1   At the same time Antiochus prepared a second iourney into Ægypt.

2   And it came to passe: that through out the whole citie of Ierusalem were senne for fourtie dayes in the ayre horsemen running hither & thither, hauing golden stoles, and speares, as it were companies armed, ^note

3   and coursing of horses set in orders by rankes, and that there were encounterings together neere hand, and shakings of sheildes, and a multitude of men in helmets with swordes drawen, and throwing of darts, and the glittering of golden armour, and of al kind of harnes.

4   Wherefore al prayed that the wonders might be turned to good.

5   But when there was a false rumour gone forth, as though Antiochus had bene parted this life, Iason taking vnto him no lesse then a thousand men, suddenly set vpon the citie: and the citizens flying together to the wal, at the last the citie being taken, Menelaus fled into the castel.

6   But Iason spared not his citizens in murder, nor considered, that prosperitie against kinsmen is a verie great euil, supposing that he should take the victorious spoiles of the enemies, and not of his citizens.

7   And the princedome verily he obteyned not, but receiued confusion, the end of his treacherie, and went againe a fugitiue into the countrie of the Ammanites.

8   At the last to his owne destruction being inclosed of Aretas the tyrant of the Arabians, flying from citie to citie, odious to al men, as an apostata from the lawes, and execrable, as an enemie of his countrie and citizens, he was thrust out into Egypt:

9   and he that had expelled manie out of their countrie, perished in a strange place, going to the Lacedemonians, as being like ^note for kindred sake to haue refuge there:

10   but he that cast away manie vnburyed, himself both vnlamented, and vnburyed is cast forth, neither enioying forrein buryal, nor partaker of the sepulcher of his fathers ^note .

11   These thinges therefore being done, the king suspected that the Iewes would forsake the societie: and for this departing out of Ægypt with a furious mind, he tooke the citie by armes. ^note

12   And he bad the souldiars kil, and not spare them that came in their way, to murder them that went vp into the houses.

13   Slaughters therfore were made of youngmen & old, and destructions of wemen and children, and murders of virgins and litle ones.

14   And there were in the whole three dayes foure score thousand slaine, fourtie thousand prisoners, and no lesse sold.

15   But neither do these thinges suffice, he presumed also to enter into the temple, in al the earth the most holie, Menelaus being his leader, who was betrayer of the lawes, and his countrie.

16   And with wicked handes taking the holie vessels, which by other kinges and cities were set for the ornament and the glorie of the place, he vnworthily handled and contaminated them.

17   So Antiochus being alienated in minde, considered not, that for the sinnes of them that inhabit the citie, God had bene angrie a litle: for the which also hapned the contempte about the place:

18   otherwise vnles it had chanced them to haue bene wrapped in manie sinnes, as Heliodorus, who was sent of Seleucus the king to spoile the treasurie, this man also immediately as he came had bene scourged, and repelled verily from his boldnes.

19   But ^note not the nation for the place, but the place for the nation hath God chosen.

20   And therefore the place also it self is made partaker of the peoples euils: but afterward it shal be partaker of the good thinges, and it that was forsaken in the wrath of almightie God, shal be exalted againe with great glorie in the reconciliation of the great Lord.

21   Therefore Antiochus hauing taken away out of the temple a thousand and eight hundred talents, spedily went backe to Antioch, thinking through pride, that he might bring the land to sayle vpon, & the sea to goe vpon, through haughtines of minde.

22   And he left also rulers to afflict the nation: at Ierusalem, Philip a Phrygian borne, more cruel of maners then he himself by whom he was appointed:

23   and in Garizim Andronicus and Menelaus, who lay more greiuously vpon the citizens then the rest.

24   And wheras he was set against the Iewes, he sent the odious prince Apollonius with an armie of two & twentie thousand, commanding him to kil al of perfect age, to sel the wemen and the young ones.

25   Who when he was come to Ierusalem, feyning peace, rested vntil the holie day of the Sabbath: and then the Iewes keping holie day, he commanded his men to take weapons.

26   And he murdered al that were gone forth to behold the gammes: & running through

the citie with armed men he slew a very greate multitude.

27   But Iudas Machabeus, who was ^note the tenth, was retyred into a desert place, and there amongst wilde beastes he led his life in the mountaines with his companie: and they abode eating meate of grasse, that they might not be partakers of the contamination.

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