gainst Ptolemy, who was
called Menneus, who was such a bad neighbor to the city; but he did
nothing considerable there, and so returned home.

4. About this time news was brought that Tigranes, the king of Armenia,
had made an irruption into Syria with five hundred thousand soldiers,
[45] and was coming against Judea. This news, as may well be supposed,
terrified the queen and the nation. Accordingly, they sent him many
and very valuable presents, as also ambassadors, and that as he was
besieging Ptolemais; for Selene the queen, the same that was also called
Cleopatra, ruled then over Syria, who had persuaded the inhabitants to
exclude Tigranes. So the Jewish ambassadors interceded with him, and
entreated him that he would determine nothing that was severe about
their queen or nation. He commended them for the respects they paid him
at so great a distance, and gave them good hopes of his favor. But as
soon as Ptolemais was taken, news came to Tigranes, that Lucullus, in
his pursuit of Mithridates, could not light upon him, who was fled into
Iberia, but was laying waste Armenia, and besieging its cities. Now when
Tigranes knew this, he returned home.

5. After this, when the queen was fallen into a dangerous distemper,
Aristobulus resolved to attempt the seizing of the government; so he
stole away secretly by night, with only one of his servants, and went to
the fortresses, wherein his friends, that were such from the days of his
father, were settled; for as he had been a great while displeased at his
mother's conduct, so he was now much more afraid, lest, upon her death,
their whole family should be under the power of the Pharisees; for he
saw the inability of his brother, who was to succeed in the government;
nor was any one conscious of what he was doing but only his wife, whom
he left at Jerusalem with their children. He first of all came to Agaba,
where was Galestes, one of the potent men before mentioned, and was
received by him. When it was day, the queen perceived that Aristobulus
was fled; and for some time she supposed that his departure was not in
order to make any innovation; but when messengers came one after another
with the news that he had secured the first place, the second place, and
all the places, for as soon as one had begun they all submitted to his
disposal, then it was that the queen and the nation were in the greatest
disorder, for they were aware that it would not be long ere Aristobulus
would