1 Maccabees 6

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 King Antiochus, meanwhile, was making his way through the Upper Provinces; he had heard that inPersia there was a city called Elymais, renowned for its riches, its silver and gold,	1 Now king Antiochus was going through the higher countries, and he heard that the city of Elymais in Persia was greatly renowned, and abounding in silver and gold.
2 and its very wealthy temple containing golden armour, breastplates and weapons, left there byAlexander son of Philip, the king of Macedon, the first to reign over the Greeks.	2 And that there was in it a temple, exceeding rich: and coverings of gold, and breastplates, and shields which king Alexander, son of Philip the Macedonian that reigned first in Greece, had left there.
3 He therefore went and attempted to take the city and pil age it, but without success, the citizens havingbeen forewarned.	3 Lo, he came, and sought to take the city and to pillage it: But he was not able, because the design was known to them that were in the city.
4 They resisted him by force of arms. He was routed, and began retreating, very gloomily, towardsBabylon.	4 And they rose up against him in battle, and he fled away from thence, and departed with great sadness, and returned towards Babylonia.
5 But, while he was stil in Persia, news reached him that the armies which had invaded Judaea hadbeen routed,	5 And whilst he was in Persia, there came one that told him, how the armies that were in the land of Juda were put to flight:
6 and that Lysias in particular had advanced in massive strength, only to be forced to turn and flee beforethe Jews; that the latter were now stronger than ever, thanks to the arms, supplies and abundant spoils acquiredfrom the armies they had cut to pieces,	6 And that Lysias went with a very great power, and was put to flight before the face of the Jews, and that thy were grown strong by the armour, and power, and store of spoils, which they had gotten out of the camps which they had destroyed:
7 and that they had pul ed down the abomination which he had erected on the altar in Jerusalem, hadencircled the sanctuary with high wal s as in the past, and had fortified Beth-Zur, one of his cities.	7 And that they had thrown down the abomination which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls as before, and Bethsura also his city.
8 When the king heard this news he was amazed and profoundly shaken; he threw himself on his bedand fel sick with grief, since things had not turned out for him as he had planned.	8 And it came to pass when the king heard these words, that he was struck with fear, and exceedingly moved: and he laid himself down upon his bed, and fell sick for grief, because it had not fallen out to him as he imagined.
9 And there he remained for many days, subject to deep and recurrent fits of melancholy, until herealised that he was dying.	9 And he remained there many days: for great grief came more and more and more upon him, and he made account that he should die.
10 Then, summoning al his Friends, he said to them, 'Sleep evades my eyes, and my heart is cowed byanxiety.	10 And he called for all his friends, and said to them: Sleep is gone from my eyes, and I am fallen away, and my heart is cast down for anxiety.
11 I have been wondering how I could have come to such a pitch of distress, so great a flood as thatwhich now engulfs me -- I who was so generous and wel -loved in my heyday.	11 And I said in my heart: Into how much tribulation am I come, and into what floods of sorrow, wherein now I am: I that was pleasant and beloved in my power!
12 But now I recall how wrongly I acted in Jerusalem when I seized al the vessels of silver and goldthere and ordered the extermination of the inhabitants of Judah for no reason at al .	12 But now I remember the evils that I have done in Jerusalem, from whence also I took away all the spoils of gold, and of silver that were in it, and I sent to destroy the inhabitants of Juda without cause.
13 This, I am convinced, is why these misfortunes have overtaken me, and why I am dying of melancholyin a foreign land.'	13 I know therefore that for this cause these evils have found me: and behold I perish with great grief in a strange land.
14 He summoned Philip, one of his Friends, and made him regent of the whole kingdom.	14 Then he called Philip, one of his friends, and he made him regent over all his kingdom.
15 He entrusted him with his diadem, his robe and his signet, on the understanding that he was toeducate his son Antiochus and train him for the throne.	15 And he gave him the crown, and his robe, and his ring, that he should go to Antiochus his son, and should bring him up for the kingdom.
16 King Antiochus then died, in the year 149.	16 So king Antiochus died there in the year one hundred and forty-nine.
17 Lysias, learning that the king was dead, established on the throne in succession to him his sonAntiochus, whom he had brought up from childhood -- and styled him Eupator.	17 And Lysias understood that the king was dead, and he set up Antiochus his son to reign, whom he brought up young: and he called his name Eupator.
18 The people in the Citadel at the time were blockading Israel round the sanctuary and were takingevery opportunity to harm them and to support the gentiles.	18 Now they that were in the castle, had shut up the Israelites round about the holy places: and they were continually seeking their hurt, and to strengthen the Gentiles.
19 Judas decided that they must be destroyed, and he mobilised the whole people to besiege them.	19 And Judas purposed to destroy them: and he called together all the people, to besiege them.
20 They assembled and laid siege to the Citadel in the year 150, building batteries and siege-engines.	20 And they came together, and besieged them in the year one hundred and fifty, and they made battering slings and engines.
