Antipater Is Convicted By Bathyllus; But He Still Returns
From Rome Without Knowing It. Herod Brings Him To His Trial.
1. After these things were over, Bathyllus came under examination, in
order to convict Antipater, who proved the concluding attestation to
Antipater's designs; for indeed he was no other than his freed-man. This
man came, and brought another deadly potion, the poison of asps, and
the juices of other serpents, that if the first potion did not do the
business, Pheroras and his wife might be armed with this also to destroy
the king. He brought also an addition to Antipater's insolent attempt
against his father, which was the letters which he wrote against his
brethren, Archelaus and Philip, which were the king's sons, and educated
at Rome, being yet youths, but of generous dispositions. Antipater set
himself to get rid of these as soon as he could, that they might not be
prejudicial to his hopes; and to that end he forged letters against them
in the name of his friends at Rome. Some of these he corrupted by bribes
to write how they grossly reproached their father, and did openly bewail
Alexander and Aristobulus, and were uneasy at their being recalled; for
their father had already sent for them, which was the very thing that
troubled Antipater.
2. Nay, indeed, while Antipater was in Judea, and before he was upon
his journey to Rome, he gave money to have the like letters against them
sent from Rome, and then came to his father, who as yet had no suspicion
of him, and apologized for his brethren, and alleged on their behalf
that some of the things contained in those letters were false, and
others of them were only youthful errors. Yet at the same time that he
expended a great deal of his money, by making presents to such as wrote
against his brethren, did he aim to bring his accounts into confusion,
by buying costly garments, and carpets of various contextures, with
silver and gold cups, and a great many more curious things, that so,
among the view great expenses laid out upon such furniture, he might
conceal the money he had used in hiring men [to write the letters];
for he brought in an account of his expenses, amounting to two hundred
talents, his main pretense for which was file law-suit he had been in
with Sylleus. So while all his rogueries, even those of a lesser sort
also, were covered by his greater villainy, while all the examinations
by torture proclaimed his attempt to murder his father, and the letters
proclaimed his second attempt to murder his brethren; yet did no one of
those that came to Rome inform him of his misfortunes in Judea, although
seven months had intervened between his conviction and his return, so
great was the hatred which they all bore to him. And perhaps they were
the ghosts of those brethren of his that had been murdered that stopped
the mouths of those that intended to have told him. He then wrote from
Rome, and informed his [friends] that he would soon come to them, and
how he was dismissed with honor by Caesar.
3. Now the king, being desirous to get this plotter against him into
his hands, and being also afraid lest he should some way come to the
knowledge how his affairs stood, and be upon his guard, he dissembled
his anger in his epistle to him, as in other points he wrote kindly to
him, and desired him to make haste, because if he came quickly, he would
then lay aside the complaints he had against his mother; for Antipater
was not ignorant that his mother had been expelled out of the palace.
However, he had before received a letter, which contained an account of
the death of Pheroras, at Tarentum, 46 and made great lamentations at
it; for which some commended him, as being for his own uncle; though
probably this confusion arose on account of his having thereby failed in
his plot [on his father's life]; and his tears were more for the loss
of him that was to have been subservient therein, than for [an uncle]
Pheroras: moreover, a sort of fear came upon him as to his designs, lest
the poison should have been discovered. However, when he was in Cilicia,
he received the forementioned epistle from his father, and made great
haste accordingly. But when he had sailed to Celenderis, a suspicion
came into his mind relating to his mother's misfortunes; as if his soul
foreboded some mischief to itself. Those therefore of his friends which
were the most considerate advised him not rashly to go to his father,
till he had learned what were the occasions why his mother had been
ejected, because they were afraid that he might be involved in the
calumnies that had been cast upon his mother: but those that were less
considerate, and had more regard to their own desires of seeing their
native country, than to Antipater's safety, persuaded him to make haste
home, and not, by delaying his journey, afford his father ground for an
ill suspicion, and give a handle to those that raised stories against
him; for that in case any thing had been moved to his disadvantage, it
was owing to his absence, which durst not have been done had he been
present. And they said it was absurd to deprive himself of certain
happiness, for the sake of an uncertain suspicion, and not rather to
return to his father, and take the royal authority upon him, which was
in a state of fluctuation on his account only. Antipater complied with
this last advice, for Providence hurried him on [to his destruction]. So
he passed over the sea, and landed at Sebastus, the haven of Cesarea.
4. And here he found a perfect and unexpected solitude, while ever body
avoided him, and nobody durst come at him; for he was equally hated by
all men; and now that hatred had liberty to show itself, and the dread
men were in at the king's anger made men keep from him; for the whole
city [of Jerusalem] was filled with the rumors about Antipater, and
Antipater himself was the only person who was ignorant of them; for as
no man was dismissed more magnificently when he began his voyage to Rome
so was no man now received back with greater ignominy. And indeed he
began already to suspect what misfortunes there were in Herod's family;
yet did he cunningly conceal his suspicion; and while he was inwardly
ready to die for fear, he put on a forced boldness of countenance. Nor
could he now fly any whither, nor had he any way of emerging out of the
difficulties which encompassed him; nor indeed had he even there any
certain intelligence of the affairs of the royal family, by reason
of the threats the king had given out: yet had he some small hopes
of better tidings; for perhaps nothing had been discovered; or if any
discovery had been made, perhaps he should be able to clear himself by
impudence and artful tricks, which were the only things he relied upon
for his deliverance.
5. And with these hopes did he screen himself, till he came to the
palace, without any friends with him; for these were affronted, and shut
out at the first gate. Now Varus, the president of Syria, happened to
be in the palace [at this juncture]; so Antipater went in to his father,
and, putting on a bold face, he came near to salute him. But Herod
Stretched out his hands, and turned his head away from him, and cried
out, "Even this is an indication of a parricide, to be desirous to
get me into his arms, when he is under such heinous accusations. God
confound thee, thou vile wretch; do not thou touch me, till thou hast
cleared thyself of these crimes that are charged upon thee. I appoint
thee a court where thou art to be judged, and this Varus, who is very
seasonably here, to be thy judge; and get thou thy defense ready against
tomorrow, for I give thee so much time to prepare suitable excuses for
thyself." And as Antipater was so confounded, that he was able to make
no answer to this charge, he went away; but his mother and wife came
to him, and told him of all the evidence they had gotten against him.
Hereupon he recollected himself, and considered what defense he should
make against the accusations.