escape from Rome. As soon as he arrived at Tripoli, he gave out that he was sent by the Roman Senate to take possession of the kingdom. The cause of Eupator being now considered desperate, most of the people joined themselves to Demetrius; and Lysias was put to death by his own soldiers.

The first act of Demetrius, after his accession to the throne, was the punishment of two tyranical governors, whom Antiochus had set over the province of Babylonia. This act of prompt and salutary justice rendered him so exceedingly popular in that region, that they gave him the surname of Soter, which he ever afterwards retained. Alcimus, who, as was before said, received the appointment of high-priest from the king of Syria, when he came to Jerusalem to enter on the office, was rejected by the people, because he was one of those who had conformed. to the religious customs of the Greeks, in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. Upon this he collected all the apostate Jews, then living at Antioch, and went with them in a body to Demetrius, to petition for relief against Judas and his brethren; accusing them of slaying many of the king's friends, and expelling others from the country.

Demetrius was so exasperated against Judas, in consequence of these misrepresentations, that he forthwith sent Bacchides, governor of Mesopotamia, with an army into Judea, and renewed the appointment of Alcimus to be high-priest, joining him also with Bacchides in authority over the country. On their first arrival, they attempted to circumvent Judas, by offering conditions of peace; but he was aware of then designs, and escaped the snare. Others, however, were deceived by them, and among the rest a company of Assideans, and some of the rulers; who relying on the pacific professions of Bacchides and Alcimus, committed themselves to them. No sooner however, had they got them in their power than they put them all to death.

Bacchides now returned home, leaving Alcimus part of his forces to secure him in the possession of the country, who had influence to draw over many deserters, and in no small degree to disturb the state of Israel. But no sooner was Bacchides gone, than Judas came forth with his forces, and took vengeance on those who had revolted from him, Alcimus being unable to stand before him. This wicked disturber of the public peace, now resorted again to the king, and renewed his complaints against Judas and his brethren; declaring that as long as Judas lived, the king's authority could never be established in that country. This being confirmed by other enemies of the Jews about the king's person, Demetrius, more incensed than ever, sent another army against them under the command of their old enemy, Nicanor, with peremptory orders, to cut off

Judas, disperse his followers, and so reinstate Alcimus in the office of high-priest. Nicanor knowing the power of Judas, as having been already defeated by him, was afraid to encounter him in battle. He, therefore, endeavoured to enter into negotiation for peace, and accordingly a treaty was made between them; after which Judas and Nicanor communed together in a friendly manner. But Alcimus not liking the treaty, as thinking that his own interest had not been sufficiently provided for, went a third time to the king, and so prepossessed him against the peace, that he refused to ratify it; and sent positive orders to Nicanor to renew the war, and not to cease until Judas was slain, or sent prisoner to Antioch. Nicanor was then, though reluctantly, obliged to engage in new hostilities with Judas.

When the agreement made between the two Ptolemies was laid before the Senate, they were not satisfied with the division. which the ambassadors had made, thinking that too much had been allotted to Philometor, and too little to Physcon. They, therefore, determined that Cyprus should be taken from Philometor and given to his brother. This was brought about very much by the presence of Physcon at Rome, where, in person, he had the opportunity of urging his suit with the senators. Ambassadors were now sent back with him, to obtain the consent of Philometor to this new arrangement. While they went forward to Alexandria, to carry on the negotiation, Physcon waited on the borders of the kingdom for the result. Philometor treated the ambassadors with great respect, but contrived to spin out the negotiation for forty days, and then peremptorily refused to comply with the last arrangement; but professed his willingness to abide by the allotment first agreed on.

At the same time the affairs of Physcon became more involved in difficulty, on account of the conduct of the Cyrenians; who having heard an ill report of him, were unwilling to come under his government, and raised the standard of rebellion against him. This event prevented his return to Rome, but Merula, the Roman ambassador, who had been employed in the negotiation, spread before the Senate a full account of the whole transaction: on which it was decreed, that all friendship and alliance with Philometor should be broken off; and his ambassador was ordered to leave Rome forthwith.

SECTION XVI.

THE WAR RENEWED-SUICIDE OF RAZIS-VICTORY OF JUDAS AND DEATH OF NICANOR-BACCHIDES IS SENT TO SUCCEED NICANOR-DEATH OF JUDAS-DREADFUL STATE OF THE JEWS-JONATHAN AND SIMON, BROTHERS OF JUDAS, MAKE A SUCCESSFUL STAND-DEATH OF ALCIMUS-THE JEWS ENJOY REST FOR TWO YEARS-WAR BETWEEN THE TWO PTOLEMIES RENEWED-DEMETRIUS ABANDONS HIMSELF TO DISSIPATION-AN IMPOSTOR ARISES TO CLAIM HIS CROWN-BOTH COURT THE AID OF JONATHAN-JONATHAN ASSUMES THE OFFICE OF HIGH-PRIEST-ALEXANDER BALAS OBTAINS THE THRONE OF SYRIA.

