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give him any disturbance。 And when the captains had thus done；
those that were prepared to accuse Jonathan； and who bore him
ill…will； when they saw the honor that was done him by
proclamation； and that by the king's order； ran away； and were
afraid lest some mischief should befall them。 Nay； king Alexander
was so very kind to Jonathan； that he set him down as the
principal of his friends。
3。 But then； upon the hundred and sixty…fifth year； Demetrius；
the son of Demetrius； came from Crete with a great number of
mercenary soldiers； which Lasthenes； the Cretian； brought him；
and sailed to Cilicia。 This thing cast Alexander into great
concern and disorder when he heard it； so he made haste
immediately out of Phoenicia； and came to Antioch； that he might
put matters in a safe posture there before Demetrius should come。
He also left Apollonius Daus （7） governor of Celesyria； who
coming to Jamnia with a great army； sent to Jonathan the high
priest； and told him that it was not right that he alone should
live at rest； and with authority； and not be subject to the king；
that this thing had made him a reproach among all men； that he
had not yet made him subject to the king。 〃Do not thou therefore
deceive thyself； and sit still among the mountains； and pretend
to have forces with thee； but if thou hast any dependence on thy
strength； come down into the plain； and let our armies be
compared together； and the event of the battle will demonstrate
which of us is the most courageous。 However； take notice； that
the most valiant men of every city are in my army； and that these
are the very men who have always beaten thy progenitors； but let
us have the battle in such a place of the country where we may
fight with weapons； and not with stones； and where there may be
no place whither those that are beaten may fly。〃
4。 With this Jonathan was irritated； and choosing himself out ten
thousand of his soldiers； he went out of Jerusalem in haste； with
his brother Simon； and came to Joppa； and pitched his camp on the
outside of the city； because the people of Joppa had shut their
gates against him； for they had a garrison in the city put there
by Apollonius。 But when Jonathan was preparing to besiege them；
they were afraid he would take them by force； and so they opened
the gates to him。 But Apollonius； when he heard that Joppa was
taken by Jonathan； took three thousand horsemen； and eight
thousand footmen and came to Ashdod； and removing thence； he made
his journey silently and slowly； and going up to Joppa； he made
as if he was retiring from the place； and so drew Jonathan into
the plain； as valuing himself highly upon his horsemen； and
having his hopes of victory principally in them。 However；
Jonathan sallied out； and pursued Apollonius to Ashdod； but as
soon as Apollonius perceived that his enemy was in the plain； he
came back and gave him battle。 But Apollonius had laid a thousand
horsemen in ambush in a valley； that they might be seen by their
enemies as behind them； which when Jonathan perceived； he was
under no consternation； but ordering his army to stand in a
square battle…array； he gave them a charge to fall on the enemy
on both sides； and set them to face those that attacked them both
before and behind； and while the fight lasted till the evening；
he gave part of his forces to his brother Simon； and ordered him
to attack the enemies； but for himself； he charged those that
were with him to cover themselves with their armor； and receive
the darts of the horsemen； who did as they were commanded； so
that the enemy's horsemen； while they threw their darts till they
had no more left； did them no harm； for the darts that were
thrown did not enter into their bodies； being thrown upon the
shields that were united and conjoined together； the closeness of
which easily overcame the force of the darts； and they flew about
without any effect。 But when the enemy grew remiss in throwing
their darts from morning till late at night； Simon perceived
their weariness； and fell upon the body of men before him； and
because his soldiers showed great alacrity； he put the enemy to
flight。 And when the horsemen saw that the footmen ran away；
neither did they stay themselves； but they being very weary； by
the duration of the fight till the evening； and their hope from
the footmen being quite gone； they basely ran away； and in great
confusion also； till they were separated one from another； and
scattered over all the plain。 Upon which Jonathan pursued them as
far as Ashdod； and slew a great many of them； and compelled the
