Open English Translation 2 MAC Chapter 4

4 The previously mentioned Shim’on (Simon), who’d given information about the money against his country, slandered Honyo (Onias), saying that it was he who’d incited Heliodoros and had been the real cause of these evils. 2 He dared to call him a conspirator against the state who was actually the benefactor of the city, the guardian of his fellow countrymen, and a zealot for the laws. 3 When his hatred grew so great that even murders were perpetrated through one of Shim’on’s approved agents, 4 Honyo, seeing the danger of the contention, and that Apolonios[fn] the son of Menestheus, the governor of Coele-Syria and Foinikai, was increasing Shim’on’s malice, 5 appealed to the king, not to be an accuser of his fellow-citizens, but looking to the good of all the[fn] people, both public and private; 6 for he saw that without the king’s involvement it was impossible for the state to obtain peace any more, and that Shim’on wouldn’t cease from his madness.

7 When Seleukos (Seleucus) was deceased, and Antiokos (Antiochus), who was called Epifanes (Epiphanes), succeeded to the kingdom, Yason the brother of Honyo supplanted his brother in the high priesthood, 8 having promised to the king at an audience three hundred and sixty talents of silver, and out of another fund eighty talents. 9 In addition to that, he undertook to assign one hundred and fifty more, if it might be allowed him through[fn] the king’s authority to set him up a gymnasium and a body of youths to be trained in it, and to register the inhabitants of Yerushalem (Jerusalem) as citizens of Antiokeia. 10 When the king had assented, and Yason had taken possession of the office, he immediately shifted those of his own race to the Greek way of life. 11 Setting aside the royal ordinances of special favour to the Yehudim (Jews), granted by the means of Yohan (John) the father of Eupolemos, who went on the mission to the Romans to establish friendship and alliance, and seeking to overthrow the lawful ways of living, he brought in new customs forbidden by the law. 12 Because he eagerly established a gymnasium under the citadel itself, and caused the noblest of the young men to wear the Greek hat. 13 Thus there was an extreme of hellenisation, and an advance of a foreign religion, because of the exceeding profaneness of Yason, who was an ungodly man and not a high priest; 14 so that the priests had no more any zeal for the services of the altar; but despising the sanctuary and neglecting the sacrifices, they hastened to enjoy that which was unlawfully provided in the wrestling arena, after the summons to the discus-throwing. 15 They despised the honours of their fathers, and valued the prestige of the Hellains (Greeks) best of all. 16 Because this reason, severe calamity overtook them. The men whose ways of living they earnestly followed, and to whom they desired to be made like in all things, these became their enemies and punished them. 17 Because it isn’t a light thing to show irreverence to God’s laws, but later events will make this clear.

18 Now when certain games that came every fifth year were kept at Tsor (Tyre), and the king was present, 19 the vile Yason sent sacred envoys,[fn] as being Antiochians of Yerushalem, bearing three hundred drachmas of silver to the sacrifice of Herakles, which even those carrying it didn’t think was right to use for any sacrifice, because it wasn’t fit, but to spend it for another purpose. 20 Although the intended purpose of the sender this money was for the sacrifice of Herakles, yet on account of present[fn] circumstances it went to the construction of trireme warships.

21 Now when Apolonios the son of Menestheus was sent into Mitsrayim (Egypt) for the enthronement[fn] of Filometor as king, Antiokos (Antiochus), learning that Filometor had shown himself hostile towards the government, took precautions for the security of his realm. Therefore, going to Yafo (Joppa), he travelled on to Yerushalem (Jerusalem). 22 Being magnificently received by Yason and the city, he was brought in with torches and shouting. Then he led his army down into Foinikai.