NICANOR, having received his orders to renew the war, came to Jerusalem with his army, and endeavoured, by craft, to get Judas into his power. For, in the first place, he invited him to a conference, with which Judas complied, relying on the peace which had been agreed upon; but soon finding that there was an ambush laid for him, he made his escape; after which all confidence was at an end, and the war again commenced. In the first action, Nicanor lost five thousand men, and was forced to retreat; and being greatly chagrined and mortified at his defeat, he vented his rage on Razis, a venerable senator of the Jewish Sanhedrim, who was held in the highest esteem by the people for his pious and benevolent acts. Nicanor therefore judged that it would be felt as a sore calamity to the Jews, if he were cut off; he therefore sent a body of men to take him, intending to put him to death. This man, however, was in a castle, where he defended himself for some time with great bravery; but finding that the place could not hold out any longer, he rashly put a termination to his own life, by falling on his sword. This act is spoken of with approbation by the wri. ter of the Maccabees, which is a clear proof that he was not an inspired man. No countenance is given to such acts of bravery any where in the Holy Scriptures. The idea that suicide in such cases, was not only lawful, but noble and heroic, was derived from intercourse with the Greeks and Romans. It is, moreover, related, that when he found that the wound did not produce immediate death, he thrust his hand into it, and pulled out his own bowels. For this act, he has been reckoned a martyr by the Jews; but St. Augustine, in his Epistle to Dulcilius, has given unanswerable reasons to prove that it was unjustifiable.

Nicanor then went up into the fortress, situated on the mountain of the temple, and demanded that Judas and his associates should be delivered up; threatening, in case of refusal, that he would pull down the altar and burn the temple, and in their place erect a temple to Bacchus. At the same time he uttered many blasphemous words against the temple, and against the God who was there worshipped. But he soon experienced the

power and vengeance of Him whose name and worship he dared to blaspheme. For coming out with all his forces to encounter Judas, Nicanor was slain on the very first onset, on which the whole of his army took to flight; and all the country rising up against them, scarcely a man of them was able to effect his escape. When Judas and his men returned from the pursuit, to the field of battle, and found Nicanor among the slain, they cut off his head and his right hand, and hanged them up in the temple, as a memorial of the vengeance of Jehovah. This victory was gained on the 13th of the month Adar; and on account of the wonderful deliverance obtained on that day, it was resolved that, ever afterwards, it should be observed as an anniversary of thanksgiving: accordingly, it is so commemorated by the Jews until this day.

Judas was not only a valiant and skilful general, but a wise politician. Finding that there was likely to be no end to the Syrian invasions, and having heard of the power and magnanimity of the Romans, he sent ambassadors to Rome, to obtain their protection against the Syrians. These ambassadors, Jason and Eupolemus, were kindly received, and a decree was made that the Jews should be acknowledged as the friends and allies of the Romans. A letter was at the same time written to Demetrius, ordering him to desist from vexing them, and threatening him with war if he persisted. But before this favourable intelligence reached Judea, Judas was no longer in the land of the living.

Demetrius, upon hearing of the defeat and death of Nicanor, collected another army of chosen troops, and again sent Bacchides and Alcimus into Judea. When this army arrived, Judas had with him no more than three thousand men; and most of these were so terrified at the mighty force which they had to oppose, that they deserted his standard; so that he was left with only eight hundred men. But such was the undaunted spirit and unshaken confidence of the man, that with this handful of soldiers he dared to engage the host of the Syrians. In this instance his courage seems to have degenerated into rashness; or, at least, the event naturally suggests this idea; for in this unequal battle, Judas himself was slain. I do not believe, that in all the annals of the world, there is exhibited to our view a character more distinguished for bravery and extraordinary success; taking into view the small number of his soldiers, and the numerous and well appointed armies, headed by experienced generals, to which he was opposed. But he evidently was actuated by a spirit superior to mere human courage. His confidence was firmly fixed on God, in whose aid he relied in all difficulties, and in all times of danger.

After the death of Judas, the Syrians overran the land; the

apostate Jews came forward in multitudes, and Alcimus was put in possession of the object of his ambition. Now a time of great distress was experienced by all the faithful Jews; not surpassed even by the persecutions in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes. Bacchides used great diligence in finding out, and punishing, all the Maccabæans, wherever they could be found; putting them to death with every species of indignity and cruelty. At length, Jonathan and Simon, the brothers of Judas, collected a small force of those who were disposed to resist the tyranny and cruelties of Bacchides and Alcimus, and retreated into the wilderness of Tekoa; where, being defended by the river Jordan on the one hand, and a morass on the other, they could not with advantage be attacked.

To secure their goods in these dangerous times, Jonathan and Simon sent their brother John with all their carriages and baggage, to their friends, the Nabatheans, to be kept for them until they should be in a condition to reclaim their property: but while he was on his journey, he was attacked by the Jambrians, a tribe of Arabians, who slew him, and seized all the goods which he had under his care. To revenge this unprovoked violence, Jonathan and Simon having learned that a great marriage was to be solemnized on a certain day, at Medaba, the chief town of the Jambrians, placed an ambush by the road along which the bridegroom and bride with their numerous attendants were to pass, in meeting each other, who killed most of the party, and took from them much rich spoil.

Bacchides, learning that Jonathan and his adherents were encamped on the bank of the Jordan, made an assault on them, on the Sabbath day, calculating upon no resistance; but Jonathan, agreeably to the decision made in the days of Mattathias his father, exhorted his brethren to resist the enemy, which they did so manfully, that they killed a thousand men: but not being able to withstand so great a multitude, they swam the Jordan and escaped.

The next year died Alcimus, the great troubler of Israel. As soon as he was established in the priesthood, he set himself to corrupt and change the Jewish religion, endeavouring to bring it to a nearer conformity with the religious institutions of the Greeks. When the temple was rebuilt after the return from captivity, there was erected around the sanctuary, a low wall, it is said, by order of the prophets Zechariah and Haggai, beyond which, no uncircumcised person was permitted to pass. This wall, commonly called Hil, Alcimus directed to be removed, that the Gentiles might be put on a level with the Jews. But during the progress of this work, he was struck with the palsy, and suddenly expired.

After the death of Alcimus, Bacchides was recalled to Anti