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THE
KINGDOM OF BRASS:
OR THE
HISTORY OF THE WORLD
FROM THE
BIRTH OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
TO THE
BIRTH  OF CHRIST,
INCLUDING THE
IIISTORY OF JUDEA DURING THAT PERIOD.
"And another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over the whole earth."
BY R. B. BEMENT,
AUTHOR OF SEVERAL WORKS ON ANCIENT HISTORY,
CINCINNATI:
MOORE, WILSTACH, KEYS & CO.
25 WEST FOURTH STREET,
1856.




Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1856, by
MOORE, WILSTACII, KEYS & CO.,
In the Clerk's office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern
District of Ohio.
Stereotyped and Printed by
WILLIAM OVEREND & CO.
C I N C I N N A T I.




CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Introduction..........................................................................                                9
Sketch  of the  Life  of Alexander................................................   13
Fate  of  the  Family  of  Alexander...............................................    29
Fate of the principal Officers...................................................  36
Ptolemy  Soter........................................................................   45
Coronation  of  Philadelphus......................................................   56
Domestic troubles in Macedon...................................................  69
Woman's rule in Lybia............................................................  75
Life of Seleucus Nicator...........................................................   77
Antiochus Soter.....................................................................   79
Antiochus Theos......................................................................              82
Ptolemy  Evergetes.......................................................   84
Hierax.................................................................................   88
Events in  Macedon..........................................................   90
Antiochus the  Great...............................................................   93
Battle  of Raphia.................................................................... 107
Achmeus................................................................................ 113
Ptolemy  Epiphanes................................................................ 120
Antiochus in  the  East............................................................ 129
Demetrius and  Philip  of  Macedon.............................................  134
Invasion of Rhodes, Sios and Abydos by Philip of Macedon............ 146
Antiochus and the Romans...................................................... 150
Death  of Antiochus the  Great.............................................. 160
Seleucus Philopator................................................................  167
Ptolemy  Philometor................................................................ 170
Antiochus Epiphanes............................................................... 176
Death  of Epiphanes.................................. 199
(v)




Vi                                                       CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Antiochus  Eupator.................................................................  204
Jewish   History...................................................................... 208
Ptolemy  Physcon................................................................... 246
Alexander  Bala...................................................................  249
Demetrius Nicator.................................                                                                                250
Antiochus  Sidetes..................................................  254
Ptolemy   Lathyrus..................................................................  267
Alexander I. and II.................................                                                                             263
Death of the Syrian Cleopatra...................................... 267
Fall of  Syria.........................................................................  272
Ptolemy Auletes........................................................ 276
Synopsis of the fate of Syrian Kings.................................     278
Cleopatra of Egypt.................................................................         279
Battle of Actium..............................                              300
Death   of  Marc   Antony..................................................  309
Death of Cleopatra................................. 310




PR E F A C E
HAVING personally visited the ground and devoted much time
and care to the study of the history of Egypt, and in the preparation of a large work on ancient history, (which was unfortunately lost after it had gone into the hands of the printer,) I
determined to prepare a small work embracing only the history
of Egypt from the time of Alexander to the beginning of the
Christian era, to be called THE LAGID,E,   or Egypt under the
Ptolemries.  This work. had advanced to the time of Physcon,
when it became apparent that the history of Egypt could not
well be kept distinct from that of other branches of Alexander's
vast empire. At that stage the purpose was formed of enlarging the work, filling up a few gaps, and including the four heads
of the third beast of Daniel's vision. After much effort, I found
it impracticable to avoid an occasional repetition of the same
substantial facts, as they affected different governments; but in
this respect I believe I have been more methodical than the old
authors, although less so than I could desire. I have kept constantly before the mind the connection between the sacred prophets,
especially Daniel, and the history to which the prophecies referred.
This work has been prepared under peculiar embarrassments.
My time has been chiefly devoted to public lectures on ancient
(vii)




Viii                     PREFACE.
history, and it was only at intervals that attention could be
devoted to the work.  The loss of the manuscripts for the
larger work rendered references very inconvenient. Owing to a
partial failure of my sight, I have been obliged to employ an
amanuensis. Consequently, some difficulty has arisen in filling
up gaps, and gliding gracefully from one subject to another.
No other writer, so far as I know, has attempted to furnish a
connected history exclusively devoted to this period of time, or
its harmony with the sacred scriptures. It is therefore hoped
that with whatever of defect it may contain, this work may
meet with a charitable and favorable reception from  the public
and the press.                           R. B. BEMENT.




INTRODUCTION
TO THE HISTORY OF
ALEXANDER AND HIS SUCCESSORS.
THE unparalleled suddenness of the rise, extension, and dismemberment of the Macedonian empire, was like the unexpected
appearance of a magnificent comet, filling the vaulted arch with its
dazzling radiance, streaming through the heavens from the western
horizon to the verge of the east, then with terrific explosion
bursting into four new planets, with many a lesser corruscation,
whose meteoric and unsteady lights one by one paled and finally
disappeared, leaving the four prominent ones for a time to circle
in their eccentric orbit, coming frequently in collision with fearful encounter, then rebounding apart, until the larger brilliant
orb of day made its appearance and absorbed all four into its
self.
In extent, Alexander's empire embraced more than all that of
Nebuchadnezzar. In rapidity of enlargement, it surpassed that
of Cyrus. And in many points of comparison it exceeded both,
justifying the language of the prophet, "and bear rule over all
the earth." This empire, with its subdivisions, is justly called THE
KINGDOM or BRASS. While gold is the appropriate emblem of will,
strong, indomitable, successful at home, brass expresses a similar will going abroad to execute its purpose. For this reason, brass
(ix)




X                       INTRODUCTION.
is often represented as appertaining to the feet, ready to go forth
to execute the will.  "His feet were as pillars of brass, as if
they burned in a furnace."
The history of Alexander and his successors furnishes a great
number of episodes or solitary fragments of history, whose tragical character is of surpassing interest; but clustered together,
they exhibit such a brilliancy of sparkling gems as can be gathered no where else in so limited a space of time.
In itself, this history has merit that deserves more attention
and careful study than it has usually received. But there is
another aspect of this subject that demands our special attention. This period of time was the theme of prophetic vision,
and in its elements we find a most complete demonstration of the
truth and divine authenticity of the sacred writings.
After a few brilliant visions abounding in rich imagery, representing the future history of four successive great kingdoms,
and the final triumph of truth and righteousness, the prophet
Daniel drops from the sublime scenery of emblems into plain,
literal, and common language, and describes with minuteness
these governments in collision, the results of their battles, the
regular succession of princes that participated in the history of
the third kingdom, and the particular character of each, man by
man, as a king of fierce countenance, the raiser of taxes, the
vile person, etc., etc.
The history of the Israelites, and especially the Jews, is a
subject of much interest to the student of the Bible.
Except the books of Maccabees, which are far from being reliable, but little of their condition from the close of their captivity
to the time of Christ, has hitherto been published in the English
language, and that little is so merged in the history of others as
to be difficult to comprehend, leaving but vague and indefinite
impressions upon the mind of the student.
In the following pages an effort is made, after the time of the
Epiphanes, to separate partially the history of the Jews from
that of the surrounding nations.




INTRODUCTION.                    xi
It will be seen that after the death of Zedekiah, who was
deposed by Nebuchadnezzar, B. C. 588, none of the tribe of
Judah reigned over this people.
Authority, so far as any remained in Judea, was lodged in
the hands of the high priesthood of the tribe of Levi, and when
the kingly form of government was again restored, the crown
was placed upon the head of that officer, and not upon a Jew.
If the law-giver did not depart from Judah he was not of that
tribe, although he dwelt among them and ruled over them.
Of the ten tribes, often called the lost tribes, the most probable opinion is, that during the captivity all became blended in
one nation, under the general name of Jews.
The conquest of so many nations by Alexander at this particular period, was admirably adapted to prepare the way of the
Lord; to aid in the early and rapid spread of the gospel of the
blessed God. These nations were at that time the most intelligent and energetic people upon the face of the whole earth;
they surrounded Judea on all sides; they spoke a great variety
of tongues.
The Macedonian supremacy diffused a knowledge of the Greek
language through all the different tribes of the family of man.
Before the time of Christ, so extended had become that language that almost every where in the higher circles the Greek
was spoken, whereby not only apostles inspired with the gift of
tongues were able to address the common multitude, but uninspired ministers of the word could address the rulers and distinguished personages in a large portion of the world.
The subsequent subjection of all to Rome opened also the
means of intercommunication between these different nations
All these must have been by divine arrangement to facilitate
the accomplishment of that which the council of heaven had
determined, and which the Lord had declared by his servants the
prophets.








THE
KINGDOM OF BRASS.
SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF ALEXANDER.
AND as T was considering, behold an he-goat came from the west on
the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground; and the goat
had a notable horn between his eyes.      DANIEL viii: 5.
THREE hundred and fifty-six years before the birth of
Christ, a remarkable personage was ushered into this world
from Beecher's preexistent state, around whose cradle the
fates held court, and upon whose decree hung the destiny
of many nations as they were to be borne on the bosom of
the resistless stream of future time.  Alexander the Conqueror was born at Pella, a city of Macedon.
This country comprised the western half of modern
Turkey in Europe, while the eastern half of the same
country was called Thrace. About 398 years before the
birth of Christ, Macedon was governed by King Amyntas,
whose wife's name was Eurydice, by whom he had Alexander, Perdiccas and Philip;.and by another woman, Ptolemy.
Amylntas died about 379 years before Christ, and his
son Alexander took the throne, but perished in war after
a reign of one year. The only important event in his
administration was, that he delivered his infant brother,
(13)




14             TILE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Philip, a hostage into the hands of his enemies, the Illyrians, who soon sent him safely back to his mother.
Perdiccas ascended the throne of Macedon, not without
much opposition from his cousin Pausanias.  Philip was
again delivered to the Thebans as a hostage, where he
received an excellent Grecian education, being about ten
years of age when he went to Thebes. About ten years
later, Perdiccas was slain in battle.
In the midst of confusion in Macedon, Philip, who had
escaped from his keepers, appeared suddenly and unexpectedly in the camp of his countrymen, and was at once
proclaimed king, to the exclusion of the son of Perdiccas,
who was an infant.
For the first four years, Philip only claimed to govern
as Prince protector of the infant heir; but in the twentyfourth year of his age, 360 years before Christ, he assumed
the crown.
In his administration he displayed the skill and ability
of a discreet politician, a crafty statesman, and an able
general.  His domestic relations were quite unfortunate.
His first wife was Olympias of Epyrus, by whom he had
Alexander the Great, and two daughters, Cleopatra and
Thessalonica.  Olympias was a woman of great energy
and decision of character, but most haughty and unloveable
in her spirit.  Indeed she was a Macedonian edition of
Jezebel, but Philip was not another Ahab to submit to her
authority. Tired of her evil machinations, Philip divorced
Olympias, and married Cleopatra, a Macedonian lady, a
niece of Attalus. The nuptials of Philip and Cleopatra
were celebrated with great pomp, but before the festival closed
they had a regular family jar.  As we may well suppose,
Alexander was in no very pleasant state of mind, to see
his mother set aside and another introduced in her place.
Attalus drank a toast, and called upon the Macedonians to




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             15
thank the gods for the prospect of a native prince to heir
the throne of Philip. This was an allusion to the fact that
Olympias was not a native of Macedon. The words of
Attalus fell upon the ear of Alexander like a spark of fire
upon a magazine of powder. Seizing a goblet of wine, he
furiously dashed it at the head of the insolent nobleman,
exclaiming, "Wretch! do you call me illegitimate?"
Attalus returned the compliment by hurling another cup
at Alexander. The quarrel became general, and cups and
wine flew plentifully about the hall. Philip, who had
received many wounds in battle, had become somewhat
infirm. He arose from his royal seat, and with drawn
sword, in wrath advanced across the hall to chastise his son
for disturbing the banquet. In his effort, he stumbled and
fell to the floor. Alexander, not in the least intimidated,
pointed at his fallen father and exclaimed, " A fine king
have you to lead the army to war against the Persians,
when he can not cross a banquet hall without falling. I
will show you in due time who can govern Macedon."
The attendants ultimately separated the parties and
ended the present commotion. The little horn of the rough
he-goat seen in Daniel's vision had begun to manifest itself.
The energy and boldness of Alexander gave foreshadowings of his future career. But this is not the end of this
unfortunate jar.  There is scarce room to doubt that on
that day Philip, great King of Macedon, sold his own life
for a trifle. Subsequent events were the offspring of that
night's deeds.
Oh, how often do parents forget that children will one
day be older and will remember their early wrongs.
Some ten years after this occurrence, Cleopatra, not the
wife but the daughter of Philip, was married to a King of
Epyrus, and a great ceremony was performed in honor of
the nuptials.  A grand procession marched toward the




16             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
temple. Philip, walking, dressed in all the gayety of royal
robes, in a prominent part of the procession, was stabbed,
and sunk dead in the street.  The assassin was caught and
put to death; but there is no reason to doubt that Olympias and Alexander were the instigators of the murder.
Thus perished King Philip, about 33i6 years before Christ.
After having conquered many nations, and won victories in
many a battle field, he fell by the stratagem of his own
family, and died as a fool dieth.
CHART OF THIE FA3IILY OF PHILIP.
Brothers-Alexander, Perdiccas, Ptolemy.
Wives and Favorites — Olympias, Cleopatra, Audaca,
Philinna, Arsinoe.
Children-By Olympias: Alexander, Cleopatra, Thessalonica. By Cleopatra: Caranus and Europa (both murdered by Olympias.)  By Audaca: Cyna, (Eurydice, grandchild). By Philinna a Larissean dancer: Aridoeus.  By
Arsinoe: Ptolemy, King of Egypt.
Arideus subsequtently married Eurydice, daughter of
Cyna.
Alexander had no sooner ascended the throne of his
father, than he began to plan for the invasion of Persia.
This had been a favorite topic with his predecessors,
none of whom had, however, been able to put their plans
into execution.  To comprehend the inducement to such an
undertaking, we must review a few past events and the
then state of the world. Asia Minor, lying between the
Black and Mediterranean Seas, was divided into a number
of states and provinces, among which were Lydia, Phrygia,
Bythinia, Capadocia, MIysia, and Cilicia.  These colonies
had, in a great measure, been settled by Grecian emigration. The majority of the people spoke a dialect of the




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              17
Greek language.. Their manners, customs, literature and
religion were Grecian. For a time they had been governed
by their own laws, and rulers of their own choosing, but
had gradually lost their independence and were subjected
to petty kings and local governors, whose avarice and cruelty knew no bounds. The Persian monarchs had subjected
these states to their dictation, and appointed satraps as local
governors over them who were the mere creatures of the
Persian court. It is therefore not surprising that the
Greeks, a bold, free and independent people, should sympathise with these brethren in Asia Minor, and that collisions
and acts of violence should frequently occur in which Greece
and Persia should be found on opposite sides. These events
had at an earlier date led Darius and Xerxes to attempt
the invasions and conquest of Greece. Their invasions
ending in ignominious defeats, had created hereditary hate
between the two races. Greece feared Persia and desired
her humiliation. Persia detested the free spirit of Greece
which was dangerous to her dependencies in that quarter of
of the empire.  Macedon was indeed an empire of itself,
separate from the Grecian states, but it was also originally
a colony of Grecian emigration; as among themselves the
Greek, the Macedonian and the Epirots are spoken of as
distinct nations, but as relating to the rest of the world they
are all Greeks. Alexander soon brought all the discordant
Grecian elements into one general consolidation and himself at their head. He had ascended the throne of his
father in the year 336, being but twenty years of age, and
in two years he was prepared to march against Persia. He
had in his army a staff of officers, a body of men aged, experienced, grave, and any of whom was capable of taking the
entire command of a great expedition and conducting a
grand campaign with ability.  Most of them were older
than himself and had served in the wars of his father;
I




18              THE KINGIDOM OF BRASS.
several of them were persons more or less related to himself. Alexander, in the expedition, was the motive powerthe steam-engine; his able officers the engineers-the
directors of that power.  With the youthful ardor of the
ambitious Alexander and the sedate wisdom of Perdiccas
Antipater and others, we might expect an energetic war,
terminating in triumph.
The Persian empire had now existed about two hundred
years froln the year 536 B. C. Its authority extended
to the great seas of the West.  Under its control where
Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and Asia Minor, with all that once
was Assyria, Babylonia, Media, Parthia and Elimea.  But
luxury had enervated its monarchs and corrupted its leaders
and people, so that Persia, though vast in dimensions, was
like an old, feeble, doting man, trembling and ready to fall,
yet full of vanity and boasting of its strength.  Alexander
crossed the straits with an army well disciplined, and
inured to toil and hardship, but small in number and almost
entirely without funds.  They trusted not to their purses
but to their swords to obtain supplies.  The first battle was
fought in the waters and on the banks of the Granicns,
where victory after a severe struggle, crowned the standard
of the Europeans. About two years were devoted to the
conquest of Asia Minor, whose satraps, creatures of the
Persian court, resisted manfully but unsuccessfully the
invaders, while Darius, for whom they were contending, was
still devoting himself to pleasure and debauchery at Susa,
not yet having moved to the aid of his dependent provinces.
Alexander having subdued all the states of Asia Minor, went
into winter quarters at Tarsus, the future birth-place of the
Apostle Paul, the locality of the first interview of Mare
Antony with the captivating Cleopatra.  The next year,
332, was one of great events in the field of MIars: Darius,
aroused from  his dream, advanced with a large army to




THE KINGDOMI OF BRASS.               19
check the progress of the Macedonian hero.  This army
was large only in numbers, not in soldiers.' They were a
body of proud, conceited, dissolute men, women, and servants,
rendered vicious and effeminate by the example and authority of the king; there was great display of riches;
silks and tapestry adorned the gorgeous oriental tents,
there were cushions and divans, cups of gold and silver and
wines to fill them; but these were not the best implements
with which to meet a rude and hardy yet well disciplined
army of Greece.
Alexander was crossing the mountains of Amanus, which
separate Syria from Cilicia, through the gap or pass. When
he learned that Darius and the Persian army, having crossed
through the northern pass, were now in his rear, he suddenly
wheeled, and turning into Cilicia, met and in the famous
battle of Issus conquered and entirely defeated the numerous hosts of the Persians. Darius, indeed, escaped with
but so few men that little more is heard of him for two
years.  Alexander nov sent forward one of his generals
through the pass and down southward on the east of AntiLebanon to Damascus, where that officer was so successful
as to capture the city, with most of the treasures of Darius
which had been deposited there; he also made prisoners of
the mother, wife, sister, and other female members of the
family of the Persian King. Alexander himself, with part
of his army, proceeded along the coast through Phoenicia.
On his right the great sea rolled its waves and lashed the
shore, here and there wearing into the land, andt forming
beautiful bays and sheltering harbors where the Phoenicians moored their vessels returning from commercial enterprises, pushed by them into all waters. On his left were
the mountains of Lebanon whose highest peaks ascend ten
thousand feet above the level of the sea and are capped
with perpetual snow. The sides of these mountains are




20             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
adorned with cedar and fir trees, whose evergreen foliage
was an emblem of the unfading laurels of fame which were
to repose upon the brow of the youthful hero: between the
mountain and the sea is a narrow slope of arable land
watered by many a brawling rivulet whose contents leaped
from the cliffs and were discharged into the sea below.
But why moves Alexander in this direction? It must
be recollected that Phoenicia, except Tyre, had been
annexed to Assyria under Shalmanezer, of Nineveh, and
in the overthrow of that city had passed to the kingdom of
Babylon; then following its fortunes, Phoenicia passed into
the possession of the Persians  here also lay all the maritime strength of the enemy. It was, therefore, expedient
to secure the cooiperation of the Phoenicians, before Alexander could safely proceed in his Eastern enterprise. Beritus,
Tripoli, and Sidon gladly threw off the yoke of the Persians,
and opening their gates to him, joined the standard of the
hero of Macedon. Tyre resisted not so much out of regard
for Persia as from a desire for independence; but after seven
months siege the proud city of commerce was humbled in the
dust and all western Asia was subjected to Alexander.
At the south-east angle of the Mediterranean sea stood,
anciently, the city of Gaza. Many a heathen writer refers
to the events said to have transpired in and around this
spot, when the demigods dwelt upon the earth and mingled
in the affairs of men.  It is quite uncertain, however,
when or by whom Gaza was founded. In the time of
Joshua, and for many years afterward, it was in the possession of the Philistines, but ultimately, upon the extermination of that race, it became the property of the
kingdom of Judah. In common with the rest of Judah, it
became subject to Babylon, and at the fall of that empire,
it passed to the scepter of the Persians.  Situated as it
once was, on the angle of the sea, and commanding the




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              21
high road from Asia into Egypt, it was ever deemed of
great military importance.
It is now governed by a Bey, or Satrap, of the Pasha of
Egypt. The modern city of Gaza is situated some miles
back from the sea, whether precisely on the spot of the
ancient city or not it is hard to determine. All along this
coast the sea has in the course of centuries receded far
from the ancient land-mark, leaving a long line of sandy
beach in many places, so that cities once seaports are left
quite remote from the waters. The probability is, therefore, that Gaza has not been removed, but that the sea has
deserted it. This city has been the theater of many a
bloody strife, both in ancient and modern times.
Darius had placed as governor over Gaza a eunuch by
the name of Betis.  That class of persons seem to have
been favorites with several of the Persian monarchs, yet
they were often deceitful, treacherous, and unworthy of
confidence, often killing their masters, as in the case of
Xerxes and Ochus. To'this charge of infidelity, Betis was
not obnoxious. The defeat of Darius, the capture of the
treasures and family, and the triumph of the enemy, failed
to overcome the steadfast attachment of this governor to
his sovereign.
Alexander was now marching toward Egypt, and Gaza
lay across his path.  After the terrible siege and final fate
of Tyre, it would not be supposed that Gaza, far inferior
in strength, would attempt resistance; yet Betis, and many
of the people, true to their lawful sovereign, rejected all
overtures of surrender. Alexander besieged the city, but
with all the ingenuity and courage of his men, he occupied
two months in making a breach in the wall and capturing
the city, which was well fortified and abundantly supplied
with provisions and munitions of war. Alexander received
two wounds in the siege, which greatly enraged him against




22             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
the governor and his people. He caused two thousand
persons to be cut to pieces, and the rest of the men, women
and children to be sold as slaves. After insulting Betis
for his fidelity to his master, he caused him to be put to
death in a most cruel manner. Like Achilles to Hector,
he caused holes to be made' in the heels of his victim,
through which he passed ropes and attached them  to a
chariot, and dragged the unhappy governor through the
streets and around the city until he was dead. All the
treasure found in Gaza was sent by Alexander to his
mother and sisters in Macedon.  However commendable
might have been his affection for his relatives, who can
excuse this monstrous wholesale robbery and butchery of a
whole city for no offense except fidelity to the government
under which they were born? The character of Alexander appears at times like an April day: now the sun shines
out in loveliness and not a cloud is to be seen; yet before
you can walk an hundred yards, the moisture of the atmosphere has condensed into dark clouds, and torrents of rain
descend. You fly for shelter, but before you can arrive the
storm is past, the sun throws off its veil, and all nature
smiles again with cheerfulness.  So with the hero of Macedon. We can hardly suppress the emotions of delight,
and the acclamations of applause in view of his kind and
affectionate treatment of his royal prisoners or other objects
of compassion, or we are ready to wish him universal
empire for his wise and heroic actions on the field of battle; but before these emotions have subsided,.or another
page of his history is read, we are shocked at his barbarity
toward some faithful officer.  Such must be the feelings of
every human heart on reading of the massacre of Tyre
and of Gaza. Alexander was founding the kingdom of
the Leopard, and in this character we must expect to find
the bright and dark spots which distinguish that animal.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              23
We must expect to find in him and his kingdom oftentimes
the playfulness and the treachery, the affection and the
cruelty of the Leopard.
The summer was now passed, and the hero marched
toward Egypt, for the overflowing had subsided, and the
right season had arrived for strangers to visit the land of the
Pharaoh. Egypt, the early land of science, the theme of
sacred and profane pens, was not now what it had once been.
About 685 years before the birth of Christ, after a period
of anarchy, twelve princes had divided and ruled the land;
one of them, Psammetichus, by the aid of Greek soldiers, had
expelled his eleven associates and established himself sole
monarch of Egypt. Under his protection the Greeks found
a peaceful home. In the higher circles the Greek language was taught, and began to be much spoken throughout Egypt, while the Coptic gradually declined.  The
Greek spirit of enterprise was favorably improving the
sluggish and exhausted energies of other times.  The
Egyptians worshiped gods representing the sublime and
mysterious powers of nature; to these gods they had
erected temples and consecrated images in common with
living animals, and representing the elements. A wise
and learned priestly class, or caste, had the care of the
temples, the sacrifices, and the secret mysteries. The Persians were of a different cast; they worshiped the luminary in the heavens and the sacred fire, his holy offspring.
They reared altars on hills, in valleys and in groves, but
temples they had none; they repudiated devotion in dark
recesses where the light of the sun was not admitted; they
abhorred priests, temples, and idols. Cambyses had demolished their temples, rifled their contents, carried off their
gods, and degraded their priesthood. The Persian rule
had been ever after averse to what the Egyptians would




24             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
call piety; the country had languished, its revenue had
been exhausted, and its fertile plains badly cultivated.
The AMacedonians and Greeks were worshipers of idols;
they had lords many and gods many; they had temples
and images also representing the powers of nature; there
were many points held in common between the Egyptian
and the Greek; indeed, much of the science and philosophy of Greece had been borrowed from the Egyptian university at Onn. When Alexander approached Pelusium, the
Egyptian army was there, as in duty bound to resist him,
the enemy of their lawful sovereign, the king of Persia.
Alexander sent a messenger to proclaim to them that he
had not come to do them harm, but to break the Persian
yoke, to restore to Egypt her former glory-her templesher religion, and her ancient prosperity. This appeal from
the commands of a people of similar religion, speaking a
language that was common in Egypt, could not fail to be
successful, attributing all their misfortunes to the impiety
and misrule of the Persians, and desiring again the days
when heavenly incense and joyous song should ascend in
the sacred edifices. The Egyptians at once opened their
hearts and their arms to receive Alexander as their deliverer and benefactor. It was a bloodless victory, and the
jewel of Egypt was plucked from the crown of Persia.
The army proceeded to Memphis with mirth and joy
abounding.
Alexander was a philosopher, a scholar, and a statesman,
as well as a warrior. Ile knew that no small part of Grecian prosperity was owing to her commerce. He had heard
of the policy of Solomon, who, by commercial enterprise,
had made gold and silver to abound in Jerusalem; he had
spent a summer in Phocenicia, whose fame had gone over
the world, whose commerce had traversed every sea, and




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              25
returning home had enriched the coffers of the bold shipmasters.  In the recent siege and terrible resistance of
Tyre, he had a demonstration of the energy and wealth
which commerce confers upon a maritime people. It was
now the policy as well as the good pleasure of Alexander
to secure the attachment of the Egyptians, so that no reaction or revolution might disturb him when he should be
prepared to direct his march toward the heart of the Persian empire. He also foresaw that if Egypt, one of the
Persian dependencies, which without resistance submitted
to him, should become prosperous and happy under his
authority, it must have an influence upon the other nations
whom he yet intended to invade and pluck from the Persian land.  To his observing eye it was apparent that this
land of fertility needed only commercial advantages to
make her prosperous; she bordered upon two seas, yet she
had almost no harbor and no commerce.  The Red Sea was
only approachable through trackless deserts; the mouths
of the Nile were blocked up by sandbars, hence only small
craft, with the utmost difficulty and in the most favorable
weather, could approach them along this portion of the
Egyptian coast on the Mediterranean.
At a little village called Rhacotis the sea rounded up
and formed a tolerable basin, with water of a better depth;
nature had here formed a better harbor than at any point
on the Egyptian coast; this harbor might be improved and
made to answer this purpose. Here Alexander founded a
city, calling it after his own name, Alexandria, and invited
people from many nations to repair thither.
About one hundred miles west of Egypt is an oasis, a
fertile spot in the desert, known as Elcargar. This green
spot is about fifteen miles in length, and from two to four
miles wide. In the midst of a grove of dates and figs on
the western end of the oasis stood an anci.ent temple devoted
3




26              THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
to the worship of the god Jupiter Ammon, the principal deity of the ancient Egyptians.  These people were
greatly devoted to their religious services, and when all
Egypt had fallen before the invading Persians, Jupiter
Ammon in Elcargar had escaped.  Ill this sacred retreat,
a few of the Egyptian priests still resided.  To please
these priests, and through them  to win the affections of
the people of all Egypt, was a wise political measure.
Alexander left Rhacotis, and through almost interminable sands made a pilgrimage to the temple of the ramheaded deity in the sacred groves of the lonely retreat.
There he honored the priests and offered incense to the
deity. He then requested the hierophant to inquire of the
divinity through the oracle, the answer to two questions:
First, whether he, Alexander, was not the son of the god
Jupiter Ammon.  This to us may seem  an absurd and
foolish question, but we must recollect that most of the
famous heathen deities had once been men of distinction upon
earth.  The ambition of kings and conquerors to be called
deities at their departure from earth, had once been quite
universal; this vanity had nearly ceased before the time
of Alexander, but the custom had not been forgotten. It
was not, therefore, so unnatural that the Macedonian should
desire to be officially and ecclesiastically declared the son
of a god. However little he might credit their oracles, it
would not only flatter his vanity, but also increase his
power and influence over a superstitious people. It was
rather a political than a pious device.  To this question
the subservient priests caused the oracle to respond that
Alexander of Macedon was the natural son of Jupiter
Amumon, the father of all the gods, and the especial protector of Egypt.
The next question addressed to the oracle was, whether
all the accessories to the murder of Alexander's father had




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.                 27
been brought to condign punishment.  It will be recollected
that Philip, the father of Alexander, had been slain in the
midst of a wedding procession, and that the assassin had
been immediately after slain, and that suspicion was cast
upon Alexander himself and his mother, Olympias, as
being instigators of the deed. Whether this'charge was
or was not true, it became Alexander to remove the stain
by a real or affected earnestness in punishing the culprits,
if any could be discovered.  It was natural, therefore, for
him to make this inquiry of the oracle, however little he
might care for the murder, or however still less he might
credit the answer of the oracle.  But Alexander had just
been declared the son of Jupiter Ammon, not of Philip
of Macedon.  To the second question the oracle replied
that the inquirer, being the son of a god, his father could
not die, but was immortal; but for the gratification of
Alexander, the oracle would inform  him that all the murderers of Philip had made their appearance in the land of
the shades.  Olympias, the mother of Alexander, still
lived. When she heard of his divine pretensions, she wrote
to him a mirthful letter, cautioning him to beware lest,
claiming to be the son of Jupiter Ammon, he should bring
his mother into disrepute for her unchastity and unfaithfulness to king Philip.:' Better would it have been for her
reputation if she had not herself given other and stronger
proofs of her inconstancy than those declared by the oracle
on the oasis of the desert.
From the desert, Alexander returned into Egypt, and
viewed his new planned city, made some regulations for
the government of Egypt, and proceeded with his army
into Asia.  This was in the autumn of 331 B. C.:1In another letter, Olympias cautioned Alexander not to get his
mother into difficulty, by exciting the jealousy of Juno, who, by heathen
mythology, was the wife of Jupiter Ammon.




28             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
In Asia, the usual good fortune attended Alexander.
He met and defeated Darius in the famous battle of Arbela,
conquered Babylon, Susa, Rasagarda, Persepolis, Ecbatana, and subdued Hyerama, Bactria, India, and many
other provinces, and at length returned triumphant to Babylon, having fulfilled the words of the prophet, that the
he-goat of the west should stamp the Persians in the
ground, and that none could deliver Persia out of his hand.
Thus did the kingdom of brass rule over the earth. Darius,
the last king of the Persians, was assassinated by his
own attendants in the year 330 B. C., and thus ended the
empire of the Persians, which had continued from the
crowning of Cyrus, 206 years, or from the rise of the
Medo-Persian armies 210 years, which may have been the
meaning of the angel when he told Darius that the prince
of Persia resisted him one and twenty days before the
crowning of the prince of Greece, a day sometimes indica.
ting a decade of years instead of a year.
But the little horn was to be broken. Alexander, up to
the time of Darius, had practiced great temperance, kindness, forbearance, and chastity, but from and after that
time he began to. give loose to an imperious temper and
sensual indulgence. He now unjustly caused the death of
Parmenio, one of his oldest and most faithful generals, and
his son Philotas, neither of whom was proved to be guilty
of any offense. He assumed the gorgeous dress of the
orientals, and had around him a host of concubines. His
tables began to abound in luxuries; effeminacy was fast
conquering the conqueror of the World. At Babylon he
devoted himself so supremely to intemperance and debauch,
that he died of a fever induced by excessive use of wine.
His death occurred in the year 223 B. C.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.                 29
FATE OF THE ROYAL FAMILY OF ALEXANDER.
" And when he was strong, the great horn was broken." " And when
he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided
towards the four winds of heaven, and not to his posterity nor according
to his dominion which he ruled."                 DANIEL.
Twelve princes and princesses of the royal line survived
the great hero:
1st. Olympias, his mother, slain by Cassander, 317.
2d. Cleopatra, his sister, a widow, slain by Antigonus, 308.
3d. Thessalonica, a sister, wife of Cassander, slain by
Antipater, 294.
4th. Aridreus Philip, a half-brother, slain by Olympias, 317.
5th. Eurydice, wife of Aridoeus, slain by Olympias, 317.
6th. Statira, a Persian wife, poisoned by Roxana, 323.
7th. Roxana, a Macedonian wife, slain by Cassander, 311.
8th. Alexander, son of Roxana, slain by Cassander, 311.
9th. Barsina, a Thracian wife, slain by Polysphercon, 310.
10th. Hercules, son of Barsina, slain by Polysphercon,
310.
11th. Antipater, son of Thessalonica, died in prison,
294.
12th. Alexander, son of Thessalonica, slain by Demetrius,
294.
How vain and fruitless are the wild schemes of mad
ambition, when unsanctified or unrestrained by a sense of
justice. Men of violence, though successful in their enterprises, seldom derive the advantage they propose to themselves. That very success is often destructive to them and
their families. Alexander had extended the empire of his
fathers over the fairest portions of the earth, but instead
of transmitting it to his posterity, their only legacy was
treason, murder and extermination.




30             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
In the fate of all the kindred of Alexander, modern
statesmen and rulers might learn the solemn lesson of the
higher law: that the heavens do rule, and what God hath
spoken by the mouth of His holy Prophets, he is not only
able but will perform.
DEATH OF STATIRA, B. C. 323.
Alexander died suddenly in Babylon, at the age of thirtythree years, and left the family and relatives named in the
above list. Statira was a Persian princess of the family
of Darius. Alexander the younger, was not born until a
few months after his fathers' death. iRoxana hoped soon
to become the mother of a son who should be heir to the
kingdom, and fearing Statira might be in the same condition, and furnish a rival who might mar her own prospects,
she removed Statira by inviting her to a banquet, in which
that accomplished princess was poisoned, and expired in a
few hours. Her death extinguished the royal line of Persia.
DEATH OF ARIDIEUS AND EURYDICE, B. C. 317.
Philip, the father of Alexander, had six wives, or at
least, favorites. No mention is made of any other son
until after the death of Alexander, when Aridseus came to
notice. He was the son of a Larissean dancing woman.
Olympias having been divorced, and fearing that this prince
might become the rival of her own son, found means to
administer to Aridseus, while a child, a dose of poison which,
although it did not cause his immediate death, permanently
destroyed his senses. He was sixteen years of age when
Alexander died.
As will be seen in another place, the generals of Alexander associated Arideus with the infant son of the hero, and
gave them the empty title of kings. After the death of
Perdiccas the kings were committed to the custody of Antipater of Macedon; then to his son Cassander. AridTuns




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              31
married Eurydice, daughter of Cina, and grand-daughter
of Philip by another woman.
Polysphercon and Cassander were rivals for the regency
of Macedon. To weaken the cause of Cassander and
strengthen his own, Polysphercon brought Olympias from
Epirus, her native land, into the capital of Macedon where
as the mother of the hero and the grand-mother of the infant
king, she soon gained adherents, and established herself
at the head of government. Had she grown wiser and better by a long and severe experience, and used her authority
with moderation and equity, she might have maintained
her position, and rendered the close of her life more calm
and happy: but born in the midst of tempestuous times, and
soured by adversity, she remained haughty, imperious and
implacable. She immediately caused the king, Aridreus, to
be put to death, and his wife Eurydice, to be thrown into
prison. Inveterate against all the branches of the royal
family except her own, she sent to the prisoner a dagger,
a cord, and a bowl of poison, informing her that she might
choose by which of these to end her life, and save the dishonor of a more public execution. Eurydice uttering imprecations upon the head of her murderer, chose the cord,
and strangled herself.  A hundred of the principal nobility
were also executed by command of Olympias. Among these
was Nicanor, the brother of Cassander.
DEATH OF OLYMPIAS, B. C. 317.
This monster did not long escape the penalty of her
crimes. Being  unable to sustain her authority in Pella,
she returned to Pydna in Epirus, taking with her Roxana,
the infant king, and Thessalonica, her own daughter, with
some of her Epirote relations, among others Diedemia,
a sister of Pyrrhus the hero. The people of Epirus seemed
not to value her presence very highly, although she was a




32             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
native and a relative of their former king; they may have
seen or experienced something of her unloveable temper during her former residence among thelm. They declared for
Cassander, who sent an army against Pydna, and reduced
the princess to great distress by besieging the city. Olympias applied to Polysphercon for relief, and that general,
who was in Greece, prepared to march to her assistance; but
Cassander was able with one division of his army to continue the siege, while another marched against Polysphercon,
and prevented him from accomplishing anything.  The officers of Cassander bribed those of the enemy and frustrated
all his purposes.  Olympias being entirely unrelieved, was
obliged to surrender at discretion.
Alcideus was then king of Epirus, and was probably a
brother of Olympias. He undertook to aid the princess at
Pydna, but his officers and army being averse to the war,
refused to execute his commands, banished him into exile,
and slew nearly all his family. His infant son, Pyrrhus, by
the faithfuness of servants, was secreted and safely sent
out of the kingdoni.
Cassander was desirous to destroy Olympias in a manner
that would give the least offense, and save himself from
censure. At his instigation the friends of those whom
Olympias had caused to be put to death, accused her before
the tribune, and obtained a decree of death against her.
This court was held in Macedon, and the criminal was condemned unheard and undefended.  Whatever may have
been her demerits, there was no equity nor propriety in
such a proceeding. Cassander, under color of tender regard
and a desire to save her life, sent a messenger, who proposed
secretly to conduct her by the water to Athens, from whence
she might safely retire to foreign lands, and spend the
remnant of her days in peace; but his intention was to
cause her to perish by sea, and charge the event to the




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              33
elements, and thus save his own reputation. Olympias
aware of his intent, determined to disappoint him. She
replied to his messenger that she was the daughter, widow,
mother and sister of kings and conquerors; that she would
not flee like a vagabond and a slave, but would come to Macedon, and plead her own cause before the assembly of the
people. Nothing could be more unfavorable to the ambitious policy of Cassander than the presence of Olympias in
Macedon, where the memory of Alexander might rouse the
sympathies and the enthusiasm of the people for his mother.
He therefore sent two hundred soldiers with orders to destroy her. So noble and dignified did she appear, while
energy and majesty flashed from her eyes, that the soldiers quailed before her, and had not the heart to execute
their orders, and returned. Cassander then sent a company
of the relatives of the noble men who had been put to death
by her orders in the affair of Aridoeus.  These with pleasure
obeyed Cassander, and put to death this distinguished princess, whose crimes and varied fortunes form so important a
part of the history of her time.
DEATH OF ROXANA AND ALEXANDER, B. C. 3A.
Cassander was ambitious to be the sole king of Macedon,
but while young Alexander lived he would be deemed a
usurper; he therefore sought to dispose of both mother and
son. Although emboldened in crime by his success against
Olympias, he thought it prudent to move with caution, and
test how far his bloody deeds would be tolerated by the people. Under color of greater safety and better means of
education for the young king, he caused Roxana and Alexander to be removed to the castle of Amphipolis. They
were no sooner there than they were stripped of all the
signs of royalty, and treated more as menial prisoners than
as princes of the realm.  To remove the odium of the




34            TTHE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
murder of Olympias, he ordered a pompous funeral for Aridseus and Eurydice whom she had slain; thus exciting
their indignation against his victim, and testifying his sincere regard for the royal family. About this time he
sought to strengthen his power by a connection with the
royal family; he married Thessalonica, the sister of Alexander the great. Time rolled along, and the good generals were employed in destroying each other. Young
Alexander had arrived at the age of twelve or thirteen
years.  The Macedonians began to demand that the youthful king should appear in public, and take some part in the
affairs of state.  Cassander determined to rule alone; no
time was therefore to be lost. In the castle of Amphipolis,
as in a prison, lay the royal widow and the youthful son of
the great hero.  Thither Cassander sent a confidential
agent who caused them both to be privately murdered in
the castle.  Thus terminated the main branch of the family of Alexander. For the prophet had declared that the
kingdom was not for his posterity.  The Macedonians had
become so accustomed to crime that they seem to have been
but little affected by these monstrous murders.
DEATH OF BARSINA AND HERCULES, B. C. 310.
Polysphercon, the rival of Cassander, although he could
not gain the command of Macedon, still held some authority
in Greece, where he defended himself against his more
successful competitor.  Barsina and her son Hercules, to
avoid the intrigue of the factions at the capital, had retired
to Ephesus, and ultimately united their interests with those
of Polysphercon.  After the death of Alexander and his
mother, Hercules was the only heir of the hero. Polysphercon now exclaimed against the monstrous barbarity of
Cassander, and put forward the claims of Hercules, calling
upon the Macedonians to receive him as their king, hoping




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.               35
thus to aid himself.  Cassander crafty and intriguing, saw
at once the advantage which this claim  would give his
rival.  He therefore represented to Polysphercon that in
raising Hercules to the throne. he would give himself a
master; but if Hercules were once out of the way, he
might claim for himself the independent government of
at least a portion of the kingdom.  The old officer was
completely deceived, and obeyed the counsel of Cassander.
He treacherously murdered Barsina and her son, thus annihilating the strongest influence he had against his rival;
and at the same time removing the last obstacle that prevented Cassander from assuming the crown, which he soon
did, and then conquered and slew Polysphercon.
DEATH OF CLEOPATRA, B. c. 308.
This princess was the sister of Alexander the great.
It was at the celebration of her nuptials with the king of
Epirus, that her father, king Phillip, was slain. She had
long been a widow; fearing the displeasure of Cassander
after the death of her mother, Olympias, she had retired
to Sardis, where she was passing her widowhood in contentment; but as she was of the royal race, the aspirants for
power sought her influence.  Antigonus, the blood-thirsty,
then ruled in that part of the world.  He did not treat
Cleopatra with kindness, and her home began to be uncomfortable.  She felt that she was not safe.  Ptolemy was
then at war with Antigonus.  He invaded the states of
Asia  Minor.  In  this campaign he became  personally
acquainted with Cleopatra, and determined to remove her
to a place of greater safety; at the same time, thinking
it would add to his importance to have her in his party.
A correspondence was opened between them.  Cleopatra
agreed to leave Sardis and meet him at a place appointed.
She started; the Governor, a creature in the interest of




36              THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Antigonus, aware of what was transpiring, pursued and
captured Cleopatra, brought her back to Sardis, and caused
her to be poisoned. Under pretense of great indignation
at the murder which he had ordered, and to conceal his own
guilt, Antigonus repaired to Sardis and put to death all the
female attendants of Cleopatra, charging them with the
crime.  " Justice is fallen in the street and truth can not
enter.  He that departeth from  evil maketh himself a
prey."
DEATH OF THESSALONICA. B. C. 294.
After the death of Cleopatra, none remained in whose
veins ran the royal blood of Macedon except Thessalonica,
the wife of Cassander, the sister of Alexander, and her
sons. Cassander died of dropsy. Philip, his eldest son,
survived his father but a few months, leaving two brothers,
Antipater and Alexander.  It will be seen that the elder
of these two bore the name of his grandfather on his
father's side, while the younger was named after his
mother's brother.  That fact may have some connection with
the mother's partiality.  Thessalonica desired Alexander,
although the younger, to succeed to the crown.  This preference so enraged Antipater that he rushed upon her, and
while she entreated him by the breasts that had nourished
him, to spare the life of his mother, he plunged the dagger
into her heart, and terminated her life, staining his own
raiment with maternal blood.
DEATH OF ANTIPATER AND ALEXANDER. B. C. 294.
After the death of Thessalonica, the two brothers engaged
in civil war for the crotvn. Antipater being the more successful, Alexander sought the aid of Pyrrhus, of Epirus,
and of Demetrius.  The latter was then in Greece at the
head of an army. He responded to the call, hastened into




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              87
Macedonia and defeated Antipater, who fled to Thrace, was
thrown into prison and' died in want. Alexander being
delivered from the power of his brother, thanked Demetrius
for his aid, and desired him to withdraw; but Demetrius had
other ends in view. He murdered Alexander and took the
government for himself before Pyrrhus could arrive.
They are all gone! The last star of Macedon has descended into a night that knows no morn; and the vision
of the Prophet is fulfilled.
" I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading
himself like a green bay tree; yet he passed away, and lo!
he was not; yea, I sought him but he could not be found."
" The transgressors shall be destroyed together; the end
of the wicked shall be cut off."
FATE OF THE OFFICERS OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
"For his kingdom shall be plucked up for others, even besides those."
DANIEL, 11 4.
CANOPIED in state, within the palace of Chaldea's great
king, lay the mortal remains of him who claimed to be the
son of the divine Jupiter Ammon, and aspired to fellowship
with the gods. A mortal man, he assumed the airs of a
god, and died as a brute. Around that lifeless form stood
a group of generals who had aided their late royal master
in extending his authority over the human race, from the
West to the East.
At Alexander's death, his Empire embraced the civilized
and classic lands of Europe - the lofty temples and seats of
early science, of Egypt, the cradle of commerce and manufactures, beneath the brow of Mount Lebanon in Phoenicia
and Palestine - the variegated lands of Asia Minor - the
rich agricultural plains of the once luxurious Assyria, and
the wealthy regions of the far East. An indomitable




38              THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
courage and unbounded ambition had enabled the hero of
Macedon to fulfil the words of the Prophet, " and bear rule
over all the earth."  But his kingdom, reared by carnage,
was not to remain in his family. By carnage, it was to be
given to others, who, by murders, strifes and leopard-like
treachery, were to divide it into various fragments and ultimately yield it to " the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible
and strong exceedingly."
At first these officers were affected with sincere grief for
the loss of him who had led them to victory and glory.
Soon however tender affections, usually of transient duration when the object is removed, gave place to thoughts and
schemes for their own aggrandizement.  Of the generals
that surounded Alexander, the following were the most conspicuous: Perdiccas, Eullenes, Neoptolemus, Leomadon,
Aleetis, Pithon, Aridaeus, Antipater, Cassander, Antigonus,
Demetrius, Cartegus, Polysphercon, Alexander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, Philotas, Ptolemy, Nicator and Ophalles.
Eumenes was not a Macedonian, but a native of Thrace.
Though a foreigner, he exhibited the most firm attachment
to the hero, and after his death, in all the subsequent
strifes, cast his lot and his influence on the side of the royal
family. For this commendable fidelity, he incurred the
hatred of his fellow officers and as we shall see, ultimately
lost his life: the too frequent fate of those who, in any good
cause, by their skill and industry, reprove the indolent and
unworthy. Of the others, except Ptolemy, it may be said
they were unwilling to submit to the royal family, yet
dared not to trust either of themselves with supreme command, where neither had the right of preference. From
the force of circumstances it was determined that the imbecile brother and the infant child of the Conqueror should
wear the empty title of Kings, until ambition should find it
safe to remove them, which was ultimately done.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              39
The first seven of the generals named above were for a
time associated in a faction by themselves. Against this
group the others, for some unknown cause, held a grudge.
The field of their operations was Syria and Asia Minor.
Perdiccas had been appointed Regent, with the care of the
Kings. He attempted to establish the amiable and faithful Eumenes as governor of Capadocia and some other
northern provinces.
DEATH OF CARTEGUS, B. c. 321.
Some of the other generals, envious of their power,
declared war against them. At the head of this movement
was Antipater of Macedon; who with Antigonus and Cartegus marched against them  with an army.  Crossing
Europe into Asia, they met and contended with Eumenes;
who, with inferior force, possessed far superior skill, and
often repulsed his invaders, frequently sparing the life
and property of his enemies, when he could have destroyed
them. His noble and generous heart desired to do them
no more harm than was' necessary for his own defense-a
generosity illy repaid by his antagonists. After a time the
opposing forces met on the plains of Cilicia, and in the
battle Cartegus fell wounded and soon expired.  Eumenes,
although contending against the enemy, was personally a
warm  friend of Cartegus-a friendship not repaid by the
latter. Hearing that Cartegus was mortally wounded, he
hastened to his victim-embraced his foe in his arms and
wept at his fall. Thus, two years after the death of Alex
ander, perished the first of his officers.
DEATH OF NEOPTOLEMUS, B. c. 321.
This officer was at first of the faction of Perdiccas, and
had been appointed governor of Armenia. He was sent
with an army to assist Eumenes. Antigonus and Cartegus




40             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
had endeavored to persuade Aleetis, Neoptolemus and
Eumenes to desert the cause of Perdiccas and the Kings,
and join the other aspirants in the struggle for independence. Alcetis, although a brother of Perdiccas, agreed to
remain neutral. Neoptolemus forsook his friends and
joined the invading enemy-but Eumenes remained faithful
to his charge. Eumenes and Neoptolemus were personal
and bitter enemies. It is probable that this fact had something to do with the desertion of the latter. In the battle,
when Eumenes found that his former companion in arms
but late rival was dead, and would no longer excite his
fears, he left his prostrate. body and rushed again into the
battle, where he met and had a personal encounter with
Neoptolemus which resulted thus: " Neoptolemus and
Eumenes, who personally hated each other, having met in
the battle, and their horses charging with a violent shock,
they seized each other, and, their horses springing from
under them, they both fell on the earth, where they struggled like two implacable wrestlers and fought for a considerable time with the utmost fury and rage, till at last
Neoptolemus received a mortal wound and immediately
expired."-(Rollin).  Some writers say that the death of
Craterus occurred in the same battle, subsequent to that of
Neoptoleinus.
DEATH OF PERDICCAS, B. C. 221.
While these events were transpiring in Cilicia, Perdiccas
was marching through Palestine into Egypt to invade
Ptolemy, who had been appointed governor. Although
the fact is no where recorded, it is presumed that Ptolemy
was confederate with the others in the war against the party
of Perdiccas; no other cause appearing for this invasion of
Egypt.  Ptolemy entrenched himself in Memphis, the then
capital, on the west of the Nile; and contented himself
by acting only on the defensive. Perdiccas encamped on




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THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.               41
the east of the river, under the brow of the Mocattam
Hills, near the spot where now stands Grand Cairo, "the
Triumphant." The invading general lost two thousand
of his men in a vain and rash attempt to ford the deep
rolling river. The army of Perdiccas was composed chiefly
of Macedonians and had under its protection the two Kings.
The soldiers were exasperated at the sacrifice of their comrades, and the rashness of Perdiccas. After this wanton
waste of life, Pithon, who was one of his subordinate officers,
with ten others entered the tent of the commander and
slew him. This occurred but a few days after the victory
of Eumenes, in which perished the two generals whose
death we have just recorded, but the knowledge of that
event did not reach Egypt until two days after the death
of Perdiccas.
The next day Ptolemy, crossing the river, entered the camp
of the invaders and in a speech so effectually justified himself that the whole army, not having heard of the good
success of their comrades under Eumenes, changed sides,
ioined the standard of Ptolemy, and offered him the regency
of the Kings.  This he declined, and that charge was committed to Antipater of Macedon.
ALCETIS,
was slain in battle with Antigonus, B. C. 319.
DEATH OF LEOMADON, B. C. 319.
This officer had served under Perdiccas and by him had
been appointed governor of Phoenicia, and continued in
power nearly two years after the death of his principal —
but Ptolemy claimed that Phoenicia was given to him as a
dependency of Egcypt.  He therefore invaded that country,
and sent Nicanor, one of his officers, against Leomadon.
The hostile forces met-Leomadon was captured and slain
by Nicanor, and his province subjected for a time to the
control of Ptolemy.
4




42             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
DEATH OF ANTIPATER, B. C. 319.
This was one of the oldest of Alexander s generals and
before that monarch's death had been sent back to take
care of Macedon, over which he remained governor to the
end of his life. Craterus previous to his death, of which
an account is given above, had been associated with him in
the government of Macedon, Greece, and Epirus; but after
that officer's death, Antipater governed alone. Greece had
submitted to Alexander, but after the death of that hero
the Greeks declared war against the authority of Macedon.
After many and partially successful attempts to subdue
them, old Antipater died a natural death, having appointed
Polysphercon his successor, with whom Cassander, the son
of Antipater, contended for the government.
DEATH OF PHILOTAS, B. C. 318.
Of this officer we know but little, except that he was of
the faction of Perdiccas, by whom he was appointed governor of Media, when Neoptolemus was called away to aid
Eumenes.  Pithon after he had assassinated Perdiccas
repaired to the East, where he raised an army, invaded
Media and slew the rulers, and for a time took upon himself the government of that country — soon to share the
fate of his own victim.
DEATH OF NICANOR, B. C. 317.
This officer, who at one time served under Ptolemy,
and, in invading Phoenicia, slew Leomadon, was the brother
of Cassander. He was in Macedon when Olympias murdered Arideus and Eurydice. Nicanor was one of the one
hundred nobles whom Olympias caused to be publicly executed on that occasion.
DEATH OF ALEXANDER, B. C. 317.
This young officer was the son of Polysphercon. He
contended heroically for his father against Cassander.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              43
Being stationed with his army at Sicyon, where his presence
was deemed irksome, the citizens assassinated him.
THE FATE OF ARIDEUS
is unknown. HIe was the officer who had charge of the
funeral of Alexander, and was one of those who assisted
Pithon in the assassination of Perdiccas.
DEATH OF EUMENES, B. C. 315.
After  his victory over Craterus and Neoptolemus,
Eumenes was continually harrassed by his allied enemies
and rivals, who felt that his fidelity to the claims of the
Kings, stood in the way of their own authority.  He experienced great vicissitudes of fortune, was blockaded for a
time in the Castle of Nora, effected his escape-sought and
was denied aid from Python of Media, and Seleucus, a Babylonian, and was at last betrayed by his under officers into
the hands of his enemy, Antigonus, who ignominiously caused
his noble and worthy prisoner to be poisoned. They were
personally warmn friends and the life of Antigonus, even in
war upon him, had been saved by Eumenes; but what is
friendship or gratitude, when virtue stands in the way of
corrupt and vaulting ambition'?
DEATH OF PYTHON, B. C. 315,
This usurper of the government of Media had joined
Antigonus in war against the virtuous Eumenes, but after
the death of that nobleman, Antigonus thought to wipe out
the debt of gratitude by the death of several officers who
had contributed to his success. Antigonus therefore put to
death Python and several others.
DEATH OF OPHELLUS, B. C. 307.
This officer returning from Babylon with Ptolemy, was
appointed governor of Lybia. After a few years he rebelled




44              THE KINGDOM OF tRASS.
against Eygpt, and was persuaded by Agathocles, King of
Sicily, to engage in a war against the Carthaginians, where
he was treacherously assassinated by the very man who
induced him to undertake the expedition.
DEATH OF ANTIGONUS, B. C. 301.
After the death of Eumenes, Antigonus, with his son,
claimed to govern all Syria. The extent of his territory
and the ambition which he manifested, aroused the jealousy
of the other great masters. Lysimachus, Cassander and
Ptolemy, with their adherents, formed an alliance and made
war upon Syria.  This conflict, after repeated engagements
by land and by sea, was finally terminated in the decisive
battle of Ipsus in Phrygia, in which Antigonus was slain.
His son Demetrius after the defeat fled into Greece.
DEATH OF POLYSPHERCON, B. C. 299.
This officer served in Macedon under Antipater, who,
fearing to trust his son Cassander with power, appointed
Polysphercon his successor, which resulted in civil war
between the rivals. After having aided in destroying the
the royal family, by putting to death Hercules and his
mother Barsina, he was slain in battle by Cassander.
DEATH OF CASSANDER, B. C. 297.
This son of Antipater married Thessalonica, the sister
of Alexander the Great, whose untimely fate, with that of
her children, is given in the account of Alexander and his
family. Cassander died of dropsy.
DEATH OF DEMETRIUS, B. C. 286.
This son of Antigonus, after the death of his father,
experienced many vicissitudes of fortune; was for a short
time king of Athens; at another time, of Macedon; murdered
the family of Cassander; married his daughter to Seleucus;




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.               45
quarrelled with his son-in-law, with whom he engaged in
war, was captured and thrown into prison, in Laodicea,
Syria, where he died of want.
PTOLEMY SOTER,
died in Egypt of a good old age, B. C. 283.
LYSIMACHUS OF THRACE,
was slain in battle with Seleucus, B. C. 281.  He had
espoused the cause of Agathocles and Ceraunus.
SELEUCUS NICANOR OF SYRIA,
was the last survivor of Alexander's officers. He was
slain seven months after the death of Lysimachus, B. C. 280,
by the ungrateful Ceraunus. Surely, " he that taketh the
sword shall perish by the sword."
EGYPT UNDER THE PTOLEMYS.
THE LAGIDtE.
IN the service of Philip, king of Macedon, was a distinguished personage by the name of Ptolemy Lagus.  From
him the Ptolemys of Egypt descended.  For this reason,
they were called the Lagidse, and sometimes the Ptolemys.
In the army of Alexander the Great, there were about
twenty generals of greater or less note; by whom, with
bloody strifes, his vast empire was divided. Ultimately,
after many of the generals had perished, frequently by
violence, four of them became kings in four different countries. Egypt and some bordering countries fell to the lot
of Ptolemy Soter, son of Lagus.  At the time of Alexander's death, no partitions of his kingdom had ever been
settled. For aught that we can discover, one had as good
a claim  to dominion as another.  Most of the aspirants
attempted to secure their elevations by the most consummate treachery and despicable assassinations. Several of




