1 When Antiochus had taken the Kingdom, he was afraid to make war against Judea; because he heard that his brother by the same mother, who was also called Antiochus, was raising an army against him out of Cyzicum. So he stayed in his own land; and resolved to prepare himself for the attack he expected from his brother, who was called Cyzicenus; because he had been brought up in that city. He was the son of Antiochus that was called Soter, who died in Parthia.36 He was the brother of Demetrius, the father of Grypus. For it had so happened, that one and the same Cleopatra was married to two, who were brothers: as we have related elsewhere.37 But Antiochus Cyzicenus coming into Syria, continued many years at war with his brother.38 Now Hyrcanus lived throughout this time in peace. For after the death of Antiochus, he revolted from the Macedonians; nor did he any longer pay them the least regard; either as their subject, or their friend: but his affairs were in a very improving and flourishing condition in the times of Alexander Zebina, and especially under these brothers. For the war which they had with one another gave Hyrcanus the opportunity of enjoying himself in Judea quietly; so much so that he got an immense quantity of money. However, when Antiochus Cyzicenus distressed his land, he then openly showed what he meant. And when he saw that Antiochus was destitute of Egyptian auxiliaries, and that both he and his brother were in a bad condition in the struggles they had with one another; he despised them both. 2 So he made an expedition against Samaria: which was a very strong city. Of whose present name Sebaste, and its rebuilding by Herod, we shall speak at a proper time.39 But he made his attack against it and besieged it with great effort. For he was greatly displeased with the Samaritans, for the injuries they had done to the people of Marissa, a colony of the Jews, and confederate with them; and this in compliance with the Kings of Syria. When he had therefore drawn a ditch, and built a double wall round the city; which were eighty furlongs long; he set his sons Antigonus and Aristobulus over the siege. Which brought the Samaritans to that great distress by famine, that they were forced to eat what did not use to be eaten; and to call for Antiochus Cyzicenus to help them. Who came readily to their assistance; but was beaten by Aristobulus. And when he was pursued as far as Scythopolis by the two brothers, he got away. So they returned to Samaria, and shut them again within the wall, till they were forced to send for the same Antiochus a second time to help them. Who procured about six thousand men from Ptolemy Lathyrus, which were sent them without his mother’s consent, who had then in a manner turned him out of his government. With these Egyptians Antiochus did at first overrun and ravage the country of Hyrcanus, like a robber: for he did not dare meet him face to face to fight with him; as not having an army sufficient for that purpose: but only from this supposition, that by thus harassing his land he should force Hyrcanus to raise the siege of Samaria. But because he fell into snares, and lost many of his soldiers in them, he went away to Tripoli, and committed the prosecution of the war against the Jews to Callimander, and Epicrates. 3 But as to Callimander, he attacked the enemy too rashly; and was put to flight, and destroyed immediately. And as to Epicrates, he was such a lover of money, that he openly betrayed Scythopolis and other places near it to the Jews: but was not able to make them raise the siege of Samaria. And when Hyrcanus had taken that city; which was not done till after a year’s siege; he was not contented with doing that only; but he demolished it entirely; and brought rivulets to it to drown it. For he dug such hollows as might let the water run under it. Indeed he took away the very marks that there had ever been such a city there. Now a very surprising thing is related of this High Priest, Hyrcanus: how God came to speak with him. For they say, that on the very same day on which his sons fought with Antiochus Cyzicenus, he was alone in the temple, as High Priest, offering incense, and heard a voice,40 that “His sons had just then overcome Antiochus.” And this he openly declared before all the multitude upon his coming out of the temple. And it accordingly proved true. And this was the state of the affairs of Hyrcanus. 