21 But some of the besieged broke through the blockade, and to these a number of renegades fromIsrael attached themselves.	21 And some of the besieged got out: and some wicked men of Israel joined themselves unto them.
22 They made their way to the king and said, 'How much longer are you going to wait before you seejustice done and avenge our fellows?	22 And they went to the king, and said: How long dost thou delay to execute the judgment, and to revenge our brethren?
23 We were content to serve your father, to comply with his orders, and to obey his edicts.	23 We determined to serve thy father and to do according to his orders, and obey his edicts:
24 As a result our own people will have nothing to do with us; what is more, they have kil ed al those ofus they could catch, and looted our family property.	24 And for this they of our nation are alienated from us, and have slain as many of us as they could find, and have spoiled our inheritances.
25 Nor is it on us alone that their blows have fal en, but on al your territories.	25 Neither have they put forth their hand against us only, but also against all our borders.
26 At this moment, they are laying siege to the Citadel of Jerusalem, to capture it, and they have fortifiedthe sanctuary and Beth-Zur.	26 And behold they have approached this day to the castle of Jerusalem to take it, and they have fortified the stronghold of Bethsura:
27 Unless you forestall them at once, they wil go on to even bigger things, and then you wil never beable to control them.'	27 And unless thou speedily prevent them, they will do greater things than these, and thou shalt not be able to subdue them.
28 The king was furious when he heard this and summoned al his Friends, the generals of his forcesand the marshals of horse.	28 Now when the king heard this, he was angry: and he called together all his friends, and the captains of his army, and them that were over the horsemen.
29 He recruited mercenaries from other kingdoms and the Mediterranean islands.	29 There came also to him from other realms, and from the islands of the sea hired troops.
30 His forces numbered a hundred thousand foot soldiers, twenty thousand cavalry and thirty-twoelephants with experience of battle conditions.	30 And the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and thirty-two elephants, trained to battle.
31 They advanced through Idumaea and besieged Beth-Zur, pressing the attack for days on end; theyalso constructed siege-engines, but the defenders made a sortie and set these on fire, putting up a braveresistance.	31 And they went through Idumea, and approached to Bethsura, and fought many days, and they made engines: but they sallied forth and burnt them with fire, and fought manfully.
32 At this, Judas left the Citadel and pitched camp at Beth-Zechariah opposite the royal encampment.	32 And Judas departed from the castle, and removed the camp to Bethzacharam, over against the king's camp.
33 The king rose at daybreak and marched his army at top speed down the road to Beth-Zechariah,where his forces took up their battle formations and sounded the trumpets.	33 And the king rose before it was light, and made his troops march on fiercely towards the way of Bethzacharam: and the armies made themselves ready for the battle, and they sounded the trumpets:
34 The elephants were given a syrup of grapes and mulberries to prepare them for the battle.	34 And they shewed the elephants the blood of grapes, and mulberries to provoke them to fight.
35 These animals were distributed among the phalanxes, to each elephant being al ocated a thousandmen dressed in coats of mail with bronze helmets on their heads; five hundred picked horsemen were alsoassigned to each beast.	35 And they distributed the beasts by the legions: and there stood by every elephant a thousand men in coats of mail, and with helmets of brass on their heads: and five hundred horsemen set in order were chosen for every beast.
36 The horsemen anticipated every move their elephant made; wherever it went they went with it, neverquitting it.	36 These before the time wheresoever the beast was, the were there: and withersoever it went, they went, and they departed not from it.
37 On each elephant, to protect it, was a stout wooden tower, kept in position by girths, each with itsthree combatants, as well as its mahout.	37 And upon the beast, there were strong wooden towers, which covered every one of them: and engines upon them: and upon every one thirty-two valiant men, who fought from above; and an Indian to rule the beast.
38 The remainder of the cavalry was stationed on one or other of the two flanks of the army, to harassthe enemy and cover the phalanxes.	38 And the rest of the horsemen he placed on this side and on that side at the two wings, with trumpets to stir up the army, and to hasten them forward that stood thick together in the legions thereof.
39 When the sun glinted on the bronze and golden shields, the mountains caught the glint and gleamedlike fiery torches.	39 Now when the sun shone upon the shields of gold, and of brass, the mountains glittered therewith, and they shone like lamps of fire.
40 One part of the royal army was deployed on the upper slopes of the mountain and the other in theval ey below; they advanced in solid, wel -disciplined formation.	40 And part of the king's army was distinguished by the high mountains, and the other part by the low places: and they marched on warily and orderly.
41 Everyone trembled at the noise made by this vast multitude, the thunder of the troops on the marchand the clanking of their armour, for it was an immense and mighty army.	41 And all the inhabitants of the land were moved at the noise of their multitude, and the marching of the company, and the rattling of the armour, for the army was exceeding great and strong.
42 Judas and his army advanced to give battle, and six hundred of the king's army were killed.	42 And Judas and his army drew near for battle: and there fell of the king's army six hundred men.
