nd to us about any of your concerns as you
please. We will also do the same thing, and esteem your concerns as our
own, and will look upon our concerns as in common with yours. Demoteles,
who brings you this letter, will bring your answer back to us. This
letter is four-square; and the seal is an eagle, with a dragon in his
claws."

11. And these were the contents of the epistle which was sent from the
king of the Lacedemonians. But, upon the death of Joseph, the people
grew seditious, on account of his sons. For whereas the elders made war
against Hyrcanus, who was the youngest of Joseph's sons, the multitude
was divided, but the greater part joined with the elders in this war;
as did Simon the high priest, by reason he was of kin to them. However,
Hyrcanus determined not to return to Jerusalem any more, but seated
himself beyond Jordan, and was at perpetual war with the Arabians, and
slew many of them, and took many of them captives. He also erected a
strong castle, and built it entirely of white stone to the very roof,
and had animals of a prodigious magnitude engraven upon it. He also drew
round it a great and deep canal of water. He also made caves of many
furlongs in length, by hollowing a rock that was over against him; and
then he made large rooms in it, some for feasting, and some for sleeping
and living in. He introduced also a vast quantity of waters which ran
along it, and which were very delightful and ornamental in the court.
But still he made the entrances at the mouth of the caves so narrow,
that no more than one person could enter by them at once. And the reason
why he built them after that manner was a good one; it was for his own
preservation, lest he should be besieged by his brethren, and run the
hazard of being caught by them. Moreover, he built courts of greater
magnitude than ordinary, which he adorned with vastly large gardens.
And when he had brought the place to this state, he named it Tyre.
This place is between Arabia and Judea, beyond Jordan, not far from the
country of Heshbon. And he ruled over those parts for seven years, even
all the time that Seleucus was king of Syria. But when he was dead, his
brother Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, took the kingdom. Ptolemy
also, the king of Egypt, died, who was besides called Epiphanes. He
left two sons, and both young in age; the elder of which was called
Philometer, and the youngest Physcon. As for Hyrcanus, when he saw that
Antiochus had a