took all the vessels of silver and gold, and destroyed all the people without a cause. Now I perceive that for this cause these troubles are come upon me."

Then he called for Philip, one of his friends, and gave him the crown and his robe and his signet, to keep them for Antiochus his son. So he died in the thirty-second year of his age.

fort that was on When the coun

Meanwhile Judas besieged the Mount Zion, and was like to take it. sellors of the young king heard thereof they gathered a great army, and coming by way of Idumæa, pitched over against Bethsura, and assaulted it many days. But the garrison fought valiantly, and coming forth from the fort burnt the engines of war with fire.

Judas came forth to help his brethren, leaving the siege of the fortress in Mount Zion; and he pitched his camp in Beth-Zacharias. Very early the next morning the army of the king marched against him. Many elephants had they, and these they divided among the armies, appointing for every elephant a thousand men armed with coats of mail and helmets of brass, and also five hundred chosen horsemen. Whithersoever the beast went these went with him. Upon the beasts there were strong towers of wood, covered over, and fastened to them with girths; and in each tower were two-and-thirty strong men, besides the Indian that drove him.

Then Judas and his host drew near, and fought against the king's army, and slew of them six hundred

men.

When Eleazar, the brother of Judas, saw that one of the elephants was higher than all the rest, and was armed with royal harness, he supposed that the king was thereon, and ran courageously through the midst of the battle, slaying on the right hand and the left, and

making a way through the enemy. This done, he crept under the elephant and slew him; whereupon the elephant fell down upon him, and he died. But the rest of the Jews, seeing how strong was the king's army, turned away.

The king took Bethsura, for the garrison surrendered it, having no victuals; and he besieged Jerusalem. But when the siege had now lasted many days, and Judas and his men were in sore straits for want of food, suddenly, by the counsel of Lysias, the young king agreed to conditions of peace. Nevertheless, when they were come into the city, seeing how strong was the wall, he brake his oath, and caused that a portion of it should be thrown down.

After these things the young Antiochus was slain, and Demetrius reigned in his stead.

Demetrius sent Nicanor, a man that bore deadly hate against Israel, with commandment to destroy the people. So Nicanor came with great force. But first he sought to deceive Judas and his brethren, sending to them with friendly words, saying, "Let there be no battle between us. I will come with a few men, that I may see you in peace."

So he came to Judas, and they saluted one another peaceably. But Nicanor's men were ready to take away Judas by force, but could not, for the thing was

discovered.

When Nicanor saw that his counsel was in vain he fought against Judas and his brethren in the land of Samaria. Being defeated, he came to Jerusalem, and when the elders of the people and the priests came out to salute him peaceably, and to show how they offered burnt sacrifice for the king, he mocked them and laughed at them and spat on them, and sware in his wrath, “Unless Judas and his men are delivered into my hand,

if ever I come again in peace, I will burn this house with fire."

Then the priests stood before the altar weeping, and saying, "O Lord, Thou didst choose this house to be called by Thy name, and to be a house of prayer for Thy people; be avenged of this man and his host, and let them fall by the sword."

So Nicanor went out of Jerusalem and pitched in Beth-horon, where there met him another host from Syria. But Judas pitched at Adasa1 with three thousand men.

On the thirteenth day of the month Adar2 the hosts joined battle; but Nicanor's host was discomfited, and he himself was first slain. When his host knew that he was dead they cast away their weapons and fled. And Judas's men pursued after them. And the people came out of all the cities of Judah and closed them in, turning them back upon their pursuers, so that there was not one of them left. Afterwards they took the spoils, and smote off Nicanor's head and his right hand which he stretched out so proudly, and brought them away, and hanged them up on one of the gates of the temple.

Moreover they ordained that this day should be kept as a festival year by year.

Now Judas had heard of the fame of the Romans, that they were mighty and valiant men, and that they would receive with friendship such as would make a league with them. Moreover he heard how that they stayed the Galatians from their plunderings, and had won the land of Spain with its mines of gold and of silver, and how they had discomfited Perseus, king of the Greeks; and how, when Antiochus the Great came

1 Adasa is between two and three miles from Beth-horon.

2 About 5th March 161 B.C.

against them with elephants and chariots and a very great army, they discomfited him, and constrained him to make peace with them, and pay them tribute; and how, notwithstanding this greatness, none of them wore a crown or was clothed in purple. Moreover he heard how they had made for themselves a senate-house, wherein three hundred and twenty men sat in council daily, consulting alway for the people, to the end that they might be well ordered; and that they were obedient to rule, and there was no envy or ambition among them. Considering these things, Judas sent ambassadors to Rome to make a league of friendship and alliance with them, and to beg that the Romans should deliver them from the Greeks. So the ambassadors came and told their errand, and a treaty was made between the two to this purpose:

"If there come war upon the Romans or any of their confederates the Jews shall help them, neither shall they give anything to their enemies-of weapons, or victuals, or money, or ships.

In the same manner also, if war come upon the Jews, the Romans shall help them, and not give aught to their enemies."

The Romans sent also to Demetrius, warning him. that he should do no harm to the Jews.

But while these things were being done, Demetrius, having heard how Nicanor had been defeated and slain, sent Bacchides, his lieutenant, and Alcimus, the highpriest, with a great host against Judas.

Judas pitched his camp at Eleasa, having three thousand men with him, and no more, for many of the zealous men1 had fallen away from him when they knew that he made a covenant with the Romans. And of the three thousand many fled when they saw how great

1 The Chasidim or Puritan party who were opposed to all compromise.

was the multitude of the enemy, so that there remained with him no more than eight hundred men. Nevertheless unto them that remained he said, “Let us arise and go against our enemies; peradventure we may prevail over them." But they said, "We shall not be able. Let us rather save our lives, and we will return with our brethren, and fight against them another day, for we are but few."

But Judas said, “God forbid that I should do this thing, and flee from them. If our time be come, let us die manfully for our brethren, and let us not stain our honour."

So the two armies went out to battle. And when Judas perceived that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right wing, he took with him all the most valiant men of his company and discomfited them, and pursued them as far as Mount Azara. But when they of the left wing saw this they fell upon Judas and his men from behind. Thereupon there was a sore battle, insomuch that many were slain; Judas also was killed, and the remnant fled.

But Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother and buried him in the sepulchre of his fathers in Modin. And all Israel made great lamentation over him, mourning many days, and saying, "How IS THE VALIANT MAN FALLEN THAT DELIVERED ISRAEL? "

THE END

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