Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/577

Rh groan. Furious at the hatred he saw she bore towards him, he would instantly have comnrianded her to be put to death, but that he felt it would be a heavier punishment on himself than on her. Thus he sometimes upbraided, sometimes reconciled himself to her; while his mother and sister were perpetually calumniating her, and telling him falsehoods to excite his jealousy and dislike; but his love still conquered his resentment, for more than a year after a second visit to Augustus. But Mariamne, proud of her birth, indignant at her wrongs, considered not the power of her tyrant, nor the effects of the malice provoked by her pride in his kindred. She once reproached him for the murther of her brother and her grandfather; and his sister, Salome, took this opportunity of sending in his cup-bearer to accuse Mariamne of asking his assistance to give the king a love potion, by which, he insinuated, she meant to poison him. Her favourite domestics were put to the torture, who only said the hatred of their mistress for the king was occasioned by something Sohemus had told her. Herod gave orders that Sohemus should be seized and slain immediately; but allowed his wife to take her trial. The judges, understanding his will, passed sentence of death upon her; but were of opinion that this sentence should not be executed immediately, and that she should be put to prison; but Salome and her party, having once caught their enemy in the toils, advised the king to put her to death, lest the populace should interfere.

Accordingly the beautiful and high spirited Mariamne, of whom and of her brother the heathens had formerly observed, they appeared more like the children of gods than men, was led to execution. Her mother, who was accounted the shrewdest woman in the