Глава XV

Letters of the new king Antiochus to Simon and the Jews (Antt. XIII, 7, 1–2) (1 Mac.15:1–9). The landing of Antiochus in the kingdom of his fathers and the fight with Tryphon (1 Mac. 15:10–14). Return of Jewish ambassadors from Rome with letters about the conclusion of an alliance (1 Mac. 15:15–24). Secondary siege of Dora by Antiochus. The treacherous attitude of Antiochus toward Simon (1 Mac. 15:25–36). The flight of Tryphon and the attack of the royal commander Kendebeus on Judea (1 Mac. 15:37–41). 1 Mac 15:1 And Antiochus the son of King Demetrius sent letters from the islands of the sea to Simon the great priest and ruler of the people of Judah, and to all the people. Antiochus VII Sidetes, son of Demetrius I and younger brother of Demetrius II captured by the Parthians. He received his nickname - Σιδήτης - from the Pamphylian city of Sida, where he was brought up. – “From the islands of the sea...” By Appian Syr. With. 65 Antiochus learned of his brother's captivity on the island of Rhodes. At this time, Tryphon waged a stubborn struggle with the military leaders and satraps of Demetrius - Dionysius in Mesopotamia, Sarpedon and Palamedes in Syria and Aeschion in Seaside Seleucia, where Queen Cleopatra was also located. Antiochus, meanwhile, wandered helplessly from one place to another, not accepted anywhere for fear of Tryphon, until finally Cleopatra - on the advice of her friends and for fear that the city would fall to Tryphon - offered him her hand and the throne. 1 Mac.15:2-6 They were as follows: “King Antiochus, let Simon, the high priest and ruler of the people, and the people of Judah, rejoice. Since evil people have taken possession of the kingdom of our fathers, I want to return the kingdom to restore it as it was before. I recruited a large army and prepared warships; and I want to go through the region to punish those who devastated our region and destroyed many cities in the kingdom. I now leave behind you all the tributes that the kings who were before me gave you, and other gifts that they gave you; I give you permission to mint your coins in your country. 1 Mac 15:7 Let Jerusalem and the sanctuary be free; and all the weapons that you have prepared, and the fortresses that you have built and which you own, let them remain with you. See to X: 31; Wed XIII: 38. 1 Mac 15:8 And let every royal debt and future royal debts be forgiven you from now on and forever. 1 Mac 15:9-10 When we have taken possession of our kingdom, then we will honor you and your people and the church with great honor, so that your glory may be known throughout all the earth.” In the one hundred and seventy-fourth year Antiochus entered the land of his fathers, and all the troops gathered to him, so that there were few who remained with Tryphon. "In 174" e. Seleucus. - 139–138 BC Antiochus entered “the land of his fathers,” that is, Seleucia, where Cleopatra promised him his hand and the throne. 1 Mac 15:11 And king Antiochus pursued him, and he fled to Dora, which is by the sea; Dora - Greek τά Δώρα and η Δώρα, built by the Phoenicians, on the Mediterranean Sea, in the depths of Cape Carmel, 9 miles north of Caesarea (near present-day Tantura or Tortura). The description of the siege of this Dora by Antiochus is interrupted by the story of the return of Simon's ambassadors from Rome (15–24 pp.) (cf. XIV:24). 1Mac 15:12-15 For he saw that troubles had come upon him and his troops were deserted. And Antiochus came to Dora and with him one hundred and twenty thousand soldiers and eight thousand cavalry and surrounded the city, and the ships came from the sea, and he pressed the city by land and sea, and did not allow anyone to leave or enter. Then Numinius and those accompanying him came from Rome with letters to kings and countries, in which the following was written: “With letters to kings and countries...” - in copies, as we learn from Art. 24. 1 Mac.15:16 “Leucus, Roman consul, rejoice to King Ptolemy. The letter, the contents of which are given here as a sample, is addressed to “King Ptolemy,” that is, Ptolemy Euergetes II or Physcon, who after the death of his brother Philometor (XI:16) reigned for another 29 years. The letters were signed with the name of consul Leucius - Λεύκιος, Greek. form of the name Lucius. It was, therefore, either Lucius Caecilius Metellus or Lucius Calpurnius Piso - contemporaries of Simon. It is more likely that here we mean the second Lucius, who was consul (with M. Popillius Lena) in 615 AD. Rome - 139 BC. 1 Mac.15:17-18 The Jewish ambassadors, our friends and allies, came to us, sent by the high priest Simon and the people of Judah to renew their long-standing friendship and alliance, and brought a golden shield worth a thousand minas. 1 Mac 15:19-20 Therefore we have been pleased to write to kings and countries, so that they do not harm them, and do not fight against them and their cities and their countries, and do not help those who fight against them. We decided to accept a shield from them. “We decided to accept a shield from them...” - as if as a sign of favor to the Jews, but by no means as a favor on their part, which prompted us to accept the terms of the treaty, for which some found it more natural to read this verse between 18 and 19. 