Antiochus Gryphus (VIII)

VIII. ANTIOCHUS GRYPHUS, or Philometor, the Son of Demetrius Nicanor and Cleopatra, revenged the Death of his Father upon Alexander Zebina, who had usurped the Kingdom of Syria. He attacked, defeated him, and compell’d him to shut himself up in Antioch; from whence he was forced very soon by the multitude of People which flocked together, upon notice that he intended to carry off a golden Statue of Jupiter, which was very massy. At Sea he was overtaken with a violent Storm, deserted by his own People, taken by Pyrates, and carried to Antiochus Gryphus, by whose direction he was put to death¹. Josephus² says, that Zebina was killed in the Battle which he fought against Gryphus; and Porphyry relates³, that he poisoned himself, not being able to survive the loss of his Army. Cleopatra, Gryphus’s Mother, envying the happy success of her Son, upon a certain day as he came from performing some Exercise, presented him with a cup of poisoned Liquor, which Gryphus, who had been informed of this Design, refused to drink, and forced Cleopatra to make a proof of it upon herself; and upon her doing so, she died instantlyh. After this Gryphus enjoyed the Kingdom peaceably for eight

From the year of the World 3882 to 3890.At the expiration of this time, as he was preparing to make War against the Jews⁴, he understood that Antiochus of Cyzicus, his Brother by the Mother’s side, the Son of Cleopatra and Antiochus Sidetes, was disposing things in order to march against him. Gryphus prevented him, attacked, defeated, and obliged him, to fly. After this he went and laid siege to Antioch, where Cleopatra, Wife to Antiochus of Cyzicus had shut herself up. The City being taken, Cleopatra retired for Sanctuary to a Temple, thinking to secure herself thereby from the violence and outrage of the Conqueror. But Tryphena her Sister, the Wife of Gryphus, whether her Husband would or no, sent Soldiers into the Temple, who killed Cleopatra at the feet of the Goddess, whom she held within her arms⁵.

The year following the two Brothers Antiochus Gryphus, and Antiochus of Cyzicus, coming to an Ingagement, Gryphus lost the Battle, and Tryphena his Wife falling into the hands of Antiochus of Cyzicus, was by him put to death, to revenge the Murder of Cleopatra, which had been executed by Tryphena’s Order. By this Victory Antiochus of Cyzicus became Master of the Kingdom of Syria; and Gryphus his Brother retired to Aspendus, where he continued till the next year, when he returned into Syria, and divided the Kingdom with his Brother. Gryphus remained Master of Syria, and Antiochus of Cyzicus possessed Cœle-Syria⁶. While the two Brothers made War against one another, and mutually weakened each other, John Hircanus fortified himself in Judæa, and every day made new Progresses⁷. Antiochus Gryphus, after he had lived five and forty years, and reigned eleven years alone, and fifteen with his Brother Antiochus of Cyzicus, was put to death by Heraclion’s means⁸, who drew him into an Ambuscade in the year of the World 3907. Gryphus left five Sons, 1. Seleucus who succeeded him; 2 and 3. Antiochus and Philip, who were Twins; 4. Demetrias Eucærus; 5. Antiochus sirnamed Dionysius.

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