1
This Simon now, of whom we spoke before, having been a betrayer of the money and of his country, slandered Onias as if he had provoked Heliodorus and been the worker of these evils.
2
Thus was he bold to call him a traitor who had served well the city and protected his own nation, and was so zealous for the laws.
3
But when their hatred went so far that murders were committed by one of Simon's faction,
4
Onias, seeing the danger of this contention and that Apollonius, being the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, raged and increased Simon's malice,
5
he went to the king, not to be an accuser of his countrymen, but seeking the good of all, both public and private.
6
For he saw that it was impossible that the state should continue in peace and Simon leave his folly, unless the king looked thereunto.
7
But after the death of Seleucus when Antiochus, called Epiphanes, took the kingdom, Jason the brother of Onias labored underhandedly to be high priest,
8
promising unto the king by intercession three hundred and threescore talents of silver, and from another revenue eighty talents.
9
Beside this, he promised to assign a hundred and fifty more if he might have license to set up a place for exercise and for the training up of youth in the fashions of the heathen, and to designate them of Jerusalem by the name of Antiochians;
10
which, when the king had granted and he had gotten into his hand the rule, he forthwith brought his own nation to Greek fashion.
11
And the royal privileges granted of special favor to the Jews by the means of John the father of Eupolemus, who went as ambassador to Rome for amity and aid, he took away; and, putting down the governments which were according to the law, he brought up new customs against the law.