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anxiety of the president calm which succeeds the agitation of the election |
and what precautions were taken by the legislators to obviate its dangers |
which is compatible with security the vast extent of the country and the dissemination of the inhabitants render a collision between parties less probable and less dangerous there than elsewhere |
presented no real embarrassments to the nation nevertheless |
the influence which he exercises on public business is no doubt feeble and indirect but the choice of the president which is of small importance to each individual citizen concerns the citizens collectively |
and however trifling an interest may be it assumes a great degree of importance as soon as it becomes general |
are sufficiently numerous to interest directly or indirectly several thousand electors in his success political parties in the united states are led to rally round an individual in order to acquire a more tangible shape in the eyes of the crowd |
and the name of the candidate for the presidency is put forward as the symbol and personification of their theories for these reasons parties are strongly interested in gaining the election not so much with a view to the triumph of their principles under the auspices of the president elect |
as to show by the majority which returned him the strength of the supporters of those principles for a long while before the appointed time is at hand the election becomes the most important and the all engrossing topic of discussion |
the ardor of faction is redoubled and all the artificial passions which the imagination can create in the bosom of a happy and peaceful land are agitated and brought to light the president on the other hand is absorbed by the cares of self defence |
he no longer governs for the interest of the state but for that of his re election he does homage to the majority and instead of checking its passions as his duty commands him to do he frequently courts its worst caprices |
the citizens are divided into hostile camps each of which assumes the name of its favorite candidate |
the end of every thought and every action the sole interest of the present as soon as the choice is determined this ardor is dispelled and as a calmer season returns the current of the state which had nearly broken its banks |
antipater's navigation from rome to his father |
upon antipater's writing to him that having done all that he was to do and this in the manner he was to do it he would suddenly come to him concealed his anger against him and wrote back to him and bid him not delay his journey lest any harm should befall himself in his absence |
at the same time also he made some little complaint about his mother but promised that he would lay those complaints aside when he should return he withal expressed his entire affection for him as fearing lest he should have some suspicion of him and defer his journey to him |
and lest while he lived at rome he should lay plots for the kingdom and moreover do somewhat against himself |
now some of his friends advised him that he should tarry a while some where in expectation of further information but others advised him to sail home without delay for that if he were once come thither he would soon put an end to all accusations |
and that nothing afforded any weight to his accusers at present but his absence |
which herod had built at vast expenses in honor of caesar and called sebastus and now was antipater evidently in a miserable condition while nobody came to him nor saluted him as they did at his going away with good wishes of joyful acclamations |
nor was there now any thing to hinder them from entertaining him on the contrary with bitter curses |
being sent to succeed saturninus as president of syria and was come as an assessor to herod who had desired his advice in his present affairs and as they were sitting together antipater came upon them without knowing any thing of the matter so he came into the palace clothed in purple |
the porters indeed received him in but excluded his friends and now he was in great disorder and presently understood the condition he was in while upon his going to salute his father he was repulsed by him who called him a murderer of his brethren and a plotter of destruction against himself |
and besides these some slaves of antipater's mother who were taken up a little before antipater's coming and brought with them a written letter the sum of which was this that he should not come back because all was come to his father's knowledge |
and that caesar was the only refuge he had left to prevent both his and her delivery into his father's hands then did antipater fall down at his father's feet and besought him not to prejudge his cause |
so herod ordered him to be brought into the midst and then lamented himself about his children from whom he had suffered such great misfortunes and because antipater fell upon him in his old age |
he also reckoned up what maintenance and what education he had given them and what seasonable supplies of wealth he had afforded them according to their own desires none of which favors had hindered them from contriving against him |
and from bringing his very life into danger in order to gain his kingdom after an impious manner by taking away his life before the course of nature their father's wishes or justice required that that kingdom should come to them |
and that he wondered what hopes could elevate antipater to such a pass as to be hardy enough to attempt such things |
either in his illustrious dignity or in power and authority |
he also objected to him the case of his brethren whom he had accused and if they were guilty he had imitated their example and if not he had brought him groundless accusations against his near relations for that he had been acquainted with all those things by him |
and by nobody else and had done what was done by his approbation |
and with the circumstances of his affairs |
for that he had made provision for every thing that was fit to be foreseen beforehand as to giving him his wisest advice and whenever there was occasion for the labor of his own hands he had not grudged any such pains for him |
and that there was no likelihood that a person who had the one half of that authority without any danger and with a good character should hunt after the whole with infamy and danger and this when it was doubtful whether he could obtain it or not |
and when he saw the sad example of his brethren before him and was both the informer and the accuser against them at a time when they might not otherwise have been discovered |
nay was the author of the punishment inflicted upon them when it appeared evidently that they were guilty of a wicked attempt against their father and that even the contentions there were in the king's family were indications that he had ever managed affairs out of the sincerest affection to his father and as to what h... |
