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THERE, was at this time a mighty war raised among the Romans upon
the sudden and treacherous slaughter of Caesar by Cassius and Brutus, after
he had held the government for three years and seven months.
2
Upon this murder there were very great agitations, and the great men were
mightily at difference one with another, and every one betook himself to
that party where they had the greatest hopes of their own, of advancing
themselves. Accordingly, Cassius came into Syria, in order to receive the
forces that were at Apamia, where he procured a reconciliation between
Bassus and Marcus, and the legions which were at difference with him; so
he raised the siege of Apamia, and took upon him the command of the army,
and went about exacting tribute of the cities, and demanding their money
to such a degree as they were not able to bear.
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So he gave command that the Jews should bring in seven hundred talents;
whereupon Antipater, out of his dread of Cassius's threats, parted the
raising of this sum among his sons, and among others of his acquaintance,
and to be done immediately; and among them he required one Malichus, who
was at enmity with him, to do his part also, which necessity forced him
to do. Now Herod, in the first place, mitigated the passion of Cassius,
by bringing his share out of Galilee, which was a hundred talents, on which
account he was in the highest favor with him; and when he reproached the
rest for being tardy, he was angry at the cities themselves; so he made
slaves of Gophna and Emmaus, and two others of less note; nay, he proceeded
as if he would kill Malichus, because he had not made greater haste in
exacting his tribute; but Antipater prevented the ruin of this man, and
of the other cities, and got into Cassius's favor by bringing in a hundred
talents immediately.
3
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However, when Cassius was gone Malichus forgot the kindness that
Antipater had done him, and laid frequent plots against him that had saved
him, as making haste to get him out of the way, who was an obstacle to
his wicked practices; but Antipater was so much afraid of the power and
cunning of the man, that he went beyond Jordan, in order to get an army
to guard himself against his treacherous designs; but when Malichus was
caught in his plot, he put upon Antipater's sons by his impudence, for
he thoroughly deluded Phasaelus, who was the guardian of Jerusalem, and
Herod who was intrusted with the weapons of war, and this by a great many
excuses and oaths, and persuaded them to procure his reconciliation to
his father. Thus was he preserved again by Antipater, who dissuaded Marcus,
the then president of Syria, from his resolution of killing Malichus, on
account of his attempts for innovation.
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Upon the war between Cassius and Brutus on one side, against the
younger Caesar [Augustus] and Antony on the other, Cassius and Marcus got
together an army out of Syria; and because Herod was likely to have a great
share in providing necessaries, they then made him procurator of all Syria,
and gave him an army of foot and horse. Cassius premised him also, that
after the war was over, he would make him king of Judea. But it so happened
that the power and hopes of his son became the cause of his perdition;
for as Malichus was afraid of this, he corrupted one of the king's cup-bearers
with money to give a poisoned potion to Antipater; so he became a sacrifice
to Malichus's wickedness, and died at a feast. He was a man in other respects
active in the management of affairs, and one that recovered the government
to Hyrcanus, and preserved it in his hands.
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However, Malichus, when lie was suspected ef poisoning Antipater,
and when the multitude was angry with him for it, denied it, and made the
people believe he was not guilty. He also prepared to make a greater figure,
and raised soldiers; for he did not suppose that Herod would be quiet,
who indeed came upon him with an army presently, in order to revenge his
father's death; but, upon hearing the advice of his brother Phasaelus,
not to punish him in an open manner, lest the multitude should fall into
a sedition, he admitted of Malichus's apology, and professed that he cleared
him of that suspicion; he also made a pompous funeral for his father.
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So Herod went to Samaria, which was then in a tumult, and settled
the city in peace; after which at the [Pentecost] festival, he returned
to Jerusalem, having his armed men with him: hereupon Hyrcanus, at the
request of Malichus, who feared his reproach, forbade them to introduce
foreigners to mix themselves with the people of the country while they
were purifying themselves; but Herod despised the pretense, and him that
gave that command, and came in by night. Upon which Malithus came to him,
and bewailed Antipater; Herod also made him believe [he admitted of his
lamentations as real], although he had much ado to restrain his passion
at him; however, he did himself bewail the murder of his father in his
letters to Cassius, who, on other accounts, also hated Malichus. Cassius
sent him word back that he should avenge his father's death upon him, and
privately gave order to the tribunes that were under him, that they should
assist Herod in a righteous action he was about.
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And because, upon the taking of Laodicea by Cassius, the men of power
were gotten together from all quarters, with presents and crowns in their
hands, Herod allotted this time for the punishment of Malichus. When Malichus
suspected that, and was at Tyre, he resolved to withdraw his son privately
from among the Tyrians, who was a hostage there, while he got ready to
fly away into Judea; the despair he was in of escaping excited him to think
of greater things; for he hoped that he should raise the nation to a revolt
from the Romans, while Cassius was busy about the war against Antony, and
that he should easily depose Hyrcanus, and get the crown for himself.
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But fate laughed at the hopes he had; for Herod foresaw what he was
so zealous about, and invited both Hyrcanus and him to supper; but calling
one of the principal servants that stood by him to him, he sent him out,
as though it were to get things ready for supper, but in reality to give
notice beforehand about the plot that was laid against him; accordingly
they called to mind what orders Cassius had given them, and went out of
the city with their swords in their hands upon the sea-shore, where they
encompassed Malichus round about, and killed him with many wounds. Upon
which Hyrcanus was immediately aftrighted, till he swooned away and fell
down at the surprise he was in; and it was with difficulty that he was
recovered, when he asked who it was that had killed Malichus. And when
one of the tribunes replied that it was done by the command of Cassius,"
Then," said he, "Cassius hath saved both me and my country, by
cutting off one that was laying plots against them both." Whether
he spake according to his own sentiments, or whether his fear was such
that he was obliged to commend the action by saying so, is uncertain; however,
by this method Herod inflicted punishment upon Malichus.