IV. PTOLEMY PHILOPATOR, Son of Ptolemy Euergetes, began to reign in the Year of the World 3783, before Christ 217, before the vulgar Era 221. He had the Name of Philopator, or Lover of his Father, given him by way of Irony or Antiphrasis, because he had put his Father to death. Huic ex facinoris crimine cognomentum Philopator fuit, Justin. l. 29. c. 1.says Justin. He had also the Name of Tryphon, or the Glutton; also of Gallus, because he carried the Ensigns and the Crown of Ivy, like the Galli or Priests of the great Goddess; and because he affected to appear crown’d with Ivy in the Ceremonies of Bacchus.Vid. Usser. ad an. M. 3783. This Prince spent his whole time in Luxury, Drunkenness, and Debauchery, as if he had been a King for no other End but to follow his Pleasures.
Antiochus the Great, King of Syria, made War against him, and took several Places from him in Cele-syria and Palestine,1 before he would make any Attempt to oppose him, leaving this Matter to the Care of Polyb. l. 5. p. 413. Year of the World 3787.his Generals. But the Year following, Antiochus having advanced as far as Raphia, Ptolemy came forth to meet him with a powerful Army, and gave him Battle. At first the whole Advantage was on the Side of Antiochus, who, besides being a great Commander, had also an Army of excellent Soldiers. But Arsinoe, the Sister and Wife of King Philopator, having her Hair dishevelled, and her Eyes full of Tears, passed through the Ranks of the Soldiers, and so raised their Courage and Resolution, that they at last obtain’d an intire Victory over the Army of Antiochus. Antiochus therefore 3 Macc. c. 1. Polyb. l. 5.retiring with the Remains of his Army, all the Cities of Syria and Palestine, that had been obliged to submit to him, return’d of themselves to the Obedience of Philopator, omitting nothing that might shew their Zeal and Fidelity to his Government.
The chief of the Jews also having sent their Deputies to him, to congratulate with him and offer him Presents, they found him disposed to come in Person to Jerusalem. When he came thither, he enter’d into the Temple, admiring its Beauty, Magnificence, and OEconomy. He desired also to enter into the Sanctuary, in which no one was to enter but the High-priest alone, and he only once in a Year. This Attempt of the King, filled the whole Temple with Tears and Lamentations, the Noise of which spread into the City, and put it into the utmost Consternation. The High-priest Simon then betaking himself to Prayers, between the Temple and the Altar of Burnt-sacrifices, as soon as he had finished his Prayer, Philopator found himself struck with so great a Terror, that he began to tremble, and could hardly stand on his Legs; and his Attendants 3 Macc. i. 11.were forc’d to carry him out of the Temple half dead.
When he return’d to Alexandria, he plunged himself, as before, into all manner of Excesses, and began to persecute the Jews of Egypt, compelling them to forsake their Religion: For this Purpose, he caus’d to be put up at Alexandria reproachful Edicts against them, full of Blasphemies against God, commanding the Jews to sacrifice to the Gods of the Country, on the Penalty of being deprived of their Privileges, of their Right of Freedom of the City, of being reduced to the Condition of the meanest Inhabitants of Egypt, and brought into Servitude; and whoever should refuse Obedience to this Ordinance, should be put to Death. But even those that comply’d with the Orders of the King, were not continued in their ancient Privileges; they were marked with a red-hot Iron, having the Representation of an2 Ivy-Leaf, and were separated from the Citizens of Alexandria, as being reduced to the Condition of the meanest Subjects of the Country. To preserve their ancient Rights, they were required to initiate themselves into the Mysteries of Bacchus. He also put up this Inscription upon the Tower that was at the Entry of his Palace, That no one should enter but such as sacrificed to his Gods.
3 Macc. iii. 3 Macc. iv.Some of the Jews gave Way to this Persecution; others bribed his Officers with Money, to skreen themselves from Oppression. But the King finding it out, he swore the Destruction, not only of the Jews of Alexandria, but of all others in any Part of Egypt. He thereupon publish’d an Edict, by which he order’d all the Governors of his Cities and Provinces, to send to him in Chains all the Jews in their several Districts, with their Wives and Children, that they might all be put to Death at Alexandria, as Enemies to the State. By the same Edict he forbid any to conceal a Jew, upon Pain of Death, and promis’d to the Informer the Estate of any one that should make such Concealment. When these Orders were brought into the Provinces, they made all the Jews set out for Alexandria, without any Regard to Age or Sex; and as soon as they arrived there, the King order’d a List to be taken of them. For this Purpose they were shut up in the Hippodrome, without being suffer’d to enter into the City; and with them were put all the Jews of Alexandria, when it was perceived they came by Stealth to bring them Sustenance. Those that were appointed to take this List were forty whole Days about it, without being able to finish it; after which time they came to the King, and declared it was impossible for them to take an exact List, the Number of them was so prodigious.
