Roman patriots as they are called,* Cassius proceeded into Syria and raised a considerable army, where being joined by Murcus, he marched into Phoenicia and Judea, and obtained possession of both those countries, and got together no less than twelve legions of soldiers. For the maintenance of so large an army he was obliged to levy heavy contributions;

the wickedness of that age in which he lived and consequently he is to be reputed the greatest pest and plague that mankind then had therein. But, notwithstanding this, his actions have with many acquired great glory to his name; whereas, true glory is due only to those who benefit, not to those who destroy mankind." Prid. ii. 577, 578. And how close an imitation of his character has been raised up in our own times, in the person of Napoleon Buonaparte, who, however, fell very short of his prototype in whatever was praiseworthy.

"This was a most base and villanous act, and the more so, as the prime authors of it, Marcus Brutus, Decimus Brutus, Cassius, and Trebonius, and some others of them, were those whom Cæsar had in the highest manner obliged; yet it was executed under the notion of an high heroic virtue, in thus freeing their country from one whom they called a tyrant; and there are not wanting such as are ready, even in our days, to applaud the act. But divine justice declared itself otherwise in this matter; for it pursued every one of them that were concerned herein, said to be sixty in number, (Prid. ii. 673.) with such a just and remarkable revenge, that they were every man of them cut off in a short time after, in a violent manner, either by their own or other men's hands.—Prid. ii. 577. At the battle of Philippi, Brutus and Cassius were both defeated by Octavianus (Augustus) and Mark Anthony, and by a just retribution of divine vengeance upon them, they were both of them, that is, Cassius first, and afterwards Brutus, forced to murder themselves; and what was most signal herein, they both did it with the same swords with which they had murdered Cæsar."-Prid. ii. 5S6. "The last survivor of the assassins was Cassius Parmensis, who, after the battle of Actium, fled to Athens, where being terrified with the like apparition which appeared to Brutus at Philippi, he was overtaken and put to death by the messengers of Octavianus.”—Prid, ii. 673.

and Judea was taxed at seven hundred talents, which was soon raised by Antipater, and his sons Phasael and Herod, Malichus, and others. Herod having first brought his quota, ingratiated himself much with Cassius; but Gophna, Emmaus, Lydda, Thamna, and some other cities of Judea, not being quite so much on the alert, Cassius caused all the inhabitants to be sold by auction for the raising of the money; and would have put Malichus to death for his failure, if Hyrcanus had not sent one hundred talents, out of his own treasures, to redeem him.†

Cassius and Murcus having marched into Laodicea, in order to suppress Publius Cornelius Dolabella, who had married Tullia, a daughter of Cicero, left Herod in the government of Cole-Syria.+

Malichus, who was envious of the influence of Antipater and his sons, laid a plot for taking away his life; but Antipater having received intimation of his design, prepared himself to disappoint it. Malichus, however, so lulled his suspicion, that he interceded with Murcus to spare his life, which that officer had intended to take away on account of various factious designs. Notwithstanding this obligation, Malichus persisted in his purpose; and one day when Antipater was dining with Hyrcanus, he bribed the butler to administer poison to him in a cup of wine, whereof he died. Malichus thereupon seized the government of Jerusalem with an armed force, and endeavoured to persuade Phasaelus and Herod that he was wholly innocent of their father's murder. Herod would have taken instant revenge, but Phasaelus recommended him to proceed by craft and stratagem, and therefore, affecting to

*He was a Jew by birth, and although next in power and authority to Antipater, who was an Idumean, was envious of the latter's superiority. Prid. ii. 583.

give credit to his protestations of innocence, they suspended their operations for the moment; and conducted themselves toward him as usual.

