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and difficult to be entered upon; unless any one gets into the
plain road by the guidance of another; for these roads are not
straight; but have several revolutions。 But when these men are
hindered from their wicked preying upon their neighbors; their
custom is to prey one upon another; insomuch that no sort of
injustice comes amiss to them。 But when Herod had received this
grant from Caesar; and was come into this country; he procured
skillful guides; and put a stop to their wicked robberies; and
procured peace and quietness to the neighboring people。

2。 Hereupon Zenodorus was grieved; in the first place; because
his principality was taken away from him; and still more so;
because he envied Herod; who had gotten it; So he went up to Rome
to accuse him; but returned back again without success。 Now
Agrippa was 'about this time' sent to succeed Caesar in the
government of the countries beyond the Ionian Sea; upon whom
Herod lighted when he was wintering about Mitylene; for he had
been his particular friend and companion; and then returned into
Judea again。 However; some of the Gadarens came to Agrippa; and
accused Herod; whom he sent back bound to the king without giving
them the hearing。 But still the Arabians; who of old bare
ill…will to Herod's government; were nettled; and at that time
attempted to raise a sedition in his dominions; and; as they
thought; upon a more justifiable occasion; for Zenodorus;
despairing already of success as to his own affairs; prevented
'his enemies'; by selling to those Arabians a part of his
principality; called Auranitis; for the value of fifty talents;
but as this was included in the donations of Caesar; they
contested the point with Herod; as unjustly deprived of what they
had bought。 Sometimes they did this by making incursions upon
him; and sometimes by attempting force against him; and sometimes
by going to law with him。 Moreover; they persuaded the poorer
soldiers to help them; and were troublesome to him; out of a
constant hope that they should reduce the people to raise a
sedition; in which designs those that are in the most miserable
circumstances of life are still the most earnest; and although
Herod had been a great while apprized of these attempts; yet did
not he indulge any severity to them; but by rational methods
aimed to mitigate things; as not willing to give any handle for
tumults。

3。 Now when Herod had already reigned seventeen years; Caesar
came into Syria; at which time the greatest part of the
inhabitants of Gadara clamored against Herod; as one that was
heavy in his injunctions; and tyrannical。 These reproaches they
mainly ventured upon by the encouragement of Zenodorus; who took
his oath that he would never leave Herod till he had procured
that they should be severed from Herod's kingdom; and joined to
Caesar's province。 The Gadarens were induced hereby; and made no
small cry against him; and that the more boldly; because those
that had been delivered up by Agrippa were not punished by Herod;
who let them go; and did them no harm; for indeed he was the
principal man in the world who appeared almost inexorable in
punishing crimes in his own family; but very generous in
remitting the offenses that were committed elsewhere。 And while
they accused Herod of injuries; and plunderings; and subversions
of temples; he stood unconcerned; and was ready to make his
defense。 However; Caesar gave him his right hand; and remitted
nothing of his kindness to him; upon this disturbance by the
multitude; and indeed these things were alleged the first day;
but the hearing proceeded no further; for as the Gadarens saw the
inclination of Caesar and of his assessors; and expected; as they
had reason to do; that they should be delivered up to the king;
some of them; out of a dread of the torments they might undergo;
cut their own throats in the night time; and some of them threw
themselves down precipices; and others of them cast themselves
into the river; and destroyed themselves of their own accord;
which accidents seemed a sufficient condemnation of the rashness
and crimes they had been guilty of; whereupon Caesar made no
longer delay; but cleared Herod from the crimes he was accused
of。 Another happy accident there was; which was a further great
advantage to Herod at this time; for Zenodorus's belly burst; and
a great quantity of blood issued from him in his sickness; and he
thereby departed this life at Antioch in Syria; so Caesar
bestowed his country; which was no small one; upon Herod; it lay
between Trachon and Galilee; and contained Ulatha; and Paneas;
and the country round about。 He also made him one of the
procurators of Syria; and commanded that they should do every
thing with his approbation; and; in short; he arrived at that
pitch of felicity; that whereas there were but two men that
governed the vast Roman empire; first Caesar; and then Agrippa;
who was his principal favorite; Caesar preferred no one to Herod
besides Agrippa; and Agrippa made no one his greater friend than
Herod besides Caesar。 And when he had acquired such freedom; he
begged of Caesar a tetrarchy (21) for his brother Pheroras; while
he did himself bestow upon him a revenue of a hundred talents out
of his own kingdom; that in case he came to any harm himself; his
brother might be in safety; and that his sons might not have
dominion over him。 So when he had conducted Caesar to the sea;
and was returned home; he built him a most beautiful temple; of
the whitest stone; in Zenodorus's country; near the place called
Panlure。 This is a very fine cave in a mountain; under which
there is a great cavity in the earth; and the cavern is abrupt;
and prodigiously deep; and frill of a still water; over it hangs
a vast mountain; and under the caverns arise the springs of the
river Jordan。 Herod adorned this place; which was already a very
remarkable one; still further by the erection of this temple;
which he dedicated to Caesar。

4。 At which time Herod released to his subjects the third part of
their taxes; under pretense indeed of relieving them; after the
dearth they had had; but the main reason was; to recover their
good…will; which he now wanted; for they were uneasy at him;
because of the innovations he had introduced in their practices;
of the dissolution of their religion; and of the disuse of their
own customs; and the people every where talked against him; like
those that were still more provoked and disturbed at his
procedure; against which discontents he greatly guarded himself;
and took away the opportunities they might have to disturb him;
and enjoined them to be always at work; nor did he permit the
citizens either to meet together; or to walk or eat together; but
watched every thing they did; and when any were caught; they were
severely punished; and many there were who were brought to the
citadel Hyrcania; both openly and secretly; and were there put to
death; and there were spies set every where; both in the city and
in the roads; who watched those that met together; nay; it is
reported that he did not himself neglect this part of caution;
but that he would oftentimes himself take the habit of a private
man; and mix among the multitude; in the night time; and make
trial what opinion they had of his government: and as for those
that could no way be reduced to acquiesce under his scheme of
government; he prosecuted them all manner of ways; but for the
rest of the multitude; he required that they should be obliged to
take an oath of fidelity to him; and at the same time compelled
them to swear that they would bear him good…will; and continue
certainly so to do; in his management of the government; and
indeed a great part of them; either to please him; or out of fear
of him; yielded to what he required of them; but for such as were
of a more open and generous disposition; and had indignation at
the force he used to them; he by one means or other made away;
with them。 He endeavored also to persuade Pollio the Pharisee;
and Satneas; and the greatest part of their scholars; to take the
oath; but these would neither submit so to do; nor were they
punished together with the rest; out of the reverence he bore to
Pollio。 The Essens also; as we call a sect of ours; were excused
from this imposition。 These men live the same kind of life as do
those whom the Greeks call Pythagoreans; concerning whom I shall
discourse more fully elsewhere。 However; it is but fit to set
down here the reasons wherefore Herod had these Essens in such
honor; and thought higher of them than their mortal nature
required; nor will this account be unsuitable to the nature of
this history; as it will show the opinion men had of these
Essens。

5。 Now there was one of these Essens; whose name was Manahem; who
had this testimony; that he not only conducted his life after an
excellent manner; but had the foreknowledge of future events
given him by God also。 This man once saw Herod when he was a
child; and going to school; and saluted him as king of the Jews;
but he; thinking that either he did not know him; or that he was
in jest; put him in mind that he was but a private man; but
Manahem smiled to himself; and clapp

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