der, in order to render them
incurable, or whether fortune made an assault upon him, in those cases
wherein the seasonableness of the cause made it strongly believed that
the calamities came upon him for his impiety; for the tumult was like a
civil war in his palace, and their hatred towards one another was like
that where each one strove to exceed another in calumnies. However,
Antipater used stratagems perpetually against his brethren, and that
very cunningly; while abroad he loaded them with accusations, but still
took upon him frequently to apologize for them, that this apparent
benevolence to them might make him be believed, and forward his attempts
against them; by which means he, after various manners, circumvented
his father, who believed all that he did was for his preservation. Herod
also recommended Ptolemy, who was a great director of the affairs of his
kingdom, to Antipater; and consulted with his mother about the public
affairs also. And indeed these were all in all, and did what they
pleased, and made the king angry against any other persons, as they
thought it might be to their own advantage; but still the sons of
Marianme were in a worse and worse condition perpetually; and while they
were thrust out, and set in a more dishonorable rank, who yet by birth
were the most noble, they could not bear the dishonor. And for the
women, Glaphyra, Alexander's wife, the daughter of Archclaus, hated
Salome, both because of her love to her husband, and because Glaphyra
seemed to behave herself somewhat insolently towards Salome's daughter,
who was the wife of Aristobulus, which equality of hers to herself
Glaphyra took very impatiently.

3. Now, besides this second contention that had fallen among them,
neither did the king's brother Pheroras keep himself out of trouble,
but had a particular foundation for suspicion and hatred; for he was
overcome with the charms of his wife, to such a degree of madness, that
he despised the king's daughter, to whom he had been betrothed, and
wholly bent his mind to the other, who had been but a servant. Herod
also was grieved by the dishonor that was done him, because he had
bestowed many favors upon him, and had advanced him to that height of
power that he was almost a partner with him in the kingdom, and saw that
he had not made him a due return for his labors, and esteemed himself
unhappy on that account. So upon Pheroras's unworthy refusal, he gave
the damsel to Phasaelus's son;