INDEX TO VOL. V. Of Assyria, from B.C. 562, to the destruction of the empire Of Persia, from its foundation, B.C. 584, to its fall, B.C. 333 THE ASSISTANT OF EDUCATION. JULY, 1825. A SKETCH OF GENERAL HISTORY. HEROD thus established, was deeply in debt to his Roman friends, and much exaction was necessary to answer their demands. His necessities and profusion were so great, that no extortion was spared to satisfy them; and it being the sabbatical year, in which the Hebrews might neither plant nor sow, want and famine threatened the whole country. Hyrcan still lived the Parthians had freed him from his chains, and he was dwelling in Babylon, highly esteemed by the Jews of Assyria, who respected him as their priest; but such was his love of his native country, that when he heard his friend was on the throne, he desired leave to return to Jerusalem, in spite of the warning of his adherents, where he was received by Herod with great magnificence and real satisfaction; for he had thus in his power the only claimant to the throne. Domestic enemies now appeared against him. Alexandra, the daughter of Hyrcan, and mother of Marianne, the beloved and lovely wife of Herod, could ill endure to see the pontificate, the right to which was in her family, but which Herod had bestowed elsewhere, in possession of a stranger. Hyrcan could not hold it now, but she thought it belonged in justice to Aristobulus, her son: her frequent complaints served no purpose but to determine Herod to rid himself of both. Aware of this, Alexandra had recourse to the famous Cleopatra of Egypt, and endeavoured to escape to that country for protection. For this purpose she entrusted her design to two of her servants, one of whom was to provide her with a ship, the other with two coffins, in which she and her son were to be conveyed to it. Herod knew their design, and waited only till they had gone some distance in the coffins, then caused them to be arrested and brought back: fear of Cleopatra prevented their punishment, a seeming reconciliation took place, and the young prince was put into the priesthood by the false king, but in effect was doomed to death. The occasion soon arrived. At the feast of tabernacles the new High-priest, then only seventeen years of age, appeared at the altar in his pontifical ornaments, and officiated with such striking elegance and grace, that the people could not forbear to express their admiration, filling the temple and the city with his praises. Herod's jealousy needed no more. As soon as the solemnity was over, he went with the young Pontiff to Jericho, where an entertainment was prepared for them by Alexandra. The weather being hot, Aristobulus was invited to bathe in a fine pond in the neighbourhood, whither Herod's people accompanied him; and, while they swam together, held him under the water till he was dead. Herod pretended to believe it the result of accident, put on the deepest mourning, and erected a monument to his memory. Nobody however was deceived; the people mourned his loss, and the mother carried her complaints to Cleopatra, who persuaded Antony to summon the murderer before him. Herod appeared, but his bribes had preceded him, and he was absolved. Not confident of success when he set out, he had left orders with his uncle Joseph, who governed in his absence, in case he should be condemned, to put to death his beloved and beautiful Marianne, that she might not fall into the hands of Antony. Joseph had the indiscretion to disclose to the |