ὁ δὲ προειρημένος Σιμων ὁ τῶν χρημάτων καὶ τῆς πατρίδος ἐνδείκτης γεγονὼς ἐκακολόγει τὸν Ονιαν ὡς αὐτός τε εἴη τὸν Ἡλιόδωρον ἐπισεσεικὼς καὶ τῶν κακῶν δημιουργὸς καθεστηκώς
But the aforementioned Simon, having become the informer against the funds and the fatherland, kept slandering Onias, as though he himself had incited Heliodorus and had become the architect of the troubles.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
καὶ τὸν εὐεργέτην τῆς πόλεως καὶ τὸν κηδεμόνα τῶν ὁμοεθνῶν καὶ ζηλωτὴν τῶν νόμων ἐπίβουλον τῶν πραγμάτων ἐτόλμα λέγειν
And he dared to call the benefactor of the city, the guardian of his compatriots, and the zealot for the laws a plotter against public affairs.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
τῆς δὲ ἔχθρας ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον προβαινούσης ὥστε καὶ διά τινος τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Σιμωνος δεδοκιμασμένων φόνους συντελεῖσθαι
And the hostility advanced so far that even murders were being committed through one of Simon's approved agents.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
συνορῶν ὁ Ονιας τὸ χαλεπὸν τῆς φιλονεικίας καὶ Ἀπολλώνιον Μενεσθέως τὸν Κοίλης Συρίας καὶ Φοινίκης στρατηγὸν συναύξοντα τὴν κακίαν τοῦ Σιμωνος
Onias, seeing the gravity of the rivalry and that Apollonius son of Menestheus, governor of Coele-Syria and Phoenicia, was increasing Simon's malice,
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα διεκομίσθη οὐ γινόμενος τῶν πολιτῶν κατήγορος τὸ δὲ σύμφορον κοινῇ καὶ κατ' ἰδίαν παντὶ τῷ πλήθει σκοπῶν
went to the king, not as an accuser of his fellow citizens, but with an eye to what was advantageous both publicly and privately for the whole people.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
ἑώρα γὰρ ἄνευ βασιλικῆς προνοίας ἀδύνατον εἶναι τυχεῖν εἰρήνης ἔτι τὰ πράγματα καὶ τὸν Σιμωνα παῦλαν οὐ λημψόμενον τῆς ἀνοίας
For he saw that without royal intervention it was impossible for affairs still to attain peace, and that Simon would get no respite from his madness.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
μεταλλάξαντος δὲ τὸν βίον Σελεύκου καὶ παραλαβόντος τὴν βασιλείαν Ἀντιόχου τοῦ προσαγορευθέντος Ἐπιφανοῦς ὑπενόθευσεν Ἰάσων ὁ ἀδελφὸς Ονιου τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην
But after Seleucus had died and Antiochus, called Epiphanes, had taken over the kingdom, Jason the brother of Onias fraudulently sought the high priesthood.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
ἐπαγγειλάμενος τῷ βασιλεῖ δι' ἐντεύξεως ἀργυρίου τάλαντα ἑξήκοντα πρὸς τοῖς τριακοσίοις καὶ προσόδου τινὸς ἄλλης τάλαντα ὀγδοήκοντα
In an audience he promised the king sixty talents of silver in addition to three hundred, and from another source of revenue eighty talents.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ὑπισχνεῖτο καὶ ἕτερα διαγράφειν πεντήκοντα πρὸς τοῖς ἑκατόν ἐὰν ἐπιχωρηθῇ διὰ τῆς ἐξουσίας αὐτοῦ γυμνάσιον καὶ ἐφηβεῖον αὐτῷ συστήσασθαι καὶ τοὺς ἐν Ιεροσολύμοις Ἀντιοχεῖς ἀναγράψαι
Besides these he promised to register another hundred and fifty, if authority were granted him to establish a gymnasium and an ephebion for himself and to enroll the people in Jerusalem as Antiochenes.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
ἐπινεύσαντος δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς κρατήσας εὐθέως πρὸς τὸν Ἑλληνικὸν χαρακτῆρα τοὺς ὁμοφύλους μετέστησε
When the king assented and he gained control of the office, he at once shifted his compatriots toward the Greek stamp of life.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
καὶ τὰ κείμενα τοῖς Ιουδαίοις φιλάνθρωπα βασιλικὰ διὰ Ιωάννου τοῦ πατρὸς Εὐπολέμου τοῦ ποιησαμένου τὴν πρεσβείαν ὑπὲρ φιλίας καὶ συμμαχίας πρὸς τοὺς Ῥωμαίους παρώσας καὶ τὰς μὲν νομίμους καταλύων πολιτείας παρανόμους ἐθισμοὺς ἐκαίνιζεν
Setting aside the humane royal concessions granted to the Jews through John the father of Eupolemus, who had undertaken the embassy for friendship and alliance with the Romans, and abolishing the lawful civic arrangements, he introduced unlawful customs.
