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he went away, having escaped the notice of the enemy. But when the wagon overturned on the road, and his mother was in danger of dying, he almost killed himself. Having therefore recovered his mother and deemed her worthy of such care as the occasion urged, he proceeded more quickly towards Masada the fortress. In the meantime, having fought both against the pursuing Parthians and against the Jews who attacked him again, he conquered and prevailed. However, since the crowd following him was large, and the fortress of Masada, towards 1.357 which they were hurrying, was not sufficient to receive them all, he dismissed the majority, giving them provisions, but with those who were light-armed and the most essential people, he arrived at the fortress. And leaving there the women and their attendants with sufficient provisions, he himself set out for Petra of Arabia. In the morning, the Parthians plundered the other possessions of the Jerusalemites and the palace itself, but they abstained from the treasures of Hyrcanus, which amounted to eighty talents; and the Parthians were ravaging the country. Antigonus, therefore, having thus been brought into Judea, takes Hyrcanus and Phasaelus as prisoners. But fearing that the multitude might restore the kingdom to Hyrcanus, he cuts off his ears, since the law commands that those who are to be priests must be whole. But Phasaelus, knowing he was about to be slain, since his hands were bound, dashed his head against a rock and so took his own life, and deprived the enemy of the pleasure of killing him. But before he quite expired, hearing that his brother Herod had escaped the enemy, he died cheerfully, leaving behind an avenger and a punisher of his enemies. And Herod hurried to Malchus, the king of the Arabians, who had previously been benefited by him, hoping to receive money from him for the ransom of his brother; for he had not yet learned what had happened to him. But when Malchus sent word to him by some messengers to depart, as the Parthians had ordered not to receive him, he replied that he had come to cause no trouble, but to discuss 1.358 the most necessary matters. And having said these things, he departed for Egypt, and on his way he heard what had happened to his brother. But Malchus repented, and sent men to bring Herod back; but he was very far away. And having been brought to Egypt and from there arrived in Rome, he tells Antony what had happened to him and to Phasaelus, and how Antigonus had been brought into the kingdom by the Parthians by a promise of money and women, and the other things which he both did and suffered. And pity for Herod's change of fortune came over Antony. And Caesar also, both for other reasons and to gratify Antony, who was greatly distressed for Herod, was more ready for cooperation. Therefore, having brought Herod before the senate, they recounted the good deeds of his father and spoke of his own goodwill towards the Romans; and they accused Antigonus, and called him an enemy, both for other reasons and because he had received his rule from the Parthians, having despised the Romans. Antony also added that it was advantageous for the war against the Parthians for Herod to be king. And this seeming good to all, they vote it. And so he had received the kingdom, while Antigonus was besieging Masada completely. But those inside it were short of water, so that even Herod's brother Joseph planned to escape with two hundred men to the Arabians; but he was restrained, when a rainstorm occurred during the night. And Ventidius, the Roman general sent from Syria to check the Parthians, entered Judea, as if to help the besieged, but in reality to get money from Antigonus. Therefore, having accomplished his purpose, he withdrew, but he had left Silo behind with part of the army, so that 1.359 the bribe might not become obvious. But Herod, having sailed from Italy to Ptolemais, marched against Antigonus, having gathered a force. And having in the meantime taken Joppa, so that the enemy might have no fortress, he hurried to Masada, to rescue his family; and having recovered them, he proceeded towards Jerusalem; and the soldiery with Silo was also with him.

