129

Bacchides was, he breaks through the phalanx and put it to flight. But those on the left wing, having attacked, surrounded Judas. But he, taking his stand, fought with those with him, and after killing many, at last he himself also fell; when he fell, those with him fled. And having been distinguished in the high priesthood for a third year, and having proved a noble man, and having been ready to do and to suffer everything for the freedom of the nation, he died. And when he died, Bacchides entrusted the administration of the country to the impious among the Jews and to those who had transgressed the ancestral laws. And they afflicted their kinsmen in every way, and seizing the sympathizers of Judas they brought them to Bacchides, who first tortured and then destroyed them. Therefore, the remaining companions of Judas persuaded his brother Jonathan and appointed him general of the Jews. And Bacchides sought to kill Jonathan by treachery; but he, with his brother Simon and his companions, fled into the wilderness. And Bacchides had marched against them; but Jonathan sent his brother John to the Nabataean Arabs, for they were friends, to deposit their baggage with them. But as he was departing, the sons of Amaraios, lying in wait, kill him along with his followers and have plundered what was being carried. And Bacchides attacked Jonathan on the Sabbath, supposing that he would not fight because of the law. But he, saying that the danger concerned their lives, drew up in opposition, and after killing many and charging against Bacchides as if to strike him, and failing, he leaped into the river with the 1.325 companions and swam across. And Bacchides returned to the citadel in Jerusalem, and taking the children of the leading men of Judea as hostages, he shut them up in the citadel. But Jonathan took care to avenge the murder of his brother John. Therefore, while the sons of Amaraios were celebrating a wedding, and were escorting the bridegroom and the bride from one city to another with a lavish procession, he laid an ambush in a mountain with his men and attacks those in the procession, and destroyed them all, and plundered everything they were carrying. And Jonathan and Simon with their men were living in the marshes of the river. But Bacchides, leaving a garrison in Judea, returned to Demetrius. And since the nation was then at peace for two years, Jonathan and his men were dwelling in the country in security. Therefore, the impious Jews send to King Demetrius, declaring that Jonathan could be captured without trouble if someone were sent against him. And the king sends Bacchides. But he, having come into Judea and although he strove to seize Jonathan, being unable, he killed fifty of the leading men from those around Jonathan who had made the report to the king, on the grounds that they had lied. And Jonathan and Simon and their men withdrew into the wilderness, where he built towers and