17. Ambassadors of the Jews, our friends and allies, have come to us to renew their earlier friendship and alliance. They had been sent by Simon the high priest and the Jewish people,
18. and they brought with them a gold shield of a thousand minas.
19. Therefore we have decided to write to various kings and countries, that they are not to venture to harm them, or wage war against them or their cities or their country, and are not to assist those who fight against them.
20. We have also decided to accept the shield from them.
21. If, then, any troublemakers from their country take refuge with you, hand them over to Simon the high priest, so that he may punish them according to their law.”
22. The consul sent identical letters to Kings Demetrius, Attalus, Ariarthes and Arsaces;
23. to all the countries—Sampsames, the Spartans, Delos, Myndos, Sicyon, Caria, Samos, Pamphylia, Lycia, Halicarnassus, Rhodes, Phaselis, Cos, Side, Aradus, Gortyna, Cnidus, Cyprus, and Cyrene.
24. A copy of the letter was also sent to Simon the high priest.
25. When King Antiochus encamped before Dor, he assaulted it continuously both with troops and with the siege engines he had made. He blockaded Trypho by preventing anyone from going in or out.
26. Simon sent to Antiochus’ support two thousand elite troops, together with silver and gold and much equipment.
27. But he refused to accept the aid; in fact, he broke all the agreements he had previously made with Simon and became hostile toward him.
28. He sent Athenobius, one of his Friends, to confer with Simon and say: “You are occupying Joppa and Gazara and the citadel of Jerusalem; these are cities of my kingdom.
29. You have laid waste their territories, done great harm to the land, and taken possession of many districts in my kingdom.
30. Now, therefore, give up the cities you have seized and the tribute money of the districts you control outside the territory of Judea;
31. or instead, pay me five hundred talents of silver for the devastation you have caused and five hundred talents more for the tribute money of the cities. If you do not do this, we will come and make war on you.”
32. So Athenobius, the king’s Friend, came to Jerusalem and on seeing the splendor of Simon’s court, the gold and silver plate on the sideboard, and his rich display, he was amazed. When he gave him the king’s message,
33. Simon said to him in reply: “It is not foreign land we have taken nor have we seized the property of others, but only our ancestral heritage which for a time had been unjustly held by our enemies.
34. Now that we have the opportunity, we are holding on to the heritage of our ancestors.
35. As for Joppa and Gazara, which you demand, those cities were doing great harm to our people and our country. For these we will give you a hundred talents.” Athenobius made no reply,
36. but returned to the king in anger. When he told him of Simon’s words, of his splendor, and of all he had seen, the king fell into a violent rage.