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The event here foretold by Isaiah is one of the most singular, and, at the same time the most remote from all probability. Nothing was more strictly forbidden to the Jews than to offer sacrifices to GOD in any other place than the temple built by his order at Jerusalem; consequently how much more, to build a temple elsewhere, especially in a land polluted with the most gross idolatry, and always at enmity with the people of GOD? This however came to pass, exactly as the prophet Isaiah had foretold. I shall not enter into a circumstantial exposition of this prophecy, which would carry me too far from my subject.

Alexander Bala a, finding himself in peaceable possession of the crown of Syria, thought he had nothing more to do than to take all the pleasures which the abundance and power to which he had attained would admit. He abandoned himself, therefore, to his natural inclination for luxury, idleness, and debauchery. He left the care of affairs entirely to a favourite named Ammonius. That insolent and cruel minion put to death Laodice, the sister of Demetrius, and widow of Perseus, king of Macedonia; Antigonus, Demetrius's son, who continued in Syria when the two others were sent to Cnidos: in fine, all the persons of the blood-royal whom he could find, in order to secure to his master, by that means, the possession of the crown which he had usurped by an imposture. That conduct soon drew upon both the abhorrence of the people.

Demetrius, the eldest of Demetrius's sons, was at Cnidos, and began to be of an age capable of forming and executing plans. When he was advised of this aversion of the people, he thought the occasion favourable for repossessing himself of his right. Lasthenes, the friend in whose house he lived, procured him some companies of Cretans, with which he Tanded in Cilicia. There soon joined him a sufficient number of malcontents to form an army, with which he made himself master of the whole province. Alexander opened his eyes, and quitted his seraglio to apply himself to his affairs. He left the government of Antioch to Hierax aud Diodotus, who is also called Tryphon, put himself at the head of an army, formed of all the troops he could assemble, and, upon receiving advice that Apollonius, governor of Colosyria and Phoenicia, had declared for Demetrius, he sent to demand aid of Ptolemy, his father-in-law.

Apollonius's first thoughts were to reduce Jonathan, who persisted in his attachment to Alexander: but he was unsuccessful, and in one day he lost above 8000 men.

a A. M. 3856. Ant. J. C. 148: Liv. Epit. lib. 1. Justin, 1. xxxv. c. 2. Jes Antiq: I. xiii. c. 8. 1 Maccab. x. 67-89. Diod, in Excerpt. Vales. p. 346.

@ Ptolemy Philometor, to whom Alexander had applied in the extreme danger in which he found himself, came at last to the assistance of his son-in-law, and entered Palestine with a great army. All the cities opened their gates to him, according to the orders they had received from Alexander to that effect. Jonathan came to join him at Joppa, and followed him to Ptolemais. Upon his arrival a conspiracy was discovered, which had been formed by Ammonius, against the life of Philometor. As Alexander refused to deliver up that traitor, he concluded that he had entered into the conspiracy himself, and in consequence, took his daughter from him, gave her to Demetrius, and made a treaty with him, by which he engaged to aid him in re-ascending the throne of his father.

The people of Antioch, who mortally hated Ammonius, believed it time to show their resentment. Having discovered him disguised like a woman, they sacrificed him to their rage. Not content with that revenge, they declared against Alexander himself and opened their gates to Ptolemy. They would even have set him upon the throne. But that prince, assuring them that he was contented with his own dominions, instead of accepting that offer, recommended to them De metrius, the lawful heir, who accordingly was placed upon the throne of his ancestors, and acknowledged by all the inhabitants.

Alexander, who was at that time in Cilicia, marched with the utmost diligence, and put all to fire and sword around Antioch. The two armies came to a battle. Alexander was defeated, and fled with 500 horse to Zabdiel, an Arabian prince, with whom he had entrusted his children. Betrayed by the person in whom he had placed most confidence, his head was cut off, and sent to Ptolemy, who expressed great joy at the sight of it. That joy was of no long duration, for he died, some few days after, of a wound he had received in the battle. Thus Alexander, king of Syria, and Ptolemy Philometor king of Egypt, died at the same time; the first after a reign of five years, and the second after one of 35. Demetrius, who had attained the crown by this victory, assumed the surname of Nicator, that is to say the Conqueror. The succession of Egypt was attended with more difficulties.

SECT. IV.

Physcon espouses Cleopatra, and ascends the throne of Egypt.

d Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, after the death of her hus

a A. M. 3858. Ant. J. C. 146.

bA. M. 3859. Ant, J. C. 145.

c He is called Emalcuel in the book of Maccabees.

d A. M. 3859. Ant. J. C. 145,

band, who was at the same time her brother, endeavoured to place a the crown upon the head of the son she had by him, As he was yet very young, others laboured to obtain it for Physcon, king of Cyrenaica, the late king's brother, and sent to desire him to come to Alexandria. Cleopatra, thereby reduced to the necessity of taking measures for her defence, caused Onias and Dositheus, with an army of Jews, to come to her assistance. There was at that time a Roman ambassador at Alexandria, named Thermus, who by his mediation accommodated affairs. It was agreed that Physcon should marry Cleopatra, and educate her son, who should be declared heir to the crown: and that Physcon should possess it during his life. He had no sooner married the queen and taken possession of the crown than on the very day of the nuptials he killed her son in her arms.