Word-by-word analysis· 33 words
ἀσμένως γὰρ ὑπ' αὐτὴν τὴν ἀκρόπολιν γυμνάσιον καθίδρυσεν καὶ τοὺς κρατίστους τῶν ἐφήβων ὑποτάσσων ὑπὸ πέτασον ἤγαγεν
For he gladly founded a gymnasium under the citadel itself and brought the noblest of the young men under the Greek cap.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
ἦν δ' οὕτως ἀκμή τις Ἑλληνισμοῦ καὶ πρόσβασις ἀλλοφυλισμοῦ διὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀσεβοῦς καὶ οὐκ ἀρχιερέως Ἰάσωνος ὑπερβάλλουσαν ἀναγνείαν
There was thus a height of Hellenism and an advance of foreign ways because of the extraordinary impiety of Jason, who was no true high priest.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
ὥστε μηκέτι περὶ τὰς τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου λειτουργίας προθύμους εἶναι τοὺς ἱερεῖς ἀλλὰ τοῦ μὲν νεὼ καταφρονοῦντες καὶ τῶν θυσιῶν ἀμελοῦντες ἔσπευδον μετέχειν τῆς ἐν παλαίστρῃ παρανόμου χορηγίας μετὰ τὴν τοῦ δίσκου πρόσκλησιν
So that the priests were no longer zealous for the services of the altar, but despising the temple and neglecting the sacrifices, they hurried to share in the unlawful provision in the wrestling ground after the summons to the discus.
Word-by-word analysis· 32 words
καὶ τὰς μὲν πατρῴους τιμὰς ἐν οὐδενὶ τιθέμενοι τὰς δὲ Ἑλληνικὰς δόξας καλλίστας ἡγούμενοι
And regarding the ancestral honors as nothing, they counted the Greek distinctions as finest.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
ὧν καὶ χάριν περιέσχεν αὐτοὺς χαλεπὴ περίστασις καὶ ὧν ἐζήλουν τὰς ἀγωγὰς καὶ καθ' ἅπαν ἤθελον ἐξομοιοῦσθαι τούτους πολεμίους καὶ τιμωρητὰς ἔσχον
For this reason a severe crisis surrounded them, and those whose ways they envied and in every respect wished to imitate they found to be their enemies and punishers.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
ἀσεβεῖν γὰρ εἰς τοὺς θείους νόμους οὐ ῥᾴδιον ἀλλὰ ταῦτα ὁ ἀκόλουθος καιρὸς δηλώσει
For it is no easy thing to act impiously toward the divine laws; but the time that follows will make these things clear.
