Scrutatio

Lunedi, 29 aprile 2024 - Santa Caterina da Siena ( Letture di oggi)

1 Maccabees 8


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NEW JERUSALEMVULGATA
1 Now Judas had heard of the reputation of the Romans: how strong they were, and how wel disposedtowards any who made common cause with them, making a treaty of friendship with anyone who approachedthem.1 Et audivit Judas nomen Romanorum, quia sunt potentes viribus, et acquiescunt ad omnia quæ postulantur ab eis, et quicumque accesserunt ad eos, statuerunt cum eis amicitias : et quia sunt potentes viribus.
2 (And, indeed, they were extremely powerful.) He had been told of their wars and of their prowessamong the Gauls, whom they had conquered and put under tribute;2 Et audierunt prælia eorum, et virtutes bonas, quas fecerunt in Galatia, quia obtinuerunt eos, et duxerunt sub tributum :
3 and of al they had done in the province of Spain to gain possession of the silver and gold mines there,3 et quanta fecerunt in regione Hispaniæ, et quod in potestatem redegerunt metalla argenti et auri, quæ illic sunt, et possederunt omnem locum consilio suo, et patientia :
4 making themselves masters of the whole country by their determination and perseverance, despite itsgreat distance from their own; of the kings who came from the ends of the earth to attack them, only to becrushed by them and overwhelmed with disaster, and of others who paid them annual tribute;4 locaque quæ longe erant valde ab eis, et reges, qui supervenerant eis ab extremis terræ, contriverunt, et percusserunt eos plaga magna : ceteri autem dant eis tributum omnibus annis.
5 Philip, Perseus king of the Kittim, and others who had dared to make war on them, had been defeatedand reduced to subjection,5 Et Philippum et Persen Ceteorum regem, et ceteros qui adversum eos arma tulerant, contriverunt in bello, et obtinuerunt eos :
6 while Antiochus the Great, king of Asia, who had advanced to attack them with a hundred and twentyelephants, cavalry, chariots and a very large army, had also suffered defeat at their hands;6 et Antiochum magnum regem Asiæ, qui eis pugnam intulerat habens centum viginti elephantos, et equitatum, et currus, et exercitum magnum valde, contritum ab eis :
7 they had taken him alive and imposed on him and his successors, on agreed terms, the payment of anenormous tribute, the surrender of hostages, and the cession7 et quia ceperunt eum vivum, et statuerunt ei ut daret ipse, et qui regnarent post ipsum, tributum magnum, et daret obsides, et constitutum,
8 of the Indian territory, with Media, Lydia, and some of their best provinces, which they took from himand gave to King Eumenes.8 et regionem Indorum, et Medos, et Lydos, de optimis regionibus eorum : et acceptas eas ab eis, dederunt Eumeni regi,
9 Judas had also heard how, when the Greeks planned an expedition to destroy the Romans,9 et quia qui erant apud Helladam, voluerunt ire, et tollere eos : et innotuit sermo his,
10 the latter had got wind of it and, sending a single general against them, had fought a campaign inwhich they inflicted heavy casualties, carried their women and children away into captivity, pillaged their goods,subdued their country, tore down their fortresses and reduced them to a slavery lasting to the present day;10 et miserunt ad eos ducem unum, et pugnaverunt contra illos, et ceciderunt ex eis multi, et captivas duxerunt uxores eorum et filios, et diripuerunt eos, et terram eorum possederunt, et destruxerunt muros eorum, et in servitutem illos redegerunt usque in hunc diem :
11 and how they had destroyed and subjugated al the other kingdoms and islands that resisted them.11 et residua regna, et insulas, quæ aliquando restiterant illis, exterminaverunt, et in potestatem redegerunt.
12 But where their friends and those who relied on them were concerned, they had always stood by theirfriendship. They had subdued kings far and near, and al who heard their name went in terror of them.12 Cum amicis autem suis, et qui in ipsis requiem habebant, conservaverunt amicitiam, et obtinuerunt regna, quæ erant proxima, et quæ erant longe : quia quicumque audiebant nomen eorum, timebant eos :
13 One man, if they determined to help him and advance him to a throne, would certainly occupy it, whileanother, if they so determined, would find himself deposed; their influence was paramount.13 quibus vero vellent auxilio esse ut regnarent, regnabant : quos autem vellent, regno deturbabant : et exaltati sunt valde.
14 In spite of al this, no single one of them had assumed a crown or put on the purple for his ownaggrandisement.14 Et in omnibus istis nemo portabat diadema, nec induebatur purpura, ut magnificaretur in ea.
