1 Maccabees 15 — Greek text and reception

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Antiochus son of King Demetrius sent letters from the islands of the sea to Simon, priest and ethnarch of the Jews, and to the whole nation.

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They contained the following: “King Antiochus to Simon the great priest and ethnarch, and to the nation of the Jews, greetings.

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Since certain pestilent men have seized the kingdom of our fathers, I wish to reclaim the kingdom and restore it as it was before. I have recruited a multitude of forces and prepared warships.

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I intend to land in the country to pursue those who have ruined our country and devastated many cities in my kingdom.

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Now, therefore, I confirm to you all the remissions that the kings before me granted you, and all the other gifts they granted you.

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I permit you to strike your own coinage as money for your country.

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Jerusalem and the holy places shall be free. All the weapons you have prepared and the strongholds you have built and hold shall remain yours.

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Every royal debt and all future royal dues shall be remitted to you from now and for all time.

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When we gain control of our kingdom, we will honor you, your nation, and the temple with great glory, so that your glory may become evident throughout the whole earth.”

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In the one hundred and seventy-fourth year Antiochus went out into the land of his fathers. All the forces joined him, so that only a few remained with Tryphon.

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Antiochus pursued him, and he fled to Dora by the sea,

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for he knew that evils had gathered against him and that the forces had abandoned him.

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Antiochus encamped against Dora, with a hundred and twenty thousand warriors and eight thousand cavalry.

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He surrounded the city, and the ships joined the attack from the sea. He pressed the city from land and sea and allowed no one to go out or come in.

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Numenius and his companions came from Rome carrying letters to the kings and countries, in which the following was written:

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“Lucius, consul of the Romans, to King Ptolemy, greetings.

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The envoys of the Jews, our friends and allies, came to us to renew the friendship and alliance established from the beginning, sent by Simon the high priest and the Jewish people.

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They brought a golden shield of a thousand minas.

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We therefore resolved to write to the kings and countries that they should not seek their harm or make war on them, their cities, or their country, and should not ally themselves with those making war against them.

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We decided to accept the shield from them.

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If, therefore, any pestilent men have escaped from their country to you, hand them over to Simon the high priest, so that he may punish them according to their law.”

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He wrote the same things to King Demetrius, Attalus, Ariarathes, and Arsaces,

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and to all the countries: to Sampsame, the Spartans, Delos, Myndos, Sicyon, Caria, Samos, Pamphylia, Lycia, Halicarnassus, Rhodes, Phaselis, Cos, Side, Aradus, Gortyna, Cnidus, Cyprus, and Cyrene.

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They wrote a copy of these things to Simon the high priest.

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On the second day King Antiochus encamped against Dora, continually bringing his forces against it, making siege engines, and blocking Tryphon from going out or coming in.

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Simon sent him two thousand picked men to fight alongside him, along with silver, gold, and ample equipment.

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He would not receive them, but annulled everything he had previously agreed with Simon and became estranged from him.

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He sent Athenobius, one of his Friends, to confer with him, saying, “You hold Joppa, Gazara, and the citadel in Jerusalem, cities of my kingdom.

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You have devastated their territories, inflicted a great blow upon the land, and gained control of many places in my kingdom.

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Now, therefore, hand over the cities you have seized and the tribute of the places you have taken outside the borders of Judea.

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Otherwise, give five hundred talents of silver in their place, and another five hundred talents for the destruction you have caused and the tribute of the cities. If not, we will come and make war on you.”

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Athenobius, the king's Friend, came to Jerusalem. He saw Simon's glory, the display of gold and silver vessels, and the large retinue, and was astonished. He reported the king's words to him.

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Simon answered him, “We have neither taken foreign land nor gained control of others' property, but the inheritance of our fathers, which our enemies unjustly seized at one time.

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Now that we have the opportunity, we are holding fast to the inheritance of our fathers.

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As for Joppa and Gazara, which you demand, these caused a great blow among the people and in our country. For these we will give a hundred talents.”

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He did not answer him a word, but returned angrily to the king and reported these words, Simon's glory, and everything he had seen. The king became greatly angry.

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Tryphon boarded a ship and fled to Orthosia.

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The king appointed Cendebaeus chief commander of the coast and gave him infantry and cavalry forces.

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He commanded him to encamp opposite Judea, rebuild Kedron, fortify its gates, and fight the people. The king himself pursued Tryphon.

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Cendebaeus came to Jamnia and began provoking the people, invading Judea, taking the people captive, and killing them.

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He rebuilt Kedron and stationed cavalry and forces there, so that they might go out and make sorties along the roads of Judea, as the king had ordered him.