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ἀπῄει, τοὺς πολεμίους λαθών. τοῦ ζεύγους δὲ περιτραπέντος ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, καὶ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ κινδυνευούσης ἀποθανεῖν, μικροῦ ἑαυτὸν διεχρήσατο. ἀνακτησάμενος ουν τὴν μητέρα καὶ θεραπείας ὡς ὁ καιρὸς ηπειγεν ἀξιώσας, ἐβάδιζε συντονώτερον πρὸς Μασάδαν τὸ ερυμα. ἐν τῷ μέσῳ δὲ καὶ πρὸς Πάρθους διώκοντας μαχεσάμενος καὶ πρὸς ̓Ιουδαίους αυθις ἐπιθεμένους αὐτῷ, ἐνίκησε καὶ ἐκράτησε. τοῦ μέντοι πλήθους τοῦ συνεπομένου αὐτῷ πολλοῦ οντος, τοῦ δὲ τῆς Μασάδας φρουρίου, πρὸς 1.357 οπερ ἠπείγοντο, οὐκ ἐξαρκοῦντος απαντας ὑποδέξασθαι, τοὺς μὲν πλείους ἀπέλυσε, δοὺς σφίσιν ἐφόδια, οσοι δὲ ησαν κοῦφοι καὶ τοὺς ἀναγκαιοτάτους εχων εἰς τὸ ερυμα παραγίνεται. καὶ ἀφεὶς αὐτόθι τάς τε γυναῖκας καὶ τὴν θεραπείαν ἀρκοῦντα τὰ ἐπιτήδεια εχοντας, αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν Πέτραν τῆς ̓Αραβίας ἐξώρμησεν. εωθεν δὲ τὰ μὲν αλλα τῶν ̔Ιεροσολυμιτῶν οἱ Πάρθοι διήρπαζον καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ βασίλεια, μόνων δὲ ἀπείχοντο τῶν ̔Υρκανοῦ χρημάτων, οντων εἰς ὀγδοήκοντα τάλαντα· καὶ τὴν χώραν δὲ ἐκάκουν οἱ Πάρθοι. ̓Αντίγονος μὲν ουν ουτω καταχθεὶς εἰς τὴν ̓Ιουδαίαν ̔Υρκανὸν καὶ Φασάηλον δεσμώτας παραλαμβάνει. φοβούμενος δὲ τὸν ̔Υρκανὸν μὴ τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῷ τὴν βασιλείαν ἀποκαταστήσῃ, ἀποτέμνει αὐτοῦ τὰ ωτα, τοῦ νόμου τοὺς ἱερᾶσθαι μέλλοντας ὁλοκλήρους ειναι κελεύοντος. Φασάηλος δὲ γνοὺς ἑαυτὸν μέλλοντα σφάττεσθαι, ἐπεὶ τὰς χεῖρας δεδέσμητο, πέτρᾳ προσαράξας τὴν κεφαλὴν ἑαυτὸν μὲν ἐξήγαγε τοῦ βίου, τὴν δ' ἐκ τοῦ κτεῖναι αὐτὸν ἡδονὴν ἐστέρησε τὸν πολέμιον. πρὸ δέ γε τοῦ πάνυ ἐκλιπεῖν ἀκούσας ὡς διέδρα τοὺς πολεμίους ̔Ηρώδης ὁ ἀδελφός, εὐθύμως ἀπέθανε, καταλιπὼν ἐκδικητὴν καὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τιμωρόν. ̔Ηρώδης δὲ πρὸς Μάλχον τὸν ̓Αράβων εσπευδε βασιλέα, εὐεργετηθέντα πρόσθεν ὑπ' αὐτοῦ, ὡς παρ' αὐτοῦ ληψόμενος χρήματα εἰς λύτρον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ· ουπω γὰρ ην τὰ κατ' ἐκεῖνον μαθών. ἀγγείλαντος δὲ τοῦ Μάλχου αὐτῷ διά τινων ἀναχωρεῖν, ὡς τῶν Πάρθων παραγγειλάντων μὴ δέχεσθαι αὐτόν, ἀπεκρίνατο μηδὲν ἐνοχλήσων ηκειν, διαλεξό1.358 