my friend
before I began to be thine; on which account Quintus Didius hath written
to me that thou sentest him assistance against the gladiators. I do
therefore assure thee that I will confirm the kingdom to thee by decree:
I shall also endeavor to do thee some further kindness hereafter, that
thou mayst find no loss in the want of Antony."

3. When Caesar had spoken such obliging things to the king, and had put
the diadem again about his head, he proclaimed what he had bestowed on
him by a decree, in which he enlarged in the commendation of the man
after a magnificent manner. Whereupon Herod obliged him to be kind
to him by the presents he gave him, and he desired him to forgive
Alexander, one of Antony's friends, who was become a supplicant to him.
But Caesar's anger against him prevailed, and he complained of the many
and very great offenses the man whom he petitioned for had been guilty
of; and by that means he rejected his petition. After this Caesar went
for Egypt through Syria, when Herod received him with royal and rich
entertainments; and then did he first of all ride along with Caesar, as
he was reviewing his army about Ptolemais, and feasted him with all
his friends, and then distributed among the rest of the army what was
necessary to feast them withal. He also made a plentiful provision of
water for them, when they were to march as far as Pelusium, through a
dry country, which he did also in like manner at their return thence;
nor were there any necessaries wanting to that army. It was therefore
the opinion, both of Caesar and of his soldiers, that Herod's kingdom
was too small for those generous presents he made them; for which
reason, when Caesar was come into Egypt, and Cleopatra and Antony were
dead, he did not only bestow other marks of honor upon him, but made an
addition to his kingdom, by giving him not only the country which had
been taken from him by Cleopatra, but besides that, Gadara, and Hippos,
and Samaria; and moreover, of the maritime cities, Gaza [31] and
Anthedon, and Joppa, and Strato's Tower. He also made him a present of
four hundred Galls [Galatians] as a guard for his body, which they had
been to Cleopatra before. Nor did any thing so strongly induce Caesar to
make these presents as the generosity of him that received them.

4. Moreover, after the first games at Actium, he added to his kingdom
both the region called Trachonitis, and what lay in its neighborhood,
Batanea, and the coun