Word-by-word analysis· 14 words
ἀγομένου δὲ πενταετηρικοῦ ἀγῶνος ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως παρόντος
When the quinquennial games were being held at Tyre and the king was present,
Word-by-word analysis· 10 words
ἀπέστειλεν Ἰάσων ὁ μιαρὸς θεωροὺς ὡς ἀπὸ Ιεροσολύμων Ἀντιοχεῖς ὄντας παρακομίζοντας ἀργυρίου δραχμὰς τριακοσίας εἰς τὴν τοῦ Ἡρακλέους θυσίαν ἃς καὶ ἠξίωσαν οἱ παρακομίσαντες μὴ χρῆσθαι εἰς θυσίαν διὰ τὸ μὴ καθήκειν εἰς ἑτέραν δὲ καταθέσθαι δαπάνην
Jason the defiled sent envoys, representing Antiochenes from Jerusalem, carrying three hundred silver drachmas for the sacrifice of Heracles; yet the men who carried them asked that they not be used for sacrifice, because that was unfitting, but be set aside for another expense.
Word-by-word analysis· 37 words
ἔπεσε μὲν οὖν ταῦτα διὰ μὲν τὸν ἀποστείλαντα εἰς τὴν τοῦ Ἡρακλέους θυσίαν ἕνεκεν δὲ τῶν παρακομιζόντων εἰς τὰς τῶν τριηρέων κατασκευάς
So the money was designated by the sender for the sacrifice of Heracles, but because of those who brought it, for the outfitting of the triremes.
Word-by-word analysis· 22 words
ἀποσταλέντος δὲ εἰς Αἴγυπτον Ἀπολλωνίου τοῦ Μενεσθέως διὰ τὰ πρωτοκλίσια τοῦ Φιλομήτορος βασιλέως μεταλαβὼν Ἀντίοχος ἀλλότριον αὐτὸν τῶν αὐτοῦ γεγονέναι πραγμάτων τῆς καθ' αὑτὸν ἀσφαλείας ἐφρόντιζεν ὅθεν εἰς Ιοππην παραγενόμενος κατήντησεν εἰς Ιεροσόλυμα
When Apollonius son of Menestheus had been sent to Egypt for the accession festivities of King Philometor, Antiochus, having learned that the latter had become alien to his affairs, took thought for his own security; and so, arriving at Joppa, he came to Jerusalem.
Word-by-word analysis· 33 words
μεγαλομερῶς δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰάσωνος καὶ τῆς πόλεως ἀποδεχθεὶς μετὰ δᾳδουχίας καὶ βοῶν εἰσεδέχθη εἶθ' οὕτως εἰς τὴν Φοινίκην κατεστρατοπέδευσεν
And having been received magnificently by Jason and the city, with torchlight procession and shouting, he was welcomed; and then in this way he encamped in Phoenicia.
Word-by-word analysis· 20 words
μετὰ δὲ τριετῆ χρόνον ἀπέστειλεν Ἰάσων Μενέλαον τὸν τοῦ προσημαινομένου Σιμωνος ἀδελφὸν παρακομίζοντα τὰ χρήματα τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ περὶ πραγμάτων ἀναγκαίων ὑπομνηματισμοὺς τελέσοντα
After a period of three years Jason sent Menelaus, the brother of the previously mentioned Simon, to carry the money to the king and to complete memoranda concerning necessary matters.
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
ὁ δὲ συσταθεὶς τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ δοξάσας αὐτὸν τῷ προσώπῳ τῆς ἐξουσίας εἰς ἑαυτὸν κατήντησεν τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην ὑπερβαλὼν τὸν Ἰάσωνα τάλαντα ἀργυρίου τριακόσια
But he, once introduced to the king and having magnified him by the display of his authority, secured the high priesthood for himself, outbidding Jason by three hundred talents of silver.
