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Parthian deserters; and came to him; though the report went
abroad that they had run away from him。 And when Gabinius had
performed great and glorious actions; in his management of the
affairs of war; he returned to Rome; and delivered the government
to Crassus。 Now Nicolaus of Damascus; and Strabo of Cappadocia;
both describe the expeditions of Pompey and Gabinius against the
Jews; while neither of them say anything new which is not in the
other。

CHAPTER 7。

How Crassus Came Into Judea; And Pillaged The Temple; And Then
Marched Against The Parthians And Perished; With His Army。 Also
How Cassius Obtained Syria; And Put A Stop To The Parthians And
Then Went Up To Judea。

1。 Now Crassus; as he was going upon his expedition against the
Parthians; came into Judea; and carried off the money that was in
the temple; which Pompey had left; being two thousand talents;
and was disposed to spoil it of all the gold belonging to it;
which was eight thousand talents。 He also took a beam; which was
made of solid beaten gold; of the weight of three hundred minae;
each of which weighed two pounds and a half。 It was the priest
who was guardian of the sacred treasures; and whose name was
Eleazar; that gave him this beam; not out of a wicked design; for
he was a good and a righteous man; but being intrusted with the
custody of the veils belonging to the temple; which were of
admirable beauty; and of very costly workmanship; and hung down
from this beam; when lie saw that Crassus was busy in gathering
money; and was in fear for the entire ornaments of the temple; he
gave him this beam of gold as a ransom for the whole; but this
not till he had given his oath that he would remove nothing else
out of the temple; but be satisfied with this only; which he
should give him; being worth many ten thousand 'shekels'。 Now
this beam was contained in a wooden beam that was hollow; but was
known to no others; but Eleazar alone knew it; yet did Crassus
take away this beam; upon the condition of touching nothing else
that belonged to the temple; and then brake his oath; and carried
away all the gold that was in the temple。

2。 And let no one wonder that there was so much wealth in our
temple; since all the Jews throughout the habitable earth; and
those that worshipped God; nay; even those of Asia and Europe;
sent their contributions to it; and this from very ancient times。
Nor is the largeness of these sums without its attestation; nor
is that greatness owing to our vanity; as raising it without
ground to so great a height; but there are many witnesses to it;
and particularly Strabo of Cappadocia; who says thus:
〃Mithridates sent to Cos; and took the money which queen
Cleopatra had deposited there; as also eight hundred talents
belonging to the Jews。〃 Now we have no public money but only what
appertains to God; and it is evident that the Asian Jews removed
this money out of fear of Mithridates; for it is not probable
that those of Judea; who had a strong city and temple; should
send their money to Cos; nor is it likely that the Jews who are
inhabitants of Alexandria should do so neither; since they were
ill no fear of Mithridates。 And Strabo himself bears witness to
the same thing in another place; that at the same time that Sylla
passed over into Greece; in order to fight against Mithridates;
he sent Lucullus to put an end to a sedition that our nation; of
whom the habitable earth is full; had raised in Cyrene; where he
speaks thus: 〃There were four classes of men among those of
Cyrene; that of citizens; that of husbandmen; the third of
strangers; and the fourth of Jews。 Now these Jews are already
gotten into all cities; and it is hard to find a place in the
habitable earth that hath not admitted this tribe of men; and is
not possessed by them; and it hath come to pass that Egypt and
Cyrene; as having the same governors; and a great number of other
nations; imitate their way of living; and maintain great bodies
of these Jews in a peculiar manner; and grow up to greater
prosperity with them; and make use of the same laws with that
nation also。 Accordingly; the Jews have places assigned them in
Egypt; wherein they inhabit; besides what is peculiarly allotted
to this nation at Alexandria; which is a large part of that city。
There is also an ethnarch allowed them; who governs the nation;
and distributes justice to them; and takes care of their
contracts; and of the laws to them belonging; as if he were the
ruler of a free republic。 In Egypt; therefore; this nation is
powerful; because the Jews were originally Egyptians; and because
the land wherein they inhabit; since they went thence; is near to
Egypt。 They also removed into Cyrene; because that this land
adjoined to the government of Egypt; as well as does Judea; or
rather was formerly under the same government。〃 And this is what
Strabo says。

