summoned before the
Sanhedrim to take his trial, he would not obey that summons. Hereupon
the members of the Sanhedrim had great indignation at this posture of
affairs, and endeavored to persuade Hyrcanus that all these things were
against him; which state of matters he was not ignorant of; but his
temper was so unmanly, and so foolish, that he was able to do nothing
at all. But when Sextus had made Herod general of the army of Celesyria,
for he sold him that post for money, Hyrcanus was in fear lest Herod
should make war upon him; nor was the effect of what he feared long in
coming upon him; for Herod came and brought an army along with him to
fight with Hyrcanus, as being angry at the trial he had been summoned to
undergo before the Sanhedrim; but his father Antipater, and his brother
[Phasaelus], met him, and hindered him from assaulting Jerusalem. They
also pacified his vehement temper, and persuaded him to do no overt
action, but only to affright them with threatenings, and to proceed
no further against one who had given him the dignity he had: they also
desired him not only to be angry that he was summoned, and obliged to
come to his trial, but to remember withal how he was dismissed without
condemnation, and how he ought to give Hyrcanus thanks for the same;
and that he was not to regard only what was disagreeable to him, and be
unthankful for his deliverance. So they desired him to consider, that
since it is God that turns the scales of war, there is great uncertainty
in the issue of battles, and that therefore he ought of to expect the
victory when he should fight with his king, and him that had supported
him, and bestowed many benefits upon him, and had done nothing itself
very severe to him; for that his accusation, which was derived from
evil counselors, and not from himself, had rather the suspicion of some
severity, than any thing really severe in it. Herod was persuaded by
these arguments, and believed that it was sufficient for his future
hopes to have made a show of his strength before the nation, and done no
more to it--and in this state were the affairs of Judea at this time.

CHAPTER 10. The Honors That Were Paid The Jews; And The Leagues That
Were Made By The Romans And Other Nations, With Them.

1. Now when Caesar was come to Rome, he was ready to sail into Africa
to fight against Scipio and Cato, when Hyrcanus sent ambassadors to him,
and by them desired that he would ratify that league of