1
About the same time Antiochus prepared his second voyage into Egypt.
2
And then it happened that through all the city, for the space almost of forty days, there were seen horsemen running in the air, in cloth of gold and armed with lances, like a band of soldiers;
3
and troops of horsemen in array, encountering and running one against another, with shaking of shields and multitude of staves and drawing of swords and casting of darts, and glittering of golden ornaments and armor of all sorts.
4
Therefore every man prayed that that apparition might turn to good.
5
Now when there had gone forth a false rumor that Antiochus was dead, Jason took at the least a thousand men and suddenly made an assault upon the city. And those who were upon the walls being driven back and the city at length taken, Menelaus fled into the castle.
6
But Jason slew his own citizens without mercy, not considering that to win the day from those of his own nation would be a most unhappy day for him, but thinking they had been his enemies whom he conquered, and not his countrymen.
7
However, for all this he obtained not the principality, but at the last received shame as the reward for his treason, and fled again into the country of the Ammonites.
8
In the end therefore he had an unhappy return, being accused before Aretas the king of the Arabians, fleeing from city to city, pursued by all men, hated as a forsaker of the laws; and, being held in abomination as an open enemy of his country and countrymen, he was cast out into Egypt.