The history of Aristobulus the son of Hyrcanus
1 HyrcaNnus being dead, his son Aristobulus succeeded him on the throne; who displayed haughtiness, pride, and power; and placed on his head a large crown, in contempt of the crown of the sacred priesthood.
2 Now he was affectionately inclined towards his brother Antigonus, whom he preferred to all his friends: but his brother sess he kept in prison, as also his mother, by reason of her love for Alexander.
3 And he sent his brother Antigonus, who fought against him, and conquered him, with all his abettors and troops, which he put to flight, and returned into the city of the Holy House: This happened while Aristobulus lay sick.”
4 When therefore Antigonus was on his way to the city, the sickness of his brother was_reported to him; who, entering the city, went to the house of God, to give thanks for the mercy shewn in his deliverance from the enemy, and to beseech the great and good God to restore health to his brother.
5 Therefore certain of those who were adversaries and haters of Antigonus go to.Aristobulus and say;
6 In sooth the news of your sickness was carried to your brother, and behold he is coming with his partisans, armed; and is now gone into the sanctuary to make to himself friends, that he may come suddenly upon you and slay you.
7 And king Aristobulus was afraid to take any hasty step against his brother respecting that which had been told him, till he should know the correctness of the intelligence.
8 Wherefore he commanded all his attendants to post themselves armed in a certain place, from which whoever came to his palace could not turn aside.
9 He likewise ordered it to be publicly proclaimed, that no one wearing arms of any kind should come to the king into the court, without being hidden.
10 After this, he sent to Antigonus, ordering him to come to him: whereupon Antigonus took off his arms in obedience to the king.
11 In the mean time there comes to him a messéiiger from the wife of his brother Aristobulus, (who hated him,) saying to him;
12 The king says to you, “I have now heard “of the beauty of your dress when you entered the city, and am desirous of beholding you thus habited; wherefore come to me in that form, that I may be gratified in seeing you.”
13 And Antigonus doubted not that this message was _ from the king, as the messenger had reported;
14 and that he did not wish to put him on the same footing with others as to the laying aside their arms: and he went to him in that manner and dress.
15 And when he had come to that place in which king Aristobulus had commanded his men to post themselves, with orders to kill any person who should come thither armed;
16 and when the men saw him wearing his arms;—they rushed on him, and instantly slew him; and his blood flowed over the marble pavement on that spot.
17 And the cry of men grew loud, and their weeping and lamentation was magnified, grieving over the death of Antigonus, for his beauty, and the elegance of his discourse, and his exploits.
18 So the king, hearing the noise of the men, enquired concerning it; and found that Antigonus had been slain;
19 which caused him the greatest sorrow, both for the affection which he bare towards him, and because he did not deserve this fate: and he perceived that a snare had been laid for his brother:
20 and he cried aloud, and wept exceedingly; and smote his breast unceasingly; so that some blood-vessels of his breast were burst, and the blood flowed out of his mouth.
21 But his attendants and the chief of his friends came to him, consoling him, and appeasing and soothing him, so as to restrain him from this action;
22 being apprehensive that he would die, as he was weak, and was almost expiring under that which he had already done.
23 And they took a golden basin, to receive the blood which gushed forth at his mouth;
24 and they sent the basin, with the blood with: was in it, by one of the attendants to a physician, that he might see it, and advise what was to be done for him.
25 And the page went with the basin: and when he came to the place where Antigonus had been slain, and his blood had flowed about, the page slipped, and fell; and spilled the king’s blood which was in the basin over the blood of his murdered brother.
26 And the page returned with the basin, and told the courtiers what had happened; who abused and reviled him; while he justified himself, and sware that he had not designedly or voluntarily done this.
27 But when the king heard them quarrelling, he asked to. be told what they were saying: and they held their tongues: but when he threatened them, they told him.
28 Who then said, “Praise be to the Just Judge, who hath shed the blood of the oppressor over the blood of the oppressed.”
29 Then he groaned, and forthwith expired. And the time of his reign was one full year.
30 And all his flock lamented him; for he was noble-minded, victorious, and liberal: and his brother Alexander we reigned in his stead.