t them, and many of them fell down
wounded to death, and they made captive their wives and their
children, and spoiled them, and conquered their land, and pulled down
their strongholds, and spoiled them, and brought them into bondage
unto this day: and the rest of the kingdoms and of the isles, as many
as rose up against them at any time, they destroyed and made them to
be their servants; but with their friends and such as relied upon them
they kept peace; and they conquered the kingdoms that were near and
those that were far off, and all that heard of their fame were afraid
of them: moreover, whomsoever they will to succor and to make kings,
these {447} do they make kings; and whomsoever they will, do they
depose; and they are exalted exceedingly: and for all this none of
them did ever put on a crown, neither did they clothe themselves with
purple, to be magnified thereby: and how they had made for themselves
a senate house, and day by day three hundred and twenty men sat in
council, consulting alway for the people, to the end they might be
well ordered: and how they commit their government to one man year by
year, that he should rule over them, and be lord over all their
country, and all are obedient to that one, and there is neither envy
nor emulation among them.

And Judas chose Eupolemus the son of John, and Jason, and sent them to
Rome, to make a league of peace and confederacy with them, and that
they should take the yoke from them; for they saw that the kingdom of
the Syrians did keep Israel in bondage. And they went to Rome (and the
way was exceeding long), and they entered into the senate house, and
said, "Judas, who is also called Maccabaeus, and his brethren, and the
people of the Jews, have sent us unto you, to make a confederacy and
peace with you, and that we might be registered your confederates and
friends."

And the thing was well-pleasing in their sight. And this is the copy
of the writing which they wrote back again on tables of brass, and
sent to Jerusalem, that it might be with them there for a memorial of
peace and confederacy:--

Good success be to the Romans, and to the nation of the Jews, by sea
and by land for ever: the sword also and the {448} enemy be far from
them. But if war arise for Rome first, or any of their confederates in
all their dominion, the nation of the Jews shall help them as
confederates, as the occasion shall prescribe to them, with all their
heart: and unto them that ma