Antiquities of the Jews — Book 15, Chapter 5

1. Hereupon Herod held himself ready to go against the king of Arabia,
because of his ingratitude to him, and because, after all, he would do
nothing that was just to him, although Herod made the Roman war an
occasion of delaying his own; for the battle at Actium was now expected,
which fell into the hundred eighty and seventh olympiad, where Cæsar and
Antony were to fight for the supreme power of the world; but Herod
having enjoyed a country that was very fruitful, and that now for a long
time, and having received great taxes, and raised great armies
therewith, got together a body of men, and carefully furnished them with
all necessaries, and designed them as auxiliaries for Antony. But Antony
said he had no want of his assistance; but he commanded him to punish
the king of Arabia; for he had heard both from him, and from Cleopatra,
how perfidious he was; for this was what Cleopatra desired, who thought
it for her own advantage that these two kings should do one another as
great mischief as possible. Upon this message from Antony, Herod
returned back, but kept his army with him, in order to invade Arabia
immediately. So when his army of horsemen and footmen was ready, he
marched to Diospolis, whither the Arabians came also to meet them, for
they were not unapprized of this war that was coming upon them; and
after a great battle had been fought, the Jews had the victory. But
afterward there were gotten together another numerous army of the
Arabians, at Cana, which is a place of Celesyria. Herod was informed of
this beforehand; so he came marching against them with the greatest part
of the forces he had; and when he was come near to Cana, he resolved to
encamp himself; and he cast up a bulwark, that he might take a proper
season for attacking the enemy; but as he was giving those orders, the
multitude of the Jews cried out that he should make no delay, but lead
them against the Arabians. They went with great spirit, as believing
they were in very good order; and those especially were so that had been
in the former battle, and had been conquerors, and had not permitted
their enemies so much as to come to a close fight with them. And when
they were so tumultuous, and showed such great alacrity, the king
resolved to make use of that zeal the multitude then exhibited; and when
he had assured them he would not be behindhand with them in courage, he
led them on, and stood before them all in his armor, all the regiments
following him in their several ranks: whereupon a consternation fell
upon the Arabians; for when they perceived that the Jews were not to be
conquered, and were full of spirit, the greater part of them ran away,
and avoided fighting; and they had been quite destroyed, had not Anthony
fallen upon the Jews, and distressed them; for this man was Cleopatra's
general over the soldiers she had there, and was at enmity with Herod,
and very wistfully looked on to see what the event of the battle would
be. He had also resolved, that in case the Arabians did any thing that
was brave and successful, he would lie still; but in case they were
beaten, as it really happened, he would attack the Jews with those
forces he had of his own, and with those that the country had gotten
together for him. So he fell upon the Jews unexpectedly, when they were
fatigued, and thought they had already vanquished the enemy, and made a
great slaughter of them; for as the Jews had spent their courage upon
their known enemies, and were about to enjoy themselves in quietness
after their victory, they were easily beaten by these that attacked them
afresh, and in particular received a great loss in places where the
horses could not be of service, and which were very stony, and where
those that attacked them were better acquainted with the places than
themselves. And when the Jews had suffered this loss, the Arabians
raised their spirits after their defeat, and returning back again, slew
those that were already put to flight; and indeed all sorts of slaughter
were now frequent, and of those that escaped, a few only returned into
the camp. So king Herod, when he despaired of the battle, rode up to
them to bring them assistance; yet did he not come time enough to do
them any service, though he labored hard to do it; but the Jewish camp
was taken; so that the Arabians had unexpectedly a most glorious
success, having gained that victory which of themselves they were no way
likely to have gained, and slaying a great part of the enemy's army:
whence afterward Herod could only act like a private robber, and make
excursions upon many parts of Arabia, and distress them by sudden
incursions, while he encamped among the mountains, and avoided by any
means to come to a pitched battle; yet did he greatly harass the enemy
by his assiduity, and the hard labor he took in this matter. He also
took great care of his own forces, and used all the means he could to
restore his affairs to their old state.

2. At this time it was that the fight happened at Actium, between
Octavius Cæsar and Antony, in the seventh year of the reign of Herod 8
and then it was also that there was an earthquake in Judea, such a one
as had not happened at any other time, and which earthquake brought a
great destruction upon the cattle in that country. About ten thousand
men also perished by the fall of houses; but the army, which lodged in
the field, received no damage by this sad accident. When the Arabians
were informed of this, and when those that hated the Jews, and pleased
themselves with aggravating the reports, told them of it, they raised
their spirits, as if their enemy's country was quite overthrown, and the
men were utterly destroyed, and thought there now remained nothing that
could oppose them. Accordingly, they took the Jewish ambassadors, who
came to them after all this had happened, to make peace with them, and
slew them, and came with great alacrity against their army; but the Jews
durst not withstand them, and were so cast down by the calamities they
were under, that they took no care of their affairs, but gave up
themselves to despair; for they had no hope that they should be upon a
level again with them in battles, nor obtain any assistance elsewhere,
while their affairs at home were in such great distress also. When
matters were in this condition, the king persuaded the commanders by his
words, and tried to raise their spirits, which were quite sunk; and
first he endeavored to encourage and embolden some of the better sort
beforehand, and then ventured to make a speech to the multitude, which
he had before avoided to do, lest he should find them uneasy thereat,
because of the misfortunes which had happened; so he made a consolatory
speech to the multitude, in the manner following:

