to say that he was his brother. Heroclias1 was also the niece of both, being the daughter of their brother Aristobulus.
4. Oux £g£<m, it is not lawful) John did not break the force of bitter truth by arguments of a too conciliatory nature ; neither his words were soft, nor his dress. John did not come into Galilee, but yet he was able to reprove Herod. — <ro/, to thee) Sins even of kings should be rebuked in the second person. — s^av, to Jiave) Theologians must not give up questions concerning marriage (see ch. xix. 3, 4), since it is their duty to examine everything which is lawful or unlawful ; cf. ch. xxii. 17.
5. 'E<p ofiq&fy feared) They often fear who crush the witnesses of truth, whilst the witnesses themselves fear not their oppressors.2
6. Tevtgiuiv) Either the day on which he was born, as the LXX. use the word in Gen. xl. 20, or that on which he began to reign. Remarkable days of high festival are accompanied with great danger of falling into sin.3 — up^earo, she danced) A light matter ; the handle of a most weighty matter. — Qvydrrip, daughter) Salome by name. — ev ru p'sty, in the midst) in the sight of all during the banquet.
7. ' n/M^oy^ffiv, promised, agreed) The girl had asked by dancing ; and the king appears, even before this, to have been in the habit of giving her something on his birth-day.
8. Ifyo/3//3a<r0E/ira, being before instructed) i.e. before she asked. — uBs, here) Before the king could repent. — xivaxt, in, a charger) which perhaps she held in her hand. The ungodly know how to propose the most horrible things with elegance of language and sweetness of sound.
9. 'EXi/OTj0»j, was grieved) Conscience was not yet entirely banished from the monarch's breast. The sudden necessity of executing an evil purpose startles even the worst. The joys of this world are accompanied by sadness. — 6 /3a<r/AgOs, the king) strictly tetrarch ; see ver. 1. — avvavaxzipevouc, reclining at his table) The king feared the guests, the guests the king. By not
1 See Genealogical Table, p. 120.— (I. B.)
2 An evil purpose, which has been scarcely begun, is afterwards, whenever a very slight opportunity may present itself, brought forth into action. — V. g.
3 Of this kind are, for instance, dedication-festivals, market-days, etc. ; for, when these are celebrated according to custom, often weariness and lamentations succeed to sain rejoicings. And yet the world does not allow itself to be advised to better things. — V. g.