e mighty Syrian king, but he remains at heart a Jew."

From that day Pollux found himself an object of suspicion, and having
once reached the quicksand, he gradually sank lower and lower,
notwithstanding his desperate efforts to save himself from impending
ruin. His most costly gifts, his most fulsome flattery, his assurances
of deathless devotion to "the greatest, noblest of the kings who sway
realms conquered by Alexander, and surpass the fame of Macedonia's
godlike hero," met but the coldest response. Pollux had once been wont
to delight the king with his brilliant wit; now his forced jests fell
like sparks upon water. Antiochus was growing tired of his favourite,
as a child grows tired of the toy which he hugs one day, to break and
fling aside on the next.

All the more embarrassed from having to simulate ease, all the more
wretched because forcing himself to seem merry, with the sword of
Damocles ever hanging over his head, Pollux, in the midst of luxury and
pomp, was one of the most miserable of mankind. The court became to
him at last an almost intolerable place. In an attempt at once to free
himself from its restraints, and to win back the favour of the king by
military service, in an evil hour for himself, he had volunteered to
join the forces of Nicanor. The courtier was incited by no military
ardour; he had no desire to fall on the field of victory; Pollux was
not a coward, but he clung to life as those well may cling who have
forfeited all hope of anything but misery beyond it. Pollux, as we
have seen, had accompanied Giorgias when that general led a detachment
of chosen troops to make that night attack upon Judas which had proved
so unsuccessful. With Giorgias, Pollux had returned to Jerusalem,
covered with shame instead of glory. More than his fair share of the
obloquy incurred had fallen to the unfortunate courtier.

"Be assured, O most mighty monarch"--thus had Lysimachus addressed the
disappointed tyrant--"that had there been no sympathizers with the
Hebrew rebels in the army of the king, Giorgias would have returned to
Jerusalem with the head of Judas Maccabeus hanging at his saddle-bow."

The insinuation was understood--the instilled poison worked its effect.
Antiochus had met his former favourite with an ominous frown. He did
not, however, consign Pollux to irremediable ruin; he gave him a chance
of redeeming his character from the imputation of treachery towards the
Syrian cause. Pollu