old age. Rome is a witness to my filial affection, and
so is Caesar, the ruler of the habitable earth, who oftentimes called me
Philopater. [47] Take here the letters he hath sent thee, they are more
to be believed than the calumnies raised here; these letters are my only
apology; these I use as the demonstration of that natural affection I
have to thee. Remember that it was against my own choice that I sailed
[to Rome], as knowing the latent hatred that was in the kingdom against
me. It was thou, O father, however unwillingly, who hast been my ruin,
by forcing me to allow time for calumnies against me, and envy at me.
However, I am come hither, and am ready to hear the evidence there
is against me. If I be a parricide, I have passed by land and by sea,
without suffering any misfortune on either of them: but this method of
trial is no advantage to me; for it seems, O father, that I am already
condemned, both before God and before thee; and as I am already
condemned, I beg that thou wilt not believe the others that have been
tortured, but let fire be brought to torment me; let the racks march
through my bowels; have no regard to any lamentations that this polluted
body can make; for if I be a parricide, I ought not to die without
torture." Thus did Antipater cry out with lamentation and weeping, and
moved all the rest, and Varus in particular, to commiserate his case.
Herod was the only person whose passion was too strong to permit him to
weep, as knowing that the testimonies against him were true.

4. And now it was that, at the king's command, Nicolaus, when he
had premised a great deal about the craftiness of Antipater, and had
prevented the effects of their commiseration to him, afterwards
brought in a bitter and large accusation against him, ascribing all
the wickedness that had been in the kingdom to him, and especially the
murder of his brethren; and demonstrated that they had perished by the
calumnies he had raised against them. He also said that he had laid
designs against them that were still alive, as if they were laying plots
for the succession; and [said he] how can it be supposed that he who
prepared poison for his father should abstain from mischief as to his
brethren? He then proceeded to convict him of the attempt to poison
Herod, and gave an account in order of the several discoveries that
had been made; and had great indignation as to the affair of Pheroras,
because Antipater had been for making him mu