Menelaus, the high-priest at this time, had purchased his elevation to that rank by selling the sacred vessels of the Temple. Hoping to serve his own ends, he join- ed himself to the army of Lysias, but was slain bj' com- mand of Antiochus. Onias, the son of the high-priest whom Menelaus had supplanted, fled into Egypt, and Alcimus or Jacimus, not of the high-priestly family, was raised to the dignity of high-priest. By taking this man under his protection, Demetrius hoped to weak- en the power of the Jews. He dispatched Bacchides with Alcimus to Jerusalem, with orders to slay the Mac- caljees and their followers. Jerusalem yielded to one who came with the authority of the high-priest, but Al- cimus murdered sixty of the elders as soon as he got them into his power. Bacchides also committed sundry atrocities in other parts. No sooner, however, had he left Judaja than Maccabreus again rose against Alcimus, and drove liim to Antioch, where he endeavored as far as possible to injure Judas with the king. Upon this De- metrius sent Nicanor with a large army to reinstate Al- cimus, anil when he came to Jerusalem, which was still held by the Syrians, he endeavored to get Judas into his power by stratagem, but the plot being discovered, he was compelled to meet him in the field. They join- ed battle at Capharsalama, and Nicanor lost about 5000 men ; the rest fled to the stronghold of Zion. Here he revenged himself with great cruelty, and threatened yet further barbarities unless Judas was delivered up. As the people refused to betray their cliampion, Nicanor was again compelled to fight. He pitched his camp ominously enough in Bethhoron; his troops were com- pletely routed, and he himself slain. The next act of Judas was to make an alliance with the Romans, who entered into it eagerly ; but no sooner was it contracted than the king made one more determined effort for the subjutfation of Palestine, sending Alcimus and Bacchi- des, with all the flower of his army, to a place called Beroa or Bethzetho, apparently near Jerusalem. The Koman alliance seems to have alienated many of the ex- treme Jewish party from Judas (Midi: Hhunuku, quoted by Kaphall, Hist. ofJetvs, i,325). Moreover, the terror inspired Ijy this host was such that Judas found himself deserted by all but 800 followers, who would fain have dissuaded him from encountering the enemy. His reply M-as worthy of him: " If our time be come, let us die manfidly for our brethren, and let us not stain our hon- or." He fought with such valor that the right wing, commantled by Bacchides, was repulsed and driven to a
hill called Azotus or Aza, but the left wing doubled upon the pursuers from behind, so that they were shut in, as it were, between two armies. The battle lasted from morning till night. Judas was killed, and his fol- lowers, overborne by numbers, were dispersed. His brothers Jonathan and Simon received his body by a treaty from the enemy, and buried it in the sepulchre of his fathers at Modin, B.C. 161. Thus fell the great- est of the ]Maccabees, a hero worthy of being ranked with the noblest of his country, and conspicuous among all, in any age or clime, who have drawn the swcjrd of liberty in defence of their dearest and most sacred rights. 3. After the death of Judas the patriotic party seems to have been for a short time whoUy disorganized, and it was only by the pressure of unparalleled sufferings that they were driven to renew the conflict. For this purpose they offered the command to Josathax, sur- named Apphus ('C31SH, the wari/), the yoiuigest son of Mattathias. The policy of Jonathan shows the great- ness of the loss involved in his brother's death. He was glad to seek safet}' from Bacchides among the pools and marshes of the Jordan (1 Mace, ix, 42), whither he was pursued by him. At the same time, also, his broth- er John was killed by a neighboring Arab tribe. Jon- athan took occasion to revenge his brother's death upon a marriage-party, for which he lay in wait, and then re- pidsed an attack of Bacchides, and slew a thousand of his men. At this point Alcimus died, and Bacchides, after fortifying the strong towns of Juda?a, returned to Antioch ; but upon Jonathan again emerging from his hiding-place, Bacchides came back with a formidable army, and was for some time exposed to the desultory attacks of Jonathan, till weary of this mode of fighting, or for other reasons, he thought it fit to conclude a peace with him, and returned to his master. B.C. 158. The Maccabee was thus left in possession of Judaja (1 Mace, ix, 73), and had not long afterwards an opportunity of- fered him of consolidating his position ; for there sprung up one Alexander Balas, who was believed to be a son of Antiochus Epiphanes, and laid claim to the throne of Syria. Demetrius and Alexander mutually competed for the alliance of Jonathan, but Alexander was success- ful, having offered him the high-priesthood, and sent him a purple robe and a golden crown — the insignia of royalty — and promised him exemption from tribute as well as other advantages. Jonathan thereupon assumed the high-priesthood, and became the friend of Alexan- der, who forthwith met Demetrius in the field, slew him, usurped his crown, and allied himself (B.C. 150) in mar- riage with Cleopatra, the daughter of Ptolemy Pliilome- tor, king of Egypt. Jonathan was invited to tlie wed- ding, and was made much of at court. In return, he at- tacked and defeated Apollonius, the general of Deme- trius Nicator, who aspired to his father's throne, be- sieged Joppa, captured Azotus, and destroyed the tem- ple of Dagon. The prosperity, however, of Alexander was of short duration, for Ptolemy, being jealous of his power, marched with a large army against him, and af- ter putting him to flight, seized his crown, and gave his wife to Demetrius. On the other hand, the overthrow of Alexander was speedily followed by the death of Ptol- emy, and Demetrius was left in possession of the throne of Syria. Jonathan, meanwhile, besieged Jerusalem, and, leaving it invested, repaired to Antioch. Demetrius not only welcomed, but entered into a treaty with him, upon terms that greatly augmented the power of the JNIaccabee. After this Demelrhis disbanded the greater part of his army and lessened their pay, which being a course contrary to that pursued by former kings of Syria, who kept up large standing armies in time of peace, created great dissatisfaction, so that upon the occasion of Jonathan writing to him to withdraw his soldiers from the strongholds of Jud:va, he not only complied, but was glad to ask for the assistance of 3000 men, who were forthwith sent to Antioch. Here they rendered him signal service in rescuing him from an insurrec- tion of his own citizens which his behavior to them had