|
|
| [1]This Simon nowe (of whom we spake afore) being a bewrayer of the money and of his owne natural coutrey, reported ye worst of Onias, as though he had moued Heliodorus vnto this, & as though he had ben a bringer vp of euil. |
[No book] |
| [2]Thus was he not ashamed to call hym an enemie of the realme, that was so faythful an ouerseer and defender of the citie and of his people, yea and so feruent in the lawe of God. |
[No book] |
| [3]But when the malice of Simon increased so farre, that thorowe his friendes there were certayne manslaughters committed: |
[No book] |
| [4]Onias considered the peryll that might come thorowe this stryfe, and howe that Apollonius the chiefe Lorde in Celosiria and Phenices, was al set vpon tirannie, and Simons malice increased the same: |
[No book] |
| [5]He gat him to the king, not as an accuser of the citezins, but as one that by him selfe intended the common wealth of the whole multitude. |
[No book] |
| [6]For he sawe it was not possible to liue in peace, neither Simon to leaue of from his foolishnesse, except the king did loke therto. |
[No book] |
| [7]But after the death of Seleucus, when Antiochus, whiche is called the noble, toke the kingdome, Iason the brother of Onias laboured to be hye priest: |
[No book] |
| [8]For he came vnto the king, and promised him three hundred and threescore talentes of siluer, and of the other rentes fourescore talentes. |
[No book] |
| [9]Besides this, he promised hym yet an hundred and fiftie more, if he might haue licence to set vp a scoole and an exercise of weapons, and that he might call them of Hierusalem Antiochians. |
[No book] |
| [10]Which when the king had graunted, and he had gotten the superioritie, he began immediatly to draw his kinsmen to the custome of the heathen, |
[No book] |
| [11]Put downe the thinges that the Iewes had set vp of loue by Ihon the father of Eupolomus, whiche was sent ambassadour vnto Rome for to make the bonde of friendship and loue, he put downe all the lawes and liberties of the Iewes, and set vp the wicked statutes. |
[No book] |
| [12]For when he had made a scoole of fence vnder the castle, he drewe all the chiefest yong men on his side, and trayned them to were hattes. |
[No book] |
| [13]And there was such a feruent desire to come to the maners of the heathen, and to take vp newe straunge fashions brought in thorowe the vngratious and vnhearde wickednesse of Iason, which shoulde not be called a priest, but an vngodly person: |
[No book] |
| [14]Insomuch that the priestes were now no more occupied about the seruice of the aulter: but despised the temple, regarded not the offeringes, yea gaue their diligence to learne to fight, to wrastle, to leape, to daunce, and to cast the stone: |
[No book] |
| [15]Not setting by the honour of the fathers, but liked the glorie of the Grekes best of all: |
[No book] |
| [16]For the which they stroue perylously, & were greedy to folow their statutes, yea their lust was in all thinges to be like them, whiche afore were their enemies and destroyers. |
[No book] |
| [17]Howebeit to do wickedly against the law of God, shal not escape vnpunished, but of this we shall speake hereafter. |
[No book] |
| [18]What time as the Olimpians sportes were played at Tyrus, the king hym selfe beyng present, |
[No book] |
| [19]This vngratious Iason sent wicked men, bearing from them of Hierusalem (which nowe were called Antiochians) three hundred drachmes of siluer for an offering to Hercules: these had they that caryed them desired vnder such a fashion as though they should not haue ben offered, but bestowed to other vses. |
[No book] |
| [20]Neuerthelesse, he that sent them, sent them to the intet that they should be offered vnto Hercules: but because of those that were present, they were geuen as to the making of shippes. |
[No book] |
| [21]And Apollonius the sonne of Menestheus was sent into Egypt, because of the noble men of king Ptolomi Philometor. Nowe when Antiochus perceaued that he was put out from medling in the realme, he sought his owne profite, departed from thence, came to Ioppa, and then to Hierusalem, |
[No book] |
| [22]Where he was honorably receaued of Iason, and of the citie, and was brought in with torche light and with great prayse: and so he turned his hoast vnto Phenices. |
[No book] |
| [23]After three yeres Iason sent Menelaus (the foresayd Simons brother) to beare the money vnto the king, & to bring him aunswere of other necessarie matters. |
[No book] |
| [24]But he when he was commended to the king for magnifiyng of his power, turned the priesthood vnto him selfe, laying vp three hundred talentes of siluer for Iason. |
[No book] |
