11. And setting aside the royal ordinances of special favor to the Jews, granted by the means of John the father of Eupolemus, who went on the ambassage to the Romans for friendship and alliance, and seeking to overthrow the lawful modes of life, he brought in new customs forbidden by the law:
12. for he eagerly established a Greek place of exercise under the citadel itself; and caused the noblest of the young men to wear the Greek cap.
13. And thus there was an extreme of Greek fashions, and an advance of an alien religion, by reason of the exceeding profaneness of Jason, that ungodly man and no high priest;
14. so that the priests had no more any zeal for the services of the altar: but despising the sanctuary, and neglecting the sacrifices, they hastened to enjoy that which was unlawfully provided in the palaestra, after the summons of the discus;
15. making of no account the honors of their fathers, and thinking the glories of the Greeks best of all.
16. By reason whereof sore calamity beset them; and the men whose ways of living they earnestly followed, and to whom they desired to be made like in all things, these they had to be their enemies and to punish them.
17. For it is not a light thing to do impiously against the laws of God: but these things the time following shall declare.
18. Now when certain games that came every fifth year were kept at Tyre, and the king was present,
19. the vile Jason sent sacred envoys, as being Antiochians of Jerusalem, bearing three hundred drachmas of silver to the sacrifice of Hercules, which even the bearers thereof thought not right to use for any sacrifice, because it was not fit, but to expend on another charge.
20. And though in the purpose of the sender this money was for the sacrifice of Hercules, yet on account of present circumstances it went to the equipment of the galleys.
21. Now when Apollonius the son of Menestheus was sent into Egypt for the enthronement of Ptolemy Philometor as king, Antiochus, learning that Ptolemy had shewn himself ill affected toward the state, took thought for the security of his realm; wherefore, going by sea to Joppa, he travelled on to Jerusalem.
22. And being magnificently received by Jason and the city, he was brought in with torches and shoutings. This done, he afterward led his army down into Phoenicia.
23. Now after a space of three years Jason sent Menelaus, the aforesaid Simon’s brother, to bear the money to the king, and to make reports concerning some necessary matters.
24. But he being commended to the king, and having glorified himself by the display of his authority, got the high priesthood for himself, outbidding Jason by three hundred talents of silver.