For what reason can we do so? If we already
have royal honors, as we have, should not we labor in vain? And if we
have them not, yet are not we in hopes of them? Or supposing that we had
killed thee, could we expect to obtain thy kingdom? while neither the
earth would let us tread upon it, nor the sea let us sail upon it, after
such an action as that; nay, the religion of all your subjects, and
the piety of the whole nation, would have prohibited parricides from
assuming the government, and from entering into that most holy temple
which was built by thee [4] But suppose we had made light of other
dangers, can any murderer go off unpunished while Caesar is alive? We
are thy sons, and not so impious or so thoughtless as that comes to,
though perhaps more unfortunate than is convenient for thee. But in
case thou neither findest any causes of complaint, nor any treacherous
designs, what sufficient evidence hast thou to make such a wickedness of
ours credible? Our mother is dead indeed, but then what befell her might
be an instruction to us to caution, and not an incitement to wickedness.
We are willing to make a larger apology for ourselves; but actions never
done do not admit of discourse. Nay, we will make this agreement with
thee, and that before Caesar, the lord of all, who is now a mediator
between us, If thou, O father, canst bring thyself, by the evidence of
truth, to have a mind free from suspicion concerning us let us live,
though even then we shall live in an unhappy way, for to be accused of
great acts of wickedness, though falsely, is a terrible thing; but if
thou hast any fear remaining, continue thou on in thy pious life, we
will give this reason for our own conduct; our life is not so desirable
to us as to desire to have it, if it tend to the harm of our father who
gave it us."

4. When Alexander had thus spoken, Caesar, who did not before believe
so gross a calumny, was still more moved by it, and looked intently
upon Herod, and perceived he was a little confounded: the persons there
present were under an anxiety about the young men, and the fame that
was spread abroad made the king hated, for the very incredibility of
the calumny, and the commiseration of the flower of youth, the beauty of
body, which were in the young