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.