are and fixed for payment of
his debt: nor can he by any means show that any other persons have at
this time been taken out of Arabia besides these, and indeed not all
these neither, but only so many as could not conceal themselves. And
thus does the calumny of the captives, which hath been so odiously
represented, appear to be no better than a fiction and a lie, made on
purpose to provoke thy indignation; for I venture to affirm that when
the forces of the Arabians came upon us, and one or two of Herod's
party fell, he then only defended himself, and there fell Nacebus
their general, and in all about twenty-five others, and no more; whence
Sylleus, by multiplying every single soldier to a hundred, he reckons
the slain to have been two thousand five hundred."

9. This provoked Caesar more than ever. So he turned to Sylleus full
of rage, and asked him how many of the Arabians were slain. Hereupon he
hesitated, and said he had been imposed upon. The covenants also were
read about the money he had borrowed, and the letters of the presidents
of Syria, and the complaints of the several cities, so many as had
been injured by the robbers. The conclusion was this, that Sylleus was
condemned to die, and that Caesar was reconciled to Herod, and owned his
repentance for what severe things he had written to him, occasioned by
calumny, insomuch that he told Sylleus, that he had compelled him, by
his lying account of things, to be guilty of ingratitude against a man
that was his friend. At the last all came to this, Sylleus was sent away
to answer Herod's suit, and to repay the debt that he owed, and after
that to be punished [with death]. But still Caesar was offended with
Aretas, that he had taken upon himself the government, without his
consent first obtained, for he had determined to bestow Arabia upon
Herod; but that the letters he had sent hindered him from so doing; for
Olympus and Volumnius, perceiving that Caesar was now become favorable
to Herod, thought fit immediately to deliver him the letters they were
commanded by Herod to give him concerning his sons. When Caesar had read
them, he thought it would not be proper to add another government to
him, now he was old, and in an ill state with relation to his sons, so
he admitted Aretas's ambassadors; and after he had just reproved him for
his rashness, in not tarrying till he received the kingdom from him, he
accepted of his presents, and confirmed him in his government.