46             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
them were participators in the murder of the heirs and
relations of Alexander. Of these bloody deeds, some
account has been given in a previous chapter.
Ptolemy took no part in the destruction of the royal
family. In no instance (lo we find him wantonly destroying human life. This, though but negative merit, is great
praise when we consider the age in which he lived, and the
fact that other thrones around him were swimming in innocent blood. Ptolemy Soter was born in the year 367, B. C.
He was of Greek origin, spoke the Greek language, and
was something of a scholar in the sciences of those days.
The reign of the Ptolemys in Egypt was the era of the
introduction of literature into the land of Ham. Soter
had been companion in war with the great Macedonian
conqueror until the death of that monarch in Babylon.
Immediately after that event, lie repaired to Egypt,
where he administered the laws until his death; not at
first as king, but while the heirs of Alexander lived, claiming only the powers of governor under the authority of
the kings. After years of administration, and after most
of Alexander's generals had put on the crown, all the
heirs of Alexander having been put to death, Ptolemy also
assumed the title of king of Egypt. The most important
wars in which Ptolemy Soter was engaged, occurred before
he assumed the title of king, and while the other generals
were constantly employed in quarrels.
Perdiccas, a general of Alexander, had the care of the
young king, and was in Syria with a great army. He with
a large force, chiefly Macedonians, entered Egypt from Asia
by Pelusium, the point at which Egypt has been so many
times invaded. Memphis was, as yet, the capital. There
Ptolemy was shut in with his friends. Perdiccas encamped
on the opposite shore, near where Cairo now stands, between
the two arms of the Nile. No ferry, with latteen sails,




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              47
was at hand, such as now awaits the traveler to bear him
across the turbid stream.  The rivers of Macedon and Asia
Minor are often shallow and fordable.  Alexander had often
waded directly through them, and even fought battles when
part of his men were standing in the water. Perdiccas had
seen and participated in these events.  He was an able
general-but great men are not always wise; he did not
understand, that, what was perfectly safe in one country, or
under certain circumstances, would be madness in a different condition. He attempted to ford the Nile, above the
Rhoda, with his army. The obedient soldiers descend into
the water, pressed forward by the indiscreet commander.
They attempt to swim. The surges of the water overwhelm them, and they are engulphed beneath its waves.
The crocodile sports in the midst of them. Some of the
soldiers are drowned, some are devoured by the monsters,
and a few retire to the eastern shore. Two thousand perish, and Ptolemy is delivered from present fear. Treason
now rears its head in the camp of the invader. The Macedonians are horror stricken at the waste of life, and enraged
at the author of it. Pithon, a general, and ten others, enter
the tent of Perdiccas and murder him.  The next day,
Ptolemy quits Memphis and enters the camp of the invader.
He addresses them-they hear him with pleasure, and declare for Ptolemy. Thus ends another invasion of Egypt.
This must have been in the year, B. C., 321, and two years
after the death of Alexander.
In 315, Antigonus had gained the regency of Asia, and
was exercising despotic power over the provinces-displacing
governors, and committing many acts of cruelty. Seleucus, one of Alexander's younger generals, was at this time
governor of Babylon. Being hunted from his office and
fearing for his life, he repaired to Egypt and incited Ptolemy to war with Antigonus. Antipater, of Macedon, and




48             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Lysimaclus, of Thrace, also engaged in the war.  These
were then the four kingdoms into which the Alexandrian
empire was divided. By looking at the map, it will be seen
that the Syrian kingdom  was much larger than all the
others.  It involved all of Persia, and all of the modern
Turkish empire except the seacoasts of Palestine and Phcenicia, which were attached to Egypt. It was this magnitude
of empire and the ambitious spirit manifested by Antigonus,
that aroused the jealousy of his co-generals. Their object,
therefore, was to diminish the power of their neighbor.
Ptolemy had a greater interest in the war than his confederates. Egypt was a rich valley, and abounded in fruit
and grain. It also bordered upon the sea, and had great
facilities for commerce, one of the indispensable elements
of natural wealth: but Egypt had no forests; she could not
furnish the material for ship-building. To her prosperity
and the development of her resources, Palestine, Phcenicia
and Cyprus were indispensable.  They were equally so to
Syria and the far East. The mercantile cities at the eastern en(l of the Mediterranean sea-Tyre, Sidon, Joppa and
Gaza, together with the isle of Cyprus-became therefore a
frequent bone of contention between the great nations east
and north of them. Hence, the five sieges and the ultimate desolation of Tyre.
Antigonus, expecting an attack from the other princes,
marched into Palestine and conquered most of Ptolemy's
possessions there. But Tyre resisted, and was besieged
fifteen months; after which the city surrendered to Antigonus, nineteen years after its destruction by Alexander.
Antigonus now removing the seat of war to Asia Minor,
Ptolemy sails and attacks Cyprus, in 313. The island
submitted to him. Ptolemy then proceeded to Syria and
Cilicia-gained some provinces, took great spoils and prisoners, and sent them into Egypt.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             49
THE TRAGEDY OF PAPHOS.
The island of Cyprus anciently contained nine cities.
Over each of these cities, a king presided. There were
thus nine kingdoms on an island, not larger than so many
counties in Ohio. It must not be understood that these
kingdoms were independent nations. In times previous
to the Christian era, there were multitudes of kings and
kingdoms, all of which were tributary and subject to some
foreign and general empire; the relations of these petty
kingdoms to some superior authority, was much like that
of the States of the Union to the general government at
Washington. Such was the condition of the nine kingdoms
of Cyprus. Seldom independent, often not united among
themselves, but tributary sometimes to Phoenicia, to Babylon or to Persia, and sometimes forming part of the empire
of Macedon, of Syria or of Egypt. The island often changed
masters, after the death of Alexander the Great. In 312
B. C., Ptolemy, governor of Egypt, and Antigonus, governor of Syria, were at war. Cyprus had been given to
Ptolemy, in the partition of the Macedonian empire. Antigonus had taken possession of it; but Ptolemy had regained
it, and required of all the rulers an oath of allegiance to
him. Nicocles, king of Paphos, with the others, had
acknowledged his dependence upon Ptolemy. Some time
after, he fancied he would be better suited with Antigonus
for a master, and entered secretly into an allegiance with
that governor. The fact came to the knowledge of Ptolemy. The island was at his control, and the traitor was
at his mercy. Ptolemy had been a mild governor; a protector, not a destroyer of his people. It was on this account
that he had received the name of Soter (saviour). I do not
recollect another example in which he took the life of an
enemy, except in the regular course of war. But if Nicocles be spared, his other rulers might be tempt(ed to follow




50             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
his example. Nicocles was clearly guilty of treason, and
had forfeited his life. There are times when a sickly sympathy for a wrong-doer is not tenderness-is not mercy;
there are occasions when rigor on the part of government
is the highest mercy and kindness to society at large, when
forbearance toward the wrong-doer, though congenial to the
tender feelings of humanity, would be cruel injustice to
multitudes, and, instead of diminishing, would add to the
sufferings of the human family.
To spare Nicocles would have been offering a reward for
treason, and would have filled the empire with scenes of
horror and bloodshed. Ptolemy saw all this. Filled with
kindness and regard for all his subjects, he could do no less
than order his rulers in Cyprus to destroy Nicocles. This,
to them, was a painful duty. They were fellow officers
with the victim-they ruled on the same island-they were
his neighbors-yet they dared not disobey the great governor of Egypt. Knowing that Nicocles must die, they go
to him, explain his condition and their embarrassment, and
request him to destroy himself; a very modest request,
indeed. But Nicocles had none to help him, no means of
escape. A wide sea rolled between him and Antigonus.
Oh! what thoughts! what agitation filled his mind! he
might now have understood what it was to find no place for
repentance, though he sought it carefully and with tears.
He grants the request of Ptolemy's officers; retires to his
chamber, and by his own hand ends his life. But did the
evil stop here? Domestic relations in royal families are
usually held together by public ties. The roots of affection
that in humble life twine around the heart and by sweet
restraining tenderness bind the members of a family into
one bond of life, seldom  have a vigorous growth in king's
courts; the glitter of royalty, the schemes of ambition, and
the interests of faction so often disturb the soil of affection




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              51
that its tendrils die, or at least do not mature the sweets
of perpetual love. To this there are some exceptions.
In the midst of the arid sands of royal and princely hearts,
where no rains of pure love descend, and no genial plants
of domestic felicity thrive, there are occasional oases.  Connubial, parental and filial affection do sometimes, in isolated
spots appear on the page of history even in royal courts.
An example of this is found in the unfortunate family of
Bactriana, the brother of Xerxes the great.  Another is
found in the palace of Paphos. Nicocles had a family -
wife, children and brothers. Ptolemy had with his usual
generosity ordered that the utmost care and respect should
be paid to the members of the royal household.  How nobly
this exhibited the tender and humane spirit of the ruler
of Egypt. How it contrasted with the eastern ruler, his
predecessor, who both in Egypt and in Persia so often in
the most cruel manner put to'death the women and children
for the real or imaginary offense of the husbands or the
fathers. But would the affectionate wife of Nicocles forget
her lord in the midst of fhe courtiers of Egypt?  Ah, no!
the fond heart suddenly and violently separated from the
object of tender regard, found no solace in the attentions
of a stranger. The Queen could not survive the death of
her lord. Calling the entire royal family around her she
exhorted them not to survive the king, with a dagger
slew her children, then plunged the bloody weapon into her
own bosom. The princes set fire to the royal palaces and
sought and found death in the flames.  While we, at this
distance of time, look back and admire the constancy and
affection of the royal family of Paphos, when all the greater
courts around them were filled with strife and turmoil, we
can not but regret that the religion of Jesus of Nazareth
had not dawned upon that island and upon the mind and
heart of those disconsolate princes, giving them hope that




52             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
though their sorrows were great, they need but endure them
for a time and then enter into an eternal rest. In the time
of affliction how needful is the blessed Gospel of peace.
SIEGE OF SAL&MIS.
312 B. C., Ptolemy had taken the island of Cyprus
from Antigonus, governor of Syria, at that time the most
powerful of all Alexander's successors.  In 305,.Antigonus directed his son, Demetrius, who was then at Athens,
in Greece, to besiege and try to recover possession of
Cyprus.  The hostile fleet was soon seen hovering around
the island, and threatening its ports and harbors. At length
Demetrius landed with a large army and encamped near
Salamis, one of the principal cities of Cyprus. Menelaus,
a brother of Ptolemy, was there with an army to defend
the place. After some delay, the forces of Salamis were
marched out to meet'the invader. Demetrius engaged
them, and a severe battle was fought, but Menelaus was
defeated. One thousand of his men were slain, and three
thousand more taken prisoners.  He retreated into the
city, and strengthened the walls, gates, and other fortifications of Salamis, presuming that Demetrius would take
advantage of his late victory and attempt to besiege the
city. A courier was dispatched over the sea to inform
Ptolelny that the island was besieged and the first battle
lost —that Salamis and all Cyprus were in danger, and
that help was needed. The call was heard and the aid
dispatched.  But time is requisite for the fleet to leave
Egypt and arrive at the seat of war. Demetrius after
carefully examining the defenses of Salamis, and the number of his foes, was not disposed to attack the city at first,
but sent to his father, in Syria, from whom he received a
vast amount of iron, and timber, and artists. He then
commenced building prodigious battering rams, heliopoles,








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THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              53
and other besieging apparatus.  All being prepared, he
commenced his attack upon the walls of the city. They
tremble, they break, they fall before the engines of the
invaders-a great breach is made, the engines rest for the
night, the weary officers retire to their tents to seek repose,
intending in the morning to renew the attack, and if possible, force their way through the gaps already made, into
the city. So they sleep quietly. Hark! a sound is heard.
Their slumbers are broken. They awake. A bright light
is shining upon the tents, the banners, the camp. Their
great engines are all on fire. The besieged within the
city, fearful of the fate of to-morrow, had collected dry
material, and with dexterity had hurled them from their
walls against the engines below; then with long poles and
torches of pitch had set them on fire. The camp of Demetrius was roused. With much effort they extinguished the
fire, but not until the engines were materially damaged.
Grey dawn appears, and the besiegers intend to-day,
sword in hand, to force a passage into Salamis. How little
do mortals know what a day or an hour may bring forth.
The morning fog slowy rises, the bright sun throws his
glorious rays across the water, and reveals, to the surprise
of the beholder, the fleet of Ptolemy, consisting of one hundred and fifty vessels, lying off the harbor.
Oh how joyous within the city was the light of that
morning. Say, joy! thou effervesence of faith; hope! thou
gilded bird, when wilt thou fold thy pinions that mortals
may overtake thee? Not till the dark valley of the shadow
of death be passed —then shalt thou rest thy wing, and
perch upon the anchor within the veil.  Then and only
then shall hope become fruition. Reader, did you ever
observe with a joyous heart the bright morning sun?
No cloud was there. You rejoiced in the prospect of a day
beautiful to the close. But, alas! the sky gathers haziness,




54             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
clouds deepen darker, thunder rolls, and ere the setting,
a disturbed heaven pours forth its floods; night sets in
gloomy as the shades of Erebus.  Such have I often seen,
and such in the path of life have I experiened. Such was
the day to Salamis; brightly opening, we shall see how it
closed.
Undismayed by the fire of the night or the fleet of the
morning, Demetrius prepared for an attack upon the newly
arrived enemy. Ptolemy communicated with Menelaus and
desired him to annoy the fleet of the enemy in the rear
while he assailed them from the open sea. But Demetrius
left a few vessels at the mouth of the harbor, which completely shut up what ships Menelaus had, so that they
could not come into action. With the rest, though far
inferior in number, he sailed out and attacked those of
Ptolemy; he had also arranged his land forces along the
shore to protect any of his men that might have occasion to
swim to the land.
But Menelaus being already besieged in the city, could
not afford the same protection to Ptolemy's men. By the
fury of the attack, the vessels of Demetrius were able to
break through the center of Ptolemy's line of battle, and
after a severe struggle victory remained upon the side of
Demetrius.  All Ptolemy's household, women, children and
rich furniture were taken by the conqueror, but having
been himself treated with great kindness on a former occasion by Ptolemy, who had captured his family at the siege
of Gaza, he restored all the family and treasures of Ptolemy,
who immediately abandoned Cyprus to its fate, and sailed
for Egypt. Menelaus, thus abandoned, immediately surrendered Salamis with all its inhabitants to Demetrius.
The number of captives taken by these successive victories was about seventeen thousand soldiers, besides the
sailors. What became of the prisoners of war?  They




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             g5
were all engrafted into the army of the conqueror. Thus
it mattered little to the soldiers which conquered. They
fought as readily on one side as the other. This indifference in the masses will in part explain the sudden reverses
of fortune in the wars of ancient times. After the victories of Salamis, Antigonus and his son Demetrius assumed
the title of kings, a precedent which was soon followed by
the other great generals of Alexander.
The year after the siege of Salamis, Antigonus conceived
the plan of entirely subverting Ptolemy, and annexing
Egypt to his already vast empire. Accordingly he advanced through Palestine with an army of one hundred
thousand men, to Gaza.
Demetrius was on the coast with a fleet of vessels of war.
A few years before Gaza had been taken from them and
Demetrius had suffered a great defeat; but Ptolemy had
again lost these possessions. While the army of Antigonus crossed the desert and approached Pelusium, Demetrius sailed around the coast to the mouth of the Nile.
But here he was unable' to effect a landing. The storms
shattered many of his vessels; while Ptolemy had taken
great care to fortify all places of landing. At the same
time sickness, desertions, and death, were rapidly diminishing the number of Antigonus' men. The entire expedition was a failure  and  Antigonus  and Demetrius
returned to Assyria disheartened. Ptolemy had but little
trouble with his neighbors after the retreat of the Assyrians.
The remainder of his days were devoted to science and the
improvement of his country. But the ambition of Antigonus and Demetrius now effectually aroused the three great
princes of the world against him. Cassander of Macedon,
Lysimachus of Thrace, and Ptolemy of Egypt determined
upon his overthrow. Ptolemy seems to have had less to do
in these wars than the others. He however regained his




56             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
possessions in Phcenicia. Seleucus, governor of Babylon, now
began to attract more attention. He was with the others
instrumental in the entire ruin of Antigonus, who was slain
in the battle of Ipsus and his dominions chiefly given to
the Seleucidcl. The history of their affairs belongs however
to Syria rather than to Egypt.
B. C. 285, Ptolemy Soter resigned the crown to his son
Philadelphus, and two years after died, in 283, being eightyfour years of age; having governed Egypt nineteen years
as Governor and twenty as King.
CORONATION OF PTOLEMY PHILADELPHUS.
Ptolemy Soter was now becoming an old man. While in
the army of Alexander, in the East, he had a female favorite who accompanied him in those expeditions. It was the
female who, at the feast of Alexander in Persepolis, proposed to illuminate the festival by burning the palace.
After the death of the Macedonian, when Ptolemy was
established as governor of Egypt, he seems to have abandoned her, according to the usual custom of princes, and
entered into legitimate matrimony. He married Eurydice,
a Macedonian lady, the daughter of old Antipater, and sister
of Cassander, afterward king of Macedon. The bride came
into Egypt in great splendor, attended by a lady of honor,
named Berenice, a widow, who had a son, Magus. This son
was made governor of Lybia, where he afterward plotted a
rebellion. After a time, Ptolemy became equally or better
pleased with Berenice, the attendant, than with Eurydice,
his proper queen. He therefore married the widow. By
both of these wives he had several children, whose fraternal
quarrels fill a bloody page of history.
By Eurydice, he had Ptolemy Ceraunus and Lysandra:




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             57
these were the elder children. By Berenice, he had Philadelphus and Arsinoe. Perceiving that he would not long
be able to administer the affairs of his kingdom, and desiring to settle the heirship to the crown himself, he called a
council to deliberate upon the succession. His prime minister was Demetrius Phalarius, who had once been king of
Athens, but had been expelled, and had fled to Egypt, a
refugee, where he had become an able, faithful, and much
beloved officer. Demetrius recommended that the usual
course should be preserved, of declaring the oldest son the
heir to the throne. As an additional reason for this course,
it was shown that this heir was, by his mother, descended
from the royal family of Macedon; while the children of
Berenice, though noble, were not, on the mother's side, of
kingly descent. This council, if followed, would have given
the crown to Ptolemy Ceraunus.
It is a fact, of almost daily occurrence, that a second wife,
of less honorable connections, will exert a greater influence
over a husband than the first, even though the husband
is aware of the fact, and tries to guard against it. He
often finds himself under an influence which he feels and
condemns, and yet can not resist. Berenice had found
means to supplant Eurydice, and to establish her son in
Lybia. She now succeeded in overthrowing the council of
the ministry, and obtaining a decree that Ptolemy Philadelphus, her own son, should succeed Soter, to the exclusion
of the children of Eurydice. Accordingly, B. C. 284, and
two years before Soter's death, Philadelphus was crowned,
and associated with his father in the government.
This coronation was the most splendid pageant ever
recorded on any page of history. It presents a view of
the extensive complicated mythology of the polytheism of
both Greeks and Egyptians. It also exhibits the abundance of wealth and luxury which had accumulated in




58             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Egypt, under the wise and prudent administration of
Soter. I will transcribe from  Rollin an account of the
ceremony, with occasional remarks of my own.
The procession began with a troop of sileni; some habited in purple, others in robes of deep red. Their employment was to keep off the crowd and clear a path. Next
to the sileni came a band of satyrs, composed of twenty, in
two ranks, each carrying a gilded lamp. A satyr is a
fabulous being, with wings upon its head and feet. They
were supposed to meet and dance by night among the ruins
of deserted cities.  The word sometimes referred to a class
of men, dressed in a style to imitate the fabulous satyr.
They were dancers, jesters, fun-makers; about what we
would now call clowns. The lamps referred to their night
revelries; the wings were intended to represent the levity
of dancing, but might, perhaps, more appropriately signify
that their heads were empty, and their feet expeditious to
run away from their creditors. In this instance, although
not so intended, it very appropriately represented that all
kingly parade and ostentation of dignity were but mere
buffoonery and empty show. These were succeeded by victories, with golden wings, carrying vases partly gilt and
partly adorned with leaves of ivy, in which perfumes were
burning. Their habits were embroidered with figures of
animals, and every part of them glittered with gold. No
writer has given us the signification of this group, if it had
any. I will venture, therefore, an appropriate interpretation, although I do not know that Philadelphus, if he were
to arise from the dead and read my comments, would feel
himself flattered by them. The victories signify the conquest of kingly government over mankind-quite as often
over the life, liberty, property, soul and body of their own
subjects, as that of their foreign foes. " Their dress was
adorned with figures of animals." I have often had




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS               59
occasion to remark, that most human governments are
organized animals, sustaining themselves by animal force in
a brutal manner. Most of them have been blood-shedding,
flesh-eating beasts and birds.  This very coronation was of
a king over one of the heads of that kingdom, which, by
the Spirit of the living God, had been revealed to Daniel
as a great spotted leopard.
These figures of animals, therefore, truly represent Egypt
under the Ptolemies, whose general career was one of animal gratification, both ferocious and voluptuous. The burning of incense may justly represent the grateful pleasure
with which the world ever applauds successful bad deeds;
and the golden adornings bespeak the insatiable avarice of
monarchs, who, by victory, rob their fellows to enrich themselves.
After these came a double altar, nine feet in hight, and
carved with a luxuriant foliage of ivy, intermixed with
ornaments of gold. It was beautified with a golden crown,
composed of vine leaves, and adorned on all sides with certain white fillets.
After victory cometh the crown and the altar of incense,
not to the righteous Ruler of the universe, but to the successful tyrant, who, by the wreath of ivy, signifies his desire
for immortal fame.
A hundred and twenty youths advanced next, clothed in
purple, each of them  bearing a golden vase of incense,
myrrh and saffron. They were followed by forty satyrs,
wearing crowns of gold, which represented the leaves of
ivy; and in the right hand of each was another crown of
the samle metal, adorned with vine leaves; their habits
were adorned with a variety of colors.
What could this signify?  May it not imply, that after
victory cometh the crowning of the conqueror; then the
youth who succeed him, imply the next generation; and




60              THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
then those satyrs, wearing and also carrying crowns, signify that hereditary monarchs transmit the crowns of energetic predecessors to light, empty-headed, dancing satyrs
and fools, for successors. If this was not the intended signification when Philadelphus was crowned, it is about the
sum of what history has verified.
In the rear of these marched two sileni, arrayed in purple mantles and white dresses: one wore a kind of hat, and
carried a golden caduceus in his hand; the other had a
trumpet. Between these two was a man, six feet in hight,
masked and habited like a tragedian. He also carried a
golden cornucopia, and was distinguished by the appellation
of the year. The cornucopia signifies plenty, or the products of the year; but, in this connection, it may signify
that the tragedian in disguise and the empty title of king,
with no intrinsic merit, or the imitation of what one is not,
brings abundance to the ruler, who, instead of being the
benefactor, is the robber of his people.
This person preceded a very beautiful woman, as tall as
himself, dressed in a magnificent manner, and glittering all
over with gold. She held in one hand a crown, composed
of the leaves of the peach tree, and in the other hand a
branch of palm. She was called Penteteres. This, we
are informed, referred to the feast of Bacchus, which was
celebrated in the beginning of the fifth year; a festival in
which women, wine and debauchery abounded: a fit accompaniment of royal courts, showing the debasing nature of
intemperate authority.
The next in the procession were the genii of the four
seasons, wearing characteristic ornaments and supporting
two golden vases of odors, adorned with ivy leaves. In the
midst of these was a square altar of gold. This is more
rational, as it represented the work of the Creator in the
seasons of the year, furnishing the means of subsistence,




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.                61
without which kings could not luxuriate.  But having
obtained the good things which Providence had furnished,
instead of gratitude and a discreet use we see folly again
triumphant. A band of satyrs appeared, wearing golden
crowns fashioned like the leaves of ivy, and arrayed in red
habits. Some bore vessels filled with wine, others carried
drinking cups.
Immediately after these, (buffoons and wine-bibbers), came
Philiscus, the poet and priest of Bacchus, attended by comedians, musicians, dancers, and other persons of that class.
Two tripods were carried next, as prizes for the victors in
the athletic combats and exercises. One of these tripods,
thirteen and a half feet in hight, was intended for the
youths; the other, which was eighteen feet high, was designed
for the men.
A car of an extraordinary size followed these. It had
four wheels, was twenty-one feet in length, and twelve in
breadth, and was drawn by one hundred and eighty men.
In this car was a figure fifteen feet in hight, representing
Bacchus, in the attitude of performing libations, with a large
cup of gold. He was arrayed in a robe of brocade purple which flowed down to his feet. Over this was a transparent vest of saffron color, and above that a large purple
mantle embroidered with gold. Before him was a great
vessel of gold, formed in the Lacedaemonian fashion, and containing fifteen measures, equal to one hundred and thirtyfive gallons. This was accompanied with a golden tripod on
which were placed a golden vase of odors, with two cups of
the same metal, full of cinnamon and saffron. Bacchus was
seated under the shade of ivy and vine leaves, intermixed
with the foliage of fruit trees, and from these hung several
crowns, fillets and thyrs with timbals, ribbons and a variety
of satiric, comic and tragic masks. In the same car were
the priests and priestesses of that deity, with the other




62             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
ministers and interpreters of mysteries, dancers of all
classes, and women bearing vases.
This was a grand pantomine of Bacchanalian revelry, not
unlike those which occur in our day, where may be seen
wine, gay clothing, men and vile women.
Next marched along the Bacchantes. These were the wives,
sisters and daughters of Bacchus. Their hair was disheveled,
their heads were crowned with serpentine yew, vine and ivy;
in their hands they grasped either knives or serpents. This
is a just representation of the frantic and wretched condition
of the female members of a Bacchanalian family, whose
heads and hearts are stung with anguish, and whose hands
grasped serpents or weapons of destruction. Next moved
along a car twelve feet in breadth, drawn by sixty men.
Here rode the the statue of Nysa, the nurse of Bacchus; when
sitting she was twelve feet high; she was clothed with a yellow
dress embroidered with gold, over which was another short
dress. By the aid of invisible machinery this statue arose
apparently without aid, and poured milk into a golden cup,
again seating itself. The head was covered with a golden
crown wrought in the form of leaves of ivy, from which hung
pendant clusters of grapes, composed of various gems.  In
the left hand was a thyrsus adorned with ribbons. The
whole image was covered with a deep shade, formed by a
blended foliage; a gilded lamp hung at each corner of the
car.
What does Nysa mean? She is the nurse of Bacchus;
she is the promoter of intemperance; she is the embodiment
of the liquor trade; she rises without help and pours forth
her poisonous fluid, and unceasingly pushes her infernal
traffic. She is crowned with gold; she acquires wealth by her
occupation, although she blesses no one; her car is drawn by
a multitude of men. It was lighted by gilted lamps, for she
nurses Bacchus chiefly in the night season.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              63
Let us go a step farther back, from the liquor dealer to
the liquor manufacturer, for we are now following up the
stream.
Next came a car thirty-six feet long and twenty-four wide,
drawn by three hundred men, bearing a wine press thirtysix by twenty-two and a half feet, which was full of grapes.
Six satyrs expressed the juice from the grapes by dancing
upon them to the sound of the flute, while they sung Bacchanalian songs, corresponding with their employment. Silenus, the catch-fly, was the chief of this band. Streams of
wine flowed from this chariot as it passed along.  Behind
this followed another car of the same size, drawn by six
hundred men; it contained a wine vat of immense size, made
of leopard skins sewed together. This vessel contained three
thousand measures, or twenty-seven thousand gallons of
wine, which it poured forth in streams as it passed along.
Then came the vessels for storing and for drinking the
ardent fluid. This last car was followed by one hundred and
twenty satyrs and sileni, carrying pots, flaggons, and large
cups full of gold.  They'may truly represent the retailers,
coming to the manufacturers to replenish their stock. Then
came another car drawn in like manner, by six hundred men,
bearing a silver vat which could contain five thousand four
hundred gallons; this vessel was wrought with chased work;
figures of animals adorned the rims, the handles and the
base. Next appeared two cars, on each of which rode an
enormous silver bowl, eighteen feet in diameter, and nine in
hight; the top was studded with jewels, the bottom being
concave, reposed upon several silver animals, the central ones
being a foot and a half high, and the others being of less
size. Next came ten great vats and sixteen other vessels,
the largest of which contained two hundred and seventy gallons, and the least forty-five gallons. There were also ten
caldrons, and twenty-four vases with two handles, standing




64              THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
upon two salvers; two silver wine-presses on which were
placed twenty-four goblets; a table of massive silver, eighteen
feet in length, and thirty that were sixty feet long; one
silver tripod whose circumference was twenty-four feet, and
three smaller ones of less value, adorned with precious stones
in the middle.
Then came eighty delphic tripods, all of silver. These
were small; they were accompanied with twenty-six ewers,
sixteen flagons, and one hundred and sixty other silver
vessels, the largest of which contained fifty-four gallons, and
the smallest eighteen.
Then came vessels of gold. Four of these were Lacedaemonic and were crowned with vine leaves; two were Corinthian
vases, whose rims were embellished with the figures of animals; these contained seventy-two gallons. Then a wine
press on which stood ten goblets; then two vases containing
forty-five gallons, and two that held eighteen gallons. There
were also twenty-two vessels for keeping liquors cool, the
largest of which contained two hundred and seventy gallons,
and the smallest about nine gallons; there were four very
large golden tripods, and a golden basket, in which to place
the golden vessels. This last was enriched with jewels, and
was fifteen feet in length; it was divided into partitions one
above another. Figures of animals above three feet in hight
were carved upon it. Two goblets and two glass bowls with
golden ornaments, two salvers four cubits in diameter, and
three of less size, ten ewers, an altar four feet and a half
high, and twenty-five dishes, made up the complement of
golden vessels on these cars.
After all this display of treasure to be used in wine-bibbing, marched sixteen hundred boys, dressed in white garments, crowned with ivy or pine. Two hundred and fifty of
them carried golden vases, four hundred of them had silver
vases, and three hundred carried liquor coolers. These were




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              65
followed by another company, bearing large drinking vessels, twenty of which were of gold, fifty of silver, and three
hundred variegated. There were several tables six feet in
length, each one supporting some object of curiosity. On
one was represented the bed of Semele, with the clothing
lying upon it; some of golden brocade, and others adorned
with precious stones.
It would be impossible to follow this procession through,
in the exact order, on account of its great length and
tediousness. We will not, therefore, do more than mention some of the most prominent objects. In one car,
thirty-three feet in length and twenty-one in breadth,
which was drawn by five hundred men, was represented
the god Mercury, with a golden caduceus in his hand, and
clothed in splendid raiment, standing by a deep cavern,
from which issued out and flew about pigeons, ring-doves,
and turtles, to whose feet were fastened little bands, that
they might be caught by the people. From the cavern
issued two streams, one flowing with milk, and the other
with wine. Around this fountain stood the nymphs, with
crowns of gold.
The representation of the expedition of Bacchus into
India, constituted an imposing portion of this procession.
The statue of this god was eighteen feet in hight, arrayed
in purple, and wearing a golden crown, intermixed with
ivy and vine leaves. In his hand, he held a long golden
thyrsus. His feet were shod with sandals of gold. He
was mounted upon an elephant, upon whose neck was
seated a satyr, above seven feet high, crowned with gold,
wrought in imitation of pine branches. The satyr was in
the attitude of blowing a trumpet, made of a goat's horn.
Upon the elephant's head was an ivy crown of gold, and
all of his trappings were of the same precious metal.
Bacchus was followed by five hundred young virgins,
6




66             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
clothed with purple dresses and golden girdles; one hundred and twenty of these wore crowns of gold. They, in
turn, were followed by one hundred satyrs, armed with
silver and copper weapons, not unlike the knights errant
of the days of chivalry. Next came five troops of crowned
sileni and satyrs, mounted on asses, harnessed with gold
and silver.
Then came a long train of chariots, drawn by beasts,
twenty-four by elephants, sixty by he-goats, twelve by lions,
six by wild goats, fifteen by buffaloes, four by wild asses,
eight by ostriches, and seven by stags. The drivers in
these chariots were young lads, dressed like charioteers,
wearing broad-brimmed hats. Other smaller boys rode
with them, having tiny weapons of war, and clothed with
mantles embroidered with gold; accompanying these were
other cars, drawn by. camels and mules, carrying tents
resembling those of the Barbarians.
Within these tents were women of India and other
nations, in the dress of slaves. These cars also carried
immense quantities of incense, saffron, cinnamon, ivys and
other odoriferous spices.
Another group was composed of a large band of Ethiopians, armed with pikes. One company of them carried
six hundred elephants' teeth, and another two thousand
branches of ebony, while a third carried sixty cups of gold
and silver, with a large quantity of gold dust.
Two hunters, carrying gilded darts, marched at the head
of two thousand four hundred dogs, gathered from India,
Arcadia and the interior of Asia. One hundred and fifty
men supported trees, to which were fastened birds and deer.
Others carried cages, in which were parrots, peacocks, turkeyhens, pheasants, and a great number of African birds.
Then came one hundred and thirty Ethiopian sheep, three
hundred Arabian sheep, twenty sheep of Euboea, twenty-six




THE KTNGDOM OF BRASS.              67
white Indian oxen, eight Ethiopian oxen, one white bear,
fourteen leopards, sixteen panthers, four lynxes, three
small bears, a cameleopard, and an Ethiopian rhinoceros:
quite a caravan of animals, and far more appropriate than
human beings to wait upon Bacchus.
Next came the drunken god himself, a second time, wearing a golden crown, with leaves of ivy. He was represented as fleeing from the wrath of Juno, and hiding at
the altar of Rhea. By his side stood Priapus, wearing a
similar crown. Juno was there, wearing a golden diadem.
The statues of Alexander and Ptolemy, with similar crowns
of gold, were in the group. Near to Ptolemy stood the
image of Virtue, crowned with golden olive branches, and
also another image, representing the city of Corinth. Near
by them was a great vase, filled with cups of gold, and a
large golden bowl, which contained forty-five gallons. Several women, richly arrayed, wearing crowns of gold, and
each bearing the name of some Grecian city or island, followed this car of Bacchus. In one car was carried a golden
thyrsus, one hundred and thirty-five feet in length, and a
silver lance, ninety feet long.
In one portion of the procession were horses and wild
beasts, including twenty-four lions, of prodigious size.
Moreover, there were numbers of cars containing a great
number of statues of the kings and deities. In one group
were six hundred men, one-half of whom played on gilded
harps, while the others sung the chorus. Near at hand
were two thousand bulls, all of the same color, adorned
with collars and crowns of gold.
Such was the representation of the great expedition of
Bacchus into India.
It was followed by a procession of Jupiter and a great
number of other deities; and, last of all, that of Alexander the Great, whose image, standing between Victory and




68              THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Minerva, was placed in a car and drawn by elephants.
Several thrones of gold and of ivory, with crowns and
horns of the same metal, accompanied this procession.
One of these thrones was that of Ptolemy Soter, which
supported a golden crown of the weight of ten thousand
pieces of gold, equal, in value, to about twenty-five thousand dollars.
In this procession were carried three thousand two hundred crowns of gold, and an almost infinite number of
golden vessels, of various forms and sizes, for various purposes. Four hundred chariots were required to carry the
silver vessels, and twenty for the golden ones, while the
spices alone filled eight hundred chariots.
This grand coronal procession was guarded by an army
of fifty-seven thousand six hundred foot, and twenty-seven
thousand horse.
If the foregoing facts were not well attested by authentic historians, who flourished shortly after the time, and
some of them at the very time, and had every facility for
obtaining correct information, we could not credit, the
account.  Where could so much gold have been obtained?
How could such unbounded magnificence be supported?
The reader may judge that some of my remarks and
explanations, in the foregoing account, are frivolous, or too
severe. I acknowledge that some of them are fanciful;
but it is a truth, that these pompous Bacchanalian displays were the forerunners of that spirit of intemperance
which, in after times, diffused itself among the mass of
the people, and produced, in our days, the great evil of
which we complain. Rollin makes the same reflection in
the following words: "But what can we say, when we
behold a sacred procession and a solemnity of religion
converted into a public school of intemperance and licentiousness, calculated only to excite the most shameful




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              69
passions in the spectators and induce an utter depravity of
manners, by presenting to their view all the instruments
of excess and debauchery, with the most powerful allurements to indulge in them, and that under the pretext of
paying adoration to the gods. What divinities must those
be that would suffer, and even exact, so scandalous a pomp
in their worship?"
TROUBLE IN THE KITCHEN DEPARTMIENT OF MACEDON AND THRACE,
B. C. 280.
Thrace had been governed by Lysimachus, one of the
generals of Alexander, ever since the partition of the
empire. He was, therefore, one of the four heads of the
third beast to which Daniel refers.  Macedon had, of late,
been added to his kingdom. His capital was Byzantium,
the modern Constantinople.
Ptolemy, king of Egypt, had several wives, and by them
many children. Agathocles, eldest son of Lysimachus,
had married Lysandra, a daughter of Ptolemy, and Lysimachus himself, although.an old man, about the same time
married Arsinoe, another daughter of the same king —
half sister of his daughter-in-law. Both sisters were soon
mothers, and each became jealous and anxious that the
crown should descend to her children, to the exclusion of
the other. In Egypt, the same difficulties were brewing.
Ptolemy had two sons, Ceraunus and Philadelphus. These
were half brothers, and own brothers to the sisters in
Thrace. Arsinoe, the young queen of the old king of
Thrace, was the daughter of the youngest of the wives
of Ptolemy, as was also Philadelphus. But as we have
seen in the history of those kings, the elder son of the
elder mother was set aside, and Philadelphus succeeded
to the throne of Egypt; while Ceraunus fled to the court
of Lysimachus, to his sisters. The two queen mothers in
Egypt were constantly promoting discord between their




70             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
daughters in Thrace. The arrival of the fugitive, Ceraunus, caused Arsinoe, the young step-mother and queen, to
suspect that the half brother and sister would unite their
interests against herself and children. Without waiting
for any evidence of wrong on their part, she resorted to
the usual device of step-mothers, that of inflaming the
father's mind against his own children.  The old doating
Thracian, so enamored of his youthful wife, and the
children of his declining years, listened to Arsinoe, who
artfully represented to the king that his oldest son was
tired of waiting for his father's death; that he had conspired to dethrone and murder him, and that the lives of
Lysimachus, herself and children, were in such imminent
danger as to admit of no delay. The deceived old king
drank in this story as so much truth, and, without the least
inquiry, caused his son to be thrown into prison and murdered. Thus, although perfectly innocent, perished the
legitimate heir to the throne, through the intrigue, jealousy and infernal machinations of the harem. Oh! what
good a woman can accomplish; what evils she often does
produce; which will preponderate when women's rights prevail? What fearful forebodings must have spread the pall
of gloom over the princes at the court of the Bosphorus.
The eldest son of Egypt's king had fled from the younger;
while, by the intrigue of the younger mother, the younger
son was crowned by the partial father; the eldest son of
the Macedonian court was murdered by the too partial
monarch, at the instigation of the mother of the younger
members of the royal family. Together they mingled
their sighs, their fears, their plans for the future. Ceraunus, the fugitive; Lysandra, the sister and widow of the
murdered prince, with her children, and Alexander, a
brother of the late victim, dare no longer remain in
Thrace, where an old dotard wears the crown, but a sister




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.               71
administers authority - a sister, artful, cunning, implacable, infernal, whose hands were stained by the blood of her
step-son. Let us listen to the conversation of the mourning group: " But where may we fly? who will shelter us?
who dare protect us? Our father's throne in Egypt is filled
by Philadelphus, the hater of our mother and of us, the
brother of the bloody Arsinoe, of whom we are now in
fear; the throne of our grand-father of Macedon is united
to that of this hateful Thrace. Nor are there any in the
family of Cassander who can aid us - let us away to Seleucus." And to Seleucus, king of Syria, the whole party fled,
and were cordially received with open arms. His residence
was, at that time, at Antioch. Will old Lysimachus, after
the murder of his son, and the abandonment of the children
of his earlier years, come down quietly and in peace to his
grave?  Ah, no! the Most High God rules in the nations
of the earth, and is not unmindful of the doings of his representatives.  It may have been the rashness, rather than
the malignity of Lysimachus, that caused him to murder
his own son; but he that is too weak to be just, ought no
longer to be king. Many of his faithful officers were
shocked at his barbarity, and deserted their post. These
following the fugitives, presented themselves at Antioch.
Let us away after them to Syria. " Seleucus, the great king
of the East, behold us, desolate, sad, forsaken, and forlorn;
the children of your fellow generals in the army of the
conqueror; by your love for your associates in arms in
your youthful days, we beseech you, remember our wrongs;
avenge us and restore us to our home, where slumber your
grateful loves. Besides, what advantage it will be to you.
Awake, 0 youthful ambition! arouse ye, powers of other
days, and extend the empire of Seleucus, that his name
may descend by the side of Alexander the Great." The
fugitive officers join in this effort. Seleucus determines




72             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
upon a war with Lysimachus. These were now the only
two surviving generals of Alexander.  A mighty army
was raised; Seleucus, in person, led the host, and soon Asia
MIinor, which had belonged to Lysimachus, was added to
the kingdom of Syria. Sardis resisted, but was soon captured.  The old Thracian now began to move.  He led an
army across the Hellespont, and in Phrygia met his enemy.
A severe battle was the result, and Lysimachus was slain,
his kingdom transferred to the monarch of Syria and all
the East, and the blood of his royal son avenged.
Thus ended the year 281, B. C. For the successes and
enlargement of his empire, Seleucus received the title of
Nicator, the Conqueror. Arsinoe, the murderer, the Jezebel of the times, the instigator of all these ills, still lives
to receive, in due time, the just reward of her bloody deeds.
Seleucus, who was himself a native of Macedon, from which
his public duties had separated him ever since the commencement of the expedition of Alexander, now desired to
make his native land the home of his old age. In all these
recent movements, Ceraunus had accompanied him. This
exile now began to cast his longing eyes upon the lands
over which his mother's ancestors had once reigned.  Ambition fired his soul, and destroyed all those generous, noble
feelings of gratitude toward his benefactor, which he should
have cultivated. Seleucus was intending to proceed to Egypt
to dethrone Philadelphus, and crown Ceraunus, whom he
deemed the rightful heir. But that ungrateful vagabond
would rather be an independent king, than feel a sense of
obligation to any surviving monarch for his elevation. He
therefore undertook to wipe out the debt, by the murder of
his benefactor. Ceraunus assassinated Seleucus in the year
280 B. C., and seven months after the death of Lysimachus.
Thus perished the last general of Alexander of Macedon.
Ptolemy Ceraunus, half brother of Philadelphus, king of




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              73
Egypt, was crowned king of Macedon. By his mother, he
was the grandson of Antipater, the oldest of Alexander's
generals. His two cousins, Antipater and Alexander, sons
of Cassander, had been some time dead. He now proposed
marriage to his half sister, Arsinoe, the widow of the late
LJysimachus. She was the mother of two youthful sons by
her former husband, on whose account she had embroiled
the kingdom in the recent wars, and we are now about to
see the fruit of her intrigues. Ceraunus professed the
most ardent affection for her; urged her to marry him, and
promised great things: but the real motive of all his conduct was the desire to remove every possible claimant to
the throne. Incest, at that time, was not uncommon with
the princes of the East. This near relationship was no
obstacle in the mind of the widow, who herself had married the father of her own brother-in-law. But Arsinoe
remembered her own guilty conduct toward him and all the
family. She had learned the character of Ceraunus, in the
murder of Seleucus, his benefactor, and she recollected that
he who now sought her hand in marriage was the rival and
enemy of her own brother, Philadelphus, of Egypt. She
therefore declined, delayed and deferred the union as long
as possible, but ultimately yielded her assent to the marriage, which was celebrated with great pomp, and many
demonstrations of mutual attachment. Ceraunus expressed
the greatest regard for his two youthful step-sons. All this
was a farce. The wedding is over. Now, Arsinoe! now is
the time of retribution. Thou hast caused the murder of
thy step-son, and God will reward thee doubly. The party
had proceeded to Pella, the ancient capital of Macedon.
Here Ceraunus ordered his guards to enter the apartment
of the young princes - the one about sixteen and the other
twelve years of age. They fled to their mother, and while
she attempted to shield their bodies with her own, she beheld
7




74             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
the ruffians, in obedience to the order of the king, plunge
their daggers into her sons. Their blood drenched all her
garments! Oh! where was then the spirit of Agathocles,
who, for their sake had been murdered?  Where was the
spirit of Lysimachus, who, by the unjust murder of his own
true and faithful oldest son, had brought all these calamities
upon his household. Arsinoe, in ragged and bloody garments,
was driven into exile to linger out a useless and jealous life,
in prison and in want, and Ceraunus is king without a rival.
Who shall avenge the crime of the usurper? None of the
generals of Alexander yet survive; Philadelphus has more
on his hands than he can do, and these are not the subjects
of prophesy. Hear, oh Heaven! and forgive him not. Let
him not descend in peace to the grave; let not his children
possess the throne after him.
About this time came on the famous invasion of the Gauls,
who, after disturbing Macedon and Greece, ultimately planted
a colony in Asia Minor, called Galatia, to whom Paul wrote
one of his epistles. Against this western host Ceraunus
marched, with vaih, pompous and blasphemous boasting.
The two armies met; the Macedonians were defeated and cut
to pieces. Ceraunus was wounded, taken prisoner, and his
head cut off, which, upon a pike, was presented to his friends.
Righteous are thy judgments, Oh Lord God Almighty; who
shall not fear thee? Thus perished Ceraunus, whose name
signifies the thunderer. If women are soon to bear rule
over the world, as some are prophesying, I do hope and pray
that their cunning, intriguing, managing administrations
will being forth better fruit than those of Eurydice and
Berenice, wives Ptolemy, or Lysandra and Arsinoe, their
mischief-making daughters, the princesses of Macedon and
Thrace. Ceraunus was succeeded by Melagar Sosthenes,
Antigonus Gonatus, son of Demetriiis, Antigonus Doson,
Philip and Perseus; then came the Roman sway.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              75
PTOLEMY PHILADELPHUS, B. 0., 265.
Another Kitchen Cabinet —The Scene in Lybia.-West
of Egypt along the shore of the great sea, were the famous
gardens of the Hesperides, described in the songs of the
ancient bard.  Here the Lybian desert had been reclaimed
by industry and art.  Groves of fruit trees and pleasant
gardens smiling with roses in deepened plats of ground,
rewarded the efforts of the husbandman.  Here dwelt the
Lybian. Near at hand were the Cyrenians, the descendants
of a Greek colony. These were the people, and this the
theater of those petty wars, which resulted in the ruin of
Pharaoh Hophra many years before. Lybia and Cyrenia had
been united to Egypt, and with that country had become part
of the Great Macedonian Empire, and were subject to the
authority of Ptolemy Soter. This king had married several
wives, one of whom, Berenice, a widow, had a son, Magus,
who, at his mother's request, was appointed satrap of Lybia
and Cyrene, in which office he continued after the death of
Soter, Philadelphus being his younger brother by the same
mother.  Magus had married Apamne, the sister of Antiochus Theos, and the grand-daughter of Seleucus, who was
assassinated by the ungrateful Ceraunus.  Ambitious of
kingly honor, Magus rebelled, threw off the authority of
his brother, Philadelphus, and assumed the independent
crown of those provinces of which he was before but the
governor.  To sustain his present position, he thought he
must also subvert the government of Egypt.  He therefore
marched an army toward Alexandria, relying upon the cooperation of his father-in-law, Soter, king of Syria. Philadelphus marched out of his capital to receive his rebellious
brother; but Magus now heard of an insurrection in the
rear, and therefore began a hasty retreat, to quiet matters at
home.
Philadelphus prepared to harrass the retreating army of




76             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Magus; but while thus occupied, a new thunder cloud arose
in the heavens, and threatened to pour a tempest upon
Egypt. About four thousand of the Gauls, who had invaded
Macedon and slain Ceraunus, had been taken into the service
of Philadelphus. Just in the heat of this pursuit of Magus,
these foreigners rebelled against Egypt, and Ptolemy was
obliged to face about and meet this new foe. In the sequel
the Gauls were completely annihilated, by being decoyed into
an island of the Nile, where they were so closely guarded,
that they either died of starvation, or were slain by each
other. Magus had thus time to quiet matters at home, and
prepare for another invasion of Egypt. Antiochus of Syria
was to make another attack on the other side, so that by
dividing the forces of Ptolemy, they hoped to triumph over
him; but that monarch had sufficient sagacity to discover
and derange their plans. His navy so harrassed all the
coast of Syria, that Antiochus could not invade Egypt, and
without him the Lybian king feared to attempt it.
After a time, Mlagus being an old man, desired to negotiate for peace. The women were the wire-workers. Berenice, the daughter of Magus, was to be given in marriage
to Evergetes, the eldest son and heir to the crown of Philadelphus. Lybia was to be the dowry of the bride, and the war
to cease. (B. C., 258). The nuptials were not immediately
consummated. The next year old Magus died, after ruling
Lybia fifty years. At this time Antiochus Soter, of Syria,
died, and was succeeded by Theos.
Apame, the widow of Magus, was not disposed to surrender the crown and kingdom so quietly to Egypt, especially
as she had a brother on the throne of Syria to support her
claims.  She therefore sought to break up the nuptial
arrangement. She sent to Macedon, and invited Demetrius,
a nobleman, to visit her court, to whom she promised Berenice in marriage. The new guest and intended son-in-law,




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              77
arrived at the gardens of the Hesperides; a new shuffling of
the cards takes place. Apame becomes enamored of Demetrius, and instead of giving him Berenice, she is herself
married to him. Demetrius desired the kingdom, but cared
but little for either of the ladies. He assumed the reigns
of government, and treated the daughter and officers of
State with so much insolence, that a conspiracy was formed
against them. Berenice. herself led the conspirators to the
door of her mother's apartment, where entering, they slew
Demetrius upon the bed of Apame, although she endeavored
with her own body to shield him from their weapons. Apame
was sent to her brother in Syria; and Berenice repaired to
Egypt, where she, according to the treaty of her father, soon
became the wife of Ptolemy Evergetes, 256 B. C., and eight
years before her husband became king. This is the queen
whose golden hair became a constellation in the heavens.
What amiable and lovely things ladies become when clothed
with power and inducted into all the intrigue of courts.
SELEUCUS XICATOR, B. C., 300.
After the battle of Ipsus, in which Antigonus was slain,
the vast empire of the Macedonians was again divided, but
the boundary was not materially different from that of the
former division.
Seleucus had been governor in Babylon, from which place
he had been expelled. He had instigated the war against
Antigonus, and became king of all Syria, which term, at this
time, embraced a large portion of Alexander's conquests, in
Asia. Rollin thus speaks of it:
1" The dominions of this province are usually called Syria,
because Seleucus afterward build Antioch, in Syria, and
made it the chief place of his residence, in which his successors, who, from his name, were called Seleucidse, followed his
example.  It includes not only Syria proper, but the vast




78             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
and fertile provinces of upper Asia, which constituted the
Persian empire. Seleucus had exercised some authority in
the provinces for twenty years previously, but did not receive
the crown, nor was he acknowledged king until the death of
Antigonus. After this event he reigned another twenty
years. As far as is known to us, the kingdom flourished
under his administration. He built several cities, among
which were Antioch, Seleucia and Apamia. A very unusual
domestic affair occurred in the latter part of his life. According to the custom of the eastern provinces, Seleucus had
a number of wives; among others was Stratonice, a young
and beautiful girl. The eldest son of Seleucus was Antiochus, afterward called Soter. This son became deeply
enamored of his step-mother, Stratonice, but owing to the
relation she sustained to his father, he dared not reveal his
wishes, and fell sick from the disorder of his mind. His
physician discovered the real malady, and represented the
case to his father, who so ardently loved his son, that he
resigned his queen, and she became the wife of Antiochus.
We may wonder af the readiness of his father to sacrifice
his interest for his son, but it must be recollected that Seleucus was at this time about eighty years of age, that he had
other wives, and that Stratonice was still young and unsuitable for him. Soon after this event occurred the war of
Seleucus with Lysimachus, of which an account is given in
the history of Ceraunus the ingrate.
"This prince had extraordinary qualities; and without
mentioning his military accomplishments, it may be justly
said that he distinguished himself among the other kings
by his great love of justice, by a benevolence and clemency
that endeared him to the people, and by a peculiar regard
for religion. He had also a taste for polite literature, and
made it a circumstance of pleasure and glory to himself to
send back to the Athenians the library which Xerxes had




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              79
carried away, and which he found in Persia. He accompanied that present with the statues of Harmodius and Aristogiton, whom the Athenians honored as their deliverers."
ANTIOCHUS SOTER, B. C. 310.
This was the oldest son and successor of Seleucus the
great. Notwithstanding his marvelous love for his stepmother, whom he married, he had other wives and children,
who figure on the pages of history. Among others Apame,
who was the wife of Magus of Lybia, and the mother of
Berenice, the wife of Ptolemy Evergetes.
An account of the intrigue and wars of which she was the
ruling cause, is given in the life of Ptolemy Philadelphus.
Another daughter of his was Laodicea, of whom an account
is given in the history of Evergetes.
Why Antiochus should have been called Soter is not very
apparent, for he neither saved his country, nor did any other
very worthy deed. Three events in his history constituted
the record of his administration. First: Antigonus, son of
Demetrius, of whom we have so often spoken, claimed the
throne of Macedon. Soter also claimed it, by virtue of his
father's conquest at the time of the affair of Ceraunus.
The rivals purposed to determine the title by force of arms.
Bythinia was at this time governed by a king Nicomedes.
This kingdom was situated just south of the Black sea, and
lay almost immediately between Syria and Macedon. Nicomedes had lent his aid and influence to the party of Antigonus against Antiochus; for this reason the king of Syria
first marched against Bythinia, but the forces were so nearly
equal in strength, that little was done, and both parties
remained inactive for a time, during which negotiations were
in progress, which resulted in a peaceful settlement of the
question.
Stratonice, the beloved wife of Antiochus, had a daughter,




80             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Phila, by her first husband, Seleucus. This daughter was
the half-sister as well as step-daughter of the king of Syria.
Phila became the prize in this new arrangement. She was
given to be the wife of Antigonus, and her dowry was to be
whatever claim Soter might have, more or less, to the kingdom of Macedon. This arrangement was finally consummated, and the throne of Macedon remained in the family
of Antigonus for a long time.
The army of Antiochus now turned their arms against
the Gauls, who had invaded and desolated Bythinia. In this
war the Syrians were quite successful, and compelled the
Gauls to keep within the borders of Galatia. (These Gauls
were a band of those adventurous barbarians by whom
Ceraunus was slain).
Let us reflect upon the satisfactory result of war.  Seleucus, Ptolemy, Cassander, and Lysimachus had united all their
strength, and in war had sacrificed an untold amount of
human life and happiness, to destroy and exterminate the
family of Antigonus and Demetrius, in order that they
might occupy their thrones in quiet, and trust not them to
their children. In the sequel we see that it resulted in the
destruction of the families of Lysimachus and Cassander,
neither of whose thrones remained in the permanent possession of their descendants.  But the grand-son of their
enemy, by Phila, the daughter of Seleucus, one of the confederates, was at last firmly seated upon the throne, and
transmitted it'to his posterity. And such is usually the
result of ambitious wars.  The very opposite of the end
intended is the invariable result; while the friend of peace
secures permanent prosperity. Surely he that taketh the
sword shall perish by the sword.
Another small kingdom of Asia Minor now comes under
our view in the history of the times. Pergamos, a city
with a small territory, had belonged to Bythinia, and had




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              81
been subject to Lysimachus of Thrace. But taking advantage of the distracted state of affairs at the time of t'
death of Lysimachus, Arsinoe and her two sons, and finany
of Ptolemy, Seleucus threw off the yoke of Thrace, while
its governor, Phileteerus, under favor of Seleucus, assumed
the crown, and ruled as an independent sovereign.
Rollin thus speaks of Philetoerus:  "He served Lysimachus very faithfully in this post for several years; but
his attachment to the interest of Agathocles, the eldest son
of Lysimachus, was destroyed by the intrigues of Arsinoe,
the younger daughter of Ptolemy Soter, as I have formerry
related; and the affliction he testified at the tragical death
of that prince caused him to be suspected by the young
queen; and she accordingly took measures to destroy him.
Philetoerus, who was sensible of her intentions, resolved upon
a revolt. He succeeded in his design, by the protection of
Seleucus; after which he supported himself in the possession
of the city and treasures of Lysimachus; being favored in his
views, by the troubles that arose upon the death of that prince
and that of Seleucus, which happened six months after. He
conducted his affairs with so much art and capacity, amid
all the divisions of the successors of those two princes, that
he preserved the city with all the country round it, for the
space of twenty years, and formed it into a state which remained for several generations in his family, and became one
of the most potent states of Asia. He had two brothers,
Eumenes and Attalus; the former of whonm, who was the
eldest, had a son named also Eumenes, who succeeded his
uncle, and reigned twenty-two years.
" Philetmerus died about 263 B. C. As he left no children,
Antiochus Soter now sought to take advantage of his death,
to annex Pergamos to the kingdom of Syria. This was the
second event in the public life of Soter.  He invaded Pergamos, but his army was met by another, under the command of




82             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Eumenes, a nephew of Philetaerus, who defeated Soter with
a great slaughter. Chagrined and disgraced by this defeat,
he returned to Antioch, in no very agreeable frame of mind,
to perpetrate the third act in the tragedy of his reign.
Soter had a son by one of his wives, whose name has not
been transmitted to us. Whether he was really guilty of
any offense, it is difficult for us now to determine. It is
quite possible that Stratonice, to favor her own son's interest, intrigued against her step-son, and charged upon him
some act of disorder, produced, perhaps, by herself; but
whatever was the fact, Soter, who had received so signal a
mark of kindness from his own father, had no compassion
for his son, who, being accused of producing some commotion during his father's absence, was ordered to be put to
death. Another son of Soter, by Stratonice, was hereupon
declared heir to the throne of Syria. After this inhuman
act, Antiochus Soter died, and was succeeded by
ANTIOCHUS THEOS, B. C. 260.
Little can be said of this monarch, which has not already
been given in the history of Philadelphus and the Lybian
war with Magus, whose wife, Apame, was sister of Theos.
Antiochus Soter had a daughter, Laodicea, half sister of
Theos, to whom he was married some time before he
assumed the crown, and by whom he had two sons, one
of whom succeeded him on the throne. The first and most
important event in his reign, occurred soon after he ascended
the throne.  Miletus, an island on the coast of Caria, belonged to that province, and was subject to the kings of
Egypt. Ptolemy Philadelphus had appointed one Timarchus governor of all these provinces; but the faithless
governor threw off his dependence, and assumed the government for himself. He made Miletus the seat of his
kingdom. For some reason, Ptolemy had not reduced his




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              83
revolted subjects, and Timarchus ruled with such terrible
severity that the inhabitants, to get rid of him, applied to
the king of Syria for aid. He immediately marched, with
an army, for their relief.  He took Miletus, and slew
Timarchus.  It was for this deliverance the people of
Miletus conferred upon this monarch the title of Theos,
which signifies god. The other events of his life are
recorded in the history of Egypt, and are chiefly the
divorce of Laodicea and marriage with Berenice, the subsequent divorce of Berenice and restoration of Laodicea,
and the death of Theos by poison, administered by Laodicea.
While Antiochus Theos was engaged in a fruitless war
with Egypt in order to favor Magus, to whom he had married his sister, Apame, a rebellion of a serious nature broke
out in another quarter. That portion of his eastern provinces which, in the earlier periods, was called Persia, was
now called Parthia. Over these provinces Theos had placed
a governor, Agathocles; by his cruelty and mismanagement,
this individual caused a revolt.  The governor attempted
some violence upon a boy, whose brother, to avenge the
wrong, rebelled against the governor, slew him, and raised
himself to power. Being successful, he established a new
kingdom of Parthia. This was about 250 B. C. Bactriana
was another province which once belonged to Persia, had
been subdued by Alexander, and added by him to the kingdom of Syria. Over this province Theodotus had been
appointed governor. About the time of the Parthian
rebellion, Theodotus assumed the crown of Bactriana, and
became an independent king.
Theos was so fully occupied with his needless war with
Ptolemy Philadelphus, that he had no leisure to subdue
these revolts. At length, after all the war was done, he
made peace with Egypt, by marrying Berenice.




d84             IITHE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
PTOLEMY EVERGETES, B. C. 247.
But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate,
which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the
king of the north, and shall deal against them, &nd shall prevail:
And shall also carry captive into Egypt their gods, with their princes,
and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north.
So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, (of Syria), and
shall return into his own land.         DANIEL xi: 7, 8, 9.
ON the death of Ptolemy Philadelphus, domestic troubles
of a most tragical character broke out at Antioch, resulting
in a fearful fate to the royal family.
It must be borne in mind, that Antiochus Theos had
divorced his wife, Laodicea; had married Berenice, the
daughter of Philadelphus, and had declared her children
heirs to the throne. This whole arrangement had been
consummated purely as a matter of political interest, and
not from any disregard for Laodicea, nor any affection for
Berenice.
As soon as it was known at Antioch that Philadelphus
was dead, Theos divorced Berenice, and restored Laodicea.
Ungrateful for this favor, and fearing future changes in
the mind of the fickle king, Laodicea poisoned Theos. She
also attempted the murder of Berenice and her child, but
the victim fled with her babe to Daphne, where they were
soon after murdered by the agents of Laodicea.
Almost the first act of Evergetes, after ascending the
throne of his father, was an attempt to rescue his sister,
now a prisoner at Daphne.
Several of the states of Asia Minor assisted in this effort;
but, before aid could arrive, Berenice and her child had
perished. Evergetes determined on revenge. He prosecuted vigorously the war already commenced against Seleucus, the son of Theos who had succeeded to the throne of




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IT   of I    a.$
Temple of Daphne.-S'eel age i-}








THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              85
Syria. Laodicea was captured and publicly executed, in
retaliation for the murder of the unhappy Berenice. All
Syria was distracted - the provinces of the north restored
to the crown of Egypt, and the provinces of Syria, on the
Euphrates and Tigris, were plundered and devastated.
Thus bitterly did Laodicea lose her life, and Seleucus much
of his kingdom and treasures, by their rash and unjustifiable cruelty toward Berenice, and thus were the words of
the prophet fulfilled, " and shall enter into the fortresses
of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail."
Evergetes, in this expedition, took a vast amount of treasure, and, among other things, many of the gods of gold
and silver that had been carried into the East by Cambyses,
the Persian; these he brought back into Egypt, and restored
to the temples. The Egyptians rejoiced to see this restoration, in their bigotry supposing that the presence of their
ancient deities would restore their land to its ancient glory
and prosperity. In the overflowing of their joy, they conferred upon the king the'title of Evergetes, which signifies
benefactor.
It is probable, that to please the people and maintain
himself quietly in possession of his throne, Evergetes paid
a visible respect, and conformed to the external ceremonies
of the pagan worship of Egypt. Kings are not always
more exempt from the necessity of courting public favor,
than the rulers of so-called republics. Ptolemy had retreated
from the late Syrian war sooner than he intended, on account
of an insurrection at home; but the restoration of the gods
seems to have composed all the discordant elements.
It is hardly probable that Evergetes had any real confidence in the so-called divinities of Egypt. He must have
read the Jewish Bible, which had been translated into his
native language, by order of his father.




