V. PTOLEMY EPIPHANES, succeeded his Father Ptolemy Philopator, being but four Years old, according to St. Hieron. in Dan. xi. Justin. l. 30. c. 1.Jerome, or five according to Justin. As soon as Antiochus the great King of Syria, and Philip King of Macedon, saw the Kingdom of Egypt in the Hands of a Child, they enter’d into secret Measures to take him out of the Way, and to divide his Diod. Sicul. l. 15. Tit. Liv. l. 31. Polyb. l. 3.Territories between them. Antiochus set upon Cele-syria and Judea, and soon became Master of them.1 But after some time2 Ptolemy Epiphanes sent his General Scopus thither with a good Army, who retook the Cities and Provinces that Antiochus had conquer’d. But scarce a Year pass’d away, but that Antiochus subdued them again. ‘Twas then the Jews surrender’d themselves to Antiochus, and always Joseph. Antiq. l. 12. c. 3. Polyb. l. 16.adhered firm to his Interests afterwards. And for this Reason upon several Occasions Antiochus gave them particular Marks of his Confidence and Friendship, by those Letters of which the Copies are preserved in Josephus.
In the Year of the World 3812, Antiochus gave his Daughter Cleopatra in Marriage to Ptolemy Epiphanes King of Egypt, with the Prospect of being Master himself, by that Means, of the Dominions of this young Prince. But the Governors of young Epiphanes penetrating into this Design, and Cleopatra espousing her Husband’s Interests rather than her Father’s, they defeated his Intentions: At last Epiphanes undertaking a War against Seleucus King of Syria,3 and one of his Generals having asked him what Assistance he depended upon, in order to make his Designs succeed; Epiphanes answer’d, that he depended upon no other Assistance than the Purses of his Friends. When this Answer was spread among the People, the Generals of Epiphanes began to be in Pain for their Wealth, thinking they were to be plunder’d for the carrying on of this War. Wherefore they prevented him by Poison, after he had reign’d four and twenty Hieron. in Dan. xi.Years, according to Eusebius, Clemens Alexandrinus, Porphyry, and St. Jerome. He left two Sons, Ptolemy Philometor who succeeded him, and Ptolemy Physcon his younger Son.
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