Word-by-word analysis· 23 words
λαβὼν δὲ τὰς βασιλικὰς ἐντολὰς παρεγένετο τῆς μὲν ἀρχιερωσύνης οὐδὲν ἄξιον φέρων θυμοὺς δὲ ὠμοῦ τυράννου καὶ θηρὸς βαρβάρου ὀργὰς ἔχων
And after receiving the king's commands he came back, bringing nothing worthy of the high priesthood, but possessing the passions of a harsh tyrant and the angers of a savage beast.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
καὶ ὁ μὲν Ἰάσων ὁ τὸν ἴδιον ἀδελφὸν ὑπονοθεύσας ὑπονοθευθεὶς ὑφ' ἑτέρου φυγὰς εἰς τὴν Αμμανῖτιν χώραν συνήλαστο
And Jason, who had supplanted his own brother, was himself supplanted by another and driven as a fugitive into the land of the Ammonites.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
ὁ δὲ Μενέλαος τῆς μὲν ἀρχῆς ἐκράτει τῶν δὲ ἐπηγγελμένων τῷ βασιλεῖ χρημάτων οὐδὲν εὐτάκτει
But Menelaus held the office, while of the money promised to the king he made no orderly payment.
Word-by-word analysis· 15 words
ποιουμένου δὲ τὴν ἀπαίτησιν Σωστράτου τοῦ τῆς ἀκροπόλεως ἐπάρχου πρὸς τοῦτον γὰρ ἦν ἡ τῶν διαφόρων πρᾶξις δι' ἣν αἰτίαν οἱ δύο ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως προσεκλήθησαν
When Sostratus, the governor of the citadel, made demand from him, for to him belonged the collection of the revenues, for this reason the two of them were summoned by the king.
Word-by-word analysis· 26 words
καὶ ὁ μὲν Μενέλαος ἀπέλιπεν τῆς ἀρχιερωσύνης διάδοχον Λυσίμαχον τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἀδελφόν Σώστρατος δὲ Κράτητα τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν Κυπρίων
And Menelaus left Lysimachus his own brother as deputy in the high priesthood, while Sostratus left Crates over the Cyprians.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
τοιούτων δὲ συνεστηκότων συνέβη Ταρσεῖς καὶ Μαλλώτας στασιάζειν διὰ τὸ Ἀντιοχίδι τῇ παλλακῇ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν δωρεᾷ δεδόσθαι
While these things stood thus, it happened that the people of Tarsus and Mallus rebelled because they had been given as a gift to Antiochis, the king's concubine.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
θᾶττον οὖν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἧκεν καταστεῖλαι τὰ πράγματα καταλιπὼν τὸν διαδεχόμενον Ἀνδρόνικον τῶν ἐν ἀξιώματι κειμένων
The king therefore came quickly to settle the affairs, leaving Andronicus, one of those in office, as his successor.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
νομίσας δὲ ὁ Μενέλαος εἰληφέναι καιρὸν εὐφυῆ χρυσώματά τινα τῶν τοῦ ἱεροῦ νοσφισάμενος ἐχαρίσατο τῷ Ἀνδρονίκῳ καὶ ἕτερα ἐτύγχανεν πεπρακὼς εἴς τε Τύρον καὶ τὰς κύκλῳ πόλεις
Menelaus, thinking he had seized a favorable opportunity, stole certain gold vessels from the temple and presented them to Andronicus, while others he had managed to sell in Tyre and the surrounding cities.
Word-by-word analysis· 27 words
ἃ καὶ σαφῶς ἐπεγνωκὼς ὁ Ονιας ἀπήλεγχεν ἀποκεχωρηκὼς εἰς ἄσυλον τόπον ἐπὶ Δάφνης τῆς πρὸς Ἀντιόχειαν κειμένης
Onias, having learned this clearly, exposed him, after withdrawing to a place of refuge at Daphne near Antioch.
Word-by-word analysis· 17 words
ὅθεν ὁ Μενέλαος λαβὼν ἰδίᾳ τὸν Ἀνδρόνικον παρεκάλει χειρώσασθαι τὸν Ονιαν ὁ δὲ παραγενόμενος ἐπὶ τὸν Ονιαν καὶ πεισθεὶς ἐπὶ δόλῳ καὶ δεξιασθεὶς μεθ' ὅρκων δοὺς δεξιάν καίπερ ἐν ὑποψίᾳ κείμενος ἔπεισεν ἐκ τοῦ ἀσύλου προελθεῖν ὃν καὶ παραχρῆμα παρέκλεισεν οὐκ αἰδεσθεὶς τὸ δίκαιον
For this reason Menelaus took Andronicus aside and urged him to seize Onias; and he, coming to Onias and persuaded to use deceit, after giving him the right hand with oaths, though he was under suspicion, convinced him to come out of the asylum and immediately murdered him, showing no reverence for justice.