3。 So when Crassus had settled all things as he himself pleased;
he marched into Parthia; where both he himself and all his army
perished; as hath been related elsewhere。 But Cassius; as he fled
from Rome to Syria; took possession of it; and was an impediment
to the Parthians; who by reason of their victory over Crassus
made incursions upon it。 And as he came back to Tyre; he went up
into Judea also; and fell upon Tarichee; and presently took it;
and carried about thirty thousand Jews captives; and slew
Pitholaus; who succeeded Aristobulus in his seditious practices;
and that by the persuasion of Antipater; who proved to have great
interest in him; and was at that time in great repute with the
Idumeans also: out of which nation he married a wife; who was the
daughter of one of their eminent men; and her name was Cypros;
(12) by whom he had four sons; Phasael; and Herod; who was
afterwards made king; and Joseph; and Pheroras; and a daughter;
named Salome。 This Antipater cultivated also a friendship and
mutual kindness with other potentates; but especially with the
king of Arabia; to whom he committed his children; while he
fought against Aristobulus。 So Cassius removed his camp; and
marched to Euphrates; to meet those that were coming to attack
him; as hath been related by others。

4。 But some time afterward Cesar; when he had taken Rome; and
after Pompey and the senate were fled beyond the Ionian Sea;
freed Aristobulus from his bonds; and resolved to send him into
Syria; and delivered two legions to him; that he might set
matters right; as being a potent man in that country。 But
Aristobulus had no enjoyment of what he hoped for from the power
that was given him by Cesar; for those of Pompey's party
prevented it; and destroyed him by poison; and those of Caesar's
party buried him。 His dead body also lay; for a good while;
embalmed in honey; till Antony afterward sent it to Judea; and
caused him to be buried in the royal sepulcher。 But Scipio; upon
Pompey's sending to him to slay Alexander; the son of
Aristobulus; because the young man was accused of what offenses
he had been guilty of at first against the Romans; cut off his
head; and thus did he die at Antioch。 But Ptolemy; the son of
Menneus; who was the ruler of Chalcis; under Mount Libanus; took
his brethren to him; and sent his son Philippion to Askelon to
Aristobulus's wife; and desired her to send back with him her son
Antigonus; and her daughters; the one of which; whose name was
Alexandra; Philippion fell in love with; and married her; though
afterward his father Ptolemy slew him; and married Alexandra; and
continued to take care of her brethren。

CHAPTER 8。

The Jews Become Confederates With Caesar When He Fought Against
Egypt。 The Glorious Actions Of Antipater; And His Friendship With
Caesar。 The Honors Which The Jews Received From The Romans And
Athenians。

1。 Now after Pompey was dead; and after that victory Caesar had
gained over him; Antipater; who managed the Jewish affairs;
became very useful to Caesar when he made war against Egypt; and
that by the order of Hyrcanus; for when Mithridates of Pergainus
was bringing his auxiliaries; and was not able to continue his
march through Pelusium; but obliged to stay at Askelon; Antipater
came to him; conducting three thousand of the Jews; armed men。 He
had also taken care the principal men of the Arabians should come
to his assistance; and on his account it was that all the Syrians
assisted him also; as not willing to appear behindhand in their
alacrity for Cesar; viz。 Jamblicus the ruler; and Ptolemy his
son; and Tholomy the son of Sohemus; who dwelt at Mount Libanus;
and almost all the cities。 So Mithridates marched out of Syria;
and came to Pelusium; and when its inhabitants would not admit
him; he besieged the city。 Now Antipater signalized himself here;
and was the first who plucked down a part of the wall; and so
opened a way to the rest; whereby they might enter the city; and
by this means Pelusium was taken。 But it happened that the
Egyptian Jews; who dwelt in the country called Onion; would not
let Antipater and Mithridates; with their soldiers; pass to
Caesar; but Antipater persuaded them to come over with their
party; because he was of the same people with them; and that
chiefly by showing them the epistles of H

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