86             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
He had also called at Jerusalem, presented offerings, and
worshiped in the holy temple in that city, as he returned
from this Eastern war. Evergetes seems to have partaken
somewhat of his father's love of learning.
He added much to the valuable library, previously collected at Alexandria. This place was fast becoming the
most learned city in the world.
A little romance, of a domestic nature, occurred in the
royal family about this time. The wife of Ptolemy was
Berenice of Lybia, of whose marriage, and the effort of her
mother to prevent it, an account-is given in the history of
Philadelphus. Berenice seemed greatly attached to Evergetes. When he set out on this Syrian expedition, she
grieved and feared he might meet with some ill fortune.
She made a solemn vow, that if her lord returned in safety,
she would consecrate her hair to the gods in gratitude for
his deliverance.
From the monuments of Egypt, as well as from history,
we learn that the Egyptians were exceedingly proud of a
good head of hair. The offering, therefore, of Berenice,
was no inferior sacrifice. Evergetes returned in safety and
prosperity; the pagan vow was performed, the golden locks
of Berenice were shorn, solemnly consecrated to the gods,
and deposited in the temple of Venus, on the island of
Cyprus. By some unknown accident, this hair was lost,
and Ptolemy became angry at the priests. To pacify and
please the king, priests, astronomers and poets got up a
fiction that the sacred hair of Berenice had been transported
to the heavens, and had become a constellation of stars.
Berenice was flattered, Ptolemy was pleased, and the careless priests were saved. Ever since that time, a certain
group of stars has been known by the name of the hair of
Berenice.  May it not be that, from this pagan consecration the Church of Rome formed the custom of cutting off




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              87
the hair of the nuns when about -to take the vail? The
following story is related of Evergetes, in reference to the
revenue derived from the Jews, which, if true, must have
been about this time:
It appears that the Jews, in common with other provinces, paid an annual tribute to the government of Egypt,
for which they were inadequately repaid by a partial and
imperfect protection. Judea had been without a king ever
since the great captivity under Nebuchadnezzar. The duties of government were performed by the High Priest,
whose office was filled at that time by one Onias, who,
through carelessness, had neglected to collect and pay over
the revenue.
Ptolemy construed this neglect into an intended insult.
He therefore sent Athenion to demand the payment of the
arrears, and to threaten Judea with an invasion.
Little of importance is known of Evergetes, after the Syrian war, except that he enlarged his library, and extended
his empire by conquest on both sides of the Red Sea to the
straits of Babelmandel;'he, however, lost Lybia and Cyrenia, the dowry of his wife. These were taken from him
by Demetrius, king of Macedon. After a reign of twentyfive years, he died, 222 B. C. Seleucus C. had died several
years before, a prisoner in the East. Evergetes was much
older than Seleucus, having been named before the king of
Syria was born; thus he "continued more years than the
king of the north." Daniel xi: 8.
In the latter part of his reign, occurred a great earthquake on the island of Rhodes, which destroyed a large
portion of the city, and prostrated the famous brazen colossus, one of the seven wonders of the world.
With Evergetes departed all the virtuous and noble
qualities of the rulers of Egypt. The Ptolemies that
succeeded, were devoted to sensual delights and acts of




88              THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
treachery and cruelty, until the termination of the race.
Several of them were, however, subjects of prophesy.
Let as now leave the land of the Nile, and repair again to
Antiochus Seleucus, the successor of Theos, who had been
greatly perplexed and disheartened by the invasion of Evergetes. He had been unable to save his mother from execution, or his country from  devastation.  When he learned
that Evergetes was returning into Egypt, he gathered an
army to continue the war, and succeeded in regaining some
of his northern provinces.
He now called upon his brother Hierax, to aid him in the
war against Egypt. Antiochus Hierax was the younger son of
Theos and Laodicea.  He was called Hierax from his fierceness, like a hawk.  He was at this time about fourteen years
of age, and readily responded to the call of Seleucus, not from
fraternal feelings, but from motives of personal aggrandizement. A large army was collected in the northwest, ostensibly to invade Egypt, but really to secure to himself the throne
of Syria. Ptolemy, however, suddenly concluded a truce with
Seleucus, for the space of ten years, which he did not live to
terminate. Hierax had previously some authority in Asia
Minor, but Seleucus had promised him the government of
all the provinces, as a reward for the intended service against
Ptolemy. Having now, however, come to terms with that
monarch, and no longer needing his brother's services, he
declined bestowing the promised authority. This furnished
the youthful hero a pretext for war. Seleucus saw that no
alternative was left but to fight his brother.  He therefore
crossed Mount Taurus, and passed into Galatia, where a
battle was fought near Ancyra.
Now Theos' sons their arms unite,
To try the field again;
With Egypt's crown they boast to fight,
T' avenge their mother slain,




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.                89
How soon, alas! fraternal love
Is changed to direst hate -
Against each other now they move,
And seal impending fate.
Few domestic quarrels have been more fruitful of evil
than those of Syria, in the time of Seleucus Callinicus. The
death of his father, Theos, of his mother, Laodicea, and his
step-mother, Berenice and child, have already been recorded.
Now the two brothers meet in deadly strife on the plains of
Galatia. The first result of the battle was that Seleucus,
the king and older brother, was completely routed and his
hosts dispersed by the young hawk; yet this victory brought
no great advantage to the young hero.
Galatia, where the batle was fought, was at this time
chiefly occupied by a band of those Gauls, to whom allusion
has been previously made, and by whom Ptolemy Ceraunus
had been slain in Macedon. MIany of these Gauls had been
employed in the army Hierax. After the battle, these people, supposing Seleucus was slain, thought to take advantage
of the disturbed state of affairs, and benefit themselves.
They therefore commenced a war upon Hierax. To pacify
them, he gave up to the Gauls all the spoils of victory, and
granted them an independence from his authority. Just at
this juncture, a new actor appeared in the field. Eumenes,
a prince of Pergamos, learning the disturbed state of affairs,
suddenly marched an army into Galatia, and commenced a
war upon both parties, relying upon their divisions for his
success. So sudden and unexpected was this invasion, that
although the forces of the Galatians and of Hierax united,
they were defeated, and all Asia Minor was thus opened to
Eumenes. Hierax was completely routed, and after being
the sport of fortune for the space of twelve years, ultimately fled to his father-in-law, Ariarathes, king of Cappadocia. There he became so troublesome to his friends, that
8




90             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
the king determined to destroy him. Fearful of his impending fate, he next fled to Egypt for protection, to that very
king against whom he had taken up arms. Ptolemy, the
well known enemy of his house, caused Hierax to be thrown
into prison, where he lingered several years. He ultimately
effected his escape, but was murdered by a band of robbers,
as he was fleeing out of Egypt, B. C. 226. Thus perished
one of these brothers, who so early in life displayed so much
energy and courage.
Eumenes, the conqueror of Hierax, after his victory in
Galatia, might have made himself master of all Asia Minor,
but instead of improving his advantage, he abandoned himself to intemperance, and soon died of debauch.
MACEDON.
Let us once more return to Macedon. We have before
related the death of the ingrate Ptolemy Ceraunus.  He
was succeeded for a short time on the throne, by his brother
Melaga, of whom little is known; soon after this one Sosthenes possessed regal authority, but who, or what he was,
we are not informed. About 256 B. C., Antiochus Soter,
son of Seleucus I., and grand-father of Seleucus II., and
Hierax and Antigonus Gonatus, were rivals for the throne
of Macedon. This Gonatus was grand-son of the Antigonus,
a general of Alexander, who so often fought against Ptolemy
Soter. He was the son of Demetrius, the great machine
builder, who conducted the siege of Rhodes and of Salamis,
and, who coming to aid Alexander, the son of Cassander,
robbed him  of the throne of Macedon.  The rivalship between the two aspirants was finally compromised, by the
marriage of Gonatus with Phila, the daughter of Seleucus
I., and half-sister of Antiochus Soter.?
o This Phila was the daughter of Stratonice, who, from being the stepmother, became the wife of Soter.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              91
Thus, in Syria, marriage begins and ends in war, while in
Macedon, strife begins and ends in wed-love. Antigonus
Gonatus lived to be about eighty-three years of age, and
ruled in Macedon thirty-four years. He died about 241 B.
C., and just about the time that the two brothers in Syria
were going to battle.
Antigonus Gonatus was succeeded on the throne of Macedon, by his son Demetrius, who reigned ten years. He made
himself master of Lybia and Cyrenia, which had been for a
long time dependent upon Egypt. Demetrius married the
sister of Hierax, but subsequently divorced her and married
Phthia, grand-daughter of the king of Epirus.
Where was Seleucus, the other brother, about this time?
After endeavoring to quiet the disturbed state of affairs
at home, Seleucus undertook to reclaim his eastern provinces
of Parthia and Media, which, during the war with Ptolemy
Evergetes and with his brother, threw off the yoke of his
authority. In his first attempt he entirely failed, and
abandoned the enterprise in a dishonorable manner. Discord
at home also having broken out anew, necessitated his hasty
return to Antioch.
Subsequently he again attempted the enterprise, and was
taken captive by the Parthians, with whom he remained a
prisoner, until the time of his death. His captivity was,
however, made comfortable by all the attention which the
king of Parthia could bestow. He died in consequence of a
fall from a horse.
Attalus, king of Pergamos, successor of Eumenes, taking
advantage of the distracted state of Syria, was fast making
himself master of all Asia Minor. Against him, it was
therefore determined to declare war. Seleucus Ceraunus
marched an army across Mount Taurus, and entered Phrygia.
Here sedition arose in the camp, and the king was poisoned.
Thus ended the expedition, and the life of Seleucus III.,




92               THE KINGDOM  OF BRASS.
after a reign of four years. He died on the same day with
Ptolemy Evergetes, and was succeeded by Antiochus the
great. Achaeus attended the king on this expedition, and
avenged his death, by the execution of his guilty murderers.
Seleucus Callinicus had previously married a wife by the
name of Laodicea, whose brother Andronicus, one of his
most important generals, had been taken prisoner by Ptolemy
Evergetes, and carried into Egypt. After many years of confinement, he was delivered to his son Achaeus, in the year 219,
B. C.  Seleucus left two youthful sons -  Seleucus who succeeded to the throne -  and Antiochus, afterward called the
Great Seleucus III. Antiochus was afterward called Ceraunus,
the thunderer, although no action of his rendered him worthy
of any fame. They are all gone: Theos, Laodicea, Seleucus
and Hierax, Gonatus and Demetrius, Ceraunus, the Berenices,
and Evergetes. Their lives have been constant exhibitions of
family quarrels, wars, bloody treasons, and fratricides. O could
these quarrels with their bones be buried in the earth, then
would there be hope for the next generation. Was it so?
The next chapter will tell us.
SYRIA AND EGYPT.
But his sons (the sons of Seleucus Callinicus) shall be stirred up, and
shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one (Antiochus the
Great) shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through, (Celosyria,
Ptolemias and Galilea): then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to
his fortress. (Seleucia).
And the king of the south (Ptolemy) shall be moved with choler, and
shall come forth and fight with him, (at Raphia), even with the king of
the north: and he (Antiochus) shall set forth a great multitude; but
the multitude shall be given into his hands, (into the hands of Ptolemy).
And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted
up; and he shall cast down many thousands.  Daniel xi: 10, 11, 12.
A NEW troupe of actors are on the stage; a new generation




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.               93
of things have arisen. These princes had witnessed the
follies, the quarrels and the tragical fate of their predecessors, yet they appear not to have acquired wisdom or
instruction by the bloody lesson. Evil examples are soon
imitated, and even excelled; while good ones make but a
slight impression, and are soon forgotten.
Ptolemy ascended the throne of Egypt in the same year
that Antiochus the Great succeeded his brother in Syria.
The title of Philopater, lover of his father, was bestowed
upon him ironically, for he was suspected of poisoning his
father to death.  The old feuds between the fathers were
revived by the sons. In the partition of the empire of
Alexander, the island of Cyprus and the coast of Phoenicia
and Palestine were given to Egypt. This was a desirable
arrangement, as Egypt, although situated upon the sea,
favorably for commerce, had not timber for ship-building,
which these provinces could.supply; on the other hand,
Syria and the East comprehended a large territory and
vast resources. But the contiguity of these possessions
annoyed the rulers of Antioch, and became the subject of
a hereditary quarrel, which lasted until the two governments were overcome and merged into the all-absorbing
power of Rome.
ANTIOCHUS THE GREAT, B. C. 222.
For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude
greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years
with a great army and with much riches.   DANIEL xi: 13.
THIS distinguished monarch was the sixth of the Seleucidae. He was the grandson of Theos, who was poisoned by
the jealous queen, Laodicea.  He was the third son of
Seleucus Callinicus. Antiochus was born at Antioch about
237 B. C. At his father's death, he was sent to Seleucidas,




94             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
in Babylonia, to be instructed in the wisdom of the
Eastern Magi, and his elder brother, Seleucus Ceraunus,
ascended the throne of Syria. The reign of Ceraunus was
short and inglorious. Having marched into Asia Minor to
subdue a rebellion, the king was poisoned by his subordinate officers, and Antiochus, being but fifteen years of age,
was immediately recalled from Babylonia to ascend the
throne. The events of his administration may be arranged
under six divisions:
1. The campaign to subdue Molo and Alexander, in Mesopotamia and Babylonia.
2. The famous wars with Egypt, under Philopater and
Epiphanes.
3. A war with his revolted cousin, Achueus.
4. The great expedition in the East, and the conquest of
Armenia, Parthia, Bactriana, and many other provinces.
5. A war with the Romans; and
6. The loss of his life, in attempting to rob the temple
of Elymas, in Media.
Success or failure in the pursuits of life, often depend
upon the right estimate of character. In declining years,
we are too suspicious and distrustful; in early life, too simple and confiding. Many of the indiscretions and failures
of young men, which are called crimes, are the results of
generous impulses, and a too ardent and confiding friendship. Happy are they whose errors, in this respect, are
discovered sufficiently early to teach them lessons of prudence and caution; then may those failures be the best of
teachers. Energy and decision of character in middle life,
crowning efforts with triumphant success, are often the
fruits of early and bitter lessons.
Antiochus was a type man, representing a large class of
men, simple, confiding, ardent, yet ambitious, in youth;
next perplexed and harassed, well nigh overwhelmed by




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              95
misplaced confidence; then relying upon self, energetic,
efficient, cautious, successful, in manhood; and, at last, having learned to disregard the opinions and feelings cf all
others, by some bold misstep terminating a splendid career.
Antiochus ascended the throne of his brother, a simple,
ardent, confiding youth. He immediately procured the
appointment of a set of officers to share with him in the
administration of authority, expecting the affairs of government to glide down like a gentle stream. In this
expectation, he was fated to be disappointed. The following is a programme of the most important officers: Hermias, prime minister; Epigenis, commander-in-chief of the
army; Apollophanes, king's physician; Achaeus, governor
of Asia Minor; Molo, governor of Media; Alexander, governor of Persia; Xeon and Theodotus, generals.
Achoeus immediately repaired to Asia Minor, conquered
Attalus, and subdued all those provinces which had revolted
from the crown of Syria. The ultimate fate of that noble
officer, I have given in a subsequent article.
Hermias, the prime minister, was a vain, haughty, conceited man, entirely selfish in all purposes, implacable
toward all, and destitute of the requisite qualifications for
his station. Having no goodness in himself, he could endure none in his officers, yet he had the success to gain the
entire confidence of the youthful king. This, for a time,
was the misfortune of Antiochus. Hermias was as a millstone suspended about the neck of the government, and,
until it was cast off, nothing could prosper.
Molo and Alexander were brothers. After having received insult and abuse from Hermias, they repaired to
their stations. What were their thoughts and consultations
on the way?  Must it not have been something after this
fashion? "Our king is a simple-minded boy, and can afford
us no protection in our new homes. The prime minister




96            ITHE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
is a haughty tyrant; we can expect neither favor nor
friendship from him; the government of Syria must soon
be in a distracted state by his counsel. Why should we be
dependents of a ruined state, the servants of a mere boy,
and the victims of a tyrannical prime minister?  Would
it not be more glorious to shine for ourselves?" Alexander and Molo had no sooner reached their posts, than they
threw off the yoke of Antiochus, and assumed to be independent kings of their respective provinces.
Epigenis was a man of skill and experience, and sound
judgment, capable of giving good counsel to his king.  He
was the ablest general of his time; for these good qualities, he was the special object of hatred to Ilermias. The
old war between Egypt and Syria, though for a time suspended, was not terminated. Ptolemy Philopater had just
ascended the throne of Egypt. When the news of the
revolt of Molo and Alexander reached Antiochus, the young
king was perplexed. The ablest officers and wisest nobles
in Syria, were convened in council to deliberate. Two questions were submitted to the council: first, shall the government proceed immediately to war with Egypt for the
recovery of the provinces south-west of us; or, secondly,
shall we proceed immediately against the rebellion in Media and Persia. These were questions of war, and the
discreet comtnander of the army, whose judgment ought
to have been respected, was the first to speak in the council. He represented to the king that a revolt was much
easier quelled in the first outbreak, than after the rebel
had time to fortify himself, acquire experience in his new
station, and accustom the people to his government. He
therefore advised the king to proceed immediately in person to the East, and recover his revolted provinces, to which
he had an indisputable title, rather than waste time in an
uncertain war with a neighboring nation, then at peace




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              97
with him. Hermias interrupted the speaker even before
his argument had closed.  Hermias was a coward, as men
of haughty insolence generally are; he knew that he had
himself been the primary cause of this revolt. If the king
marched to the East, he would have to accompany the army,
and should he fall into the hands of Molo, his reception
would not be very civil. He was desirous to keep out of
harm's way. Should any event in the war result in an
interview between the king and his revolted subjects, the
evil conduct of the prime minister might come to the knowledge of Antiochus. Hermias therefore spoke decidedly
against the king's proceeding to the East, and advised
immediate war on the possessions of Ptolemy.  This council was held in the year 221 B. C.
The advice of Hermias prevailed. Part of the troops,
under Xenon and Theodotuss marched eastward, to carry on
war with Molo, while the king himself, with the rest of the
army, moved on toward Celosyria. The prime minister
sought, by every possible means, to keep the young king
occupied in pleasures and' trifles, that he might the better
usurp the entire management of the government. To this
end he had induced him to an early matrimonial arrangement with Laodicea, daughter of Mithridates, king of
Pontus.  It was at Seleucia that he met the bride, and
celebrated the nuptials with great joy.
In the midst of this conviviality, news was brought from
the camp of war.  Molo and Alexander had united their
forces, had met those of the king, had beaten his generals,
and driven his army from the field. The eyes of Antiochus began to be opened; he saw that he had committed
an error in following the advice of his minister of pleasure, rather than that of his wise and experienced commander of the army; yet he had not decision enough to
shake off the parasite.  He now proposed to lay aside the




98             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
enterprise against Celosyria, and march against the rebels.
Hermias persisted obstinately in opposing this decision.
The king vibrated between two extremes; on the one side
was sound judgment, manifest duty and. interest, and on
the other the bad advice of an unworthy counsellor, the
intensity of the youthful love of pleasure, and the unwillingness to offend an officer that ministered to that pleasure.
When we consider the age and experience of Antiochus, we
are not surprised to see which end of the scale preponderated. Hermias declared that it became kings to march in
person against kings, and send their lieutenants against
rebels. Antiochus yielded to the opinion of his prime minister, greatly to the regret of his other officers. We shall
soon see the sad result. A body of troops was again sent
to the East, to assist those already there in subduing the
rebels, while the king in person marched against Celosyria,
where Theodotus, the Egyptian governor, met and defeated
him, driving his army quite out of the country. Of this
invasion and defeat, an account is given on a subsequent
page, in the history of Ptolemy Philopater. The army in
the East was committed to the care of Xenates, a man of
no military experience, and possessing no merit, except that
of being a great favorite of the prime minister. The other
officers in the East were commanded to subject themselves
to him. Raised so suddenly to a high pitch of honor, he
became haughty and abusive toward his subordinate officers.
His movements were marked with impudence, and he would
receive no council. He marched across the Tigris, and fell
into an ambuscade, where himself and all his army were
cut to pieces. The king having returned to Antioch from
his fruitless expedition against Celosyria, and having heard
of the destruction of his army in the East, once more called
a council of war. It would seem that three defeats had
begun to open his eyes. In this council, Epigenis modestly




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              99
remarked that it would have been best to have marched
against the rebels at first to prevent them from fortifying
themselves, as they had now done, and that, for the same
reason, they ought now, with all expedition, to devote their
whole care and study to this war, which, if neglected, might
terminate in the entire ruin of the empire, as by the late
defeat Babylonia and Mesopotamia were opened to the
enemy. Hermias raged, reviled and abused the wise counsellor; he urged the king not to lay aside the Celosyrian
scheme, declaring that the wisdom and firmness of the
king would be brought into disrepute. The council were
ashamed, and Antiochus, for once, was displeased with the
advice of his prime minister. To march with the utmost
speed against the rebels, was the almost unanimous resolve.
Hermias finding that all resistance would be in vain, came
over on the other side, and was most actively engaged in
preparations for the war. The army assembled at Apama,
the general place of rendezvous.
When we consider the warlike character of the reign of
the two preceding monarchs, Seleucus Callinicus and Seleucus Ceraunus, the three recent defeats and the marriage
banqueting of the present administration, we are not surprised that the finances of Syria were in an embarrassed
state. Indeed, we are surprised that the whole nation had
not become bankrupt. Honors and favors are abundantly
showered upon ministers of war and ministers of voluptuous
pleasures, while nothing is said about ministers of finance,
boards of trade, committees of manufactures or presidents
of agricultural societies. Hence the treasuries of Syria
were exhausted.
The country, however, still possessed wealth. In a country possessing so mild and bland a climate -so productive
a soil, yielding every variety of fruit and grain, and rich
mines abounding in precious metals, as those of Syria —a




100            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
little industry can not fail to produce competency to its
inhabitants, if not oppressed by a tyrannical government.
The army were prepared to march from Apama, when a
sedition arose among the soldiers. They had been dragged
through one campaign after another, and had received no
pay; they refused to proceed further and endure more
fatigues, until their just demands were answered. Antiochus had no money. He was perplexed and disheartened.
This is a not uncommon state of mind with young men,
who have entered an important enterprise without the
necessary experience: little obstacles appear like mountains, and they become discouraged and abandon further
efforts. Antiochus in later years, and with more experience and a better acquaintance with himself, would have
felt and acted quite differently. Hiermias availed himself
of the king's embarrassment to gain entire control over
him, and accomplish his own purposes. He promised himself to pay the demands of the soldiers, and relieve the
king from his embarrassment. But, while making this
promise, he desired' the king not to take Epigenes on this
expedition. What could the king do?  He must either
grant the request of his favorite minister, and commit the
most rank injustice toward his officer, or, for want of funds,
abandon the entire expedition, and probably lose his throne
and kingdom. Hermias represented to the king, that as
Epigenes had disagreed in council, it would be dangerous
to have two such men in the army. Thus taking advantages of his own fault, he asks that the good counsellor be
dismissed, in order that the acknowledged bad counsellor
may be retained, The king yielded to the advice of his
minister, and ordered Epigenes to return to Apama. So
the soldiers were paid, and the army advanced. The officers were frightened into silence by the fate of their comrade, and dared not complain; while the soldiers were pleased




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            101
with a prime minister through whom they had received
their pay. Perhaps the king never troubled himself to
inquire how the prime minister had relieved him. But the
careful student in history will ask, fiom whence came the
funds to pay these soldiers? They were gathered from
the people of the land by the prime minister, by the most
terrible injustice and extortion. The whole country groaned
under his oppression, yet none dared to inform the king of
the wrongs that were practiced.
As the army moved toward the Euphrates, the mind of
Hermias must have been ill at ease. Should the campaign
prove unsuccessful, the responsibility of the failure would
rest upon him for having given bad advice in the onset,
and for having expelled an able general from the army.
He had left an enemy in the rear. Perhaps, in some outbreak of popular enthusiasm, that officer might be elevated
to power, and himself brought to punishment for his offenses.
He therefore resolved upon the destruction of Epigenes. A
conspiracy was formed between him and Alexis, governor
of Apama, for this purpose. A servant of the general is
bribed. A letter, purporting to be from Molo, thanking
him for the late disturbance and suggesting how he could
raise an insurrection, was slipped among his papers. Alexis
then paid a visit to Epigenes, and asked him if he had not
received a letter from Molo. The old veteran replied that
he had not, and was indignant at the suspicion of such a
thing. The governor informed him that he had orders to
examine his papers, which was accordingly done, and the
forged letter was found. Epigenes, by the governor's orders,
was immediately put to death, and the letter sent to Antiochus in the camp. " The righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart."  The simple-minded king, on the receipt
of the letter, had no doubt of its genuineness, nor of the
guilt of this faithful officer. But most of his council at




102            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
once suspected the trick, though, through fear of the prime
minister, they dared not tell him of it.
Antiochus now, with all his forces, crossed the Euphrates,
and, the season having expired, put his army into winter
quarters. Thus ended the year 221 B. C.
On the return of the spring, the army crossed the Tigris
and compelled Molo to come to an engagement, in which
his army was defeated and cut to pieces. So terribly was
Molo disheartened, that he committed suicide. Neolas,
another brother of the two rebels, fled from the army to
Persia, to Alexander, who was also in arms against Syria.
There they abandoned themselves to despair, on account of
the late defeat, and after having put to death their mother,
wives and children, destroyed themselves, rather than fall
into the hands of the implacable Hermias. Thus easily
were the affairs of Antiochus re-established in the East,
and the people quietly submitted to his authority. To fill
the cup of pleasure, about this time, a messenger arrived,
giving information that the queen had given birth to a son.
Hermias, not content with all his other evil deeds, now
conceived the idea of murdering the king. He reasoned
thus: If Antiochus were out of the way, the infant being
heir to the throue, would be put under the care of the prime
minister, who would thus have the entir% government in
his own hands for a long period of time. His insolence
had already rendered him odious to all men. The people
were crushed under the avarice and cruelty of his tyrannical rule, yet no one dared to inform the king of the oppression under which his people groaned. Although Antiochus
suspected that all was not right, and began to be in fear of
his own prime minister, yet with whom to consult or what
to say or do, he knew not. His lords and nobles were afraid
to counsel him, though they saw his perplexity. At length
Apollophanes, his physician, having occasion to meet the




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             103
king alone, informed him of the state of the country, of
the terrible wrongs and outrages practiced by the prime
minister, and of the fear of his noble and faithful officers
to inform him, lest they should experience the cruel revenge
of Hermias, as others had done.  He told the king that it
was evident that Hermias had some evil design toward him,
and warned him to remember the fate of his brother, and
beware. The king heard, believed, and was alarmed.
Apollophanes assured him that there was no time to be
lost. The king was thankful that he had one good and
faithful adviser. A plan of action was immediately devised
to get rid of this dangerous minister. Accordingly, the
king, with a very few attendants, retired a little distance
from the army, upon the pretense of being in ill health.
He required Hermias to accompany him, but without his
attendants, as the king required quiet and retirement.
Then taking a solitary walk with him, he caused Hermias
to be assassinated, on which account were great rejoicings,
both in court and camp. The whole realm rejoiced at his
fall.  In  Apama, this rejoicing burst out into acts of
violence, for the populace ran together, and in a tumultuous manner stoned to death his wife and children. Thus
retaliation becomes so often the aggressor, and wrongs reecho wrongs again. The king and his army soon returned
to the capital.
Antiochus had been deceived and abused by his prime
minister. His faithful subjects had been oppressed, and
some of his best officers put to death, and lie knew it not,
for he was a boy and the tool of a designing man. But he
had learned a lesson, and was a boy no longer. From this
time, he was a man of decision; he placed full confidence
in no one; he examined every thing, and deliberated every
question for himself. While he took counsel of others, he
exercised his own judgment. He observed carefully the




104             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
character and conduct of all his subordinate officers, and held
them to a strict account.  He was kind and paternal to all
his people, and protected them in their rights. He was
energetic and persevering in his ambitious enterprises, and
although sometimes defeated, was generally successful in his
campaigns.  This character was undoubtedly developed by
the misrule of the infiauous Herinias.
In 219 B. C., Antiochus had before him two great enterprises. The first of these was the recovery of Celosyria and
Palestine, which he attempted, and which ended in the battle
of Raphia.  Of this expedition and its results, I have given
an account in the history of Philopater.  The other enterprise was the reduction of Achaeus, who had rebelled against
him.  This expedition was commenced in 216 B. C., and
its results are given in a separate article, under the title of
Achaeus.
THIE WAR IN CELOSYRIA AND PALESTINE.
The first year after Antiochus ascended the throne, his counsellors advised him into a war with Philopater, for the possession of these provinces; he marched against Celosyria, where
Theodotus, an Aetolian officer, under Ptolemy, governed. This
faithful officer defended the province, repulsed the invaders,
and compelled Antiochus for the present to abandon the war.
While these things were transpiring in Asia, Ptolemy was
reveling with his profligate courtiers, in Alexandria, leaving
the care of his provinces to his faithful subjects. Theodotus
bad clone well for his king, but the licentious court persuaded
Ptolemy to believe that lie might have done better.  This
heroic officer was summoned into Egypt, to be tried for cowardice andl misconduct. Here, after suffering insult and contempt, abuse and reprimand, and threatened to be beheaded,
he was at last acquitted and sent back to his post.  What
can be expected from a government where profligacy runs




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             105
rampant, and faithfulness is rewarded with scorn and abuse?
Who will be faithful to Philopater in his next emergency?
Theodotus had seen the imbecility of the king, and the corruption of the court. He was disgusted with Egypt, and
although modest and unambitious, and willing to be a subordinate, he chose to serve a worthier master. Alas! how
many causes suffer, and are brought to the verge of ruin, by
the abuse of its best friends.
Rollin thus speaks of the influence of this visit to Egypt,
on the mind of Theodotus; " The luxury and effeminacy
of the whole court, to which he had been an eye-witness,
hightened still more his indignation and resentment. He
could not bear the idea of being dependent on the caprice of
so base and contemptible a set of people. And, indeed, it
would be impossible for fancy to conceive more abominable
excesses than those in which Philopater plunged himself
during his whole reign; and the court imitated but too exactly the example he set them. It was thought that he had
poisoned his father, whence he was, by antiphrasis, surnamed
Philopater.  He publicly caused Berenice, his mother, and
Magus, his only brother, to be put to death. After he had
got rid of all those who could neither give him good counsel
nor excite his jealousy, he abandoned himself to the most
infamous pleasures, and was solely intent on gratifying his
luxury, brutality, and the most shameful passions. His
prime minister was Sosibus, a man every way qualified for
the service of such a master as Philopater, and one whose
sole view was to support himself in power, by any means
whatsoever. The reader will naturally imagine, that in such
a court, the power of women had no bounds.
Theodotus could not bear to be dependent on such people,
and therefore resolved to find a sovereign more worthy of
his services. Accordingly, he was no sooner returned to his
government, than he seized upon the cities of Tyre and




106            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Ptolemais, declared for king Antiochus, and immediately
dispatched the courier to invite him thither.
The next year, Antiochus again commenced war upon
Egypt.  Evergetes in the preceding reign, twenty-seven
years previously, had taken the city of Seleucia, at the
mouth of the Orontes, some twenty miles below Antioch, and
established an Egyptian garrison in it. Antiochus was annoyed by having a foreign fortress at the seaport most convenient for his own capital. Having determined upon a war
with Philopater, he marched against Seleucia, besieged and
took the city, and expelled the Egyptian garrison. He next
invaded Celosyria.
This is a rich tableland, lying between the ridges of Lebanon and ante-Lebanon; its extent north and south is about
three hundred miles, and to the east about two hundred and
fifty miles, and lies in latitude from thirty-three to thirty-four
degrees north. It has a very fine climate, and is watered
by a number of small streams; one of which forms the
Leontes, which, issuing through the mountains, empties into
the sea at Tyre.'In this district are still to be seen the
splendid ruins of Balbeck. Against this province, the present campaign was directed. Theodotus, the Egyptian governor, still held possession.
His experience during the preceding year, and the ingratitude of Philopater, were not lost upon him; he therefore
notified Antiochus, that upon his approach the province
should be surrendered to him, which was accordingly done,
and Egypt lost a valuable territory by its abuse and ingratitude toward an able officer.
Nicolaus was in the vicinity with an army; he, however,
was unwilling to desert his Egyptian master; he laid siege
to Ptolemais, guarded the pass of Mount Lebanon, and somewhat harrassed the Syrians, but was ultimately compelled to
abandon all the posts along the coasts. Ptolemais, Tyre and




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             107
Damascus, with military stores and munitilns, and forty vessels were lost to Egypt. Antiochus contemplated invading
Egypt immediately, but it being the season of the overflowing of the Nile, he postponed this expedition; he, however,
spent the autumn in attacking the Castle of Dora, near
Mount Carmel. Nicolaus had fortified the place, and offered
such a resistance that the Syrians were unable to take it.
A truce for four months was agreed upon, and Antiochus
returned to Seleucia, and put his army into winter quarters.
Theodotus was made governor of all the places taken in this
campaign. Thus ended the year 219 B. C.
Antiochus was contemplating a war with Achmus, a revolted subject in Asia Minor, and was therefore desirous of
peace for the time being, with Ptolemy; on the other hand,
Philopater, who had not in person entered the field, but had
left all to his generals, was unprepared at present, to continue the war. The four months of truce were exhausted in
fruitless efforts to conclude a treaty of peace; not that either
contemplated peace — they only wished to gain time. The
points in debate were, how much and how many territories in
Asia were given to Egypt in the great partition, and how
much was reserved to Syria. The spring came and nothing
was concluded; the war, therefore, recommenced.
THE BATTLE OF RAPHIA.
Nicolaus, the Aetolian, had the command of the Egyptian
army, and Perigenes of the navy. Provisions were sent to
Gaza, where all the army made a rendezvous. From thence
INicolaus proceeded along the coast to Mount Lebanon, and
seized all the passes through which he supposed Antiochus
must cross, intending from his advantageous position, to
stop him. The fleet also sailed along the coast of Palestine
and Phoenicia.
The enemy were not idle. The Syrian fleet, commanded




108             THIE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
by Diogneius, cate out to meet the Egyptians on the sea,
while Antiochus put himself at the head of the land forces.
A battle was fought on the sea and on the land at the same
time, and but a short distance apart. At sea neither party
gained any great advantage, but on land the enemy entirely
routed Nicolaus, and drove him to retire to Sidon, after having
four thousand of his soldiers either killed or taken prisoners.
Perigenes and the Egyptian fleet also collected at Sidon.
Antiochus surrounded the place, both by sea and by land,
intending to besiege the city; but finding it a difficult task,
he sent his fleet into Tyre, and marched his army across the
mountains into Galilea, where all the region round about
that sea and in Gilead, on the east of Jordan, submitted to
his authority.'::
The winter coming on, nothing more was attempted that
season. Thus ended the year 218 B. C., and Ptolemy,
through his indolence, had lost every engagement. Still he
devoted himself to sensuality, and while his court abounded
in profligacy, left the defense of his country to his officers.
In the spring of 217, Philopater seemed to wake up from
his carousal, and stir up like a lion aroused for the conflict.
He put himself at the head of his army, and crossed over
the short desert of Shur, with seventy thousand foot soldiers,
five thousand horsemen and seventy-three elephants, with all
the munitions of war. He encamped at Raphia, between
Rhinoconuna and Gaza, and determined to await the arrival
of the foe, who was advancing. Antiochus marched against
him with a superior force of seventy-two thousand footmen,
six thousand horsemen and one hundred and two elephants,
and encamped at first about a mile and a half from Philopater, but afterward he came within three-quarters of a mile;
o This was the district occupied originally by the tribes of Reuben,
Gad and'Manasseh.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             109
here the two armies reposed for some time. Skirmishes
occurred daily between squads and individuals of the opposite parties, who met in their foraging to obtain wood and
water.
Theodotus, the Aetolian, thought this a good opportunity
to avenge himself on Ptolemy, for the insult offered some
years before. Favored by the darkness of the night, he
stole into his tent and attempted his assassination. Ptolemy
was absent, and Theodotus, by mistake, slew his physician,
supposing him to be the king, and then effected his escape.
At length the two kings resolved to try the results of a
battle, force against force; and dreadful was the conflict.
"The two kings rode from  one body to another, at the
nead of their lines, to animate their troops. Arsinoe, the
sister and wife of Ptolemy, was not content with exhorting
the soldiers to behave manfully, before the battle, but did
not leave her husband even during the engagement. The
issue of it was, that Antiochus at the head of his right wing,
defeated the enemy's left. But while hurried on by an
inconsiderate ardor, he engaged too warmly in the pursuit.
Ptolemy, who had been as successful in the other wing,
charged Antiochus' center in flank, which was then uncovered, and broke it before it was possible for that prince to
come to its relief. An old officer, who saw which way the
dust flew, concluded that the center was defeated, and accordingly made Antiochus observe it.
" But though he faced about that instant, he came too late
to amend his fault, and found the rest of his army broken
and put to flight. He himself was now obliged to provide
for his retreat, and retired to Raphia, and afterward to Gaza,
with the loss of ten thousand men killed, and four thousand
taken prisoners. Finding it would now be impossible for him
to maintain himself in that country against Ptolemy, he




110             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
abandoned all his conquests and retreated to Antioch, with
the remains of his army." -Rollin.
On arriving at home, Antiochus hastily sent an embassy,
desiring conditions of peace, for he feared a revolution among
his own people, who, since this defeat, had lost confidence in
him. Peace, by treaty, was now restored, and all Celosyria,
Phoenicia and Palestine, returned to their old masters, the
Egyptians.  Had Ptolemy been possessed of any ambition
or energy, he might have taken advantage of his late victory, and extended his empire, and so subdued Syria as to
have saved his kingdom from further trouble in that direction; but he cared more for luxury and effeminate pleasures
of idleness, than for the toils of the camp. Perhaps this is
not to be regretted; if princes will destroy somebody, they
may as well destroy themselves and their corrupt associates,
by intemperance, as their neighbors by war. It is questionable whether it is not better for mankind to have lazy,
intemperate kings like the boy-king of the frogs in the fable,
than to have kings, serpent-like, active and ambitious, who,
in war shed a vast amount of blood.  The inhabitants of
these Asiatic provinces preferred to be subjects of Egypt
rather than of Syria, and hastened with presents to pay submission to Ptolemy.
The reason for this preference is not very apparent; for
their partiality the Jews sometime afterward suffered severely.
" Ptolemy now made a trip through the conquered provinces, and visited their most important cities.  At first he
was quite pleased with Jerusalem, made oblations, and bestowed considerable gifts upon the temple, and offered sacrifice to the God of Israel.  From the book of Maccabees we
learn that he was not content with entering the outer court,
to which alone the Gentiles were admitted, but was determined to enter into the temple, even to the holy of the




TEE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             111
holies, to which none but the high priest alone was permitted
to enter; the whole body of the priests and the Levites
assembled to oppose the design, while the air was rent with
wailing, and all the places were filled with lamentations, lest
their holy temple should be defiled. This resistance but
increased the curiosity of Ptolemy, to see what was to be
seen. He therefore pushed his away through the guard of
the Jews, and was about to enter the most sacred retreat,
when he was smitten of God with sudden terror, which so
paralized him that he was carried off half dead. On account
of this accident which had befallen him, he became exceedingly exasperated toward the whole Jewish nation, and left
their city, threatening them with his vengeance.  The next
year he commenced a serious persecution against the Jews,
especially those of Alexandria, whom he endeavored to compel to worship the Gods of Egypt." -Rollin.
It is highly probable that Ptolemy had some difficulty
with the bigoted, obstinate Jews, at Jerusalem, but it is
hardly credible that the entire story, as above related, is
true; it is probably a Jewish fiction.
How fickle and inconstant the public mind! The Egyptians, who were well acquainted with the effeminacy of
Ptolemy, did not expect success in the war. They were,
therefore, surprised and confounded at his great victory at
the battle of Raphia; yet upon reflection, they murmured
that he did not prosecute more vigorously the war, after
gaining so great an advantage.  These murmurs at length
grew into an open rebellion, about 212 B. C., so that
Ptolemy, in closing the war with Syria that he might enjoy
ease, drew upon himself a civil war at home, which, after a
time, was quieted.  I am not aware that the particulars of
this civil war have been made a matter of record.
Let us now look a -little more closely into the court of
Egypt.  Ptolemy had married his own sister, Arsinoe, who




112             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
is also called Cleopatra.':  From  and after the triumphant
victory at Raphia, he abandoned himself more entirely to
sensuality, and his associates were the most corrupt and
licentious.  Agathoclea, his concubine, her brother, Agathocles, and their mother, ruled the king in every thing.
Day after day passed in dissolute banquets, and night after
night in the vilest debauches. Instead of attending councils of State, and of projecting measures for the good of
his people, he played upon instruments and presided at
concerts; instead of bestowing offices of trust upon men of
integrity and experience, he permitted the vilest women to
dispose of all employments and posts of honor in the government.  The prime minister was Sosibus, a corrupt old
officer, who had been in power from the early days of Ptolemy Philadelphus, and, with advancing years, had grown
the worse and not the better man; his highest ambition
was to please, by obeying the commands of a corrupt prince
and his vile courtezans, however unjust these commands
might be.  Arsinoe, the king's wife, who had, with him,
endured the fatigues of the camp, and contributed so much
to his success in the battle of Rtaphia, had no influence in
Ptolemy's court; grieved to see her place supplied by another, and herself treated with disrespect, she could do no
less than complain.  To hush these complaints, the king
directed Sosibus to get rid of her; who ordered one Philamimon to assassinate her, which was accordingly done.
The people at length became enraged at so many acts of
cruelty, and especially this last. They compelled Sosibus
to resign his office, which was conferred upon Hepolemus, a
0 About this time, the Romans sent a deputation to Ptolemy and his
queen, with presents which indicate the rude and simple state of society
at Rome at that time. The presents consisted of a robe, a purple tunic,
and an ivory chair; and, to the queen, of an embroidered robe and a
scarf.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            113
young man who had signalized himself in the army. He
continued to hold the office of prime minister until the death
of Ptolemy Philopater; but he possessed neither talent nor
experience requisite for his station. He was easily corrupted
by flattery, and was puffed up with pride and haughtiness
at his exaltation. Following the example of all around
him, he abandoned himself to profusion, luxury and intemperance.
Debauchery and excess had quite worn out the constitution of Philopater, which was naturally vigorous. He
ascended the throne in the twentieth year of his age, and
after a reign of seventeen years died, 204 B. C., and was
succeeded by his son, Ptolemy Epiphanes, then but five
years of age.
AC H E U S.
This young, heroic and unfortunate prince was the son of
Andromachus, brother of Laodicea, the queen of Seleucus
II., (Callinicus). Andromachus was himself a prisoner in
Egypt. When Seleucus III. (Ceraunus) ascended the throne
of his father, Syria was in a distracted state, and impoverished by unsuccessful wars with Egypt and the Eastern
provinces. Ceraunus was young and inexperienced just at
this time, and, encouraged by these misfortunes, Attalus,
king of Pergamos, and successor of Eumenes, the conqueror
of Hierax, not content with the bounds of his own kingdom,
was extending his empire all over Asia Minor.
Young Ceraunus and his counsellors found it necessary
to check the progress of this revolution, or they might soon
expect to see him, like Hierax in the preceding reign, aspiring to the throne of Syria. An army was collected, and
the king, accompanied by his cousin, Achoeus, crossed Mount
Taurus, and marched into Phrygia.  Ceraunus was without
funds, and the army without pay. Misfortune in this fallen
world is oftener punished than crime; and honest poverty
10




114             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
invites bold, bad men to the commission of evil deeds. Two
of the officers, Nicanor and Apaturus, conspired and poisoned Ceraunus, whom the soldiers despised because he could
not pay them. Achseus, being a man of energy and decision, might now easily have made himself their master,
and ascended the throne of Syria. Indeed, the army offered
him the crown; but, true and faithful to his trust, he quelled
the insurrection,"' executed the murderers of the late king,
and bestowed a crown upon Antiochus, the young brother
of Ceraunus.  We shall see, in the sequel, how his cousin
rewarded him for his fidelity.
Antiochus, at this time, was not fifteen years of age; he
had been sent by his brother, at the beginning of the war,
to Seleucia, in Babylonia, to be educated, where he was
when his brother died. Achseus having sent an officer and
part of the army to see the youthful heir fully and safely
established on the throne, retained the rest and toiled to
reduce the provinces of Asia Minor to the authority of
Syria, in which he was entirely successful; compelling
Attalus to confine himself to his original kingdom of Pergamos.
This very faithfulness was the primary cause of his ruin.
It was manifest to all, that Achoeus had done a great and
good service to the young king. Antiochus was surrounded
by a most wicked, dangerous set of ministers and nobles,
whose ill advice had cost him many a loss. These falsehearted wretches, to make a show of faithfulness, and at
the same time to disparage a man whose superior fidelity
and ability were a rebuke to their idleness and worthiness,
began to accuse Achteus of aspiring to make himself king
of all those provinces of Asia Minor which he had reclaimed,'-To comprehend a position of these States, it is desirable that the
reader should look upon a map of this region. In a history of Asia
Minor, I have given a more full account of these internal wars.




TIHE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            115
and of which he was, by appointment, the governor.  They
accused him of secret correspondence with Ptolemy, with
whom Antiochus was at war. How dangerous it is to be
more zealous, or more faithful, in any cause than one's fellows. Here is the secret of all the intrigues in political
circles. Here is the weakness of all civil government, that
the worthy and the faithful can not be endured by the evil
and the indolent, and are therefore, like Daniel, cast into
the lion's den.
It is only in times of extreme poverty and danger, that
good and true men can share in government, when there
is nothing to share but suffering and danger. We have
sometimes thought the government of these United States
an exception; but we are fast learning that men and governments are the same everywhere. When our government
was struggling for existence, or contending with a mighty
foe, good men endured the hardships, did the service and
blessed the nation: but now, in our pride and fullness, a
good man may as well leap into the den of lions as to ask
any favor of government; even the few good imen who have
been placed in office, not by the government, but by the
people of their own district, are treated with obloquy and
contempt, while the corrupt, bloated, idle villains, who hold
places and do nothing, or that which is worse than nothing,
are favored and exalted to the skies. Alas! the same
spirit and the same results are but too manifest in our
ecclesiastical organizations. The men of indolence and
small capacity receive large support, and are held in favor,
while the truly active, industrious and faithful are sure to
be contemned and crowded out of place.
Achkeus was, undoubtedly, innocent of all these charges
when they were first preferred. His fidelity to the youthful king, whom he might have destroyed, ought to have
been a sufficient pledge for his innocence. The evil




116            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
counsellors of Antiochus prevailed, and Achbeus was destined to fall. Apprised of this decision, it is not surprising
that the governor of Asia Minor and the saviour of the
king of Syria should be deeply sensible of this ingratitude, and should conclude that his former generosity had
been bestowed upon an unworthy object.
When Syria was in trouble, he saved her; when she was
in prosperity, she aimed to destroy him. Had this prince
been kindlv treated, he might and would have been of
great use to Antiochus in his subsequent extremities; but
being unjustly accused, and at the point of ruin, he had
but the alternative either to submit and die in his innocence, or resist, and thus commit the crime with which he
had been charged. As many others have been, he was
driven to become an enemy; he chose to save himself, if
possible, or perish in the attempt. He therefore assumed
the crown, and caused himself to be proclaimed king of
Asia Minor, B. C. 219.
THE BYZANTINE WAR.
The city on the beautiful island of Rhodes, situated near
the coast of Asia, was occupied by a free, independent people, mostly devoted to commerce; they sought to maintain
peace, while the nations around were engaged in war.
Thus Rhodes became rich through the folly of her neighbors. The Rhodian commerce extended into the Black
Sea. A great amount of trade was carried on with
the Bythynians, whose country lay on the south of that
sea, and in the north-west corner of Asia Minor. Both
nations were enriched by this commerce, and sustained
friendly relations with each other.
Ever since the death of Lysimachus, in the war with Seleucus and Ceraunus, Thrace had been dismembered: a large
part of its territory had been merged in that of Macedon.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             117
Bythynia and some other districts formed independent
governments; where now stands Constantinople, the proud
capital of the Turks, then stood Byzantium. This city
and a little territory in the vicinity, constituted a distinct
kingdom. Being situated on the strait that connects the
two seas, it commanded the pass; so that, without their
permission, no vessel could enter the Black, then called
Euxine Sea.
The power of the Byzantines formed a check upon the
trade of the neighboring nation, and about the time of
Ptolemy Philopater, in Egypt, of Antiochus the Great, in
Syria, and of Achoeus, in Asia Minor, that is about 219 B.
C., the Byzantines thought to exercise this power which
her position gave her.  She permitted no vessel to pass or
repass the Hellespont, but upon the payment of a heavy
tribute into her treasury.  This led to the Byzantine war.
Rhodes and Bythynia refused to pay the unreasonable demand, declared that the seas were made of God, and were
free; and united in a war against the city of the straits.
With an enemy on each side of her, cutting off her supplies, Byzantine found herself in the straits, indeed. Her
rulers, therefore, found means to engage Achmeus on their
side. Bythynia and Rhodes were perplexed to see the greatest captain of the age join with their foes, against what
they deemed to be their natural rights. The Bythynians,
an agricultural people, were discouraged, and almost ready
to abandon the effort; but the Rhodians, a commercial people, immediately thought of finance, and determined to
drive a bargain. A singular article of commerce was devised, and brought into market to change the fates of war.
Rhodes had great trade with Egcrypt, and was on the best
of terms with Philopater. In Alexandria lay Andromachus,
the father of Achamus, a prisoner, taken by the father of the
present Ptolemy in a war against the father of the present




118            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Antiochus.  The Rhodians sagaciously saw the advantage,
and represented to Ptolemy, that when Andromachus was
taken prisoner he was fighting for Syria, but that now his
son was the most dangerous foe of this country. Ptolemy
was himself not at peace with Antiochus; to restore Andromachus and aid Acheus, was but to aid himself against
Syria.  At the same time the friendship of Rhodes was of
great value to him in his possession of Cyprus and Phoenicia.
The advantage was seen to be mutual. Achoeus had more
to fear from his cousin Antiochus, than from all other foes;
it was therefore his interest to be at peace and on good terms
with Ptolemy; but neither had seen these advantages until
the commercial Rhodians had pointed them out to the opposite parties.  Achoeus and Egypt were enemies merely from
habit, not from any motives or policy. A bargain was concluded, and the two were ever after friends.  The Rhllodians
receive the prisoner, Andromachus, and deliver him to his son
Achbus, who deserts the Byzantines, aids the Bythynians and
the Rhodians, and compels the city of the Straits to permit
the vessels to pass and repass undisturbed.  Here again is
another among the unnumbered examples of the power of
foreign commerce to bless the nations, sheath the sword and
lull the elements of strife into peace and tranquility.
The war of Antiochus with Ptolemy, kept him employed
until after the battle of Raphia, and the year which followed,
so that, he was not prepared until the year had elapsed to
disturb Achbeus, who, during the time had fortified himself,
and made preparations for the threatened invasion, which
commenced in 216, B. C. Antiochus passed MIount Taurus,
as his brother and father had done before him, to subdue
Asia Minor. He concluded a treaty of peace with Attalus,
king of Pergamos. Their forces uniting, were successful
against Achaeus, and after various battles, compelled him to
retreat into Sardis, where he shut himself up and was closely




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.               119
besieged by the united forces, for the space of one year.
Skirmishes, however, and small battles frequently occurred
between the contending forces. At length the city was taken
by a stratagem  of Lygonus, an officer of Antiochus, and
Acheus, with a number of soldiers, was closely surrounded
in citadel or fortress, where they still resisted and refused to
surrender.  Ptolemy Philopater had made a treaty with
Achoeus, and was now disturbed to see him so closely besieged. He therefore directed Sosibus, his prime minister,
if possible to relieve him  or effect his escape.  In the court
of Ptolemy was a man by the name of Bolus, a Cretan by
birth, famous for his intriguing, cunning, craft and falsehood,
as indeed are all the Cretans.  "The Cretans are always
liars, evil beasts, and slow bellies." - Titus i: 12.
To Bolus, Sosibus applied, to know if he could not effect
the deliverance of Achmeus. The Cretan promised to do the
required deed, and received ten talents in advance, as compensation, with promise of much more if successful.
His plan was as follows; He had an intimate friend and
near relation in the army of Antiochus, Cambylis, another
lying Cretan, and captain of a band of Cretan guards, who
at that time had command of a fort just back of the citadel,
where Acheus was confined.  By the aid of this friend, he
expected to let Achoeus escape on that side.  Bolus repaired
to Sardis, found his friend Cambylis, and explained the
nature of his mission.  As they were working for pay, they
were hired to deceive; they little cared which party they
deceived or which they betrayed, so that they were well paid
for the fraud. The liars therefore proceeded to Antiochus,
and explained the whole affair to him, who offered them a
still greater reward to finish their work in a little different
manner. Bolus then repaired to the citadel, where, by means
of letters from  Sosibus, and other friends of Acheus, he
gained complete and perfect confidence of the unfortunate




120            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
prince, and led him out to the department of captain Cambylis. The confiding and deceived Achoeus was delivered up
to Antiochus, who ordered him to be immediately beheaded.
Thus ended the war of Achmus, and thus by the order of
Antiochus, perished a great man to whom that monarch was
in debt for his crown and kingdom. It is unsafe to do good
to kings and prince, for they are ever desirous to wipe out
the recollection of their obligation by the destruction of their
benefactors. I can not agree with Rolin that this was a just
fate of a rebel against his king-it was a rebellion of a king
against his subject. Achveus was driven to take up arms in
defense of himself and his rights against an ungrateful monarch. The day of righteous retribution will overtake him, as
the reader will learn in the the ultimate fate of Antiochus.
EGYPT-PTOLEMY  EPIPHANES, B. C. 207.
The great centers of attraction in the life of Epiphanes,
were at Antioch, in Macedon and in Greece, while Egypt
became secondary in importance. The record of a few events
only comprises the history of Egypt during his reign.
When Ptolemy Philopater died, worn out by excesses, his
court was still filled with the corrupt creatures who had continually surrounded him, ministered to his dissipation, and
thus hastened him out of the world. How, in what state of
mind, or in what manner he expired, is not known; no one
being present except his infamous concubine, Agathoclea, her
brother and mother, who had entire possession of the king's
person, and of the infant heir, whose mother had been previously assassinated. They concealed for a time the fact of
the king's death, until they could provide for themselves, by
purloining the money, jewels and other effects in the palace.
These they carried off and concealed, and then coming




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.               121
forward with the child, announced his majesty's death, and
declared that the late royal father, in his expiring moments,
had committed the darling son to the care of Agathoclea,
during his minority.  They implored the people to protect
them  against the prime minister, Hepolemus, who, they
asserted, was preparing to destroy the child, and usurp the
crown.  They proposed to introduce witnesses to prove the
treason. The object of all this false show with regard to
the infant, and false accusation against the prime minister,
was that they, by having the care of the young king might
still sustain in power, and hold the reins of government
during the minority of the prince, who was now but about
five years of age. The people saw too plainly the artifice
and iniquity of these corrupt creatures. Instead of destroying the prime minister, as they had hoped, the king was
taken out of their hands and put upon a throne, in the Hyppodrome, and Agathocles, his sister and mother were brought
before him; then as if by his orders, were immediately put
to death, and their bodies dragged through the streets, and
exposed to every possible indignity; all their friends were
also executed.
Upon this summary process Rollin remarks: " The usual
and just end of those unworthy favorites, who abuse the confidence of their sovereign and oppress the people, but which
does not effect the reformation of those who resemble them."
I do not entirely agree with that author in-this reflection.
It is true that this is the usual fate of such persons. When
multitudes have been long oppressed by wicked creatures in
power, and when their wishes and rights are set at defiance,
they feel deeply indignant, and if ever the power of retaliation returns into their hands, they over-act and hurl a terrible revenge upon their unjust rulers. Such an exhibition of
revenge is seen in the first revolution of France, in the rising
of the masses against their titled, corrupt and oppressive
11