15 They had set up a senate, where three hundred and twenty councillors deliberated daily, constantlydebating how best to regulate public affairs.15 Et quia curiam fecerunt sibi, et quotidie consulebant trecentos viginti consilium agentes semper de multitudine, ut quæ digna sunt, gerant :
16 They entrusted their government to one man for a year at a time, with absolute power over their wholeempire, and this man was obeyed by al without envy or jealousy.16 et committunt uni homini magistratum suum per singulos annos dominari universæ terræ suæ, et omnes obediunt uni, et non est invidia, neque zelus inter eos.
17 Having chosen Eupolemus son of John, of the family of Accos, and Jason son of Eleazar, Judas sentthem to Rome to make a treaty of friendship and al iance with these people,17 Et elegit Judas Eupolemum filium Joannis filii Jacob, et Jasonem filium Eleazari, et misit eos Romam constituere cum illis amicitiam et societatem :
18 in the hope of being rid of the yoke, for they could see that Greek rule was reducing Israel to slavery.18 et ut auferrent ab eis jugum Græcorum, quia viderunt quod in servitutem premerent regnum Israël.
19 The envoys made the lengthy journey to Rome and presented themselves before the Senate withtheir formal proposal:19 Et abierunt Romam viam multam valde, et introierunt curiam, et dixerunt :
20 'Judas Maccabaeus and his brothers, with the Jewish people, have sent us to you to conclude a treatyof al iance and peace with you, and to enrol ourselves as your al ies and friends.'20 Judas Machabæus, et fratres ejus, et populus Judæorum, miserunt nos ad vos statuere vobiscum societatem et pacem, et conscribere nos socios et amicos vestros.
21 The proposal met with the approval of the senators.21 Et placuit sermo in conspectu eorum.
22 Here is a copy of the rescript which they engraved on bronze tablets and sent to Jerusalem to be keptthere by the Jews as a record of peace and al iance:22 Et hoc rescriptum est quod rescripserunt in tabulis æreis, et miserunt in Jerusalem, ut esset apud eos ibi memoriale pacis et societatis :
23 'Good fortune attend the Romans and the Jewish nation by sea and land for ever; may sword orenemy be far from them!23 Bene sit Romanis, et genti Judæorum, in mari et in terra in æternum : gladiusque et hostis procul sit ab eis.
24 'If war comes first to Rome or any of her al ies throughout her dominions,24 Quod si institerit bellum Romanis prius, aut omnibus sociis eorum in omni dominatione eorum,
25 the Jewish nation wil take action as her al y, as occasion may require, and do it wholeheartedly.25 auxilium feret gens Judæorum, prout tempus dictaverit, corde pleno :
26 They wil not give or supply to the enemy any grain, arms, money or ships: thus has Rome decided,and they are to honour their obligations without guarantees.26 et præliantibus non dabunt, neque subministrabunt triticum, arma, pecuniam, naves, sicut placuit Romanis : et custodient mandata eorum, nihil ab eis accipientes.
27 In the same way, if war comes first to the Jewish nation, the Romans wil support them energetical yas occasion may offer,27 Similiter autem et si genti Judæorum prius acciderit bellum, adjuvabunt Romani ex animo, prout eis tempus permiserit :
28 and the aggressor wil not be furnished with grain, arms, money or ships: such is the Roman decision,and they wil honour these obligations without treachery.28 et adjuvantibus non dabitur triticum, arma, pecunia, naves, sicut placuit Romanis : et custodient mandata eorum absque dolo :
29 Such are the articles under which the Romans have concluded their treaty with the Jewish people.29 secundum hæc verba constituerunt Romani populo Judæorum.
30 If, later, either party should decide to make any addition or deletion, they wil be free to do so, and anysuch addition or deletion wil be binding.30 Quod si post hæc verba hi aut illi addere aut demere ad hæc aliquid voluerint, facient ex proposito suo : et quæcumque addiderint, vel dempserint, rata erunt.
31 'As regards the wrongs done to them by King Demetrius, we have written to him in these terms: Whyhave you made your yoke lie heavy on our friends and al ies the Jews?31 Sed et de malis, quæ Demetrius rex fecit in eos, scripsimus ei, dicentes : Quare gravasti jugum tuum super amicos nostros, et socios Judæos ?
32 If they appeal against you again, we shal uphold their rights and make war on you by sea and land.'32 si ergo iterum adierint nos, adversum te faciemus illis judicium, et pugnabimus tecum mari terraque.