Archelaus Procures A Reconciliation Between Alexander
Pheroras, And Herod.
1. Now as to Alexander, since he perceived it impossible to persuade his
father [that he was innocent], he resolved to meet his calamities, how
severe soever they were; so he composed four books against his enemies,
and confessed that he had been in a plot; but declared withal that the
greatest part [of the courtiers] were in a plot with him, and chiefly
Pheroras and Salome; nay, that Salome once came and forced him to lie
with her in the night time, whether he would or no. These books were put
into Herod's hands, and made a great clamor against the men in power.
And now it was that Archelaus came hastily into Judea, as being
affrighted for his son-in-law and his daughter; and he came as a proper
assistant, and in a very prudent manner, and by a stratagem he obliged
the king not to execute what he had threatened; for when he was come to
him, he cried out, "Where in the world is this wretched son-in-law of
mine? Where shall I see the head of him which contrived to murder his
father, which I will tear to pieces with my own hands? I will do the
same also to my daughter, who hath such a fine husband; for although she
be not a partner in the plot, yet, by being the wife of such a creature,
she is polluted. And I cannot but admire at thy patience, against whom
this plot is laid, if Alexander be still alive; for as I came with what
haste I could from Cappadocia, I expected to find him put to death for
his crimes long ago; but still, in order to make an examination with
thee about my daughter, whom, out of regard to thee and by dignity, I
had espoused to him in marriage; but now we must take counsel about them
both; and if thy paternal affection be so great, that thou canst not
punish thy son, who hath plotted against thee, let us change our right
hands, and let us succeed one to the other in expressing our rage upon
this occasion."
2. When he had made this pompous declaration, he got Herod to remit of
his anger, though he were in disorder, who thereupon gave him the books
which Alexander had composed to be read by him; and as he came to every
head, he considered of it, together with Herod. So Archelaus took hence
the occasion for that stratagem which he made use of, and by degrees
he laid the blame on those men whose names were in these books, and
especially upon Pheroras; and when he saw that the king believed him [to
be in earnest], he said, "We must consider whether the young man be not
himself plotted against by such a number of wicked wretches, and not
thou plotted against by the young man; for I cannot see any occasion for
his falling into so horrid a crime, since he enjoys the advantages of
royalty already, and has the expectation of being one of thy successors;
I mean this, unless there were some persons that persuade him to it, and
such persons as make an ill use of the facility they know there is
to persuade young men; for by such persons, not only young men are
sometimes imposed upon, but old men also, and by them sometimes are the
most illustrious families and kingdoms overturned."
3. Herod assented to what he had said, and, by degrees, abated of
his anger against Alexander, but was more angry at Pheroras; for the
principal subject of the four books was Pheroras; who perceiving that
the king's inclinations changed on a sudden, and that Archelaus's
friendship could do every thing with him, and that he had no honorable
method of preserving himself, he procured his safety by his impudence.
So he left Alexander, and had recourse to Archelaus, who told him that
he did not see how he could get him excused, now he was directly caught
in so many crimes, whereby it was evidently demonstrated that he had
plotted against the king, and had been the cause of those misfortunes
which the young man was now under, unless he would moreover leave off
his cunning knavery, and his denials of what he was charged withal, and
confess the charge, and implore pardon of his brother, who still had a
kindness for him; but that if he would do so, he would afford him all
the assistance he was able.
4. With this advice Pheroras complied, and putting himself into such a
habit as might most move compassion, he came with black cloth upon his
body, and tears in his eyes, and threw himself down at Herod's feet, and
begged his pardon for what he had done, and confessed that he had acted
very wickedly, and was guilty of every thing that he had been accused
of, and lamented that disorder of his mind, and distraction which his
love to a woman, he said, had brought him to. So when Archelaus had
brought Pheroras to accuse and bear witness against himself, he then
made an excuse for him, and mitigated Herod's anger towards him, and
this by using certain domestical examples; for that when he had suffered
much greater mischiefs from a brother of his own, he prefered the
obligations of nature before the passion of revenge; because it is in
kingdoms as it is in gross bodies, where some member or other is ever
swelled by the body's weight, in which case it is not proper to cut off
such member, but to heal it by a gentle method of cure.
5. Upon Arehelaus's saying this, and much more to the same purpose,
Herod's displeasure against Pheroras was mollified; yet did he persevere
in his own indignation against Alexander, and said he would have his
daughter divorced, and taken away from him, and this till he had brought
Herod to that pass, that, contrary to his former behavior to him,
he petitioned Archelaus for the young man, and that he would let his
daughter continue espoused to him: but Archelaus made him strongly
believe that he would permit her to be married to any one else, but not
to Alexander, because he looked upon it as a very valuable advantage,
that the relation they had contracted by that affinity, and the
privileges that went along with it, might be preserved. And when the
king said that his son would take it for a great favor to him, if he
would not dissolve that marriage, especially since they had already
children between the young man and her, and since that wife of his was
so well beloved by him, and that as while she remains his wife she would
be a great preservative to him, and keep him from offending, as he had
formerly done; so if she should be once torn away from him, she would be
the cause of his falling into despair, because such young men's attempts
are best mollified when they are diverted from them by settling their
affections at home. So Arehelaus complied with what Herod desired, but
not without difficulty, and was both himself reconciled to the young
man, and reconciled his father to him also. However, he said he must,
by all means, be sent to Rome to discourse with Caesar, because he had
already written a full account to him of this whole matter.
6. Thus a period was put to Archelaus's stratagem, whereby he
delivered his son-in-law out of the dangers he was in; but when these
reconciliations were over, they spent their time in feastings and
agreeable entertainments. And when Archelaus was going away, Herod made
him a present of seventy talents, with a golden throne set with precious
stones, and some eunuchs, and a concubine who was called Pannychis.
He also paid due honors to every one of his friends according to their
dignity. In like manner did all the king's kindred, by his command, make
glorious presents to Archelaus; and so he was conducted on his way by
Herod and his nobility as far as Antioch.