the antiquities of the jews-1-第195章

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when　he　fought　the　Macedonians；　and　besides　what　hardships　he　had
undergone　by　the　means　of　Demetrius；　and　of　Bacchides；　the
general　of　Demetrius's　army；　he　told　his　friends　that　he　could
not　at　present　find　any　one　else　that　might　afford　him　better
assistance　than　Jonathan；　who　was　both　courageous　against　his
enemies；　and　had　a　particular　hatred　against　Demetrius；　as　having
both　suffered　many　hard　things　from　him；　and　acted　many　hard
things　against　him。　If　therefore　they　were　of　opinion　that　they
should　make　him　their　friend　against　Demetrius；　it　was　more　for
their　advantage　to　invite　him　to　assist　them　now　than　at　another
time。　It　being　therefore　determined　by　him　and　his　friends　to
send　to　Jonathan；　he　wrote　to　him　this　epistle：　〃King　Alexander
to　his　brother　Jonathan；　sendeth　greeting。　We　have　long　ago　heard
of　thy　courage　and　thy　fidelity；　and　for　that　reason　have　sent　to
thee；　to　make　with　thee　a　league　of　friendship　and　mutual
assistance。　We　therefore　do　ordain　thee　this　day　the　high　priest
of　the　Jews；　and　that　thou　beest　called　my　friend。　I　have　also
sent　thee；　as　presents；　a　purple　robe　and　a　golden　crown；　and
desire　that；　now　thou　art　by　us　honored；　thou　wilt　in　like　manner
respect　us　also。〃

3。　When　Jonathan　had　received　this　letter；　he　put　on　the
pontifical　robe　at　the　time　of　the　feast　of　tabernacles；　（2）　four
years　after　the　death　of　his　brother　Judas；　for　at　that　time　no
high　priest　had　been　made。　So　he　raised　great　forces；　and　had
abundance　of　armor　got　ready。　This　greatly　grieved　Demetrius　when
he　heard　of　it；　and　made　him　blame　himself　for　his　slowness；　that
he　had　not　prevented　Alexander；　and　got　the　good…will　of
Jonathan；　but　had　given　him　time　so　to　do。　However；　he　also
himself　wrote　a　letter　to　Jonathan；　and　to　the　people；　the
contents　whereof　are　these：　〃King　Demetrius　to　Jonathan；　and　to
the　nation　of　the　Jews；　sendeth　greeting。　Since　you　have
preserved　your　friendship　for　us；　and　when　you　have　been　tempted
by　our　enemies；　you　have　not　joined　yourselves　to　them；　I　both
commend　you　for　this　your　fidelity；　and　exhort　you　to　continue　in
the　same　disposition；　for　which　you　shall　be　repaid；　and　receive
rewards　from　us；　for　I　will　free　you　from　the　greatest　part　of
the　tributes　and　taxes　which　you　formerly　paid　to　the　kings　my
predecessors；　and　to　myself；　and　I　do　now　set　you　free　from　those
tributes　which　you　have　ever　paid；　and　besides；　I　forgive　you　the
tax　upon　salt；　and　the　value　of　the　crowns　which　you　used　to
offer　to　me　（3）　and　instead　of　the　third　part　of　the　fruits　＇of
the　field＇；　and　the　half　of　the　fruits　of　the　trees；　I　relinquish
my　part　of　them　from　this　day：　and　as　to　the　poll…money；　which
ought　to　be　given　me　for　every　head　of　the　inhabitants　of　Judea；
and　of　the　three　toparchies　that　adjoin　to　Judea；　Samaria；　and
Galilee；　and　Peres；　that　I　relinquish　to　you　for　this　time；　and
for　all　time　to　come。　I　will　also　that　the　city　of　Jerusalem　be
holy　and　inviolable；　and　free　from　the　tithe；　and　from　the　taxes；
unto　its　utmost　bounds。　And　I　so　far　recede　from　my　title　to　the
citadel；　as　to　permit　Jonathan　your　high　priest　to　possess　it；
that　he　may　place　such　a　garrison　in　it　as　he　approves　of　for
fidelity　and　good…will　to　himself；　that　they　may　keep　it　for　us。
I　also　make　free　all　those　Jews　who　have　been　made　captives　and
slaves　in　my　kingdom。　I　also　give　order　that　the　beasts　of　the
Jews　be　not　pressed　for　our　service；　and　let　their　sabbaths；　and
all　their　festivals；　and　three　days　before　each　of　them；　be　free
from　any　imposition。　In　the　same　manner；　I　set　free　the　Jews　that
are　inhabitants　of　my　kingdom；　and　order　that　no　injury　be　done
them。　I　also　give　leave　to　such　of　them　as　are　willing　to　list
themselves　in　my　army；　that　they　may　do　it；　and　those　as　far　as
thirty　thousand；　which　Jewish　soldiers；　wheresoever　they　go；
shall　have　the　same　pay　that　my　own　army　hath；　and　some　of　them　I
will　place　in　my　garrisons；　and　some　as　guards　about　mine　own
body；　and　as　rulers　over　those　that　are　in　my　court。　I　give　them
leave　also　to　use　the　laws　of　their　forefathers；　and　to　observe
them；　and　I　will　that　they　have　power　over　the　three　toparchies
that　are　added　to　Judea；　and　it　shall　be　in　the　power　of　the　high
priest　to　take　care　that　no　one　Jew　shall　have　any　other　temple
for　worship　but　only　that　at　Jerusalem。　I　bequeath　also；　out　of
my　own　revenues；　yearly；　for　the　expenses　about　the　sacrifices；
one　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　＇drachmae＇；　and　what　money　is　to
spare；　I　will　that　it　shall　be　your　own。　I　also　release　to　you
those　ten　thousand　drachmae　which　the　kings　received　from　the
temple；　because　they　appertain　to　the　priests　that　minister　in
that　temple。　And　whosoever　shall　fly　to　the　temple　at　Jerusalem；
or　to　the　places　thereto　belonging；　or　who　owe　the　king　money；　or
are　there　on　any　other　account；　let　them　be　set　free；　and　let
their　goods　be　in　safety。　I　also　give　you　leave　to　repair　and
rebuild　your　temple；　and　that　all　be　done　at　my　expenses。　I　also
allow　you　to　build　the　walls　of　your　city；　and　to　erect　high
towers；　and　that　they　be　erected　at　my　charge。　And　if　there　be
any　fortified　town　that　would　be　convenient　for　the　Jewish
country　to　have　very　strong；　let　it　be　so　built　at　my　expenses。〃