122             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
nobility. Such by an inevitable law of human destiny,
will ultimately be the fate of the rulers of our own land,
should they, forgetting their high and responsible position,
be induced by intrigue and management, to sell the liberties
of this country, and set at defiance the will of the whole people.  Wo worth the day when a righteous retribution shall
overtake an oligarchy of oppressive rulers. But I can not
agree with Rollin, that this was a just fate of these corrupt
courtesans. They had erred —who caused them to err. The
king, theman clothed with power, sustained by that people who
now revenge the victims of that same government, which, in
this very act, they were attempting to repudiate. It still remains true, that the people are responsible for the form, and
must suffer for the faults of their government. If the government of this land shall set at defiance the wish of the great
mass of the people, and rob them  of their liberty, it will be
by the instrumentality of the people themselves, who, by wilfully adhering to clans and parties, clothe corrupt men with
power, and thus furnish the weapons of their own destruction. What good could result by the barbarous execution
of all their friends, or dragging their dead bodies through
the streets? Certainly none to the victims, and Rollin himself admits that others like them are not reformed by such
fate. W- ould it not have contributed more to the morality,
peace and prosperity of all others, if these creatures had
been silently removed from the possibility of doing further
harm, and some check devised upon the then forming government, to prevent the repetition of such flagrant abuses.
A little specimen of woman's rights authority was exhibited about this time.  Queen Arsinoe, it will be recollected, hadl some years before been assassinated, and this
Agathoclea had occupied the king's bed in her place.  The
queen had been attended by ladies of honor who were greatly
attached to that unfortunate princess, and who grieved for




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              123
her cruel fate.  About the time of the death of Agathocles
and friends, Philammon, the murderer of Arsinoe, who had
been absent to Cyrenia, returned to Alexandria. These
ladies of honor having heard of his return, determined on
revenge, and took advantage of the excited state of affairs.
Collectively they repaired to the house where he was, and
broke open the door, and with clubs and stones beat him to
death. Was this just? What had he done? He had assassinated the queen, but it was by an order of the prime minister, at the command of the king.  Had he not then just
the same authority for his act that any sheriff has when he
executes a convict either publicly or within the walls of a
prison?
In either case it is murder by authority. Can one murder
justify another? Indeed, every assassin who is hired to
murder acts by the authority of some one or more, possessed
of power.  How  great a power it requires to constitute
righteous authority to take life, it is impossible to determine.
The young king for the time being was committed to
Sosibus, a son of the former minister of that name. At this
time Philip was on the throne of Macedon, and Antiochus the
Great still reigned in Syria.  When these monarchs heard
of the death of Philopater, and that he had left only an
infant heir to the throne, they entered into an agreement for
the ruin of the kingdom and a partition of the inheritance.
In the language of Nicolas, the sick man was dead, and
they were for attending the funeral. Philip was to have
Carl, Lydia, Cyrenia and Egypt, while the king of Syria
was to have Palestine, Celosyria and Cyprus, with Cilicia.
Antiochus immediately took possession of Celosyria and
Palestine, without opposition or hindrance; but Philip was
so occupied with war in other directions, that he never found
time to take possession of his share of the spoils.
New actors now appear on the stage-the fourth beast of




124            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Daniel is rising out of the sea - Rome began to interest
herself in the affairs of Greece and Macedon. Being annoyed by some of the movements of Aintiochus, they were
determined not to permit Egypt to fall into his hands.
They therefore spread the mantle of theiiwprotection over
the infant king.  AEmilianus, a Roman consul, proceeded
to Egypt, regulated affairs in the best possible manner,
and appointed one Aristomenes prime minister, and to have
the care and education of the king. This officer had long
been in Egypt, had acquired great experience, and now
administered the government with diligence, prudence and
fidelity.
Aristomenes immediately set about the recovery of Palestine and Celosyria. The tEtolians of Greece were, in
these days, esteemed the best soldiers in the world. They
were accustomed to sell their services to other nations.
Scopas, one of their generals, not being appointed to the
highest command, as he desired, had retired into Egypt
and engaged in the service of its king. Him Aristomenes
sent back to iEtolia, with a large sum of money, to raise
an army, from whence he returned with six thousand brave
soldiers. This was about the year 200 B. C. In the spring
and summer, 199, Antiochus was employed in a war with
Attalus, in Asia Minor. The administration of Egypt took
advantage of that fact, and sent Scopas, with his army,
into Asia, who soon recovered Palestine and Celosyria, with
their most important cities. He established a garrison in
the citadel of Jerusalem, and, after plundering the provinces of a large amount of spoil, on the approach of winter
returned to Alexandria. For this successful guerrilla expedition against this peaceful, unoffending, non-resisting people, he gained great credit and renown. The real cause of
his success, was the absence of Antiochus.
The next year, B. C. 198, the king of Syria marched in




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            125
person to recover the lost provinces, and Scopas was again
sent to resist him. The two armies met at Paneas, near
the source of the river Jordan. Here a great battle was
fought, and a great number of Egyptian soldiers slaughtered. Scopas retreated with ten thousand soldiers, and shut
himself closely up in Sidon. Antiochus surrounded him,
both by sea and land, and cut off all his supplies. The
government at Alexandria sent out three generals and an
army to relieve him, and to break up the siege, which they
were not able to accomplish. Being upon the point of
starvation, Scopas finally, upon promise of having his life
spared, surrendered, but with the loss of every thing else,
and Rollin says he returned naked.
After the siege of Sidon had closed, he marched along
the coast and besieged Gaza. The inhabitants defended
themselves obstinately and bravely for a time, which greatly
exasperated him; but ultimately having taken the city, he
devoted the inhabitants to butchery and their treasury to
plunder. Then securing all the passes, through which he
supposed an Egyptian Army might follow him, and, turning backward, he recovered all Palestine and Celosyria.
Rollin, upon the authority of Josephus, gives us the two
following accounts:
" The instant the Jews, who at that time had reason to
be displeased with the Egyptians, knew that Antiochus was
advancing toward their country, they came very zealously
to meet him, and deliver up the keys of their cities; and
when he came to Jerusalem, the priests and elders came
out to meet him, paid him all kinds of honor, and assisted
him in driving out of the castle the soldiers which Scopas
had left in it. In return for these services, Antiochus
granted them a great many privileges, and enacted, by a
particular decree, that no stranger should be allowed access
to the inner part of the temple — a provision which seemed




126            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
visibly to have been made on account of Philopater's
attempt, who would have forced his way thither. Antiochus, in his Eastern expedition, had received so many
services from the Jews of Babylon and Mesopotamia, and
depended so much on their fidelity, that when a sedition
broke out in Phrygia and Lydia, he sent two thousand
Jewish families to quell it, and keep the country in peace,
and granted them a variety of extraordinary favors."
This account of the partiality of Antiochus for the Jews
may be true; but I doubt it much, as it rests entirely upon
the authority of a Jewish writer exceedingly partial toward
that people, very much given to writing long and incredible stories about them. The Jews, so far from being quiet
peace-makers, have, in every age, been famous for turbulence and rebellion.'And he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her, but she shall not stand on his side, neither
shall she be for him."-Daniel. And Antiochus shall give
his daughter to the king of Egypt, that she might treacherously betray Egypt into his hands; but she shall not
stand on her father's side, neither be for him; for she, as
a true and faithful wife, shall adhere to the interest of her
husband. Antiochus had not yet closed his wars in Asia
Minor; he decided, therefore, not to be again annoyed by
Egypt. To quiet all apprehensions in that quarter, he proposed to the council in Egypt to give his own daughter,
Cleopatra, in marriage to the youthful king, with Palestine and Celosyria for her dowry, with the condition that
the parties should not come together for a number of years,
on account of their ages, Epiphanes then being but eleven
years old. This was a measure of policy. He hoped, in
this manner, to keep Egypt quiet until he could extend his
empire, and become sufficiently powerful to do as he pleased.
He could then either break off the engagement, or, if too




THE KINGDOM OF IBRASS.            127
late, through his daughter, Egypt might be betrayed and
delivered into his hands. The administration at Alexandria did not discern his policy, but readily accepted the offer,
and Cleopatra became the affianced bride of the youthful
king of Egypt, and Antiochus was permitted to push forward his ambitious scheme undisturbed. He however never
realized the advantage he expected to derive from the marriage of his daughter, for Cleopatra faithfully adhered to
the interests of Egypt - administered the government, for
a time, after her husband's decease, and transmitted the
crown to her sons: thus fulfilling the words of the prophet.
After the retreat from Sidon, Scopas was again placed at
the head of the army of foreigners in Alexandria. Contemplating the distracted state of affairs in Egypt and the
youthfulness of the monarch, he conceived the idea of raising himself to the throne. He, with his IEtolian guards,
conspired to assassinate the king, and usurp the reigns of
government; but before their plans could be matured, they
came to the knowledge of their prime minister, by whom
Scopas was arrested, and he with all his associates were publicly executed. A rumor had gone out that Epiphanes was
actually slain. Antiochus, who was then near Byzantium,
wheeled suddenly and marched to invade Egypt; but, on
arriving at Lydia, he learned his mistake. From this time
Egypt ceased to confide in iEtolian soldiers, who had previously been celebrated for their fidelity.
In 187, Antiochus died, and was succeeded by his son,
Philopater.  On the same year, a son was born to Ptolemy
Epiphanes by his wife, Cleopatra, who afterward ascended
the throne of his father with the name of Philometor.
Egypt celebrated this birth with great splendor and rejoicings. In 184, which was the year after this event, Ptolemy
Epiphanes assumed the reigns of government, and commenced his course by pursuing most discreet and prudent




128             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
measures, guided by the counsels of Aristomenes, who still
held the office of prime minister; he renewed the alliance
with the Achaeans and other nations, and gave promise of
an able and efficient reign.
The smiling tokens of future good were like the bright
rays of the rising sun, soon, alas! to pass behind a cloud
and be succeeded by a day of storms. The wise and just
counsels of the prime minister, which foreshadowded so much
good, at length became irksome to the young ardent king,
who now relapsed into the footsteps of his father, and devoted
himself to sensuality.  The flatteries of corrupt courtiers
caused him to err in the injudicious appointments of officers
of trust, and the disposal of the recesses of government.
Aristomenes faithfully counseled, warned and urged, until
good counsel became so obnoxious that the king delivered
himself from its annoyance, by causing his faithful monitor
to be poisoned, about the year 184.
" Justice has fallen in the streets, and truth can not enter.
He that departeth from evil, maketh himself a prey."
From that time Epiphanes treated his subjects with the
greatest cruelty, and abandoned himself to every excess.
The nobility and people, worn out by his tyranny and indiscreet conduct, began to plot for his removal, and had well
nigh matured their measures when their intentions came to
the knowledge of the king. He immediately appointed, for
prime minister, Polycrates, a man of firmness and decision,
by whose counsel he was enabled to quiet the rebellion.
He persuaded the chief movers in the affair, under solemn
promises of personal safety, to submit to him; then breaking
his engagement, after treating them with every imaginable
cruelty, caused them to be put to death. This breach of
faith and barbarity stirred up the second rebellion; but by
the skill and discretion of Polycrates, this was in like manner quelled.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             129
Some time after this difficulty, Epiphanes conceived the
idea of invading Seleucus, of Syria. His officers inquired
of him, by what means he expected to raise the money for
the expedition. He replied that his friends were his treasury.
They well remembered his past cruelty, treachery and entire
disregard for the rights of the people, and presumed that he
intended rapaciously to rob and destroy them; they therefore determined on a third rebellion, to save themselves and
deliver Egypt. This time the king was poisoned, and they
were successful.  Thus perished Ptolemy Epiphanes at
twenty-nine years of age, having been nominally king
twenty-four years.
He died 108 B. C., leaving two sons and a daughter, Philo
Metor, Phsycon and Cleopatra.
GREAT EXPEDITION OF ANTIOCHUS IN THE EAST.
The ancient Persian empire had been constituted by the
union of several different States, among which were Media,
Elam and Parthia. After the death of Alexander, Persia
was again resolved into its original divisions, each separate
State being subject to a governor, appointed by the kings of
Syria.
Parthia had revolted from the Syrians, and established an
independent kingdon. Arsaces was their first king, and his
son, of the same name, had succeeded to the throne. Taking
advantage of the wars in the west, the Parthians soon after
the suppression of Molo's revolt, had invaded Media, and
annexed it to their own kingdom.
Antiochus having regulated the affairs of his kingdom,
and subdued Acheus, in Asia Minor, commenced a grand
expedition to the east, B. C. 212, not only to recover Media,
but to invade other countries in that vicinity. Of the wealth
and splendor of ancient Media, authors speak in extravagant
terms.




130             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
"This country,"'  says Polybius, "is the most powerful
kingdom in all Asia, as well for its extent as for the number
and strength of its armies, and the great quantity of horses
it produces. Media furnished all Asia with these beasts,
and its pastures are so good that the neighboring monarchs
send their studs there. Ecbatana is its capital. The edifices of this city surpass in richness and magnificence all
others in the world. The king's palace is seven hundred
fathoms around. Though all the wood-work was of cedar
and cypress, yet no joining, even in the least piece of timber
was visible. The beams, the ceilings and columns, which
sustain the porticoes and piazzas, were covered with silver or
gold plate, and all the tiles were of silver. The greatest
part of these materials had been carried off by the Macedonians, under Alexander the Great, and the balance plundered by Antigonus and Seleucus Nicator. Nevertheless
when Antiochus entered this kingdom, the temple of AEnea
was still surrounded with gilted columns, and the soldiers
found in it a great number of silver tiles, a few golden
brick, and a great many of silver. All this was converted
into specie, and stamped with the image of Antiochus, the
whole amounting to four thousand talents, equal to three
millions of dollars.
Between Syria and the interior of Media, lies a barren,
sandy desert. Antiochus having devoted the first year to
the recovery of Media, and spent the winter at the temple
of iEnea, marched with his army across this desert, to
attack the Persians in their capital. Arsaces was not surprised that Antiochus advanced as far as the temple, but had
not supposed that he would advance with his army across a
barren, sandy desert, where no water could be found upon
the surface.  It is related that the ancient Persians had constructed acqueducts from Mount Taurus to a fountain in the
midst of this desert underground, and that from this foun



THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             131
tain other acqueducts conducted it all through the desert;
and that there were secret wells communicating with these
acqueducts. Arsaces had sent men to stop the fountains of
water, and cause the army of Antiochus to perish in the
desert, but in vain; for Antiochus anticipating this movement, sent a detachment of his soldiers, who succeeded in
beating back the Parthians and taking possession of the
fountains.  He soon after entered and subdued all Media,
driving Arsaces entirely out of it. The remainder of the
year was devoted to regulating the provinces, and preparing
for future campaigns.
The next year was occupied in the successful subjugation
of all Parthia. Arsaces was forced to retire into Hyrcania,
on the east of the Caspian sea, where he thought he should
be undisturbed. But the following year, 209, Antiochus
invaded Hyrcania, marched through the country and besieged Seringis, the capital. After making a breach in the
walls he took the city by storm, when the inhabitants surrendered at discretion. Arsaces retired from Seringis in
good order, re-collected his' army, consisting of one hundred
and twenty thousand foot and twenty thousand horsemen,
and so successfully resisted and harrassed Antiochus, that at
length terms of peace were considered, and finally, in 208
agreed upon. By these terms Arsaces was to retain possession of Parthia and Hyrcania, and was to assist Antiochus
in the recovery of the other revolted provinces. East of
Hyrcania was another small kingdom called Bactra. This
country had been invaded and subdued by Alexander the
Great, and had generally been considered a dependency of
Syria, since that time. Some time previous to these events,
Theodotus, who had been appointed governor of Bactria,
had revolted from Syria, and set up his own independent
throne, which he had transmitted to his son, who was
subsequently invaded and dethroned, by one Euthydemus,




132            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
who was now king in his place. Against Euthydemus
Antiochus next turned his arms, in 207 B. C. After a
long and fruitless effort to subdue Bactriana, negotiations
were opened. The agents of Euthydemus represented to
Antiochus, that Bactra had revolted a long time ago; that
Syria had made no effort to recover possession; that the
original rebels were not now in possession of it; that the
present occupant of the throne had acquired it by conquest,
not from Syria, but from the rebels, and that the present
king had never been subject to Antiochus, but was the rightful sovereign of the country, and that, for these reasons, the
present invasion was entirely unjust. It is scarcely possible
that the justice of the plea had any effect on Antiochus, at a
time when all claims of dominion rested upon a successful
conquest. But the embassadors of Euthydemus presented
a still more powerful argument.  The Scythians, a war-like
people, on the north, inhabiting the hills and the wild plains
of Tartary, were watching the progress of this war, and
rejoiced to see the parties weakening themselves. So soon
as they should be sufficiently reduced this terrible people
would fall upon Bactriana and possess it for themselves.
Antiochus saw the force of this argument, and a peace was
therefore concluded.  All the elephants of Euthydemus were
to be given to Antiochus, and a future marriage agreed upon
for the son of the king of Bactriana, and the daughter of
the king of Syria. Antiochus was at this time about thirtyone years of age, and had been married about fifteen years.
He next crossed Mount Caucassus and entered India, with
whose king he concluded a treaty, established his authority
in Arachosia, Drangiana and Carmania, and spent the winter
in that mild climate.
In 205 he returned through Persia, Babylonia and Mesopotamia, and arrived at Antioch in safety, having spent
seven years in this expedition, which had been crowned with




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             133
so great success.  Success - that is, in destroying a great
number of human beings, distracting and impoverishing
the world, and depriving many small kingdoms of their
right to govern themselves, that upon their ruins he might
build one great empire and rule over many people, without
regard to the happiness of society or the prosperity of the
human race. Success in war signifies success in diminishing the happiness and increasing the sufferings of mankind, as if the world had not sorrow enough without such
aid.
A little after this time, he received intelligence of the
death of his old and familiar enemy, Philopater, the hero
of Raphia.
The further history of Antiochus is so blended with those
of Greece, Macedon and Rome, that it will be suspended
until we can take a hasty survey of the state of affairs
in those countries.
MACEDON.
Demetrius, king of Macedon, died B. C. 232, leaving a
youthful son, Philip. Antigonus, a distant relation, was
appointed guardian, and soon after married the widow, the
mother of Philip. He immediately assumed the throne,
which he held twelve years to the exclusion of the legitimate heir. He was often engaged in the affairs of the
Greeks, which involved him in several wars. It is impossible to give any definite idea of these wars, without involving the general history of Greece, which would be foreign
to our purpose; a few sketches only is all that I shall now
give.
GREECE.
The larger and smaller peninsula south of Macedon, was
the home of the once mighty people, the Greeks, whose
valor in arms, whose wisdom in council, whose excellence




134             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
in literature and philosophy, have been extolled by all sueceeding generations.  Greece, from the earliest times, had
been composed of several States, holding at one period some
relation to each other, and at others at war with each other,
and still at others united in war for the common defense.
Their former government was so variable, that, to describe
it, would require the entire history of that people. Macedon, although in the immediate vicinity, and a colony
originally planted by Greeks, was not considered any part
of Greece. From the time of Philip, the father of Alexander the Great, if not earlier, the Macedonian monarchs
had been desirous of bringing the States of Greece under
their control, not only to gratify their ambition, but to subvert their republican forms of government; because every
independent State and free city in their vicinity rebuked
royal tyranny. Antigonus had been very much exposed to
the fatigues of war, which had brought on a consumption.
He gained a victory over the Illyrians, and his excess of
joy on that occasion caused the rupture of a blood vessel,
in consequence of'which he soon after died, B. C. 220.
PHILIP, SON OF DEMETRIUS, B. C. 220
Achaia, one of the Grecian States, lying in the north part
of Morea, had, by internal strifes, become reduced to the
lowest possible condition.  At length the Achoean league
was formed, by which these difficulties were healed, and the
State revived and prosperity again began to smile upon
them. Ultimately several of the other States joined the
league, while others refused to do so. Wars were frequent
between the confederate and non-confederate States.  The
exact cause of these wars it is difficult to determine, except
in so far as a predisposition to quarrel, made any little difficulty a sufficient pretext to gratify that disposition. The
Achvean.s being somewhat in fear of their enemies, applied




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             135
to the Macedonians for aid against the States that had not
joined in the league. The Greeks ought to have understood that the invitation of a foreign king, though it might
afford for the time some relief, would, in the end, entirely
subvert all Greece, and place them under foreign masters.
The first interference seems to have been by Antigonus,
about the year 225 B. C. After his death, the same invitation was sent to Philip, which he accepted, and which
resulted in the war of the league. The /Etolians were the
instigators and chief promoters of this war. Of this people, Rollin thus speaks:
"The AEtolians, particularly in the time we are now
speaking of, were becoming a very powerful people in
Greece. Originally their territories extended from the
river Achelous to the straits of the Gulf of Corinth, and
the country of the Locrians, surnamed Ozolse. But, in process of time, they had possessed themselves of several cities
in Acamania, Thessaly, and other neighboring countries.
They had much the same life upon land that pirates do at
sea, that is, they were perpetually engaged in plunder and
rapine.  Wholly bent on lucre, they did not consider any
gain as infamous, and were entire strangers to the laws
of peace or war. They were thoroughly inured to toil,
and intrepid in battle."
In this war, each party alternately invaded each country, burned their cities, robbed their treasures, murdered
their inhabitants and desecrated their temples, took and
lost many important posts, until wearied with their efforts
they stopped to take breath, after having consumed five
years in the war to no purpose, and aiming at the attainment of no definite object.
All this while, the inhabitants of Rhodes and Chios were
using their kindest influences and their utmost endeavors
to persuade these parties to sheath the sword, and be at




136             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
peace. About this time was fought the famous battle of
taphia, between Ptolemy Philopater and Antiochus. Hannibal, the Carthagenian general, having crossed the Alps,
descended upon Italy.  At length Plhilip called a council,
to deliberate upon terms of peace.  The ambassadors of
Rhodes and Chios were urging this measure, and the iEtolians sincerely desired peace.  While Philip professed the
same desire, he secretly inclined to continue the war until
all Greece should have become so impoverished that he
could entirely subject them to his own will. How much
it is to be regretted that rulers and monarchs, in both
ancient and modern times, are so slow to learn their true
policy and their true interest. Instead of exhausting their
treasury in bloody campaigns to extend their dominion over
fallen territory, after'first ruining it so as to render it
scarcely worth possessing, if they should direct their attention and their ambition to developing the resources already
possessed, to secure the peace, prosperity, happiness and
intelligence of the people, they would receive greater revenue and greater honor, and rule over more subjects and
more wealth, though upon less acres of ground. He who,
within a State, by peaceful means causes two bushels of
corn to grow, instead of one - two spears of grass to spring,
instead of one - two families to find employment and gain
subsistence, instead of one - two yards of cloth to be manufactured, instead of one —has done more for the wealth,
honor and defense of his State, than if, by foreign conquest,
he had thribbled its territory.  Had this sound political
maxim been received and followed, seas of blood that have
been shed might have been saved.
While the council above referred to was in session, a
courier from Macedonia arrived and placed a letter in the
hands of Philip, informing him that the Romans had lost
a great battle in Tuscany, and that Hannibal was master




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            137
of all the open country of Italy. Philip handed the letter
to his friend Demetrius, with a strict charge to communicate its contents to no one. The importance of this intelligence may not at first be apparent to the reader. Rome
and Carthage were the two great powers of the West.
They had been some time engaged in a war with each
other; yet this fact seems to have attracted no great attention in the East until this time. It now became apparent
that one or the other of these great nations must be overcome, and the fall of one and the triumph of the other,
whichever it might be, would materially affect the balance of power throughout the world. Demetrius saw, at a
glance, the importance of the recent intelligence, although
he knew not how to make a proper use of it.
The narrow Adriatic sea above, separated the territory
of Rome from Greece, Epirus and Macedon. Demetrius
believed that Rome was fitted to fall and become a prey
to foreigners. Should it be given to Carthage, or should
Macedon possess a share of it? He immediately drew
Philip aside from the council, inflamed his youthful ambition with schemes of conquest, and urged him to strike for
glory and universal fame. He urged the king immediately
to settle all difficulties with Greece, unite his forces with
those of Hannibal, and invade Rome. He represented to
him that Greece might be easily overcome, if any of the
States did not voluntarily submit after he should have
extended his empire in the West and gained invincible
power.
Demetrius had personal ends to gain in this advice. He
had formerly been king in the little island called Pharos,
in the north-east part of the Adriatic sea. For some of his
piratical doings, the Romans had invaded and taken from
him his island and city, from which he had fled a fugitive,
and entered the service of Philip. A desire for revenge,
12




138            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
though often buried in the rubbish of other cares, seldom
dies; and will often break forth again when a fitting opportunity presents, with increased intensity, though with more
cool, deliberate purpose. Nothing could be more gratifying to the feelings of Demetrius, than to see the Macedonian arms invading and devastating territories of Rome.
He might even hope to be again king of Pharos.
Philip was still young, yet he had acquired some experience. He had been deceived and betrayed by counsellors,
whom he punished according to the merit of their treason;
but he had not yet learned to suspect the motive of his
present counsellor. He saw nothing in the advice of Demetrius, but devotedness to his own personal aggrandizement. He eagerly caught at the bait, and determined on
war with Rome. That was an unfortunate decision; from
that time his fortunes paled, and a dark cloud cast its
shadow over the Macedonian empire, portentous of the
coming storm that should ultimately sweep away the last
remains of the Kingdom of Brass.
A council of negotiation was appointed at Naupatum,
composed of delegates from the different States of Greece
and Macedon, which resulted in a treaty of peace, which
was to be perpetual; but which, nevertheless, continued
but a few years.
Philip next sent ambassadors to Hannibal to propose a
treaty of mutual cooperation against Rome. These ambassadors, by accident, fell into the hands of the Romans.
With great adroitness and deceit, they represented that
they had been sent by Philip to conclude a treaty of peace
with the Romans. Their statement was believed, and an
escort was given to conduct them safely to Rome. They,
however, made their escape and fled to the camp of Hannibal. A treaty was concluded and reduced to writing, in
which it was stipulated that the Roman possessions should




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             139
be divided between them. The ambassadors, with others
from Hannibal, now attempted their return to Philip, but
were again intercepted and carried to Rome, where the lie
would not a second time answer their purpose. The Carthaginians were recognized by their personal appearance,
dress and language; and upon the ambassadors were found
the written treaty, and the letters of Hannibal to the king
of Macedon. Philip, not discouraged by this event, sent a
second embassy, which succeeded in arriving at the camp
of Hannibal, and returning in safety with the treaty to
Macedon. Thus ended the year 216 B. C.
The winter was devoted to thoughts, plans, and dreams
of future conquest. The Illyrians built one hundred vessels for Philip.  With these, after spending some time in
able discipline, he put to sea and first seized upon the city
Oricum, situated upon the western coast of Epirus. Valerius, a commander with a fleet, lay off at no great distance,
reached anchor and put his ships in readiness for sailing.
Philip having left a small garrison at Oricum, proceeded to
Apollonia, and laid siege to that city. The next day, Valerius arrived and retook Oricum, and captured the garrison
left by Philip.  He then sent Nevius, an able and experienced officer, with a large reinforcement, to the relief of
Apollonia. Nevius landed at the mouth of the river Taus,
marched through a by-way, and unperceived by the enemy,
in the night entered the city of Apollonia. The Macedonians supposing themselves perfectly secure, because an
arm of the sea lay between them and the enemy, had
neglected the usual precautions, and established no guards.
Nevius learning this fact, marched again out of Apollonia,
and entered the camp of the Macedonians, where he found
the soldiers asleep. The work of death began; the cries
of the wounded and dying fell upon the ear of their sleeping comrades, and aroused them from their dreams of




140            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
conquest and glory to the stern reality -the enemy is in
their tents. Arising in wild consternation, they seek safety
by flight. Philip himself but half awake, and almost naked,
with difficulty escaped to his ships, his soldiers pressing hard
after him.  Three thousand of them were either killed or
taken prisoners.
Valerius soon received intelligence of this affair, and sent
forward his navy to block up the mouth of the river, and
thus prevent the escape of the enemy. Philip found it
impossible to proceed further, or to regain the sea. He
therefore set fire to his vessels, and with the shattered
remains of his army returned by land to Macedon. Thus
ended the great scheme of universal conquest.
The castle in the air has fallen. The beautiful cloud
whose majestic cap towered high to heaven, has vanished,
and has left nothing but an oppressive sense of vacancy.
Philip's grand schemes of the conquest of Rome and of
immortal fame, have disappeared forever; yet he has commenced a war which must result in the destruction of the
third and the ascendancy of the fourth beast.
Previous to the battle of Apollonia, Philip had exhibited
talent superior to his years. He had sustained a reputatiQan fQr ener.gy  discretion, and sound judgment. Subsequent to that event, having altogether abandoned the
idea of winning a great name, he became insensible to all
moral worth and committed the basest of crimes.
The treacherous, deceitful character of the leopard which
had destroyed its feeder, was fully developed; yet, at times,
he displayed some courage and won a few battles. He cast
his eyes upon the rich fields of Messenia, and desired to
possess them. This was one of the States of the Achmean
league, which had assisted him in all the Grecian war, and
was a party to the treaty of peace concluded just before
engaging in the war with the Romans. Philip landed an




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              141
army in Messenia, and by pretensions of friends, endeavored
to persuade them to deliver up to him their fortresses, that
he might protect them against the Romans. Suspecting his
purpose, and being themselves at peace with Rome, they
declined receiving his protection.  He then threw off his
mask, declared himself their enemy, and ravaged their
country, committing acts of rapine and cruelty.  He then
retired with his booty into Macedon. Aratus, the chief
ruler of Achaia, and head and originator of the league, had
long been the friend of Philip, and by his counsels and aid,
had secured that monarch most of his success. Owing to
the indiscretion and injustice of Philip, he had withdrawn
from his court. Aratus was as far a just and upright prince
as in those tempestuous times a man could safely be. He
remonstrated with Philip against this cruelty and injustice,
and breach of faith with the people of Messenia.
The court of Philip was filled with corrupt advisers, who
persuaded him that the glory of a king consisted in causing
his subjects to yield a blind obedience to his will, whatever
that will might be.  He listened to their bad counsel, and
sought by every possible means to distress his subjects, and
crush them beneath his feet. One of the growing signs of
despotism in a government, and the corruption of statesmen,
is the desire to transfer appointing power from the people
to the executive, whereby he may reward his partisans for
favoring his infamous and oppressive measures, courtiers
who advocate his policy with the desire of obtaining by favor
posts of honor, profit and trust, to which they could never
expect to rise by merit. Such counselors should ever be
frowned down by upright rulers, and distrusted by an upright people.
Philip was not insensible to shame, and as he possessed no
virtue in himself, he could endure none in others.  He
therefore employed one of his creatures, who, under the




142             THIE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
disguise of great friendship, found means to give slow poison
to Aratus the senior. Of this, after some time, he died, a
lingering and distressing death, greatly beloved by his people.  With the wife of his son, Aratus junior, who was one
of his best generals, Philip had been criminally intimate.
He administered to the unsuspecting husband a poison which
destroyed his senses, and after a time of raving madness,
terminated his life.
Illyricum, lying north of Epirus, was a distinct State of
itself, and not a part of the MIacedonian kingdom. At this
time it was in friendly alliance with Rome.  It does not
appear that either the Romans or the Illyrians had actually
and formally declared war, but as Philip had previously
commenced upon Rome, she had defended herself and repulsed him. In 213 B. C., Philip suddenly invaded Illyria,
and captured the city of Lissus.
Rome now felt it her duty to interfere in the affairs of
Greece, to defend her allies, and to check the barbarity of
Philip. M. Valerius Levinus, a Roman praetor, was sent out
in 211, to look after these interests.  He succeeded in detaching the restless war-like iEtolians from  their alliance
with Philip, and attaching them to the Roman cause.  Some
other States were induced to follow their example, and the
old war of the league was revived, with very nearly the
same division of parties as on the former occasion.
IEtolia had always been the leading State on one side and
Achaia on the other, in these wars.  Philip was at Pella,
his capital, where Achaia and Acarnania sent embassadors to
inform him that a treaty had been formed by iEtolia and
others with the Romans.  A ludicrous little affair occurred
about this time. The Aitolians prepared to invade the Acarnanians, their near neighbors, who had closely adhered to
the interests of Philip, and were therefore fit subjects for
the spoils of the AEtolians.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             143
The Acarnanians being at a distance from Philip, despaired of receiving aid in time to save themselves; they did
not suppose they could alone resist the war-like AEtolians,
and therefore prepared for death. They sent their wives,
children and old men, with their treasures, to Epirus for
safety, and resolved to die sword in hand; they made arrangements for their funeral: the Epirots were to come and
bury them after the battle. A monument was to be erected
over their bodies, all of which were to be laid in one grave.
The inscription upon the monument was prepared in these
words:
" Here lie the Acarnanians, who died fighting for their
country, against the violence and injustice of the AEtolians."
They then set out to meet the enemy upon the border of
their country. Despair lent them courage and gave them a
terrific appearance.  The Atolians became alarmed and
retired, and no battle whatever was fought. The Acarnanians therefore returned home to attend their own funeral.
B. C. 210, Levinus besieged and captured Antagras of
Phocis, in Achaia, and gave the city to the Etolians, keeping the plunder for himself. The reader will perhaps inquire why, and on what account this city should be plundered
and made subject to a foreign State, and what was the war
itself about. Similar questions have often arisen in relation
to the events of this period. We can sometimes discover
the real or pretended cause of these wars, but more frequently that, cause is so obscure, so indefinite, that it is not
capable of being made manifest. The general fact was, that
nations engaged in war, as school-boys play ball, just to see
which can beat, and to plunder and destroy each other.
Let it be remembered that this is a part of the kingdom
of the leopard. Why should the leopard treacherously and
from his ambush, spring upon and devour the kid? Simply
because he is hungry and is fond of blood. The different




144              THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
States of Greece often took sides from mere caprice or fancy,
sometimes for the convenience of easy plunder, and sometimes through fear of a superior power. It was rarely that
the sides were chosen with any reference to equity or justice.
Although war was not formally declared, Achaia was friendly
to Philip, and _Etolia was not. This, in that day, was a sufficient reason for invading each others' territory, plundering
cities, and butchering their inhabitants. Had these calamities
fallen upon Philip, instead of his peaceful allies, there would
have been a greater semblance of justice. About this time
Levinus being elected to the office of consul, was re-called to
Rome, and Sulpitius was sent a prvetor in his place. Attalus,
king of Pergamos, Pleuratus, king of Byzantium, and Scerdiledes, king of Illyria, joined the confederacy of the Romans
and the ~Etolians, and aided in the war.  Both parties now
sought to induce the Spartans to join their side."  Sparta
was at this time divided into two factions, the one decidedly
in favor of the interests of king Philip, and the other equally
partial to those of the iEtolians.
In the midst of these divisions, and favored by their animosity, one Machanides had subverted their government,
and made himself tyrant over them. The result of negotiations was, that Sparta once more cast her lot with ZEtolia.
This was just what Machanides wanted. He would thus
have the opportunity of plundering other Grecian States,
under the protection of the L]tolians and the Romans; and
what was to him still more desirable, it would furnish him a
pretext to plunder and exterminate, by cruel excesses and:- Lacedoemonia, sometimes called Laconia, was the most south-eastern
part of Greece, lying in the Morea, anciently called the Pelleponesus;
Sparta was its most important and capital city. The entire people are
sometimes called Spartans, sometimes Laconians, and sometimes Lacedemonians. In the preceding war of the league, Lacedoemonia had united
with the Etolians against the Achaians and Philip.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             145
banishment, that portion of the citizens who were opposed to
his tyranny, and who were generally opposed to renewing
the war with Philip. Attalus and Pleuratus had joined the
confederacy with other and more worthy motives. By looking at the map it will be seen that these territories were contiguous to those of Philip.  They ruled over commercial
nations, whose interests were peace. But Philip was not a
man of peace. If he was not involved in war with Greece
or Rome, or both, they feared he would be annoying them,
as he often had done. It was natural, therefore, that they
should desire to keep so ambitious and treacherous a prince
occupied. It must be recollected that Pergamos, and indeed
nearly all the States of Asia Minor, were originally Greek
colonies, spoke the Greek language, and sympathized with
the interests of Greece.
Rome was at this time a republic; she sympathized with
her republican neighbors, and cesired them to be secure from
the grasping ambition of the king of Macedon. She also
desired to check the pride of Philip, who, without cause, had
dared to make war upon hex. It does not appear that Rome
had, at that time, any idea whatever, of conquering or subjecting either Macedon or Greece, or any other part of the
east, to her authority. She only desired her own safety,
and the peace and independence of Greece. Rome was likewise still engaged in her war with the Carthaginians, and
Hannibal was yet in the field. For these reasons, although
engaged in the affairs of Greece, she only gave a limited
and indirect attention to them for a number of years. B.
C. 208, Sulpitius and Attalus operated chiefly by their fleets,
while the Spartans and the Etolians were more efficient on
land.
Scopas had retired to Egypt, and Pyrrhus commanded
the Atolians. Philip hastened to the relief of his allies.
His enemies met him at Lamia, where he defeated them in
13




146            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
two battles, and shut them up closely in the city. He then
retired with his army to Phalaria. Shall the sword devour
forever - shall all mankind be interrupted in their regular
and useful pursuits, by the folly of a few quarrelsome neighbors?  Ptolemy, king of Egypt, the inhabitants of Athens,
of Rhodes and of Chios, sent embassadors to urge Philip and
the States of Greece to be at peace. Ptolemy was so steeped
in debauchery that he could have had but little policy whatever in this movement; yet sober statesmen and nobles
there were in Egypt, whose far-reaching political sagacity
discerned that if Greece should become subject to Philip, he
would become a powerful monarch, and too near a neighbor.
Egypt possessed Crete, Cyprus and Cilicia; they might be
the next prize for the ruthless king of Macedon. Egypt
therefore desired the independence of Greece. Rhodes and
Chios were isles of the sea, and independent States. Their
commerce extended over all waters; this commerce could
not but be interrupted and suffer, during the war in their
immediate vicinity.
After various negotiations without success, and a number
of battles with no definite result except a wanton destruction of life, in 104 B. C., a peace was concluded between
Philip, the Romans, and the several Grecian States.  It was,
however, of short continuance.
INVASION OF SIOS, RHODES, PERGAMOS AND ABYDOS, BY PHILIP, B. C.
203 TO 201.
Bythynia was a small kingdom, situated directly south of
tle Black Sea, and east of Constantinople.  It was a part
of the once kingdom of Thrace, which had long before been
dismembered. At the time of which we are speaking,
Prusias was governor of Bythynia. He was the son-in-law
of Philip of Macedon. Philip, like any other pirate, sought
to rob somebody, and Prusias was disposed to point out the




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              147
game. Sios was a small city in Bythynia, with which the
Rhodians and others had some trade. Prusias, pretending
to have received some insult from the people of Sios, delivered it up to the destroyer. Philip captured the town by
force of arms, plundered its treasures, and laid it in the dust.
He put part of the inhabitants to death by the most cruel
torture, and sold the others, men, women and children, into
slavery worse than death. This uncalled for cruelty, as well
it might, provoked the displeasure of the Rhodians, as well
as the Etolians. There seems to be no apology or extenuating circumstance on record for this wanton barbarity, or
even for invading this little city. Philip next turned his
piratical navy against Rhodes.  He fought one battle upon
the water, in which he was somewhat successful, but did not
take the city. He next invaded Pergamos, whose king was
Attalus. He besieged the city, but was unable to capture
it. Enraged at his failure, he attacked the temples of the
country, demolished them and their idols, and carried off all
their valuable contents.  In 202, Attalus joined his forces
with those of Rhodes, against their common invader, and a
battle was fought off Chios, (now Scio), in which Philip was
terribly beaten.  He lost in killed three thousand Macedonians, and six thousand allies; and two thousand Macedonians and seven hundred Egyptian allies were taken
prisoners. Although he had sustained great loss, and was
forced to abandon the war upon these two powers, he still
pushed on for conquest and plunder. He invaded Thrace
and the Chersonesus, where, although he met with some
energetic resistance, several cities submitted to him.
THE FALL OF ABYDOS.
Directly across the Strait from Sestus, and near where the
Dardanelles empties into the Archipelago, on the Asiatic
side, stood the city of Abydos. Its site was a rising ground




148            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
with a gradual descent in every direction. Crowning such
an eminence, and overlooking the narrow straits that connect the sea, with the outlet of all the upper waters, Abydos
must have presented an imposing appearance. It was a city
of some military, as well as commercial importance.
The rapacious Philip could not endure its prosperity, nor
abstain from coveting its treasures. He therefore invaded
its territory, and commenced a regular siege upon the city.
He was greatly exasperated at the obstinate resistance with
which the Abydenians met and often repulsed him from
their walls. No art of war then known, was omitted either
in the attack or defense. The conflict often rose into a fury
resembling the death-struggle of savage beasts. Philip,
landing great machines, brought them against the walls of
the city, on the side toward the water. The Abydenians by
their ballistoe, hurled masses of rock against them, and
dashed them to pieces, or succeeded in setting them on fire.
Even the ships were exposed to be burned, and the besiegers
were often in danger of perishing. On the land side, though
also terribly resisted, the invaders carried mines under the
outer walls, and were sapping their foundations; they even
extended their trench under the second wall. Perceiving
the progress that the enemy had made, and the prospect of
being speedily assaulted, the Abydenians sent to Philip, and
proposed to surrender upon terms one would think quite
reasonable enough to have been accepted: they only asked
that the soldiers of Rhodes and Ephesus, who had come to
their assistance, should be permitted to return to their homes
unmolested, and that the citizens of Abydos should be permitted to retire into other countries, wherever they pleased,
with the clothing they then had on, leaving for the Macedonians all the rich treasures which their commerce had accumulated.
Philip replied that they had only to surrender at discretion




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             149
or continue to fight. The citizens in transports of depair,
assembled to consider what was to be done, inferring
that as these humiliating terms were rejected, some worse
fate was in reserve for them, such as befel the unfortunate
people of Sios, who were all massacred or sold into slavery.
In this council, the frantic people came to one very wise and
just, and several very rash, foolish and wicked resolutions.
They first gave freedom to all their slaves, the better to animate them to defend the city. They then shut up all the
women and children in the temple; brought all their gold
and silver into the public square, and sent their other valuaable effects into the vessels of their allies. Next the wise
old men, too feeble to fight, yet possessed of sufficient energy
to do the work assigned them, were called in and required
to take an oath, that the instant the enemy should enter the
inner wall, they would kill the women and children, set fire
to the galleys, burn the goods and throw the gold and silver
into the sea. The priests were then called in, before whom
the soldiers took a solemn oath either to conquer or die
sword in hand. They required priests and priestesses to pronounce the most solemn curses upon any one of them who
should not keep this most unwise and rash obligation.
Soon the undermining of the invaders caused the inner
wall to tumble to the earth, and exposed the city to the
assault of the enemy. The Abydenians were shortly in the
trench, where, with the ferocity of despair, they fought, and
for a time held their ground, dealing out death on every
hand, although fresh supplies of Macedonians were brought
to stand upon their dead comrades. Night put an end to
the bloody conflict, leaving it quite doubtful who had gained
the victory.  The breach was covered with the dead bodies
of the Abydenians, and of those not slain, so overcome with
fatigue and covered with wounds, that they could scarcely




150             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
stand.  Now  the dreadful oath to kill the women and
children, began to stare in the face those who were to do the
deed. Four of the principal citizens, who could not endure
to have their wives slain, determined to send to the camp of
Philip, the priests in their sacred robes of office, to implore
mercy, which was accordingly done next morning at daybreak, and the gates of the city were opened to the enemy.
The surviving soldiers vented their curses against the men
who surrendered the city and saved the lives of those who
had been devoted to death, alleging that it was awful injustice to those who had perished believing that the oath
would be kept.
Philip, without further opposition, marched into Abydos,
and seized all the treasures, collected as they were, in one
place. Now a new and fearful tragedy was being enacted
before the eyes of the MIacedonians.  Wounds, rage and
disappointment had rendered the Abydenians frantic, if not
insane. Some were smothering their wives and children,
others were stabbing them with their own hands. Some
were trying to strangle them, and still others were precipitating them from the tops of houses. Thus death presented
itself in all variety of violent forms.
Philip, old blood-thirsty warrior as he was, became terrified at these sights. He ordered his soldiers to stop plundering and try to save the people from suicide. He published
that three days of safety should be granted to them if they
would not kill themselves. But the appeal was in vain.
Their fellows and the husbands of these women had died in
their defense, and they thought it dishonorable to survive
them.  Not a life was saved, except those whose hands were
tied to prevent them from committing suicide.
Rome heard of the piratical war with Philip, and sent
embassadors to protest against his course.  These embassa



THE KINGDOM OB BRASS.             151
dors arrived at the camp of Philip, while the siege of Abydos
was in progress. They protested, and threatened in the name
of Rome, but to no purpose.
Philip answered them roughly, and in effect bade Rome
attend to her own affairs and let him alone. The Romans
soon declared war against him, defeated him in many an
engagement, stripped him of all his territories acquired by
conquest, brought him to his senses, and made him a dependant upon their will for the rest of his life. But how
could his humiliation bring any compensation to the butchered citizens of Abydos. Alas! this world's justice comes
too late to be of any value. Violence triumphs and her victims perish. Little more of interest is known of Philip,
except his domestic calamities, by which he was induced to
slay his innocent son, Demetrius, and was succeeded upon
the throne, by Persius, an illegitimate son, who was subsequently captured by the Romans, and all Macedonia absorbed
into their empire.
ANTIOCHUS AND THE ROMANS.
THE war of Rome with Carthage had been concluded, and
Hannibal had retired for a time from the field of Mars.
The Romans had overcome Philip and subdued Macedon,
and thus, as they supposed, secured freedom to the Greeks
of Europe. Antiochus having returned from his great eastern
expedition, in which he was crowned with unparalleled s-uccess, against the feeble, effeminate Asiatics, now supposed
himself invincible against any foe. Like many others, even
in our time, he entertained a contempt for western people.
The East seldom learns to appreciate the West. The East is.
the land of luxury, of pompous ceremony and display;
the West is the land of strength, of action and of successful
enterprise. Antiochus now entertained an idea of subjugating




152            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
all Asia Minor to his control; after which he contemplated
an advance into Europe, there to contend with Rome for
the empire of the world. These lofty schemes he intended
to conceal in his own breast until he found means to execute them. But the keen sagacity of the Romans detected
his plans; they were prepared to meet him. Rome wisely
determined, as they had freed the cities of the Greeks from
foreign masters, they would not permit those of Asia Minor
to be subdued.
In 196 B. C., the movements of Antiochus indicated an
intention to invade Asia Minor.  Smyrna, Lampsacus, and
other cities along the sea coast, becoming alarmed, applied
to the Romans for protection. It was manifestly detrimental
to the interests of Rome, that Antiochus should establish
himself along that coast, where he might annoy her allies,
and at his pleasure, suddenly invade Europe. Rome therefore lent a willing ear to the call, and sent embassadors to
Antiochus, who, before their arrival, had commenced the
siege of those cities, and had crossed the straits into Europe,
and made himself master of the Chersonesus of Thrace.
Here he commenced building the city of Lysimachia, intending to construct a new kingdom in Thrace, for his son
Seleucus, with this city for the capital. WYhile thus occupied, the Roman embassadors arrived (one of them was L.
Cornelius), at the camp. After the ceremonies of civility,
they proceeded to business.  The interest of the Romans
was at that time to diminish as far as possible the power of
Antiochus, who might otherwise be dangerous to Rome. Let
it be remembered that some of the cities and territories of
southern Asia Minor had belonged to the Ptolemies, but had
been taken from that crown by Antiochus, of which an
account is given in the history of Ptolemy Epiphanes. The
cities which, at this time, were being besieged, had been
subdued by Philip, and again restored to liberty by the




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             153
Romans, in their recent war with Macedon. Cornelius now
in the name of Rome spoke- not as a suppliant entreating
favor, not as an equal soliciting a treaty-but with authority
as a master, he commanded that the cities belonging to
Ptolemy should be immediately restored to him, and those
against which Antiochus was now waging war should be
instantly left to their liberty. He next reproved Antiochus
for daring to cross into Europe, and bade him return to Asia.
Antiochus, the conqueror of the East, ever surrounded with
flatterers, was unused to listen to the language of authority.
He answered with a haughty insolence, for which in a few
years he paid most dearly, as we shall see in the sequel. As
to the cities which belonged to Egypt he replied, that matter
would be settled when Ptolemy should marry his daughter.
As to the other cities of Asia Minor, they should receive
their liberty from him, not from the Romans.  In regard to
his invasion of Europe, he was only taking possession of his
rightful territory, conquered from Lysimachus, by his predecessor, Seleucus I., four generations previous, and that he
had a perfect right there'to establish -his son on the throne
of European Thrace. He indignantly demanded what right
Rome could have to dictate to him which cities he might
conquer, and which not. The embassadors from the invaded
cities were now admitted, and complained of the invasion.
The Romans heard, and judged that the acts of Antiochus
were unjustifiable. Antiochus, offended at the bold plainness
of the embassadors, declared in effect that Rome had no
right to judge in these matters, and ought to attend to her
own affairs, and allow him to do the same. The council
broke up in confusion, with no other result than the manifestation of the fact that Rome, the greatest power of the
West, and Antiochus, the greatest monarch of the East, must
settle their difficulties on the field of battle.
Just at this time occurred the rebellion of Scopas, in




154            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Egypt, which was however soon quelled, but out of which
grew the rumor that Ptolemy was dead. Antiochus now
manifested how little regard he had for Egypt, and how
strong his determination to rule supreme. He started immediately for the conquest of all Egypt. But learning his
mistake he sailed to attack the island of Cyprus, which belonged to Ptolemy. A storm arose, shattered his fleet, and
frustrated all his purposes, and he retired to Antioch, with
the fragments of his army and navy, and rested through the
winter, devising new campaigns. The Roman embassadors
having settled affairs in relation to Philip of Macedon, and
held their fruitless interview with Antiochus, were witnesses
to these ambitious projects of Antiochus, and understood
them.
They returned to Rome, reported all, and apprised the
Senate that although they had closed the war with Macedon,
they must now prepare for a greater and more extensive
one. They assured the Senate that whatever might be the
promises of Antiochus, he certainly intended to invade Europe,
and undo all that Rome had done for the freedom  of the
Greeks; even if he did not invade Rome itself. All perceived that these accusations were founded on truth, and
immediately prepared for the forthcoming event. Greece
was not yet entirely free from evil. Nabis, the tyrant, exceeded his authority in Sparta, and resisted the Romans.
The  Etolians, ever restless and impatient of restraint,
anxious for an opportunity to engage in war for the sake of
plunder, were ready to throw off the yoke of obedience to
Rome.  These were elements that Antiochus might use to
further his schemes. Embassadors were again sent out to
watch closely the designs of Nabis, and to observe all the
momements of Antiochus; but other steps were taken by
Rome beside sending embassadors. They prepared to enforce
their orders with an army.




THE XINGDOM OF BRASS.             155
Meanwhile a council was held in Rome. The Romans
occupied the year 195, in partially subduing Nabis and regulating affairs in Greece. In the spring Antiochus left Antioch and repaired to Ephesus, to concert measures for future
wars.  He was now pondering in his mind whether it would
be safest to declare war against Rome, and then make war
upon the cities and States that had put themselves under
Roman protection, or to invest and capture these cities singly
without any formal declaration. Just at this time an event
occurred that determined his purpose. Since the conclusion
of the war between Rome and Carthage, the great Hannibal
had been trying to remain in quiet. But he found it impossible to do so. The fires of ambition, the restless spirit
of enterprise, and the deadly hate of Rome, kept the elements of his soul agitated.  He kept an eye on all the
affairs of the world. He well understood the relations between Rome and Syria, and was suspected of holding secret
correspondence with Antiochus. Whether true or not, the
charge reached Rome, and commissioners were appointed to
visit Carthage and ascertain the facts. Hannibal did not
wait for their arrivals, but having a vessel at his command,
he immediately left Carthage, and soon presented himself at
Antioch. But Antiochus had gone to Ephesus.
Hannibal followed him, and while the king of Syria was
deliberating what to do, Hannibal arrived. Hannibal, the
enemy of Rome, the great hero of many generations, was
now in the council of Antiochus. The king no longer
doubted his ability to cope with Rome. Very little was done
in the year 194, except to regulate the affairs of Nabis in
Greece, and to augment the armies of Rome and Syria.
The year 193 B. C., was marked by vigorous preparations
for war on the part of the two great powers of the world.
At Rome the embassadors of the cities of Asia Minor, and
those of Antiochus and of other portions of the world, were




156            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
pleading their cause with the Senate. The affairs of Syria
were so extensive and complex, that a more private council
was appointed, in which Quintus and his colleague, on the
part of Rome, heard the complaints of the representatives
of Asia Minor and the embassadors of Antiochus.
The cities claimed their freedom; the Syrians were not
authorized to yield up any of the lofty pretentions of Antiochus. The council concluded without settlement, but convinced the Romans of the necessity of war with Antiochus.
His agents solicited Rome not to let loose the dogs of war,
but were unwilling to relinquish one jot of those claims that
provoked the war. The various embassadors on the Eastern
question had scarcely departed, before others arrived from
Carthage, informing the Romans that Hannibal was with
Antiochus, and from his movements it was certain that they
were preparing to invade Europe.
Hannibal was indeed advising Antiochus to declare war
against Rome, and counselling how that war ought to be
conducted.  Had the Carthaginian counsel been pursued,
the fate of the war'might have been materially changed, but
the effeminate Syrian could easier approve than execute his
plan. Hannibal told him that war was certain, whether he
chose it or not, and that it were better to choose than be compelled. He also advised that Roman and not Syrian ground
be made the theater of action. Attack and eat up the food of
the enemy's country, and not be invaded and eaten up. He
desired Antiochus to march immediately into Greece, take
advantage of the discordant element there, to make himself
master, and after rest and preparation, hold out the appearances of invading Italy itself. Seeming always on the point
of moving forth with this intention, he would thus cause
Rome to exhaust herself in the defense of home, while he,
(Hannibal), would retire to Carthage, where he had many
friends who would rally to his call. With these he would




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             157
invade Rome on the opposite side. In this mauner they
could keep Rome in trouble, consume her resources, and
devour her substance; and while this was passing, Antiochus
could not only establish his authority in the free cities of
Asia Minor, but gain a sure footing in Greece, and ultimately overcome Rome itself, Hannibal assured Antiochus
that if he did not pursue this policy, Rome would certainly
enter Asia, and treat him in this manner. The result confirmed the worth of this sagacious counsel.  Antiochus
approved but did not profit by the advice. Hannibal sent a
Tyrian into Carthage to sound the' people, and prepare
adherents against his arrival, but the agent was discovered,
and escaped with difficulty. The whole affair being thus
made known, was communicated to the Romans, who now
feared a war with both Carthage and Syria at the same time.
But Carthage had made already a terrible experience of the
effects of war with Rome, and remained quiet.
The.Etolians of Greece, full of hatred against the Romans, now attempted to induce Philip of Macedon, once
again to rebel and engage in a war with Rome, assuring him
that all Greece was tired of these new masters, and that all
the Greeks and also Antiochus would unite with him in such
a war. They also sent word to Nabis to rise against Rome
with such of the Greeks as were under his control, assuring
him that Antiochus and Philip were already engaged to sustain him in the effort. A third embassador repaired to the
court of Antiochus, with just the same assurances in regard
to the others. But neither Philip nor Antiochus dared place
implicit confidence in the EAtolians, who within a few years
had been on all sides of every question, fought for and
against all parties, and changed sides with every fleeting
change of success or defeat. Antiochus, although he heartily
entered into all their schemes, had the caution not to declare
himself openly, but proceeded in his work secretly. He




158            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
proceeded to consummate the marriage of his daughter
with Ptolemy Epiphanes, so as to secure peace on the part
of Egypt.  Another daughter, Antiochia, lie offered in
marriage to Eumenes, king of Pergamos, but that sagacious
prince saw less advantage in being the son-in-law of Antiochus, and involved all his wars, than in his independence
and the friendship of Rome. He, therefore,'declined the
proposed alliance, and Antiochus drove a different bargain,
giving his daughter to Arianthes, king of Cappadocia.
Eumenes clearly saw what we all would see from the result,
that this marriage was consummated without any reference
to the happiness of his daghter, or designed to confer favor
upon his son-in-law, but simply to subject the latter to his
control, and make him  contribute to the advancement of
his schemes of ambition.  When the war was completed, he
would be just as ready to rob his own children as any other.
The marriage was consummated in 229, after which, in the
depth of winter, Antiochus repaired to Ephesus; from
whence he sent his son back to Syria, to take care of the
home cabals. But' he found it necessary to march back to
the East, to subdue the Pissidians who had revolted from
him.
War having not yet been formally declared, Rome sent
three embassadors to Antiochus. They repaired first to
Pergamos, where they were assured of the regard of
Eumnenes, who, possessing but a small country, feared that
he should be devoured by Antiochus, for which reason he
earnestly desired Rome to declare war against him.
Antiochus having quelled the revolt of Pissidia, had
retired to Appama. Sulpitius, one of the embassadors,
being sick, was left at Pergamos, while Villus proceeded to
Ephesus, where he met Hannibal. He here displayed great
diplomatic tact, by consulting often with Hannibal, assuring
him he had nothing to fear from the Ronmans. Although




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            1s9
these consultations were of no value in themselves, they
produced a desirable result, for Antiochus learning the
intimacy of Villus and Hannibal, suspected the latter to be
an enemy in' disguise, attempting to reconcile himself with
Rome by betraying the king of Syria into their hands.
This, though false, caused Antiochus to avoid the counsel of
Hannibal and distrust his friendship.
From Ephesus, Villus repaired to Appama, where he
met with Antiochus. Each party criminated the other,
and the interview closed with no definite result, except an
increased hatred of each against the other. The conference
was broken off' by the sudden death of the son of Antiochus.
The king repaired to Ephesus to mourn his loss, while
Villus retired to Pergamos, where he found his colleague
entirely recovered.  Soon after, the embassadors, at the
request of Antiochus, appeared at Ephesus, where *another
interview was had, but still- with no more harmony of
counsel. Negotiations were broken off, and the embassadors
returned to Rome.
Left to himself, Antioch'us summoned a great council of
his own friends, none of whom would dare give advice
different from the king's own choice. They flattered him as
the greatest of Monarchs, and urged him immediately to
declare war against Rome, and pass over into Europe. One
Alexander of Acarnania, especially exhorted him not to delay,
and gave substantially the same advice that Hannibal had
previously given. All united in condemning the insolent
demand of the Romans. Ah! they who roll in oriental
luxury, little understand the inflexible energy of the hardy
western soldier. Hannibal was not called to the council,
on account of the suspicion excited against him; but subsequently he, by his public acts of hostility against Rome,
regained the confidence of Antiochus. Thus ended the
year 192 B. C.




