IX. PTOLEMY MACRON, Son of Dorymenes, was made Governor of the Isle of Cyprus by Ptolemy Philometor King of Egypt. During all the Minority of this Prince, he kept the whole Revenues of this Island, nor would send any of it to the Regents of the Kingdom. But as soon as the King came to Age, he gave in his Accounts, and sent the whole Sum that he had been collecting all the time of the King’s Minority. Polyb. l. 27. in Excerpt. Valesi.Some time after this, having received some Discontent at some Proceedings of the King of Egypt, he withdrew his Fidelity, and deliver’d up the Isle of Cyprus to Antiochus Epiphanes King of Syria. This Prince received him into the Number of his Friends, and gave him the Command of the Troops he had in Phenicia and Cele-syria. We are told in the second Book of the Maccabees, chap. iv. 45, &c. that Menelaus, the Usurper of the High-priesthood, being accused before Antiochus Epiphanes, in the Year of the World 3834, and being upon the Point of being cast by this Accusation; he gave a Bribe to Ptolemy Macron to stand his Friend. This he did while the King was at Tyre, and was the chief Instrument that Menelaus, guilty as he was, was declared innocent, and his Accusers condemned to death.
After Judas Maccabeus had routed Apollonius Governor of Samaria, and Seron Governor of Cele-syria; Philip, who was then at Jerusalem in behalf of King Antiochus Epiphanes, a sent to demand Assistance from Ptolemy Macron.1 Macron sent away Nicanor and Gorgias, two experienc’d Commanders. But Judas defeated them also, as is mention’d in the first Book of the Maccabees, iii. 38, &c. After the Death of Antiochus Epiphanes, Ptolemy was no longer in Favour as before. His Enemies gave the young Eupator an ill Opinion of him, and represented to him, that a Man who had once fail’d in his Fidelity to his Prince, was never afterwards 2 Macc. x. 12, 13, 14.to be trusted. He had also made himself suspected by the Courtiers, because upon several Occasions he had shewn his Dislike at their Proceedings against the Jews. So that at last, being no longer able to bear these Reproaches, he took Poison and kill’d himself.2 The Author of the Latin Version of the second Book of Maccabees, x. 12. calls him Ptolemeus Macer; but his true Name is Ptolemeus Macron. Macer in Latin signifies lean; but Macron in Greek signifies tall.
Read this article in its place on the printed pages