4。　This　was　what　Demetrius　promised　and　granted　to　the　Jews　by
this　letter。　But　king　Alexander　raised　a　great　army　of　mercenary
soldiers；　and　of　those　that　deserted　to　him　out　of　Syria；　and
made　an　expedition　against　Demetrius。　And　when　it　was　come　to　a
battle；　the　left　wing　of　Demetrius　put　those　who　opposed　them　to
flight；　and　pursued　them　a　great　way；　and　slew　many　of　them；　and
spoiled　their　camp；　but　the　right　wing；　where　Demetrius　happened
to　be；　was　beaten；　and　as　for　all　the　rest；　they　ran　away。　But
Demetrius　fought　courageously；　and　slew　a　great　many　of　the
enemy；　but　as　he　was　in　the　pursuit　of　the　rest；　his　horse
carried　him　into　a　deep　bog；　where　it　was　hard　to　get　out；　and
there　it　happened；　that　upon　his　horse's　falling　down；　he　could
not　escape　being　killed；　for　when　his　enemies　saw　what　had
befallen　him；　they　returned　back；　and　encompassed　Demetrius
round；　and　they　all　threw　their　darts　at　him；　but　he；　being　now
on　foot；　fought　bravely。　But　at　length　he　received　so　many
wounds；　that　he　was　not　able　to　bear　up　any　longer；　but　fell。　And
this　is　the　end　that　Demetrius　came　to；　when　he　had　reigned
eleven　years；　（4）　as　we　have　elsewhere　related。

CHAPTER　3。

The　Friendship　That　Was　Between　Onias　And　Ptolemy　Philometor；　And
How　Onias　Built　A　Temple　In　Egypt　Like　To　That　At　Jerusalem。

1。　But　then　the　son　of　Onias　the　high　priest；　who　was　of　the　same
name　with　his　father；　and　who　fled　to　king　Ptolemy；　who　was
called　Philometor；　lived　now　at　Alexandria；　as　we　have　said
already。　When　this　Onias　saw　that　Judea　was　oppressed　by　the
Macedonians　and　their　kings；　out　of　a　desire　to　purchase　to
himself　a　memorial　and　eternal　fame　he　resolved　to　send　to　king
Ptolemy　and　queen　Cleopatra；　to　ask　leave　of　them　that　he　might
build　a　temple　in　Egypt　like　to　that　at　Jerusalem；　and　might
ordain　Levites　and　priests　out　of　their　own　stock。　The　chief
reason　why　he　was　desirous　so　to　do；　was；　that　he　relied　upon　the
prophet　Isaiah；　who　lived　above　six　hundred　years　before；　and
foretold　that　there　certainly　was　to　be　a　temple　built　to
Almighty　God　in　Egypt　by　a　man　that　was　a　Jew。　Onias　was　elevated
with　this　prediction；　and　wrote　the　following　epistle　to　Ptolemy
and　Cleopatra：　〃Having　done　many　and　great　things　for　you　in　the
affairs　of　the　war；　by　the　assistance　of　God；　and　that　in
Celesyria　and　Phoenicia；　I　came　at　length　with　the　Jews　to
Leontopolis；　and　to　other　places　of　your　nation；　where　I　found
that　the　greatest　part　of　your　people　had　temples　in　an　improper
manner；　and　that　on　this　account　they　bare　ill…will　one　against
another；　which　happens　to　the　Egyptians　by　reason　of　the
multitude　of　their　temples；　and　the　difference　of　opinions　about
Divine　worship。　Now　I　found　a　very　fit　place　in　a　castle　that
hath　its　name　from　the　country　Diana；　this　place　is　full　of
materials　of　several　sorts；　and　replenished　with　sacred　animals；
I　desire　therefore　that　you　will　grant　me　leave　to　purge　this