μενος δὲ περὶ τῶν ἀναγκαιοτάτων. καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀπῄει ἐπ' Αιγυπτον, καὶ ἀπιὼν τὰ κατὰ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ηκουσε. Μάλχῳ δὲ μετεμέλησε, καὶ εστειλε τοὺς ἀναστρέψοντας τὸν ̔Ηρώδην· ὁ δὲ πορρωτάτω ην. καὶ εἰς Αιγυπτον καταχθεὶς κἀκεῖθεν εἰς ̔Ρώμην ἀφικόμενος ̓Αντωνίῳ φράζει τὰ αὐτῷ καὶ τῷ Φασαήλῳ συμβεβηκότα, καὶ ὡς ̓Αντίγονος ὑπὸ Πάρθων εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν εἰσήχθη χρημάτων ὑποσχέσει καὶ γυναικῶν, καὶ ταλλα οσα εδρασέ τε καὶ επαθεν. ̓Αντώνιον δὲ οικτος εἰσέρχεται τῆς ̔Ηρώδου μεταβολῆς. καὶ Καῖσαρ δὲ διά τε αλλα καὶ χαριζόμενος ̓Αντωνίῳ τοῦ ̔Ηρώδου ὑπεραλγοῦντι πρὸς συνεργίαν ἑτοιμότερος ην. παραστησάμενοι ουν τῇ βουλῇ τὸν ̔Ηρώδην τάς τε τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ διεξῄεσαν εὐεργεσίας καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ πρὸς ̔Ρωμαίους ελεγον ευνοιαν· κατηγόρουν δὲ ̓Αντιγόνου, καὶ πολέμιον ὠνόμαζον καὶ αλλοθεν μὲν καὶ οτι παρὰ Πάρθων ελαβε τὴν ἀρχήν, τοὺς ̔Ρωμαίους ὑπεριδών. προσεπῆγε δὲ ὁ ̓Αντώνιος οτι καὶ πρὸς τὸν κατὰ Πάρθων πόλεμον ̔Ηρώδην βασιλεύειν συμφέρει. καὶ δόξαν πᾶσι τοῦτο ψηφίζονται. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ουτω τὴν βασιλείαν εἰλήφει, ̓Αντίγονος δὲ τὴν Μασάδαν ἐπολιόρκει διόλου. οἱ δὲ ἐντὸς αὐτῆς ἐσπάνιζον υδατος, ὡς καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ̔Ηρώδου τὸν ̓Ιωσὴφ ἀποδρᾶναι βουλεύεσθαι σὺν διακοσίοις πρὸς Αραβας· ἀλλ' ἐπεσχέθη, γενομένου νυκτὸς ὑετοῦ. Βενδίδιος δὲ ὁ ̔Ρωμαίων στρατηγὸς πεμφθεὶς ἐκ Συρίας Πάρθους ἀνείργειν, εἰς ̓Ιουδαίαν παρέβαλεν, ὡς συμμαχήσων δῆθεν τοῖς πολιορκουμένοις, τὸ δ' ολον ὡς παρὰ ̓Αντιγόνου χρηματισόμενος. ὁ μὲν ουν πληρώσας τὸ βούλημα ἀνεχώρησε, Σίλωνα δὲ μετὰ μέρους τῆς στρατιᾶς καταλέλοιπεν, ινα μὴ 1.359 γένηται τὸ λῆμμα κατάφωρον. ̔Ηρώδης δὲ ἐκ τῆς ̓Ιταλίας εἰς Πτολεμαΐδα καταπεπλευκὼς ηλαυνεν ἐπ' ̓Αντίγονον, δύναμιν ἀθροίσας. ἑλὼν δ' ἐν τῷ μέσῳ τὴν ̓Ιόπην, ινα μηδὲν ειη τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ερυμα, εσπευδεν εἰς Μασάδαν, τοὺς οἰκείους ῥυσόμενος· καὶ τούτους ἀναλαβὼν πρὸς τὰ ̔Ιεροσόλυμα ἐπορεύετο· συνῆν δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ μετὰ Σίλωνος στρατιωτικόν.