the antiquities of the jews-1-第230节

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dishonorable　rank；　who　yet　by　birth　were　the　most　noble；　they
could　not　bear　the　dishonor。　And　for　the　women；　Glaphyra；
Alexander's　wife；　the　daughter　of　Archclaus；　hated　Salome；　both
because　of　her　love　to　her　husband；　and　because　Glaphyra　seemed
to　behave　herself　somewhat　insolently　towards　Salome's　daughter；
who　was　the　wife　of　Aristobulus；　which　equality　of　hers　to
herself　Glaphyra　took　very　impatiently。

3。　Now；　besides　this　second　contention　that　had　fallen　among
them；　neither　did　the　king's　brother　Pheroras　keep　himself　out　of
trouble；　but　had　a　particular　foundation　for　suspicion　and
hatred；　for　he　was　overcome　with　the　charms　of　his　wife；　to　such
a　degree　of　madness；　that　he　despised　the　king's　daughter；　to
whom　he　had　been　betrothed；　and　wholly　bent　his　mind　to　the
other；　who　had　been　but　a　servant。　Herod　also　was　grieved　by　the
dishonor　that　was　done　him；　because　he　had　bestowed　many　favors
upon　him；　and　had　advanced　him　to　that　height　of　power　that　he
was　almost　a　partner　with　him　in　the　kingdom；　and　saw　that　he　had
not　made　him　a　due　return　for　his　labors；　and　esteemed　himself
unhappy　on　that　account。　So　upon　Pheroras's　unworthy　refusal；　he
gave　the　damsel　to　Phasaelus's　son；　but　after　some　time；　when　he
thought　the　heat　of　his　brother's　affections　was　over；　he　blamed
him　for　his　former　conduct；　and　desired　him　to　take　his　second
daughter；　whose　name　was　Cypros。　Ptolemy　also　advised　him　to
leave　off　affronting　his　brother；　and　to　forsake　her　whom　he　had
loved；　for　that　it　was　a　base　thing　to　be　so　enamored　of　a
servant；　as　to　deprive　himself　of　the　king's　good…will　to　him；
and　become　an　occasion　of　his　trouble；　and　make　himself　hated　by
him。　Pheroras　knew　that　this　advice　would　be　for　his　own
advantage；　particularly　because　he　had　been　accused　before；　and
forgiven；　so　he　put　his　wife　away；　although　he　already　had　a　son
by　her；　and　engaged　to　the　king　that　he　would　take　his　second
daughter；　and　agreed　that　the　thirtieth　day　after　should　be　the
day　of　marriage；　and　sware　he　would　have　no　further　conversation
with　her　whom　he　had　put　away；　but　when　the　thirty　days　were
over；　he　was　such　a　slave　to　his　affections；　that　he　no　longer
performed　any　thing　he　had　promised；　but　continued　still　with　his
former　wife。　This　occasioned　Herod　to　grieve　openly；　and　made　him
angry；　while　the　king　dropped　one　word　or　other　against　Pheroras
perpetually；　and　many　made　the　king's　anger　an　opportunity　for
raising　calumnies　against　him。　Nor　had　the　king　any　longer　a
single　quiet　day　or　hour；　but　occasions　of　one　fresh　quarrel　or
another　arose　among　his　relations；　and　those　that　were　dearest　to
him；　for　Salome　was　of　a　harsh　temper；　and　ill…natured　to
Mariamne's　sons；　nor　would　she　suffer　her　own　daughter；　who　was
the　wife　of　Aristobulus；　one　of　those　young　men；　to　bear　a
good…will　to　her　husband；　but　persuaded　her　to　tell　her　if　he
said　any　thing　to　her　in　private；　and　when　any　misunderstandings
happened；　as　is　common；　she　raised　a　great　many　suspicions　out　of
it；　by　which　means　she　learned　all　their　concerns；　and　made　the
damsel　ill…natured　to　the　young　man。　And　in　order　to　gratify　her
mother；　she　often　said　that　the　young　men　used　to　mention
Mariamne　when　they　were　by　themselves；　and　that　they　hated　their
father；　and　were　continually　threatening；　that　if　they　had　once
got　the　kingdom；　they　would　make　Herod's　sons　by　his　other　wives
country　schoolmasters；　for　that　the　present　education　which　was
given　them；　and　their　diligence　in　learning；　fitted　them　for　such
an　employment。　And　as　for　the　women；　whenever　they　saw　them
adorned　with　their　mother's　clothes；　they　threatened；　that
instead　of　their　present　gaudy　apparel；　they　should　be　clothed　in
sackcloth；　and　confined　so　closely　that　they　should　not　see　the
light　of　the　sun。　These　stories　were　presently　carried　by　Salome
to　the　king；　who　was　troubled　to　hear　them；　and　endeavored　to
make　up　matters；　but　these　suspicions　afflicted　him；　and　becoming
more　and　more　uneasy；　he　believed　every　body　against　every　body。
However；　upon　his　rebuking　his　sons；　and　hearing　the　defense　they
made　for　themselves；　he　was　easier　for　a　while；　though　a　little
afterwards　much　worse　accidents　came　upon　him。

4。　For　Pheroras　came　to　Alexander；　the　husband　of　Glaphyra；　who
was　the　daughter　of　Archelaus；　as　we　have　already　told　you；　and
said　that　he　had　heard　from　Salome　that　Herod　has　enamored　on
Glaphyra；　and　that　his　passion　for　her　was　incurable。　When
Alexander　heard　that；　he　was　all　on　fire；　from　his　youth　and
jealousy；　and　he　interpreted　the　instances　of　Herod's　obliging
behavior　to　her；　which　were　very　frequent；　for　the　worse；　which
came　from　those　suspicions　he　had　on　account　of　that　word　which
fell　from　Pheroras；　nor　could　he　conceal　his　grief　at　the　thing；
but　informed　him　what　word：　Pheroras　had　said。　Upon　which　Herod
was　in　a　greater　disorder　than　ever；　and　not　bearing　such　a　false
calumny；　which　was　to　his　shame；　was　much　disturbed　at　it；　and
often　did　he　lament　the　wickedness　of　his　domestics；　and　how　good
he　had　been　to　them；　and　how　ill　requitals　they　had　made　him。　So
he　sent　for　Pheroras；　and　reproached　him；　and　said；　〃Thou　vilest
of　all　men！　art　thou　come　to　that　unmeasurable　and　extravagant
degree　of　ingratitude；　as　not　only　to　suppose　such　things　of　me；
but　to　speak　of　them？　I　now　indeed　perceive　what　thy　intentions
are。　It　is　not　thy　only　aim　to　reproach　me；　when　thou　usest　such
words　to　my　son；　but　thereby　to　persuade　him　to　plot　against　me；
and　get　me　destroyed　by　poison。　And　who　is　there；　if　he　had　not　a
good　genius　at　his　elbow；　as　hath　my　son；　but　would　not　bear　such
a　suspicion　of　his　father；　but　would　revenge　himself　upon　him？
Dost　thou　suppose　that　thou　hast　only　dropped　a　word　for　him　to
think　of；　and　not　rather　hast　put　a　sword　into　his　hand　to　slay
his　father？　And　what　dost　thou　mean；　when　thou　really　hatest　both
him　and　his　brother；　to　pretend　kindness　to　them；　only　in　order
to　raise　a　reproach　against　me；　and　talk　of　such　things　as　no　one
but　such　an　impious　wretch　as　thou　art　could　either　devise　in
their　mind；　or　declare　in　their　words？　Begone；　thou　art　such　a
plague　to　thy　benefactor　and　thy　brother；　and　may　that　evil
conscience　of　thine　go　along　with　thee；　while　I　still　overcome　my
relations　by　kindness；　and　am　so　far　from　avenging　myself　of
them；　as　they　deserve；　that　I　bestow　greater　benefits　upon　them
than　they　are　worthy　of。〃

5。　Thus　did　the　king　speak。　Whereupon　Pheroras；　who　was　caught　in
the　very　act　of　his　villainy；　said　that　〃it　was　Salome　who　was
the　framer　of　this　plot；　and　that　the　words　came　from　her。〃　But
as　soon　as　she　heard　that；　for　she　was　at　hand；　she　cried　out；
like　one　that　would　be　believed；　that　no　such　thing　ever　came　out
of　her　mouth；　that　they　all　earnestly　endeavored　to　make　the　king
hate　her；　and　to　make　her　away；　because　of　the　good…will　she　bore
to　Herod；　and　because　she　was　always　foreseeing　the　dangers　that
were　coming　upon　him；　and　that　at　present　there　were　more　plots
against　him　than　usual；　for　while　she　was　the　only　person　who
persuaded　her　brother　to　put　away　the　wife　he　now　had；　and　to
take　the　king's　daughter；　it　was　no　wonder　if　she　were　hated　by
him。　As　she　said　this；　and　often　tore　her　hair；　and　often　beat
her　breast；　her　countenance　made　her　denial　to　be　believed；　but
the　peverseness　of　her　manners　declared　at　the　same　time　her
dissimulation　in　these　proceedings；　but　Pheroras　was　caught
between　them；　and　had　nothing　plausible　to　offer　in　his　own
defense；　while　he　confessed　that　he　had　said　what　was　charged
upon　him；　but　was　not　believed　when　he　said　he　had　heard　it　from
Salome；　so　the　confusion　among　them　was　increased；　and　their
quarrelsome　words　one　to　another。　At　last　the　king；　out　of　his
hatred　to　his　brother　and　sister；　sent　them　both　away；　and　when
he　had　commended　the　moderation　of　his　son；　and　that　he　had
himself　told　him　of　the　report；　he　went　in　the　evening　to　refresh
himself。　After　such　a　contest　as　this　had　fallen　out　among　them；
Salome's　reputation　suffered　greatly；　since　she　was　supposed　to
have　first　raised　the　calumny；　and　the　king's　wives　were　grieved
at　her；　as　knowing　she　was　a　very　ill…natured　woman；　and　would
sometimes　be　a　friend；　and　sometimes　an　enemy；　at　different
seasons：　so　they　perpetually　said　one　thing　or　another　against
her；　and　somewhat　that　now　fell　out　made　them　the　bolder　in
speaking　against　her。

6。　There　was　one　Obodas；　king　of　Arabia；　an　inactive　and　slothful
man　in　his　nature；　but　Sylleus　managed　most　of　his　affairs　for
him。　He　was　a　shrewd　man；　although　he　was　but　young；　and　was
handsome　withal。　This　Sylleus；　upon　some　occasion　coining　to
Herod；　and　supping　with　him；　saw　Salome；　and　set　his　heart　upon
her；　and　understanding　that　she　was　a　widow；　he　discoursed　with
her。　Now　because　Salome　was　at　this　time　less　in　favor　with　her
brother；　she　looked　upon　Sylleus　with　some　passion；　and　was　very
earnest　to　be　married　to　him；　and　on　the　days　following　there
appeared　many；　and　those　very　great；　indications　of　their
agreement　together。　Now　the　women　carried　this　news　to　the　king；
and　laughed　at　the　indecency　of　it；　whereupon　Herod　inquired
about　it　further　of　Pheroras；