artition-wall of
wood round the altar and the temple, as far as that partition within
which it was only lawful for the priests to enter; and by this means
he obstructed the multitude from coming at him. He also maintained
foreigners of Pisidie and Cilicia; for as to the Syrians, he was at war
with them, and so made no use of them. He also overcame the Arabians,
such as the Moabites and Gileadites, and made them bring tribute.
Moreover, he demolished Amathus, while Theodorus [39] durst not fight
with him; but as he had joined battle with Obedas, king of the Arabians,
and fell into an ambush in the places that were rugged and difficult
to be traveled over, he was thrown down into a deep valley, by the
multitude of the camels at Gadurn, a village of Gilead, and hardly
escaped with his life. From thence he fled to Jerusalem, where, besides
his other ill success, the nation insulted him, and he fought against
them for six years, and slew no fewer than fifty thousand of them. And
when he desired that they would desist from their ill-will to him, they
hated him so much the more, on account of what had already happened; and
when he had asked them what he ought to do, they all cried out, that he
ought to kill himself. They also sent to Demetrius Eucerus, and desired
him to make a league of mutual defense with them.

CHAPTER 14. How Demetrius Eucerus Overcame Alexander And Yet In A Little
Time Retired Out Of The Country For Fear; As Also How Alexander Slew
Many Of The Jews And Thereby Got Clear Of His Troubles. Concerning The
Death Of Demetrius.

1. So Demetrius came with an army, and took those that invited him, and
pitched his camp near the city Shechem; upon which Alexander, with his
six thousand two hundred mercenaries, and about twenty thousand Jews,
who were of his party, went against Demetrius, who had three thousand
horsemen, and forty thousand footmen. Now there were great endeavors
used on both sides,--Demetrius trying to bring off the mercenaries that
were with Alexander, because they were Greeks, and Alexander trying to
bring off the Jews that were with Demetrius. However, when neither of
them could persuade them so to do, they came to a battle, and Demetrius
was the conqueror; in which all Alexander's mercenaries were killed,
when they had given demonstration of their fidelity and courage. A great
number of Demetrius's soldiers were slain also.

2. Now as Alexander fled to the mountains, six thousand of the