enefactor and thy brother, and may that
evil conscience of thine go along with thee; while I still overcome my
relations by kindness, and am so far from avenging myself of them, as
they deserve, that I bestow greater benefits upon them than they are
worthy of."

5. Thus did the king speak. Whereupon Pheroras, who was caught in the
very act of his villainy, said that "it was Salome who was the framer of
this plot, and that the words came from her." But as soon as she
heard that, for she was at hand, she cried out, like one that would be
believed, that no such thing ever came out of her mouth; that they all
earnestly endeavored to make the king hate her, and to make her away,
because of the good-will she bore to Herod, and because she was always
foreseeing the dangers that were coming upon him, and that at present
there were more plots against him than usual; for while she was the only
person who persuaded her brother to put away the wife he now had, and to
take the king's daughter, it was no wonder if she were hated by him. As
she said this, and often tore her hair, and often beat her breast, her
countenance made her denial to be believed; but the peverseness of
her manners declared at the same time her dissimulation in these
proceedings; but Pheroras was caught between them, and had nothing
plausible to offer in his own defense, while he confessed that he had
said what was charged upon him, but was not believed when he said he
had heard it from Salome; so the confusion among them was increased,
and their quarrelsome words one to another. At last the king, out of his
hatred to his brother and sister, sent them both away; and when he had
commended the moderation of his son, and that he had himself told him
of the report, he went in the evening to refresh himself. After such a
contest as this had fallen out among them, Salome's reputation suffered
greatly, since she was supposed to have first raised the calumny;
and the king's wives were grieved at her, as knowing she was a very
ill-natured woman, and would sometimes be a friend, and sometimes an
enemy, at different seasons: so they perpetually said one thing or
another against her; and somewhat that now fell out made them the bolder
in speaking against her.

6. There was one Obodas, king of Arabia, an inactive and slothful man
in his nature; but Sylleus managed most of his affairs for him. He was
a shrewd man, although he was but young, and was handsome withal. This
Syl