46

I have already observed, that the surname of Physcon, given to this prince, was properly a nickname. That which he took himself was Evergetes, which signifies "the Bene"factor." The Alexandrians changed it into that of Cacoergetes, that is to say, on the contrary, "one who delights in doing harm:" a surname to which he had the justest title. In Syria affairs went on a little better. Demetrius, a young prince without experience, left every thing to Lasthenes, who had procured him the Cretans, by whose aid he had ascended the throne. He was a corrupt and rash man, and behaved himself so ill, that he soon lost his master the hearts of those who were most necessary to his support.

b

The first wrong step which he took was in regard to the soldiers, whom Ptolemy upon his march, had put into the maritime places of Phoenicia and Syria, to reinforce the garrisons. If he had left those garrions in them, they would have very much augmented his forces. Instead of conciliating them, or at least of treating them well, upon some umbrage which he conceived, he sent orders to the troops of Syria, who were in the same garrisons, to cut the throats of all the Egyptian soldiers; which massacre was accordingly i executed. The army of Egypt, which was still in Syria, and had placed him upon the throne, full of just horror for such barbarous cruelty, abandoned him immediately, and returned home. After which he caused the strictest search to be made for all those who had taken part against himself or his father in the last wars, and punished with death all that could be found. When he believed, after all these executions, that he had no longer any enemies to fear, he broke the greatest part of his troops, and kept only his Cre

a Joseph. contr. App. l. ii. Justin. 1. xxxviii. c. 8. Val. Max. I. ix. c. 1. 6 Diod in Excerpt. Vales. p. 346. 1 Maccab. xi. 20-37. xiii. c. 8.

Joseph. Antig L

1

tans, and some other foreigners, in his service. By that means, he not only deprived himself of the veteran troops, who had served under his father, and who, as being well affected to him, would have maintained him upon the throne, but he rendered them his greatest enemies, by depriving them of the sole means they had to subsist. He found this fully verified in the insurrections and revolutions which afterwards happened.

Jonathan, in the mean time, seeing every thing quiet in Judæa, formed the design of delivering the nation at length from the evils it suffered from the citadel, which the Grecian idolaters still held in Jerusalem. He invested it, and caused machines of war to be brought, in order to attack it in form. Demetrius, on the complaints made to him upon that occasion, went to Ptolemais, and commanded Jonathan to attend him there, to give an account of that affair. Jonathan gave orders for pushing the siege vigorously in his absence, and set out to meet him, with some of the priests and principal persons of the nation. He carried with him a great quantity of magnificent presents, and appeased the king and his ministers so successfully, that he not only caused the accusations, which had been formed against him, to be rejected, but even obtained great honours and new marks of favour. The whole country under his government was discharged from all duties, customs, and tributes, for the sum of a three hundred talents, which he agreed to pay the king by way of equivalent.

The king being returned to Antioch, and continuing to give himself up immoderately to all kind of excesses, violence, and cruelty, the people's patience was entirely exhausted, and the whole nation disposed for a general revolt.

Diodotus, afterwards surnamed Tryphon, who had formerly served Alexander, and had shared the government of Antioch with Hierax, seeing the people in this disposition, found the occasion favourable for attempting a bold enterprise, which was to set the crown upon his own head, by taking advantage of these disorders. He went into Arabia to Zabdiel, to whom the person and education of Antiochus, the son of Alexander Bala, had been entrusted. He laid the state of the affairs of Syria before him, informed him of the discontent of the people, and of the soldiery in particular, and strongly represented, that there could not be a more favourable opportunity for setting Antiochus upon the throne of his father. He demanded that the young prince should be put into his hands, in order to his being restored to his

a Three hundred thousand crowns.

b Justin. xxxviii. c. ix. 1 Maccab. xi. 39-74. xii. 21-34. Joseph. Antiq.. 1. xii. c. 9. Appian. in Syr. p. 132. Epit. Liv. 1. li. Strab. l. xvi. p. 752. Diod. in Excerpt. Vales. p. 346.

rights. His view was to make use of the pretensions of Antioch till he had dethroned Demetrius, and afterwards to rid himself of the young prince, and assume the crown to him. self; as he did. Zabdiel, whether he penetrated his real design, or did not entirely approve his scheme, did not accede to it at first. Tryphon was obliged to continue a considerable time with him, to solicit and press him. At length, by force of importunity or presents he gained Zabdiel's consent, and obtained what he demanded.

@ Jonathan carried on the siege of the citadel of Jerusalem with vigour; but, seeing that he made no progress, he sent deputies to Demetrius, to desire that he would withdraw the garrison which he could not drive out by force. Demetrius, who found himself involved in great difficulties, from the frequent tumults which happened at Antioch, where the people had conceived an invincible aversion for his person and government, granted Jonathan all he demanded, upon condition that he would send troops to chastise the mutineers. Jonathan sent him 3000 men immediately. As soon as the king had them, believing himself sufficiently strong to undertake every thing, he resolved to disarm the inhabitants of Antioch, and gave orders accordingly that they should all deliver up their arms. Upon this they rose, to the number of 120,000 men, and invested the palace, with design to kill the king. The Jews immediately flew to disengage him, dispersed the multitude with fire and sword, burnt a great part of the city, and killed or destroyed very nearly 100,000 of the inhabitants. The rest, intimidated by so great a misfortune, demanded a peace; which was granted them, and the tumult ceased. The Jews, after having taken this terrible revenge for the wrongs which the people of Antioch had done to Judæa and Jerusalem, principally during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, returned into their country laden with honour and booty.

Demetrius, still continuing his cruelties, tyranny, and oppression, put many more persons to death for the last sedition, confiscated the estates of others, and banished a great number. All his subjects conceived such a hatred and animosity against him, that there wanted nothing but an ocea sion for rising, and making him experience the most dreadful effects of their vengeance.

Notwithstanding the promises he had made to Jonathan, and the great obligations he had to him for the aid which had preserved him, he behaved no better in regard to him than he did to others. Believing he could do without him for the future, he did not observe the treaty he had made with him. Though the sum of 300 talents had been paid he did not

a A. M. 3860. Aut. J C. 144.

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