3. "You are not unacquainted, my fellow soldiers, that we have had, not
long since, many accidents that have put a stop to what we are about,
and it is probable that even those that are most distinguished above
others for their courage can hardly keep up their spirits in such
circumstances; but since we cannot avoid fighting, and nothing that hath
happened is of such a nature but it may by ourselves be recovered into a
good state, and this by one brave action only well performed, I have
proposed to myself both to give you some encouragement, and, at the same
time, some information; both which parts of my design will tend to this
point; that you may still continue in your own proper fortitude. I will
then, in the first place, demonstrate to you that this war is a just one
on our side, and that on this account it is a war of necessity, and
occasioned by the injustice of our adversaries; for if you be once
satisfied of this, it will be a real cause of alacrity to you; after
which I will further demonstrate, that the misfortunes we are under are
of no great consequence, and that we have the greatest reason to hope
for victory. I shall begin with the first, and appeal to yourselves as
witnesses to what I shall say. You are not ignorant certainly of the
wickedness of the Arabians, which is to that degree as to appear
incredible to all other men, and to include somewhat that shows the
grossest barbarity and ignorance of God. The chief things wherein they
have affronted us have arisen from covetousness and envy; and they have
attacked us in an insidious manner, and on the sudden. And what occasion
is there for me to mention many instances of such their procedure? When
they were in danger of losing their own government of themselves, and of
being slaves to Cleopatra, what others were they that freed them from
that fear? for it was the friendship I had with Antony, and the kind
disposition he was in towards us, that hath been the occasion that even
these Arabians have not been utterly undone, Antony being unwilling to
undertake any thing which might be suspected by us of unkindness: but
when he had a mind to bestow some parts of each of our dominions on
Cleopatra, I also managed that matter so, that by giving him presents of
my own, I might obtain a security to both nations, while I undertook
myself to answer for the money, and gave him two hundred talents, and
became surety for those two hundred more which were imposed upon the
land that was subject to this tribute; and this they have defrauded us
of, although it was not reasonable that Jews should pay tribute to any
man living, or allow part of their land to be taxable; but although that
was to be, yet ought we not to pay tribute for these Arabians, whom we
have ourselves preserved; nor is it fit that they, who have professed
[and that with great integrity and sense of our kindness] that it is by
our means that they keep their principality, should injure us, and
deprive us of what is our due, and this while we have been still not
their enemies, but their friends. And whereas observation of covenants
takes place among the bitterest enemies, but among friends is absolutely
necessary, this is not observed among these men, who think gain to be
the best of all things, let it be by any means whatsoever, and that
injustice is no harm, if they may but get money by it: is it therefore a
question with you, whether the unjust are to be punished or not? when
God himself hath declared his mind that so it ought to be, and hath
commanded that we ever should hate injuries and injustice, which is not
only just, but necessary, in wars between several nations; for these
Arabians have done what both the Greeks and barbarians own to be an
instance of the grossest wickedness, with regard to our ambassadors,
which they have beheaded, while the Greeks declare that such ambassadors
are sacred and inviolable. 9 And for ourselves, we have learned from God
the most excellent of our doctrines, and the most holy part of our law,
by angels or ambassadors; for this name brings God to the knowledge of
mankind, and is sufficient to reconcile enemies one to another. What
wickedness then can be greater than the slaughter of ambassadors, who
come to treat about doing what is right? And when such have been their
actions, how is it possible they can either live securely in common
life, or be successful in war? In my opinion, this is impossible; but
perhaps some will say, that what is holy, and what is righteous, is
indeed on our side, but that the Arabians are either more courageous or
more numerous than we are. Now, as to this, in the first place, it is
not fit for us to say so, for with whom is what is righteous, with them
is God himself; now where God is, there is both multitude and courage.
But to examine our own circumstances a little, we were conquerors in the
first battle; and when we fought again, they were not able to oppose us,
but ran away, and could not endure our attacks or our courage; but when
we had conquered them, then came Athenion, and made war against us
without declaring it; and pray, is this an instance of their manhood? or
is it not a second instance of their wickedness and treachery? Why are
we therefore of less courage, on account of that which ought to inspire
us with stronger hopes? and why are we terrified at these, who, when
they fight upon the level, are continually beaten, and when they seem to
be conquerors, they gain it by wickedness? and if we suppose that any
one should deem them to be men of real courage, will not he be excited
by that very consideration to do his utmost against them? for true valor
is not shown by fighting against weak persons, but in being able to
overcome the most hardy. But then if the distresses we are ourselves
under, and the miseries that have come by the earthquake, hath
affrighted any one, let him consider, in the first place, that this very
thing will deceive the Arabians, by their supposal that what hath
befallen us is greater than it really is. Moreover, it is not right that
the same thing that emboldens them should discourage us; for these men,
you see, do not derive their alacrity from any advantageous virtue of
their own, but from their hope, as to us, that we are quite cast down by
our misfortunes; but when we boldly march against them, we shall soon
pull down their insolent conceit of themselves, and shall gain this by
attacking them, that they will not be so insolent when we come to the
battle; for our distresses are not so great, nor is what hath happened
all indication of the anger of God against us, as some imagine; for such
things are accidental, and adversities that come in the usual course of
things; and if we allow that this was done by the will of God, we must
allow that it is now over by his will also, and that he is satisfied
with what hath already happened; for had he been willing to afflict us
still more thereby, he had not changed his mind so soon. And as for the
war we are engaged in, he hath himself demonstrated that he is willing
it should go on, and that he knows it to be a just war; for while some
of the people in the country have perished, all you who were in arms
have suffered nothing, but are all preserved alive; whereby God makes it
plain to us, that if you had universally, with your children and wives,
been in the army, it had come to pass that you had not undergone any
thing that would have much hurt you. Consider these things, and, what is
more than all the rest, that you have God at all times for your
Protector; and prosecute these men with a just bravery, who, in point of
friendship, are unjust, in their battles perfidious, towards ambassadors
impious, and always inferior to you in valor."

