y aware of this. "Mattathias
once gained, all is gained," the Syrian courtier had said to the king
before departing on his mission to Modin; "the old man's sons have no
law but his will, and if the Asmoneans bow their heads in worship, all
Judaea will join in offering sacrifice to your gods."

Anxious to win over by soft persuasions the only Hebrews whose
opposition could cause any difficulty in the execution of the king's
commands, when the hour for offering sacrifice had almost arrived,
Apelles descended from his seat of state, and approached the Asmonean
group. This unexpected movement of the Syrian awakened eager attention
amongst the assembled crowds.

"Venerable Mattathias," said Apelles, saluting the old man with stately
courtesy, "your high position, your wide-spread fame, entitle you to
the place of leader in performing the solemn act by which Modin at once
declares her fealty to our mighty monarch, Antiochus Epiphanes, and her
devotion to the worship of Bacchus. Now, therefore, come you first and
fulfil the king's commandment, like as all the heathen have done, yea,
and the men of Judah also, and such as remain at Jerusalem; so shall
you and your house be in the number of the king's friends, and you and
your children shall be honoured with silver and gold and many rewards."
When the Syrian had ceased speaking, the silence amongst the expectant
people was so profound that the roll of the billows on the beach, and
the scream of a white-winged sea-bird, could be distinctly heard.

Sternly the old man had heard Apelles to the end; then fixing upon him
the keen eyes which flashed under the white overhanging brows, like
volcano fire bursting from beneath a mountain crest of snow, he
replied, in tones so loud that they rang all over the market-place,
"Though all the nations that are under the king's dominion obey him,
and fall away every one from the religion of their fathers, and give
consent to his commandments, yet will I and my sons and my brethren
walk in the covenant of our fathers. God forbid that we should forsake
the law and the ordinances! We will not hearken to the king's words to
go from our religion, either on the right hand or the left."

Hardly had the brave words died on the ears of those who heard them,
when, in strange contrast, there sounded a hymn in honour of Bacchus,
and, gaily dressed and crowned with ivy, a wretched apostate Jew, eager
to win the king's favour by being the first to obe