1 Mac 15:21 Therefore, if any evil people have fled to you from their country, hand them over to Simon the high priest, so that he may punish them according to their law.” The surrender of fugitives was usually set as a condition for concluding peace or treaties of alliance (cf. Polib. XXII, 23 (26) 10; Liv. XXXVII, 38). 1Mac 15:22-23 He wrote the same thing to King Demetrius and Attalus, Ariarathas and Arsaces, and to all the regions, and to Sampsam and the Spartans, and to Delos, and to Mind, and to Sicyon, and to Caria, and to Samos, and to Pamphylia, and to Lycia, and to Halicarnassus, and to Rhodes, and to Phasilis, and to Kos, and to Sid, and to Arad, and to Gortyna, and to Knidus, and to Cyprus, and to Kyrenia. The consul wrote letters similar to the one given (16–21): “To Tsar Demetrius.” This one then went to Media, and either was not yet captured by the Parthians, or the rumor of his captivity had not yet reached Rome. - “Attalus...” was the king of Pergamon, probably the II with this name - Philadelphus, since his successor Attalus III Philometor ascended the throne only in 138 BC. - “Ariarathes...” (“Αριαράθης, otherwise ' Αράθη, from here Luther translated Aretas), - is Ariarathes III Philopator, King of Cappadocia, d. in 130 BC - “Arsaces...”, king of Parthia, see XIV: 2. - “Sampsama”, (Ζαμψαμη, otherwise Ζαμψάκη, lat. Lampsaco) - a port city mentioned by Abulfeda between Sinop and Trebizond, present-day Samsun, west of Trebizond. - “Delos...”, the smallest of the Cycladic islands in the Archipelago, has carried on significant trade since the destruction of Corinth, - present-day Dili is uninhabited and deserted. - “Mind...”, a harbor in Caria (in the southwest of Asia Minor) - the current Mentesche. – “Sikyon...”, on the northern shore of the Peloponnese, west of Corinth. – “Kariya...” – area in the south-west. Asia Minor with the cities of Halicarnassus, Cnidus, etc. - “Samos...”, a famous island near the Ionian coast. - “Pamphylia...”, Asia Minor region along the Mediterranean Sea between Lycia and Cilicia. – “Lycia...”, the same thing, southeast of Caria. – “Halicarnassus...”, the large and heavily fortified main city of Caria, the former residence of the Carian kings, the birthplace of Herodotus, destroyed by Alexander the Great. – “Rhodes...”, a famous island south of the Carian coast. - “Fasilis...” (Φασηλις) - a large city in Lycia on a rocky cape with three harbors, during the fight of the Romans with sea robbers, it was destroyed in 78 BC, later it was revived again in the form of a small town, but during the Turkish War it was destroyed again, then in its place a place named Alaia arose, now only ruins. – “Kos...” is a small island opposite the cities of Cnidus and Halicarnassus (better known under the inflexible form Κώ). – “Sida...” (Σίδη) is the port city of Pamphylia. - “Arad...” - an island and city near the Phoenician coast at the confluence of the Eleutherus (see XI: 7). - “Gortyna...” (Γόρτυν) is a significant city in Crete, on the southern bank, near the Lethaus River, with two harbors. - “Cnidus...” is a Carian city on Cape Triopion, opposite the island of Kos, connected to the solid land of the Cnidian island by a dam. - “Cyrenia…” is the main city of upper Libya or Libya of Cyrene (Libya Cyrenaisa or Pentapolitana), among the population of which there were especially many Jews. 1 Mac 15:24–25 A copy of these letters was written to Simon the high priest. King Antiochus besieged Dora a second time, attacking it from all sides and setting up machines, and locked Tryphon so that it was impossible for him to either enter or leave. “King Antiochus invested Dora a second time...” This expression is incomprehensible if we put it in direct connection with what began in Art. 14. the story of the siege of Dora. The confusion is dispelled by another translation of the words of the original: έν τή δεύτερα, which does not mean “secondarily”, as Russian and Slavic texts are translated, but “on the second day” (έν τή δεύτερα, i.e. ήμερα), i.e. on the second the day after Antiochus besieged the city (secondary would be δεύτερον, τό δεύτερον, έκ δευτέρου). - “Attacking her from all sides...”, more precisely glorious: “pointing my hands at her...” (translation of the Greek προσάγειν τας χείρας), i.e. “armies” (cf. Greek V: 6 and XI: 15). 1Mac 15:26-27 And Simon sent unto him two thousand chosen men to help him, and silver and gold, and plenty of provisions; but he did not want to accept this and rejected everything that he had previously agreed on with him and alienated himself from him. Simon sends Antiochus a auxiliary force, gold, silver and supplies, but Antiochus arrogantly rejects them. The basis for such a change in Antiochus's relationship with Simon can be seen solely in the change in Antiochus's position. While he was in straitened circumstances, he curried favor with the Jews, promising them all kinds of benefits, and kept these promises only as long as it was necessary. 