him troubles perpetually, and this
ever since he was gotten sixty furlongs from the city; these sometimes
brought it to a sort of a regular battle. Now in the place where Herod
beat them, and killed a great number of them, there he afterward built
a citadel, in memory of the great actions he did there, and adorned it
with the most costly palaces, and erected very strong fortifications,
and called it, from his own name, Herodium. Now as they were in their
flight, many joined themselves to him every day; and at a place called
Thressa of Idumea his brother Joseph met him, and advised him to ease
himself of a great number of his followers, because Masada would not
contain so great a multitude, which were above nine thousand. Herod
complied with this advice, and sent away the most cumbersome part of his
retinue, that they might go into Idumea, and gave them provisions
for their journey; but he got safe to the fortress with his nearest
relations, and retained with him only the stoutest of his followers; and
there it was that he left eight hundred of his men as a guard for the
women, and provisions sufficient for a siege; but he made haste himself
to Petra of Arabia.

9. As for the Parthians in Jerusalem, they betook themselves to
plundering, and fell upon the houses of those that were fled, and upon
the king's palace, and spared nothing but Hyrcanus's money, which was
not above three hundred talents. They lighted on other men's money also,
but not so much as they hoped for; for Herod having a long while had
a suspicion of the perfidiousness of the barbarians, had taken care to
have what was most splendid among his treasures conveyed into Idumea,
as every one belonging to him had in like manner done also. But the
Parthians proceeded to that degree of injustice, as to fill all the
country with war without denouncing it, and to demolish the city
Marissa, and not only to set up Antigonus for king, but to deliver
Phasaelus and Hyrcanus bound into his hands, in order to their being
tormented by him. Antigonus himself also bit off Hyrcanus's ears with
his own teeth, as he fell down upon his knees to him, that so he might
never be able upon any mutation of affairs to take the high priesthood
again, for the high priests that officiated were to be complete, and
without blemish.

10. However, he failed in his purpose of abusing Phasaelus, by reason of
his courage; for though he neither had the command of his sword nor of
his hands, h