160            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Nabis, the tyrant of Greece, although brought to terms,
and a treaty with Rome, had violated that treaty, and she
was again compelled to declare war against him.  An army
was sent to Greece to aid the Achoeans against the tyrant.
The great Philopemen was at the head of the Grecian
army.  While these things were transpiring, the zEtolians
sent an earnest invitation to Antiochus, to invade Greece.
A messenger was sent in return from  Antiochus to the
2Etolians, who described in glowing colors and pompous
language, the power, glory, and riches of Antiochus, who
would soon come into Greece and deliver the people from
the yoke of the Romans. Antiochus heartily accepted the
invitation to enter Greece; he did not wait for the arrival
of his army from Syria, and the forces which were marching to join him. He had invaded but not yet subdued
Smyrna, Lampsacus, and Troas.
These powerful enemies he left in the rear, and indiscreetly, at an unsuitable time, and not in the manner recommended by Hannibal, entered Greece with some ten thousand foot and five-hundred horse, altogether too small a
force to hold even a defenceless country, much less sustain
himself on foreign soil against powerful enemies. Arriving
in Greece, he called a council at Lamia, made a speech,
apologizing for coming with so few  forces, and assured
them he would soon fill all Greece with his invincible army,
and navy, engines of war, etc., and instead of talking about
arbitrating between them and the Romans, spoke of himself
as the head of their army, and proposed to lead them
against their enemies.
The wise and grave members of the AJtolian council, saw
that they had only promises instead of aid, and a master
instead of an auxiliary; yet the faction succeeded in passing
a vote declaring Antiochus the commander in chief of the
2Etolian forces. Then came the deliberation upon the




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             161
question, how shall we begin? whom shall we attack?
where and upon what shall we commence the war?
Very important questions indeed, at, that late hour, after
having entered the foreignl country.
They proposed to attack the Island of Chalcis, but fearing
to do so, after some demonstrations, retired to the city of
Demetrius. They next tried, but in vain, to win the
Achoeans to their cause. Failing in this, they retired again
to Chalcis, where the gates were opened from within, by a
faction who chose to favor the cause of the _/tolians and
Antiochus.  The Romans now declared war against him
and his adherents, and the hostile forces were soon put in
motion.  With all the diplomacy of Antiochus, he was able
to form but few alliances, for just at this juncture, Ecypt,
Carthage, Syracuse, and Philip of Macedon, with others,
sent embassadors with men, and ships, corn, wine, oil, and
money, to aid the Roman cause against the Syrian monarch.
Antiochus now found it necessary to hold council with his
eyes open to the facts, instead of his ears open to the voice
of flattery. Hannibal was now in his council, and advised
the most strenuous efforts to win Philip to his cause; but
should that fail, to send Seleucus with an army to invade
Macedon frohm the north-east, and thus prevent Philip from
aiding the Romans. He also urged Antiochus to hasten
his troops from Asia, and march to the west of Greece, and
from thence sail immediately to attack Rome at home,
asserting constantly, as he had often done before, that the
only place to conquer Rome was in Italy. Antiochus was still
surrounded by courtiers who loved the luxury of the camp,
but not the struggle and danger of the field of battle.
They therefore advised him against invading Italy; first,
because if successful, Hannibal, who had advised it, would
receive the glory of that success, and second, because he
14




162            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
could not fail of overcoming the Romans with his numerous
hosts. His indolence, not his judgment, caused him to
reject the only counsel at that time of any value to him.
He hesitated; sent for his army and navy in Asia, and
squandered away his time in a fruitless expedition against
Megara, then retired into Chalcis, where the foolish old
monarch, instead of soliciting the favors of Mars, fell asleep
in the lap of Cupid.
He fell desperately in love with the daughter of a man
at whose house he chanced to lodge; he a man of more
than fifty years, and she a maid of less than twenty. Forgetting the great object of the expedition-the deliverance
of Greece, and the conquest of Rome —he married the maid,
and, spent the winter in celebrating the nuptials in riotous debauchery. The army caught more fully than before
the spirit of revelry, and the winter passed away while
they were being enervated and unfitted to cope with the
more temperate Romans. The spring was approaching, and
Antiochus was aroused from his revery by receiving information that the Roman consul was in Thessaly, not far
distant-that the storm had prevented the army and navy
from Asia from landing, and that the forces of Greek allies,
on which he so much depended, had been greatly over-estimated, and that of those who could once have been relied
upon, many, during his carousal, had forsaken his standard.
He had less than ten thousand men. By a desperate
effort, he now gained the straits of Thermopylae, and there
attempted to defend himself, but was attacked by the Romans, defeated, and most of his army cut to pieces, while
he, with the very small number of five hundred men,
retired, first to Chalcis, and then to Ephesus.
In the action at Thermopyle, a stone struck Antiochus,




TIE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            163
and broke a number of his teeth, giving him such pain
that he was compelled to retire, leaving his soldiers to
perish by the hands of his enemies.
The remainder of the year was occupied by the Romans
in subduing and punishing the JEtolians, and other disaffected Greeks.
The King of Syria, abandoning all thought of the conquest of Rome, supposed the war at an end, and resigned
himself to pleasure, and the pernicious counsel of his flatterers. But Hannibal, at length, once more roused him to
a sense of his danger, assuring him that soon he would not
have to fight Europe for Rome, but for his own crown and
kingdom, and that Asia would be the field of conflict; that
he must immediately prepare either to defend himself,
sword in hand, or resign all thoughts of retaining the
empire. Aroused by these judicious counsels, he again sent
orders to hasten the march of his eastern army. To prevent the Romans from crossing into Asia, he sent a fleet
into Chersonesus, fortified Lysimachia, Sestus and Abydos,
and then again relapsed into quiet at Ephesus. It was,
however, resolved that the navies of the two powers should
try their strength.  Polyxendius, the commander, was
ordered to advance with the fleet against Livius, at the
head of the Roman navy. Near the coast of Ionia, the
belligerents met, and after a desperate strife, in which both
parties displayed great courage. the Syrians were defeated,
with a fearful slaughter. Ten of the ships of Polyxendius
were sunk, thirteen were captured, and the remnant, in a
disabled state, returned to Ephesus. Antiochus was at
Magnesia, inspecting his land forces, when he received
intelligence of the naval defeat. He instantly hastened to
the sea-coast, where he repaired the disabled vessels, and
added others to them. He then committed them to the




164            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
care of Hannibal, with orders to sail and bring the army,
whose'movements overland were too slow.
Hannibal, though a good general on land, was unfitted
to command at sea, and in this new capacity accomplished
almost nothing. Seleucus marched westward with part of
the army, to watch the movement of the enemy. Thus
closed the campaigns of the year 190 B. C.-opened with
such important events in the field of war.
ANTIOCHUS THE GREAT.
DEFEATED in Europe-defeated on the water-compelled
to evacuate and destroy his fortress in Thrace, Antiochus
concentrated his forces at Magnesia, where the Roman army
surrounded and attacked him, and, after a spirited battle,
tihe Syrian hosts were overcome, and Antiochus was compelled to fly. It was then in the power of Rome to have
taken possession of all Syria; but their dominions were
sufficiently expanded for the time, and prudence required
them to grow more gradually. It was the policy, not to
destroy, but to diminish the power of rival nations. For
this reason, the Romans had not completely destroyed
Philip, when in their power, but were content with reducing
him to a state of dependency, and then granting him liberal
terms.
This was their policy in their war with Syria. One object
of the war was to free the cities of Asia Minor from foreign
Asiatic masters. Another object was to so reduce the power
of Syria as to be under no future apprehension from that
quarter. These ends being attained, they could annex
Syria to the Roman Empire at some subsequent period, if




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             165
that event became desirable. Instead, therefore, of pushing Antiochus to extremities, a negotiation was opened,
resulting in a treaty of peace. The conditions of that
treaty were exceedingly humiliating to Antiochus, whose
ambition, but a little time previous, had extended beyond
the bounds of his kingdom, even to the conquest of Rome
itself.
Instead of establishing himself in Europe, he was compelled to abandon all that he claimed as his own in Asia
Minor, west of the mountains of Taurus. He was also
required to pay all the expenses of the war, amounting to
the vast sum of fifteen thousand talents-equal in value to
four hundred and fifteen million dollars-part at the time
of concluding the treaty, and the remainder in annual payments. As a guaranty of his fidelity, he was required to
deliver to the Romans a number of hostages of rank, one
of whom was the second son of Antiochus, then living, who
subsequently became king of Syria, with the title Antiochus Epiphanes.
By the treaty of Antiochus with the Roman consul, Hannibal, the friend and ally, was to be delivered to the enemy.
Hannibal had long been the invincible foe of Rome, andt he
well knew his fate if he fell into such hands. After the.
defeat of Antiochus, and the opening of negotiations, Hannibal, with the sagacity of a crafty politician as well as
warrior, suspected at once that he should be made the prize
and be bargained away to his enemies. Waiting for no
intelligence of this kind, the moment that he heard negotiations were in progress, he, without ceremony, fled to
Egypt.
By all these events Rome had gained such advantages
that although Syria still existed as a State, it was peculiarly under the shadow of the Roman wing. No subsequent
Syrian monarch could attempt any great enterprise without




166            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
the consent of Rome. A position had been obtained in Asia,
which in due time resulted in bringing completely the
third head of the third beast under the control of the Roman
kingdom-the fourth beast, "dreadful and terrible, and
strong exceedingly."
LAST EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF ANTIOCHUS THE GREAT.
Rome must be paid. The money must be raised. But
from whence is it to come? The coffers of the King of
Syria are empty —his country is desolated by war, and his
revenues all dried up by foreign conquest. He takes a
journey through his provinces. In the province of Elymas,
a part of Media, stood the famous temple of Jupiter Belus.
Within the temple were large sums of money, which the
priests had been collecting for a long series of years. The
necessities of Antiochus pressed heavily upon him. His
adversities had hardened his heart, naturally generous and
kind, and like Hermias, the counselor of his youth, he had
become insensible to the claims of justice or religion. Covering his evil deed under the pretense that the province
had rebelled against him, in the silence of the night, he
entered the temple, and carried off all its treasures.
The inhabitants, exasperated by this sacrilege, rose and,
aided by some of his officers whom he had abused, fell upon
Antiochus, and slew him  and all his attendants.  Thus
fell a great man and a great monarch.
Betrayed and deceived in his youth, crafty, energetic and
successful in his manhood, in old age he declined to a second
childhood. With his cup almost full, he was tantalized
with desire to see it overflow, when vaulting ambition, overleaping itself, reduced him to poverty. Then, adding crime
to misfortune, he terminates the play, and the curtain ignominiously drops, leaving the throne to his son, Seleucus,
the raiser of taxes.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.               167
SYRIA-SELEUCUS PHILOPATER, B. C. 187.
" Then shall stand up, in his estate, a raiser of taxes in the glory of
the kingdom, but within a few days he shall be destroyed, neither in
anger nor in battle."
ANTIOCHUS THE GREAT left several children.  His daughter Cleopatra had previously married Ptolemy Epiphanes.
She was the mother of Philometor and Physcon. His second
son, Antiochus Epiphanes had been left a hostage in Rome.
Seleucus being the older son, ascended the throne of his
father. His reign continued about eleven years, and was
distinguished by no very remarkable event. Owing to the
treaty of peace of his father with the Romans, in which he
engaged to pay them large sums of money, it became necessary for Seleucus to raise heavy taxes, and to seize upon the
treasures of his people wherever he had opportunity. It is
highly probable that he sent an officer, Heliodorus, to seize
upon what treasure he might find in the temple of Jerusalem. To prevent this plunder, the Jews may have got up a
riot, and the priest may have played some tricks upon the
officer, but it is hardly probable that the following story in
the Maccabees, quoted approvingly by Rollin, can be true.
It must be an exaggeration adorned with fictions:
"Under him  happened the famous incident concerning
Heliodorus, related in the second book of Maccabees.  The
holy city of Jerusalem enjoyed at that time perfect tranquility. The piety and resolution of Onias, the high priest,
caused the laws of God to be strictly observed there, and
prompted kings and idolatrous princes to hold the holy place
in highest veneration. They honored it with rich gifts, and
king Seleucus furnished it from his own private revenues,
all that was necessary for the solemnization of the sacrifices.
Nevertheless the perfidy of a Jew called Simon, governor of
the temple, raised on a sudden great disorder in the city.




168            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
This man, to avenge himself of the opposition which Onias,
the high priest, made to his unjust enterprises, informed the
king that there were immense treasures in the temple, which
were designed for the expenses of the sacrifice, and that he
might seize upon them all.  The king, upon this information, sent Heliodorus, his first minister, to Jerusalem, with
orders to carry off all those treasures. Heliodorus, after
having been received by the high priest, with honors of
every kind, told him the motive of his journey, and asked
him whether the information that had been given the king
in regard to the treasures was true.  The high priest told
him that the treasures that were deposited there were a
trust, and were allotted to the maintenance of widows and
orphans; that he could not absolutely dispose of them to the
prejudice of those to whom they belonged, and who imagined
they could not secure them  better than by depositing them
in the temple, the holiness of which was revered throughout
the whole universe. The treasures consisted of four hundred
talents of silver, about fifty thousand pounds sterling, and
two hundred talents of gold, about three hundred thousand
pounds sterling. However, the minister sent from the prince,
demanded the treasures, and told him plainly that this
money, whatever might be the consequences, must be carried
to the king. The day appointed for carrying it off being
come, Heliodorus came to the temple, designing to execute
his commission.  Immediately the whole city was seized with
terror.  The priests dressed in their sacerdotal robes, fell
prostrate at the foot of the altar. beseeching the God of
heaven, who enacted the law with regard to deposits, to preserve those laid up in his temple.  Great numbers flocked
together, and jointly besought their Creator upon their knees
not to suffer so holy a place to be profaned. The women
and maidens were seen covered with sackcloth, and lifting
up their hands to heaven.  It was a spectacle truly worthy




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              169
of compassion, to see such multitudes, and especially the
high priest, pierced with the deepest afflictions, under the
apprehension of so horrible a sacrilege. By this time Heliodorus, with his guards, was come to open the gates of the
treasury.  But the spirit of the Almighty now revealed
himself by the most sensible marks, insomuch that all those
who had dared to obey Heliodorus, were struck down by a
divine power, and seized with a terror which bereft them of
all their faculties. For there appeared to them a horse,
richly caparisoned, which, rushing at once upon Heliodorus,
struck him several times with his fore feet.  The man who
sat on the horse had a terrible aspect, and his arms seemed
of gold. At the same time there were seen two young men
whose beauty dazzled the eye, and who, standing on each
side of Heliodorus, scourged him incessantly, and in a most
most violent manner. Heliodorus fell to the ground, and
was taken up and put upon his litter, and thus this man,
who a moment before had come into the temple with his
guards, was forced away from this holy place, and no one to
succor him, and that because the power of God had displayed
itself in its strongest manner. By the same power he was
cast to the ground, speechless and without the least sign of
life, while the temple, which before resounded with nothing
but lamentations, now echoed with the shouts of all the people, returning thanks to the Almighty for having raised the
glory of his power. But now some of Heliodorus' friends
besought the high priest to invoke God in his favor. Immediately Onias offered a sacrifice for his health. While
he was praying, the two young men above mentioned appeared to Heliodorus and said to him,'return thanks to
Onias, the high priest, for it is for his sake the Lord has
granted your life.  After having been chastened of God,
declare to the whole world his miraculous power.' Having
spoken these words, they vanished. Heliodorus offered up
15




170            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
sacrifice, and made solemn vows to him who had restored
his life. He returned thanks to Onias, and went his way,
declaring the wonderful works of the Almighty to which
he had himself been an eye-witness. The king asking
him whether he believed that another person might be
sent with safety to Jerusalem, he answered: " In case you
have an enemy, or traitorous wretch, who has a design
upon your crown, send him thither, and you will see him
sent back flayed with scourging, if he come at all, for he
who inhabiteth the heaven is himself in that place; he is
the guardian and protector of it, and he strikes those mortally who go thither to injure it."
After a reign of about ten years, Philopater, for some
reason, desired the counsel and aid of his brother, who was
still in Rome. He therefore sent his own son, Demletrius,
afterward called Soter, as a substitute to RIome, that Antiochus might return to' Syria. While this change was being
effected, Demetrius having gone to Rome and Antiochus
not having yet arrived, Heliodorus, the officer who had such
trouble in Jerusalem, conceived the idea of gaining the
throne of Syria for himself. He therefore poisoned Seleueus, in the year 175 B. C. Seleucus seems to have been a
mild, inefficient prince, possessing none of the energy and
perseverance of his father. His only faults arose from the
necessity imposed upon him of raising heavy taxes. By
the treachery of his officers, he came to his end, "not in
anger, nor in battle."
PTOLEMY PHILOMETOR, B. C. 180.
This young prince was about six years of age when his
father died. He immediately received the kingdom, but
his coronation was deferred to a subsequent day, and the
care of the government was committed to his mother,
Cleopatra, the daughter of Antiochus the Great. Accord



THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             171
ingly, she for nearly seven years administered affairs
with ability and fidelity.  At her death, the government
devolved upon the prime minister, Leneas. Egyptian statesmen, in the name of the young king, demanded of Antiochus the restoration of the provinces of Phoenicia and
Palestine. These provinces had ever been deemed tributary to Egypt, but had been taken from that kingdom by
Antiochus the Great, and transmitted to his son Seleucus,
from whom they had passed to the present Antiochus.
During the life of the queen mother, these difficulties had
been prevented, she being the sister of the king of Syria;
but after her death, the ministers were determined upon
the recovery of their rights. This revived the war between
Syria and Egypt-the uncle against the nephew. The
Egyptians, in addition to the early right by the partition
in the days of the first Ptolemy, claimed that these provinces were given as the marriage dower, by Antiocltis the
Great to Cleopatra, the mother of the king of Egypt.
Antiochus Epiphanes denied both these claims: the parties,
therefore, determined to decide them on the field of battle.
Philometor being now fifteen years of age, assumed the
reigns of government, B. C. 172.
This coronation was attended with great pomp and ceremony, and was witnessed by many foreign princes. Antiochus sent an embassador to offer presents, and affected to
rejoice in the coronation; but the real object of the messenger was to discover the strength of Egypt, and her plans
in regard to the disputed provinces. Ptolemy had sought
the aid of Rome; but Antiochus believed that power had
but little time to aid Egrypt, as it was now engaged in the
conquest of Macedon.  He therefore determined to begin
the war, not by defending the provinces, but by invading
Egypt.  The army of Ptolemy met that of Antiochus, in
the year 171, near Mt. Cassius, in Pelusium. A battle




172            THE RINGDOM OF BRASS.
was fought, in which not justice, but victory, crowned the
standard of the king of Syria. Thus the very entrance
of Philometor upon public life, was marked by a defeatthe harbinger of an unfortunate reign. His enemy fortified Pelusium, so as to secure it for all future purposes,
giving him not only the means of preventing the Egyptians
from marching into Palestine, but also opening for himself
a door of access into Egypt whenever he might please to
invade them. Antiochus then retired into his own country, and placed his army in winter quarters at Tyre. The
succeeding spring brought no peace to Philometor.  Antiochus had devoted the winter to the work of collecting materials of war and maturing schemes of future aggrandizement. Early in the spring, he again invaded Egypt,
both by sea and land.  Ptolemy sent out an army to meet
and check the enemy, but the Egyptians were defeated in
several engagements. Pelusium  was re-taken by Antiochus, after which he pushed on to the capital. All Egypt,
except Alexandria, submitted to him. Rollin informs us,
that after the people had submitted, Antiochus commanded
his officers to cease from slaying the inhabitants, although
they were completely in his power; for which reason, the
Egyptians became greatly attached to him. It is not very
apparent' that a great amount of gratitude is due to an
invader, after having killed many people, simply for not
having killed everybody.
It is generally admitted, that in this invasion and the
one of the preceding year, Philometor exhibited a lack of
talent and courage. These defects were accredited to the
prime minister, who, having the care of the youthful king,
had labored to render him effeminate by luxury and indolence, the better to control him and his government. In
subsequent years, we find Philometor a man of energy and
decision, not afraid to meet his foe in the field of Mars.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            173
In this last campaign, Philometor either surrendered himself, or was captured by Antiochus, but was set at liberty.
He however spent much of the time with his captor, ate at
his table, and entered into his counsels. The plans of
Antiochus, though not acknowledged, were evidently now
formed to subvert the entire government of Egypt, and
annex that kingdom to his own. He fortified Pelusium,
left a garrison there to keep it in his own name, and
retired into Syria, where his presence was needed. Alexandria had not submitted to the conqueror. Supposing
that Philometor was entirely in the interest of Antiochus,
the citizens called in and raised to the throne his younger
brother, afterward called Physcon, B. C. 169.
Antiochus having subdued a rebellion at home, as soon
as he heard of the crowning of Physcon, invaded Egypt
the third time-ostensibly for the purpose of restoring the
government to the elder brother. After one battle by
land, and another by sea, he marched directly upon Alexandria, which he besieged. Physcon, finding himself greatly
embarrassed, was advised' by his ministers to negotiate for
peace with the invader. The foreign ministers, especially
those of Greece, who were at his court, conducted the
mediation, and for this purpose, repaired to the camp of
Antiochus, presented their mission, and urged him, by the
ties of near relationship, not to oppress his nephews.
He gave them but indifferent answers, and renewed the
seige of Alexandria.  The two brother kings had a sister,
Cleopatra, who, about this time, attracted much attention, and who, some years afterward, became conspicuous in
Egyptian history. Subsequent to these events, she was
the wife of Philormetor, and after his death married Physcon;
then was divorced by him, and fled to Syria, where she died.
At this time, however, she was unmarried, and associated
with her brother in managing the desperate affairs of




174            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Egypt. Physcon and Cleopatra sent messengers to Rome,
who represented to the Senate, that the monarchs of Egypt
had long been in alliance with Rome; that they were now
greatly distressed, that it would be dishonorable for Rome
to permit one of her allies to be rudely subjugated, and
closed by requesting that Rome would use her kind offices
in persuading Antiochus to retire from Egypt. A greater
argument than the honor of Rome or the love of Egypt
influenced the Senate. They were jealous of the power of
Antiochus, and would rather diminish than increase his
authority. The cause of Egypt was heard and her request
granted.  Three noble Romans were commissioned to repair
to Egypt, with authority to settle difficulties and expel
Antiochus. These events required some months of time.
Antiochus met with a spirited resistance at Alexandria; he
therefore changed his plans. He arrayed one brother
against the other, that they might exhaust their resources
in civil war, until they should become so weak that he
could conquer them both and take the kingdom.
Concealing his -purpose for a time, he incited wicked
Philometor against his brother, gave him the control of
Egypt, except Pelusium, which Antiochus kept in his own
hands, and again retired to Syria.
While the embassadors of Physcon and Cleopatra were
in Rome, and before Antiochus had retired from Egypt,
the Rhodians sent messengers to him urging him to be at
peace with Egypt. But the embassy produced no good
effect upon the ambitious king of Syria; he protested to
them that his only object in invading Egypt was to place
the elder brother on his rightful throne.
Philometor was now becoming a man. His judgment
had ripened, and he had acquired some experience. After
Antiochus had retired, he reflected thoroughly upon the
state of affairs. He penetrated the policy of his uncle; he




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            175
saw that if Antiochus intended him any good he would not
have retained Pelusium. He therefore, like a noble,
generous man, communicated this suspicion of his uncle's
policy to Physcon. The brothers met, their differences were
adjusted, they were reconciled, and agreed to reign together
in brotherly love. Believing that Anticchus would renew
the invasion in the spring, the two brothers immediately
fortified Egypt against Syria, and sent to foreign states,
especially Greece, for soldiers to aid in their defense.
Agreeably to this suspicion, Antiochus hearing that the
two brothers were reconciled, invaded Egypt for the fifth
time, and sent his fleet into Cyprus, to take possession of
that Island. This was in 168 B. C. He entered Egypt
with a large army, and renewed the war openly and without
any pretext of coming to aid his nephew, but as the declared
enemy of both the kings. The embassadors of Egypt met
him, and demanded why he came, what were his intentions
and desires. He answered, "that he would have Cyprus,
Phoenicia, Palestine, Pelusium, and all of Egypt lying east
of the Nile, abandoned tb him forever, and that he would
have peace on no other terms;" and fixed a day for the
kings to give him their final answer.
Antiochus had not much regarded the determination of
the Romans to aid Egypt, for he believed they were
sufficiently employed in the war with Macedon. But just
about this time the war was closed by the defeat of Perseus,
the last Macedonian king. The commissioners sent from
Rome to settle the Egyptian difficulties, now arrived at
Alexandria. The time for the answers to the unreasonable
demands of Antiochus had expired, and he had already
commenced his attack upon the city when the Roman
embassy arrived.  At the head of this embassy, was
Pompilius, whom Antiochus had known in Rome many
years before. The Romans met Antiochus at a little




176             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
distance from Alexandria, and delivered to him the decree
of the Senate, that he should depart from Egypt. He
received and read the order, but desiring to gain time for
new intrigues, said that he would consider it among his
friends at leisure, and then give his answer.
On the one side stood three Romans, unarmed and
defenseless; on the other, a triumphant king, surrounded
by his army.  What could the Romans do?  What did
they do? Pompilius, with a wand, drew a circle round the
king, and bade him in the name of Rome not to depart out
of that circle until he answered whether he would or would
not obey the decree. Antiochus, struck with fear at the
bold manner of the Romans, replied that he would obey,
and very soon after departed from  Egypt, with all his
army. Thus ended his great scheme of unrighteous aggrandizement, by the ruin of his sister's children. Pompilius
returned with his colleagues to Alexandria, where he
brought to a conclusion the treaty of peace between the
two brothers, which had hitherto been but slightly sketched.
He then crossed iifto Cyprus, sent home Antiochus' fleet,
which had gained a victory over that of the Egyptians,
restored the whole island to the kings of Egypt, who had
a just claim to it, and returned to Rome, in order to
acquaint the Senate with the success of his embassy.  We
must now leave the two brothers in Egypt, and for a time
observe passing events in the other divisions of Alexander's
empire.
ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES, 175 B. C.
"And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great toward the south, (Egypt), and toward the east, (Persia), and
toward the pleasant land, (Judea).
EVERY student of the Bible, and every person who would
have an intelligent opinion upon the questions of prophesy,




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             177
ought to be familiar with the history and doings of this
king of Syria. He was the special subject of the visions
of Daniel, as recorded in the Book of Daniel, eighth chapter, from the ninth to the fourteenth verses, and in the
eleventh chapter, from the twenty-first verse to the close.
Antiochus Epiphanes was born about 210 B. C. He
was the second son of Antiochus the Great, and the fourth
king of Syria who had borne that title. On the death of
his father, his brother, Seleucus Philopator, succeeded to
the throne, and, after reigning eleven years, died, leaving
an infant son. Epiphanes had been sent to Rome, as a
hostage, according to an agreement made with that people,
by his father, of which an account has been given in the
life of that monarch. He was returning home from Rome
by the way of Greece, and stopped at Athens, to view the
works of art in that classic city. While there, he received
intelligence that his royal brother had been murdered by
one of his officers, Heliodorus, who had assumed the reigns
of government; that he was sustained by a powerful party
of adherents, but that there were other political parties in
the field. The then Cleopatra of Egypt was the daughter
of Antiochus, the sister of our hero, the widow of Ptolemy
Epiphanes, and the mother of Philometor and Physcon.
One party were desirous to bestow the crown of Syria upon
Philometor of Egypt, by virtue of his mother; another
party sought the interest of the child of the late king.
Eumenes, king of Pergamos, and his brother, Attalus,
were the ardent friends of Epiphanes. To them he applied
for aid, which was promptly afforded him; and by this, in
opposition to all claimants, he was established on the throne
of his father, after having subdued and slain the usurper.
Daniel thus foretells of him: "And in his estate, shall
stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the
honor of the king, but he shall come in peaceably, and




178            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
obtain the kingdom by flatteries." The new incumbent
received the title of Epiphanes, which signifies the illustrious, although no action of his ever merited so exalted a
name. Daniel calls him the vile person, which was by far
the more appropriate title. It must, however, be confessed
that in this world of strife, and turmoil and violence, they
usually receive honor and illustrious titles, who, in harmony
with the spirit of the world, that lieth in wickedness, do
the most evil and cause the largest amount of human
suffering.
The prophesy of Daniel is thus explained: The people
of Syria did not give him the honor of the kingdom, but
he was forced upon them by the king and prince of Pergamos; yet he obtained it without fighting with any except
the usuper. He obtained the kingdom by flatteries, by
persuading these princes that he would be of advantage to
them, by flattering the Romans that, as he had lived with
them and become familiar with their manners and customs,
which he approved, they ought to favor his claims. Thus
the usurper gained the honors, while the brother's child and
the sister's children gave place to him:
It matters little to us who had the best claim to the
throne, so that he who gained used it to promote the happiness of the people and the honor of himself. Epiphanes
made himself vile by mingling freely and with an indecent
familiarity with the common people. Sometimes he would
throw handsfull of corn among the crowd, and laugh to see
the scramble to obtain it. Liberality on the part of a monarch toward the worthy, the humble and the poor, is not
vile, but a commendable virtue. But the indiscreet bestowment of treasures, without regard to merit or necessity,
when the rude and not the deserving are the most successful in securing the gifts-treasures gathered by the strong
arm of the government from the virtuous, and distributed




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             179
among favorites, or without any specific object, is robbery
vile, and only vile. Epiphanes would often dress in disguise, or in some lowly habit, and, rushing into the street
among the rabble, play all manner of antic tricks. Sometimes he would hold a sham court, plead law, or take the
judge's bench, and decide imaginary suits.  Sometimes,
with a foreign dress, he would hold a sham election, after
the style of Rome, and, with cap in hand, go among the
crowd and solicit their votes, to elect him to some petty
Roman office.
In all these ways he made himself a vile person. Let
not the reader suppose it unbecoming the dignity of a ruler,
be he king or president, to commingle freely with the
masses of the poor, and learn their joys and sorrows, trials
and necessities, that he may the better appreciate their
wants and protect their rights. All this may be done
without detriment. A ruler may, and ought to be easily
approachable by the humblest citizen; but familiarity and
sociability need not compromise dignity. There may be
affability and kindness, coupled with all that self-respect
which becomes the representative of authority.
A ruler is contemptible who has no other dignity than a
haughty distance, which holds no common sympathy with
his fellow-beings. He is equally contemptible who permits
his familiarity to degenerate into buffoonery and frivolity.
Antiochus Epiphanes to the vileness above described,
added habits of excess in eating and drinking, and rude
and immodest behavior, such as visiting vulgar gatherings, -and there using obscene and corrupt language, and
dancing in a state of semi-nudity. Knowing these matters
of a private and personal nature, let us study his more
public relations to the world. These for the sake of convenience, we will divide into three sections: first, his wars




180             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
with Egypt; second, his persecution of the Jews, and third,
his administration of the government of Syria.
SEC. I.-TOWARD THE SOUTH.
"'And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully, for he
shall come up and shall become strong with a small people.
Soon after the coronation of Antiochus, the old and hereditary question was revived, in regard to the possession of
Palestine, Cyprus and Phoenicia. As usual, the Jews frequently changed masters, and every change was accompanied with the sacrifice of a vast amount of human life. In
the history of Philometor and Physcon, these wars have
been related, so far as they have respect to Egypt; but in
giving the history of Syria, they must necessarily be again
spoken of, by which means some repetition can not well be
avoided.
While Cleopatra, the queen-mother, lived, her influence
was sufficient to restrain the two nations from war. These
provinces, having previously' been taken by Antiochus the
Great, remained under the control of Epiphanes. But that
queen died in the year 173, leaving her throne to her son,
still quite young, and under the care of the prime ministers. The regent sent a deputation to Antiochus, to urge
their claim, and demand of him the restoration of the provinces in dispute, not only on account of the original partition, but also because they had been given to Ptolemy
Epiphanes as the dower of his wife, who, being now dead, her
claims descended to her son, the young king. But Antiochus denied both these claims, declaring, first, that the
original partition, if ever made, had been annulled by the
successful conquest of his father, and that the dowry was
a pure fiction, which he would not acknowledge.  Soon after
this, the coronation of Ptolemy Philometor took place,
though he was but fifteen years of age. On that occasion,




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            181
Antiochus was represented by his minister Appolonius, who
made a league -with Egypt to remain at peace. Yet he
proceeded immediately to fortify the coast of Palestine as
far as Joppa, and made all preparation for a war of invasion. In the year 171, he invaded Egypt with a small
army.
The Romans had warned him against any encroachment
upon the rights of Ptolemy, but Antiochus believed that
the Romans were sufficiently occupied with the war in which
they were engaged in Macedon. He therefore disregarded
this admonition, and marched upon Pelusium. Here he
met the army of the young Ptolemy. He engaged it in
battle near Mount Cassius, defeated the Egyptians, and
put a garrison into the fortress at this place, by which he
was enabled to keep a check upon the Egyptians, and prevent them from invading him. This was his first expedition
into Egypt, which fulfilled the words of the prophet: "And
after the league made with him," [with Ptolemy Philometor, at the time of the coronation], "he shall work deceitfully."
While he pretended friendship, and a desire for peace, he
was making great preparation for a war of invasion. "For
he shall come up and shall become strong with a small
people." His army was small compared with the one
brought afterward on his subsequent invasion of Egypt.
He became strong, successful, triumphant over his opponent.
After this, he returned to winter quarters in Syria.
In the spring of the year 170, Antiochus invaded Egypt
both by sea and land, and marched into the heart of the
country, capturing Memphis and almost all the principal
cities except Alexandria. It was in this campaign that he
captured Philometor, and the people, supposing he had
attached himself to Antiochus, placed upon the throne his
brother, afterwards called Physcon. Philometor was soon




182            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
set at liberty, but remained with Antiochus, and they both
ate at the same table. Many of the cities, seeing the
feebleness of the government at Alexandria, and the power
of Antiochus, submitted peacefully to him, and gave him
the fattest of the land, without resistance.  The treasures
he took in this campaign were very freely distributed
among the officers and soldiers of his army. Thus, " he shall
enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province,
and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, or his
fathers' fathers-he shall scatter among them the prey and
the spoils, and the riches; and he shall forecast devices
against the strongholds even, for a time; and he shall stir
up his power and his courage against the king of the south,
with a great army; and the king of the south shall be
stirred up to battle, with a very great and mighty army,
but he shall not stand. For they shall forecast devices
against him —yea, they that feed upon the portion of his
meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow, and
many shall fall down slain.  And both these kings' hearts
shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one
table, but it shall not prosper, for yet the end shall be the
time appointed. They that ate of the portion of the meat
of the king of Egypt shall destroy him and his government,
and the army (of Antiochus) shall overflow Egypt, and slay
many people."
Just at this time a revolt in Palestine caused Antiochus
to depart from Egypt in order to see to matters in his own
country.  He therefore established a strong garrison at
Pelusium, and returned into Asia.
Ha.ving accomplished there his purposes, and learning
that Egypt had placed upon the throne the younger brother
of Philometor, he again marched into that country, under
the pretext that he was going to place Philometor on the
throne, instead of his brother. The third expedition of




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             183
Antiochus into Egypt was about B. C. 168. Between the
second and third expeditions, Philometor remained at Memphis, while his brother resided at Alexandria. To Memphis
Antiochus again repaired with a large army. He also sent
a navy to block up the mouths of the rivers, and aid, if
possible, in capturing Alexandria. It was at this time that
the embassadors interposed their efforts to negotiate for
peace, which proved unsuccessful. After this failure, Physcon and his sister fled to Rome for aid, which was speedily
granted them.
Antiochus, having attacked Alexandria without success,
retired to Memphis, placing the government nominally in
the hands of Philometor, but in reality retaining it in his
own. He kept the garrison of Pelusium, and retired himself to Antioch. Thus ended the third expedition.
Immediately after the close of this expedition, the brothers came to a reconciliation, and agreed to reign jointly,
and unite their strength to defend Egypt against the ambitious schemes of their uncle.
"'And both these kings' hearts (Antiochus and Philometor) shall be to do mischief." Antiochus professed to
be only desirious to establish Philometor on the throne;
whereas, he intended to destroy him, and take the kingdom
to himself-while Philometor professed to have all confidence in the good intentions of his uncle, yet was desirous
to get rid of him, and assert his independence. " But it
shall not prosper." Antiochus shall not get Egypt. Neither
will Philometor, at present, have undisputed possession of
the throne, for " The end shall be at the appointed time."
Both of these kings belong to the Kingdom of Brass, as
the third beast, whose end must come, and the fourth take
their place. Therefore Rome will not have to interfere,
thus preparing the way at the end of the time appointed.




1 84            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
"Then shall he (Antiochus) return to his own land with
great riches."
" At the time appointed, he (Antiochus) shall return, and
come toward the south (toward Egypt), but it shall not be
as the former or the latter expedition, for the ships of Chittim
(Rome) shall come against him, therefore he  shall be
grieved in return." Dan. xi, 29, 30.
"And ships shall come from  the coast of Chittim, and
shall afflict Asher, and shall afflict Eber, and he (Eber, or
the Israelites) shall perish forever." Numb. xxiv, 24.
The quarrel between Egypt and Syria was the same long
mooted question of the possession of Palestine and Phenicia, to decide which Antiochus had gone beyond the bounds
of those countries, and invaded Egypt. Being successful,
his ambition aspired to govern all that country.  He, however, pretended that his only purpose was to aid his nephew
against his brother. But his real object was to dethrone
both. Instead, therefore, of being pleased that they were
united peaceably upon the throne, he threw off all disguise
and declared himself their enemy, and invaded Egypt the
fourth time. It was then that the Roman deputies, three
in number, defying all his power, bade him, in the name
of the senate, to depart immediately from Egypt, which
command he dared not disobey. And it was not this time
as in the former expedition.
The relation of Antiochus to the Jews next demands our
attention.
SECTION II.-ANTIOCHUS AND THE JEWS.
"And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed
exceeding great toward the south, and toward the cast, and toward the
pleasant land."
When Antiochus Epiphanes ascended the throne of Syria,
Palestine was subject to him.  Since the return of the Jews




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             185
from the great captivity they had been governed by their
high priests, who were usually tributary to some of the surrounding nations, who constantly quarreled for the possession
of that province. The office of the high priest, which had
been the prize of ambition among themselves, became the
cause of many of their calamities.
At this time one Onias was high priest, and his brother
desired his place. Jason immediately repaired to Antioch,
and marking the vile character of Antiochus, concluded to
strike a bargain with him. He offered the king, for the
revenues of Palestine, three hundred and sixty talents,
equal in value to about four hundred and fifty thousand dollars, with eighty talents more, (or about sixty thousand
dollars), on condition that he should be made high priest.
The offer was accepted. Onias was deposed, and Jason
placed in the highest religious seat, by the authority of a
pagan king. This was about 174 B. C. Onias was what
the Jews of that day would have called a very godly man;
that is, he was zealous for the customs of his fathers, and
the ritual of the Jews' religion. Jason was of a very diferent spirit; he cared little for any religion, but sought the
office for the emoluments thereof. By extortion and avarice
he accumulated great wealth, but being desirous to maintain
his popularity with the king of Syria, he corrupted the faith
and practice of his fathers, and introduced many heathen
notions into the service of the temple.
Two years only did Jason enjoy the office he obtained by
bribery. In 172, he sent his younger brother, Menelaus,
to Antioch to pay the tribute, and the latter succeeded in
supplanting him, just as he had done Onias, by offering a
bribe. This second change in the high priesthood caused a
tumult in Jerusalem, in which some lives were lost, and
among others Onias was murdered. But Menelaus firmly
16




186            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
established himself in the office, where he committed many
acts of sacrilege and profanity.
During the residence of Antiochus at Tyre, between his
first and second expedition into Egypt, the Sanhedrin sent a
deputation of three men to him to complain of the impiety
of the high priest.  We should in our day think it a strange
proceeding, to accuse and try a priest or bishop of a Christian church before a pagan king, especially for the crime of
heterodoxy or informality in religious ceremonies. But so
degenerated had become the Jewish church, that the highest
offices of the priesthood were bought and sold in pagan
markets, and pagans decided church quarrels; thus preparing
the way to set up the abomination that maketh desolate
and pollutes all that remains of virtue in the church. Antiochus heard the case, gave judgment against the accused,
and was about to pass sentence of death upon him, but
another actor in this trial appeared upon the stage.
When Ptolemy Epiphanes died he left one Ptolemy
Macron, governor of Cyprus. D)uring the minority of Philometor, Macron withheld from the treasury all the revenues
of Cyprus. For this he was accused of fraud, but the ministry tried in vain to get possession of those funds.  The
truth was that Macron was a faithful officer and worthy of
all praise. He understood the profligate character of the
ministry, and knew that if the treasures were given to them
they would be imprudently squandered.  He therefore
retained the funds in his own hands; but when Philometor
took the control of the government for himself, Macron
repaired to Egypt, and delivered up the money which he had
preserved for the young king.  Here was a man of noble
soul and faithful purpose, traduced and abused by the ministry, who were far less worthy than himself. Had he been
duly appreciated, and treated according to his merit, Egypt




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             187
might have found in him a valuable friend in her subsequent
times of need. The ministry could not endure the presence of a man whose virtue was a constant rebuke to
their dishonesty.  Macron was ill-treatedl and abus d by the
ministry, and the young king had not firmness and honesty
enough to defend his faithful servant.  The affection of
Macron was wounded, and turned into hate.  Alas! how
often are the best friends of a cause driven to forsake it by
the abuse of unworthy men, who control it? Macron concluded that he served an unworthy master; that there was
no merit in being faithful to one who did not himself possess
the virtue of faithfulness. He therefore delivered the possession of the island to Antiochus, which was at that time a
great favor, for which Macron was rewarded by being made
governor over all Celo-Syria and Palestine. Macron was at
Tyre, at the trial of Menelaus.  The offender was from a
province over which Macron was Governor. It was therefore
natural that he should have something to say. Macron and
Mienelaus seemed to have been friends. The governor interceded for the prisoner. Antiochus, more intent on pleasing
his favorite, than protecting goodness or punishing offenses,
pardoned the culprit, and caused the three deputies who had
accused him, to be put to death as false witnesses. The
Tyrians seemed to have more respect for justice, for they
buried the bodies of the deputies in an honorable manner.
Let all men learn the fate of those who upon religious questions appeal to civil power, and govern themselves accordingly.
PERSECUTION OF THE JEWS.
While Antiochus was besieging Alexandria, in his second
expedition to that country, a rumor reached Jerusalem that
he had been slain. Since the death of the three deputies at
Tyre, the Jews had not esteemed Antiochus very highly.




188            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
When therefore they received this false intelligence, they
made great rejoicings, which were accompanied with some
acts of violence. Jason thought this a good occasion to
recover the ofice from which he had been suspended.  He
accordingly marched upon Jerusalem with a small army of
but little more than one thou'sand men, made himself master of the city, drove out Menelaus, who retired to the
citadel, and established himself in power. He practiced
all manner of cruelty, and put to death many innocent persons, whom he suspected of opposition to his violent measures.
It does not appear that the Jews contemplated any
rebellion against Antiochus. They only desired to regulate
the office of high-priest. When Antiochus heard of these
transactions, he concluded that all Palestine had rebelled
against him, and to quell this rebellion, he at that time
left Egypt.
Exasperated at this rejoicing for his supposed death, he
marched to Jerusalem, besieged the city, captured it, and
gave up the innocent inhabitants to slau'ghter.  Eighty
thousand men were slain, and forty thousand captured and
sold into slavery. Menelaus, who was with him, led Antiochus into the temple, even to the holy of holies, where he
polluted the sanctuary. He carried off the altar of incense,
the table of shew-bread, and the seven golden candlesticks,
with other sacred vessels. He also plundered the whole
city and country, and then returned to Antioch, laden with
the spoils of Egypt and Judea.
He reappointed Menelaus high-priest, Philip of Phrygia,
governor of Judea, and Andronicus, governor of Samariathree as wicked men as could well have been selected. This
robbery and pollution of the temple was the event foretold
by Daniel: "And it, the little horn (Antiochus), waxed




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.           189
great even to the hosts of heaven, and it cast down some
of the host and the stars to the ground, and stamped upon
them. Yea, he mIag-nified himself even to the prince of
the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and
the place of the sanctuary cast down,. and a host was given
him against the daily sacrifice, by reason of transgression,
and it cast down the truth to the ground, and it practiced
and prospered [how long?] unto two thousand three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Dan. viii,
9-14.
This occured in the year 120 B. C. The cleansing of the
sanctuary has been supposed to refer to some great event
to take place about this time. Rev. William Miller computed the time to expire in 1843. Modern adventists supposed the event would occur in 1855, while millenarians
say the'time will run out in 1.866. All these computations
are based upon the inference that a day signifies a year.
This is sometimes the correct use of the term day, but
manifestly not always. When should the time expire by
that calculation?  Will it be two thousand three hundred
years from the time the vision was seen by Daniel? This
vision occurred in the third year of the reign of Belshazar,
which was five hundred and fifty-five years before the birth
of Christ. Then the event should have transpired long
ago. Let us state it thus:
2300 the length of the vision.
555 the vision given.
1745
So that the event should have transpired one hundred and
eleven years ago. But no remarkable event occured at
that time.
Did the time begin with the event of taking away the




190            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
sacrifice, and polluting the temple?  Then the figures
should stand thus:
2300
170
2130
Then the time will not elapse until about two thousand one
hundred and thirty, about two hundred and seventy-five
years yet in the future.  Is it not probable that all these
are false calculations, and that in this instance, a day does
not mean a year? In the tenth chapter of Daniel, we are
told that the Prince of Persia resisted the angel one and
twenty days, and until the Prince of Grecia came.  In this
instance a day signifies a decade of years, and the one and
twenty days refers to the two hundred and ten years of the
power of the Persian Empire, beginning five hundred and
forty years before the birth of Christ, or the defeat of all
the great armies of Babylon, ten years before the taking
of the city, and ending in three hundred and thirty, when
Alexander took the capital of the Persian Empire, and
burned it to the ground.
The two thousand three hundred days may, and probably
does, mean literal days.  This would occupy about seven
years, an(l end exactly with the death of Antiochus, who,
in his last agonies, revoked his decree against the Jews;
and althouglh his successor did not much respect that decree,
the Jews then commenced again the services in the temple,
1G4 B. C., under the government of Antiochus Eupator.
A former chapter closed with the return of Antiochus
fiom Eg(ypt, the fourth time, at the bidding of the Roman
deputies. Exasperated at the failure of all his great
schemes of aggrandizement, he was in no very good frame
of mind toward any of his subjects, but his especial




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             191
indignation was against the Jews. It does not appear what
new provocation they had given him, if any. As his army
marched along near the sea-coast, on his direct route to
Antioch, he detached Appolonius, with his two thousand
men to destroy Jerusalem. The year previously he had
razed the temple; now he prepared to exterminate the
city. The commander arrived in the midst of the night,
and exhibited no disposition to do harm. He thus quieted
the fears of the inhabitants.  The Sabbath approachedthat day for the sanctity of which the Jews, ever since the
great captivity, had great reverence —but they repaired not
to the temple that had been polluted two years before. No
morning and evening sacrifices ascended thence to the God
of Israel. The golden altar had been removed. No light
from the seven golden candlesticks was there. But the
abomination which maketh desolate had been set up. The
high-priest was the corrupt creature of a pagan king. Synagogues had been reared in many parts of the city and vicinage, where multitudes, leaving the temple, convened to hear
the law read and expounded to them, to sing hymns of praise,
and offer humble prayers to the God of Israel. On that day
the solemn chant of heavenly song was disturbed by other
sounds —the groans of the dying, the screams of the
wounded, the clash of arms, and the shouts of combatants,
rent the air. Appolonius, obedient to his orders, fell upon
the unsuspecting people, in the midst of their devotion, and
put them to death.'T'he army fell upon them and cut them
to pieces, and the women and children were sold as slaves.
Not a man that fell in their way was spared.  The streets
flowed with human blood, while the soldiers plundered the
houses of the butchered inhabitants. After this, several
parts of the city were set on fire. Of the ruined houses,
they took materials and built fortresses on the hill of Zion,
which would command and overlook the temple. There




192            THE'KINGDOM OF BRASS.
thefy stored the plunder, with all the implements of war,
and fiom  this garrison they went out, and attacked and
slew such of the people from the country as came up to the
city to worship.
Many were slain in and around the temple, and their
carcases thrown among the ruins, the more completely to
pollute the holy place. Some writers suppose that this is
the time from which we ought to date the abomination, and
that from this time (instead of ten years before), the morning and evening sacrifices had been discontinued. But this is
hardly possible, since the golden altar, on which alone the
daily sacrifices was offered, was carried off on the previous
occasion. " Then shall he be grieved, and return and have
indignation against the holy covenant" (with Menelaus
and his associates. who corrupted the religion of their
fathers).
Having returned to his regal city, Antiochus conceived
the idea of establishing uniformity of religion. He published a decree, that all the different people'in his kingdom
should lay aside the ancient faith, and worship the same
gods and in the same manner as did the king. His kingdom then embraced Parthia, Media, Elam, and many other
nations, whose religions were as diversified as their languages. Some of the Eastern tribes were worshipers of
the sun and of the sacred fire. The king's religion was
that of the ancient pagan Greeks.  This decree, although
general in its terms, was intended specially to annoy the
Jews. Commissioners were sent into all the provinces to
put this decree into execution; but we do not hear of its
enforcement throwing any place in commotion, except
Judea. It may not have been enforced or even attempted
elsewhere, and was probably only proposed to cover up the
tyranny which was used against the Jews. The Jewish
historians say that no people were more ready to comply




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             193
with this request than were the Samaritans, who, from a
deep-seated hatred to the Jews, their neighbors, (of a common
stock of Israel), were anxious to see them exterminated.
They had built a temple upon Mount Gerizim, but had not
dedicated it to any particular deity. They presented a
petition to Antiochus, in which, after denying that they
were Jews, they asked permission to dedicate their temple
to the Grecian god, Jupiter, and call it after the king's
name, Antiochia. Their petition was received and the
request granted, and the deputy governor instructed not
to disturb them  in any manner.  The Samaritans and
many of the apostate Jews joined with Antiochus, and became the most cruel persecutors of their brethren.  It
must be recollected that the hatred between the Jews and
Samaritans was mutual, and that the Jewish writers being
prejudiced have probably colored the offenses of the Samaritans, higher than the truth would bear.
We have here the Samaritans living in Samaria three
hundred and seventy years after the return of the Jews
from captivity, and only one hundred and sixty-eight years
before the birth of Christ. May we not safely infer, that
the ten last tribes returned from this captivity at the same
time with the Jews, and that those who adhered to the faith
became commingled with that people, losing their identity,
and thus fulfilling the prophecy of Ezekiel, that the two
sticks should become one stick, having thus lost their
national identity, and that the apostate Samaritans became
merged in the Syrian nation. Hence, is it more than an
illusion to seek for the lost ten tribes among the AngloSaxons or the American Indians, or anywhere else?
Of the operation of this decree upon the Jews, Rollin
thus speaks: The commissioner who was sent into Judea
and Samaria to see the king's decree punctually obeyed,
was called Athenaus, a man advanced in years, and
17




194             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
extremely well-versed in the ceremonies of the Grecian
idolatry. He had been, for that reason, judged a most fit
person to invite a strange nation to join in it. Immediately upon his arrival at Jerusalem, he began his operations, by putting a stop to the sacrifices which were offered
up to the God of Israel, and suppressing all the observances of the Jewish law. They polluted the temple in
such a manner that it was no longer fit for the worship
of God; profaned the Sabbath and other festivals; forbade
the circumcision of children, and carried off and burned all
the copies of the law upon which they could lay hands.
They abolished all the ordinances of God in every part of
the country, and put to death whoever was found to have
acted contrary to the decree of the king. The Syrian
soldiers and the commissioners who commanded over them,
were the chief instruments by which the Jews were converted to the religion professed by the' sovereign. To
establish it the sooner in every part of the nation, altars
and chapels filled with idols were erected in every city, and
soacred groves were planted. Officers were appointed to
these, who caused all the people in general to offer sacrifices in them every month, on the day of the month on
which the king was born. They forced them to eat the
flesh of swine, and other unclean animals sacrificed there.
The officers of the king, in their effort to compel the Jews
to abandon their religion, met with a spirited resistance.
Many lives were lost on both sides; among others, MIatthias, the father of Judas Maccaboeus, was slain, after a
manful and heroic resistance.
In 167, tidings of this resistance reached the king at
Antioch.  He marched into Judea, determined to subdue
his rebellious subjects. In this he was, however, entirely
unsuccessful, although he committed many acts of cruelty
too horrible to relate.  It was in this expedition that he




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.               195
executed Eleazar, a man of ninety years, venerable for his
piety and his deference for the faith of his fathers.  At the
same time was put to death, by cruel torments, a mother
and her seven sons, spoken of in the MIaccabees.  Many
of the heroic deeds of the Jews, at this and subsequent
times, are recorded by those authors who are very far from
being accurate as impartial historians.  Their statements.
though marvelous and exceedingly interesting, and perhaps, in general, founded on fact, must be taken by the
inquirer after truth, with liberal allowance for national
and religious partiality.  There is, however, no doubt that
the Jews, ever tenacious of their religion and obstinate
toward their foes, resisted most nobly the unreasonable
demands of the pagan  monarch, and, favored by the
Supreme Being, were victorious against vastly superior
numbers. The reader will find a more full history of
these deeds in the authors just referred to, and can attach
as much importance to them  as lie may think they merit.
I shall here only give the most authentic and prominent
events in these campaigns.
The history of the past should teach modern church and
statesmen and religious persecutors, and all politicians,
that it is impossible to CRUSH OUT a conscientious resistance to an odious and unjust law.
When Antiochus had drenched all Judea with the blood
of its martyred inhabitants, without producing the desired
effect, he returned to Antioch to attend to matters in relation to the Romans and other nations.  An account of this
is reserved for the third section of his life.  Thus ended
the persecution, B. C. 167.
While Antiochus was thus occupied, Judas Maccabee was
fast recovering all the important posts and fortresses held
by the Syrians. Appolonias, governor of Samaria, and
Seron, another officer, each with a strong army, attempted




196            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
to check his progress, but were both defeated with a great
destruction of their men and the loss of their own lives.
Antiochus hearing of the defeat of the two armies, and the
death of his two officers, was exceedingly enraged, and
determined to re-visit Judea and exterminate the whole race.
He was, however, prevented from going there in person,
for his treasures were well nigh exhausted, and disturbances
had broken out in Armenia and Persia, which required his
presence in those countries.
"But tidings out of the east, (Persia), and out of the
north, (Armenia), shall trouble him; therefore, he shall
go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly make away
many." He therefore, in 160 B. C., divided his forces,
taking one army with him into the north and into the east.
The other he committed to Lysias, a prince of royal blood,
whom he appointed his deputy at Antioch, with specific
instruction to exterminate the Jews, so that their lands
might be given to other people, among whom they were to
be divided by lot. He was anxious to fulfill this mission,
but hearing of thle army of Judas he became alarmed.
Philip the Phrygian was at this time governor of Judea,
and Ptolemy Macron of Celo-Syria. Lysias sent an army to
the aid of Philip, and appointed Macron commander-inchief, and Nicanor, a particular friend, Lieutenant. They,
with Gorbias, a distinguished officer, marched into Judea
with forty thousand foot and seven thousand horse, and
encamped at Emaaus. Another and a very singular group
were also collected there. More than a thousand merchants
of great wealth, from different nations, had assembled here
to buy the captives who they expected would be taken and
sold. Nicanor had advertised extensively that these captives should be sold into slavery at the rate of ninety for
a talent, by which he intended to raise the sum of two
thousand talents which the king owed to the Romans.




