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
THE FIFTH BOOK OF MACCABEES:
CONTAINING A RECORD OF EVENTS FROM THE TRANSLATION OF THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES INTO GREEK UNDER PTOLEMY PHILADELPHUS, (B.C. 277,) TO THE DEATH OF HEROD’s TWO SONS, IN THE FIFTH OR SIXTH YEAR BEFORE CHRIST.
CHAPTER XLa
B.C.56
The history of the flight of Aristobulus and his son Antigonus from Rome, and their return into the land of Judah: also, an account of the death of Aristdbulus.
Then Aristobulus devised plans, till he had succeeded in escaping from Rome with his son Antigonus, and had arrived in the city of Judah. And when Aristobulus shewed himself in public, a great multitude of men flocked round him; out of whom he selected eight thousand, and marched against Gabinius, and engaged him; and there were slain of the Roman army a very great number: there fell also of his own men seven thousand, but one thousand escaped; and the enemy’s army pursued him; but he and they who were left to him ceased not to resist even till the total destruction of his men; nor was there one left but he alone; and he fought most furiously until he fell overpowered by wounds, and was taken and led to Gabinius; who ordered him to be taken care of until he was healed. Then he sent him in chains to Rome.
He remained shut up in prison until the reign of Caesar; who broughtb him out of prison and loaded him with gifts and favours; and giving to him two generals and twelve thousand men, sent him into the land of Judah, (B. C. 49.) to detach the Jews from Pompey’s party, and bring them over to obey Caesar: for Pompey at that time was governor of the land of Egypt. And the report of Aristobulus and his party reached Hyrcanus; who was greatly afraid and wrote to Antipater to avert his power from him by his customary devices. So, Antipater sent some of the chief men of Jerusalem, giving to one of them poison, charging him to administer it craftily to Aristobulus. And they met him in the land of Syria, as though they were ambassadors to him from the Holy City: and he received them joyfully, and they did eat and drink with him. And those men laid plots till they gave him the poison; and he died and was buried in the land of Syria. Now the time of his reignc, until he was taken prisoner the first time, was three years and a half; and he was a man of courage, weight, and excellent disposition.
Now Gabinius had written to the senate, to send away his two sons to their mother, since she had requested it; which they did. But it came to pass, that when Pompey had departed to a great distance from Jerusalem, they broke their engagement of obedience to the Romans: wherefore Gabinius went against them, encountered them, and conquered them, and reduced them again to submission to the Romans.
In the meantime, the land of Egypt rebelled (B.C.55) against Ptolemyd, and expelled him from his royal city, refusing to pay tribute to the Romans. Whereupon Ptolemy wrote to Gabinius that he should come and help him against the Egyptians, that he might bring them again into subjection to the Romans. And Gabinius marched out of the country of Syria and wrote to Hyrcanus to meet him with an army, that they might go to Ptolemy. And Antipater went with a large army to Gabinius, and met him at Damascus, congratulating with him on the victory which he had gained over the Persianse: and Gabinius ordered him to hasten to Ptolemy, which he did, and fought against the Egyptians, and slew of them a very great number. Afterwards Gabinius coming up, replaced Ptolemy on his throne, and went back to the Holy City, and renewed Hyrcanus’ sovereignty, and returned to Rome.
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