You certainly haven't forgotten that I come from that prestigious lineage which, for centuries, has produced kings of Judea. All my predecessors rightfully held the scepter you currently wield. By virtue of their birthright, they wore the crown that chance has placed on your head. If things had followed the usual order, instead of being my judge, I could have counted you as one of my subjects, and rightfully exercised over you the power that you usurp from me. 

However, given my birth obligation to exceptional morals, as soon as Hyrcanus commanded me to be your wife, acknowledging the obedience I owed him, without considering the inequality between us, I accepted you as my husband. You know how I've lived with you, despite my ideas being completely contrary to yours. Even if your alliance was as honorable as mine was glorious, you could have had more complacency and signs of affection from me. From then till Hyrcanus' loss, what have I done? What have I said? What negativity have I harbored towards you? Nothing, except that I couldn’t rejoice in your victories, as they were harmful to my parents. Although I possess a heart as grand as my noble lineage, I could only ascend to the throne of my predecessors through tears, because I did not feel legitimate and just, at least as the wife of Herod. But you know that despite this sentiment that reason and nature gave me, I tried at least to hide my tears from you. At that time, I was reasoning to justify your actions, and as long as you harbored ambition without cruelty, I approved of you rather than indicting you. I labeled this passion as an error of grand natures and a certain sign of a person destined to accomplish great things. How many times have I told myself that if fortune had given you legitimate enemies, you would have been the greatest prince on earth? How many times have I wished that this great and wonderful will that animates you, and this indomitable heart that pushes you to undertake everything, had carried you to reign over peoples over whom you could have been the conqueror, not the usurper? Alas! If you knew all the wishes I've made for your glory, you wouldn't believe that I was capable of having discarded them and forgotten my own. But perhaps it is for this flaw that heaven punishes me? However, I refuse to harbor regrets, and even though I am today in danger of losing my life, I cannot blame myself for having preserved your glory with my advice when, against all appearances, you wanted to trust the traitor Barzapharnes. I do not blame you for this trust, I simply remind you of it to show you that I've always done all that I needed to do. Since then, I confess that I haven't always lived this way. I've stopped hiding my tears, I've stopped stifling my voice. I've cried, I've shouted, I've expressed my complaints and regrets. But what less could the granddaughter of Hyrcanus, who just disappeared by your orders and by your cruelty, do? What less could the sister of Aristobulus, whom your inhumanity had disposed of to consolidate the scepter in your hands, do? No, patience would have been criminal on this occasion.

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