of gold such as is given to those of the king's blood. After
these days, Jonathan did many wonderful exploits in Galilee and
Damascus, and then returned to Jerusalem. Now, when Jonathan saw that
the time served him, he renewed his league with the Romans and
Lacedemonians, and pursued the Arabians unto Damascus. He strengthened
the cities of Juda, but he was captured by fraud by Tryphon at
Ptolemais. Simon was made captain in his brother Jonathan's room, and
prepared to attack Tryphon and, rescue his brother, but Tryphon slew
Jonathan, and returned into his own country.

The land of Juda was quiet all the days of Simon, and every man sat
under his own vine and fig-tree. When Simon was visiting the cities that
were in the country, Ptolemeus, son of Abubus, the captain of Jerico,
invited Simon and his two sons into his castle, called Docus. There a
great banquet was given, at which Simon and his sons drank largely, and
Ptolemeus and his men came into the banqueting place and slew them.

THE SECOND BOOK OF THE MACCABEES

The brethren, the Jews that were at Jerusalem and in the land of Judea,
wrote a letter to the Jews that were throughout Egypt to thank God for
the death of Antiochus. In his letter are recounted all the sayings of
Jeremy, and the great deeds of Judas Maccabeus and his brother Simon, as
recorded in the books of Jason, until Nicanor the blasphemer was killed,
and his head hanged upon the tower at Jerusalem, from which time forth
the Hebrews had the city in their power.

* * * * *

ST. AUGUSTINE

THE CITY OF GOD

A French critic has said of Augustine's "City of God" that it
is the earliest serious attempt to write a philosophy of
history, and another has spoken of it as the encyclopaedia of
the fifth century. These two remarks together characterise the
work excellently. It is a huge treatise in twenty-two books,
begun in the year 413, and finished in 426, and was given to
the public in sections as these were completed. Augustine (see
LIVES AND LETTERS) himself explains the origin of the work.
The fall of Rome by Alaric's invasion in 410 had been ascribed
to the desertion of the old gods of Rome and to the wide
extension of Christianity, or the City of God, throughout the
empire. It was to refute this calumny that the learned African
bishop elaborated his great defense of Christ's kingdom, the