THE rINGDOM OF BRASS.            197
This would require the sale of one hundred and eighty
thousand slaves. As it was the intention to cut to pieces
all the able-bodied men, and only spare and sell the women
and children, we may form some idea of the extent of their
anticipated conquest. But the game was not yet caught.
Oh, what a gathering was this. How unlike this the scenes
enacted in Emaus when, two hundred years later, two lowly
disciples, in the evening shade, walked with disconsolate
spirit from Jerusalem to Emaus, their hearts burning by
the way, as the Master spake unto them. Judas, aware
of the eminent danger to which he was exposed, gathered
up his small army of about six thousand soldiers and
repaired to.Neshap, the Nispa where Samuel of olden time
worshiped, before the temple of Solomon was built. Here
they performed divine worship, and implored the aid of the
Supreme Being. After dismissing one-half of his soldiers,
who were either afraid or had some legal excuse for not
engaging in war, he marched with the remaining three
thousand and encamped in the vicinity of his enemies. In
the night season, Gorbias, guided by an apostate Jew, led
out several thousand of the best of the soldiers, and
attempted by a secret pass in the mountains to fall by
surprise on this handful of men. Judas was apprised of
this, and after the detachment had left the camp, he fell
suddenly upon the body of the enemy, who, taken by surprise, and deceived by the darkness of the night, were
thrown into utter confusion. A vast number of them were
slain and the rest dispersed. Gorbias not finding Judas as
he expected, returned and found his own camp in flames,
the body of his army dispersed, and Judas triumphant.
His men threw down their arms and fled. Judas pursued
them, and slew in the flight, of these and the main army,
about nine thousand men. Then returning to the camp, he
collected a large amount of plunder, and also captured the




198            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
slave merchants, who, instead of buying slaves, were themselves sold into slavery. Their money was confiscated to
the treasury of Judas.  The next day being sabbatl, was
celebrated with solemn joy and thanksgiving. This victory
encouraged many others to join the army of Judas, so that
with his increased force he was able to pursue the different
branches of the retreating enemy, and in other battles won
several victories, and slew twenty thousand men. Thus
ended the campaign of 166 B. C., to be revived again the
next year.
WAR CONTINUED.-B. C. 165.
The campaign of the preceding year against Judea, had
closed with the defeat and almost annihilation of the Syrian
army. Dismay filled the court of Antiochus. The king
was still in the east.  The viceroy had not been able to
obey the royal instructions regarding the extermination of
the Jews.  Lysias felt the necessity of doing something to
sustain his own position, and retrieve the honor of the army
under his charge; but he had not yet learned that he was
fighting against tie Most High.  He was beginning to
experience that it was hard to kick against the pricks. He
again raised a large army for the conquest of Judea. This
army consisted of sixty thousand foot, and five thousand
horse; the very last troops that Syria could produce. At
the head of this army he proceeded southward, pregnant
with the resolution to exterminate the Jews. Passing
around Jerusalem, he encamped about ten miles south of
that city, at Bethima, in the borders of Idumea. Judas
still lived to defend the lives, liberty, property, and religion
of his countrymen.
Elated with the victory of the preceding year, and
animated by the enthusiasm of a religious belief, that Deity
had special respect for him, and would aid him, he marched
upon the invader with about ten thousand men. The




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.               199
contending parties were soon engaged in battle. The frantic
enthusiasm of the Jews made them desperate. They rushed
upon the foe with impetuosity, slew five thousand of their
enemies, threw the whole army into confusion, and caused
a precipitate flight of the whole Syrian band.  Lysias in
dismay at the valor of the Jews, and the defeat of his army,
retreated with such of the remnant of his forces as he could
collect, to Antioch, threatening to revisit Judea the next
year. But the next year brought a new master to Syria.
And thus closed so much of the public life of Antiochus
Epiphanes, as relates to the Jews.
SEC. II. —SYRIA DURING THE REIGN OF EPIPHANES.
The city of Antioch had now been the royal residence of
the kings of Syria, from the time of Seleucus Nicator, about
one hundred and twenty-five years. Nearly every monarch
of Syria had contended with Egypt, about. the possession of
the intermediate countries, and in these contests spent a vast
amount, of human life and treasure, but ever leaving the
quarrel just as they founid it, to be settled by some future
appeal to arms.  Antiochus the Great had used every care
to possess himself of it, but without success.  Epiphanes
now determined to accomplish the desired task, and would
probably have succeeded, but for foreign interference.  Rome
had now risen, not only to take her place among the nations,
but be the umpire between them, to decide their quarrel,
sometimes indeed, according to equity and the interests of
human liberty, but more frequently accordilg to the dictates
of her own selfish interests.  Greece was already under the
Roman protection,  Macedon and Rome were engaged in
war during the entire year of the reign of Epiphanes, but
before the close of his life, Macedon yielded up the glost,
and became also a Roman province.  Rome did not desire to
see any other nation extend its empire and increase its




200            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
power, lest it should become too strong and endanger the
independence, or perhaps become the rival of herself. For
this reason she had checked these ambitious schemes, and
finally subdued Antiochus the Great, when he labored for
the conquest of the provinces in Egypt, and four times invaded
that: country for the purpose of annexing it to Syria.
At this time Physconi and Cleopatra fled to Rome and
presented their petition.  The Roman Senate, not so much
out of pity to Egypt, as jealousy of the great power of
Syria, espoused the cause of Ptolemy. The result is already
recorded.  Rome persuaded the Syrians to remain in Egypt,
and Antiochus obeyed. His schemes of ambition were all
blown away, just as those of his fathers had ever been; yet
he learned no lesson of wisdom by the experience of generations. Then commenced his campaign against the Jews.
The Greeks had their temples, their imaginary gods, and
their religious festivals,. which consisted in games of athletic
exercise, and hand and foot races, or what we might in these
days call gambling, in honor of the gods. Other peculiarities of the services were much like the modern performance
in theaters. The Persian mythology differed but little from
that of the Greeks.
Paulus AEmilius, the Roman officer at the head of the
Macedonian affairs, after the conquest of that country, celebrated the games as they were called, at Amphipolis, on the
Strymon, with great pomp and solemnity-if ostentatious
show can be called solemnity. Epiphanes was desirous to do
the same thing at Daphne, the locality of the temple of
Apollo and Diana.  He sent abroad invitations for multitudes to collect for the celebration.  Immense numbers congregated.  Many days were devoted to carousals in honor
of the gods. If in this celebration Epiphanes had any
object whatever, it must have been, first, to rival Rome, as a
matter of pride, and secondly, for the mere gratification of




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              201
his sensuality, for he regarded no religion nor god except his
own will. It was while contemplating this great festival,
that he determined upon the wild and unparalleled project of
creating, by law, uniformity of religion throughout his kingdom. In the celebation of this festival, Epiphanes behaved
so shamelessly, and associated with such obscene women and
men, that multitudes of virtuous citizen, as well as strangers
from all parts of the world, left in disgust at his abominable
vileness.  This was the man whom Daniel calls vile.  The
debauch, for such it properly ought to be called, cost immense sums of money, exhausting his treasury, and embarrassing him in raising an army to invade the Jews.
Rome did not lose sight of Syria; she observed all the
movements there with Argus eyes.  For this, purpose
Tiberius Gradias was sent to Antioch, to keep an eye upon
passing events. He arrived just at the close of the great
religious festival. Syria owed Rome a large amount of
money; this was demanded, but the treasury was empty; its
contents had been squandered in rioting. The war against
the Jews was at hand.' Just at this time arose a new
trouble — for misfortunes usually combine and unite their
forces against man, when he abandons himself to intemperance and carousing.
Bad tidings from the East and from the North. Armenia,
lying nearly north and east of Syria, had long been subject
to this country, and paid an annual tribute into its treasury.
Antaxias was the local governor of Armenia.  He, with his
people, rebelled against Epiphanes, and set up his independence.  Persia lying east of Syria, also at that time refused
to pay tribute, and sought to throw off the yoke of dependence.  Both these rebellions were probably the consequence
of the mal-administration of Epiphanes, whose time was
wasted between a fruitless attempt to conquer Egypt, and
idle dissipation at home, entirely neglecting such careful and




202            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
judicious regulation of his provinces as was necessary. He
had not learned the true political economy, that to take
care of what one has, and develop its resources, will fill a
treasury faster than the attainment of foreign power, difficult and costly to hold. It was to reclaim these rebellious
provinces in the north and east that Epiphanes marched in
this direction, leaving Lysias to administer affairs in his
place at home.
Let us follow this vile hero in his expedition. Soon after
the close of the festival, which, it will be recollected, was
in the year 166, Epiphanes invaded Armenia, conquered
the whole country, and took Antaxias prisoner. Armenia
is a cold, mountainous country, not very productive nor
abounding in wealth. Epiphanes, although he was triumphant in arms, did not enrich his exhausted treasury by his
success; but he hoped for the same success in Persia.
Early in 165, Epiphanes marched into Persia.  He met
with some success in reclaiming his revolted subjects, and
was occupied in arranging the taxes of that country, when
he heard of the defeat of his armies in Judea. This filled
him with exceeding wrath. Finding it impossible to collect
any revenue from his best but oppressed subjects in Persia,
he determined to try pillage.  Elymos, a city of Media,
was the site of a famous temple, dedicated to Diana, and,
as some say, to Venus-that is, the goddesses of hunting
and of lust. This temple was known to abound in treasures
consecrated to religious worship.
To Elymves, Epiphanes repaired, and besieged the city,
intending to pollute the temple. The inhabitants, both of
city and country, rendered desperate at the prospect of so
great a sacrilege, came together in vast multitudes, and
fell impetuously upon the army of the king, defeating and
dispersing the entire host. Without obtaining the prize,
he retired with his army. In addition to the mortification




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             203
of this repulse, it will be remembered, he had heard of the
defeat and slaughter of his army in Palestine, by Judas
Maccaboeus. Full of wrath, and determined to make the
Jews feel the weight of his displeasure, he led his forces to
the west. He arrived at Babylonia, where the particulars
of the fall and terrible defeat of Lysias were told him,
which, already excited as he was, brought him almost to
insanity.  Threatening to make Jerusalem the burying
place of the whole Jewish nation, he ordered his coachman
to drive with all possible speed. In the very moment of
uttering his threats, he was seized with most severe colic,
which the Jewish rulers thought was the direct judgment
of God upon him, for his cruelty to their nation. Still he
ordered all possible speed to be made, on the journey homeward, that he might not die before he could wreak his vengeance upon the Jews. Driving furiously along, he was
thrown from his carriage, and dreadfully bruised by the
fall, which, in connection with his previous malady, greatly
disabled him, and filled his body with excrutiating pain.
He was placed upon a litter, and borne upon the shoulders
of his servants. But his bruises mortified, and his body
became full of sores —his intestines, as well as externally.
Hovering between the living and the dead, he was thus carried along for some days. The stench of his body became
almost unendurable to his attendants and the whole army.
In his unutterable anguish, he called one of his officers, and
acknowledged that there was a God in Israel mightier than
man, that his sufferings were the penalty of his cruelties,
and that he could not contend with the Almighty. He now
made solemn vows that if the God of heaven would restore
him to health, he would revoke all the edicts against the
Jews, and even become a Jew, and worship the true God.
How vain are all resolutions and promises made upon a bed
of sickness and death, and extorted by pain or fear, not by




204            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
love of truth and goodness! Perceiving his end approaching, the king called to him Philip, a favorite, and bestowed
upon him the regency of the government during the minority of his son, then but nine years of age, and afterwards
known as Antiochus Eupator. He gave some directions for
the education of the child, laid down some general rules
for the future government of the kingdom-rules which he
had not enforced by his example-and then yielded up the
ghost. "And he shall come to his end, and none shall help
him."
Thus, in the year 164 B. C., ended the reign and the life
of the greatest persecutor, the vilest and must cruel king,
that ever sat on the throne of Syria. Let all tyrants learn
of him a lesson, and tremble.
" But 0, this end, this dreadful end. Thy sanctuary
taught me so. Yet a little while, and the wicked shall
not be."
ANTIOCfIUS EUPATOR, B. C. 164.
PHILIP, the favorite of Epiphanes, who was with that
monarch at the time of his death, and when he received
the authority of prime minister and regent of the young
prince, repaired to Antioch to fulfil the duties of his mission. But he found another already in his place. Lysias
had for some time had the care of the government, and
hearing of the death of his master, placed the youthful son
and heir on the throne, retaining, however, all the power
and authority in his own hands. Eupator was then but
nine years of age.
Lysias was not disposed to surrender his authority to
Philip, considering that the possessor had better title than
he. In vain did Philip endeavor to obtain possession of the




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             205
authority conferred upon him by the late king. The wishes
of a dead king, expressed in his expiring moments, in a
foreign land, had far less influence with the nobles than the
authority of one already in power, who had. become accustomed to command. Philip repaired to Egypt, hoping to
receive aid from the Ptolemys.
But while all these events were transpiring in Syria, the
two brothers in Egypt were not reigning in the most brotherly harmony. They were, therefore, indisposed to afford
aid to Philip.
The next year, Philip retired into the east, assembled
an army of Medes and Persians, and marched suddenly upon
Antioch, while Lysias and the youthful king were absent on
all invasion of Judea. He attempted to establish himself
in power, but the sudden return of his opponent to the
capital drove the usurper out of the city, and he came to
Tyre, where, very soon after this, he was slain. Lysias was
thus rid of one rival, but was soon to meet another and more
powerful one.
A change of masters is not always a change of burdens.
Lysias, although terribly defeated in his former wars with
the Jews, gained now the mastery. Yet the first year of
his reign with Eupator was spent in another fruitless campaign against that people-a full account of which is reserved for a section relating to the Jews.
At the battle of Silus, many years before, Antiochus the
Great was defeated, and compelled to negotiate for peace,
with Rome, on most humiliating terms. Among others, he
agreed that Syria should keep but a certain number of
ships, and a certain number of elephants and munitions of
war. Rome, ever jealous of the growing prosperity of that
nation, had heard with displeasure that Syria had increased
her military department beyond the stipulated terms.
Three deputies, who had been instructed to visit Egypt, and




206             THIE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
try to terminate the quarrels between the two brothers,
were also directed to visit Syria, and see the treaties fulfilled.  On arriving at Antioch, they found the charges to
be true. They caused the excess of ships to be burned,
and of the elephants to be slain.  It is not surprising that
such selfish policy, and such needless waste of property,
should exasperate the people of Syria.  We can not find,
at this day, any excuse for such ignoble conduct on the
part of the Roman government, except in the barbarism of
the age.
But in Syria, as well as elsewhere, the Kingdonm of Brass
was destined to yield to that of Iron.  Septimus, a citizen
of Antioch, was so enraged at the destruction of property,
and the humiliation of his nation by foreigners, that he
could not restrain his wrath.  While Octavius, one of the
Roman deputies, was bathing, Septimus fell upon him and
killed him.  Lysias, the prime minister, was suspected of
having instigated this deed, although he denied it, and
there was never any proof of his guilt. Octavius had been
consul in Rome, alnd was highly esteemed. His murder
caused great indignation, and a statue was erected to his
memory.  He was the founder of one branch of the family
of Augustus Cesar. Eupator sent embassadors to Rome to
protest that he had no part in the death of Octavius; but
the Senate sent them  back, without giving them  any
answer, and reserved to themselves future action in the
matter. Other important events transpired in the same
year.
One condition of the peace concluded between Antiochus
the Great and the Romans was, that a number of hostages
should be sent to Rome as security for the faithfulness of
Syria to the engagements into which they were then entering.  Antiochus Epiphanes, the second son of Antiochus the
Great, was one of these hostages.  He resided in Rome




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              207
until the death of his brother, Seleucus Philometor, when
he returned to take the throne of Syria, by the aid of the
king and prince of Pergamos, of which an account has
already been given in this history.
Demetrius Soter, son of Philometor, a lad of about eleven
years, took his place and remained there until he was about
twenty-three years of age.
It will be seen that Demetrius Soter was a cousin of
Eupator, by an older branch of the royal family, and had
therefore as good a title to the throne as the incumbent.
Desiring to secure his rights, he petitioned the Roman
Senate for permission to return and take the throne. But
the Romans thought it better for their interest that Syria
should be ruled by a young king, under the direction of
ministers, than by a man of the age and talents of Demetrius. They therefore refused his petition, and directed
their deputies, among other things, to look after this question.  Sometime subsequently, Demetrius, against the
advice of his friends, (among whom was Polybius, the
historian), once more solicited the Senate for leave to
return, and was again denied. His friends had advised
him not to petition, bhut to escape without leave. After the
second denial, he took that advice, and so effectually concealed his departure, that it was not known to the Senate
until he was far on the way. Having taken passage on a
Carthaginian vessel laden with fruits and other cargo,
bound to Phoenecia, he, with a small retinue, landed at
Tripoli. Although he came a fugitive, the report spread
that Rome had sent him to take possession of the crown
and throne of Syria, and was determined to support him.
This was very credible, in view of the late difficulties
about the murder of the deputy, Octavius, and the silence
of the Roman Senate on that subject. Confidence is often
stronger than physical power, and a rumor, however




208            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
unfounded, destroying confidence, is often a more potent
enemy than a mighty army. The fear of Rome was allpowerful in Syria. All looked upon Lysias and Eupator as
already destroyed, and that anticipation caused the event.
Princes, nobles, army and people forsook their sovereign,
and joined the standard of the new claimant. The soldiers
seized Lysias and Eupator, and delivered them to Demetrius, who immediately caused them to be put to death,
and thus, without opposition, mounted the throne, by the
murder of his cousin, against whom there was no charge,
nor even suspicion of crime. In the close of his own life,
we shall see the measure meted out to him which he has
given to others.
JEWISH HISTORY UNDER THE THIRD BEAST.
AT the death of Alexander, Judea, in common with a
vast number of other provinces, was subject to the Macedonians, and in fhe conflicts and jealousies that arose
between the great generals of that time, Palestine was
often the theater of their bloody strife.  In these wars,
the nation of the Jews, which at that time probably
embraced a remnant of all the original tribes, suffered
severely. Hostile armies traversed Palestine no less than
ten times previous to the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes,
of Syria. That monarch invaded Judea, either in person
or by his lieutenants, nine times, and his successors and
others invaded the same country eleven times previous to
the birth of Christ, and the full establishment of the fourth
beast, making at least thirty invasions by hostile armies, in
the space of about three hundred years, equal to a war
once in ten years. This, it must be admitted, was far from
being a state of peace or prosperity.




C i v     jll i/jl   j
Y,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/
Death, by Poison, of the Elder Cleopatra, o       f      Iyi.-e~pz~. 0








THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            209
1st, In the year 321, and immediately after the burial
of Alexander, we find his generals dispersed into various
provinces, as governors.  Perdiccas, who was regent of the
kingdom, was in the Southl of Asia Minor, at the head of a
Macedonian army. Having a dislike to Ptolemy, he determined to invade Egypt.  He marched with a devastating
army around the sea coast, through Palestine, producing
confusion and suffering through all Judea, as he traversed
their country toward the possessions of Ptolemy. Entering Egypt, he soon perished by the hands of assassins.
Two years of peace only to Judea was the result of his
death.
2d. In 319 B. C., Antigonus, having assumed the
office of governor over Syria and its dependent provinces,
appointed one Leomadon his lieutenant-governor in Palestine. Ptolemy claimed that palestine belonged to Egypt;
he therefore marched into Judea, and defeated Leomadon,
who was slain in battle, and recovered possession of all
that province. The Jews, who had been accused of inconstancy and rebellion, now passed to the opposite extreme.
They resolved tenaciously to adhere to the interests of
Syria, and refused to acknowledge Ptolemy for their master.
He therefore marched against Jerusalem; but owing to its
impregnable position among the mountains, and fortified
by works of art, it could not have been easily conquered,
but by taking advantage of the religious observance of the
Sabbath by the people. On that day, knowing that the Jews
would not resist, he commenced the attack, captured the
city, and treated the Jews with great severity. He carried captive into Egypt one hundred thousand of them;
but afterward finding them peaceable and valuable citizens,
he made their conditions more comfortable, taking thirty
thousand of them into the army, and stationing them at
18




210            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
military forts. Here was the beginning of the introduction
of the Jews into Egypt, where afterward some of the apocryphal books were written, and where subsequently a
temple was erected, and five cities of Egypt spoke the language of Canaan, as spoken by the prophet Isaiah. Nearly
six years passed before Antiochus was prepared to reclaim
these countries.
3d. But in the year 313 he marched against the generals
of Ptolemy, and besieged Tyre, which, after a spirited
resistance, submitted to him; and thus all Palestine and
Phoenicia again changed masters.
4th. The next year (312,) Ptolemy again invaded Palestine and Phoenicia, fought a great battle, and defeated Demetrius, the son of Antigonus, at Gaza, and recovered to
Egypt the control of those countries. In this siege and
capture of Gaza, Demretrius lost five thousand men slain,
and eight thousand taken prisoners. The citizens of Gaza,
chiefly Jews, suffered most severely, and great numbers of
them were slain.
5th. In 305, Antigonus again sent his son Demetrius to
invade Egypt, by sailing along the coast, while he marched
an army through Palestine, along the coast of Gaza, with
the intention of entering Egypt by land. They succeeded
in invading the borders of Egypt by sea and land, but the
fleet was shattered by a storm, and the army greatly
diminished by sickness and desertion, and checked by the
judicious arrangements of Ptolemy. Antigonus was therefore compelled to retire with the shattered fragments of
an army, leaving Palestine still under the control of Ptolemy.
6th. In 264, the war between Magus and Ptblemy Philadelphus broke out, and Antiochus Soter sympathizing with
Magus prepared to invade Egypt.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             211
Ptolemy marched an army into Palestine, while his fleet
invaded the seacoast, where conflicts between the Egyptians
and Syrians again distracted all Palestine.
7th. In 246, cccurred the war of Ptolemy Evergetes
against Syria, on account of the divorce and murder of
Berenice, and the death of Theos by the hands of his wife
Laodicea. In this campaign, the hostile forces of Ptolemy
again ravaged Judea; but, on his return home, he stopped
at Jerusalem, offered sacrifices to the God of Israel, and
conferred some privileges on the Jews. After this, Judea
enjoyed a tolerable state of quiet for about forty-three
years.
8th. In 203, B. C., Ptolemy Philopater having died and
left an infant heir to the throne, Antiochus the Great,
of Syria, and Philip of Macedon entered into a league to
conquer and divide the territory subject to the crown of
Egypt. In pursuance of this league, Antiochus took Palestine, conquering the whole country and capturing many
cities, and the Jews became once more subject to Syria.
9th. In 199, Scopas, an /Etolian general in Egypt, serving under Ptolemy, defeated the officers of Antiochus and
reclaimed the whole country to the crown of Egypt.
10th. In 198, Antiochus again invaded Celosyria, Phoenicia and Palestine, and defeated Scopas, when all these
countries were reverted to Syria. During the short reign
of Seleucus Philopater, of Syria, we hear of no invasion of
Palestine. He was succeeded by Antiochus Epiphanes, of
whose nine invasions an account is given in the second section of the history of that monarch. He was succeeded by
his son Antiochus Eupator, whose administration is fully
given in a preceding part of this work, where it will be
seen that, in his short reign of but two years, he, although
but a child, by his minister Lysias, made war upon the Jews
three times.




212            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
It would seem that the Jews, by their bigotry and obstinacy, and their deadly hatred to other nations, drew upon
themselves many of the calamities to which they were in
those times exposed.  When it was known in Jerusalem
that Antiochus Epiphanes was dead, and that in his last
moments he was favorably inclined toward the Jews, instead
of taking advantage of these facts and seeking for peace,
Judas Maccabeus, encouraged by the successful defense of
his country and people, took the aggressive, and began an
invasion of the Iturians, near Damascus, who were subject
to Syria. There seems to have been no provocation for
this course, except retaliation, where, too, retaliation could
secure no benefit. The only pretext for this course was,
that these people were Gentiles, and, like Joshua of old, he
had a right, for that reason, to destroy them. As might
have been expected, the very success of Judas against his
neighbors involved him and his country in trouble which
he might have avoided.
Epiphanes was dead, Lysias was still prime minister, and
had the care of the young king; but Philip had attempted
to gain possession of his office. Lysias having now a rival,
could not safely loose credit by neglecting his duty to
defend the provinces of his kingdom. He was terrified at
the progress of Judas, in his war upon those provinces.
It is difficult to say what less he could do than maintain
the dignity of the government, by invading and chastising
the Jews for thus disturbing their neighbors. Hence, whater was thke Smuc t   tkQ tYrecedic%? wars against the Jews,
this one seemed to be of their own inviting.
Accordingly, Lysias formed an army of eighty thousand
foot and a large body of cavalry, with eighty elephants, and
marched to Judea.  Avoiding Jerusalem, he proceeded to
the south of Palestine and besieged a fortress called Betb
Suva: this was on the borders of Idumea. Judas, among




TIHE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            213
other operations, had invaded the Idumeans, and slain
multitudes of the unoffending people, and placed a strong
garrison in Beth Suva. Lysias besieged the fortress.
Judas devoutly besought the Lord for aid, and marched
from Jerusalem toward the enemy.  Jewish writers assert
that as the little army proceeded toward the enemy, there
appeared before them an angel, or some mysterious being,
riding upon a horse, clothed in white, with arms of gold
and a lance in his hand. It is incredible that the Supreme
Being condescended to give such a display, or optical illusion, for the benefit of a people who, whatever the case
might once have been, were, at that time, of all people
least worthy of Divine favor.  Besides, such a sight was
a mere phantom, and could be of no practical value, except
as far as it affected their courage. It is by far more probable, that Judas perceiving the declining and desponding
spirit of his little army, played off the illusion to encourage them. The result was as he might have anticipated.
The Jews, with frantic enthusiasm, threw themselves upon
the enemy. The suddenness and desperation of their assault
struck their opponents with a panic, and rendered them
powerless. Twelve thousand six hundred of the Syrian
army were slain, and the rest fled, many of them wounded
and without weapons.
After this defeat, Lysias, tired of war with a people of
such desperate valor, made a treaty of peace with Judas,
in which it was stipulated that the decree requiring the
Jews to conform to the Syrian religion, should be revoked,
and the Jews might live according to their own laws. The
young king was required to ratify this treaty, which he
accordingly did. But it brought no peace to Judea.
WThatever cause might have produced it, there existed a
deadly hatred against the Jews among their neighbors.
Timotheus, a general of the king of Syria, by whose




214            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
authority we are not informed, raised another army of
one hundred and twenty thousand foot and two thousand
five hundred horse, and again invaded Judea. Judas, with
a little handful of men, rushed upon the new foe, slew
thirty thousand and defeated the entire forces of Timotheus, which greatly inspired his people with courage. The
reader must bear in mind, that the tremendous victories
of a little handful of Jews over great numbers of their
enemies, are only authenticated by Jewish writers, to whose
exaggerations each one may give as much credit as he
pleases.
The king, still not ten years of age, with Lysias,
raised another army with thirty-two elephants and thirty
chariots of war, and again invaded Judea. The forces of
Judas had been greatly diminished by so many wars, and
this time he found himself unable to resist the invasion.
He was defeated inll an engagement, and retired to Jerusalem; the king pursued him and invested the city, pressed
closely the siege, and would probably have caused the
besieged to surrender, had not relief appeared from another
quarter.
Philip, who had been appointed prime minister by
Epiphanes, could not remove Lysias nor gain possession of
his office. He had in vain sought aid from Egypt, and
had retired into the east; once there, he had skill and
talent sufficient to raise a large army of Medes and Persians,
and with these he marched into Syria, intending to attack
Antioch, and place himself in power during the absence of
the king and Lysias. Information of this invasion reached
the ears of Lysias, while he and the king were pressing
the siege of Jerusalem. They were obliged to make peace
with the Jews, in order to march against Philip. A treaty
was entered into and sworn to by the king, who, within a
few days, violated his oath by demolishing the fortifications




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              215
of the temple, after which he retired to Syria. These
three invasions, under Antiochus Eupator, all occurred in
the same year. But less than two years more, saw Syria
under new rulers, and another invasion occurred under
Demetrius Soter.
Antiochus Eupator, at the time of the treaty of peace
made with the Jews, appointed Alsimus high priest, as the
successor of Menelaus who was dead. But the Jews refused
to accept of him or permit him to handle the sacred vessels
or administer in his office. He had joined with the enemy
of the Jews under Epiphanes. He exerted himself to
corrupt the religion of his fathers, and induce the Jews to
accept the pagan religion according to the decree of the
king of Syria. For this act, the Jews rightly decided him
unfit for the office of high priest. Disappointed and exasperated at his rejection, Alsimus gathered together all
the disaffected and apostate Jews and enemies of Judas, and
presented a petition to Demetrius, alleging that the Jews
of the Maccabmean party were his enemies, and had slain
all who adhered to his party in the collision with Eupator,
accusing them at the same time of many other abominable
practices. Whether any of these accusations were founded
upon truth or not, Demetrius listened to them and pursued
the policy of his predecessors by beginning his reign with
an invasion of Judea. In 162, Demetrius confirmed Alsimus
in the office of high priest of the Jews, and directed Bachides,
his general in Mesopotamia, to march with a large army
into Judea, expel Judas, and place Alsimus in his office.
Alsimus had also an army, and with it proceeded to the
Jordan to accomplish this purpose.  Another army was also
raised, and Nicanor appointed to commanded it. Judas was
successful in defeating all the measures of the MIesopotamian commander, and slew multitudes of his soldiers.
Nicanor, exasperated to see a little handful of Jews thus




216            TIlE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
successfully oppose the operations of all the forces, marched
alone into Judea, where Judas defeated and entirely overwhenmed the whole army.  Nicanor was found among the
slain; his head and hands were carried off in triumph, and
placed upon one of the towers of the temple. Judas now
had a little respite, and fearing future invasions, he applied
to Rome for protection, thus clearing the way for the final
triumph of Rome over Judea, as well as all the other portions
of the old kingdom of Macedonia. The Romans lent a
willing ear to this application, declared the Jews their
friends, and forbade any nation to invade them. But before
this decree was kown in Asia, Demetrius had commenced
his second war upon the Jews. Alsimus and Bachides,
although defeated, still lived. Demetrius increased their
army, and ordered them to invade and subdue Judea. As
they entered that country, Judas met them  with his little
band of eight hundred men, and engaged them. As might
be expected he was slain, and his little flock dispersed.  It
is believed that Alsimus was also slain at the time. Thus
ended the war of 161, and the promulgation of the Roman
decree, secured peace for a long time.
Jonathan, a brother of Judas, was placed in the office of
high priest, and temporal ruler of the Jews. In the year
148, Alexander Bala, and Demetrius Nicanor, were contending for the throne of Syria. Jonathan having taken
the oath of allegiance to Alexander, adhered to him with
fidelity. Appolonius, governor of Celo-Syria and Phcenecia,
deserted his master and advocated the cause of Demetrius.
His first object was to reduce Jonathan to subjection to his
cause. In an effort against him, in one day he lost eight
thousand men. Bala now appealed to Ptolemy Philometor,
his father-in-law, for aid, who immediately marched an army
into Palestine. Jonathan met him at Gaza, and accompanied him to Ptolemais, where a conspiracy was discovered




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              217
to exist against the life of Ptolemy. This discovery resulted
in a quarrel between Ptolemy and Alexander. The wife of
the latter was taken from him, and given to his rival, Demetrius.  This woman was that Syrian Cleopatra, whose history
is given in other places, and who was the wife of three kings.
Her subsequent marriage preceded the death of her former
husband. This left Jonathan in an unpleasant position,
deserted, as he now was, by all his allies; for Bala was soon
after slain in Arabia.
In the city of Jerusalem stood a citadel or strong military
fort, of which we have given an account in speaking of the
Macedonians and Jews. In this citadel were stored arms
and munitions of war, It was held by a garrison of Greek
soldiers, in the service of the Syrian government. Through
all the changes and wars in India, this citadel seems to have
remained in their hands. The respite which Jonathan had
from 149 to 145 B. C., was spent in an effort to reduce this
citadel, driving out the pagans, and restoring possession to
the government of the Jews. He invested the fortress,
brought large machines of'war to bear upon it, and pressed
the siege vigorously. Demetrius Nicanor, who had assumed
the government upon the defeat of Bala, heard of these
doings, repaired to Ptolemais and cited Jonathan to appear
before him. The high priest directed his officers to press
the siege vigorously during his absence, and taking a number of priests and principal men of his nation, with rich
presents, obeyed the summons and presented himself before
the king. His gifts gained the favor of Demetrius, and he
obtained many favors for his nation, among which were a
discharge from all service and taxes, except three hundred
talents.
This must have occurred about 145 B. C. The next year
Jonathan resumed and pushed the siege of the citadel vigorously, but still without success. He certainly exhibited no
19




218             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
great sense of justice or military skill, in his prosecution of
this undertaking. He met with no success in arms, and was
at last compelled to resort to a means which was at his command from the first negotiation, to accomplish his purpose.
He applied to Demetrius and requested him to withdraw the
garrison, which he accordingly did. One condition of this
withdrawal was, that Jonathan should assist Demetrius in
his difficulties. We have seen one of the causes of the endless calamities of the Jews.  It was the union of the two
offices of priest and governor. The high priest was also the
political ruler of the people. This fact involved the sacred
office in the quarrels of the various pagan nations with whom
the Jews were at various times connected, and consequently
often called forth the direst hate of other nations, against
the religion as well as the whole people of the Jews. This
union of the secular with the priestly office was no Divine
arrangement-was not according to Moses —but was a
usurpation of temporal power by the high priest, which
dates from the return from the Babylonian captivity. Demetrius, by his maladministration, had alienated the people of
his own city and country, to such a degree that signs of insubordination began to appear. Fearing to trust his native
soldiers, he had surrounded himself with foreign guards.
His late favor to Jonathan was on condition that he would
furnish troops to aid in suppressing the rebellion of the
inhabitants of Antioch. Jonathan accordingly sent his three
thousand troops.  When Demetrius found himself thus
defended, he resolved to disarm all the native inhabitants
and issued a decree accordingly. This so exasperated the
people that they arose and attempted to kill the king. One
hundred and twenty thousand men invested his palace with
this determination. The Jews furnished by Jonathan fell
upon this multitude, and slew one hundred thousand of the
inhabitants, burned part of the city and saved the king.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              219
They thus subdued the rebellion and restored peace, and as
they boasted, had obtained a sweet revenge upon the innocent
inhabitants, for the sufferings the Jews had  previously
endured at the hands of the Syrians, under Epiphanes.
It is manifest that the Jewish religion did not teach, at
that time, much forgiveness or justice, but allowed of indiscriminate revenge. These sad results are not chargeable to
the teaching of Divine revelation, but to the corruption.
engrafted upon it by the traditions of the Pharisees, then
the reigning sect.  What apology can be offered for a high
priest of a holy religion, who not only defends his temple
and subjects at home, but sends off his armies to other countries to butcher the people, burn cities and plunder houses,
to sustain an idolatrous king upon the throne which he had
disgraced by his. tyrany? After this they retired to Jerusalem, laden with booty and what they called honor - such
honor as belongs to pirates, thieves and quarrelsome dogs.
What impression could such a representative of the only
true religion make on the citizens of surrounding nations?
Is it to be wondered at that they had bitter enemies? Surely
there was need that a Messiah should come to teach the duty
of man to his fellow man.
This service of Jonathan did not make Demetrius any the
less a tyrant toward his native subjects, or any the less an
enemy of the Jews. Although he received the three hundred talents, he still demanded all the usual duties and
taxes, and threatened to make war upon Jonathan if he
refused to pay them.
Another revolution now took place at Antioch. Demetrius
Nicanor was expelled, and Tryphon, who had been minister
under Bala, brought the youthful son of Bala and placed
him upon the throne; retaining, however, the power in his
own hands.
Jonathan, exasperated at the ingratitude of Demetrius,




220            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
had joined the standard of young Antiochus, and engaged
in a war against Demetrius. But no sooner had that monarch been expelled, and the war ended, than he found himself in a new trouble; the usual consequence of being
entangled in the affairs of other nations. Tryphon, the
protector and prime minister of the king, had only used him
as a tool, to accomplish his purpose. He now desired to rid
himself of Antiochus, and assume the crown himself.  He
easily persuaded most of the officers to acquiesce in his
scheme of ambition. But Jonathan, with his usual tenacity
and obstinacy, refused to acknowledge this new master.
This act can hardly be accredited to honest motives on the
part of Jonathan, for at that period the Jewish rulers evidently had no conscience on any subject except the forms
and rites of their religion.
In 144 B. C., Tryphon therefore invaded Judea with an
army, and Jonathan met him with a force of forty thousand
men.  Tryphon fearing to engage so powerful a force,
changed his mode of proceeding. He pretended to have
come on an errand of friendship, and was desirous to consult
him in some matters of state policy, having for their object
the protection of the young king. He also proposed to put
Jonathan in possession of Ptolemais, a city which, at that
time, was attached to the province of Phoenicia, and not subject to Jerusalem.  To Ptolemais accordingly Tryphon
repaired. Jonathan, dismissing all his army except three
thousand men, of whom he sent two thousand into Galilee,
and having full confidence in the good intentions of Tryphon, proceeded to Ptolemais. He had no sooner entered
that city than the gates were closed upon him, himself
secured, and his attendants put to death.
Tryphon then dispatched soldiers to overtake and destroy
the two thousand troops who were now on their way to Galilee; but these men having learned the fate of Jonathan




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            221
and his men, were on their guard, and made so formidable
a defense that the soldiers of Tryphon dared not attack
them. They changed their course, and arrived safely at
Jerusalem. Tryphon now marched toward Jerusalem. The
people, alarmed at what had befallen Jonathan, appointed
Simeon (his brother) to the command, who immediately
repaired and completed the defenses about the city, and,
raising an army, was shortly ready to resist the invader.
In all this time, Tryphon had not declared war, and had
committed no overt act which could not be explained. He
was, as yet, only prime minister; but the king was but a
child, and his will is not known in any of these movements.
The prime minister feared to attack Simeon, but again
resorted to deception and treachery. And strange as it
may seem, with his recent conduct before their eyes, the
Jews were again completely deceived by false promises.
Tryphon sent word to Simeon that he had not come to do
him harm; that he had only arrested Jonathan, because he
owed to the treasury of Syria a thousand talents. He
therefore requested Simeon to send him that sum, and, as
security for the future fidelity of Jonathan, he wished him
to give up the two young sons of Jonathan as hostages.
Simeon seems to have had some suspicion of treachery.
Yet he feared that his brother, now a prisoner, might be
murdered, if he refused to comply with these demands.
He was so imprudent as to send the children and the
money. The traitor received the treasure, but, instead of
retiring, gathered his army and advanced upon Jerusalem.
Simeon followed him so closely and annoyed him so continually, that he was unable to accomplish much, and finally
retired into Gilead, on the east of Jordan, into winter quarters, where he put Jonathan to death. Simeon afterward
obtained his bones, and brought them to Jerusalem for
burial. The fate of the two children is unknown.




222            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Tryphon having disposed of Jonathan, now compassed
the death of the young king, and ascended the throne of
Syria. But Demetrius Nicanor still lived, and had his
party and friends.  After the cruelties and treachery of
Tryphon, the Jews sympathized with Demetrius. Simeon
formed a kind of league with him, by which on him was
conferred the office of the high priesthood, and the old
treaty was renewed, by which the revenues were remitted
and all offenses forgiven. This was in the year 143 B. C.
Until this time, the exercise of political and military
authority by the high priest had been rather a matter of
assumption than of any regularly acknowledged right.  It
grew out of the existing state of things and the necessities of the times. Judea had indeed had no distinct form
of government f;r many hundred years, but had been floating between a state of dependence upon Egypt and Syria
and one of anarchy and- military dictatorship.
In 141 B. C., Demetrius being in Parthia contending
with Tryphon for the possession of this dependency of
Syria, and affairs in general being in a state of confusion, the Jews essayed to build up a government of their
own. Taking advantage of the troubled state of affairs,
they began to assert a greater degree of independence.
Egypt had, for a long time, neglected to enforce her
claim to the province of Palestine. Her princes were
either sufficiently engaged in family quarrels, or steeped
in abject debauchery. The Jews had been pleased with
the administrations of Judas, Jonathan and Simeon. Demetrius had declared Simeon governor over Judea, but that
honor was confined to his own person. In an assembly of
priests, officers and people, it was formally declared that
the office of high priest should be legally united to that
of the temporal power, at the head of civil and military
affairs, and that Simeon should fill that office, and that it




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            223
should  be hereditary in his family.  This was only
acknowledging and making legal a state of affairs which
had obtained for some centuries.
In 139 B. C., Simeon being acknowledged a temporal
prince, sent an embassy to Rome and renewed the friendship with that people, which had been begun by Judas some
years before. The Roman senate received the embassadors,
heard them, and renewed the alliance. They advised the
nations surrounding Judea, who were also in alliance with
Rome, of these facts, and commanded them not to invade
Judea, or disturb the government of Simeon.
Antiochus Sidetes, before he had expelled the usurper,
Tryphon, had formed a very favorable alliance with Simeon, in order to obtain his aid. But having reaped the
benefit of his services, and obtained the throne, he no'ivmger needed his friendship. In order to recover his revenues, which had been restored, he therefore, contrary to his
solemn promises made in time of need and in disregard of
the Roman mandate, undertook to conquer Judea and depose Simeon; but Judas and Jakin, the sons of Simeon,
met and overthrew his army. The invasion of the army
of Sidetes, in 139 B. C., is the twenty-seventh from the
death of Alexander.
In 135 B. C., Antiochus Sidetes, having no enemies at
home, and his brother Demetrius being in Parthia, found
tinle to invade Judea.  Simeon and his two sons being
dead, John Hyrcanus, his third son, was proclaimed high
priest and prince of the Jews. Sidetes m1arched against
Jerusalem and besieged the city. Hyrcanus was closely
shut in, yet he resisted the enemy for a long time. But
being driven to extremities, and in danger of starvation,
he sent to Sidetes proposals for capitulation.  The enemies
of the Jews, retracing all their past history, the wars and




224            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
rebellions, their obstinate valor, and the turbulence of their
nature, urged upon Sidetes to exterminate the whole race,
now that he had them  in his power.  Historians declare
that it was purely the good disposition of Sidetes that prevented him from yielding to their solicitation; but I much
more think that his clemency proceeded from a selfish
policy. He had just exterminated the faction of Tryphon,
the usurper.
He might have to contend with other usurpers. His
elder brother, though a prisoner in a foreign land, still
lived,-and in some emergency that yet might occur, Sidetes
might be in want of the aid of the Jews, to hold the
balance of power in his own hands. He might also have
some fear of offending Rome, whose influence would benefit
him in some future emergency. These are the most probable reasons why he inclined to clemency.
A treaty was the result, in which it was stipulated that
the siege should be abandoned, and the besieged should
surrender their arms to Sidetes; that the fortifications of
Jerusalem should be demolished, and tribute paid for
Judea and the sea coast. Sidetes demanded also that the
old citadel should be rebuilt, and a garrison of Syrian
soldiers stationed there; but to this Hyrcanus refused
to consent, and instead thereof paid the conqueror an
additional five hundred talents, about half a million of
dollars.
This treaty was a severe humiliation to the Jews, more
so than any which had occurred in the preceding invasions,
for many years. In 131 B. C., Antiochus commenced his
great campaign against the Parthians, in the first part of
which he was entirely successful, and in the latter of which
he lost his life. John Hyrcanus, with an army of Jews,
accompanied him in this expedition, and contributed largely




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            225
to his first success. At the close of the year Hyrcanus
retired to Jerusalem, laden with honor. Sidetes, being left
without his aid, lost his life the next year.
In 122 B. C., after the death of Sidetes, and before his
brother, Nicanor, could take possession of the throne and
kingdom, Hyrcanus availed himself of the confusion incident to these changes at Antioch, to deliver his country
from the odious conditions imposed upon her by Sidetes.
He not only restored his national bounds, but conquered
and subjected to his control many places on the side of
Syria, in Arabia, and declared anew his entire independence of any foreign master. Syria never again attempted
a conquest of Judea, although that independence was not
acknowledged till some time subsequent to this.
Hyrcanus in 128 B. C. again sent ambassadors to Rome,
who were kindly received, and the Senate declared that all
the invasions of Judea by Sidetes were contrary to their
decrees, and unjust, and that all the conditions he had
imposed upon the Jews were by Roman authority void. All
the privileges of the Jews, which Hyrcanus had obtained
for them two years before, were confirmed to them. The
kings and rulers of Syria were forbidden to invade Judea.
This was forever afterward observed; and the next
troubles of the Jews will be found to have arisen among
themselves, or with the Romans, excepting only the siege
of Sainaria.
In'27 B. C., while Cleopatra and Zebirna were rivals
for the government of Syria, Hyrcanus obtained from
Zebirna a confirmation of their independence, and many
other considerable advantages.
JUDEA UNDER KINGLY GOVERNMENT, B. C. 106.
When the Israelites first cast off the democratic form of
government and elected Saul, son of Kish, for their king,




226             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
they introduced with royalty the elements of strife and
civil war, which resulted in their division into two nations,
and received none of the advantages they proposed to
themselves by this change in their form of government.
In like manner, in later tinles, a transition from the government of a high priest to that of a king, brought no
relief from their enelnies, and no peace to themselves, but
introduced confusion and distraction, ending in the entire
subversion of their nationality, and the transfer of all rule
to a foreign power. If we think the scenes transpiring
about this time in the courts of pagan nations were of
revolting cruelty, we shall find that the Jews, who once
claimed to possess the only true religion, were not behind
in any of the crimes which distinguished their neighbors.
The religion of that time had become so corrupted, and
was so destitute of all'that commends itself to the moral
sense of mankind, that the nation which professed it was,
by a decree of God, dispersed to the earth's remotest bounds,
as unfit to be recognized among the nationalities. The
principal actors in these igonoble scenes were:
Aristobulus, Antigonus, Alexander Jonas, and Absalom,
sons of Hyrcanus; Salome, wife of Aristobulus; Alexandria, wife of Jonas; Hyrcanus II.; Aristobulus II., son of
Alexander; Antipater, an Idumean proselyte; Pompey,
Crassus, Coesar, Marc Antony, PRoman Consuls; Alexander
and Antigonus, sons of Aristobulus; Herod and Phocas,
sons of Antipater.
The death of Hyrcanus, high priest and governor of
Judea, had been before mentioned. - He left five sons; the
name of the fourth, who was slain by the third, is not
transmitted to us. Aristobulus, the eldest, assumed the
office and duties of his father as high priest. But not contented with the civil power, he desired a higher title thau




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             227
any Jew had assumed for a long time. He claimed the
dignity of a king.
This might be offensive to the neighboring nations, but
we must remember that the remnants of the once powerful
kingdom of Macedon were now in a weak and shattered
condition, and Rome was fast rising to be the dictator of
the world. The power of the world was passing from the
third to the fourth beast of the prophet's vision.  Thrace
had ceased to be of importance, and Macedon had become
a Roman province nearly a century- previous to these
events, and Syria had now become, to some degree, dependent upon Rome for its existence. Neither Egypt nor
Syria had power to dispute the claims of Judea to take
rank as a kingdom. It was the policy of Rome to encourage their pretensions, the better to check the surrounding
nations and aid Rome in subduing them.  Aristobulus
therefore assumed the crown and title of king without
opposition, and reigned about one year.  He adopted all
the vices of kingly government, and far from acting the
part of a father of his country, or bearing in mind the
holiness of his religion, his first public act was to shut up
his own mother in close confinement and starve her to
death.  What crimre she had committed, or how she had
offended his majesty, we are not informed. He next
imprisoned his three younger brothers, keeping them in
that state until his death. The next movement was a war
against the Iturians.  This was a tribe of Syrians living
on the north-east of Galilee, in the direction of Damascus.
What they had done, or for what cause they were invaded,
is unknown, except that as one of his ancestors had conquered Idumea, and compelled the inhabitants to embrace
the Jewish religion, he thought he must do the same in
Ituria. In 105 B. C., Aristobulus crossed the Jordan with
an army, and compelled the Iturians to embrace the Jewish




223             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
faith and become circumcised, or leave their country, their
homes and the graves of their fathers, and emigrate to
distant lands.  Most of the people having no redress, or
means of escape, complied with the conditions, and were
ever after identified with the Jews. How very dark and
unintelligible must be the idea of religion and duty to
God, when men embrace a religious faith, not from choice
or approbation, but from inability to resist a superior force!
The act of Aristobulus was tyrannical, yet the principle
which prompted it was the same that, alas! still prompts
many persons in our day in their religious efforts. Before
the year closed, the king of the Jews became afflicted with
a malady which compelled him to return to Jerusalem.
He committed the further prosecution of the war to his
brother Antigonus, who completed the work of conquest,
and returned in triumph to Jerusalem. These two brothers
were greatly attached to each other. They had fought side
by side in the wars of their father, and especially at the
siege of Samaria. Aristobulus had a wife, Salome, of whom
we know but little, except that, like too many women, she
abused her lord's confidence, by stirring up strife in public
matters.  She did not partake of the king's partiality for
Antigonus, but sought the destruction of that worthy officer.
She and her favorites accused him, before the king, of an
intention to rebel and usurp the government, and asserted
that he had returned in arms and triumph for that purpose. It so happened that Antigonus had returned just at
the time of the feast of the Tabernacles, and, without
changing his apparel, had repaired to the temple to thank
the Lord for his success. Aristobulus, disquieted by these
rumors, sent orders for Antigonus to appear before him in
his citizen's dress, without arms, presuming that if his
brother were innocent, he would obey the command; but
if guilty, he would come with his military dress and




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             229
weapons of war. The guards were therefore ordered to
await his arrival, and treat him accordingly.
The queen, perfectly apprised of the state of things,
bribed this messenger to vary the order, and, in the name
of the king, command Antigonus to appear before him
immediately, in his military dress, just as he was.  The
unsuspecting victim left the solemn festival, and repaired
to the royal presence without ceremony, supposing, from
the haste of the order, that the king wished to inquire
about some business of state that would not admit of delay.
As Antigonus approached his brother, the guards observing
that he was armed, obeyed their secret orders, fell upon
him and slew him. Here we have a specimen of the indiscretion and injustice which always attends absolute monarchy; and all monarchs are just as far absolute as they
can find means to be. After the cruel deed was done, the
silly king discovered the cheat; yet he could not undo the
evil. Within the year, disease caused the king to follow
his mother and brother into the shades of death.  Salome,
as if to ease her troubled conscience for the murder of
Antigonus, caused his three brothers to be immediately
released from prison. The eldest of these brothers, Alexander Jonas, assumed the crown and high priesthood. His
next younger brother desired to divide these offices with
him, and he, in consequence, caused the young aspirant to
be put to death, thus baptizing his administration in the
blood of his brother.
Across the Jordan and south of Ituria, dwelt the Gadarenes, a mixed multitude, famous in the time of the Saviour
for the number of swine they kept-some of whom were
possessed of devils, and drowned in the sea.
For some reason, not distinctly known, it entered into
the mind of Jonas to besiege Gadara. He therefore crossed
the Jordan, as his brother had done the year before, and




230            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
commenced the war. After a struggle of about ten months,
he captured Gadara and several other important stations,
and commenced his return, flushed with victory. At this
time Grypus and Cyzicus were engaged in their civil war,
and Lathyrus of Egypt rather favored the interests of
Grypus, who resided at Damascus. This invasion of Gadara was deemed an invasion of the territory of that part
of Syria. On his return, Jonas found the tide of war
against him, for in crossing the Jordan he was intercepted
by the enemy, and lost tell thousand men.
He therefore returned to Jerusalem in mortification and
disgrace. It now appears that he had not the confidence or
affection of the dominant party at home.  The Pharisees
had long entertained a dislike to his family, and as we have
abundantly seen, that a religious class, when in the ascendant, generally bring their power to bear so as to annoy
whomever they dislike, they rejoiced at his defeat, derided
him, and increased his mortification.
A few years after this event, in 100 B. C., Jonas commenced another calnpaign.  The sea coast along the borders
of Palestine and Arabia, had been under the control of
Syria, but as that kingdom was engaged in civil wars
between Grypus and Cyzicus, these places had been somewhat neglected. Jonas, with the usual ardor and injustice
of the Jews, invaded Raphia and Anthadon, two places near
Gaza, took them, and by this means blocked up Gaza.
Jonas seems to have been actuated in this war, in no small
degree, by a desire for revenge. The people of Gaza had
united Lathyrus to invade Asia, and aid Grypus. This, it
was supposed, contributed to the former misfortune of Jonas
at the Jordan.
In 98 B. C., Jonas having possession of the two places
before mentioned, brought a large army and besieged Gaza.
Apollodorus was then its governor. He defended the place




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              231
with skill, bravery and success. For this fidelity he was
gaining a reputation, when he experienced the fate so common to those, who, in any good cause do more than their
indolent associates, and are therefore traduced and belied, in
order to afford a place for the indolent and incompetent.
Lysimachus, a brother, envying his good name, assassinated
Apollodorus, and took the command of the city, but very
soon after surrendered it to Jonas, who immediately entered
Gaza, and at first exercised so much lenity as to encourage
the inhabitants to hope for kindness.  But after a few days
having well secured his position, he satiated his revenge, by
letting his soldiers loose upon the unoffending people, to
butcher, plunder, and ravish to their hearts' content. The
inhabitants, driven to despair, resisted heroically, and great
numbers on both sides were slain. The city was reduced to
a heap of ruins. Thus closed the year 97 B. C., and Jonas
retired from his holy war to Jerusalem. Such was the character of the kingly high priest of the Jews. Need we then
wonder at any of the religious barbarities practiced in the
time of Christ, by the same people?
Whatever may have been the depravity of the most vile
person in Judea, it appears that there were those among the
people, who did not approve of this sanctified wickedness;
for two years after the fall of Gaza, in 95 B. C., while the
king or high priest was officiating at the altar, lie was
severely pelted with lemons thrown at his head, in token of
contempt; and at the same time called by every opprobrious
epithet. Exasperated by these insults, he ordered his guards
to fall upon the people, by which act six thousand of them
were killed. From that time he no longer ventured to trust
himself among the Jews, but surrounded himself with six
thousand foreign soldiers, brought from Cilicia.
After this terrible revenge upon his own people, he thought
himself safe from other insults, and according to the uniform




232             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
customs of the restless, turbulent Jews, he began a war upon
the neighboring provinces of Syria. In this he was at first
successful, but ultimately fell into an ambush, and lost a
great number of his men, and returned to Jerusalem in disgrace. Not having the confidence or good will of his own
people, instead of sympathy or kind regard, he was met with
the spirit of censure and turbulence, which increased into a
formidable rebellion and civil war.  Jonas was not the man
however to be discouraged under difficulties. He was cruel,
implacable and treacherous, but he did not lack courage and
inventive talent. He planned a terrible revenge, and having,
by the sagacity of his arrangements, secured the victory over
his rebellious subjects, concluded a six years' internal war
with a great slaughter. During this civil war, on one occasion, he captured a city, took eight hundred men captives,
and carried them and their families to Jerusalem. Here he
made a feast for himself, his wives and concubines, where,
from the banquet hall, they had a fair view of the spectacle
he was going to present for their entertainment, and then
caused the eight hundred men to be crucified.  While they
were being nailed to the cross, their wives and children were
brought before them and had their throats cut.  Such was
the royal high priesthood, in 86 B. C. In this war not less
than fifty thousand Jews were slain; by far more than in
any one of the invasions of Nebuchadnezzar.
Subsequent to this rebellion, Jonas was successful in
several wars of little note. Finally he became diseased of
an ague, of which, after three years' illness, having meantime become very intemperate, he died, in 79, having
reigned twenty-seven years.
ALEXANDER, 79 B. C.
Alexander Jonas left a wife, Alexandria, and two sons,
Hyrcanus and Aristobulus between whom the family




TIIE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             233
quarrels were perpetuated. The two prominent sects, the
Pharisees and Sadducees, had already divided the Jewish
nation into factions.  Not contented with their religious
treachery, they carried this animosity into deadly political
strife. Some modern writers have endeavored to show that
a third sect then existed, called Essenes-that Jesus of Nazareth was of that sect, and that the Essenes being before his
advent, taught all the essential doctrines of Christ. Whatever may have been the fact in some other countries, there
is not the least particle of evidence that any such a people
existed in Judea until after the time of Christ. These warring parties are often spoken of. Hostile armies of different
nations were frequently passing through Judea, and must
have come in contact with such a people if any existed; yet
all the writers of these times are silent about the Essenes.
The strong presumption is, that no such people existed, at
least in Judea, and that Jesus Christ borrowed none of his
great truths of mortal men. Jonathan had some difficulty
with the Pharisees, and on this account gave the whole
weight of his influence to the Sadducees. The Pharisees
laid great stress upon the traditions and formalities which
had been appended to the sacred scriptures, and believed in
a resurrection of the dead and a future existence, which it
seems, was only defended by these traditions, while the
Sadducees adhered only to the inspired word without appendage or tradition, and maintained that the Hebrew scripture alone revealed no future existence for man. Jonathan
reflected the tradition of the Pharisees. This sect, ever
pre-eminent for their bigotry, as men are always more apt
to be, for the traditions, faiths, formalities and creeds, than
for the original word upon which they base those human
productions, were exceedingly vindictive toward the whole
house of Jonathan, and endeavored to harass and perplex
the royal high priest and all his adherents. They had
20




234            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
been the cause of the recent civil war, in which, not only
their opponents, but themselves suffered severely. They
were exceedingly spiteful toward Jason during his life.
But after his death, affairs took an entirely new turn.
Alexandria found herself suddenly at the head of the
government, a weak, defenseless woman, unable to cope
with the crafty bigots, by whom she was surrounded. She
immediately called the Pharisees around her, professed her
attachment to their faith, and desired to put the affairs of
the government into their hands. She intimated that this
course was in compliance with the wishes of her late
husband.  Elated with this preferment, they made a
pompous funeral for the late king, and extolled him as one
of the best and most religious of men, although in his lifetime, they had said and done all in their power to injure
him.
The funeral over, these religious bigots began the work
of vengeance for their past calamities. They persecuted
even unto death, great numbers of those who adhered to
the former monarch. Men, women, and children, were
often slain without even the shadow of a crime being
charged against them, except that in the preceding reign
they had obeyed their lawful sovereign, and were friends
of the Sadducees. In the mean time Hyrcanus, the elder
son of the queen, was made high priest. But he was a
stupid, inactive man, and took no conspicuous part in the
events that were transpiring.
At length the distressed inhabitants, with Aristobulus,
the younger son of the late monarch, applied to the queen
for protection from the fury of their persecutors.  They
represented that these calamities were brought upon them
purely from having been faithful to her husband, and that
she ought either to protect them in their homes or permit
them peaceably to depart into other countries where quiet




THE KINGDIOM OF BRASS.             235
might be enjoyed.  The artful Pharisees had so adroitly
planned their measures, and surrounded the queen with their
creatures, that she had no power to help herself or aid her
people.  She had completely  yielded her person and
kingdom into the hands of their infamous council. Whatever of remorse she might suffer, aid she had none. She
however, granted part of their requests, and sent many of
the sufferers to fill her remote fortresses and garrisons,
thinking that in any emergency that might arise, she could
rely upon them for aid. Nearly six years had transpired
under the cruel persecutions of the Pharisees when Alexandria fell sick, and was evidently near the end of her life.
In 73, Aristobulus, who had long meditated this step, took
measures to secure the crown to himself.  Stealthily, and
in the night, he glided out of Jerusalem with one servant,
visited the garrison of the country, where his friends were
prepared to receive him, and in fifteen days was at the
head of a formidable army of those, who, by persecution,
had been brought to detest the dominant party.  Twentytwo towns, and many castles, with multitudes of all the
people, weary of the tyranny of the Pharisees, joined
Aristobulus.
When the dominant party saw him approach Jerusalem
with an army, they immediately crowned Hyrcanus king;
not however, until they had visited the chamber of the
dying queen, and informed her of the state of affairs. But
she was too far gone to meddle longer with temporal
matters. The Pharisees pretended that she bequeathed the
care of the kingdom to them, appointing Hyrcanus her
successor; but of this there is doubt.  It is probable that
she expired amid their importunities.
Aristobulus had a wife and child in Jerusalem. These
the Pharisees seized and shut up in the castle of Bares,
hoping thereby to intimidate him. But not succeeding in




236             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
their purpose, they raised an army to sustain HIyrcanus,
and resist his brother.  The two hostile forces met, and an
engagement ensued on the banks of the Jordan, near
Jericho.  Hyrcanus, being of a feeble intellect and timid
heart, fled early in the battle, and his friends were entirely
defeated, while most of his effective forces went over and
joined the standard of Aristobulus. Hyrcanus fled to the
castle of Bares, and his adherents to the temple, where
they were invested by the victorious army, and compelled
to surrender. An accommodation was the result, in which
it was stipulated that Hyrcanus should retire to private life,
which seemed best suited to his nature and wishes, and that
Aristobulus should fill the office of high priest and king.
ARISTOBULUS II., B. C. 69.
One Antipas, sometimes called Antipater, and subsequently distinguished as the father of Herod, a native of
Idumea, in common with many of his countrymen, had
been compelled by force to embrace the Jewish religion.
He had become prime minister under Alexander Jonas, and
continued in office under the queen. He had high hopes
that, by sustaining Hyrcanus, he should still keep himself
in power, and through the weakness of that prince control
the government; but the defeat of Hyrcanus and the coronation of Aristobulus had frustrated all his ambitious
hopes. He therefore sought to restore Hyreanus. For the
space of four years, without success, he importuned a king
of Arabia, and other powers, for aid.  About this time, 65
B. C., Pompey, the famous Roman, having returned from
PartliUa, halted. ir Syria, which had recently become a
Roman province.  Antipater repaired to Damascus, complained of Aristobulus, and besought Roman aid to restore
Hyrcanus. Aristobulus, aware of these measures, also
applied to Pompey to confirm him on his throne.