They prepared two Lists of these Jews. One contain’d the Names of those who had consented to sacrifice, whose Lives were to be preserved, but without enjoying their antient Privileges of Freemen of Alexandria, which they possess’d before. The other was a List of those who refused to change their Religion, and who therefore were to be put to death. The King commanded that these last should be shut up in the Hippodrome, and be exposed to the Elephants, who were to tread them under Foot. Hermon the Keeper of the Elephants made them drunk, by giving them Wine mingled with Incense, to make them the more savage and unrelenting. But God brought it to pass, that the King (as his Custom was) having drank to excess overnight, slept so fast as not to awake ‘till the tenth Hour of the Day following, that is, ‘till four o’Clock in the Afternoon. This being his Time of Dinner, his Officers awaked him to sit down to Table, where he continued ‘till the Night was far spent. Then he sent for Hermon, and asked him in great Wrath, Why he had let the Day pass away without executing his Commands against the Jews? Hermon, and the King’s Friends there present, excused themselves, alledging, that every thing had been ready for Execution from betimes in the Morning, but they durst not awake him, nor in his Absence perform his 3 Macc. v.Commands against the Jews.
Then Philopator gave fresh Orders, that the Elephants should be ready against the Day following; at which time early in the Morning Hermon presented himself before him, and acquainted him, that all Things were ready for putting the Jews to death. But this Prince having forgot the Orders he had given, treated Hermon very roughly, and commended the Fidelity the Jews had always shewn to himself and his Predecessors. However, setting himself to drink again with his drunken Companions, he sent for Hermon again, and asked him why he had not obey’d his Commands. Hermon and those that were with him having acquainted him with what had pass’d, he made an Oath to send all the Jews to their Graves the Day following, and gave Orders to Hermon that the Elephants should be ready against the next Morning. To this he likewise added, that when he had destroyed all the Jews in Egypt, he would go into Judea, and there put all to Fire and Sword; that he would raze their Cities, burn the Temple of Jerusalem, and destroy those Priests that had refused him Entrance into it.
3 Macc. vi.The Jews being inform’d of what had passed, made their Addresses to God by fervent Prayer, hoping for no Assistance but from him alone. And the Day following Philopator came out of the City with his Guards, and with the Troop of Elephants that were to squeeze the Hebrews to Pieces; and almost the whole City of Alexandria came thither also, to be Spectators of this bloody Massacre. When the King was come near the Hippodrome, and the Jews had renew’d their Cries and Lamentations, all on a sudden two Angels were seen to appear, who presented themselves before the King and the whole Multitude, with a terrible Aspect but a majestick Brightness. The Jews only could not see these Angels. This Apparition struck the King with so much Terror, that he continued, as it were, without Motion. He was seized with a great Trembling through his whole Body, he forgot his usual Fierceness, and perceived his Fury to be changed into Compassion. The Elephants turn’d about against their Masters and the Soldiers that manag’d them, whom they trod under Foot. The King turn’d his Wrath against his own Officers, and complain’d of their thus treating the Jews, as if they had done it by their own Authority; and gave Orders that the Jews should be unbound, and set at perfect Liberty. He furnish’d them with Provisions, that they might make Feasts of 3 Macc. vi.Rejoycing and Thanksgiving for seven Days, and suffer’d them to take Revenge on such of their Brethren as had renounced their Religion, of whom they flew about three hundred.
After this they obtain’d an Instrument from the King, by which they were declared innocent, and sent back with Liberty into their several Countries. The King commended and extoll’d their Fidelity, and that of their Ancestors, both towards himself and his Predecessors the Kings of Egypt; ordering the Governors of the Provinces to protect them, and to treat all such as Enemies to the King and State, as should any way molest or disturb them.
3 Macc. vii.Before they dispersed to return every Man to his own Home, the Jews erected a Column, and built a Proseuche, or Oratory, in the same Place where they had been miraculously deliver’d. After which every one went to his own House, and had their Goods restored them, which had been confiscated to the King’s Use. All this happen’d in the Year of the World 3788, before Christ 212, before the vulgar Era 216, between the Egyptian Months Pachon and Epiphi, which answer to our May and July.
Philopator died after he had reign’d seventeen Years, a and had for his Successor Ptolemy Epiphanes.
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