Now the aforementioned Simon, who had betrayed the treasury and his country, slandered Onias, alleging that he was the one who had instigated Heliodorus and brought this evil upon him.

And such was his insolence, that he called him who had been a benefactor to the city, and a protector of his own countrymen, and a zealous observer of the laws, a conspirator. For this money, in the intention of its sender, was for a sacrifice to Hercules; but by the efforts of those who carried it, it was expended in the building of three galleys.

The feud grew so intense that one of Simon's trusted men began to plot murder.

When Onias perceived the danger of this strife, together with the foolishness of Apollonius, the commander of Coele-Syria and Phoenicia, who was abetting Simon in his wickedness, he resorted to the king. When the king arrived at Tyre, the elders sent three men who presented the case against him.

Not as an accuser of his countrymen, but seeking the interests that would benefit the whole people.

For he saw that without the king's care, affairs could not be at peace, nor could Simon cease from his rashness.

And it came to pass, after the death of Seleucus, and when Antiochus, called Epiphanes, had succeeded to the kingdom, Jason, the brother of Onias, ambitiously sought the high priesthood.

So he went to the king and promised him three hundred and sixty talents of silver, and eighty talents from another revenue.

And besides this, he promised a hundred and fifty talents more, if he might have license from the king's authority to erect a gymnasium and a place for the boys, and to enroll the people of Jerusalem as citizens of Antioch.

To this the king assented. So he took possession of the high priesthood, and forthwith he turned his people to the customs of the Gentiles.

He abolished the privileges which the kings had granted to the Jews by means of John, the father of Eupolemus, who had been sent on an embassy to the Romans to make a treaty of alliance and friendship, and he abrogated the laws of God, and introduced customs contrary to the law.

And he hastened to erect a gymnasium beneath the citadel, and he led forth the choicest of the young men and brought them under the control of the hat.

So strong became the inclination to Greek customs and the adoption of foreign manners, through the excessive godlessness of Jason, who was a godless man and no high priest at all.

Insomuch that the priests no longer cared to serve at the altar, but despised the temple and neglected the sacrifices, that they might have a share in the forbidden prizes of the stadium after the competition in throwing the discus.

And they disregarded the achievements of their fathers, and vied with one another in the glories of the Greeks.

Therefore, a severe misfortune befell them. For in proportion as they were zealous for their customs and eager to imitate them, they became their enemies and avengers.

For the hypocrisy in the divine law does not go unpunished, as what follows will bear witness.

And when the quinquennial games were held at Tyre, the king being present,

Jason, the wicked, sent envoys from Jerusalem, citizens of Antioch, with three hundred drachmas of silver for the sacrifice to Hercules. But these requested that it should not be spent on the sacrifice, for that was not fitting, but that it should be used for something else.

And Apollonius the son of Menestheus was sent to Egypt to congratulate King Ptolemy Philometor. When Antiochus learned that he had been removed from the management of affairs, he directed his attention to securing himself, and he returned to Joppa, and then marched to Jerusalem.

And Jason and the people of the city received him with great pomp, and he entered with torches and shouts. Then he departed from there with his army to Phoenicia.

And after three years, Jason sent his brother, the aforementioned Simon, to carry money to the king and to discuss important matters with him.

Then he flattered the king and magnified the greatness of his authority, and he secured the high priesthood for himself by adding a hundred talents of silver to what Jason had given.

Then he returned with the king's orders, and there was nothing in him becoming a high priest, but he had the character of a violent oppressor and the malice of a savage beast.

And so Jason, who had cozened his brother, was himself cozened by another, and was cast out and fled into the land of Ammon.

And Menelaus took possession of the high priesthood; yet he paid nothing of the money which he had promised to the king.

So Sostratus, the captain of the citadel, demanded it of him, for he was entrusted with the collection. And for this reason, they were both summoned to the king.

Then Menelaus left his brother Lysimachus as deputy in the high priesthood, and Sostratus left Crates, the governor of the Cyprians.

And it came to pass afterwards that the people of Tarsus and of Mallus rebelled, because they had been given as a present to Antiochus' concubine.

So the king hastened to quell the disturbance, and he left Andronicus, one of his officers, in his place.

Then Menelaus saw that he had found an opportunity. He stole golden vessels from the temple, some of which he gave to Andronicus, and some he sold in Tyre and the neighboring cities.

When Onias realized this, he reproached him, for he had retired to a sanctuary near Antioch.

So Menelaus conferred with Andronicus, and persuaded him to seize Onias. So Onias was enticed by his cunning and won over by an oath, until Andronicus compelled him to come forth from the sanctuary, although he did not trust him. Then he immediately assassinated him, showing no respect for justice.

This excited the indignation not only of the Jews, but also of many other nations, and they were grieved at the unjust murder of the man.

When the king returned from the regions of Cilicia, the Jews of the city, together with the Greeks, brought before him this crime and the murderous assault on Onias.

Antiochus was much grieved and moved to pity, and wept for the wisdom of that lost one and his abundant learning.

And he burned with anger, and immediately he stripped Andronicus of his purple robe and tore his garments, and led him around all the city, and then he utterly destroyed that murderer who had betrayed Onias, for the Lord inflicted upon him the punishment he deserved.

Now Lysimachus in the city had sold many of the sacred treasures by the instigation of Menelaus. So the report spread abroad that much gold had been taken, and the people gathered against Lysimachus.

When Lysimachus saw the raging of the multitude and the intensity of their anger, he armed three thousand men and committed acts of violence under the command of a man who was both very old and very foolish.

But when they saw what Lysimachus intended, some took stones, and some staves, and some ashes, and cast them from every side upon Lysimachus' men.

So they wounded many of them, and struck down some, and put them all to flight, and killed the plunderer of the sacred things near the treasury.

And judgment was passed on Menelaus concerning these matters.

And when Menelaus saw that he was overcome, he promised Ptolemy, the son of Dorymenes, a large sum of money to win over the king.

So Ptolemy went in to the king, who was in one of the porticoes refreshing himself, and turned him from his purpose.

Thus, he acquitted Menelaus, who was the cause of all this evil, from the charges brought against him, and condemned to death those poor men who, if they had pleaded their case before Scythians, would have been acquitted.

And those who had contended for the city, and the people, and the sacred vessels, were not long in receiving the unjust punishment.

And this injustice so affected even the Tyrians that they generously provided for their burial expenses.

And Menelaus remained in authority through the wickedness of those in power, and he grew only more wicked, and he remained a deadly snare to his countrymen.