e, and indeed
all the rest left Jonathan; but a few there were, in number about fifty,
who staid with him, and with them Mattathias, the son of Absalom, and
Judas, the son of Chapseus, who were commanders of the whole army. These
marched boldly, and like men desperate, against the enemy, and so pushed
them, that by their courage they daunted them, and with their weapons in
their hands they put them to flight. And when those soldiers of Jonathan
that had retired saw the enemy giving way, they got together after their
flight, and pursued them with great violence; and this did they as far
as Cadesh, where the camp of the enemy lay.

8. Jonathan having thus gotten a glorious victory, and slain two
thousand of the enemy, returned to Jerusalem. So when he saw that all
his affairs prospered according to his mind, by the providence of God,
he sent ambassadors to the Romans, being desirous of renewing that
friendship which their nation had with them formerly. He enjoined
the same ambassadors, that, as they came back, they should go to the
Spartans, and put them in mind of their friendship and kindred. So when
the ambassadors came to Rome, they went into their senate, and said what
they were commanded by Jonathan the high priest to say, how he had sent
them to confirm their friendship. The senate then confirmed what had
been formerly decreed concerning their friendship with the Jews, and
gave them letters to carry to all the kings of Asia and Europe, and
to the governors of the cities, that they might safely conduct them to
their own country. Accordingly, as they returned, they came to Sparta,
and delivered the epistle which they had received of Jonathan to them;
a copy of which here follows: "Jonathan the high priest of the Jewish
nation, and the senate, and body of the people of the Jews, to the
ephori, and senate, and people of the Lacedemonians, send greeting. If
you be well, and both your public and private affairs be agreeable to
your mind, it is according to our wishes. We are well also. When in
former times an epistle was brought to Onias, who was then our high
priest, from Areus, who at that time was your king, by Demoteles,
concerning the kindred that was between us and you, a copy of which is
here subjoined, we both joyfully received the epistle, and were well
pleased with Demoteles and Areus, although we did not need such a
demonstration, because we were satisfied about it from the sacred
writings [10] yet did not we