Herod, however, having communicated to Cassius the circumstances of his father's death, received permission from him to revenge it, who also sent orders to the commanders of the Roman garrison at Tyre, to assist him in the accomplishment of his design. Cassius having taken Laodicea, the princes and chief lords of Syria and Palestine proceeded thither with congratulations and presents; and Hyrcanus, Malichus, and Herod, having set out for that purpose, as they were drawing near to Tyre, Herod himself invited all the company to sup with him, and sent his servants forward under pretence of preparing for their reception, but with the secret orders of Cassius to the commanding officer in the garrison, who thereupon sent out a band of soldiers to meet the Jewish princes, and as Malichus approached the city they seized upon and slew him.*

It is alleged that had Malichus arrived safe at Tyre, his project was to have released his son, who was there in hostage, and then to have returned into Judea and excited a revolt, in the hope that, during the civil broils of the Romans, he might be able to seize upon and establish himself in the independent sovereignty of Judea.†

The friends of Malichus, however, having gained over Hyrcanus, and Felix, the commander of the Roman forces at Jerusalem, a brother of Malichus took possession of Massada, and several other castles in Judea, by permission of the former. Herod being then confined by sickness at Damascus, where Fabius commanded for the Romans, Phasaelus was left alone to support the interests of his faction; and having succeeded in driving Felix and all the opposite party out of Jerusalem,

when Herod returned they soon overpowered the hostile party, and recovered Massada and all the other fortresses. They also upbraided Hyrcanus for ingratitude, but that breach was healed by Hyrcanus giving his granddaughter Mariamne to be betrothed to Herod.*

Antigonus, the youngest son of Aristobulus, was still living, and uniting himself with the remainder of the Malichæans, and being assisted by Marion, king of Tyre, Fabius, governor of Damascus, and Ptolemy, prince of Chalcis,† raised a considerable army with the professed object of recovering his father's throne and authority. But Herod having met him on the confines of Judea, defeated him, and recovering what Marion had taken in Galilee, he returned to Jerusalem in triumph.+

The decisive battle of Philippi§ having placed the whole Roman empire at the command of the triumvirs,|| Antony assumed the government of the Asiatic and African provinces, and affected more than regal state.¶ Amongst other

Prid. ii. 587.

The first of these engaged in this cause, out of the hatred he bore to Herod; the second, for the money which was given to hire him into it; and the last, by reason of the affinity that was between their families; for he had married a sister of Antigonus. Prid. ii. 587.

|| Mark Antony, Augustus, and Lepidus.

Wherever he came, after his arrival in those parts, he had his chamber door every morning thronged at his levce by kings and princes from the eastern countries, or by ambassadors from others of them, to solicit his favour; and several of them brought with them their wives and daughters, that, prostituting them to his lust, they might thereby the better obtain their ends. Prid. ii. 588. We have another instance how little regard was at this time paid to the law of Jehovah (Lev. xix. 29.); and how sunk in debauchery the whole world was, including the Jews, from the circumstance that Antigonus

ambassadors and suppliants, several Jews of rank and consequence applied to him against Phasael and Herod; but the latter were so firmly settled in his good opinion, and Herod had bribed him so effectually, that they met with no success. On the other hand, other ambassadors came from Hyrcanus praying for the restoration of the lands and territories which Cassius had taken from them, and also for the redemption of those Jews whom he had sold into captivity, and these petitions were immediately granted.*

Having arrived at Daphne, near Antioch, one hundred of the principal Jews came to him with renewed complaints against the sons of Antipater, when he gave them a hearing and demanded of Hyrcanus, who was present, whom he thought the most proper person to conduct the civil government under him; and upon his declaring in favour of the two brothers, he appointed them to be tetrachs,† and committed all the affairs of Judea to their management, and imprisoned fifteen of the ambassadors, whom he would have put to death if Herod had not interceded for them. Such, however, was the discontent of the Jews, that notwithstanding their former discomfiture and narrow escape, upon Antony's coming to Tyre, no less than one thousand of them came to him with reiterated complaints against the two brothers; and which the imperious Roman construing into a tumultuous contempt of his former decision, ordered his troops to fall upon them, when they slew and wounded a great many.‡

Whilst Antony was living in the grossest criminality with

hesitated not to enter into a contract with the king of Parthia, to give up to him five hundred Jewish women, which must be taken to be for the purposes of lust. Prid. ii. 594. Well might our Lord say, (Luke, xviii. 8.) When the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? And well might he say so still, even in this professing country.

* Prid. ii. 588.

+ Prid. ii. 589.

Prid. ii. 589.