e, together with their wives and children, so
that the multitude of those captives that were taken alive amounted to
about ten thousand. He also burnt down the finest buildings; and when he
had overthrown the city walls, he built a citadel in the lower part of
the city, [17] for the place was high, and overlooked the temple; on
which account he fortified it with high walls and towers, and put into
it a garrison of Macedonians. However, in that citadel dwelt the impious
and wicked part of the [Jewish] multitude, from whom it proved that the
citizens suffered many and sore calamities. And when the king had built
an idol altar upon God's altar, he slew swine upon it, and so offered a
sacrifice neither according to the law, nor the Jewish religious worship
in that country. He also compelled them to forsake the worship which
they paid their own God, and to adore those whom he took to be gods;
and made them build temples, and raise idol altars in every city and
village, and offer swine upon them every day. He also commanded them not
to circumcise their sons, and threatened to punish any that should be
found to have transgressed his injunction. He also appointed overseers,
who should compel them to do what he commanded. And indeed many Jews
there were who complied with the king's commands, either voluntarily,
or out of fear of the penalty that was denounced. But the best men, and
those of the noblest souls, did not regard him, but did pay a greater
respect to the customs of their country than concern as to the
punishment which he threatened to the disobedient; on which account they
every day underwent great miseries and bitter torments; for they were
whipped with rods, and their bodies were torn to pieces, and were
crucified, while they were still alive, and breathed. They also
strangled those women and their sons whom they had circumcised, as the
king had appointed, hanging their sons about their necks as they were
upon the crosses. And if there were any sacred book of the law found,
it was destroyed, and those with whom they were found miserably perished
also.

5. When the Samaritans saw the Jews under these sufferings, they no
longer confessed that they were of their kindred, nor that the temple
on Mount Gerizzim belonged to Almighty God. This was according to their
nature, as we have already shown. And they now said that they were a
colony of Medes and Persians; and indeed they were a colony of theirs.
So they sent ambassa