THE WARS OF THE JEWS
OR
THE HISTORY OF THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM
Book II: Chapter 7
THE HISTORY OF THE SPURIOUS ALEXANDER. ARCHELAUS IS
BANISHED AND GLAPHYRA DIES, AFTER WHAT WAS TO HAPPEN
TO BOTH OF THEM HAD BEEN SHOWED THEM IN DREAMS.
1. In
the meantime, there was a man, who was by birth a Jew,
but brought up at Sidon with one of the Roman
freed-men, who falsely pretended, on account of the
resemblance of their countenances, that he was that
Alexander who was slain by Herod. This man came to
Rome, in hopes of not being detected. He had one who
was his assistant, of his own nation, and who knew all
the affairs of the kingdom, and instructed him to say
how those that were sent to kill him and Aristobulus
had pity upon them, and stole them away, by putting
bodies that were like theirs in their places. This man
deceived the Jews that were at Crete, and got a great
deal of money of them for traveling in splendor; and
thence sailed to Melos, where he was thought so
certainly genuine, that he got a great deal more
money, and prevailed with those that had treated him
to sail along with him to Rome. So he landed at
Dicearchia, [Puteoli,] and got very large presents
from the Jews who dwelt there, and was conducted by
his father’s friends as if he were a king; nay, the
resemblance in his countenance procured him so much
credit, that those who had seen Alexander, and had
known him very well, would take their oaths that he
was the very same person. Accordingly, the whole body
of the Jews that were at Rome ran out in crowds to see
him, and an innumerable multitude there was which
stood in the narrow places through which he was
carried; for those of Melos were so far distracted,
that they carried him in a sedan, and maintained a
royal attendance for him at their own proper charges.
2. But Caesar, who knew perfectly well the
lineaments of Alexander’sface, because he had been
accused by Herod before him, discerned the fallacy in
his countenance, even before he saw the man. However,
he suffered the agreeable fame that went of him to
have some weight with him, and sent Celadus, one who
well knew Alexander, and ordered him to bring the
young man to him. But when Caesar saw him, he
immediately
discerned a difference in his countenance; and when
he had discovered that his whole body was of a more
robust texture, and like that of a slave, he
understood the whole was a contrivance. But the
impudence of what he said greatly provoked him to be
angry at him; for when he was asked about Aristobulus,
he said that he was also preserved alive, and was left
on purpose in Cyprus, for fear of treachery, because
it would be harder for plotters to get them both into
their power while they were separate. Then did Caesar
take him by himself privately, and said to him, “I
will give thee thy life, if thou wilt discover who it
was that persuaded thee to forge such stories.” So he
said that he would discover him, and followed Caesar,
and pointed to that Jew who abused the resemblance of
his face to get money; for that he had received more
presents in every city than ever Alexander did when he
was alive. Caesar laughed at the contrivance, and put
this spurious Alexander among his rowers, on account
of the strength of his body, but ordered him that
persuaded him to be put to death. But for the people
of Melos, they had been sufficiently punished for
their folly, by the expenses they had been at on his
account.
3. And now Archelaus took possession of his
ethnarchy, and used not theJews only, but the
Samaritans also, barbarously; and this out of his
resentment of their old quarrels with him. Whereupon
they both of them sent ambassadors against him to
Caesar; and in the ninth year of his government he was
banished to Vienna, a city of Gaul, and his effects
were put into Caesar’s treasury. But the report goes,
that before he was sent for by Caesar, he seemed to
see nine ears of corn, full and large, but devoured by
oxen. When, therefore, he had sent for the diviners,
and some of the Chaldeans, and inquired of them what
they thought it portended; and when one of them had
one interpretation, and another had another, Simon,
one of the sect of Essens, said that he thought the
ears of corn denoted years, and the oxen denoted a
mutation of things, because by their ploughing they
made an alteration of the country. That therefore he
should reign as many years as there were ears of corn;
and after he had passed through various alterations of
fortune, should die. Now five days after Archelaus had
heard this interpretation he was called to his trial.
4. I cannot also but think it worthy to be recorded
what dream Glaphyra,the daughter of Archelaus, king of
Cappadocia, had, who had at first been wife to
Alexander, who was the brother of Archelaus,
concerning whom
we have been discoursing. This Alexander was the
son of Herod the king, by whom he was put to death, as
we have already related. This Glaphyra was married,
after his death, to Juba, king of Libya; and, after
his death, was returned home, and lived a widow with
her father. Then it was that Archelaus, the ethnarch,
saw her, and fell so deeply in love with her, that he
divorced Mariamne, who was then his wife,,and married
her. When, therefore, she was come into Judea, and had
been there for a little while, she thought she saw
Alexander stand by her, and that he said to her; “Thy
marriage with the king of Libya might have been
sufficient for thee; but thou wast not contented with
him, but art returned again to my family, to a third
husband; and him, thou impudent woman, hast thou
chosen for thine husband, who is my brother. However,
I shall not overlook the injury thou hast offered me;
I shall [soon] have thee again, whether thou wilt or
no.” Now Glaphyra hardly survived the narration of
this dream of hers two days.
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