who yet was no more to be imposed upon than god himself of whose opinions his letters sent hither are sufficient evidence and that it was not reasonable to prefer the calumnies of such as proposed to raise disturbances before those letters the greatest part of which calumnies had been raised during his absence |
while they greatly pitied antipater who by weeping and putting on a countenance suitable to his sad case made them commiserate the same |
and it appeared plainly that herod himself was affected in his own mind although he was not willing it should be taken notice of then did nicolaus begin to prosecute what the king had begun and that with great bitterness and summed up all the evidence which arose from the tortures |
or from the testimonies he principally and largely cried up the king's virtues which he had exhibited in the maintenance and education of his sons while he never could gain any advantage thereby but still fell from one misfortune to another |
of antipater who although he had not only had great benefits bestowed on him by his father enough to tame his reason yet could not be more tamed than the most envenomed serpents whereas even those creatures admit of some mitigation and will not bite their benefactors |
the informer as to what wicked actions they had done and the searcher out of the evidence against them and the author of the punishment they underwent upon their detection nor do we say this as accusing thee for being so zealous in thy anger against them |
that by such outside hatred of their impiety thou mightest be believed a lover of thy father and mightest thereby get thee power enough to do mischief with the greatest impunity which design thy actions indeed demonstrate it is true thou tookest thy brethren off |
because thou didst convict theft of their wicked designs but thou didst not yield up to justice those who were their partners and thereby didst make it evident to all men that thou madest a covenant with them against thy father when thou chosest to be the accuser of thy brethren |
as desirous to gain to thyself alone this advantage of laying plots to kill thy father |
but for certain thou didst not measure these things according to thy father's various disposition but according to thy own thoughts and inclinations and was desirous to take the part that remained away from thy too indulgent father and soughtest to destroy him with thy deeds |
whom thou in words pretendedst to preserve nor wast thou content to be wicked thyself but thou filledst thy mother's head with thy devices and raised disturbances among thy brethren and hadst the boldness to call thy father a wild beast |
while thou hadst thyself a mind more cruel than any serpent |
and invitedst them to assist thee and guard thee and didst hedge thyself in on all sides by the artifices of both men and women against an old man |
and here thou appearest after the tortures of free men of domestics of men and women which have been examined on thy account and after the informations of thy fellow conspirators as making haste to contradict the truth |
that thou desirest to be put to the torture thyself while thou allegest that the tortures of those already examined thereby |
but that thy tortures may be esteemed the discoverers of truth wilt not thou o varus deliver the king from the injuries of his kindred |
while yet he is himself alone ready to carry off the kingdom immediately and appears to be the most bloody butcher to him of them all for thou art sensible that parricide is a general injury both to nature and to common life |
and whatsoever she had prattled like a woman as also about the predictions and the sacrifices relating to the king and whatsoever antipater had done lasciviously in his cups and his amours among pheroras's women the examination upon torture |
and whatsoever concerned the testimonies of the witnesses which were many and of various kinds some prepared beforehand and others were sudden answers which further declared and confirmed the foregoing evidence |
for those men who were not acquainted with antipater's practices but had concealed them out of fear when they saw that he was exposed to the accusations of the former witnesses and that his great good fortune which had supported him hitherto |
told all they knew of him and his ruin was now hastened |
as by his gross and impudent and wicked contrivances and by his ill will to his father and his brethren while he had filled their house with disturbance and caused them to murder one another and was neither fair in his hatred nor kind in his friendship but just so far as served his own turn |
now there were a great number who for a long time beforehand had seen all this and especially such as were naturally disposed to judge of matters by the rules of virtue because they were used to determine about affairs without passion but had been restrained from making any open complaints before |
out of suspicion of any danger they were in but they spake what they knew because they thought such actions very wicked and that antipater deserved the greatest punishment and indeed not so much for herod's safety as on account of the man's own wickedness |
if he had prepared any thing whereby it might appear that he was not guilty of the crimes he was accused of for that |
so did he know that his father was in like manner desirous also to have him found entirely innocent but antipater fell down on his face and appealed to god and to all men for testimonials of his innocency desiring that god would declare by some evident signals that he had not laid any plot against his father |
this being the usual method of all men destitute of virtue that when they set about any wicked undertakings they fall to work according to their own inclinations as if they believed that god was unconcerned in human affairs |
but when once they are found out and are in danger of undergoing the punishment due to their crimes they endeavor to overthrow all the evidence against them by appealing to god which was the very thing which antipater now did for whereas he had done everything as if there were no god in the world |
when he was on all sides distressed by justice and when he had no other advantage to expect from any legal proofs by which he might disprove the accusations laid against him he impudently abused the majesty of god and ascribed it to his power that he had been preserved hitherto |
found that he had nothing to say besides his appeal to god and saw that there was no end of that he bid them bring the potion before the court that he might see what virtue still remained in it |
and when it was brought and one that was condemned to die had drank it by varus's command he died presently then varus got up and departed out of the court and went away the day following to antioch where his usual residence was because that was the palace of the syrians |