1 Mac 15:28-31 And he sent Athenobius, one of his friends, to speak with him and say: “You possess Joppa and Gazara and the fortress of Jerusalem, the cities of my kingdom; You have devastated their borders and brought about a great destruction on the earth, and have taken possession of many places in my kingdom. So, now give back the cities that you took, and the tribute from those places that you own outside the borders of Judea. If not so, then give for them five hundred talents of silver, and for the devastation they caused, and for the tribute from the cities another five hundred talents; but if you don’t give it, then we will come and fight with you.” The demands of Antiochus, presented to Simon through Athenobius, stand in stark contrast to the previous favors of the royal letter (5-9 vv.). At the same time, the king distinguishes between τα όρια τής Ιουδαίος (the borders of Judea) and the cities of Joppa, Gazara and others, as cities of his own kingdom captured by the Jews; Thus, by the borders of Judea he means only the area that the Jews occupied upon their return from captivity and owned it when they fell under the rule of the Syrians. Neither Joppa nor Gazara, which Simon had recently captured, belonged to this region (XIV: 5 and XIII: 43 etc.). In a similar way, the fortress of Jerusalem, as built by Antiochus Epiphanes and until recently being in the hands of the Syrians (cf. I: 33 with XIII: 49 etc.), Antiochus could confidently count among the cities (πόλεις) of his kingdom. By “many places” in the kingdom of Antiochus (29 v.), which were owned by the Jews “outside the borders of Judea,” could be meant: Ekron, donated to Jonathan by Alexander Balas (X:69) and Gaza, conquered and burned by Jonathan (XI:61). – The “devastated” areas undoubtedly included the areas of the Philistine lowlands, which were the constant arena of military operations of the Jews (X: 83 etc.). 1 Mac 15:32 And Athenobius, the king's friend, came to Jerusalem, and when he saw the glory of Simon and the treasury with gold and silver utensils and the surrounding splendor, he was amazed and announced to him the king's words. The “glory” of Simon (ή δ o ξα), which struck Athenovius, is the luxury of his court. – “Treasury” with gold and silver utensils (κυλικείον, from κύλιξ, calix, - goblet, glass) - something like a “buffet” compartment or cabinet with buffet and cutlery. – “The surrounding splendor...” (παράστασιν ικανήν), glav.: “the arrangement is quite...” – proper. “a rich staff of court servants”, characteristic of truly royal courts. 1Mac 15:33-37 Simon answered him: We have neither taken anyone else's land nor ruled over someone else's land, but we possess the inheritance of our fathers, which our enemies at one time unjustly appropriated for themselves. We, having seized the time, again regained the inheritance of our fathers. As for Joppa and Gazara, whom you demand, they themselves have caused a lot of harm to the people in our country; for them we will give a hundred talents. Athenovius did not answer anything to this; but, returning to the king with annoyance, he told him these words about the glory of Simon, and about everything that he had seen, and the king became very angry. Tryphon, boarding the ship, fled to Orthosiada. The talk about the siege of Dora continues again, interrupted by the story of Antiochus’ break with Simon (26–35). Despite the close siege of the fortress (Art. 25), Tryphon managed to board a ship and sail to Orthosia. This Orthosia or Orthosias is a Phoenician port city, north of Tripoli, south of where the river flows into the sea. Eleutherus (Strabo, XVI r. 753 etc.; cf. Plin. V, 17 and Ptol. V, 15, 4); the ruins of this city are still visible on the northern side of Nahr el Barid. 1Mac.15:38 Then the king, having made Kendevey commander of the seaside country, gave him foot and horse troops. Kendewei, a well-known enemy and persecutor of the Jews, is called in some codes έπιστράτηγος στράτηγος πρώταρχος 2 Mac X, 11. – “The seaside country” where he became the “chief military leader” is the same narrow coastal strip of land (τής παραλίας) along the Mediterranean Sea that is mentioned earlier – XI:8. – “Kedron” – exact information about it has not been preserved. Judging by Art. 40 and XVI:4, 8–10 - it lay on the western border of Judea on the plain, southwest of Modina, in the region of Azoth. Further considerations lead to its identification with Gedera on the plain (Joshua XV:36), southeast of Jamnia, where now Gedrus or Ghedera is a village one hour's journey southeast of Jamnia. 1Mac 15:39-40 and commanded him to go to war against Judah, commanded him also to build the Kidron and strengthen the gates, and how to fight against the people; The king himself chased Tryphon. And Kendebei came to Jamnia, and began to challenge the people to battle and invade Judea and take the people captive and kill; “Challenge to a fight...”, έρεθισειν, more precisely glorious: “beginning to irritate people...” 1Mac 15:41 And he built Kidron, and stationed his cavalry and army there, so that when they went out from there they would go around the paths of Judah, as the king commanded him. The books of Maccabees are translated from Greek because they are not in the Hebrew text.