TIIE KINGTDOMI OF BRASS.           237
A much more reasonable application was made by the
people, who represented that the kingly form of government was of recent origin, and a usurpation, and that they
were accustomed to be governed by the high priest alone,
according to the ancient usage of their fathers. They
therefore desired to be delivered from both the brothers.
The policy of Rome for a number of generations had been
adverse to all kings, and in favor of some Republican form
of government, but they had suffered the high priests of
Judea to assume the title of king, in order to annoy Syria.
Syria had now been subdued, and become subject to Rome,
and it became desirable to reduce the kingdom of Judea
also.
Aristobulus defended himself, and declared that he had
practiced no injustice against his brother, who was removed
simply on account of his incapacity. He stated that he
had assumed no other title nor authority than those possessed by his father and grandfather before him.  His
claims were sustained by a body of nobles dressed in gay
and princely apparel-whose manners were haughty and
insolent, greatly disgusting the plain Roman Consul.
Pompey was not in haste, as he had other interests at
heart. Flushed with the glory of having checked the
Parthians and completed the subjugation of Syria, he
desired also to add the conquest of Arabia to his laurels.
Arabia had often been been invaded, but seldom if ever
conquered, since the days of Nebuchadnezzar. In the
impregnable rock of Petra, so often spoken of as the astonishment of modern travelers, dwelt Auretus, king of Northern Arabia." The hostility of Aristobulus might obstruct
his campaign in this direction. Pompey therefore gave
This stronghold had once before been stormed by Antiochus the
Great, but was still the capital of a mighty and free people.




238             THE KINGDOMI OF BRASS.
evasive answers to the several petitions; but his future
purposes were formed.  Hec pursued his journey down the
Jorldan, around the Dead Sea, and among the defiles of
Idumea.  Unaccountable as it may appear, the Arabians
were not aware of his approach.
He took Petream by surprise, and captured the city of
the rock with its king. Aristobulus, suspecting the policy
of Pompey, immnediately departed from Damascus, without
the usual tokens of respect to the Roman Consul; and
while Arabia was being overrun by Pompey, Judea was
being fortified for a visit from him on his return. Having
accomplished the expedition, and set Auretus free upon a
promised submission to Rome, Pompey returned to Damascus, where he learned of the formidable preparations for
war which had been made during his absence. He now
marched his army toward Judea, and Aristobulus came out
to dispute his progress.
The advancing host encamped near a mountain, on which
stood a castle called the Alexandrus. In this castle Aristobulus with his guides lodged.  It was a strong place
built by his father, Alexander Jonas.'" Aristobulus visited
Pompey in his camp several times, and labored to persuade
himn to declare in his favor, against the claims of Hyrcanus.
But the Consul had his own ends to accomplish.  At length
he seized Aristobulus, and compelled him to sign orders
for the delivery of several fortresses to the Romans; after
which thle prisoner was released.
Incenlsed as well he might be at this treachery, Aristobulus hastened to Jerusalem, and prepared for a vigorous
defense.  Pompey pursued his way southward to Jericho,: I have been unable to determine with certainty the exact locality of
this hill and fortress, but believe it must have been on the east of Galilee,
a little north of the east branch of the Jordan, and about twenty miles
north of Gadar.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             239
near which place he received intelligence of the death of
the great Mithridates, with whom Rome had long been at
war. Ascending the barren mountains, the Roman army
approached Jerusalem.  Aristobulus had not yet abandoned
all hope of the favor of Pompey. He came out to meet
him, and endeavored once more to persuade him to declare
on his side. He offered him large sums of money and
entire submission.  Pompey was not insensible to the
charms of money, although far less avaricious than many
of the Roman officers. He accepted' the offer, and sent
Gelanor, his lieutenant, to Jerusalem, to receive the treasure, retaining Aristobulus in his power.  The inhabitants
of the city were unwilling to ratify the bargain, and shut
the gates against the Roman officer. Exasperated at this
refusal, Pompey put Aristobulus in chains, and marched
against the city. But it being well fortified, a vigorous
defense, lasting three months, abated somewhat his ardor.
Civil dissensions within now began to weaken the defenses
of the city. The adherents of Hyrcanus proposed to surrender to Pompey, well knowing that by so doing they
should gain his favor for their chief. The adherents of
Aristobulus, on the contrary, determined still to resist.
The party of Hyrcanus prevailed, and opened the city to
the Roman army; but not until the opposite side had fortified themselves in the temple, and the wall and towers in
connection with it, broken up the bridges that crossed the
defiles, and thus made themselves quite impregnable.
Three months they sustained themselves in this stronghold, and perhaps would have -compelled the Romans to
abandon the siege, had'it not been for their superstitious
regard of the Sabbath.  As in the war of Antiochus
Epiplanes, the Jews would neither guard, work, nor fight
on the Sabbath day, unless directly attacked.  Pompey,
aware of this, did not attack them  on those days, but




240             ThE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
employed his men in breaking down works of defense, and
rearing his engines near those of his enemies, which the
Jews could but would not prevent.  At length a tower and
portion of the wall were thrown down, and a breach made,
through which the besieging army passed, sword in hand,
and captured the place, slaying twelve thousand persons.
This was the first invasion by the Romans, and opened the
way for that Roman influence which we find prevailing over
the Jewish nation, at the birth of Christ. This year, which
was 65 before the birth of Christ, was thus marked by the
subjection to Rome, of Mesopotamia, Armenia, Pergamos,
Syria, Arabia and Judea, and the fourth beast was fully
established over all the head of the third except Egypt,
which continued independent thirty-five years longer.
While the temple and citadel were being taken, the citizens being slaughtered, their blood flowing upon the ground
and floor of the sanctuary, and the cries of the wounded, and
the groans of the dying were rending the air, the priests
were engaged in their usual sacrifices, from which service
they did not desist, but proceeded as leisurely as if naught
was transpiring.  While true and intelligent piety promotes
benevolence, and in no small degree consists in utility, a
false and corrupt religion stupifies and annihilates all the
finer feelings of our nature, and causes a servile adherence
to the mere forms of religion, without the principles of
righteousness or utility. This is the case in every age, and
under every dispensation. I speak thus of the religion of
those times, as corrupt, false, and useless, not because the
Bible was not the word of God and the only record of divine
truth, but because the Jewish nation had so changed the
sacred teaching that it was not indeed the same religion, but
a system  of their traditions engrafted upon the truth, and
often perverting it.
Pompey and many of his officers entered not only into




TIIE KINIGDOOM OF BIALSS.         241
the temple, but into the holy of holies, thus polluting the
sacred retreat of the high priest. This event keenly afflicted
the Jews. It had occurred but a very few times since the
destruction of the original temple of Solomon.  Pompey,
with commendable modesty, did not touch the sacred treasures in the temple, which were deposited there for charitable
purposes, and amounted to the enormous sum of one and a
half million of dollars.  What possible charitable use could
demand so great a sum?  Was it not collected by the avaricious priests for their own purposes, under pretext of charity?
Of this moderation of Pompey, Rollin thus speaks:
"It was not out of respect for the majesty of the God
adored in that temple, that Pompey behaved in this manner,
for according to him, nothing was more contemptible than
the Jewish religion; more unworthy the wisdom and granldure of the Romans, or more opposite to the institutions of
their ancestors. Pompey had no other motive in this disinterestedness than to deprive malice and calumny of all
means of attacking his reputation. Such were the thoughts
of the most learned pagans with respect to the only religion
of the only true God. They blasphemed what they knew
not."
All this may sound well, but it is susceptible of criticism.
For what did Pompey invade Jerusalem  but for money,
which Aristobulus promised, but the people refused to pay?
For what but money did he attack and conquer the temple?
Surely some other motive, whatever it might be, deterred
him from enjoying what he had slain twelve thousand men
to obtain. That motive is not apparent. Rollin speaks of
the Romans despising the only religion of the true God,
but what was there at that time in the conduct, morals, or
habits of the high priests, priests, Levites, Pharisees, or
people, that would lead one to suppose they, and they only,
were the devoted servants of a Holy God?
21




242            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
All their religious conduct was abhorrent to every sense of
justice and honesty.  However holy and heavenly might
have been, and evidently was the religion of Moses, of
David, of Isaiah, and of Daniel, it would be difficult to find,
save in a few obscure individuals, anything in the Jewish
religion of the time we are describing, that is not revolting
to contemplate, and calculated to fill a noble Roman's breast
with disgust.
HYRCANIS II., B. C. 63.
Pompey having ended the present war by the capture of
the temple, demolished much of the wall of Jerusalem, reestablished Hyrcanus upon the throne of Judea, and sent
Aristobulus and his sons Alexander and Antigonus in chains,
prisoners to Rome. But Alexander effected his escape before
arriving at the seven-hilled city, and returned to Judea,
where he was not idle. Several cities were detached from
the kingdom of Judea,' and added to Syria. A heavy tribute
was imposed upon Hyrcanus, and Antipator was appointed
prime minister. In 57 B. C., young Alexander finding himself at the head of' an army, laid claim to the throne of his
fathers. The feeble and effeminate Hyrcanus was either
unwilling or afraid to meet him in battle, lie therefore
sought Roman aid, and Gabinius, governor of Syria, marched
to his assistance. He met and defeated the army of Alexander, and restored Hyrcanus the third time to the office of
high priest, but not to the throne.
Gabinius, for a short time, abolished the monarchial form
of government. In the year 54, Crassus. the Roman, was on
his unfortunate expedition to Parthia, and passed through
Jerusalem, where he, less scrupulous than Pompey, robbed the
temple of all its treasures, amounting in value to ten thousand talents, or seven and a half millions of dollars. At
this time Coesar was becoming the great man of Rome. He
had beaten the unfortunate Pompey in the great battle of




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             243
Pharsalus, in which Hyrcanus and Antipater had been of
some service to him.  These were also the days of trouble
Ptolemy and Cleopatra, the last of the Lagidoe in Egypt.
Cuesar visited Egypt to adjust these difficulties, where he
had his remarkable adventure with that most remarkable of
women.'The object of this mission was greatly facilitated
by the kindly aid of Hyrcanus and Antipater.
While Coesar was in Syria, soon after his adventure in
Egypt, Aristobulus and his son Antigonus effected their
escape from Rome, and also repaired to Syria, where they
besought Coesar to restore them to their rights, and at the
same time complained of the mal-administration of Hyrcanus and Antipater.  But Caesar, partial to Hyrcanus, by
whom he had been aided, rejected their petition, and confirmed Hyrcanu's, not only in the office of high priest, but also
restored to him the title and authority of king of Judea,
which had been annulled by Gabinius, about ten years before.
Antipater was appointed pro-consul and collector of the revenues of Judea, under Hyrcanus. Antipater, it will be remembered, was an Idumean proselyte, and not a native Jew. He
had two sons, the oldest of whom was called Phaseel and the
second was Herod, in whose time Christ was born.  To
Phaseel was given the government of Jerusalem, while his
brother was appointed governor of Galilee.  By Ceesar's
permission the walls of Jerusalem, which had bken thrown
down by Pompey, were rebuilt and strongly fortified, thus
furnishing work for Titus many years afterward, in the final
conquest of that city.  The same year Coesar returned to
Rome, sought the imperial dignity, and was slain in the
Senate Chamber, 44 B. C.
In 40 B. C., new actors appear in the field of strife.
Crassus had lost his life in his rash enterprise against the
Parthians, and that nation had followed the retreating
Romans into Syria. Pacorus, their king, sent a detachment




244            THE KINGDOIM OF BRASS.
of his army into Judea, with orders to place Antigonus, son of Aristobulus, upon the throne. Antigonus had
also raised an army to accompany this expedition. Hyrcanus and Phocas ventured into the camp of the enemy to
propose an accommodation, but were seized and made prisoners. Herod escaped from Jerusalem just as the Parthians
entered it. Antigonus was established upon the throne,
and iyrcanus and Phasel in chains put into his hands.
Phasael being of foreign extraction, was condemned to
death; but to avoid a public execution, he dashed out his
own brains against a wall. Antigonus spared the life of
his uncle, Hyrcanus; but to render it impossible for him
again to serve in the capacity of high priest, he smote off
his right ear, as that blemish, according to the Mosaic law,
rendered him unfit for the office. Hyrcands was carried a
captive into Parthia, where he remained, in Seleucia, many
years. Herod fled first to Egypt, then to Rome. Caesar
was dead; his murderers were absent, and bold, blunt Marc
Antony was then the ruling spirit of that nation. Herod
was immediately taken under his protection, and treated
with honor, considering that he was a poor boy, the son of
Antipater, an Idumean exile. He had not himself expected
to be promoted to power; but, like his father in the preceding reign, he desired some branch of the family of Hyrcanus to be restored to the throne, that he might serve
under him. Hyrcanus had a daughter, Alexandra, who
had been married to Alexander, the son of Aristobulus,
who escaped on his way to Rome a prisoner. By this marriage they had a son, also called Aristobulus. He was
thus the grandson of both Hyrcanus and Aristobulus II.,
who had been sent to Rome. Herod put forward the claims
of young Aristobulus III. But the Roman senate, under
the influence of Marc Antony, did more than he requested,
for they declared Herod himself king of Judea. Herod




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            245
was only seven days in Rome, and accomplished more than
all he intended, and returned hastily into Judea.' Two years of vigorous effort were required for Herod to
displace Antigonus, and gain for himself the gift of the
Roman senate. He had to besiege Jerusalem in due form,
and, after a great struggle against a desperate rival, he
ultimately took the city, only by the aid of the governor
and army of the city, and after six months' siege. Having
at length triumphantly entered the city, his soldiers put
great numbers of the Jews to death, and caused the streets
to flow with streams of human blood. The fate of Antigonus is to be deplored. Seeing that all was lost, he went
out to Socius, the Syrian governor, and implored mercy.
He was put in chains and sent to Antioch, where Antony
had just arrived. He visited the prisoner, and intended to
take him to Rome to adorn his triumphal procession. But
Herod could never rest easy so long as a rival to the throne
existed. He therefore caused the unfortunate prince to be
proceeded against as a common criminal, and condemned to
be put to death by the barbarous execution of lictors and
axes. Thus perished the last king of the descendants of
Judea.
Hyrcanus still lived a prisoner in the East. While Herod
was prosecuting the siege of Jerusalem, he went to Samaria and married Mariamna, the sister of Aristobulus III.,
and grand-daughter of both Hyrcanus and Aristobulus II.
She was the sister of that Antigonus against whom he was
then at war, and whom he afterward caused to be put to
death in the manner above related.
Under favor of the Parthians, Hyrcanus was at length
set at liberty and made high priest in that country, and
treated with distinguished honor. But the love of his native
country induced him to forego all these honors, and revisit
Judea, where Herod caused him to be seized and put to




246              THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
death, notwithstanding he was the grandfather of his wife.
Herod reigned thirty-nine years. The last of the Jewish
rulers had gone down to the grave by violent death.  An
Idumean sits undisturbed on the throne of that nation.
The scepter of Judah has departed forever, and the kingdom from that time groaned under the reign of Herod the
cruel, until the Shilo of promise came.*
PTOLEMY PHYSCON, B. C. 145.
Ptolemy Philometor had a brother, subsequently called
Physcon, who at this time was a king of Cyrenia.  Some
of the nobility persuaded him to visit Alexandria, with the
intention of placing him upon the throne of his late brother;
but Cleopatra, the widowed queen, was not disposed to
acknowledge his claim. She endeavored to raise her son,
the son of Philopater, an infant, to the throne. Each party
had control of an army, and there was prospect of a civil
war. Byv the influence of Flamminius, a Roman officer, this
war was delayed for a time, although it did not save Egypt
from some most bloody scenes. A compromise was effected.
Physcon was to marry Cleopatra, educate her son, and finally
transmit to him the crown.
Their marriage was celebrated and the crown placed upon
the head of Physcon, and, on the same day, he murdered
the child of the queen in its mother's arms.
The first seven or eight years of the reign of Physcon
were marked by excessive debauchery and horrible acts of
cruelty. His prime minister, Hierax, a native of Antioch,
D Wise men of the East came to Judea to seek for him that was born
king of the Jews. Not forty years before that event, the Parthians, who
were the wise men of the East, had invaded Judea, captured Jerusalem,
and carried the high priest captive into the East, where, doubtless, he
had taught all around him of the expected coming of Shilo, as an event
near at hand. Some of these wise men might have listened to the teachings of Hyrcanus on that subject, while a captive among them.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             247
a faithful, brave and talented officer, was barely able to
prevent his being dethroned and expelled. After the year
136, we hear no more of Hierax. Physcon, as if abandoned
to all that is evil, caused the murder of almost all the men
who had elevated Philopater to the crown, or had held office
under him. He surrounded himself with a foreign soldiery, whose brutal and frequent murders caused great
numbers of the inhabitants of Alexandria to flee from the
city. These were generally the best, the most learned and
most useful citizens. Alexandria became almost a desert.
To repeople the desolate city, he sent proclamations to different countries, offering great advantages to those who
should settle there. Multitudes of strangers flocked in, to
whom he gave the deserted houses of the inhabitants; thus
making this band of foreign adventurers dependent upon
himself.
Cleopatra, the queen and sister of Physcon, had a daughter by her first husband, Philopater, also called Cleopatra.
Physcon having taken a disgust at his sister-wife, became
enamored of her child.'In the year 130 B. C., he first
ravished and subsequently married the younger Cleopatra,
and repudiated the elder.
His repeated acts of monstrous cruelty, caused him soon
to be as much hated by his new subjects, whom he had
invited to Alexandria, as he had been by the former inhabitants. Fearing some outbreak, he determined to put it out
of their power to do him harm. He resolved to murder all
the young men of the city, supposing thlereby he should
render the rest too feeble to resist him. On a day of public exercise, when the multitude were assembled, he ordered
his foreign soldiery suddenly to surround the people, and
murder the youth. Many were slain; but this act threw
the populace into great confusion and madness. They ran




248            THE KINGDO.M OF BRASS.
to the royal palace and set it on fire, hoping to consume
the tyrant in it, but he had just effected his escape.
He fled with his wife and his young son, Memphitis, to
the island of Cyprus. The people immediately put the
government of Egypt into the hands of Cleopatra, the
elder.  The fugitive king prepared to make war upon
Alexandria and the queen.
Physcon had an elder son in Alexandria, to whom he
had given the government of Cyrenia. Fearing that the
Alexandrians might make him king of Egypt, he sent for
this son to visit him. The jealous father, to prevent a
danger which had no foundation, except in his own guilty
conscience, caused this son to be murdered.  The barbarity
of this act greatly increased the fury of his enemies, and
caused many of his friends to forsake him. In Alexandria,
they destroyed his statues, and added every possible insult
to his name. Physcon believed that the elder Cleopatra
had incited the Alexandrians to these deeds. He therefore
determined upon a strange and unnatural revenge.  Memphitis, his own son, was then with him in exile. He was
the much beloved son of the elder Cleopatra. Physcon
caused the throat of Mlemphitis to be cut, his body chopped
to pieces, but his face to remain unmutilated.  Then placing the mangled body in a chest, lie sent it to Alexandria.
The queen's birthday was approaching.  When it arrived,
it was celebrated with great pomp and splendor. Just in
the midst of the rejoicing, the agent of Physcon presents
the chest. It is opened, and the queen, in the midst of
her festivity, beholds the face and thle mangled body of her
much loved boy. Grief and lamentation succeed to the
voice of mirth. The corpse was exposed everywhere in
the streets to the gaze of the multitude, who became
greatly excited, and declared that Physcon should never




TIlE KINGDOM OF BRASS.           249
more rule in Egypt. An army was raised to resist him,
and committed to the care of Marsyas.
In 128 B. C., Physcon also raised an army, committing
it to the command of Hegelochus, and sent him against
Alexandria. A bloody battle was fought, the army of
Physcon was triumphant, and the queen's soldiers were
mostly cut to pieces, their general taken prisoner, and
sent to Physcon.
Whether the bloody passions of Physcon had exhausted
their energies and become quiet, or whether he had grown
wiser by sad experience, we can not tell; but he seems, at
this time, to have abated somewhat of his ferocious disposition. He gave Marsyas his liberty, without any penalty
whatever.
The army of Cleopatra being greatly reducea, sne applied
to Demetrius, king of Syria, for aid, promising him the
crown of Egypt as his reward. Demetrius had married
another Cleopatra, the eldest daughter of the queen of
Egypt, by Philometor. Demetrius immediately marched
an army into Pelusium; but trouble at home soon recalled
him again. Cleopatra, of Egypt, being now absolutely destitute of aid, fled to Syria with her daughter, with whom
she remained till the end of her life.
The next year, 127, Physcon entered Alexandria, and
recovered his throne and kingdom. To be revenged upon
Demetrius for attempting to aid the Alexandrians, he meddled with the affairs of Syria, by setting up an imposter,
Zebina, in which he was for a time successful, and Demetrius lost his kingdom and his life. Subsequently, Zebina
not.being willing to pay to Physcon the homage which he
demanded, the king of Egypt again interfered in the affairs
of Syria, and deprived Zebina of his ill gotten throne.
Physcon died 117 B. C., after a reign of twenty-nine
years, subsequent to the death of his brother.  Years




250            THE KINGDOMI OF BRASS.
marked with such horrible atrocities, that we look upon
them amazed and are unable to make comment.
DEMETRIUS NICATOR AND THE SYRIAN CLEOPATRA, B. C. 145.
We have seen that Demetrius Soter lost his life in war
with Alexander Bala, the imposter, and that Bala had been
defeated by the present monarch.
Soter left three sons, two of whom, Demetrius, afterward
called Nicator, and Alexander, had been sent to Cnidus,
where they were at the time of their father's death. The
younger was put to death by Bala, but the older somehow
escaped his enemy. In the year 147, Demetrius II.,
(Nicator), left his retreat, and, gathering an army, contended for the throne of his father. After several vicissitudes of fortune, Bala was defeated, and fled- to Arabia,
where he was treacherously murdered, and the body sent
to Philopater, king of'Egypt, and Demetrius became king
of Syria 145 B. C. Cleopatra, the daughter of Philometor, and wife of Bala, was given as a wife to Demetrius
Nicator.
With the king of Egypt as a father-in-law, with the
friendship of the Romans, and with the affection of his own
people, who had been terribly oppressed by the rigor and
maladministration of Bala, a judicious king might expect
a prosperous and peaceful life on the throne of Syria. But
all such indications soon vanished. All external circumstances are of no value, when indolence and debauchery
reign at home. Demetrius was still young, unaccustomed
to business, inexperienced in the affairs of State, and more
devoted to pleasure than to the duties and responsibilities
of office. He committed thle care of all business to Sosthenes, the man in whose house he had found shelter in the
days of his father's calamity. Gratitude to a benefactor
is commendable; but the prime minister was a foreigner,




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            251
having no sympathy with the people, and exercising no
judgment, justice or discretion in the discharge of his
official duties. His maladministration alienated the affections of the people from the government. He had disarmed
all the native soldiery, and surrounded the throne with a
foreign guard, mostly Cretans.  Nicator devoted himself
to debauchery, while his people were suffering from the
extortions of his minister, and the butchery of all those
who opposed his measures.
What else could be expected than that aspirants would
avail themselves of the general discontent to grasp at the
crown?  Tryphon, who had been a minister of State under
Bala, began to figure. Bala had left a son, Antiochus,
afterward called Theos, in Arabia, in the care of a prince
of that country. To him Tryphon repaired, obtained the
young Antiochus, brought him to Syria, and through the
aid of the people, who were wearied with the evil administration of Demetrius, declared him king of Syria,
and placed him on the throne —not long there to remain,
but simply to form a stepping-stone for his protector, who
intended to murder him in due time, and take the crown
to himself. All this was accomplished the next year, (143
B. C.), and the throne was filled by Tryphon, whose cruelty
and maladministration were equal to that of his predecesssor.
EXPEDITION OF DEMETRIUS NICATOR IN THE EAST, B. C. 142.
The extensive plains on the banks of the Euphrates and
the Tigris, with their cities, once forming the kingdom of
Babylonia, and afterward subject to Persia, had, in the partition of Alexander's empire, fallen to Syria, and had been
governed by officers appointed at Antioch. Thus they
became the captives of those whom they had carried captive,




252            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
as foretold by Isaiah.  Many Macedonian families were also
merged with the inhabitants of this district.
A little further east was Parthia, at this time a powerful kingdom. During the commotion of several preceding
reigns in Syria, the Parthians, availing themselves of the
embarrassments of their neighbors, had subdued Mesopotamia and attached it to their own empire. The Syrians
were so much occupied with other matters that since the
days of Antiochus the Great, or, perhaps, of Seleucus
Callinicus, they had not been able to reclaim them. The
Parthian yoke, however, was exceedingly severe, and the
inhabitants desired a change of masters.
Tryphon, having brought Antiochus Theos, the youthful
son of Bala, out of Arabia, and driven out Demetrius, first
placed Theos on the throne, and then murdered him; after
which he placed the crown upon his own head, and reigned
at Antioch. Demetrius, defeated and repulsed from Antioch, had retired to Seleucia, where, depressed by misfortune,
he devoted his time to debauchery and sensuality. Thus
stood affairs in 142'B. C.  The people of Mesopotamia sent
him  an invitation to repair thither and assist them  in
throwing off the Parthian yoke. He hears and responds
to the call. Ambition rouses him from his indolence, and
paints future scenes of glory. Could he subdue the Parthians and place himself at the head of the eastern provinces, he might, with their aid, expel Tryphon and regain
the throne of Syria.
To the East he repairs; the Elamites, the Persians, the
Bactrians and the mingled people join his standard, and
the gathering hosts swell into a large army. In several
engagements he repulsed the enemy, and all his bright
anticipations gave promise of being realized. How delusive are the hopes of man! how inconstant the smiles of




TIIE KINGDOM OF BYRASS.           253
fortune! The Parthians, under pretense of negociating a
peace with Demetrius, decoyed him into their power, and
made a prisoner of him, and cut to pieces his entire army.
Let us look back upon Syria. Although Tryphon had
expelled the preceding king, murdered the last one, and
usurped the throne, it must not be supposed that he had
undisputed possession of all Syria.  During these events,
two distinct factions, with their governments, ruled in
Syria at different places. Cleopatra, the daughter of
Philometor, the former wife of Bala, and afterward of
Demetrius, still lived, a woman, proud, resolute, determined
to rule, and not easy to be subdued.
Many of the generals and princes of Syria adhered to
her, and even many of Tryphon's men went over to her
standard.  She held her court at Ptolemais.
When Cleopatra heard that her husband was taken captive, she sought new alliances to sustain herself against
the usurper. There was at this time one Antiochus, afterward called Sidetes, a brother of Nicator; to him she sent
an invitation to marry her, and offered him the crown, to
the exclusion of her sons by Demetrius. This offer was
accepted, and the new couple ruled for a time in Syria.
In the spring of 139 B. C., Sidetes made war upon Tryphon,
drove him out of his possession, and shut him up in the
castle of Dora, from which he escaped, first to Arthesia
and then to Sidon, where he was taken and put to death.
In 138 B. C. we find Sidetes and Cleopatra in possession of
the throne of Syria, which they held until 130 B. C.
But Demetrius Nicator still lives, although a prisoner.
Let us return to him. His imprisonment had not been
severe. He had been sent to Hyrcana, where, except-his
liberty, he received all the attention due to a king.
Rhodaguna, the daughter of the king of that country, was
given him in marriage, and for about ten years, the days




254            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
passed cheerily along. Twice, however, Demetrius attempted
his escape, but was retaken.  The Parthian kindness to
Demetrius originated in selfish policy.  That people contemplated the invasion of Syria, in which event Demetrius
was to be used as the rival of his brother, to divide and
diminish the strength of Syria. Sidetes, suspecting their
purpose, did not wait to be invaded. Having crushed his
enemy at home, he marched, in 138, an army of eighteen
thousand soldiers to the banks of the Euphrates, and commenced war to recover possession of Mesopotamia; this
expedition was at first successful, in three engagements he
defeated his enemy, and recovered all the provinces of the
East that had formerly belonged to Syria. But the winter
came and nipped his prosperity in the bud. The winter
came, and to supply his army with food, it was necessary
to divide it. In this divided condition, the enemy fell upon
them, and defeated the whole army. Sidetes, in attempting to relieve the party nearest him, was slain. Thus terminated in defeat the entire expedition.
Before the defeat of Sidetes, the Parthians, fearing the
results of this war, had set Demetrius at liberty, that he
might, by returning to Syria, and reclaiming his wife and
the throne, cause the return of Sidetes.  Demetrius had
set out, but when Sidetes was slain, the Parthians having no
further need of that assistance, sent a dispatch to retake and
bring him back again. But he was already far beyond their
power. During that year he arrived safely at Syria, remarried his Cleopatra, and assumed once more the government of Syria, amid great rejoicings and celebrations, while
his people were overwhelmed in the deepest mourning for
the loss of their friends in the war.
ANTIOCHUS SIDETES
Was the younger brother of Demetrius Nicator, and was




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              255
sent with him  into Caria in their youth by their father,
Demetrius, before he was slain in the war with Bala. He
seems to have been a moderately good king, and avoided the
excesses either of cruelty or debauchery, for which so many
of the kings of Syria were notorious. He was exceedingly
fond of hunting, on which account he received the name of
Sidetes, which, in Syriac signifies a hunter. In his war with
Tryphon he exhibited skill and decision, which was speedily
crowned with success. In his expedition to the East he also
exhibited military talent. But one defect was manifest in
his arrangements, which was probably the cause of his ruin;
that defect was the large number of useless and effeminate
persons that accompanied the army, and the extravagant
luxury which exhausted their provisions. This army is thus
described by Rollin:
" His army consisted of upward of eighty thousand men,
well armed and disciplined.'But the train of luxury had
added to it so great a multitude of sutlers, cooks, pastrycooks, confectioners, actors, musicians and infamous women,
that they were almost fout times as many as the soldiers, for
they were reckoned to amount to about three hundred thou.
sand. There may be some exaggeration in this account, but
if two-thirds were deducted, there would still remain a
numerous train of useless mouths. The luxury of the
camp was in proportion to those that administered to it.
Gold and silver glittered in all parts - even upon the boots
of the private soldiers. The instruments and utensils of
the kitchen were silver, as if they had been marching to a
feast and not to war."
Cleopatra, although a second time married to Demetrius,
did not surrender her share in the government, and held her
court still at Ptolemais, while her husband, with the army,
remained at Antioch. Being at war with Ptolemy Physcon,
Demetrius was defeated in battle, and fled to Ptolemais, but




256            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
the unkind queen, who never forgave his marriage with the
princess of Bactriana, shut the gates against him, and he
was compelled to retire to Tyre, at which city he was overtaken and murdered. Cleopatra thus became sole possessor
of the crown of Syria. About the year 127, Physcon, out
of revenge for Demetrius having invaded Egypt many
years before, sent an imposter, Alexander Zebinia, to claim
the throne.  This Zebina was a native of Alexandria, but
he pretended to be the son of Alexander Bala, whose melancholy fate in Arabia some years before, we have given. It
was in this war that Demetrius was defeated and compelled
to fly to Tyre. The kingdom thus became divided between
Zebina at Antioch, and Cleopatra at Ptolemais. The queen
had sons by Demetrius.  The oldest, Seleucus, now began to
entertain a hope of gaining the throne of his father.  He
was declared king in 124, but his mother was more anxious
to rule alone than to advance his interests. She also feared
that, should Seleucus become fully established in the kingdom, he might avenge the death of his father, which, it was
generally believed; was effected by her instigation.  Within
one year thereafter, in 123, she, with her own hand, plunged
a dagger into the heart of her own roval son.
About this time three of the principal officers of Zebina
revolted from him and joined the standard of Cleopatra.
The queen fearing to be left quite alone, caused her second
son to be proclaimed king. But he was quite young, and
she therefore retained all the power.  This son was called
Antiochus Grypus, the latter name referring to his great
nose. Physcon having been the agent by whose means
Zebina had risen to power, demanded courtesy and service of
him, which Zebina refused to yield. On this account Physcon determined to destroy him whom he had first elevated to
power. He therefore settled all difficulties with Cleopatra,
gave his own daughter, Tryphena, in marriage to Grypus,




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             257
and aided him in a contest for the throne of Zebina, who
was defeated and deprived of power. He retired to Antioch,
where he forned a design of plundering the temple of
Jupiter, which, being discovered, so exasperated the people
that they furiously ran upon him and murdered him. Thus
ended the life of the second imposter, and Grypus took the
government of Syria.
Cleopatra, still unwilling to divide the power between
herself and any one, once -more prepared to murder her
royal son, and confer the title of king upon another
younger child, the son of Sidetes. To accomplish that
purpose, she prepared a bowl of poison, which she presented to Grypus one day as he returned hot from some
exercise. That prince having somehow been apprised of
her design, very respectfully requested his royal mother
first to drink; but, as she positively refused to do so, he
called in witnesses, and, after charging her with the crime
of intending to murder him, compelled her to swallow the
draught, which took immediate effect, and ended the life
of one of the worst of women, whose unparalleled crimes
had been the destruction of her family and the scourge of
the state. She had been the wife of three kings of Syria,
and the death of two of them she had occasioned. She
was the mother of four kings, one of whom she slew with
her own hand, and attempted to destroy another. She died
in the year 120 B. C.
PTOLEMY LATHYRUS, B. C. 117.
All the sons of Physcon, by his first Cleopatra, had been
slain by himself. By the second, who was the daughter of
the first, he left two sons, Lathyrus and Alexander, and
three daughters, Cleopatra, Selene and Tryphena. He
had also an illegitimate son, Apion, to whom he gave the
22




258            THE KINGDOMI OF BRASS.
kingdom of Cyrene, and who, at his death, willed his crown
to the Romans.
Physcon, by his will, left the kingdom of Egypt to his
queen, Cleopatra, and to whichever of the two sons she
might choose. Of the wife of Physcon we know but little
until after her husband's death. Left alone and clothed
with the royal authority, she exhibited all the enormity of
an adept in crime and cruelty.  She had long entertained
an implacable hatred to her eldest son. Before his father's
death, Physcon, through her influence, had banished him to
the island of Cyprus. The queen-mother preferred to associate with herself, in the government, her younger son,
Alexander, because he was of a mild and peaceful spirit,
and she could better control him than a prince who had
energy to claim his share in the administration. The people of Alexandria were not disposed to acquiesce in this
arrangement. They therefore disregarded the condition of
the will, and, recalling Lathyrus from Cyprus, placed him
on the throne to reign jointly with his mother. In these
days it had become quite common for the princes of Egypt
to marry their own sisters. The eldest widow and mother
of the queen, it will be recollected, had been the wife of
two of her brothers. Lathyrus was greatly attached to his
elder sister, Cleopatra; but the imperious mother compelled
her royal son, before he could share in the government, to
renounce all claim to her, and marry his second sister, Selina. This arrangement proved a very unhappy one, as
will be seen in the result. Tryphena, the third sister, had
married Grypus, king of Syria. Cleopatra being at liberty, also married a prince of Syria, and both of these
daughters were ultimately put to death in the most violent and brutal manner, for which their monstrous mother
seemed not to grieve, so intent was she upon ruling absolute




TILE KINGDwlOM OF BRASS.          259
and alone.  To her son Alexander, she gave the governulent of Cyprus, that she might rely upon him and his
army for aid to check the measures of Lathyrus, her associate on the throne.
In the year 109 B. C., the Jews being at war with their
near neighbors, besieged Samaria. The inhabitants of that
city, in their distress, sent to Lathyrus for aid, and he
promptly sent them six thousand soldiers. Cleopatra was
under the influence of the Jewish counsellors, who had
built a temple in Egypt. She disapproved of this measure, and threatened to deprive him of his share in the
government for having encroached upon what she deemed
her prerogative.  In the year 107, she took from him his
wife, Selene, by whom he had already two sons, both of
whom died when quite young. Lathyrus, by his mother's
authority, was banished from Egypt.  He took charge of
the little kingdom of Cyprus, and Alexander, who was the
king of that island, was recalled, to take the throne of
Egypt. This had been the original intention of Cleopatra,
whose purposes had been frustrated by the people some ten
years before.
The manner in which the imperious queen effected this
change, was a fair specimen of woman's wiles and intrigue,
showing how little credit ought to be given at any time to
the testimony of designing women, when they complain of
violence or insult. In a vast majority of cases, such accusers, fired with passion, or having some secret object to
gain, are utterly unworthy of credit. Cleopatra caused
two eunuchs, by whom she was attended, to be wounded
and then exhibited to the populace, asserting that Lathyrus had committed violence. They declared that he had
attempted to murder his mother, and that they had received
these wounds in her defense. The fiction succeeded. The
undiscriminating populace, who never weigh carefully the




260            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
circumstances, and always give heed to tne complaint of
woman, become enraged at the victim of her false accusations. Let it not, however, be forgotten that there is a
just God, who declares that with what measure you mete,
it shall be measured again, as we shall see in the fate of
that false accusing woman.
The people were so excited, they would have torn Lathyrus to pieces had he not made a hasty retreat to Cyprus.
Here he had lived before his father's death. The wrongs
he had previously received from an imperious mother, were
known, and the people gave no credit to the fictions of the
queen. Lathyrus reigned on the island of Cyprus from
that time, 107 B. C., until 99 B. C., about seven years, and
Alexander, son of Physcon, became king of Egypt.
The Jews and the more northern people of Palestine and
Samaria were still engaged in war with each other. Ptolemais was besieged by the Jews. The inhabitants sent to
Cyprus for aid, which Lathyrus promptly furnished them.
The opposite party sent to Cleopatra, in Egypt, to which
call she also responded, and thus mother and son were
ranged on opposite sides, and kept up the war in Palestine
against each other, from 105 to 101 B. C. After shedding
a vast amount of blood, they each retired, leaving the field
of controversy about as they found it.
At this time, two brother princes were contending for the
throne of Syria —Antiochus Cyzicus and Antiochus Grypus - each of whom had married a sister of Lathyrus, and
both of whose wives had been murdered by the opposing
factions. Lathyrus now entered into a confidential arrangement with Antiochus the Cyzicenian, with the hope of so
strengthening himself as to regain the throne of Egypt.
A. knowledge of these facts aroused the ire of Cleopatra.
She therefore took her daughter Selene, the wife of Lathyrus and gave her in marriage to Grypus, the opponent of




TIHE KINGDOM OF BRASS.           261
the prince with whom Lathyrus was in alliance. She also
furnished him treasures to carry on the war. The war between the two brother princes of Syria, prevented Lathyrus
from receiving aid from that source, so that he was compelled to abandon, for the time, the hope of regaining the
throne of Egypt.
But light arose in another quarter. Ptolemy Alexander,
the brother of Lathyrus, whom the queen-mother had
placed on the throne, was touched with some feelings of
compassion for the exile, as well as disgusted with the
conduct of his mother. He saw that he only had the title,
and not the authority of a monarch. He saw that all
these persecutions of his brother arose from his having
dared, in one instance, to act for himself. He also saw
that no crime restrained his mother when she had a
favorite scheme to accomplish, and he feared that whenever
he should be in her way she would not hesitate to sacrifice
him. These feelings were completely roused when his
mother took the wife of his brother and gave her to his
enemy. Alexander, disgusted with the court, determined
to resign and retire into peaceful obscurity. For this act
of justice he deserves our highest esteem, although he may
have been afterward guilty of an offense for which there
was great provocation. Alexander retired; but the people,
who had witnessed the conduct of the queen, and her
dreadful temper, were determined she should not rule
alone. With the utmost effort and the greatest entreaty,
they persuaded Alexander to return and resume a share of
the government.  Ten years more rolled along, when
Cleopatra, unwilling to share the government with any
one, determined to murder Alexander.  He became aware
of her intentions, and, to save himself, put her to death,
in the year 89 B. C. Thus the vile woman, who, to raise
Alexander to the throne, falsely accused her son of an




262            THIE KINGDl)0O, OF BR1ASS.
intention to murder her, is finally put to death by a son.
Lathyrus did not avenge the wrong he had received; but
God poured upon her the curse which her false accusation
merited.  Worthy to die was this monster in wickedness.
Let us review the principal acts of her life.  She had married her mother's husband, banished that mother from her
home and her kingdom, and, as some authors say, subsequently murdered her. She had heard with indifference of
the murder of her two daughters.  She had compelled her
eldest son to marry his sister, against his will, and then
rudely tore that very wife away from him and gave her to
his enemy, and now sought to slay her youngest son.
What judgment shall calm, sober reason pass upon Alexander?  He was King of Egypt; it was his duty to
execute the laws.  He caused the execution of his mother
in self-defense, for she was plotting against his life. Her
crime was one for which, by all just law, she had forfeited
her life, and if capital punishment be justifiable, she
ought to die; and Alexander was the proper person to
order her execution. His act, therefore, though awful, can
scarce be called a crime. But the unthinking populace
judged not so. They knew and detested the old queen
for her vice and cruelty; yet they were thrown into a panic
of madness because Alexander had slain his mother.  In a
violent and turbulent manner they expelled him from the
kingdom, from which they would not, a few years previously, permit him peaceably to retire. Lathyrus was now
recalled to the throne of Egypt, to which he had a just
title, although the treatment of Alexander was most
unrighteous.  He retired to foreign countries, and made,
subsequently, several efforts to return to Egypt, in the
last of which he perished, leaving a son of the same name,
Alexander I. Lathyrus recovered the throne and held it
about seven years.




THE KING(DOM:N OF BRASS.          263
In the year 81 B. C. the people of Thebes, a splendid
city of upper Egypt, which had long' before been desolated
by Cambyses the mad, and which had, in some measure,
revived, refused to pay tribute to Lathyrus, and broke out in
open rebellion. The cause of this outbreak is not distinctly
known. Lathyrus marched against Thebes, subdued the
rebellion, wreaked his vengeance upon the people, and desolated the city, mutilating many of its ancient temples.  In
the latter part of the same year Lathyrus died, leaving his
throne and kingdom to Cleopatra Berenice, his only legitimate child, the daughter of Selene.
Cleopatra Berenice, by the voice of the people, ascended'
th.e throne of her father in the year 80 B. C.
Alexander II., son of him who slew his mother, had
experienced great vicissitudes of fortune, had received an
excellent education under Grecian masters, had traveled in
many foreign countries, and had secured the friendship of
Rome. On the death of Lathyrus, Sylla, the dictator of
Rome, sent Alexander to Egypt to take the throne of his late
uncle. Cleopatra, his cousin, had now been reigning about
six months. The nobles of Egypt, not disposed to yield
up her claims to the throne, and yet not daring to offend
Rome, determined that Alexander should marry the queen,
and that they should reign jointly. But either he did not
fancy his cousin for a wife, or perhaps was ambitious of
reigning alone. He was displeased with the arrangement,
but acquiesced. The marriage was celebrated, and nineteen days afterward he caused the queen to be put to death,
thus securing to himself the entire possession of the government, which he held fifteen years. After a reign of
seven years, he was annoyed by pretenders to the throne.
In the year 73 B. C., Selene, once the wife of Lathyrus,
and afterward of Grypus, of Syria, being the daughter of
Physcon, began to claim Egypt for her sons. They visited




264            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Romne, and after two years of ineffectual effort to induce
the Rolnans to declare them heirs to the throne of Egypt,
they returned disappointed into Asia.  Eight years more
Alexander continued to reign in Egypt, when, in 65, his
mal-administration so exasperated the people that they
took up arms against him and expelled him from Egypt.
After an ineffectual appeal to Pompey for aid, he retired
to Tyre, where he died in the year 63 B. C., having
bequeathed, by will, his kingdom and treasures to the
Romanis. Lathyrus had an illegitimate son, Auletes, who
was immediately called to the throne of Ey;.t,
THE DECLINE OF THE EMPIRE OF SYRIA, B. C. 120 To 65.
Actors.-Antiochus Grypus, son of Nicator; Tryphena
and Selene, his wives; Seleucus, Philip, Demetrius Eucerus,
and Antigonus Dyonysius, his sons; Antiochus Cyzicus, son
of Sidetes; Cleopatra, his wife; Antiochus Eusebus, their
son; Selene, his. wife; Tigranes of Armenia, Antiochus
Asiaticus, and Seleucus, sons of Selene.
The Syrian Cleopatra, preeminent for her crimes, had
been the wife of three kings. In each case the subsequent
marriage preceded the death of the former husband, and
after the death of the third she re-married the second, whose
death she afterward effected. She was also privy to the
murder of the first.  These three husbands were: Alexander Bala, who was betrayed and murdered in Arabia;
Demetrius INicanor, who was murdered at Tyre; and Sidetes,
who was slain in battle with the Parthians. She subsequently murdered, with her own hands, her eldest son by.Nicanor, and afterward attempted to poison the second, who
compelled her to drink the draught which caused her imnmediate death.




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             265
This brings us to the date of our present subject, B. C.
120. On the death of Cleopatra, her second son Antiochus
ascended the throne, and received the name of Grypus, on
account of his great nose.  Some three years previously he
had married Tryphena, the daughter of Ptolemy Physcon,
king of Egypt. Cleopatra had another son Antiochus, by
Sidetes. On the death of Sidetes, when she re-married
Nicanor, fearing for the safety of this child, she sent him
into Asia Minor-in the city of Cyzicum, where he
remained and received what in those days was deemed an
excellent education. From the name of the place of his
exile, he was ever after called Cyzicus, or the Cyzican.
After the death of INicanor, he returned, but his presence
became obnoxious to his royal brother, and Grypus, who
had been trained in his mother's school in the art of removing rivals, attempted to poison him. Cyzicus escaped from
Antioch, and the administration of Grypus glided smoothly
along for about six years, when the sea of political life
became again tempestuous. and granted no calm to Syria
for many years. Grypus, pursuing the indiscreet policy of
his predecessors, since the days of Antiochus Epiphanes,
undertook to conquer and exterminate the Jewish nation.
Accordingly, in 114, he marched with a large army into
Judea. This was the time for the fugitive, who felt that
in self-defense he must retaliate. He had spent years of
his exile in secret, but not in idleness. The place of his
retirement is not known.  While Grypus was marching
along the defile of Judea, intent upon conquest, intelligence
reached him that Cyzicus was near Antioch with a large
army. Grypus now found something else to do than fight
the Jews. He hastened home to defend his throne and
kingdom from the grasp of his brother. Cleopatra, the
widow of Ptolemy Physcon, now ruled with despotic sway in
Egypt, in connection with her son Lathyrus.  She had
23




266            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
three daughters-Cleopatra, Tryphena, and Selene. Tryphena had already married Grypus, Selene was the wife of
Lathyrus, and Cleopatra remained unmarried. Just as the
two brothers were engaging in this war, Cleopatra the
younger, through her mother's influence, married Cyzicus,
bringing as her dowry a large number of soldiers, many of
whom, through the influence of the elder queen, had deserted
Grypus, and joined the standard of the daughter, and with
her united their interest with Cyzicus. The two parties
were now about equal in strength —one being commanded
by the king, the other by his rebel brother, their wives
being sisters.
In the year 113 the combatants met in the plains, and
engaged in battle. The king was victorious. Cyzicus fled
into Antioch, and leaving his Cleopatra, as he supposed, in
safety in that city, departed to raise additional forces to try
again the field of battle. Grypus besieged and captured
Antioch; Cleopatra fled to Daphne, and sought for safety
in the temple-the same retreat to which, many years
before, the unfortunate Berenice, sister of Evergetes, fled
from the wrath of Loadicea. We might have expected
kindness and sympathy among the female members of the
royax household toward each other, even if their husbands
from state policy were rivals; but this was practically an
age of woman's rights, or, at least, of woman's authority in
government, and we are abundantly taught in history that
lovely as woman is in her appropriate sphere, when clothed
with power and instated into the rough ways of the world,
females are by far less humane and more implacably cruel
than the sterner sex ever became. Tryphena urged her
royal husband to put Cleopatra to death, even though she
had taken shelter in the sanctuary. Grypus had more
humanity. He urged that she was under the special protection of the gods, whose temple must not be profaned







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THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             267
that it was never honorable in war to put to death innocent
women, however offensive might be the conduct of their
husbands-and, above all, that she was the sister of the
queen, and, finally, that her death would be of no avail to
the stability of his throne. Alas, how often in this malignant world humanity is deemed an offense, and kindly
feelings of compassion for the unfortunate-feelings which
ought to do honor to him in whose breast they dwell-are
made the occasion to blacken the character and traduce the
fair name of her who possesses these virtues! The kindly
feelings of Grypus for the unfortunate wife of his brother
roused the jealousy of Triphena against her sister, lest
Grypus should have a more ardent regard for her than
mere compassion.  She hated Cleopatra for having married
their rival, but still more for having found compassion in
the breast of Grypus. Against the orders of Grypus, and
without the knowledge of that monarch, Tryphena, with a
band of soldiers, repaired to Daphne, and attempted to force
the fugitive from the temple. Cleopatra grasped the altar,
and refused to loose her hold, and the soldiers cut off her
hands. Holding up the bloody stumps, she implored the
gods to avenge the wrong she had suffered, and the sacrilege committed in their holy temple, whose altars no longer
protected the victim. The sister, unmoved by the spectacle,
ordered the soldiers to despatch her, which was immediately
done.
Thus, after but one year of connubial felicity, perished
the daughter of the queen of Egypt, by whose intrigue she
had been prevented from marrying the object of her choice,
and compelled to marry this prince of Syria, for whose sake
she lost her life in a most barbarous manner. Little, however, did that mother regard the fate of her daughter,
nor that of Tryphena, which happened about one year after,
so intent was she upon her own schemes of ambition against




268             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
her sons in Egypt. Our sensibilities would be shocked at
a recital of the barbarous deeds, were not the whole history
of these times replete with instances of fearful cruelties and
monstrous barbarities, the exhibition of which blunts our
finer feelings.  We learn here tllat where the gospel has
not been taught, with its golden rule, the human race are
without natural affection-implacable, unmerciful.
The next year after this terrible butchery of Cleopatra,
112 B. C., Cyzicus, having been absent raising troops, returned to Syria, fought a second battle, defeated Grypus,
and captured Tryphena, and put her to death by torture, in
revenge for the murder of his wife. Thus perished the
two sisters whose ambitious mother had entangled them in
the affairs of Syria, without consulting their wishes.
The fate of Tryphena may have been merited, although
its severity seemed to have done no good. When will the
possessors of temporary power learn the divine truth so
often taught in the history of the world, that a day of retribution will surely overtake them —that "with what measure ye mete, it shall' be measured again." It was now the
time for Grypus to fly, and leave Cyzicus to take the
throne.   He retired to Aspendus, in Pamphilia, and
remained a number of months. But the following year,
he returned to Syria, at the head of an army, prepared to
renew the war.  The brothers appear now to have opened
their eyes to the result of their quarrels. They had butchered each other's wives-they had desolated the country
-they had alienated their people, and exhausted their
treasury-they had not enjoyed their possessions, nor could
either of them, if successful for a time in expelling the other,
enjoy any permanent peace. After learning so costly a
lesson, they agreed upon terms of peace, by dividing the
kingdom.  Cyzicus possessed Phoenicia, Celo-Syria, and the
plains of the south, with Damascus for its capital; while




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             269
Grypus remained at Antioch, and ruled the rest of Syria —
a finale to a long war, which might have been obtained as
well without it, and presenting a strong argument in favor
of modern doctrines of peace.
For a short period of time, now, there was a Syria north
and a Syria south. These arrangements were not, however,
of long duration. For the following ten years, Syria was
the theater of no remarkable event, except the siege of
Samaria by the Jews, in which Grypus participated. Of
this siege an account is given in a separate article. About
this time, Egypt was the scene of royal family quarrels.
The old mother queen had driven her son Lathyrus from
the throne, who had fled to Cyprus, where he still ruled.
In the year 101, Lathyrus, anxious to regain his throne
and kingdom, formed an alliance with Cyzicus, of Damascus, who repaired to aid him in the undertaking. Cleopatra aware of that fact, and a more sagacious diplomatist
than either of them, found means to prevent Lathyrus from
receiving the expected aid. Selene, the third daughter of
the queen, yet lived; she had been the wife of Lathyrus,
by whom she was the mother of two sons, who died in
infancy. When Lathyrus was deprived of the throne by
his ambitious mother, Selene was taken from  him  and
retained in Egypt. To prevent the king of Damascus
from aiding Lathyrus, Cleopatra brought forth Selene and
gave her to Grypus, with assurances of aid in carrying on
the war against his brother, in the attempt again to recover
the government of Syria. This, as Cleopatra expected and
desired, employed the king of Damascus, so that he could
afford no aid to Lathyrus, who was compelled for the present to abandon his expectations.
After an unsuccessful struggle between the two brothers,
lasting nearly four years, with no definite result, Grypus
was assassinated by one of his officers, Herocles by name,




270            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
leaving at his death the country still engaged in civil war.
Grypus had reigned twenty-seven years from the death of
his mother. The crown passed to his oldest son. Ile left
five sons by Tryphena.  These were Seleucus Antiochus,
Philip and Echelus (who were twins), Eucerus Demetrius
and Antigonus Dionysius.  On the death of Grypus, Cyzicus invaded Antioch; but, though he took the capital, he
could not subdue Demetrius, who had succeeded his father,
and was at the head of an army. The uncle and nephew
engaged in battle. Seleucus was victorious. Cyzicus was
captured and put to death, and the quarrel of the father's
brothers descended to their sons. Thus, in the first year
after his father's death, Seleucus found himself at the head
of all Syria - not however to hold that position in peace.
Cyzicus had left a son Eusebes, who retired from Antioch,
eluding Seleucus and escaped to Aridas, an island on the
Phoenician coast, north of Berytus. Returning the next
year, 93 B. C., with a large army, he attacked his cousin
Seleucus, defeated him, and regained the throne at Antioch.
Seleucus fled from that city and fortified himself in
one of his other cities, where, with a few soldiers, he estabtablished himself. But he levied so great a tax upon the
people to support him, that they became enraged, rose in
revolt, surrounded his house and set fire to it, and Seleucus
and all his men perished in the flames. The twin brothers,
Antiochus and Philip, were still near Antioch. Exasperated at the fate of Seleucus, they determined upon revenge;
they raised a small army, proceeded to Cilicia, invaded the
guilty city and burned it to the ground, putting most of its
inhabitants to the sword. On their homeward route, they
met, on the banks of the Orontes, a detachment of soldiers
from the army of Eusebes, who gave them battle and defeated them. Philip made a good and safe retreat, with




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part of his army; but Antiochus, in attempting to swim the
river, perished.  Thus ended the campaign of 92 B. C.
SELEUCUS.
Selene, the wife of Grypus, after his death, was so fortunate as to retain the government of a part of Syria, during
all this struggle and conflict between the family of Cyzicus
and Grypus. Eusebes, after the battle of Orontes, in which
one of his opponents was killed and the other retreated
with his army, did not feel entirely safe from his enemies,
and desired to strengthen his cause. He therefore married
Selene, the stepmother of his rival, and attached her possessions to his own. Lathyrus, her first husband, still lived.
She had been forcibly and unjustly taken from him and
given to Grypus.  The second act, of marrying Eusebes,
exasperated him, and he determined to give the new couple
trouble. Demetrius Eucerus, the fourth son of Grypus,
was at Cnidus, in Caria. Lathyrus sent for him, and while
Eusebes and Philip were occupied in a war with each other
in the north, Eucerus. was crowned king of Damascus and
the south of Syria, thus bringing a third competitor in the
field. During the same year, Philip and Eusebes engaged
in battle, in which Eusebes, with all the auxiliary forces
obtained by marrying his rival's stepmother, was defeated.
He fled to the Parthians, where, for a number of years, he
remained an exile.
The empire was now divided between Philip and Demetrius. But this was not the end of strife.  Antiochus Dionysius, the fifth son of Grypus, began to attract attention.
He suddenly appeared in Syria at the head of an army,
marched against and defeated his brother Eucerus, and
established himself on the throne in his stead, which he
occupied three years.
In 90 B. C., Eusebes returned from Parthia with a large




272             THIE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
army, marched once more against Philip and contended for
the throne of Syria. Strife, conflict, battles, cruel murders,
barbarous wars, and no definite result, accompanied by all
the distressing calamities of a cruel war, raged throughout
all Syria for the space of seven years. The people became
exasperated under their calamities. Their patience became
exhausted; they determined to deliver themselves from the
yoke of all the race of the Seleucidae, and seek for themselves a foreign master, who should not be subject to the
quarrels of these native princes.
Some were disposed to give all Syria to Egypt, but it
was remembered that the Ptolemys had ever been the enemies to their country.  Some thought it best to offer the
crown to 3Mithridates, king of Pontus, but he was then
engaged in a war with the Romans. None thought of a
republic. That form of government was almost entirely
unknown in Asia, and the people of Syria were illy prepared to exercise the duties of such a state. After much
debate, it was agreed to call to the throne of Syria, Tigranes, king of Armenia, and he, either in person or by
deputies, ruled them eighteen years.
THE FALL OF SYRIA, B. C. 65.
The land of Laban and Bethuel, of the Benhadads and
the Zael, had been subjected to the power of Nineveh, of
Babylon, and of Persia, and with the latter country had
been conquered by Alexander the Great, and, after his
death, formed one of the four heads into which his empire
was divided, according to the words of Daniel. After the
short, but tempestuous reign of Perdiccas and Antigonus,
Syria fell to the lot of Seleucus, in whose family the crown
remained, until, by the invitation of the inhabitants, Tigranes, king of Armenia, took the throne, 83 B. C.
Whatever of irresistible pressure from a foreign foe, or




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             273
of heroic deeds of unsuccessful valor against superior forces,
may be attendant upon the fall of a republic, in a kingdom it will uniformly be found that public vices and maladministration at home prepare the way for that fall, just
as intemperance and inattention to the laws of animal life
invite the disease which destroys the body.
The history of the world already demonstrates that the
great ambition of nations ever holds the people responsible
for the conduct of their rulers, as honor makes it the duty
of each individual, instead of shrinking from politics,
because of the ignominy attached to that subject, to read
in the very ignominy the evidences of approaching evil,
and with pure hearts and clear minds to understand the
designs of government, and aid in correcting error, before
the remedy is too late. The malignant hatred and leopardlike treachery of the Seleucidoe is manifest in these wars.
Fighting, one branch of the.family against the other, they
diminished their numbers, exhausted their treasuries, and
alienated their subjects, until they were an easy prey for
any enemy.  The products of the plains, raised by the
industry of the inhabitants, instead of storing their barns
and feeding their children, were consumed by the soldiery.
The fine groves of figs and grapes, the mulberry and olive,
had been destroyed by soldiers of hostile factions. The
authors of all these calamities disregarded the interests of
their quiet subjects, and were only intent upon their personal preferment. But their evil deeds disgusted the
world, and when the time of necessity was upon them,
none sympathized with them, demonstrating to princes and
to presidents, to noblemen and republicans, to men in public
life and to private individuals, that, he who would have
friends must act righteously.
The administration of the Armenian, either in person or
by his deputies, was no less terrible or oppressive upon




