| II Maccabees 4:21
| Now when Apollonius, the son of Mnestheus, was sent into Egypt to treat with the nobles of king Philometor, and Antiochus understood that he was wholly excluded from the affairs of the kingdom, consulting his own interest, he departed thence and came to Joppe, and from thence to Jerusalem.
| Treat. Greek, "when king Ptolemy Philometor ascended the throne;" protoklisia. (Haydock) --- Grotius would substitute protokouria, "the first hair cutting," which was a great festival, the hair being presented to some deity. Apollonius was sent under the pretence of honouring Philometor, but in reality to sound the dispositions of the nobility respecting the claims of Epiphanes to be the king's tutor. Cleopatra died this year, the year [of the world] 3831. The regents of Egypt demanded Celosyria, her portion, and war commenced. (Calmet) --- Epiphanes pretended to defend Philometor against his younger brother, (Livy xliv.) but he wished to seize the kingdom, 1 Machabees 1:17. (Worthington)
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