was not a mile from Alexandria. The king seeing Popilius, with whom he had been intimately acquainted at Rome, when he was an hostage in that city, opened his arms to embrace him as his old friend. The Roman, who did not consider himself on that occasion as a private man, but a servant of the public, desired to know, before he answered his compliment, whether he spoke to a friend, or an enemy of Rome. He then gave him the decree of the senate, bid him read it over, and return him an immediate answer. Antiochus, after perusing it, said, that he would examine the contents of it with his friends, and give his answer in a short time. Popilius, enraged at the king for talking of delays, drew, with the wand he held in his hand, a circle round Antiochus, and then, raising his voice; "Answer," says he, "the senate, before you stir out of that circle." The king, quite confounded at so haughty an order, after a moments reflection, replied, that he would act according to the desire of the senate. Popilius then received his civilities; and behaved afterwards, in all respects, as an old friend. - How effectual was this blunt loftiness of sentiments and expression! The Roman, with a few words, strikes terror into the king of Syria, and saves the king of Egypt.

The circumstance which made the one so bold, and the other so submissive, was, the news that arrived just before, of the great victory gained by the Romans, over Perseus, king of Macedonia. From that instant, every thing gave way before them; and the

* Quam efficax est animi sermonisque abscissa gravitas! Eodem momento Syriæ regnum terruit, Ægypti texit. Val. Max, l. vi. c. 4.

Roman name grew formidable to all princes and nations.

Antiochus having left Egypt at the time stipulated, Popilius returned, with his colleagues, to Alexandria, where he signed the treaty of union between the two brothers, which had not been executed before. He then crossed into Cyprus; sent home Antiochus's fleet, which had gained a victory over that of the Egyptians; restored the whole island to the kings of Egypt, who laid a just claim to it; and, returned to Rome, in order to acquaint the senate with the success of his embassy.

Ambassadors from Antiochus, the two Ptolemies, and Cleopatra their sister, arrived there, almost at the same time. The former said, "That the peace which the senate had been pleased to grant their sovereign, appeared to him more glorious than the most splendid conquests; and, that he had obeyed the commands of the Roman ambassadors as strictly as if they had been sent from the gods." How groveling, and, at the same time, how impious was all this! They afterwards congratulated the Romans on the victory they had gained over Perseus. The rest of the ambassadors declared, in the like extravagant strain, "That the two Ptolemies and Cleopatra thought themselves bound, in as great obligations, to the senate and people of Rome, as to their parents, and even to the gods; having been delivered, by the protection which Rome had granted them, from a very grievous siege, and reestablished on the throne of their ancestors, of which they had been almost entirely dispossessed." The senate answered, "That Antiochus acted wisely, in

in paying obedience to the ambassadors; and, that the people and senate of Rome were pleased with him for it." Methinks this is carrying the spirit of haughtiness as high as possible. With regard to Ptolemy and Cleopatra, it was answered, "That the senate were very much pleased with the opportunity of doing them some service; and, that they would endeavour to make them sensible, that they ought to look upon the friendship and protection of the Romans, as the most solid support of their kingdom." The pretor was then ordered to make the ambassadors the usual presents.

YANTIOCHUS, at his return from Egypt, exasperated to see himself forcibly dispossessed by the Romans, of a crown which he looked upon already as his own, made the Jews, though they had not offended him in any manner, feel the whole weight of his wrath. In his march through Palestine, he detached twenty two thousand men, the command of whom he gave to Apollonius, with orders to destroy the city of Jerusalem.

Apollonius arrived there just two years after this city had been taken by Antiochus. At his first coming, he did not behave, in any manner, as if he had

y A. M. 3836. Ant. J. C. 168. 1 Maccab. i. 30-40. and ii. ver 24-27. Joseph. Antiq. 1. xii. c. 7.

received such cruel orders, and waited till the first day of the sabbath before he executed them. But then, seeing all the people assembled peaceably in the synagogues, and paying their religious worship to the Creator, he put in execution the barbarous commission he had received; and, setting all his troops upon them, commanded them to cut to pieces all the men; and to seize all the women and children, in order that they might be exposed to sale. These commands were obeyed with the utmost cruelty and rigor. Not a single man was spared; all they could find being cruelly butchered, insomuch, that every part of the city streamed with blood. The city was afterwards plundered, and fire set to several parts of it, after all the rich moveables had been carried off. They demolished such parts of the houses as were still standing; and, with the ruins, built a strong fort on the top of one of the hills of the city of David, opposite to the temple, which it commanded. They threw a strong garrison into it, to awe the whole Jewish nation; they made it a good place of arms, furnished with good magazines, where they deposited all the spoils taken in the plunder of the city.

From hence, the garrison fell on all who came to worship the true God in the temple; and shed their blood on every part of the sanctuary, which they polluted by all possible methods. A stop was put to both morning and evening sacrifices; not one of the servants of the true God daring to come and adore him there.

As soon as Antiochus was returned to Antioch, he published a decree, by which the several nations in his dominions were commanded to lay aside their ancient religious ceremonies, and their particular usages; to profess the same religion with the king; and, to worship the same gods, and after the same manner as he did. This decree, though expressed in general terms, glanced, nevertheless, chiefly at the Jews, whom he was absolutely determined to extirpate, as well as their religion.

In order that this edict might be punctually executed, he sent intendants into all the provinces of his empire, who were commanded to see it put in execution, and to instruct the people in all the ceremonies and customs to which they were to conform.

The Gentiles obeyed with no great reluctance. Though they seemed not to have been affected with the change of their worship, or gods; they, however, were not very well pleased with this innovation in religious matters. No people seemed more eager to comply with the orders of the court, than the Samaritans. They presented a petition to the king, in which they declared themselves not to be Jews; and desired, that their temple, built on mount Gerizim, which, till then, had not been dedicated to any deity in particular,* might, henceforwards, be consecrated to the Grecian Jupiter, and be called after his name. Antiochus received their petition very graciously, and ordered 21 Maccab. i. 41-64. and 2 Maccab. vi. 1-7. Joseph. Antiq. I. xii. c. 7.

They expressed themselves in that manner, because the mighty name of the God of Israel, “Jehovah,” was never uttered by the Jews.