which time Phasaelus guarded the wall, and
Herod, with a few, guarded the royal palace; and when he made an assault
upon his enemies, as they were out of their ranks, on the north quarter
of the city, he slew a very great number of them, and put them all to
flight; and some of them he shut up within the city, and others within
the outward rampart. In the mean time, Antigonus desired that Pacorus
might be admitted to be a reconciler between them; and Phasaelus was
prevailed upon to admit the Parthian into the city with five hundred
horse, and to treat him in an hospitable manner, who pretended that he
came to quell the tumult, but in reality he came to assist Antigonus;
however, he laid a plot for Phasaelus, and persuaded him to go as an
ambassador to Barzapharnes, in order to put an end to the war, although
Herod was very earnest with him to the contrary, and exhorted him to
kill the plotter, but not expose himself to the snares he had laid for
him, because the barbarians are naturally perfidious. However,
Pacorus went out and took Hyrcanus with him, that he might be the less
suspected; he also [19] left some of the horsemen, called the Freemen,
with Herod, and conducted Phasaelus with the rest.

4. But now, when they were come to Galilee, they found that the people
of that country had revolted, and were in arms, who came very cunningly
to their leader, and besought him to conceal his treacherous intentions
by an obliging behavior to them; accordingly, he at first made them
presents; and afterward, as they went away, laid ambushes for them; and
when they were come to one of the maritime cities called Ecdippon, they
perceived that a plot was laid for them; for they were there informed
of the promise of a thousand talents, and how Antigonus had devoted the
greatest number of the women that were there with them, among the five
hundred, to the Parthians; they also perceived that an ambush was always
laid for them by the barbarians in the night time; they had also been
seized on before this, unless they had waited for the seizure of Herod
first at Jerusalem, because if he were once informed of this treachery
of theirs, he would take care of himself; nor was this a mere report,
but they saw the guards already not far off them.

5. Nor would Phasaelus think of forsaking Hyrcanus and flying away,
although Ophellius earnestly persuaded him to it; for this man had
learned the whole scheme of the plot from Saramalla, the richest o