upon which herod laid his son in bonds but what were varus's discourses to herod was not known to the generality and upon what words it was that he went away |
but when herod had bound his son he sent letters to rome to caesar about him and such messengers withal as should by word of mouth inform caesar of antipater's wickedness |
i wish thee good success in thy affair these were the contents of this letter but the king made inquiry about the other letter also for it did not appear |
he guessed that the letter might be within that doubling which accordingly proved to be true so they took out the letter and its contents were these acme to antipater i have written such a letter to thy father as thou desiredst me |
and informed him that in compliance with his command she had both herself written to herod as if salome had laid a sudden plot entirely against him and had herself sent a copy of an epistle as coming from salome to her lady now acme was a jew by birth and a servant to julia caesar's wife |
beating her breast and bidding him kill her if he could produce any credible testimony that she had acted in that manner herod also sent for his son and asked him about this matter and bid him contradict if he could and not suppress any thing he had to say for himself |
and when he had not one word to say he asked him since he was every way caught in his villainy that he would make no further delay but discover his associates in these his wicked designs |
but discovered nobody else hereupon herod was in such great grief that he was ready to send his son to rome to caesar there to give an account of these his wicked contrivances but he soon became afraid lest he might there by the assistance of his friends |
escape the danger he was in so he kept him bound as before and sent more ambassadors and letters to rome to accuse his son |
concerning the disease that herod fell into and the sedition which the jews raised thereupon |
but sent as instructed beforehand what answers they were to make to the questions put to them they also carried the epistles with them but herod now fell into a distemper and made his will and bequeathed his kingdom to antipas his youngest son |
and this out of that hatred to archclaus and philip which the calumnies of antipater had raised against them he also bequeathed a thousand talents to caesar and five hundred to julia caesar's wife to caesar's children and friends and freed men |
he also distributed among his sons and their sons his money his revenues and his lands |
and as he despaired of recovering for he was about the seventieth year of his age he grew fierce and indulged the bitterest anger upon all occasions the cause whereof was this that he thought himself despised and that the nation was pleased with his misfortunes |
two of the most eloquent men among the jews and the most celebrated interpreters of the jewish laws and men well beloved by the people because of their education of their youth for all those that were studious of virtue frequented their lectures every day |
these men when they found that the king's distemper was incurable excited the young men that they would pull down all those works which the king had erected contrary to the law of their fathers and thereby obtain the rewards which the law will confer on them for such actions of piety |
for herod had caused such things to be made which were contrary to the law of which he was accused by judas and matthias for the king had erected over the great gate of the temple a large golden eagle of great value and had dedicated it to the temple |
now the law forbids those that propose to live according to it |
since that common calamity of dying cannot be avoided by our living so as to escape any such dangers that therefore it is a right thing for those who are in love with a virtuous conduct to wait for that fatal hour by such behavior as may carry them out of the world with praise and honor |
and that this will alleviate death to a great degree thus to come at it by the performance of brave actions which bring us into danger of it and at the same time to leave that reputation behind them to their children and to all their relations whether they be men or women |
did these men excite the young men to this action |
this was an addition to the wise men's persuasions so in the very middle of the day they got upon the place they pulled down the eagle and cut it into pieces with axes while a great number of the people were in the temple |
and now the king's captain upon hearing what the undertaking was and supposing it was a thing of a higher nature than it proved to be came up thither having a great band of soldiers with him such as was sufficient to put a stop to the multitude of those who pulled down what was dedicated to god |
so he fell upon them unexpectedly and as they were upon this bold attempt in a foolish presumption rather than a cautious circumspection as is usual with the multitude |
and while they were in disorder and incautious of what was for their advantage so he caught no fewer than forty of the young men who had the courage to stay behind when the rest ran away together with the authors of this bold attempt |
who thought it an ignominious thing to retire upon his approach and led them to the king |
yes said they what was contrived we contrived and what hath been performed we performed it and that with such a virtuous courage as becomes men for we have given our assistance to those things which were dedicated to the majesty of god and we have provided for what we have learned by hearing the law |
and it ought not to be wondered at if we esteem those laws which moses had suggested to him and were taught him by god and which he wrote and left behind him more worthy of observation than thy commands accordingly |
and thus they all said and their courage was still equal to their profession and equal to that with which they readily set about this undertaking |
and when they were come he made them assemble in the theater and because he could not himself stand he lay upon a couch and enumerated the many labors that he had long endured on their account and his building of the temple and what a vast charge that was to him |
that he had also adorned it with very valuable donations on which account he hoped that he had left himself a memorial and procured himself a reputation after his death he then cried out that these men had not abstained from affronting him even in his lifetime but that in the very day time |
and in the sight of the multitude they had abused him to that degree as to fall upon what he had dedicated and in that way of abuse had pulled it down to the ground they pretended indeed that they did it to affront him but if any one consider the thing truly |
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