CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GIFT FROM
Alfred C. Barnes
The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.
http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029308503
CONTAINING OCCURRENCES WHICH TOOK PLACE AT JERUSALEM AND ALEXANDRIA, DURING PART OF THE REIGN OF PTOLEMY PHILOPATOR, KING OF EGYPT, BETWEEN THE YEARS 217 AND 209 BEFORE CHRIST.
WITH NOTES AND ILLUSTRATIONS, BY
HENRY COTTON, D.C.L.
ARCHDEACON OF CASHEL,
AND DECEASED STUDENT AT CHRIST CHURCH, OXFORD
OXFORD, AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS. MDCCCXXXII.
TO
THE PROVOST, FELLOWS AND SCHOLARS, VAN TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN, TO WHOSE VALUABLE LIBRARY I HAD THE MOST GENEROUS ACCESS, THE PRESENT PUBLICATION IS ENGRAVED, IN TESTIMONY OF RESPECT AND REGARD.
Note from Webmaster
The books of the MACCABEES tell us about the happenings between Malachi in the OLD TESTAMENT to the birth of Jesus in the New Testament. There is nothing in the Bible about these ±450 years. These books tell us about Judah and Benjamin, two of the tribes of Israel that remained and are now known to us as Jews, to the other 10 tribes known as Israel in exile carried off through Syria to this day. We must never forget that after the sin of Solomon for marrying heathen women, God divided as punishment the old Israel which consisted of 12 tribes, 10 Northern tribes known as Israel and the two southern tribes confessed as Judah, now also called Jews. Read the Bible from 1 Kings 11 from verse 1 to Malachi.
The events described in the five books took place under the rule of Greek leaders as the third world rulers as described in the Dream of Nebuchadnezzar. First there was Babylon, then follow the Persians to the Greeks who were taken over by the fourth. The Romans. Why not read the book of Daniel in the Bible? The events of the MACCABEES took place after Alexander the Great died, and his four Generals divided the world among them as rulers.
P.J.C.Schutte
Book 1
CHAPTER V
B.C.210
The Jews ordered to be destroyed by elephants. The king’s irresolution.
Then calling to him Hermo, who had the care
of the elephants, being full of fierce anger, and to tally unchangeable through rage ; he commanded that against the next day they should dose all the elephants, in number five hundred a, with large handfuls of frankincense b and a great quantity of undiluted wine ; and when they had been maddened by the copious supply of this drink, they should then introduce them to meet and destroy c the Jews. He then, having given this command, returned to his banquet, having collected round him those of his friends and of his army who were the greatest enemies to the Jews. But Hermo, the commander of the elephants, performed exactly what had been ordered. And the servants, who were appointed to that business, going out in the evening, bound the hands of the poor wretches, and took all other care necessary to secure them supposing that the whole tribe would together, that very night d, receive their final destruction.
Now the Jews, who seemed to the heathen to be destitute of all protection, by reason of the confinement in chains which environed them on all sides, did all with an unceasing cry and with tears call upon the Almighty Lord, the supreme Dis poser of all power, their merciful God and Father: beseeching him to change the unholy design against them ; and to deliver them, by a glorious manifestation of himself, from that fate which was ready at their feet. So, the earnest supplication of these Jews ascended up to heaven. But Hermo, having given to the merciless elephants their potion, and filled them with a plentiful supply of wine and crammed them with frankincense, was early at the palace in the morning to inform the king thereof. But He e who bestows what He pleases upon all men, had cast upon the king a sleep, a thing which from all eternity has been considered good in the night, but now was sent in the day. And he was detained in a most sweet and deep slumber, through the operation f of the Lord of all things : being greatly disappointed of his unlawful purpose, and mightily deceived in his immutable contrivance. But the Jews, haying escaped the appointed hour, praised their holy
God; and prayed again to Him who is easy to be reconciled, that He would shew to the proud heathen then the strength of his powerful hand.
And when it was about halfway past the ninth hour, he who was appointed to invite the guests, when he saw them in great numbers about him, came and shook the king. And when he had awaked him with great difficulty, he informed him that the time for the feast was passing by, entering into conversation on these matters g. Which the king reflecting on, betook himself to his banquet, and commanded that the guests who were come to the feast should sit down in his presence. Which being done, he exhorted them to give up themselves to revelry, and to honour the abundant feast before them, by spending the time in merriment.
