give credit to his protestations of innocence, they suspended their operations for the moment; and conducted themselves toward him as usual.

Herod, however, having communicated to Cassius the circumstances of his father's death, received permission from him to revenge it, who also sent orders to the commanders of the Roman garrison at Tyre, to assist him in the accomplishment of his design. Cassius having taken Laodicea, the princes and chief lords of Syria and Palestine proceeded thither with congratulations and presents; and Hyrcanus, Malichus, and Herod, having set out for that purpose, as they were drawing near to Tyre, Herod himself invited all the company to sup with him, and sent his servants forward under pretence of preparing for their reception, but with the secret orders of Cassius to the commanding officer in the garrison, who thereupon sent out a band of soldiers to meet the Jewish princes, and as Malichus approached the city they seized upon and slew him.*

It is alleged that had Malichus arrived safe at Tyre, his project was to have released his son, who was there in hostage, and then to have returned into Judea and excited a revolt, in the hope that, during the civil broils of the Romans, he might be able to seize upon and establish himself in the independent sovereignty of Judea.†

The friends of Malichus, however, having gained over Hyrcanus, and Felix, the commander of the Roman forces at Jerusalem, a brother of Malichus took possession of Massada, and several other castles in Judea, by permission of the former. Herod being then confined by sickness at Damascus, where Fabius commanded for the Romans, Phasaelus was left alone to support the interests of his faction; and having succeeded in driving Felix and all the opposite party out of Jerusalem, + Prid. ii. 585.

Prid. ii. 584.

when Herod returned they soon overpowered the hostile party, and recovered Massada and all the other fortresses. They also upbraided Hyrcanus for ingratitude, but that breach was healed by Hyrcanus giving his granddaughter Mariamne to be betrothed to Herod.*

Antigonus, the youngest son of Aristobulus, was still living, and uniting himself with the remainder of the Malichæans, and being assisted by Marion, king of Tyre, Fabius, governor of Damascus, and Ptolemy, prince of Chalcis,† raised a considerable army with the professed object of recovering his father's throne and authority. But Herod having met him on the confines of Judea, defeated him, and recovering what Marion had taken in Galilee, he returned to Jerusalem in triumph.+

The decisive battle of Philippi§ having placed the whole Roman empire at the command of the triumvirs,|| Antony assumed the government of the Asiatic and African provinces, and affected more than regal state.¶ Amongst other

* Prid. ii. 587.

The first of these engaged in this cause, out of the hatred he bore to Herod; the second, for the money which was given to hire him into it; and the last, by reason of the affinity that was between their families; for he had married a sister of Antigonus. Prid. ii. 587.

|| Mark Antony, Augustus, and Lepidus.

Wherever he came, after his arrival in those parts, he had his chamber door every morning thronged at his levce by kings and princes from the eastern countries, or by ambassadors from others of them, to solicit his favour; and several of them brought with them their wives and daughters, that, prostituting them to his lust, they might thereby the better obtain their ends. Prid. ii. 588. We have another instance how little regard was at this time paid to the law of Jehovah (Lev. xix. 29.); and how sunk in debauchery the whole world was, including the Jews, from the circumstance that Antigonus

ambassadors and suppliants, several Jews of rank and consequence applied to him against Phasael and Herod; but the latter were so firmly settled in his good opinion, and Herod had bribed him so effectually, that they met with no success. On the other hand, other ambassadors came from Hyrcanus praying for the restoration of the lands and territories which Cassius had taken from them, and also for the redemption of those Jews whom he had sold into captivity, and these petitions were immediately granted.*

Having arrived at Daphne, near Antioch, one hundred of the principal Jews came to him with renewed complaints against the sons of Antipater, when he gave them a hearing and demanded of Hyrcanus, who was present, whom he thought the most proper person to conduct the civil government under him; and upon his declaring in favour of the two brothers, he appointed them to be tetrachs,† and committed all the affairs of Judea to their management, and imprisoned fifteen of the ambassadors, whom he would have put to death if Herod had not interceded for them. Such, however, was the discontent of the Jews, that notwithstanding their former discomfiture and narrow escape, upon Antony's coming to Tyre, no less than one thousand of them came to him with reiterated complaints against the two brothers; and which the imperious Roman construing into a tumultuous contempt of his former decision, ordered his troops to fall upon them, when they slew and wounded a great many.‡

Whilst Antony was living in the grossest criminality with

hesitated not to enter into a contract with the king of Parthia, to give up to him five hundred Jewish women, which must be taken to be for the purposes of lust. Prid. ii. 594. Well might our Lord say, (Luke, xviii. 8.) When the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? And well might he say so still, even in this professing country.

* Prid. ii. 588.

+ Prid. ii. 589.

Prid. ii. 589.

the infamous Cleopatra at Alexandria, the Parthians, with Labienus and the remains of the Pompeian faction, had invaded Syria with a powerful army; and having taken Sidon and Ptolemais, sent a detachment towards Judea, with the avowed purpose of setting Antigonus up as king of that country; upon a contract to deliver to Pacorus, the Parthian monarch, one thousand talents and five hundred Jewesses. Antigonus having collected an army of Jews near mount Carmel, and being joined by the Parthian general, marched into Judea, and defeating an army that was sent against him, followed them into Jerusalem; but being vigorously opposed by the two brothers, took shelter in the mountain of the temple, whilst the Herodians seized upon the palace. As the feast of Pentecost was approaching, and multitudes flocked to the city from all quarters, the waste of human blood became shocking even to the perpetrators, and Antigonus proposing to leave their disputes to the decision of the Parthian general, to which, the two brothers having acceded, he was received into Jerusalem with five hundred horse, and lodged in Phasael's house; into whose confidence he so effectually insinuated himself, as to prevail upon him, contrary to the advice of Herod, to go with Hyrcanus upon an embassy to Barzaphanes, the prefect of Syria under Pacorus.t

Phasael and Hyrcanus were at first received by the Parthian general with distinguished honour, but he soon threw them into chains, a fate which had been also intended for Herod, but which he escaped by a sudden flight from Jerusalem, with his family, and such troops as he could hastily collect.

*Pacorus, cupbearer to Pacorus, the son of Orodes, king of

Parthia. Prid. ii. 592.

† Prid. ii. 594.

ambassadors and suppliants, several Jews of rank and consequence applied to him against Phasael and Herod; but the latter were so firmly settled in his good opinion, and Herod had bribed him so effectually, that they met with no success. On the other hand, other ambassadors came from Hyrcanus praying for the restoration of the lands and territories which Cassius had taken from them, and also for the redemption of those Jews whom he had sold into captivity, and these petitions were immediately granted.*

Having arrived at Daphne, near Antioch, one hundred of the principal Jews came to him with renewed complaints against the sons of Antipater, when he gave them a hearing and demanded of Hyrcanus, who was present, whom he thought the most proper person to conduct the civil government under him; and upon his declaring in favour of the two brothers, he appointed them to be tetrachs,† and committed all the affairs of Judea to their management, and imprisoned fifteen of the ambassadors, whom he would have put to death if Herod had not interceded for them. Such, however, was the discontent of the Jews, that notwithstanding their former discomfiture and narrow escape, upon Antony's coming to Tyre, no less than one thousand of them came to him with reiterated complaints against the two brothers; and which the imperious Roman construing into a tumultuous contempt of his former decision, ordered his troops to fall upon them, when they slew and wounded a great many.+

Whilst Antony was living in the grossest criminality with