CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GIFT FROM
Alfred C. Barnes
The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029308503
THE FIFTH BOOK OF MACCABEES:
CONTAINING A RECORD OF EVENTS FROM THE TRANSLATION OF THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES INTO GREEK UNDER PTOLEMY PHILADELPHUS, (B.C. 277,) TO THE DEATH OF HEROD’s TWO SONS, IN THE FIFTH OR SIXTH YEAR BEFORE CHRIST.
CHAPTER LVIIa
B.C. 31
The history of Antony’s battle with Augustus, and of the death of Antony, and of Herod’s going to Augustus.
When Antony had marched out of Antony into the country of the Romans, and had encountered Augustusb, most severe battles
took place between them, in which victory sided with Augustus, and Antony fell in battle; and Augustus got possession of his camp and all which was in it. After this done, he proceeded to Rhodes, that taking ship there he might pass into Egypt.
And tidings were brought to Herod, and he was (B.C.30) very much concerned at the death of Antony; and he feared Augustus most exceedingly; and he resolved to go to him, to salute him and congratulate with him. Wherefore he sent his mother and sister with his brother, to a strong holdc which he had in mount Sarah: he sent also his wife Mariamne and her mother Alexandra to Alexandriumd, under the care of Josephus a Tyriane; adjuring him to kill his wife and her mother, so soon as his death should be reported to him.
After this, he went to Augustus with a very valuable present. Now Augustus had already determined to put Herod to death; because he had been the friend and supporter of Antony, and because he had formerly deliberated upon marching with Antony to attack him.
When therefore Herod’s arrival was notified to Augustus, he ordered him into his presence, in his royal habit which he had on; except the diadem, for this he had ordered to be laid aside from his head. Who, when he was in his presence, having laid aside his diadem as Augustus had commanded, said ” O king, perhaps on account of my love towards Antony you have been thus violently angry with me, that you have put off the diadem from my head; or was it from some other cause? Since if you are wroth with me by reason of my adherence to Antony, truly, I say, I adhered to him because he deserved well of me and placed upon my head that diadem which you have taken off. And indeed, he had requested my assistance against you, which I gave him; even as he also many times gave his assistance to me but it was not my lot to be present at the battle which he fought with you, nor have I drawn my swordsg against you, nor fought; the cause of which was, my being engaged in subduing the Arabiansh. But I never failed supplying him with aid of men and arms and provisions, as his friendship and his good deeds to me required. Arid in truth I am sorry that I left him; lest men should conceive that I deserted my friend when he needed my help. Certainly, if I had been with him, I would have helped him with all my might;”
“and would have encouraged him if he had been fearful and would have strengthened him if he had been weakened, and would have lifted him up if he had fallen, until God should have ruled matters as He pleased. And this truly would have been less grievous to me, than that it should be imagined that I had failed a man who had implored my aid, and thus it should come to pass that my friendship should be little esteemed. In my opinion indeed he fell through his own bad policy, by yielding to that enchantress Cleopatra; whom I had advised him to slay, and thus to remove her malice from him; but he did not assent. But now, if you have removed from my head the diadem, certainly you shall not remove from me my understanding and my courage; and whatever I am, I will be a friend to my friends and an enemy to my enemies.” Augustus replied to him, “Antony indeed we have overcome by our troops; but you we will master by alluring you to us; and will take care, by our good offices towards you, that your affection to us shall be doubled, because you are worthy of this. And as Antony played false by the advice of Cleopatra, by the same reason he behaved ungratefully towards us; returning for our kindness’ evils, and for our favour’s rebellion. But we are glad of the war which you have waged with the Arabians, who are our enemies: for whoever is your enemy, is ours also; and whoever pays you obedience, pays it to us likewise.”
Then Augustus ordered the golden diadem to be placed on Herod’s head, and as many provinces to be added to himh as he already had. And Herod accompanied Augustus into Egypt and all the things which Antony had destined for Cleopatra were surrendered to him. And Augustus departed to Rome: but Herod returned into the Holy City.
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