4 Now it happened at this time, that not only those Jews who were at Jerusalem and in Judea were in prosperity, but also those of them who were at Alexandria, and in Egypt, and Cyprus. For Cleopatra, the Queen, was at variance with her son Ptolemy, who was called Lathyrus; and appointed for her generals Chelcias and Ananias, the sons of that Onias who built the temple in the prefecture of Heliopolis, like that at Jerusalem; as we have elsewhere related.41 Cleopatra entrusted these men with her army: and did nothing without their advice: as Strabo of Cappadocia attests, when he says this, “Now the greater part, both those that came to Cyprus with us, and those that were sent afterward there, revolted to Ptolemy immediately; only those that were called Onias’s party, being Jews, continued faithful, because their countrymen Chelcias and Ananias were in chief favour with the queen.” These are the words of Strabo. 5 However this prosperous state of affairs moved the Jews to envy Hyrcanus: but they that were the worst disposed to him were the Pharisees, who are one of the sects of the Jews, as we have informed you already. These have such great power over the multitude, that when they say anything against the King, or against the High Priest, they are immediately believed. Now Hyrcanus was a disciple of theirs; and greatly loved by them. And when he once invited them to a feast, and entertained them very kindly; when he saw them in a good humour, he began to say to them, that “They knew he was desirous to be a righteous man, and to do all things by which he might please God: which was the profession of the Pharisees also. However, he desired that if they observed him offending in any point, and going out of the right way, they would recall him back, and correct him.” On which occasion they attested to his being entirely virtuous. With which commendation he was well pleased. But still there was one of his guests there, whose name was Eleazar, a bad-tempered man, and delighting in seditious practices. This man said; “Since you desire to know the truth, if you will be righteous in earnest, give up your High Priesthood, and content yourself with the civil government of the people.”⁠a And when he desired to know for what cause he ought to give up the High Priesthood? the other replied, “We have heard it from old men, that your mother had been a captive under the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes.” This story was false: and Hyrcanus was provoked against him; and all the Pharisees had a very great indignation against him. 6 Now there was one Jonathan, a very great friend of Hyrcanus’s, but of the sect of the Sadducees; whose notions are quite contrary to those of the Pharisees. He told Hyrcanus, that “Eleazar had cast such a reproach upon him according to the common sentiments of all the Pharisees: and that this would be made clear if he would but ask them the question, what punishment they thought this man deserved? For that he might depend upon it, that the reproach was not laid on him with their approval; if they were for punishing him as his crime deserved.” So the Pharisees answered, that “He deserved lashes and imprisonment: but that it did not seem right to punish reproaches with death.” And indeed the Pharisees, even upon other occasions, are not apt to be severe in punishments. At this gentle sentence Hyrcanus was very angry: and thought that this man reproached him with their approval. It was this Jonathanj, who chiefly irritated him, and influenced him so far, that he made him leave the party of the Pharisees, and abolish the decrees they had imposed on the people; and to punish those that observed them. From this source arose that hatred, which he and his sons met with from the multitude. But of these matters we shall speak hereafter. What I would now explain is this, that the Pharisees have delivered to the people a great many observances by succession from their fathers, which are not written in the laws of Moses: and for that reason it is, that the Sadducees reject them: and say, that we are to esteem those observances to be obligatory which are in the written word; but are not to observe what are derived from the tradition of our ancestors. And concerning these things it is that great disputes and differences have arisen among them. While the Sadducees are able to persuade none but the rich; and do not have the populace obedient to them: but the Pharisees have the multitude on their side.42 But about these two sects, and that of the Essens, I have treated accurately in the second book of Jewish affairs.43 7 But when Hyrcanus had put an end to this sedition, he after that lived happily, and administered the government in the best manner for thirty one years:44 and then died: leaving behind him five sons. He was esteemed by God worthy of three of the greatest privileges, the government of his nation, the dignity of the High Priesthood, and prophecy; for God was with him, and enabled him to know future events; and to foretell this in particular, that as to his two eldest sons, he foretold that they would not long continue in the government of public affairs: whose unhappy catastrophe will be worth our description, that we may from this learn how very much they were inferior to their father’s happiness.