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ABOUT this time it was that king Antiochus, as he was going over
the upper countries, heard that there was a very rich city in Persia, called
Elymais; and therein a very rich temple of Diana, and that it was full
of all sorts of donations dedicated to it; as also weapons and breastplates,
which, upon inquiry, he found had been left there by Alexander, the son
of Philip, king of Macedonia. And being incited by these motives, he went
in haste to Elymais, and assaulted it, and besieged it. But as those that
were in it were not terrified at his assault, nor at his siege, but opposed
him very courageously, he was beaten off his hopes; for they drove him
away from the city, and went out and pursued after him, insomuch that he
fled away as far as Babylon, and lost a great many of his army. And when
he was grieving for this disappointment, some persons told him of the defeat
of his commanders whom he had left behind him to fight against Judea, and
what strength the Jews had already gotten. When this concern about these
affairs was added to the former, he was confounded, and by the anxiety
he was in fell into a distemper, which, as it lasted a great while, and
as his pains increased upon him, so he at length perceived he should die
in a little time; so he called his friends to him, and told them that his
distemper was severe upon him; and confessed withal, that this calamity
was sent upon him for the miseries he had brought upon the Jewish nation,
while he plundered their temple, and contemned their God; and when he had
said this, he gave up the ghost. Whence one may wonder at Polybius of Megalopolis,
who, though otherwise a good man, yet saith that "Antiochus died because
he had a purpose to plunder the temple of Diana in Persia;" for the
purposing to do a thing,
1
but not actually doing it, is not worthy of punishment. But if Polybius
could think that Antiochus thus lost his life on that account, it is much
more probable that this king died on account of his sacrilegious plundering
of the temple at Jerusalem. But we will not contend about this matter with
those who may think that the cause assigned by this Polybius of Megalopolis
is nearer the truth than that assigned by us.