en
wickedly against thy sanctuary, and judge thou him according to his
wickedness."

And on the thirteenth day of the month Adar the armies {445} joined
battle: and Nicanor's army was discomfited, and he himself was the
first to fall in the battle. Now when his army saw that Nicanor was
fallen, they cast away their arms, and fled. And the Jews pursued
after them a day's journey, and they sounded an alarm after them with
the solemn trumpets. And they came forth out of all the villages of
Judaea round about, and hemmed them in on every side, so that they all
fell by the sword, and there was not one of them left. And they took
the spoils, and the booty, and they smote off Nicanor's head, and his
right hand, which he stretched out so haughtily, and brought them, and
hanged them up beside Jerusalem. And the people were exceeding glad,
and they kept that day as a day of great gladness. And they ordained
to keep this day year by year, the thirteenth day of Adar. And the
land of Judah had rest a little while.

XIV.

_How Judas Made a Treaty with Rome_.

And Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they are valiant men,
and have pleasure in all that join themselves unto them, and make a
league with all such as come unto them. And they told him of their
wars and exploits which they do among the Gauls, and how that they
conquered them, and brought them under tribute; and what things they
did in the land of Spain, that they might become masters of the mines
of silver and gold which were {446} there; and how by their policy and
persistence they conquered all the place (and the place was exceeding
far from them), and the kings that came against them from the
uttermost part of the earth, until they had discomfited them, and
smitten them very sore; and how the rest give them tribute year by
year: Antiochus also, the great king of Asia, who came against them to
battle, having a hundred and twenty elephants, with horse, and
chariots, and an exceeding great host, and he was discomfited by them,
and they took him alive, and appointed that both he and such as
reigned after him should give them a great tribute, and should give
hostages, and the country of India, and Media, and Lydia, and of the
goodliest of their countries; and they took them from him, and gave
them to King Eumenes: and how they of Greece took counsel to come and
destroy them; and the thing was known to them, and they sent against
them a captain, and fought agains