Antigonus had caufed both his ears to be cut off, and the Parthian Prince, in order to prevent fresh infurrections had carried the unfortunate High-Prieft away with him. Hyrcan was now in Babylon, he had been there politely received by Phaartes the Parthian King, and treated with great refpect and reverence. The High Prieft-hood was difpofed of by Herod to Ananel, an obfcure Prieft not likely to interfere with the Government of his Prerogative. Notwithftanding Hyrcan's fituation, fuch was his love and partiality for his Country, and fuch his innocence and confidence in the friendfhip of the King, that he was anxiously impatient and wifhing much to spend the remainder of his life in Jerufalem. His friends would fain have diffuaded him, alledging the folly and great hazard of putting himself in Herod's Power, and the honour, fafety and happinefs, he was peacefully enjoying at Babylon.

Herod highly artful and politic, fent first to Hyrcan a friendly invitation, he was now fettled in his Government and carneftly requested him to partake of his Sovereignty and of the honours of his ftation, as a grateful return of Ivitation with a rich prefent to the Parthian. former friendship. Herod accompanied his inKing, asking his Majefty's leave for his vener

0 2

able

able friend, to return and end his days at Jerufalem, Herod fent alfo prefents to fome of the Parthian Nobility, Men of influence and. dignity at Court, engaging them in favour of his Suit. Whilft this was negociating. Herod on fome pretence or other, contrived to quarrel with Alexandra Daughter of Hyrcan, and Mother of his beloved Mariamne, and he ordered her to he confined to her Palace at Jericho, and placed a guard over her. Alexandra watched her opportunity, conveyed a letter to Cleopatra, the celebrated Egyptian Queen, it informed her, of her fad fituation, and Herod's cruelty; upon which, the Queen invited her into Egypt, and Alexandra wanted very little perfuafion to accept it, the difficulty was how to get away and conceal her efcape. She dispatched a faithful fervant to hire a veffel, and another was entrusted with the greatest fecresy to procure two coffins, one for herself, and another for her Son Ariftobulus-thus they were both to be conveyed and put aboard the hip. Herod was apprized of their whole defign, he admitted them to be carried out of the Palace, and when they had got half-way he caufed them to be arrefted and brought back to Jericho. The refentment of the Egyp tian Queen Herod dreaded, and he now cautiously turned his thoughts to moderate it; fhe was a for

midable

midable neighbour, a Rival at Rome, and high in the favour of Antony. Herod therefore put on the Mask of kindnefs and Clemency, and with wonderful Art even brought on an ontward reconciliation, but from that moment he resolved to get rid of Ariftobulus the young Prince. Immediately upon this Change in her Affairs, Alexandra renewed her applications to Herod for her Son Ananel was a Babylonifli Prieft, and her haughty Spirit could not bear the indignity of his filling the Pontifical Chair, a Station and pre-eminence belonging only to Ariftobulus. Her inceflant and unwearied applications at length prevailed, Herod admitted her plea, but he plainly forefaw that the young Prince had an equal right and claim on the Crown. Herod depofed Ananel and Ariftobulus was appointed to the High-Priesthood. A moft highly pleafing and elegant youth and only feventeen; Herod told Alexandra he had really intended the Prieft-hood for her Son and Ananel had only fupplied his place, until he should arrive at an age correfponding with the facred office and dignity. When Aristobulus, arrayed in his pontifical robes, officiated at the Altar, the People flood aftonifhed at his elegant, graceful and Majeftic figure, he was the general talk of all, they beheld in him, the worth and fplendour of his Ancestors again revived, and they filled the Temple and the City with his praise.

Thirty-five Years before Chrift,

As

4

As foon as the Feast of Tabernacles was over,
Herod and Ariftobulus fet out together on a
vifit to Jericho, Alexandra had invited them
both to a fumptuous entertainment, the weather
was hot, and it was propofed to Ariftobulus to
bathe in an elegant bafon in the neighbourhood,
Herod had engaged two villains, who leaped in,
and kept the young Prince under water until he
was quite dead. The murderous deed was, as
much as poffible, difguifed and gloffcd over.
Herod affected the deepeft forrow, put on a
mourning drefs, ordered a moft magnificent
funeral, and a fiately monument to his memory.
Upon this dark event, Ananel was reftored to
the office of the High-Priesthood.
ftanding all his art, Herod was well known to
have been the murderer of Ariftobulus, and the
transaction and infamy made him truly odious to
the People. Poor Alexandra, his diftracted
Mother, was with great difficulty prevented from
laying violent hands on herself; in her calmer
moments, when she could reafon with lefs defpair,
fhe confidered her life might avenge the death
of her Son, and bring about the ruin of his mur:
derer; fhe wrote a forrowful and paffionate letter
to Cleopatra, and the Queen, from motives of
ambition rather than from pity and a fenfe of the
horror of the crime, wrote herself a letter to
Antony who was then at Rome, severely accufing

Notwith

and

and foliciting with feeming earneftness the Punishment of Herod, and she was not without hopes of obtaining even a grant of his Kingdom.

It was not long after this, the Egyptian Queen with her gay bark in Princely pomp, fet fail on a journey to meet her Antony, the Royal Lovers met and agreed to make fome ftay at Laodicea. Antony fent an exprefs to Jerufalem commanding Herod to meet him there. Herod did not difobey his patron, much against his will he fet out, but he carried with him an immense bribe which purchafed him both an honourable reception and a fure acquital. Antony fatisfied the avarice of Cleopatra by presenting her with the Province of Cæle-Syria. On Herod's journey into Syria, having reafons for fufpecting his fafety, and that he was going to be tried for his life, he left exprefs orders at home, to put to death his beloved wife, the highly beautiful Mariamne, in cafe they fhould hear of a decifion against him. Herod knew the fame of her beauty had long reached Rome, and to have left fuch charms in poffeffion of a Rival, even after his death, was more dreadful to him than any fufferings whatever.

Thirty-four Years before Christ.

Mariamne