remained. And Bacchides came and besieged him. But Jonathan, leaving his brother Simon there, went out secretly himself and, having gathered many from the country, at night attacked Bacchides and his army. And he himself killed many, and Simon also killed many, sallying forth from the fortifications, and they burned the siege engines. Disheartened 1.326 by these things, Bacchides wanted to withdraw, but was seeking a decent pretext for the departure. And Jonathan, learning this, sends an embassy concerning friendship, so that each side might give back to the other the prisoners they held. Therefore Bacchides received the embassy and makes a treaty. And they swore to campaign against each other no longer, and they exchanged the prisoners. And Bacchides returned and no longer came against Judea, but Jonathan, having obtained security, administered the affairs of his countrymen and punished the impious. But Alexander, the son of Antiochus Epiphanes, having taken Ptolemais by treachery, disturbed Demetrius, so that he both gathered his forces and sent to Jonathan concerning goodwill and an alliance. And he permitted him to raise an army, and allowed him to take back the boys whom Bacchides had shut up in the citadel as hostages. Therefore Jonathan, having received the letter of the

129

Βακχίδης ην, τὴν φάλαγγα διασπᾷ καὶ ἐτρέψατο εἰς φυγήν. ἐπελθόντες δ' οἱ κατὰ τὸ εὐώνυμον ἐκύκλωσαν τὸν ̓Ιούδαν. ὁ δὲ στὰς ἐμάχετο μετὰ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ, καὶ πολλοὺς κτείνας τέλος καὶ αὐτὸς επεσεν· ου πεσόντος οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ εφυγον. ἐπὶ τρίτον δ' ετος τῇ ἀρχιερωσύνῃ ἐμπρέψας, καὶ γενναῖος ἀνὴρ γεγονώς, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐλευθερίας τοῦ εθνους πάντα καὶ δρᾶσαι καὶ παθεῖν ετοιμος γεγονώς, ἀπέθανε. Θανόντος δ' ἐκείνου τοῖς ἀσεβήσασι τῶν ̓Ιουδαίων καὶ παραβεβηκόσι τὰ πάτρια τὴν τῆς χώρας ἐπιμέλειαν ὁ Βακχίδης ἀνέθετο. οἱ δὲ παντοίως τοὺς ὁμοφύλους ἐκάκουν, καὶ τοὺς ̓Ιούδα ὁμόφρονας συλλαμβάνοντες τῷ Βακχίδῃ προσῆγον, καὶ ος αἰκίζων αὐτοὺς πρότερον ειτα διέφθειρεν. οἱ ουν περίλοιποι τῶν ἑταίρων ̓Ιούδα ̓Ιωνάθην τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐκείνου πείσαντες τῶν ̓Ιουδαίων ἀποδεικνύουσι στρατηγόν. καὶ ὁ Βακχίδης ἀποκτεῖναι δόλῳ τὸν ̓Ιωνάθην ἐζήτει· ὁ δὲ μετὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Σίμωνος καὶ τῶν ἑταίρων εἰς ερημον εφυγε. καὶ ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ὁ Βακχίδης ὡρμήκει· ὁ δ' ̓Ιωνάθης τὸν ἀδελφὸν ̓Ιωάννην πρὸς τοὺς Ναβαταίους Αραβας επεμψεν, ησαν γὰρ φίλοι, παραθησόμενον αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀποσκευήν. ἀπιόντα δὲ τοῦτον οἱ ̓Αμαραίου παῖδες λοχήσαντες κτείνουσι σὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις καὶ τὰ κομιζόμενα διηρπάκασι. Βακχίδης δὲ ἐν σαββάτῳ τῷ ̓Ιωνάθαν ἐπῆλθεν ὡς τάχα διὰ τὸν νόμον μὴ μαχουμένῳ. ὁ δὲ περὶ ψυχῶν ειναι φήσας τὸν κίνδυνον, ἀντετάξατο, καὶ πολλοὺς ἀποκτείνας καὶ κατὰ Βακχίδου ὁρμήσας ὡς πλήξων αὐτόν, καὶ ἀποτυχών, εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν ηλατο μετὰ τῶν 1.325 ἑταίρων καὶ διενήξατο. καὶ ὁ Βακχίδης εἰς τὴν ἐν ̔Ιεροσολύμοις ακραν ὑπέστρεψε, καὶ τῶν πρώτων τῆς ̓Ιουδαίας παῖδας ὁμήρους λαβὼν εἰς τὴν ακραν ἐνέκλεισεν. ̓Ιωνάθῃ δ' ἐμέλησε τὸν φόνον τιμωρῆσαι τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ̓Ιωάννου. γάμον ουν τῶν τοῦ ̓Αμαραίου παίδων τελούντων, καὶ ἐκ πόλεως εἰς ἑτέραν τὸν νυμφίον καὶ τὴν νύμφην ἀγόντων μετὰ πολυτελοῦς προπομπῆς, ἐνεδρεύσας ἐκεῖνος ἐν ορει μετὰ τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν ἐπιτίθεται τοῖς ἐν τῇ πομπῇ, καὶ διέφθειρεν απαντας, καὶ α εφερον διήρπασε ξύμπαντα. διῆγον δ' ̓Ιωνάθης καὶ Σίμων μετὰ τῶν περὶ αὐτοὺς εἰς τὰ ελη τοῦ ποταμοῦ. Βακχίδης δὲ φρουρὰν εἰς ̓Ιουδαίαν καταλιπὼν πρὸς τὸν ∆ημήτριον ἐπανῆλθεν. ἠρεμοῦντος δ' εκτοτε τοῦ εθνους ἐπ' ετη δύο, ̓Ιωνάθης καὶ οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν σὺν ἀδείᾳ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ διέτριβον. οἱ ουν ἀσεβήσαντες ̓Ιουδαῖοι πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ∆ημήτριον πέμπουσι, δηλοῦντες ἀπόνως τὸν ̓Ιωνάθαν, εἰ πεμφθείη τις ἐπ' αὐτόν, συλληφθήσεσθαι. καὶ πέμπει τὸν Βακχίδην ὁ βασιλεύς. ὁ δὲ εἰς τὴν ̓Ιουδαίαν ἐλθὼν καὶ συλλαβέσθαι τὸν ̓Ιωνάθαν καίτοι σπουδάσας οὐχ οιός τε ων, πεντήκοντα ἐκ τῶν περὶ ̓Ιωνάθαν τῷ βασιλεῖ τὴν ἀναφορὰν ποιησάντων τοὺς προκρίτους ὡς ψευσαμένους ἀπέκτεινεν. ̓Ιωνάθης δὲ καὶ Σίμων καὶ οἱ περὶ αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν ερημον ἀνεχώρησαν, ενθα πύργους οἰκοδομήσας προσέμενε. καὶ ὁ Βακχίδης ἐλθὼν ἐπολιόρκει αὐτόν. ̓Ιωνάθης δὲ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐκεῖ λιπὼν Σίμωνα, αὐτὸς λάθρᾳ ἐξελθὼν καὶ πολλοὺς ἐκ τῆς χώρας συναγαγὼν νύκτωρ τῷ Βακχίδῃ καὶ τῇ αὐτοῦ προσέβαλε στρατιᾷ. καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν αὐτὸς ἀνεῖλε, πολλοὺς δὲ καὶ ὁ Σίμων, ὑπεξελθὼν κἀκεῖνος ἀπὸ τῶν ἐρυμάτων, ἐμπρήσαντες καὶ τὰς πολιορκητικὰς μηχανάς. ἀθυμήσας 1.326 δὲ διὰ ταῦτα ὁ Βακχίδης ηθελεν ἀναζεῦξαι, ἐζήτει δ' αἰτίαν τῆς ἀναζυγῆς εὐπρεπῆ. καὶ ὁ ̓Ιωνάθης τοῦτο μαθὼν πρεσβεύεται περὶ φιλίας, ινα ἑκάτεροι ἀλλήλοις ἀντιδῶσιν ους ειχον αἰχμαλώτους. δεξάμενος ουν τὴν πρεσβείαν ὁ Βακχίδης σπένδεται. καὶ ωμοσαν μηκέτι κατ' ἀλλήλων στρατεύειν, καὶ τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους ἠλλάξαντο. καὶ ὁ μὲν Βακχίδης ὑποστρέψας οὐκέτι κατὰ τῆς ̓Ιουδαίας ἐπῆλθεν, ὁ δ' ̓Ιωνάθης ἀδείας τυχὼν τὰ τῶν ὁμοεθνῶν διίθυνε πράγματα ἐκόλαζέ τε τοὺς ἀσεβήσαντας. ̓Αλέξανδρος δὲ τοῦ ̓Επιφανοῦς ̓Αντιόχου υἱὸς τὴν Πτολεμαΐδα ἐκ προδοσίας παρειληφὼς ἐτάραξε τὸν ∆ημήτριον, ωστε καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις ἀθροίζειν καὶ πέμψαι πρὸς ̓Ιωνάθην περὶ εὐνοίας καὶ συμμαχίας. ἐπέτρεπέ τε αὐτῷ στράτευμα συνιστᾶν, καὶ ους ἐν τῇ ακρᾳ κατέκλεισεν ὁ Βακχίδης παῖδας ὡς ὁμηρεύοντας παρεχώρει ἀπολαβεῖν. δεξάμενος ουν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ̓Ιωνάθης τοῦ