Excerpt from Library of Universal History and Popular Science, Vol. 4 of 25: Containing a Record of the Human Race From the Earliest Historical Period to the Present Time; Embracing a General Survey of the Progress of Mankind in National and Social Life, Civil Government, Religion, Literature, Science and Art<br><br>Judas Maccabaeus exerted himself to main tain the independence of the Jewish nation by securing the frontiers of his country by fortresses. He repulsed many successive Syrian invasions, and signally defeated the Idumaeans, the allies of the Seleucidae. Having finally engaged the Syrian army under Bacchides against terrible odds, the valiant Judas was abandoned by his follow ers and slain, after many Syrians had fallen beneath his powerful arm (b. C. His countrymen recovered his body and buried it in his father's sepulcher at Modin. The Jews universally mourned his death, and, as they conveyed his remains to the tomb, they sang a funeral hymn in imitation of that composed by David on Jonathan's death, exclaiming: How is the mighty fallen! How is the preserver of Israel slain!<br><br>About the Publisher<br><br>Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com<br><br>This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.