And when the interview had lasted long, the king sent for Hermo and asked him with bitter threatening for what cause the Jews had been suffered to outlive that day. And when he shewed that even over-night he had completely finished that which was enjoined him h, and his friends also testified to this effect : the king, with a barbarity worse than that of Phalaris, said that they might thank his sleep of that day : ” but against ” the next morning without all excuse do thou ” prepare the elephants in like manner for the ” annihilation of the wicked Jews.” And when
the king had said this, all who were present cheer fully and joyfully commending it with one accord, departed each to his own home. And they did not so much employ the night-time in sleep, as in devising all sorts of indignities i against those who seemed to be miserable wretches. seemed to be miserable wretches.
Now as soon as the cock had crowed at daybreak, Hermo had armed the elephants and was exercising them in the great cloistered court k.
And the multitudes in the city crowded together to this most sad spectacle, earnestly waiting for the morning. But the Jews being in suspense l for some short time, with weeping supplication in mournful strains, stretching out their hands to heaven, besought the Most High God again to assist them with all speed.
The rays ofthe sun were not yet spread abroad, when, the king waiting to receive his friends, Hermo stood by his side, and called to come for ward, shewing that the royal desire was in a way to be speedily fulfilled. But when he received this intelligence, and was astonished at that un usual™ coming forth so early, being overcome with total ignorance, he asked what that matter
was for which all this had been so diligently done by him.
Now this was the operation of God who disposeth all things, who had planted in his mind an entire forgetfulness of the plans which before he had contrived.
But Hermo and all his friends explained to him that the beasts and the troops are ready, ” according to thine earnest desire, O King.” But he, filled with great wrath at their words, (because that through God’s providence all his sense about these matters was scattered to nought,) looking steadfastly on Hermo with threats, said, ” If your
” parents n or children had been here, they should
” have furnished a glorious prey for the wild
” beasts, instead of these blameless Jews ; who
” have shewn in a remarkable degree, to me and
” to my ancestors, an entire and unshaken fidelity.
” And indeed, but for that affection which our
” education together and your usefulness ° has
” kept up, you should have been put to death in-
” stead of these.”
So Hermo underwent an unexpected and dangerous threatening; and was cast down in his eyes and countenance. The king’s friends also
coming out secretly p one by one with a sad countenance, sent away the assembled multitudes each to his own private affairs. And when the Jews had heard what the king had said, they praised the glorious God and King of kings, having obtained from Him this second assistance also.
But the king after the very same manner ap pointed another banquet, and invited his friends to turn their minds to mirth. And calling for Hermo, he said to him with threats,
” How often, O thou wretch, must I give fresh orders to thee
” about these same people ? Arm the elephants
” once again for to-morrow, for the annihilation
“of the Jews.
But his kinsmen who were seated with him at the banquet, wondering at his unstable mind, said thus :
” O king, how long wilt thou trifle with us,
” as though we were irrational brutes ? command-
” ing us now this third time to destroy these men ;
” and then, when the business was begunq, repent-
” ing and rescinding thy former orders: by rea-
” son of which the city is disturbed through ex-
” pectation ; and, being filled with assembled
” groups of people, has been in frequent danger
” of being pillaged in various ways.”
Upon this the king, exactly like another Phalaris, filled with absurdity, and counting for no- thing those changes of mind which had been wrought in him respecting the visitation r of the
Jews; swore vehemently a most impious oath s determining that without delay he would send these people into the other world, foully trampled to death by the knees t and feet of the elephants. And that he would send an army into Judaea and quickly level it with the ground by fire and sword; and speedily would destroy with fire that
” temple of theirs, which (said he) we are not allowed to
” enter u,” and would make it destitute of those who offer sacrifice for all time to come.
Then his friends and kinsmen departing, overjoyed and with belief in him, disposed the troops in the most proper parts of the city for securing it. But the governor of the elephants, having driven the animals, as I may say, into a state of
madness by highly-scented potions of wine mixed with frankincense, they being decked out in fearful array x : —about daybreak, the city being already filled with countless multitudes about the Hippodrome y, he entered into the court, and called out the king to the business before him.
Then he, having his wicked mind filled with fierce anger, rushed forth with all his retinue z and with the beasts : resolving to behold, with an untouched heart and with his own eyes, the painful and miserable destruction of the aforementioned Jews.
But the Jews, when they saw the dust raised by the elephants going out of the gate, and by the armed force which followed, and by the march of the multitude ; and heard the tumultuous noise: thinking that moment to be the last of their lives, the conclusion of their most woeful expectation ; they betook themselves to lamentations and wail they kissed one another, embracing their relatives and falling about their necks, fathers on their sons, and mothers upon young girls, and other women who had new-born babes at their breasts drawing their last milk.
Nevertheless, having regard to those former assistances which they had received from heaven, throwing themselves flat down with one accord, and removing the infants from their breasts, they cried out with an exceeding great cry, beseeching the Lord of all power to shew pity on them, by
the manifestation of his presence, who were now at the gates of the other world.
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