2 Maccabees 4:4-6

New Catholic Bible

⁴ Onias realized how dangerous the situation had become and that Apollonius, the son of Menestheus, the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, was encouraging Simon in his evil ways. ⁵ Therefore, he appealed to the king, not to accuse his compatriots but rather as one who had at heart the best interests, both public and private, of all the people. ⁶ He saw that, unless the king intervened, public order could not exist and that Simon would persist in his madness.