Part 513

10:47. And their inclinations were towards Alexander, because he had been the chief promoter of peace in their regard, and him they always helped.

10:48. And king Alexander gathered together a great army, and moved his camp near to Demetrius.

10:49. And the two kings joined battle, and the army of Demetrius fled away, and Alexander pursued after him, and pressed them close.

10:50. And the battle was hard fought, till the sun went down: and Demetrius was slain that day.

10:51. And Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemee king of Egypt, with words to this effect, saying:

Ptolemee. . .Surnamed Philometer.

10:52. Forasmuch as I am returned into my kingdom and am set in the throne of my ancestors, and have gotten the dominion, and have overthrown Demetrius and possessed our country,

10:53. And have joined battle with him, and both he and his army have been destroyed by us, and we are placed in the throne of his kingdom:

10:54. Now, therefore, let us make friendship one with another: and give me now thy daughter to wife, and I will be thy son in law, and I will give both thee and her gifts worthy of thee.

10:55. And king Ptolomee answered, saying: Happy is the day wherein thou didst return to the land of thy fathers, and sattest in the throne of their kingdom.

10:56. And now I will do to thee as thou hast written but meet me at Ptolemais, that we may see one another, and I may give her to thee as thou hast said.

10:57. So Ptolemee went out of Egypt, with Cleopatra his daughter, and he came to Ptolemais, in the hundred and sixty-second year.

10:58. And king Alexander met him, and he gave him his daughter, Cleopatra: and he celebrated her marriage at Ptolemais with great glory, after the manner of kings.

10:59. And king Alexander wrote to Jonathan, that he should come and meet him.

10:60. And he went honourably to Ptolemais, and he met there the two kings, and he gave them much silver, and gold, and presents: and he found favour in their sight.

10:61. And some pestilent men of Israel, men of a wicked life, assembled themselves against him, to accuse him: and the king gave no heed to them.

10:62. And he commanded that Jonathan's garments should be taken off, and that he should be clothed with purple: and they did so. And the king made him sit by himself.

10:63. And he said to his princes: Go out with him into the midst of the city, and make proclamation, that no man complain against him of any matter, and that no man trouble him for any manner of cause.

10:64. So when his accusers saw his glory proclaimed, and him clothed with purple, they all fled away.

10:65. And the king magnified him, and enrolled him amongst his chief friends, and made him governor, and partaker of his dominion.

10:66. And Jonathan returned into Jerusalem with peace and joy.

10:67. In the year one hundred and sixty-five, Demetrius, the son of Demetrius, came from Crete into the land of his fathers.

10:68. And king Alexander heard of it, and was much troubled, and returned to Antioch.

10:69. And king Demetrius made Apollonius his general, who was governor of Celesyria: and he gathered together a great army, and came to Jamnia: and he sent to Jonathan, the high priest,

10:70. Saying: Thou alone standest against us, and I am laughed at and reproached, because thou shewest thy power against us in the mountains.

10:71. Now, therefore, if thou trustest in thy forces, come down to us into the plain, and there let us try one another: for with me is the strength of war.

10:72. Ask, and learn who I am, and the rest that help me, who also say that your foot cannot stand before our face, for thy fathers have twice been put to flight in their own land:

10:73. And now how wilt thou be able to abide the horsemen, and so great an army in the plain, where there is no stone, nor rock, nor place to flee to?