Word-by-word analysis· 44 words
δι' ἣν αἰτίαν οὐ μόνον Ιουδαῖοι πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐθνῶν ἐδείναζον καὶ ἐδυσφόρουν ἐπὶ τῷ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀδίκῳ φόνῳ
Because of this not only many Jews, but also many from the other nations, were grieved and indignant over the unjust murder of the man.
Word-by-word analysis· 21 words
τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως ἐπανελθόντος ἀπὸ τῶν κατὰ Κιλικίαν τόπων ἐνετύγχανον οἱ κατὰ πόλιν Ιουδαῖοι συμμισοπονηρούντων καὶ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ὑπὲρ τοῦ παρὰ λόγον τὸν Ονιαν ἀπεκτονῆσθαι
When the king returned from the regions of Cilicia, the Jews in the city approached him, with even the Greeks sharing in the indignation, on behalf of the fact that Onias had been killed contrary to justice.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
ψυχικῶς οὖν ὁ Ἀντίοχος ἐπιλυπηθεὶς καὶ τραπεὶς ἐπὶ ἔλεος καὶ δακρύσας διὰ τὴν τοῦ μετηλλαχότος σωφροσύνην καὶ πολλὴν εὐταξίαν
So Antiochus was deeply grieved, moved to pity, and wept because of the moderation and abundant good order of the deceased.
Word-by-word analysis· 19 words
καὶ πυρωθεὶς τοῖς θυμοῖς παραχρῆμα τὴν τοῦ Ἀνδρονίκου πορφύραν περιελόμενος καὶ τοὺς χιτῶνας περιρρήξας περιαγαγὼν καθ' ὅλην τὴν πόλιν ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὸν τόπον οὗπερ τὸν Ονιαν ἠσέβησεν ἐκεῖ τὸν μιαιφόνον ἀπεκόσμησεν τοῦ κυρίου τὴν ἀξίαν αὐτῷ κόλασιν ἀποδόντος
And having been inflamed in his anger, he immediately stripped off Andronicus's purple robe and tore away his tunics, and after leading him around the whole city to the very place where he had acted impiously against Onias, there he executed the blood-stained murderer, the Lord repaying him with the punishment he deserved.
Word-by-word analysis· 38 words
γενομένων δὲ πολλῶν ἱεροσυλημάτων κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ὑπὸ τοῦ Λυσιμάχου μετὰ τῆς τοῦ Μενελάου γνώμης καὶ διαδοθείσης ἔξω τῆς φήμης ἐπισυνήχθη τὸ πλῆθος ἐπὶ τὸν Λυσίμαχον χρυσωμάτων ἤδη πολλῶν διενηνεγμένων
When many sacrileges had taken place in the city through Lysimachus with the approval of Menelaus, and the report had been spread abroad, the crowd gathered against Lysimachus, since many gold objects had already been carried away.
Word-by-word analysis· 30 words
ἐπεγειρομένων δὲ τῶν ὄχλων καὶ ταῖς ὀργαῖς διεμπιπλαμένων καθοπλίσας ὁ Λυσίμαχος πρὸς τρισχιλίους κατήρξατο χειρῶν ἀδίκων προηγησαμένου τινὸς Αυρανου προβεβηκότος τὴν ἡλικίαν οὐδὲν δὲ ἧττον καὶ τὴν ἄνοιαν
And as the crowds were being stirred up and filled with anger, Lysimachus armed about three thousand men and began unjust violence, with a certain Auranus leading them, advanced in age but no less in folly.