23 Now after a space of three years, Yason sent Menelaos, the previously mentioned Shim’on’s (Simon’s) brother, to carry the money to the king, and to make reports about some necessary matters. 24 But he being commended to the king, and having been glorified by the display of his authority, secured the high priesthood for himself, outbidding Yason by three hundred talents of silver. 25 After receiving the royal mandates, he returned bringing nothing worthy of the high priesthood, but having the passion of a cruel tyrant and the rage of a savage animal. 26 So Yason, who’d supplanted his own brother, was supplanted by another and driven as a fugitive into the country of the Amonim, 27 Menelaos had possession of the office; but of the money that’d been promised to the king nothing was regularly paid, even though Sostratos the governor of the citadel demanded it—28 for his job was the gathering of the revenues—so they were both called by the king to his presence. 29 Menelaos left his own brother Lusimakos for his[fn] deputy in the high priesthood; and Sostratos left Krates, who was over the Cyprians.

30 Now while this was the state of things, it happened that the people of Tarsos and Malos revolted because they were to be given as a present to Antiokis, the king’s slave-wife. 31 The king therefore quickly came to settle matters, leaving for his deputy[fn] Andronikos, a man of high rank. 32 Then Menelaos, supposing that he had gotten a favourable opportunity, presented to Andronikos certain vessels of gold belonging to the temple, which he’d stolen. He’d already sold others into Tsor (Tyre) and the neighbouring cities. 33 When Honyo (Onias) had sure knowledge of that, he sharply reproved him, having withdrawn himself into a sanctuary at Dafne, that lies by Antiokeia. 34 Therefore Menelaos, taking Andronikos aside, asked him to kill Honyo. Coming to Honyo, and being persuaded to use treachery, and being received as a friend, Andronikos gave him his right hand with oaths and, though he was suspicious, persuaded him to come out of the sanctuary. Then, with no regard for justice, he immediately put him to death. 35 For that reason not only Yehudim (Jews), but many also of the other nations, had indignation and displeasure at the unjust murder of the man. 36 And when the king had come back from the places in Kilikia, the Yehudim who were in the city appealed to him against Andronikos (the Hellains (Greeks) also joining with them in hatred of the wickedness), urging that Honyo had been wrongfully slain. 37 Antiokos (Antiochus) therefore was heartily sorry, and was moved to pity, and wept, because of the sober and well ordered life of him who was dead. 38 Being inflamed with anger, he immediately stripped off Andronikos’s purple robe, and tore off his under clothes, and when he’d led him round through the whole city to that very place where he’d committed the outrage against Honyo, there he put the murderer out of the way, the master rendering to him the punishment he’d deserved.

39 Now when many sacrileges had been committed in the city by Lusimakos with the consent of Menelaos, and when the report of them had spread abroad outside, the people gathered themselves together against Lusimakos, after many vessels of gold had already been stolen. 40 When the multitudes were rising against him and were filled with anger, Lusimakos armed about three thousand men, and with unrighteous violence began the attack under the leadership of Havran, a man far gone in years and no less also in folly. 41 But when they perceived the assault of Lusimakos, some caught up stones, others logs of wood, and some took handfuls of the ashes that lay near, and they flung them all in wild confusion at Lusimakos and those who were with him. 42 As a result, they wounded many of them, they killed some, and they forced the rest of them to flee, but the author of the sacrilege himself they killed beside the treasury.

43 But about those matters, there was an accusation laid against Menelaos. 44 When the king had come to Tsor (Tyre), the three men who were sent by the senate pleaded the cause before him. 45 But Menelaos, seeing himself now defeated, promised much money to Ptolemaios (Ptolemy) the son of Dorumenes, that he might win over the king. 46 Therefore Ptolemaios taking the king aside into a cloister, as if to get some fresh air, convinced him to change his mind. 47 He who was the cause of all the evil, Menelaos, he discharged from the accusations; but these hapless men, who, if they’d pleaded even before Scythians, would have been discharged uncondemned, them he sentenced to death. 48 Those who were spokesmen for the city and the families of Yisrael (Israel) and the holy vessels soon suffered that unrighteous penalty. 49 Therefore even certain Tsorim (Tyrians), moved with hatred of the wickedness, provided magnificently for their burial. 50 But Menelaos, through the covetous dealings of those who were in power, remained still in his office, growing in wickedness, established as a great conspirator against his fellow-citizens.