t did not use to
be eaten; nor was the king himself free from this distress any more than
other men, as being deprived of that tribute he used to have from the
fruits of the ground, and having already expended what money he had, in
his liberality to those whose cities he had built; nor had he any people
that were worthy of his assistance, since this miserable state of things
had procured him the hatred of his subjects: for it is a constant rule,
that misfortunes are still laid to the account of those that govern.

2. In these circumstances he considered with himself how to procure
some seasonable help; but this was a hard thing to be done, while their
neighbors had no food to sell them; and their money also was gone, had
it been possible to purchase a little food at a great price. However, he
thought it his best way, by all means, not to leave off his endeavors
to assist his people; so he cut off the rich furniture that was in his
palace, both of silver and gold, insomuch that he did not spare the
finest vessels he had, or those that were made with the most elaborate
skill of the artificers, but sent the money to Petronius, who had been
made prefect of Egypt by Caesar; and as not a few had already fled to
him under their necessities, and as he was particularly a friend to
Herod, and desirous to have his subjects preserved, he gave leave to
them in the first place to export corn, and assisted them every way,
both in purchasing and exporting the same; so that he was the principal,
if not the only person, who afforded them what help they had. And
Herod taking care the people should understand that this help came
from himself, did thereby not only remove the ill opinion of those that
formerly hated him, but gave them the greatest demonstration possible of
his good-will to them, and care of them; for, in the first place, as for
those who were able to provide their own food, he distributed to them
their proportion of corn in the exactest manner; but for those many
that were not able, either by reason of their old age, or any other
infirmity, to provide food for themselves, he made this provision for
them, the bakers should make their bread ready for them. He also took
care that they might not be hurt by the dangers of winter, since they
were in great want of clothing also, by reason of the utter destruction
and consumption of their sheep and goats, till they had no wool to make
use of, nor any thing else to cover themselves wi