| [25]So when he had gotten commaundementes from the king, he came, hauing nothing that becommeth a priest, but bearing the stomacke of a cruel tyraunt, and the wrath of a wilde bruite beast. |
[No book] |
| [26]Then Iason which had disceaued his owne brother, seyng that he hym selfe was begiled also, was fayne to flee into the lande of the Ammonites, |
[No book] |
| [27]And Menelaus gat the dominion: but as for the money that he had promised vnto the king, he dyd nothing therin, albeit Sostratus the ruler of the castle required it of him. |
[No book] |
| [28]For Sostratus was the man that gathered the customes: wherefore they were both called before the king. |
[No book] |
| [29]Thus was Menelaus put out of the priesthood, & Lysimachus his brother came in his steade, and Sostratus left Crates ouerseer of the Cyprians. |
[No book] |
| [30]It happened in the meane season, that the Tharsians and Mallotians made insurrection, because they were geuen for a present vnto Antiochus the kinges concubine. |
[No book] |
| [31]Then came the king in all haste to still them againe, and to pacifie the matter, leauing Andronicus there to be his deputie as one meete therfore. |
[No book] |
| [32]Now Menelaus supposing that he had gotten a right conuenient time, stole certayne vessels of golde out of the temple, and gaue them to Andronicus for a present: and some he solde at Tyrus, and in the cities therby. |
[No book] |
| [33]Whiche when Onias knewe of a suretie, he reproued him: but he kept him in a sanctuarie beside Daphnis, that lyeth by Antioche. |
[No book] |
| [34]Wherefore Menelaus gat hym to Andronicus, and prayed him that he would slay Onias. So when he came to Onias, he counseled hym craftyly to come out of the sanctuarie, geuing hym his hande with an oth, (how be it he suspect hym) and then he slue Onias without any regarde of righteousnesse. |
[No book] |
| [35]For the whiche cause not onely the Iewes, but other nations also, toke indignation, and were displeased for the vnrighteous death of so godly a man. |
[No book] |
| [36]And when the king was come againe from Cilicia, the Iewes and certayne of the Grekes went vnto hym, complayning for the vnrighteous death of Onias. |
[No book] |
| [37]Yea Antiochus hym selfe was sory in his mynde for Onias, so that it pitied him: and he wept, remembring his sobernesse and manerly behauour. |
[No book] |
| [38]Wherefore he was so kindled in his minde, that he commaunded Andronicus to be stripped out of his purple clothing, and so to be led throughout the citie, yea and the vngratious man to be slayne in the same place where he committed his wickednesse vpon Onias: Thus the Lorde rewarded him his punishement, as he had deserued. |
[No book] |
| [39]Now when Lysimachus had done many wicked deedes in the temple thorow the counsell of Menelaus, and the voyce came abrode: the multitude gathered them together against Lysimachus, for he had caryed out now much golde. |
[No book] |
| [40]So when the people arose, and were full of displeasure, Lysimachus armed three thousande vnthriftes to defende him, a certayne tyraunt being their captayne, which was growen both in age and woodnesse. |
[No book] |
| [41]They therefore seyng the interprise of Lysimachus, caught vp, some stones, some blockes endes, & some handfulles of dust that was next at hand, & threwe them vpon the rebelles of Lysimachus bande that had set vpon them. |
[No book] |
| [42]Thus there were many of them wounded, some beyng slayne, and all the other chased away: But as for the wicked church robber hym selfe, they killed him beside the treasurie. |
[No book] |
| [43]Of these matters therefore, there was kept a court against Menelaus. |
[No book] |
| [44]Now when the king came to Tyrus, three men that were sent from the senate pleaded him giltie before the king. |
[No book] |
| [45]But Menelaus being nowe conuict, went & promised Ptolomi the sonne of Dorymenes to geue him much money, if he woulde pacifie the king towarde him. |
[No book] |
| [46]So Ptolomi went to the king into a court, where as he was set to coole him, and brought him out of that minde: |
[No book] |
| [47]Insomuch that he discharged Menelaus from the accusations, that notwithstanding was cause of all mischiefe: and those poore men which if they had tolde their cause, yea before the Scythians, they shoulde haue ben iudged innocent, them he condepmned to death. |
[No book] |
| [48]Thus were they soone punished, which folowed vpon the matter for the citie, for the people, and for the holy vessels. |
[No book] |
| [49]Wherefore they also of Tyrus, moued with hatred of that wicked deede, caused them to be very honorably buried. |
[No book] |
| [50]And so through the couetousnesse of them that were in power, Menelaus remayned still in aucthoritie, encreasing in malice, to the hurt of the citezins. |
[No book] |