274            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Syria, than upon many other provinces. The people changed
masters, but not burdens.
Except Selene and her two sons, the Seleucidse were
hunted out of Syria, and never more heard of. About 80
B. C., a long and distressing war was commenced by the
Romans against Mithridates, king of Pontus, a state lying
south of the Black Sea. A full account of this invasion
is reserved for another work on Asia Minor, and only so
much of that matter is here spoken of as involved the fate
of Syria.
Tigranes had long before married a daughter of Mithridates. Although bitter quarrels existed between them, the
son-in-law could not withhold aid from the father in his
extremities. Mithridates, being defeated, fled to Armenia,
and found protection with Tigranes. This event caused
the Roman army, under Lucullus, to march into Armenia.
After various successes, both Pontus and Armenia, with
their kings, were finally subdued by Pompey, who had succeeded Lucullus in command, and Tigranes purchased an
ignominious peace, and was permitted to hold a nominal
government over Armenia, on condition of surrendering to
the Rornans Syria and Mesopotamia, with whatever claim
he might have upon Judea. About 70 B. C., Tigranes
having occasion to recall his deputies from Syria, to aid
him against the Romans, Antiochus Asiaticus, eldest son
of Selene, emerged from obscurity, and ascended the throne
of his ancestors. He was the eldest, and, except one
brother, the only known survivor of the Selucidse.
There being no opponent, he reigned about three years,
the country being crossed and re-crossed continually by the
Roman armies, in their war with Tigranes and Mithridates.
But on the final overthrow of these princes, in 65 B. C.,
he sought the friendship of the Romans, and their acknowledgment of his rights to the throne of his fathers. He




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             275
had taken no part in the recent war; he had in no way
forfeited his claim, which was just, if the claim of kings
can ever be just. Why ought not his right to have been
respected? Pompey declared that, by right of conquest,
Syria belonged to Rome, and, having an army flushed with
recent victory to sustain him, he dismissed Antiochus, without title or kingdom. The people, who, for several successive reigns, had received no protection from their sovereigns, were not disposed to aid him in defending his
throne. Indeed, it mattered little to the multitude who
ruled, whether native prince or foreign tyrant.
Thus by conquest and usurpation the third head of the
third beast passed to the Romans, the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible; for what God by the mouth of His
prophet has ordained shall surely come to pass.
From this time the history of Syria is blended with that
of Rome, until the great partition, when it fell to the lot
of the eastern empire, whose capital was Byzantium, now
Constantinople. About 632 A. C., Syria was conquered by
the Saracens, and has been in possession of some branch of
the great Mohammedan family until the present time. Previous to the conquest of Alexander, the language of Syria
had been native and peculiar, with no admixture of Persian, but after that event the Greek language gained gradually the ascendancy, and, in common with many nations
at the time of Christ, was the principal language spoken,
which greatly facilitated the spread of the Gospel, as most,
if not all of the disciples, spoke that language. At the
once proud capital of Syria the disciples were first called
Christians.
SYNOPSIS OF THE KINGS OF SYRIA.
Seleucus Nicator was assassinated by the ungrateful
Ptolemy, whom he assisted. Antiochus Soter died; the




276            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
manner of his death is not given. Antiochus Theos, poisoned by his wife, Laodicea. Seleucus Callinicus died a
prisoner in Parthia. Antiochus Ceraunus, poisoned by his
officers, in Asia Minor. Antiochus the Great, slain by the
inhabitants of Susiana, for attempting to rob their temple.
Seleucus Philopater, poisoned by his officers. Antiochus
Epiphanes died a distressing death, by worms, on his return
from Persepolis. Antiochus Eupator, slain by his brother,
Demetrius Soter. Demetrius Soter, slain by Alexander
Bala, the imposter.  Alexander Bala, beheaded in Arabia,
by king Demetrius Nicanor, who was in turn assassinated at
Tyre, by order of his wife. Antiochus Eutheus, slain by his
minister, Tryphon. Tryphon, captured and put to death in
a war with Sidetes. Antiochus Sidetes, slain in battle with
the Parthians.  Zebina, expelled and slain for attempting
to rob the temple at Antioch. Seleucus V., slain by his
mother, Cleopatra.  Grypus, assassinated by his officer,
Herocles. Cyzicus, taken prisoner and slain by Seleucus
VI. Antiochus, drowned in the Orontes, in flying from
battle. Seleucus VI., burned in Cilicia, for extortion.
Philip died in exile, but is supposed to have been killed by
Tigranes. Eusebes, expelled and died in exile. Demetrius
Eucerus, slain in war with Tigranes. Dyonisius, expelled
by Tigranes; manner of death unknown. Antiochus Asiaticus, defeated by Pompey; manner of death unkown.
PTOLEMY AULETES, B. C. 65.
ALEXANDER II. having been banished from  Egypt, on
account of his cruelties, had retired to Tyre, where he soon
after died. He left no heirs, and indeed, we might almost
say that there lived not at this time a legitimate offspring




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             277
of the Ptolemys. Alexander, at his death, bequeathed his
kingdom and all his property to the Roman Senate.
The Egyptians were not disposed to acknowledge so readily
a foreign master.  They therefore raised to the throne
Auletes, and made one of his brothers governor of Cyprus.
Auletes was anxions to defeat the will of Alexander, and to
be acknowledged king of Egypt by the Romans. To accomplish this, he bribed Julius Caesar and the Roman Senate,
with the promise of large sums of money. To raise this
money, he levied exhorbitant taxes upon the people, which
caused a rebellion, and in 58 B. C., he was compelled to fly
the land. So secretly did he conceal his route, that the
Egyptians either believed or pretended to believe, that he
had perished. They therefore raised to the throne his eldest
daughter, Berenice. But Auletes was not dead; he had
made his way to Rhodes, where he met Cato, a distinguished
Romans, who advised him to return to Egypt, and to take
care of his kingdom. Cato urged him not to think of buying the friendship of Rome, "for," said he, "if you give
them ever so much, their greediness will demand more, and
take all you have." Auletes was convinced, and was disposed to return, but the friends he had with him, being in
the service of Pompey, had interested motives in persuading
him to proceed to Rome, and he yielded to their persuasion.
At Rome, by the aid of Pompey, he presented to the Senate
his complaints against his subjects, and demanded to be
restored to his kingdom and government. The Egyptians,
learning that the exiled king was at Rome, also sent an
embassy of one hundred men, the most respectable princes
and nobles, to plead their cause before the Roman Senate.
Most of these men were secretly destroyed, either by poison
or the dagger, at the instigation of Auletes. After three
years' maneuvering, Rome finally restored Auletes to the




278            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
throne of Egypt. MIeanwhile let us observe a few things in
regard to
BERENICE, B. C. 58:
This princess ascended the throne at the time of her father's
banishment, and reigned three years. The Egyptians feared
the growing power of Rome, and desired to strengthen the
throne of their female sovereign. Antiochus Asiaticus of
Syria, was of Egyptian extraction, his mother Selene being
the daughter of Physcon. To Antiochus the Egyptians sent
embassadors, offering him the queen in marriage, and the
throne of Egypt, as her dower. But the embassadors found,
on their arrival, that Antiochus was dead. He, however,
had left a brother, Seleucus, as his successor. To him they
made the same offer, and he accepted. He came to Egypt,
and became the husband of Berenice, but not the king of
Egypt. He was a man of very sordid, groveling spirit, so
devoted to obtaining money by mean artifices, that he
became an object of contempt to all. The queen abhorred
him, and caused him to be strangled. Subsequently Berenice became the wife of Archelaus, high priest of Cumte,
in Pontus.
The Romans established Auletes in power by force of
arms, which the Egyptians resisted, and in that resistance
Archelaus was slain. Auletes would have put all the Egyptians to the sword, had he not been subdued by Antony.
Egypt was soon reduced and compelled to receive an uninvited master, B. C. 55.
Almost the first act of Auletes, after his restoration, was
to put to death his daughter, Berenice, for having worn
the crown during his absence. He also caused the death,
by poison and assassination, of nearly all the chief men of
Alexandria who had been opposed to his restoration. His
only other act worthy of note was the manner of paying




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             279
his debts. One Rabinus, a Roman, had lent Auletes
money, in the time of his troubles. Part of this money
had been used in bribing the Roman officers and senate to
reestablish him on the throne of Egypt.  Auletes being
now in prosperity, Rabinus came to Egypt to obtain payment of this debt. Auletes told him he had no means of
paying except to appoint him to take charge of the
treasury, out of the receipts of which he might, from time
to time, pay himself. The creditor, having no other means
of securing the debt, accepted the offer; but as soon as he
entered upon its duties, Auletes raised a pretext to accuse
him of fraud, and the unfortunate creditor with difficulty
escaped with his life, losing the entire debt.  When
Rabinus arrived at Rome, he met with new trouble, for
he was there prosecuted for lending money to Auletes with
which to commit the crime of bribery.
Ptolemy Auletes continued to reign in peace four years
after his restoration, and the payment of his debts, and
the persecution of his creditors. He died, and was succeeded by the famous
CLEOPATRA, B. C. 51.
When Ptolemy Alexander ascended the throne of Egypt,
he was sustained there only by the favor of the Roman
senate. Alienated by domestic feuds from his own kindred,
he bequeathed his throne and kingdom to the Romans, his
benefactors. By many he was deemed incapable of disposing by will of that which could scarcely be called his
own. Auletes succeeded Alexander, and purchased back
his kingdom from the Romans, by bribing Julius Caesar
and Pompey, then the two great men of the world; he
also promised great sums to the senate, which were, however, never paid. These large expenditures of money
exhausted the treasures of Egypt, and gave great offense




280            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
to the people.  They al last rebelled, and Auletus was
driven into exile. The statesmen and counselors of Egypt
rallied around Berenice, a young and beautiful princess,
the eldest daughter of Auletes.  Berenice assumed the
crown and administered with regal authority for a short
time, during her father's banishment; but ultimately,
Auletes was restored to his throne and kingdom, and for
the filial act of preserving the throne for him, Auletes
caused his daughter to be beheaded; so lost had the
Ptolemys become to all ties of affection. to every sense of
honor and justice.
Auletes left four other children, two sons, both of whom
were called Ptolemy -no other name having been transmitted to us by historians — and two daughters, Arsinoe
and Cleopatra; the oldest of these was the far-famed
queen, whose fortunes were coupled with those of Julius
Caesar and Marc Antony.
Cleopatra was born 68 years before the birth of Christ,
and was ten years old when her elder sister, Berenice, was
executed, leaving herself the oldest child, and heir apparent
to the throne.  Six years after this act of barbarism,
Auletes was called before the judge of the quick and dead
to meet in the other land the spirit of his murdered child.
Auletes left a strange and unreasonable will; a legacy of
trouble to his children, by which every one of them came
to a violent death.  By that will Cleopatra and Ptolemy,
her eldest brother, were jointly to possess the throne and
kingdom of Egypt, on the express condition that they
should marry each other.  Such incestuous marriages,
though abhorred by us, and contrary to nature, were not
uncommon in those days; but in this case it was an
extremely unfortunate arrangement. These children entertained a great aversion to each other, which gradually
ripened into the most deadly hatred. There were no points




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             281
of affinity between them: she a maiden of nearly seventeen years, of beautiful form, possessing a high order of
intellect and profound education-he a child of eleven
years, mulish, stupid and slow of apprehension, and with a
mind which future years failed to improve. To the charms
of an exceedingly beautiful person, Cleopatra had added
the much more valuable charm of a highly cultivated mind,
and, for aught that appears at that time, a pure heart.
She had studied philosophy under the best masters. She
was well versed in the poetry and legends of the Greek
authors. She understood chemistry and the sciences generally.  She not only read, but wrote poetry.  She was
master of a great number of languages, and conversed
freely and fluently with the embassadors from India, Persia,
Rome, Syria, Macedon, and from the wilds of Arabia, in
their own native tongues.  She was well skilled in the
arts and intrigues of diplomacy. At first glance we suppose that in her were united all the virtues of her predecessors-the first three Ptolemys, Soter and Philadelphus,
who had gathered the great library and translated the
Bible into Greek, and all the ardor and domestic affection
of Evergetes and his wife, Berenice, whose golden locks
had been translated to the skies-all the suavity of manners of the first of the early Ptolemys.
Take a second look at her history, and we will almost
conclude that all the vices of the Ptolemys had been distilled into this, their last representative. Cleopatra was
of a robust, vigorous constitution, ardent and impulsive.
She was a specimen of what we sometimes, though rarely
see, a combination of the highest order of intellectual
development and mental culture, with the most complete
development of the animal propensities, and a generous,
good nature, which, under more favorable circumstances,
might have been coupled with moral qualities, so as to have
24




282            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
produced a triple compound of the most perfect human
being: animal, intellectual, moral, each aiding, controling and perfecting the other.
In the school in which Cleopatra was born, and influenced
by the pressure of surrounding circumstances during her
whole life, the moral and the virtuous elements of her nature
could scarce fail to sustain a severe injury, and thus mar
the beauty of the whole structure of the most accomplished
and conspicuous personage that ever presided over the
plains of the Nile. Cleopatra detested the condition of her
father's will, yet she virtuously acceded to the requirements
of the State.
The empty form and ceremony of marriage was celebrated between Cleopatra, the wise and beautiful, and the
child of eleven years. But the parties never came together
practically. They were never really married-never cohabited together. It Would have been a sin against Nature
and Nature's God, that such a couple should live in wedlock, not only on account of the incest, but from the entire
incompatibility of'their natures. Married life, when not
affection but interest governs, and force of circumstances
compel their union, is but honorable, legalized adultery,
nor can licentiousness be checked, until teachers and rulers
take a more philosophical view of the nature and innocence
of those relations. Cleopatra was disposed to be contented with her divided share of regal authority; but her
brother was as yet represented by ministers and statesmen, himself being but a child, and these statesmen labored
to increase the hatred already existing between the royal
couple. They could not rule Cleopatra, for she had a mind
and a judgment of her own; they could not defraud the
people, for she was faithful; they could not deceive her,
for she was a diplomatist, and vastly their superior. What
could they do? Just what little, narrow-minded souls




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             283
always do to those who are of superior intelligence, hate
and abuse the excellence which they did not themselves
possess, and which, in others, was a standing reproach to
their stupidity and depravity. They roused the prejudices
of the people against a female sovereign, and persuaded
the boy king to deny his sister any share in the administration, thereby hoping to have everything their own way.
But Cleopatra was not thus easily to be disposed of by their
stupid maneuvring.  She refused to resign her claim to
the throne to which she had a title.  She had paid the
unreasonable condition imposed upon her by an unwise
father, and she would not surrender the reward. In a public assembly an attempt to dethrone her was made. With
a loud voice she declared, " I am the princess of Egypt, the
daughter of the Ptolemys. I am the eldest survivor of a
long and illustrious line, whose administration has blessed
this land. By the will of my father, I am entitled to half
of the throne.  But for that will I should have right to
the whole. If that will be broken, I am sole queen. I
am the sovereign of Egypt. I will not surrender its crown."
Such talent, such boldness, such a heroic appeal would, in
almost any other land, have roused a chivalry that would
have defended her claim, and hurled her oppressors in the
dust; but the ministers, with much effort, quieted the
people, and banished Cleopatra.  They shall see her again.
Let us now pause to consider the social, moral and religious aspect of Egypt at the time of the events above
described. I have elsewhere said there were many points
of similarity between the Egyptian and the Grecian.
There were also some striking points of dissimilarity.
Egyptian paganism partook of the sublime —the Grecian
of the beautiful. Egyptian gods represented the hidden
powers and mysteries of Nature.  Clothed in obscurity,
they were embodiments of the secret influence of the sun




284            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
in governing the lesser bodies in some unaccountable manner, dispensing life and warmth to all things, giving the
earth capacity to bring forth vegetable and sustain animal
life.  The Grecian Deities represented the more manifest,
the beautiful and less secret works of Nlature; the winds,
the groves, the waterfalls, the waves of the sea-revealing
themselves to the material sense-were the images of their
poetic fancy; and there was more of the gentle, soothing
contemplation-less of the dark profound. It must be
admitted, however, that sometimes their theology rose to
the sublime, as in the thunderings of Jupiter, the boisterous tread of Mars, or the surges of Neptune; yet even in
these instances it was the manifest, not the hidden, which
they interwove with the fictions of the Gods. While Egypt
seemed to hold converse with the invisible, the unsearchable, yet powerful workshop of the universe, the Greek was
like the cloud when the saffron tints of morn hang its
tapestry around the borders, intimating joyous hope and
bright tokens of future pleasure, as the evening cloud,
illuminated with the golden hue of the declining sun, gorgeous, tasteful in every form, and hue, and tinge. Egypt
was like the thunder pillar, rising majestically, and uttering its deep voice, rolling portentously high in the heavens,
and intimating that within its dark folds, unseen by mortals, lie the elements in labor which ever and anon give
but a moment's flash of light, half revealing its profound
capacities. Hence the temples of Egypt, like the Gods
that dwelt within them, were grand and imposing, covering
acres, and reaching far into the sky —built for endurance,
but not graceful in proportion. Grecian temples were not
of great magnitude, which would be of little use amid
their mountains, but they were graceful in form, well proportioned, and adapted to please the eye, rather than strike
with awe.  They were intended to be the embodiment of




TIHE KIiNGDOM OF BRASS.           285
their own favorite motto, that "a thing of beauty is a joy
forever." The pagan mysteries also represented the human
passions. The Egyptians those of a mother who makes no
display, whose affection is lodged deep in her bosom; while
the Grecians sung of the passions, pride, lust and revenge,
which openly manifest themselves.
Cast of mind and state of society favored these peculiarities. The Egyptians were austere, grave, deep thinkers, abounding in emblems of death and vast eternity;
the Grecians were more voluptuous, and their emblems
were more of present pleasure than of future retribution.
They thought more of Bacchus and the Muses than of
Pluto and Hades.  The Egyptians were, in some measure,
the prototype of our stern Puritan Fathers, two hundred
years ago, while the Greeks resembled the graceful gayety
of the fashionable Christians of the present day. This
character of the Greeks, however, applies chiefly to the
times after the fall of the Persian empire. During the
entire reign of the Lagidee, the Grecian type had been
impressed upon the Egyptian mold; the two had become
blended, and the gracefulness had, in no small degree, supplanted the austerity of the Egyptian, and under Cleopatra's future influence, the finishing touches of voluptuous
refinement were applied to the sterner cast of earlier
times. But I am anticipating.  We will follow our heroine. The provinces of Phcenicia and Palestine had once
been subject to Egypt.  To them Cleopatra, in her banishment, retired. She appealed to their inhabitants to
defend her rights. To this appeal they readily responded.
The cities of Phoenicia, the hills of Palestine, poured forth
their hardy soldiery, to rally round the standard of the
queen, who now contemplated returning to Egypt, and
with the sword defending her crown. But she was spared




286             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
the necessity of such a measure. Another party appears in
the field.
Rome had long been meddling with the affairs of the
East, and most of the provinces of Alexander's empire had
submitted to her sway.  The Roman Senate thought it
their duty to interfere in the affairs of Egypt, and settle the
succession to the crown. For this purpose Julius Csesar,
with a small army, visited Alexandria, to summons the
claimants before him and decide their fate. The absent queen
was to be heard by a representative. This was in the year
48 B. C. Cleopatra knew too well the intrigues of courts,
and the probable influence of a king at home, over that of a
helpless queen abroad.  She foresaw the probability that
any counselor she might send, if not bribed to betray her
cause, would but half defend her rights. With a courage
and heroism rarely displayed by the sterner sex, she determined to be her own advocate. While the great sea was
tossed by tempests - its surges so boisterous that no vessel
dlare leave the harbor, she, in an open boat, and with but
one confidential frien'd, commits herself to the care of Neptune, pushes her way across the deep, and enters the outer
harbor of Alexandria.
Julius Caesar was then in Alexandria.  The next day was
set to hear the case.  There was no time to be lost.  The
faithful attendant had prepared cloths of the richest kind.
He spread them out, and the heroic Cleopatra allowed herself to be rolled in them, and bound up in the form of a
bale of goods. Borne upon the shoulder of her friend,
she was thus carried through the streets of Alexandria.
When hailed by the sentinel, the bearer replied that he
bore a present to Caesar.  He was permitted to pass.
To the apartment of Coesar he proceeded, and deposited
his present. Coesar unrolled the rich cloths, when, to his




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             287
surprise, forth sprang from the bundle, a beautiful, youthful
female.
Cleopatra related her adventures, and plead her cause
before her judge. Coesar was now about fifty years of age,
a stern old Roman; but his heart was touched with sympathy for a defenseless queen, and a still warmer affection
than that of pity moved the old hero. Cleopatra passed that
night in the house of Caesar. In winning his heart, she had
already won her claim to her crown. There is, however, no
evidence that there was at that time any criminal intercourse
between them. The day dawned, a day that was to decide
the title to the crown of Egypt. Ptolemy and his courtiers
were in high hope, as they repaired to the hall of audience.
But what was their surprise when they learned that the
banished sister was then in the apartment of Cesar? Indignation, rage and fury burst forth. But what could they do?
The stern Roman had an army to sustain him. He declared
that Cleopatra should be restored to her joint partnership in
the throne. To this Ptolemy affected to agree, but a few
days after his counselors and the officers of his army refused
to abide by the decision. A tumult and riot was the result.
The Roman soldiers put down the Egyptian faction. Ptolemy
was slain, and the rebellion quelled. A part of the great
library in the Bruchion was accidentally burned. The death
of Ptolemy gave Cleopatra not half but the whole throne.
From that time Cesar and Cleopatra lived as husband and
wife. Together they ascended the Nile, halting along its
banks, and holding sumptuous festivals under gorgeous
pavilions of silk. After having surveyed the most important coast of the country, they returned to Alexandria, still
continuing to dwell together. Caesar was at length called
home to Rome. After some years Cleopatra followed her
lover to the seven-hilled city. In Rome she again occupied
the apartment and the bed of Coesar, to the exclusion of his




288             TIIE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Roman wife.  Thus stood matters when Julius Coesar was
assassinated in the Senate Chamber. Cleopatra immediately
returned to Egypt, a widow indeed, and there for a number of
years she ruled with moderation, wisdom and ability. Her
kingdom was prosperous, and her people happy. During
this period no blemish stained her character.
During these years great events were transpiring in the
Roman empire. Macedon, Thrace and Syria had already
been added to their possessions. But the Parthians, a powerful nation in the East, were the enemies of Rome, and continually harrassed the eastern portions of Syria.  Marc
Antony, the avenger of Caesar's death, the enemy of Brutus
and Cassius, was commissioned to march to the East, to
regulate affairs in Macedon and Asia Minor, and then proceed to check the Parthians.  Antony was a great warrior,
a bold unpolished man, and eminently luxurious and licentious. His journey was marked with every excess of debauchery. Jenkens thus describes it:
"His progress was one continued triumph; not such as
best became a conquerer, but dishonored by the most shameful debauchery and excess.  Kings bent before him, in humble obeisance, and laid their hoarded treasures at his feet.
Queens rejoicing in wealth and beauty, sought his presence
eagerly, and yielded every favor that he could ask. Never
was the gross sensualism of his character more glaringly
exhibited. The wealth of Croesus filled his coffers; but it
was needed to furnish new pleasures for his jaded appetite.
Sycophants and flatterers shared his gold, and partook
with him in every vice and folly.  Dancers and buffoons
were his companions and attendants-the creatures of his
bounty, and the ministers to his passions. Rumors of the
sports and revelry, the riot and feasting, in which he delighted, went before him. Cities sent forth their entire
population to greet his coming. His followers called him




THE KLNGDOM OF BRASS.             289
Bacchus —a name that pleased him-and men and boys,
disguised as Pans and Satyrs, and women, dressed as Bacchanals, in loose Asiatic robes, with vine wreaths about their
heads, and fawn skins on their shoulders, ran before him,
swinging their thyrsi, crowned with accanthus leaves and
the foliage and berries of the ivy, beating their drums and
shouting, " Io Bacche! Io Bacche!"
This was Antony, brave but effeminate-talented and
eloquent, but coarse by nature-generous in disposition,
but often cruel and unforgiving-sometimes abandoned, as
it seems, to the lowest of vices, and then breaking loose
from his degradation, and exhibiting his character glowing
with its old light. This was the Antony who, history tells
us, was ruined by the arts of Cleopatra.
Antony halted at Tarsus, in Cilicia. Rome had long
coveted Egypt, and Antony now aspired to the honor of
adding it to her provinces. He therefore sought a pretext
to quarrel with Cleopatra. A governor from Phoenicia,
without orders from his queen, had given shelter to some of4
the party by whom Cesar was slain. Antony seized upon
this fact, and sent positive orders for Cleopatra to appear
before him at Tarsus. Was it her fault that she yielded to
his demand?-she, the queen of a small kingdom, and he
clothed with all the power of invincible Rome.  What
could she do other than to obey-yet, with womanly modesty, she delayed, deferred and postponed as long as possible.
She at length set out to comply with the demands of Marc
Antony. To do justice to her character we must take into
view her circumstances-a queen without alliances, without
foreign aid, and in danger of being seized by that allabsorbing Roman power. For her there was but one alternative-she must either win Marc Antony or lose her
kingdom, and perhaps her life. Let us not judge too harshly
25




290            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
of her. Force, not choice, directed the journey, but expediency decided the style and manner of it. She went with
all the attending allurements which might gain the heart,
and take captive her captor. One author thus describes
her journey:
"It was a glorious pageant.  The richest carvings
adorned her barge, which fairly blazed with gold and
splendor. Its sails of brightest purple swelled gracefully
with the soft south winds that strained its silken cordage.
Its oars, both blade and handle tipped and bound with silver, moved in harmony with the voluptuous music of the
flute, the pipe, and the cithern. Above it floated the mystic ensign of the Egyptian monarchs, and from the burning
censers on its prow, clouds of odorous perfume were wafted
to the shore. Upon its deck was raised a lofty canopy of
cloth of gold, beneath which, on a cushioned couch, with
ivory and tortoise shell inlaid, reclined the dark-eyed queen
of Egypt. She was robed like Venus, in a purple mantle,
glittering with diamonds, and its border ornamented with
threads of gold and silver intertwined. Roses and myrtles
were wreathed about her brows, her ears were pierced with
rings of pearl, a necklace of precious stones encircled
her swan-like throat, the golden cestus clasped her waist,
and golden sandals incased her tiny feet. Beautiful boys,
disguised as Cupids, stood beside her and fanned her with
their wings. Damsels, among the fairest at her court,
whose houried beauty could not be surpassed, were habited
as Nereides and Graces, in loose, transparent robes, and
waited to do her bidding, or managed the helm and sails
with great dexterity and skill.
1" The shore was lined with people, who watched the barge
laden with so much beauty, with straining eyes. As it
moved along, the cry was raised that Venus had come to




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.               291
feast with Bacchus. From mouth to mouth it passed until
it reached the market-place in Tarsus. All hastened forth
to witness her approach-all save Antony, who, deserted
by suitors and attendants, remained alone on the tribunal
where he was seated. Immediately upon her landing, he
sent an officer to her, with his greeting, coupled with the
request that she would come and sup with him.'Go, tell
your master,' was her reply,' that it is more fitting he
should come and sup with me.' "
This assumption of social superiority put an end at once
to all the dignity which Antony purposed to assume. He
accepted the invitation of Cleopatra, and thus, at the very
outset, exhibited a deference toward her, by which she did
not fail to profit. For luxurious magnificence, and costly
and profuse extravagance, the entertainment provided by
Cleopatra had never yet been equalled.  Her tents and
pavilions, hung with cloth of gold, or silken tapestry from
the looms of Tyre and Sidon, were pitched beside the
sparkling waters of the Cydnus, in a noble grove of spreading plane trees and stately laurels. Lamps of bronze and
gold, suspended by gilt chains, or supported by lofty candelabra, arranged in squares and circles, and raised or
depressed at pleasure, shed their perfumed light around.
Blazing censers, filled with choicest spices, loaded the air
with fragrance. There were long rows of marble tables
and silver tripods, covered with tureens and urns, and vases
of gold and silver, fashioned with elegance and taste. Large
silver vessels or chargers, splendidly embossed, contained
the juicy meats, the fish, the hares, and the pheasants.
The bread and fruited cake were brought in silver baskets.
Brouze dlishes, with ornaments inlaid, were filled with eggs
and roes of fishes, with oysters from  the Hellespont, with
fresh and pickled olives, with radishes, dried dates and




292            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
raisins; mulberries, newly gathered; almonds and confections.  Banqueting cups, of most exquisite workmanship,
were wreathed with garlands, and poured brimming full of,,the rich juice of Cliios, or the produce of the Egyptian soil,
not the mild wines of Thebais,aq.d Coptus, but the light,
fragrant Narcoticum, and the oily and aromatic Lventoticum.
Upon the ornamented seats and couches reclined the
guests, with chaplets of violets and roses, myrtle and ivy
bound about their temples. Their ears were charmed with
soft strains of music, and buffoons amused them with their
droll tricks and pleasantries. Attending servants cooled
them with fans of peacock feathers, while they listened to
the mythological love stories which the pantomimists related,
or watched the dancing girls, who, clad in the gossamer
robes of Coa with golden bangles upon their feet, and emerald bracelets upon their arms and shoulders, moved with
airy steps before them.
High above them all was Cleopatra, with Antony reclining near her. Upon her head the diadem of Egypt, with
the asp —the emblem of divinity — on it, flashed with
rarest gems. Her tunic glittered with all the colors of the
East, and was overspread with rich embroidery. A Babylonian shawl of finest tissue was thrown around her shoulders, and at her side gleamed a Persian dagger, whose hilt
was pearls and diamonds. Cushions of crimson damask
rose invitingly about her swelling limbs. Her full lips
parted but to utter honeyed words. The glow of satisfaction was on her cheek, and in her eye the light of
triumph."
Such was the first meeting of Marc Anthony and Cleopatra.  She came, she saw, she conquered.  Antony was
completely captivated with the charms of the Egyptian




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            293
queen, and she, in turn, realized that she held her kingdom only as she held the Roman in the net of her bewitching charms.
Day after day was spent in fond dalliance. They sailed
along the Phoenician coast to Tyre; it was then the intention of Antony to have left her and proceeded against the
Parthians. But so irresistible was her attractive influence
that Cleopatra drew him into Egypt. Here time rolled on,
and voluptuousness drowned all recollection of his duty to
Rome or resistance to the Parthians.
Meantime, that enemy was gaining victory after victory
on the plains of Mesopotamia. Affairs at Rome now demand a passing notice. Marc Antony was now the most
distinguished Roman commander, and aspired to imperial power. All this time, while he was lost in fond dalliance with Egypt's queen, he had a wife, Fulvia, in Rome,
who, with her friends, was endeavoring to raise him to the
imperial dignity. She was faithful to her lord, who was
unfaithful to himself.
Octavius, another distinguished Roman, had become the
rival of Antony, and, during his absence, had taken rapid
strides toward absolute power. Fulvia and her friends defended the cause of Antony, and had raised an army to
resist Octavius, but were defeated, and compelled to flee
from Italy. She proceeded toward Phoenicia to meet Antony, but died at Sicyon. Antony left Egypt and proceeded
to Phoenicia. Here he received letters from Fulvia, which
induced him to leave Syria to its fate and turn westward.
After the death of Fulvia, Antony proceeded to Rome.
The two political parties, of which he and Octavius were
the leaders, were, for a short time, reconciled by the marriage of Antony with Octavia, the sister of Octavius. The
marriage was based upon political considerations alone,
and could, of course, produce no great domestic felicity.




294            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
Octavia was indeed mild, gentle and winning, and she labored
to refine the rough nature of Antony. Some years passed
along with comparative quiet, but Antony could not entirely
efface from his heart the impressions of the queen who ruled
on the banks of the Nile.
The provinces of Rome were committed to the care of the
different triumvirs, and to Antony fell the region lying east
of the Ionian sea. The Parthian war made it necessary
that he should revisit the scenes of his former pleasure; he
therefore repaired to Cilicia with a large army. Cleopatra
had remained for some years in Egypt.  She was now the
mother of three children —Ceesaron, the son of Julius
Cesar, and Alexander and Cleopatra, twin children of
Marc Antony.  She had been left in Egypt during the
late changes in Rome. Antony, now again in the East,
revived his attachment for Egypt's queen.
He requested her to meet him in Phenicia, with which
request she cordially complied, not without some chiding
for his having deserted her and married Octavia.
Scenes of luxury' and debauchery were again revived.
To pacify her for his past neglect he gave her several
territories that had fallen to Rome, among which were
Phoenicia, Lower Syria, Cilicia, Cyprus and part of Palestine.  At length Cleopatra returned to Egypt, and
Antony proceeded against the Parthians; but the delay
had given the enemy powerful advantages over him, and
he returned to Phmnicia with the mere shattered remnants
of a well disciplined army. They were only saved from
entire destruction by the timely aid of Cleopatra, who met
them at Sidon with supplies of food and clothing. From'this time Cleopatra seemed to have the entire control of
Antony. He appears to have lost all independence, energy
and promptness of character. His Roman wife, Octavia,
started to meet him in his distresses, and proceeded as far




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             295
as Athens, when, through  the influence of Cleopatra, Antony sent her back with cruel and bitter reproaches.
Antony spent the winter in Alexandria. In the spring
he again proceeded to the East, subdued the Armenians,
captured their king and dragged him a prisoner into
Egypt.
After another season of riot, he once more marched against
the Parthians. Cleopatra accompanied him, determined not
again to lose sight of him. But news from Rome changed
his course, and turning westward, he proceeded as far as
Ephesus.
QUARREL BETWEEN AUGUSTUS CYESAR AND MARC AN:ONY.
To the history of Rome properly belong these Roman
quarrels. It is only the intention to introduce here so
much of those matters as particularly explains the history
and fate of Egypt.
Marc Antony, who wept and made political speeches over
the dead body of Julius Caesar, had been victorious in arms
against the Eastern hations, had greatly enlarged the
Roman Empire by subduing the rebellion of Syria, Judea
and other provinces, and had done the State good service.
For these reasons he deserved their highest esteem. But
Rome had another favorite son. This was Octavius, subsequently called Augustus Caesar. Each aspired to be the
first man of Rome. Each had his partisans; but the great
services of Antony stood a rebuke to the less active Augustus. This rivalship had led to an enmity which both
professed to have extinguished by the marriage of Antony
with Octavia, the sister of Augustus. This marriage was
consummated, expressly and without disguise, for political
purposes-was not sought or especially desired by Antony,
but was concocted by the professed political friends of both,




296            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
who thus hoped to unite their interests, while they had
their own private ends to gain.
But Antony was already practically wedded to Cleopatra,
the Egyptian, and that queen ever claimed him  as her
husband. By the Roman law and religion, the marriage
of two wives at the same time was prohibited, while that
of Egypt did not condemn such marriages.  Which then
was the greater sinner, the Egyptian first wife, or the
Roman second? Yet the Romans attach all the criminality
of subsequent events to the Egyptian queen, and all the
suffering innocence to the Roman wife.
It can not be doubted that all parties acted with impropriety and unrighteousness. Let it be remembered, that
Rome was aspiring to grasp the crown of Egypt, and sought
an apology for gratifying that desire.  Roman intrigue
invented circumstances, and perverted facts, to misrepresent
the character and intentions of Cleopatra, and justify themselves; and Roman historians, ever partial to their own country, have recorded the misrepresentations and perpetuated
tile slander, while Egypt, crushed beneath the iron heel of
Roman despotism, was not permitted to be heard in defense
of her latest queen and her prostrate throne. Antony
still thought more of his Cleopatra than of his Octavia.
He had spent some time in idleness in Rome with the
latter; he had traversed mountains and deserts, on
fatiguing campaigns, with the former; by each he was the
father of two children.  Why should he iiot still continue
his fond regard and constant affection for her, the older
of the two wives, the one chosen from affection, not from
policy, the companion of his toils as well as of his leisure.
If Cleopatra and Antony spent hours in luxury and
debauchery, they also accompanied each other in the
fatigues, marches and storms of war; nor didt the queen




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            297
of Egypt shrink from participation in his hardships, toils
and dangers. How unjust are the insinuations of the
Roman writers, that she was inconstant and treacherous to
him, and desired to do him harm. With all the prejudice
of her Roman biographers, they have not failed to record
in her favor facts, which, if not sufficient to acquit her of
all wrong, are abundantly ample to diminish her guilt and
extenuate her faults, while they fully convict her accusers
of gross misrepresentation.  But whatever might be the
right or the wrong, by any code of morals, the neglect of
Octavia, and the tender regard for Cleopatra, and the
stimulus of unbounded ambition, roused anew the hatred
of Augustus and his partisans against the absent Antony.
Many Romans, however, adhered to the latter; many brave
men left their homes in the imperial city to join his standard, when these two great commanders prepared for, and
finally engaged in war against each other.
Cleopatra was still the true wife and faithful friend of
Anthony. She joined him with all her Egyptian forces,
and notwithstanding Roman misrepresentation, manifested
a commendable sincerity in her attachment.
PREPARATIONS FOR WAR BETWEEN THE TWO GREAT
R OMANS.
Antony and Cleopatra had been spending some time at
Ephesus, but hearing of the movements of Augustus
against him at Rome, he prepared for defense.
However innocent Octavia might have been, Antony
believed that she was the occasion of these movements.
He therefore divorced her and declared war against Augustus. He then removed to Samos, where his armies were
concentrated.
Rollin, upon the authority of Pliny, the Roman historian, relates the following as having occurred at this place:




298            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
" Whatever passion Cleopatra professed for Antony, as
he perfectly knew her character for dissimulation, and that
she was capable of the blackest crimes, he apprehended, I
know not upon what foundation, that she might have thought
of poisoning him, for which reason he never touched any
dish at their banquet till it had been tasted. It was
impossible that the queen should not perceive so manifest a
distrust. She employed a very extraordinary method to
make him sensible how ill-founded his fears were; and if
she had so had an intention how ineffectual all the precaution would be. She caused the extremities of the flowers
to be poisoned, of which the wreaths worn by Antony
and herself at table, according to the customs of the
ancients, were composed. When their heads began to grow
warm with wine, in the hight of their gayety, Cleopatra
proposed to Antony to drink off those flowers. He made
no difficulty, and after having plucked off the end of his
wreath with his fingers, and thrown them into his cup
filled with wine, he was upon the point of drinking it, when
the queen, taking'hold of his arm, said to him,' I am the
poisoner against whom you take such mighty precautions,
as if it were possible for me to live without you. Judge
now whether I wanted either the opportunity or means for
such an action.'
" Having ordered a prisoner condemed to die to be brought
thither, she made him drink that liquor, upon which he
died immediately."
We may now ask, of what black crime had Cleopatra as
yet been guilty, that Antony knew her character for dissimulation? Simply, that she had loved and united her
person and fortune with that of the Roman officer with
whom she had a perfect right to wed, and whose kind
regard she had ret tined by firm attachment and kindness
in return; while Octavia, forced upon him for mercenary




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            299
purposes, whatever of meekness and commendable virtue
she might have possessed, had not succeeded in retaining
or exhibiting the same regard.
What had Cleopatra to gain by his death?  What
advantage was it to her to follow his standard from land to
land, and engage in distant wars?  Could she not at any
time, if she chose, depart-retire to her own kingdom and
dwell in quiet? No other explanation of her conduct can
be given than to admit her firm, true and virtuous attachment to him whom she esteemed her rightful husband. It
is not even pretended by her Roman accusers that, at this
time, or any other subsequent to her first interview with
Antony, he had any rival in her affections. Is it not much
more probable that the fears and unjust suspicions of Antony
were roused by the secret emissaries of Augustus, who,
under color of friendship, were trying to alienate Antony
and Cleopatra, the easier to conquer both, and rob the queen
of her kingdom. The friends of Antony having departed
from Rome to join his standard, Augustus easily induced
the Senate to declare war-not, indeed, against Antony,
although he was the victim intended, but against Cleopatra,
queen of Egypt.
What had she done?  Antony was a Roman officer, commissioned and sent forth by Roman authority to conquer
and govern the eastern nations. He still held that commission. Cleopatra, by following his standard, had aided a
Roman in doing what Rome commanded to be done. Whatever might have been her social misdeeds, this was the
extent of her political offense. If Antony had exceeded
his authority, or was guilty of mal-administration, Rome
should have canceled his commission, and recalled him from
service.
But what justification is there for making war upon his
ally, who had no reison to suppose her acts were adverse




300            TIIHE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
to the will of Rome. Behind all these pretexts lay the
insatiable thirst to add Egypt to the number of Roman provinces, and for this purpose the character of its talented
queen must be traduced, and she be made the victim of
war.
BATTLE OF ACTIUM, B. C. 31.
War having been formally declared, Antony with his
army left Samos, sailed along the coast, and encamped near
Corcyra.  The forces consisted of five hundred ships, two
hundred thousand foot soldiers, and twelve thousand horse.
In his company were five kings from Lybia, Cappadocia,
Paphlagonia, Comegera, and Thrace. Others, who could
not attend in person, sent their troops, from Pontus, Judea,
Lycaonia, Galatia and Media.
Rollin thus describes the navy of Antony: " These ships
of war were of extraordinary size and structure, having
several decks, one above another, with towers upon the
head and stern, of a prodigious hight, so that those superb
vessels upon the sea might have been taken for floating
islands. Such great crews were necessary for completely
manning those heavy machines, that Antony, not being
able to find mariners enough, had been obliged to take
husbandmen, artificers, muleteers, and all sorts of people,
void of experience, and fitter to give trouble than do real
service."
"A more splendid and pompous sight could not be seen
than this fleet when it put to sea, and had unfurled its
sails. But nothing equalled the magnificence of Cleopatra's
galley, all flaming with gold-its sails of purple, its flags
and streamers floating in the wind, while trumpets and
other instruments of war made the heavens resound with
airs of joy and triumph."
Augustus now sailed out and encamped at Brundusium.
His army was far inferior in numbers to that of Antony,




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.            301
but was more choice, and his navy was much better disciplined. It consisted of two hundred and fifty ships, of less
size but more agile and easily managed, than Antony's.
He had eighty thousand footmen, and about twelve thousand horse. But the season was far advanced, and the
rigors of winter now set in, and hostile operations were
deferred until the next spring.
The vessels sought commodious harbors, and the land
forces reposed in their winter quarters. Thus ended the
year 32 B. C.
Early in the ensuing spring the opposing forces were put
in motion. But nothing decisive occurred until late in the
season. Considering the superior force and greater experience of the army, and the undisciplined character of the
newly enlisted sailors, the officers in Antony's staff advised
him not to engage in a naval battle, but to fall back and
fight upon land, or invade those portions of Macedon and
Thrace that favored Augustus. They further advised that
as Cleopatra's forces were mostly naval, and as women
were timid in time of battle, it would be better to dismiss
her, and let her retire to Egypt. Besides other advantages, this would be a gain of moral force. The formal
declaration of war was against Egypt, not Antony. If
Egypt retired, Augustus would be clearly in the wrong,
warring against a Roman army, under the command of a
Roman officer, attended by a Roman consul-while Egypt,
separate from Antony, had committed no offense against
Rome.
This was wise counsel, and, had it been observed, might
have changed the results; but the most high God ruleth
in the nations of the earth, and his counsel had determined
to dispose of the last head of the Kingdom of Brass.
Cleopatra, from the number and splendor of ships and
men entertained no doubt of their triumph, and indulged




302            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
high hopes of yet being Empress of Rome, when Antony
should have subdued Augustus, and made himself master
of the seven-hilled city. These delusive hopes were like
the bright rays of the setting sun bursting through the
clouds for a moment, after a tempestuous day, then retiring
shrouded into the darkness of the night.
Antony could not be persuaded to separate from her who
had followed his fortunes, and in whose smiles his soul
seemed to have its entire existence. At this critical juncture, his decision was impolitic, but impulse and passion,
not judgment, ruled the Roman. So the adverse forces
prepared for action on the sea.
Near the head of the Ambracian Gulf stands a promontory at whose base was then the city of Actium. On opposite sides of this strait stood the two armies, arranged in
order of battle, to be spectators of a conflict which, as they
supposed, was to decide the fate of two great men. But, as
God designed, and history proves, to decide the fate of two
great kingdoms.
On the second of September, in the early part of the
day, the fleets in the mouth of the Gulf engaged in action,
and so continued until the darkness of night suspended
their operations. For a time victory seemed doubtful to
which side to lean.  Antony's superior navy-, although his
inexperienced sailors managed badly, appeared to be the
more successful. Cleopatra, seeing the unskillfulness of
Antony's ships, and the clashing and terror of his arms,
although not in the least danger herself, was overwhelmed
with confusion and alarm. She therefore turned her vessel
and fled, drawing after her the entire Egyptian fleet of
sixty ships.
This action of hers has been greatly censured as the
result of treachery, but it is far more probable that confusion and womanly fear inspired the queen-that she acted




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             303
more from momentary impulse than from any settled design, or any intelligent purpose. Her conduct, although
unpardonable in a warrior, does honor to her womanly
timidity. Had she, the learned, skillful diplomatist, been
also the corrupt, treacherous, intriguing courtesan that her
enemies represent her, she would not thus have yielded to
fear. So intelligent a bold, bad woman would have been
reckless and undismayed by blood and carnage.  Her act
was a cowardly blunder rather than a crime. Her desertion
threw everything into confusion, and decided the fate of
the day against Antony, who, seeing her depart, lost all
courage himself.
Forsaking his faithful officers who continued the conflict
until night, he fled in an open boat, with but few attendants, overtook Cleopatra's flag-ship, and was taken on board
by the fugitive queen. The next day, Augustus, perceiving the victory to be complete, despatched vessels in pursuit
of the fugitives, but being unable to overtake them, returned again to the main body.
The land forces of Antony, being deserted by their commander, voluntarily surrendered, and were engrafted into
the army of Augustus.
Humbled, mortified and disheartened by his defeat, Antony at first refused to see Cleopatra, but took his station
on the forepart of the vessel, with his elbows upon his
knees and his face buried in his hands, resigning himself
to moody reflections. What thoughts revolved in his breast
during those three long days! How memory must have
brought up the scenes of the past-the recollection of his
first wife Fulvia-the resentment of his neglected Octavia
-the joyous hopes when he was first sent out with the
Romlan army-the conquest of so many nations —the humiliation of so many men of renown-and now had come
his own downfall, occasioned, in no small measure, by his




304             THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
passions and his blind attachment to Cleopatra, whose
weakness, not to say duplicity, had ruined him.  In such
reflections as these, three days passed.  The vessel, coasting along the shores of the Peloponnesus, arrived at TDenarus. Here an interview was had, and Cle6patra and Antony
were reconciled, and again lived together.  What was now
to be done! A last and ineffectual struggle was yet to be
made to avert impending fate.  Antony had left an army
in Africa to guard the coast of Lybia. To Lybia, therefore, he sailed, hoping, by their aid, to mend his waning
fortunes. But tidings of his dishonor had preceded him,
and Scarpus, the commander of that army, had declared
for Augustus.
Antony was now alone. To him the world was as bleak,
as barren, and as uninviting as the desert sands before him.
But for the earnest persuasion of a few friends, he would
have committed svuicide.  From that time, we find him frequently contemplating that step as a last resort, rather
than be taken to Rome and exposed to the scorn of Augustus and Octavia.'From Lybia Antony proceeded to Egypt,
where Cleopatra had gone, having sailed from  Tsenarus
directly to Alexandria. Of her arrival there, Rollin thus
speaks: " When she approached that port, she was afraid
if her misfortunes should be known, that she would be
refused entrance.  She therefore caused her ships to be
crowned, as if she was returning victorious, and no sooner
landed than she caused all the great lords of her kingdom,
whom she suspected, to be put to death, lest they should
excite seditions against her when they were informed of her
defeat.  Antony found her in the midst of these bloody
executions. Is it not probable that Cleopatra was informed
that her capital was filled with time-serving officers, seduced
by Roman bribery, and traitors to their sovereign, only
waiting opportunity to declare against her: and that, after




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             305
having landed, she fereted out their treason, or that some
overt act betrayed them, and that, as they deserved, they
were executed according to the laws of nations; and further, that the Roman sympathy for them originated in the
fact of their secret understanding with Augustus?
CLOSING EVENTS IN ALEXANDRIA.
Cleopatra rightly apprehended that Augustus would pursue her to Alexandria. She had a small fleet on the Red
Sea. To prepare for the worst, she contemplated transporting her vessels in the Mediterranean to them, over the
isthmus, about ninety miles, that she might be in readiness
to escape to India, or elsewhere, if Alexandria should be
taken by the enemy. How these ships were to be transported over land, we do not know; but it is certain that
such things were anciently done.
In the spring of 30 B. C., the Romans, according to
expectation, invaded Alexandria, and the Arabs, taking
advantage of her misfortune, robbed and burned her ships
on the Red Sea, and thus caused her to abandon the project of transporting the others. Stripped of nearly all her
means for military defense, the energetic queen was yet
not driven to despair, but next resorted to negotiation,
which she managed with admirable diplomatic dexterity.
Rollin, upon the authority of Roman historians, informs us
that she thought only of gaining Csesar and of sacrificing
to him Antony, whose misfortunes had rendered him indifferent to her. Subsequent events demonstrate that, so far
from being indifferent, their mutual misfortunes cemented
more fondly their mutual attachment. Rollin's next words
are, " she loved even to madness."  How then could she
be indifferent?  She counseled him to send embassadors to
Coesar to sue for peace, and she joined her own embassadors
with his for that purpose. In their extremities, this was
26




306            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
certainly wise and judicious; but she gave her embassadors
instructions to negotiate separately for herself. This is
taken by Rollin and others as evidence of an intention to
betray Antony. But it proves no such intention. How
much easier could negotiation be conducted separately.
She could then plead that she was a queen of royal descent; that she was the independent sovereign of Egypt;
that she had only assisted Marc Antony while he was a
Roman officer under commission, and doing the bidding of
the Roman senate; that she had done nothing against
Rome; that if Rome had repudiated Antony, she also had
withdrawn from his standard, and ought to be left in the
quiet possession of her kingdom. These most reasonable
propositions being granted, she might claim immunity for
Antony, not as a Roman officer, nor a Roman rebel, but as
an Egyptian subject and the husband of an independent
queen. While Antony's friends might urge in his behalf,
that although he had acted under Roman authority, as his
commission was recalled and he had no command of any
Roman army whatever, he ought to be permitted to retire
as a private citizen; that the war was declared not against
him, but against Egypt; but negotiating separately from
Cleopatra, he would cease to be a party in the war. The
instructions, therefore, of Cleopatra, to treat separately,
instead of being injurious to Antony, would have been
advantageous to both.
But neither justice nor equity had any place in the council of Augustus.  He refused to see the embassadors of
Antony, but dismissed those of Cleopatra with encouragement.
Rollin says, he gave reason to conceive great hopes in
case she would sacrifice Antony to him. Here, then, the
secret comes out; the wish is the father of the thought.
It was Augustus, and not Cleopatra, that proposes to betray




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             307
Antony: it is the temptation of the Roman which the
Egyptian queen rejected.
Deputies were sent a second time to Coesar with no better
results. Time rolled along, and Cleopatra was trying
experiments with various poisons, to ascertain by which she
could most easily end her own life. Driven to desperation
and contemplating suicide, what possible motive could she
have for betraying Antony? —what possible gain could
his destruction be to her?  She well knew that the avaricious Roman cared less for one fallen, wretched man, than
for the crown of Egypt; that not Antony, but herself and
her treasures were the prize, and she would sooner perish
than see herself dragged, like a beast, to Rome.
Anticipating the worst, she caused splendid tombs to be
erected, adjoining the temple of Isis, to which she removed
her treasures, and where she might bury herself within the
walls and await the result. Augustus, fearing she might
burn these treasures and commit suicide, and thus rob him
of the glory of carrying them and her captive to Rome,
sent daily messengers'to deceive her with false hopes.
Having landed his army, he marched hastily upon the
city. Antony, although told of Cleopatra's intrigucries,
credited them not. Gathering the few forces in the city,
he made a vigorous sally, cut to pieces many of the enemy,
pursued them to their very camp, and returned victorious
into the city. He hastened to Cleopatra, and the remainder of the day was spent in feasting, while the whole palace
resounded with acclamations of joy.
It is said by historians, that Cleopatra, who had no
thoughts but of amusing Antony, ordered a magnificent
feast to be prepared, at which they passed the rest of the
day and part of the night together. What else had she
to do but to amuse him?  Did he not deserve her kind
regards, after the glorious achievement of the day in her




3(08           THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
defense?  The Roman historians are determined to find
fault with her. If she smiles, she is deceiving and treacherous; if she does not smile, she has deserted, and is false.
The next day, Antony determined to pursue his advantage.
He assembled the army upon an eminence, and sent his
ships and galleys against the Roman fleet. While all eyes
were gazing upon the movement, what was Antony's astonishment to see the flag drop from Cleopatra's admiral's
ship, and the whole fleet surrender to Coesar! This treason the Romans charge to Cleopatra, although there is no
evidence she had any knowledge of it: it was more probably effected by Roman bribery.
Antony next sent a challenge to Caesar to fight singlehanded, which Coesar, with words of contempt, declined.
Deserted by all his land forces, ridiculed by Coesar, and
by false representations made to believe that his beloved
queen had betrayed hinm, he returned to the city, full of rage
and madness, and hastened to the palace to wreak his vengeance on his betrayer. But the bird had flown. Cleopatra
learning the fate b'oth of the army and navy, anticipated
the worst results, and fled to the tombs. Probably contemplating the act of suicide, she sent a messenger to Antony to
inform him that the deed was already done.
This intelligence converted his rage and madness into
commiseration for her fate, and excessive grief for their
mutual calamities. He determined not to survive her. Retiring to an apartment with but one faithful slave, he laid
aside his armor, and commanded him  to plunge a dagger
into his breast. The slave, more courageous than his master, stabbed himself and fell dead at Antony's feet. Encouraged by his example, Antony thrust his sword into his
own body, and fell fainting, while streams of blood, from
both their wounds, flowed over the floor.
A messenger arrived and announced that Cleopatra still




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.             309
lived. Antony hearing her beloved name, revived, permitted
his wounds to be dressed, and requested to be carried to her
presence. Borne upon the shoulders of his attendants, he
arrived at the tombs. Cleopatra not forgetting the device
by which, years before, she had gained access to Julius
Caesar, was fearful that some stratagem was concealed in that
burden, or that the attendants might be the emissaries of
Augustus, coming to capture her. She would not unbolt the
doors, but from her window dropped down chains and chords,
which were passed around the body of Antony; then, the
queen, with two female attendants, the only persons in the
castle, drew him up. Dangling in the air, with garments
streaming with blood, and drawn up by female hands, he
arrived at the window. He was taken in and laid upon a bed.
Cleopatra stripped the clothing from her own body, and
wiped the blood, oozing from his wounds. Few words of
mutual counsel and kind regard passed between them, when,
clasped in the arms of Cleopatra, Antony expired. And this
was the scene of mutual, constant, connubial love in the day
of calamity, love even rUnto death, worthy of all praise from
the pencil and pen of the artist and the historian, which the
Roman writers have stigmatized as false, treacherous and
licentious.
Thus perished, in Egypt, by Roman ungrateful intrigue,
two great Romans, Pompey and Marc Antony, who had done
more to extend the empire of Rome than the united con
quests of all her other generals.
Cleopatra, by permission of Augustus, caused Antony to
be buried with all honor, and according to the most splendid
Egyptian customs; thus again by her action, contradicting
the false accusation of treachery to him. By deception and
artifice, unworthy of a hero, the servants of Augustus gained
possession of the apartments of Cleopatra. Rollin says:
"Cmesar did not think it proper to see Cleopatra in the first




310            THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.
days of her mourning." But if Caesar knew that she was
false to Antony, how could he suppose her grief so great?
Soon, however, he visited her, under pretense of great friendship, but full of hypocrisy, designing to seize her person and
treasures, and carry them captive to Rome.
She was too sagacious not to detect his purpose, and withhold her confidence. That interview, as described by Roman
writers, reveals her dreadful anguish and inconsolable grief.
She made the most pathetic appeals to Augustus for compassion, but that hard-hearted warrior was unmoved by her
calamities. He retired, intending soon to secure his prey.
But she preferred death to captivity by the rival and enemy
of her beloved husband. She deceived Augustus, it is true,
as she had a right to do. We again quote from Rollin:
" The better therefore to cajole him, she sent to desire that
she might go to pay her last duty to the tomb of Antony,
and take her leave of him. Caesar having granted her that
permission, she went thither accordingly, to bathe that tomb
with tears, and to assure Antony, to whom she addressed her
discourse as if he had been present before her eyes, that she
would soon give him a more certain proof of her affection."
Had Cleopatra been that corrupt, deceitful, treachcerous
woman that the Romans describe her, ready to betray Antony, his tomb would not thus have been visited by her,
while contemplating her own departure to the spirit land.'The trou'bele, guilty conscience of a baa person, wou1ld above
all other places upon earth, avoid the tomb of its victim.
Returning from these sad ceremonies, she wrote a letter
to Augustus, requesting to be buried in the same tomb with
her beloved Antony. Evading the watchful guards, she
received in a basket of figs, the fatal Asp, which she applied
to her arm, where its poisonous bite infused into her veins
the deadly fluid, and Cleopatra, the learned, the talented,
and the calumniated queen of Egypt, the last of the Lagidm,




THE KINGDOM OF BRASS.              311
after a reign of twenty-two years from her first coronation,
and in the thirty-ninth year of her age, was wrapped in the
sleep of death.
A few words tell the remainder of the story. Cesar, on
receiving the letter, hastened to the tombs to secure his
victim, but she had escaped his grasp. He carried off her
treasures, made Egypt a Roman province, and thus terminated the last branch of the KINGDOM  OF BRASS.
THE END.




TABLE OF RULERS
IN THE
KINGDOM OF BRASS,
ARRANGED IN
CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.
KINGS OF MACEDON.
B. C.                                  B. C.
Cassander,.............................317 Sosthenes,......................... 280
Philip IV.,........................... 298 Antigonus Donatus,.................278
Alexander and Antipator,.........297 Demetrius,...........................242
Demetrius,...........................294 Antigonus Doson,...................232
Lysimachus,.......................288 Philip V.,................:...........220
Ptolemy Ceraunus,................ 282 Persus...................................178
Meleager,....................280 The Romans,..........................168'THE LAGID2E.
B. C.                                  B. C.
Ptolemy Soter,....................306 Ptolemy Lathyrus,................... 117
Ptolemy Philadelphus,..............285 Ptolemy Alexander I.,................107
Ptolemy Evergetes,................ 248 Ptolemy Alexander II.,............. 81
Ptolemy Philopator,................. 221 Ptolemy Auletes,..................... 65
Ptolemy Epiphanes,..................201 Ptolemy Berenice..................... 58
Ptolemy Philometor,................ 180Ptolemy and Cleopatra,............ 51
Ptolemy Physcon,...................145 The Romans,..........................30
THE SELEUCIDAE.
B. C.                                  B. C.
Seleucus Nicator,....................300 Antiochus V., (Eupator)..........164
Antiochus Soter,.....2...........280 Demetrius Soter................... 162
Antiochus Theos.................... 278 Alexander Bala.....................150
Seleucus II., (Callinicus),.........246 Demetrius II., (Nicator,)...........145
Seleucus III., (Ceraunus),.........226 Antiochus VI., (Eutheus)......... 144
Antiochus III., (the Great),......223 Zebina..................... 130
Seleucus IV., (Philopator)........187 Several kings at a time,...........
Antiochus IV., (Epiphanes),....... 175 The Romans,......................... 64
(312)