Syrian empire, but that a sedition arising in Egypt during his absence, called him back to suppress it... He marched back into Egypt, carrying with him vast treasures which he had gotten together in the plunder of the conquered provinces. For he brought from thence with him forty thousand talents of silver, a vast number of precious vessels of silver and gold, and images also to the number of two thousand five hundred, among which were many of the Egyptian idols, which Cambyses on his conquering Egypt carried thence into Persia... And this happened exactly as it was foretold by the prophet Daniel (xi. 7—9 ). For in that prophecy he tells us, that after the king's daughter of the South should with her son and her attendants be cut off, and he that strengthened her in those times, that is, her father who was her chief support, should be dead, there should one arise out of a branch of her roots in his estate, that is, Ptolemy Euergetes, who springing from the same root with her, as being her brother, did stand up in the estate of Ptolemy Philadelphus his father, whom he succeeded in his kingdom. And that he should come with an army, and enter into the fortress of the king of the North, and prevail against him, and should carry captive into Egypt the Gods of the Syrians, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and gold, and so should come and return again into his own kingdom. And how exactly all this was fulfilled,, what is above related doth sufficiently shew. It is also said in the same prophecy (v. 8.); That the king of the South on his return into his kingdom should continue more years than the king of the North, and so it happened: For Ptolemy Euergetes outlived Seleucus Callinicus four years. "

• Prid. an. 246. and Usher, p. 357-S.

Callinicus after various turns of fortune was defeated and taken prisoner by Arsaces king of Parthia, where he died in consequence of a fall from his horse. But the successors of those Monarchs, whose kingdoms have been diminished, are ever ready to revenge and recover their losses, when they can find an opportunity. Accordingly the Sons of Callinicus prepared to regain what Euergetes had wrested from him: For" his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. And the king of the South shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the North And he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand" (v. 10, 11 ). Now the Sons of Callinicus were Seleucus Ceraunus, and Antiochus Magnus. Ceraunus succeeded his father immediately; but his reign was only about two years: For "Nicanor and Apaturius, two of his chief commanders, conspired against him, while he lay in Phrygia, and by poison put an end to his life" P The throne of Syria was immediately occupied by Antiochus Magnus the younger brother of Ceraunus, to whose reign much of this prophecy refers: And by reason of his many great actions he had the surname of Magnus, i. e. the Great. Not long after Antiochus Magnus had obtained the empire, he prepared to recover from Ptolemy Philopator, king of Egypt, what his father Callinicus had lost by Ptolemy Euergetes. Accordingly, after various successes, Magnus advanced to Raphia a "fortress" on the borders of

P Prid. an. 223. Justin. L. 29. c. 1

Egypt, "with a multitude of great forces: For he had seventy two thousand foot, six thousand horse, and one hundred and two Elephants. And here Philopator, "the king of the South"-Egypt-met him, with an army of seventy thousand foot, five thousand horse, and seventy-three Elephants. But Magnus was defeated with great loss; for when the battle seemed to be going against Philopator, his wife Arsinoe, who was also his sister, "went among the Soldiers, with her hair hanging about her ears, and crying to them, that they would stand to it, and in that battle defend their own wives and children; promising them, if they came conquerors out of the field, to give every of them two pounds in gold: whereby it came to pass, that the Soldiers took fresh courage, and slew their enemies down right, and took of them many prisoners... In this fight Antiochus Magnus lost little less than ten thousand of his foot, and upwards of three hundred horse: besides prisoners taken, above four thousand. Of his Elephants there were three killed in the fight, two died afterwards of their hurts. " q So that the multitude of Antiochus Magnus' forces was "given into his-Philopator's-hand.

This success tended much to elate Philopator: For "when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands" (v. 12). He was so elated, or lifted up in heart, that he afterwards attempted to enter into the sanctuary of God's holy temple at Jerusalem, yea into the very Holy of Holies, into which the High Priest only, and that but once a year, was allowed to enter. This the Jews endeavoured very much to prevent; "But the king, the more he was opposed

Usher. an. p. 369. Prid. an. 217.

growing the more intent to have his will in this matter, pressed into the inner Court, but as he was passing further to go into the temple itself, he was smitten from God with such a terror and confusion of mind, that he was carried out of the place in a manner half dead; on this he departed from Jerusalem filled with great wrath against the whole nation of the Jews for that which happened to him in that place, and venting many threatnings against them." His heart also was so lifted up that he pretended to derive his pedigree from Bacchus, and had himself marked with an ivy leaf in token of his devotedness to that God. Nor did he stop here, but "cast down many ten thousands," both of his own people the Egyptians, and of the Jews. When he returned to Alexandria from Jerusalem, he resolved to revenge himself upon the Jews for resisting his visit to the Sanctuary of their temple. “And therefore he published, a decree, and caused it to be engraven on a pillar erected at the gates of his palace, whereby he forbade all to enter thither, that did not sacrifice to the Gods, which he worshipped, whereby he excluded the Jews from all access to him, either for the suing to him for justice, or the obtaining of his protection, in what case soever they should stand in need of it." Soon after he took a resolution of destroying all the Jews within his dominions; and for that purpose collected vast numbers of them at Alexandria, that they might be destroyed by his Elephants for the amusement of the people. But although his purpose was not effected, yet about three years afterwards forty thousand of the Jews were cut off in the civil war which arose between Philopator

r Prid, an. 217, 216.

and his own people. For the discontents of the Egyptians broke out into a civil war, in which Philopator obtained the advantage, and many of them were destroyed. s

But the success of Philopator over Antiochus Magnus at the battle of Raphia, and his casting down of many ten thousands of the Jews and of his rebellious subjects, will not avail to strengthen his empire: "For the king of the North shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the South: Also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision, but they shall fall. So the king of the North shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities; and the arms of the South shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: And he shall give him the daughter of women corrupting her; but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him (v. 13-17).

Ptolemy Philopator reigned about seventeen years: the latter part of his life was given up to luxury, so much so that, Justin says, he spent his nights in lewdness, and his days in feasts. His body was naturally

Prid. an. 216-13. Usher. an. p. 370-1.