43 Eleazar, cal ed Avaran, noticing that one of the elephants was royal y caparisoned and was also tal erthan al the others, and supposing that the king was mounted on it,	43 And Eleazar the son of Saura saw one of the beasts harnessed with the king's harness: and it was higher than the other beasts: and it seemed to him that the king was on it:
44 sacrificed himself to save his people and win an imperishable name.	44 And he exposed himself to deliver his people and to get himself an everlasting name.
45 Boldly charging towards the creature through the thick of the phalanx, dealing death to right and left,so that the enemy scattered on either side at his onslaught,	45 And he ran up to it boldly in the midst of the legion, killing on the right hand, and on the left, and they fell by him on this side and that side.
46 he darted in under the elephant, thrust at it from underneath, and kil ed it. The beast collapsed on topof him, and he died on the spot.	46 And he went between the feet of the elephant, and put himself under it: and slew it, and it fell to the ground upon him, and he died there.
47 The Jews however realising how strong the king was and how ferocious his army, retreated ahead ofthem.	47 Then they seeing the strength of the king and the fierceness of his army, turned away from them.
48 The royal army moved up to encounter them outside Jerusalem, and the king began to blockadeJudaea and Mount Zion.	48 But the king's army went up against them to Jerusalem: and the king's army pitched their tents against Judea and mount Sion.
49 He granted peace terms to the people of Beth-Zur, who evacuated the town; it lacked store ofprovisions to withstand a siege, since the land was enjoying a sabbatical year.	49 And he made peace with them that were in Bethsura: and they came forth out of the city, because they had no victuals, being shut up there, for it was the year of rest to the land.
50 Having occupied Beth-Zur, the king stationed a garrison there to hold it.	50 And the king took Bethsura: and he placed there a garrison to keep it.
51 He besieged the sanctuary for a long time, erecting batteries and siege-engines, flame-throwers andballistas, scorpions to discharge arrows, and catapults.	51 And he turned his army against the sanctuary for many days: and he set up there battering slings, and engines and instruments to cast fire, and engines to cast stones and javelins, and pieces to shoot arrows, and slings.
52 The defenders countered these by constructing their own engines and were thus able to prolong theirresistance.	52 And they also made engines against their engines, and they fought for many days.
53 But they had no food in their stores since it was the seventh year, and because those who had takenrefuge in Judaea from the gentiles had eaten up the last of their reserves.	53 But there were no victuals in the city, because it was the seventh year: and such as had stayed in Judea of them that came from among the nations, had eaten the residue of all that which had been stored up.
54 Only a few men were left in the Holy Place, owing to the severity of the famine; the rest had dispersed and gone home.	54 And there remained in the holy places but a few, for the famine had prevailed over them: and they were dispersed every man to his own place.
55 Meanwhile Philip, whom King Antiochus before his death had appointed to train his son Antiochus forthe throne,	55 Now Lysias heard that Philip, whom king Antiochus while he lived had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus, and to reign, to be king,
56 had returned from Persia and Media with the forces that had accompanied the king, and was planningto seize control of affairs.	56 Was returned from Persia, and Media, with the army that went with him, and that he sought to take upon him the affairs of the kingdom:
57 On hearing this, Lysias at once decided to leave, and said to the king, the generals of the army andthe men, 'We are growing weaker every day, we are short of food, and the place we are besieging is welfortified; moreover the affairs of the kingdom demand our attention.	57 Wherefore he made haste to go, and say to the king and to the captains of the army: We decay daily, and our provision of victuals is small, and the place that we lay siege to is strong, and it lieth upon us to take order for the affairs of the kingdom.
58 Let us offer the hand of friendship to these men and make peace with them and with their wholenation.	58 Now therefore let us come to an agreement with these men, and make peace with them and with all their nation.
59 Let us grant them permission to fol ow their own customs as before, since it is our abolition of thesecustoms that has provoked them into acting like this.'	59 And let us covenant with them, that they may live according to their own laws as before. For because of our despising their laws, they have been provoked, and have done all these things.
60 The king and his commanders approved this argument, and he offered the Jews peace terms, whichthey accepted.	60 And the proposal was acceptable in the sight of the king, and of the princes: and he sent to them to make peace: and they accepted of it.
61 The king and the generals ratified the treaty by oath, and the besieged accordingly left the fortress.	61 And the king and the princes swore to them: and they came out of the stronghold.
62 The king then entered Mount Zion, but on seeing how impregnable the place was, he broke the oathhe had sworn and gave orders for the encircling wall to be demolished.	62 Then the king entered into mount Sion, and saw the strength of the place: and he quickly broke the oath that he had taken, and gave commandment to throw down the wall round about.
63 He then hurriedly withdrew, making off for Antioch, where he found Philip already master of the city.Antiochus gave battle and captured the city by force of arms.	63 And he departed in haste, and returned to Antioch, where he found Philip master of the city: and he fought against him, and took the city.