And Antiochus, the son of King Demetrius, sent letters from the isles of the sea unto Simon the high priest, ruler of the nation of the Jews, and to all the people. And Antiochus came down to Dora, having with him an hundred and twenty thousand men of war, and eight thousand horsemen.

And this was the tenor thereof: From King Antiochus to Simon, the great priest and ruler of the nation, and to the people of the Jews, greeting. And he wrote in like manner to Demetrius the king, and to Attalus, and Ariarathes, and Arsaces. And King Antiochus returned and besieged Dora, and ceased not to distress her and to set up engines against her, and compassed Tryphon about, that he might not go out and come in. And he sent unto him Athenobius, one of his friends, to treat with him, saying, Ye hold possession of Joppa and Gazara, and the stronghold that is in Jerusalem, which are of the cities of my kingdom.

Forasmuch as certain pestilent men had gotten the dominion of the kingdom of our fathers, my purpose is now to recover the kingdom, that I may restore it to its former estate; and I have gathered together great armies, and have prepared a navy for war. Else pay for them five hundred talents of silver, and for the damage that ye have done among the revenues of the cities five hundred talents more; or else we will come and fight against you.

And I am purposed to go through the country, that I may be avenged of them that have corrupted in our country, and have laid waste many cities in the kingdom.

Now therefore I confirm unto thee every remission that the kings before me granted unto thee, and whatsoever immunities they pardoned thee of the yearly tributes.

And I give thee leave to coin money for thy country with thine own stamp.

And that Jerusalem and the sanctuary should be free, and all the weapons thou hast provided, and the fortresses thou hast built, which thou hast in hand, let them remain unto thee.

And all royal tribute that was aforetime, or shall be hereafter, thou art quit of from this time forth for evermore.

And when we shall have obtained our kingdom, we will honour thee, and thy nation, and the temple with great honour, so that your glory shall be bright in all the earth.

And in the hundred seventy and fourth year, Antiochus went into the land of his fathers, and all the forces assembled unto him, so that there were but a few with Tryphon.

So King Antiochus pursued him, and he fled into Dora, which is by the sea.

For he saw that troubles came upon him apace, and his armies forsook him.

And he encompassed the city, and the fleet came from the sea, so that they distressed the city by land and by sea, and suffered no man to go out or come in.

And Numenius and those that were with him from Rome, brought letters to the kings and countries, wherein were written these things:

Lucius, consul of the Romans, unto King Ptolemy, greeting.

Forasmuch as the ambassadors of the Jews our friends and allies came unto us to renew the former friendship and league, being sent from Simon the high priest and from the people of the Jews;

And with them a shield of gold of a thousand pound weight;

We therefore thought it good to write unto the kings and countries, that they should not seek their hurt, nor make war against them, nor against any of their cities or countries, nor aid those that fight against them;

And it pleased us to receive the shield from them.

If therefore any pestilent men flee unto you out of their country, deliver them unto Simon the high priest, that he may take vengeance on them according to their law.

And to all the countries, to Lampsacus, and Mendus, and Delos, and Sparta, and Sicyon, and Caria, and Samos, and Pamphylia, and Lycia, and Halicarnassus, and Rhodes, and Phaselis, and Cos, and Sidon, and Aradus, and Gortyna, and Cnidus, and Cyprus, and Cyrene.

And they wrote the copy of these things unto Simon the high priest.

So Simon sent to him two thousand chosen men to aid him, and silver, and gold, and much furniture.

But Antiochus would not receive them, and he broke all that he had covenanted with him afore, and changed from him.

And ye have wasted their borders, and done great damage to the land, and gotten the dominion of many places in my kingdom.

Now therefore deliver up the cities which ye have taken, and the tributes of the places whereof ye have gotten dominion without the borders of Judea.

So Athenobius, the king's friend, came to Jerusalem, and when he saw the glory of Simon, and the treasury of his silver and gold vessels, and much provision, he was astonished, and told him the king's words.

And Simon answered and said unto him, We have neither taken other men's land, nor holden that which appertaineth to others, but the inheritance of our fathers, which our enemies had wrongfully possessed for a certain time.

But we, having opportunity, have gotten again the inheritance of our fathers.

As for Joppa and Gazara, which thou demandest, they did great damage among the people in our country; nevertheless we give thee for them an hundred talents. But Athenobius answered him not a word.

But returned to the king in a rage, and told him these words, and of the glory of Simon, and of all that he had seen. And the king was exceeding wroth.

And Tryphon got upon a ship, and fled to Orthosia.

Then the king appointed Cendebaeus to be captain of the sea coast, and gave him forces of footmen and horsemen.

And commanded him to encamp against Judea, and charged him to build Cedron, and to fortify the gates, and to fight against the people; then the king pursued Tryphon.

So Cendebaeus came to Jamnia, and began to provoke the people, and to make incursions into Judea, and to carry away captives from the people, and to kill and build Cedron.

And placed there horsemen and footmen, to the end that they might go forth and make inroads in the ways of Judea, as the king had commanded him.