rest； in despair of escaping； to fly to the temple of Dagon；
which was at Ashdod； but Jonathan took the city on the first
onset； and burnt it； and the villages about it； nor did he
abstain from the temple of Dagon itself； but burnt it also； and
destroyed those that had fled to it。 Now the entire multitude of
the enemies that fell in the battle； and were consumed in the
temple； were eight thousand。 When Jonathan therefore had overcome
so great an army； he removed from Ashdod； and came to Askelon；
and when he had pitched his camp without the city； the people of
Askelon came out and met him； bringing him hospitable presents；
and honoring him； so he accepted of their kind intentions； and
returned thence to Jerusalem with a great deal of prey； which he
brought thence when he conquered his enemies。 But when Alexander
heard that Apollonius； the general of his army； was beaten； he
pretended to be glad of it； because he had fought with Jonathan
his friend and ally against his directions。 Accordingly； he sent
to Jonathan； and gave testimony to his worth； and gave him
honorary rewards； as a golden button； （8） which it is the custom
to give the king's kinsmen； and allowed him Ekron and its
toparchy for his own inheritance。
5。 About this time it was that king Ptolemy； who was called
Philometor； led an army； part by the sea； and part by land； and
came to Syria； to the assistance of Alexander； who was his
son…in…law； and accordingly all the cities received him
willingly； as Alexander had commanded them to do； and conducted
him as far as Ashdod； where they all made loud complaints about
the temple of Dagon； which was burnt； and accused Jonathan of
having laid it waste； and destroyed the country adjoining with
fire； and slain a great number of them。 Ptolemy heard these
accusations； but said nothing。 Jonathan also went to meet Ptolemy
as far as Joppa； and obtained from him hospitable presents； and
those glorious in their kinds； with all the marks of honor； and
when he had conducted him as far as the river called Eleutherus；
he returned again to Jerusalem。
6。 But as Ptolemy was at Ptolemais； he was very near to a most
unexpected destruction； for a treacherous design was laid for his
life by Alexander； by the means of Ammonius； who was his friend；
and as the treachery was very plain； Ptolemy wrote to Alexander；
and required of him that he should bring Ammonius to condign
punishment； informing him what snares had been laid for him by
Ammonius； and desiring that he might he accordingly punished for
it。 But when Alexander did not comply with his demands； he
perceived that it was he himself who laid the design； and was
very angry at him。 Alexander had also formerly been on very ill
terms with the people of Antioch； for they had suffered very much
by his means； yet did Ammonius at length undergo the punishment
his insolent crimes had deserved； for he was killed in an
opprobrious manner； like a woman； while he endeavored to conceal
himself in a feminine habit； as we have elsewhere related。
7。 Hereupon Ptolemy blamed himself for having given his daughter
in marriage to Alexander； and for the league he had made with him
to assist him against Demetrius； so he dissolved his relation to
him； and took his daughter away from him； and immediately sent to
Demetrius； and offered to make a league of mutual assistance and
friendship with him； and agreed with him to give him his daughter
in marriage； and to restore him to the principality of his
fathers。 Demetrius was well pleased with this embassage； and
accepted of his assistance； and of the marriage of his daughter。
But Ptolemy had still one more hard task to do； and that was to
persuade the people of Antioch to receive Demetrius； because they
were greatly displeased at him； on account of the injuries his
father Demetrius had done them； yet did he bring this about； for
as the people of Antioch hated Alexander on Ammonius's account；
as we have shown already； they were easily prevailed with to cast
him out of Antioch； who； thus expelled out of Antioch； came into
Cilicia。 Ptolemy came then to Antioch； and was made king by its
inhabitants； and by the army； so that he was forced to put on two
diadems； the one of Asia； the other of Egypt： but being naturally
a good and a righteous man； and not desirous of what belonged to
others； and besides these dispositions； being also a wise man in
reasoning about futurities； he determined to avoid the envy of
the Romans； so he called the people of Antioch together to an
assembly； and persuaded them to receive Demetrius； and assured
them that he would not be mindfu