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.
12
For he gladly built a place of exercise under the tower itself, and brought the chief young men under his subjection, and made them wear a hat.
13
Now such was the height of Greek fashion and increase of heathen manners through the exceeding profaneness of Jason, that ungodly wretch and no high priest, that
14
the priests had no courage to serve any more at the altar, but, despising the temple and neglecting the sacrifices, they hastened to be partakers of the unlawful allowance in the place of exercise after the game of discus called them forth,