Page:Historical Works of Venerable Bede vol. 2.djvu/322

 250 A.M. 3669 [5017].

Ptolemy, son of Lagus, and first king of Egypt, reigned 40 years. Appius Claudius Cœcus was an illustrious Roman: he constructed the Claudian aqueduct and the Appian way. Ptolemy, by craft, reduced Jerusalem and Judea under his rule, and carried many of the people into Egypt. Onias, son of Jaddua, was an illustrious Jewish High Priest ... In the thirteenth year of Ptolemy, Seleucus Nicanor begins to reign over Syria and Babylon, and the upper regions; from which time the Hebrew history of the Maccabees dates the dominion of the Greeks, and the Edesseni their chronicles. Seleucus founded the cities of Seleucia, Laodicea, Antioch, Apamia, Edessa, Bercea, and Pella. Simon, the Jewish Pontiff, and son of Onias, was distinguished for his devotion and piety. He left an infant son, Onias, and was succeeded in the priesthood by his brother Eleazar. Seleucus transfers many Jews to his new cities, and grants them equal civil privileges with the Greeks.

A.M. 3707 [5055].

Ptolemy Philadelphus reigned 38 years. Sostratus, of Pharos, built the tower of Pharos at Alexandria. Ptolemy granted the Jews who were in Egypt their liberty, and sent many presents to Eleazar the Pontiff, and vessels for the service of the temple, requesting that seventy interpreters might be sent to him to translate the Holy Scriptures into the Greek language. Aratus is a distinguished man. After Eleazar, his uncle, Manasses, succeeded to the Jewish priesthood. Such was the greatness of this Ptolemy Philadelphus, that he surpassed Ptolemy his father; for it is recorded that he had 200,000 footmen, 20,000 horse, 20,000 chariots, 500 elephants, which he was the first to bring from Ethiopia, and other such like things.