Word-by-word analysis· 28 words
συνιδόντες δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐπίθεσιν τοῦ Λυσιμάχου συναρπάσαντες οἱ μὲν πέτρους οἱ δὲ ξύλων πάχη τινὲς δὲ ἐκ τῆς παρακειμένης σποδοῦ δρασσόμενοι φύρδην ἐνετίνασσον εἰς τοὺς περὶ τὸν Λυσίμαχον
But when they perceived Lysimachus's attack, some seized stones, others stout clubs, and some grabbing up the ashes that lay nearby flung them in confusion at those around Lysimachus.
Word-by-word analysis· 29 words
δι' ἣν αἰτίαν πολλοὺς μὲν αὐτῶν τραυματίας ἐποίησαν τινὰς δὲ καὶ κατέβαλον πάντας δὲ εἰς φυγὴν συνήλασαν αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν ἱερόσυλον παρὰ τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον ἐχειρώσαντο
For this reason they wounded many of them, struck some down, drove all of them into flight, and near the treasury they overpowered the very temple-robber.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
περὶ δὲ τούτων ἐνέστη κρίσις πρὸς τὸν Μενέλαον
And concerning these matters a judicial inquiry arose against Menelaus.
Word-by-word analysis· 8 words
καταντήσαντος δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς Τύρον ἐπ' αὐτοῦ τὴν δικαιολογίαν ἐποιήσαντο οἱ πεμφθέντες τρεῖς ἄνδρες ὑπὸ τῆς γερουσίας
When the king arrived at Tyre, the three men sent by the council made their defense before him.
Word-by-word analysis· 18 words
ἤδη δὲ λελειμμένος ὁ Μενέλαος ἐπηγγείλατο χρήματα ἱκανὰ τῷ Πτολεμαίῳ Δορυμένους πρὸς τὸ πεῖσαι τὸν βασιλέα
But Menelaus, already left without a defense, promised a considerable sum of money to Ptolemy son of Dorymenes in order to persuade the king.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
ὅθεν ἀπολαβὼν ὁ Πτολεμαῖος εἴς τι περίστυλον ὡς ἀναψύξοντα τὸν βασιλέα μετέθηκεν
Therefore Ptolemy, taking the king aside into a certain colonnade as though to refresh him, changed his mind.
Word-by-word analysis· 12 words
καὶ τὸν μὲν τῆς ὅλης κακίας αἴτιον Μενέλαον ἀπέλυσεν τῶν κατηγορημένων τοῖς δὲ ταλαιπώροις οἵτινες εἰ καὶ ἐπὶ Σκυθῶν ἔλεγον ἀπελύθησαν ἀκατάγνωστοι τούτοις θάνατον ἐπέκρινεν
And he acquitted Menelaus, the cause of all the evil, but those poor men, who would have been released without condemnation even had they pleaded before Scythians, he sentenced to death.
Word-by-word analysis· 25 words
ταχέως οὖν τὴν ἄδικον ζημίαν ὑπέσχον οἱ περὶ πόλεως καὶ δήμων καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν σκευῶν προηγορήσαντες
Thus those who had spoken on behalf of city and peoples and the sacred vessels quickly suffered the unjust penalty.
Word-by-word analysis· 16 words
δι' ἣν αἰτίαν καὶ Τύριοι μισοπονηρήσαντες τὰ πρὸς τὴν κηδείαν αὐτῶν μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἐχορήγησαν
For this reason even the Tyrians, detesting the wickedness, supplied their burial magnificently.
Word-by-word analysis· 13 words
ὁ δὲ Μενέλαος διὰ τὰς τῶν κρατούντων πλεονεξίας ἔμενεν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀρχῇ ἐπιφυόμενος τῇ κακίᾳ μέγας τῶν πολιτῶν ἐπίβουλος καθεστώς
But Menelaus, because of the greed of those in power, remained in office, growing in wickedness, established as a great plotter against the citizens.