forge them, which they had not been able to do if he had
been there. Moreover he showed the weakness of the evidence obtained by
torture, which was commonly false, because the distress men are in under
such tortures naturally obliges them to say many things in order to
please those that govern them. He also offered himself to the torture.

5. Hereupon there was a change observed in the assembly, while they
greatly pitied Antipater, who by weeping and putting on a countenance
suitable to his sad case made them commiserate the same, insomuch that
his very enemies were moved to compassion; 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. Although he owned that he was not so much surprised with that
thoughtless behavior of his former sons, who were but young, and were
besides corrupted by wicked counselors, who were the occasion of their
wiping out of their minds the righteous dictates of nature, and this out
of a desire of coming to the government sooner than they ought to do;
yet that he could not but justly stand amazed at the horrid wickedness
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, while
Antipater hath not let the misfortunes of his brethren be any hinderance
to him, but he hath gone on to imitate their barbarity notwithstanding.
"Yet wast thou, O Antipater! [as thou hast thyself confessed,] 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, but are astonished at thy
endeavors to imitate their profligate behavior; and we discover thereby
that thou didst not act thus for the safety of thy father, but for
the de