4. When the Jews heard this speech, they were much raised in their
minds, and more disposed to fight than before. So Herod, when he had
offered the sacrifices appointed by the law 10 made haste, and took
them, and led them against the Arabians; and in order to that passed
over Jordan, and pitched his camp near to that of the enemy. He also
thought fit to seize upon a certain castle that lay in the midst of
them, as hoping it would be for his advantage, and would the sooner
produce a battle; and that if there were occasion for delay, he should
by it have his camp fortified; and as the Arabians had the same
intentions upon that place, a contest arose about it; at first they were
but skirmishes, after which there came more soldiers, and it proved a
sort of fight, and some fell on both sides, till those of the Arabian
side were beaten and retreated. This was no small encouragement to the
Jews immediately; and when Herod observed that the enemy's army was
disposed to any thing rather than to come to an engagement, he ventured
boldly to attempt the bulwark itself, and to pull it to pieces, and so
to get nearer to their camp, in order to fight them; for when they were
forced out of their trenches, they went out in disorder, and had not the
least alacrity, or hope of victory; yet did they fight hand to hand,
because they were more in number than the Jews, and because they were in
such a disposition of war that they were under a necessity of coming on
boldly; so they came to a terrible battle, while not a few fell on each
side. However, at length the Arabians fled; and so great a slaughter was
made upon their being routed, that they were not only killed by their
enemies, but became the authors of their own deaths also, and were
trodden down by the multitude, and the great current of people in
disorder, and were destroyed by their own armor; so five thousand men
lay dead upon the spot, while the rest of the multitude soon ran within
the bulwark for safety, but had no firm hope of safety, by reason of
their want of necessaries, and especially of water. The Jews pursued
them, but could not get in with them, but sat round about the bulwark,
and watched any assistance that would get in to them, and prevented any
there, that had a mind to it, from running away.

5. When the Arabians were in these circumstances, they sent ambassadors
to Herod, in the first place, to propose terms of accommodation, and
after that to offer him, so pressing was their thirst upon them, to
undergo whatsoever he pleased, if he would free them from their present
distress; but he would admit of no ambassadors, of no price of
redemption, nor of any other moderate terms whatever, being very
desirous to revenge those unjust actions which they had been guilty of
towards his nation. So they were necessitated by other motives, and
particularly by their thirst, to come out, and deliver themselves up to
him, to be carried away captives; and in five days' time the number of
four thousand were taken prisoners, while all the rest resolved to make
a sally upon their enemies, and to fight it out with them, choosing
rather, if so it must be, to die therein, than to perish gradually and
ingloriously. When they had taken this resolution, they came out of
their trenches, but could no way sustain the fight, being too much
disabled, both in mind and body, and having not room to exert
themselves, and thought it an advantage to be killed, and a misery to
survive; so at the first onset there fell about seven thousand of them,
after which stroke they let all the courage they had put on before fall,
and stood amazed at Herod's warlike spirit under his own calamities; so
for the future they yielded, and made him ruler of their nation;
whereupon he was greatly elevated at so seasonable a success, and
returned home, taking great authority upon him, on account of so bold
and glorious an expedition as he had made.