CHAPTER XXVI.

HEROD OBTAINS THE FAVOR OF ANTONY-AND IS SOLEMNLY APPOINTED KING OF JUDEA-IS

SUCCESSFUL AGAINST HIS ENEMIES-ANTONY SENDS HIM TWO LEGIONS TO REDUCE JERUSALEM, STILL IN THE POSSESSION OF ANTIGONUSHEROD GOES TO SAMOSATA TO MEET ANTONYRETURNS TO JUDEA WITH FRESH FORCES-HIS BROTHER JOSEPH SLAIN IN AN EXPEDITION AGAINST JERICHO-HEROD LAYS SIEGE TO JERUSALEM-MARIAMNE THE WIFE OF HEROD-JERUSALEM TAKEN AND GIVEN UP TO PILLAGE-ABJECT SPIRIT OF ANTIGONUS.

621. HEROD, upon hearing of the death of his brother, did not return, but went on to Pelusium, and thence to Alexandria. Not meeting with any promise of effectual succour in Egypt, he sailed by way of Rhodes, to Rome, where he made his complaint and application to Antony, beseeching him, by the friendship which subsisted between him and his father, to pity the distracted and miserable condition of Judea.

622. Antony, in consideration of the promise of a very large sum of money, entered with much zeal into the interests of Herod, and obtained for him much more than he expected. For he thought of nothing more than succeeding to the power which his father exercised under Hyrcanus. But Anthony, first securing the influence of Octavianus, in favor of the

measure, had Herod introduced to the Senate, with a full exhibition of the merits of his family, towards the Roman people; on which, he was recognized as king of Judea, by the unanimous vote of the Senate, and Antigonus was declared to be an enemy to the Roman people. Herod was then conducted to the capitol, with Antony on one side, and Octavianus on the other, where he was solemnly inaugurated into his new office, according to the Roman usage. And this act of the Senate was laid up among the archives of the State.

623. Herod, having met with such success at Rome, hastened back to Judea. This whole transaction, by which he was solemnly advanced to the royal dignity, occupied no more than seven days. Indeed, his whole journey, both by sea and land, from the time he left Judea, until his return to Ptolemais, occupied only three months.

624. His first object, after his return, was to relieve his wife, mother, sister, and other friends, who were shut up in the castle of Massada, and had been besieged by Antigonus ever since his departure. They were now reduced to such distress, for want of water, that his brother Joseph, who had been left in com mand of the place, had formed the purpose of breaking through the besiegers, and escaping to Malchus, king of Arabia, who, he heard, was now much better disposed to lend them aid, than when applied to by Herod. But the night before he had designed to carry his purpose into effect, there fell such plentiful showers of rain, as filled all their cisterns; so that they were able to hold out, until Herod came to their relief.

625. Herod had no small difficulty in collecting a sufficient force to meet the besieging army. He re

ceived all into his service, whom he could enlist, whether Jews or foreigners: but his principal reliance was on Ventidius and Silo, Roman generals, who were then in Palestine, with a considerable force. These, however, did him as much harm as good; for having come into Judea to obtain money, they were ready to help him who would pay them best. And, indeed, they received money from both parties, and so managed, as to give little real assistance to either.

626. Herod, however, finally succeeded in reducing Galilee, and, after a siege of considerable length, took Joppa. Having delivered his family and friends from their unpleasant situation in Massada, he placed them in Samaria, and sent his brother Joseph into Idumea, to secure that region in his interests.

627. At this time Galilee, was infested with multitudes of robbers, to suppress whom, Herod now addressed himself. With some difficulty he succeeded in vanquishing a large body of them who advanced to meet his army, and compelled them to cross the Jordan. It was some time, however, before the country was entirely freed from these banditti.

628. Jerusalem, and many other places, still continued in the possession of Antigonus; and the war between him and Herod still went on. To aid the latter, Antony sent Macheras with two legions and one thousand horse, who approaching the walls of Jerusalem, for the purpose of conferring with Antigonus, was beaten back by the archers and slingers, on the rampart; by which he was so enraged, that on his retreat from the place, he killed all the Jews he could lay hands on. Among them, many of Herods friends were cut off; on account of which, he went directly to make complaint to Antony; but Macheras overtook.

him, and so explained and apologized, that Herod agreed to think no more of the affair.

629. Still, however, he prosecuted his journey to visit Antony, who was then at Samosata; who received him with distinguished honor.. While there, Herod rendered signal service in carrying on the siege of the place.

630. While Herod was absent, his brother Joseph, neglecting the orders which he had received, made an expedition against Jericho, with such forces as he was able to bring together. Being circumvented by the enemy, he was there slain, and most of his men cut to pieces. In consequence of this disaster, many in Idumea and Galilee, revolted from Herod.

631. The intelligence of these unfortunate events reached Herod at Daphne, on his way home, and hastened his return. Coming to Mount Libanus, he there raised eight hundred men; and with these, and one Roman cohort, marched to Ptolemais, and proceeded to subdue those who had revolted in Galilee. Then marching to Jerusalem to avenge his brother's death, he was encountered by the friends of Antigonus, and defeated, being himself wounded in the conflict. But soon rallying, he collected more soldiers, and fought another battle with the flower of the troops of Antigonus, under the command of Pappus, and entirely overthrew them; Pappus himself being among the slain. Had it not been winter, he might have marched directly to Jerusalem and taken that place.

632. Early the next year, 38 B. C., Herod took the field, with a great army, and proceeded directly to Jorusalem, where he commenced a regular siege of the place. While the necessary works were carrying on, he went to Samaria, and consummated his marriage

with Mariamne, who had been betrothed to him, fouryears before.

633. Mariamne was the daughter of Alexander the son of king Aristobulus, by Alexandra the daughter of Hyrcanus the second. She was a lady of extraordinary beauty and great virtue, and accomplished above any woman of her time. Herod, in selecting her for a wife, was influenced not merely by affection, but by political motives; for he thought, that by an alliance with the Asmonean family, so highly venerated by the Jews, he would gain a great influence over that people.

634. After the return of Herod from Samaria, the siege was prosecuted with uncommon vigor; for the governor of Syria came to his assistance with a large number of soldiers. The whole force engaged in the siege was no less than eleven legions and six thousand horse, besides the Syrian auxiliaries.

635. But the city held out until the next year,. which was 37 B. C., when many breaches being made in the walls, the assailants entered, and exasperated by the length of the siege, and the hardships which they had endured, filled the whole town with blood and devastation. Herod did all he could to prevent this, but. without effect, as Sosius the governor of Syria, encouraged the soldiers in these lawless and cruel proceedings. At length, when remonstrance failed to put a stop to the utter devastation of the city, Herod redeemed it from further spoliation, by the promise of a large sum of money.

636. Antigonus, seeing that all was lost, surrendered himself to Sosius, and in a very abject manner, cast himself at his feet; which, instead of moving the com passion of this stern Roman, only provoked his con