2 Maccabees 11

NEW JERUSALEM	NOVA VULGATA
1 Almost immediately afterwards, Lysias, the king's tutor and cousin, chief minister of the realm, muchdisturbed at the turn of events,	1 Sed parvo prorsus post tem pore, Lysias procurator regis et propinquusac negotiorum praepositus graviter ferens de his, quae acciderant,
2 mustered about eighty thousand foot soldiers and his entire cavalry and advanced against the Jews,intending to make the city a place for Greeks to live in,	2 congregatisoctoginta milibus et equitatu universo, veniebat adversus Iudaeos existimans secivitatem quidem Graecis habitaculum facturum;
3 to levy a tax on the Temple as on other national shrines, and to put the office of high priest up for saleevery year;	3 templum vero in pecuniaequaestum sicut cetera delubra gentium habiturum, et per singulos annos venalesacerdotium facturum,
4 he took no account at al of the power of God, being sublimely confident in his tens of thousands ofinfantrymen, his thousands of cavalry, and his eighty elephants.	4 nequaquam recogitans Dei potestatem, sed elatusmultitudine peditum et milibus equitum et octoginta elephantis.
5 Invading Judaea, he approached Beth-Zur, a fortified position about twenty miles from Jerusalem, andbegan to subject it to strong pressure.	5 Ingressusautem Iudaeam et appropians Bethsuris, munito quidem praesidio, distanti autemab Hierosolymis intervallo quinque stadiorum, illud obsidione premebat.
6 When Maccabaeus and his men learned that Lysias was besieging the fortresses, they and thepopulace with them begged the Lord with lamentation and tears to send a good angel to save Israel.	6 Utautem, qui cum Maccabaeo erant, cognoverunt eum expugnare praesidia, cumfletibus et lacrimis rogabant Dominum, et omnis turba simul, ut bonum angelummitteret ad salutem Israel.
7 Maccabaeus himself was the first to take up his weapons, and he urged the rest to risk their lives withhim in support of their brothers; so they sal ied out resolutely, as one man.	7 Et ipse primus Maccabaeus, sumptis armis, ceterosadhortatus est simul secum periculum subire et ferre auxilium fratribus suis;simul autem et prompto animo impetum fecerunt.
8 They were stil near Jerusalem when a rider attired in white appeared at their head, brandishinggolden weapons.	8 Ilico vero, cum propeHierosolymam essent, apparuit praecedens eos eques in veste candida armaturamauream vibrans.
9 With one accord they al blessed the God of mercy, and found themselves filled with such couragethat they were ready to lay low not men only but the fiercest beasts and wal s of iron.	9 Tunc omnes simul benedixerunt misericordem Deum etconvaluerunt animis non solum homines, sed et bestias ferocissimas et murosferreos parati penetrare.
10 They advanced in battle order with the aid of their celestial al y, the Lord having had mercy on them.	10 Praeibant in apparatu de caelo habentes adiutorem,miserante super eos Domino.
11 Charging like lions on the enemy, they laid low eleven thousand of the infantry and sixteen hundredhorsemen, and routed al the rest.	11 Leonum autem more impetu irruentes in hostes,prostraverunt ex eis undecim milia peditum et equitum mille sescentos, universosautem in fugam verterunt.
12 Of those, the majority got away, wounded and weaponless. Lysias himself escaped only byignominious flight.	12 Plures autem ex eis vulnerati, nudi evaserunt; sedet ipse Lysias turpiter fugiens evasit.
13 Now Lysias was not lacking in intel igence and, as he reflected on the reverse he had just suffered,he realised that the Hebrews were invincible because the mighty God fought for them. He therefore sent them adelegation	13 Et, quia non insensatus erat, secum ipse reputans factam erga se deminutionemet intellegens invictos esse Hebraeos, potente Deo auxiliante, misit ad eos
14 to persuade them to accept reasonable terms al round, and promised to compel the king to becometheir friend.	14 suasitque eis se consensurum omnibus, quae iusta sunt, et regem quoquepersuasurum, ut necessarium crederet se amicum eis esse.
15 Maccabaeus, thinking only of the common good, agreed to all that Lysias proposed, and whateverMaccabaeus submitted to Lysias in writing concerning the Jews was granted by the king.	15 Annuit autemMaccabaeus in omnibus, quae Lysias rogabat, utilitati consulens; quaecumque enimMaccabaeus scriptis tradidit Lysiae de Iudaeis, rex concessit.
16 Here is the text of the letter Lysias wrote to the Jews: 'Lysias to the Jewish people, greetings.	16 Nam erant scriptae Iudaeis epistulae a Lysia quidem hunc modum continentes:“ Lysias populo Iudaeorum salutem.
17 'John and Absalom, your envoys, have delivered to me the communication transcribed below,requesting me to approve its provisions.	17 Ioannes et Abessalom, qui missi fueranta vobis tradentes responsum rescriptum, postulabant circum ea, quae per illudsignificabantur.
18 Anything requiring the king's attention I have put before him; whatever was possible, I have granted.	18 Quaecumque igitur oportebat etiam regi perferri, exposui;et, quae res permittebat, concessit.
19 Provided you maintain your goodwil towards the interests of the State, I shal do my best in thefuture to promote your well-being.	19 Si igitur in negotiis benevolentiamconservaveritis, et deinceps bonorum vobis causa esse tentabo.
20 As regards the details, I have given orders for your envoys and my own officials to discuss thesewith you.	20 De ceterisautem per singula mandavi et istis et his, qui a me missi sunt, colloquivobiscum.
21 May you prosper. 'The twenty-fourth day of Dioscorus, in the year one hundred and forty-eight.'	21 Bene valete. Anno centesimo quadragesimo octavo, mensis IovisCorinthii die vicesima et quarta ”.
22 The king's letter ran as follows: 'King Antiochus to his brother Lysias, greetings.	22 Regis autem epistula ista continebat: “ Rex Antiochus Lysiae fratrisalutem.
23 'Now that our father has taken his place among the gods, our wil is that the subjects of the realm beleft undisturbed to attend to their own affairs.	23 Patre nostro inter deos translato, nos volentes eos, qui sunt inregno nostro, sine tumultu attendere ad rerum suarum curam,
24 We understand that the Jews do not approve our father's policy, the adoption of Greek customs, butprefer their own way of life and ask to be allowed to observe their own laws.	24 audientes Iudaeosnon consensisse patri, ut transferrentur ad Graecas institutiones, sed suoipsorum instituto adhaerentes postulare sibi concedi legitima sua;
25 Accordingly, since we intend this people to be free from vexation like any other, our ruling is that theTemple be restored to them and that they conduct their affairs according to the customs of their ancestors.	25 cupientesigitur hanc quoque gentem extra tumultum esse, iudicamus templum illis restituiremque agi secundum suorum maiorum consuetudinem.
26 'It wil therefore be your concern to send them a mission of friendship, so that on learning our policythey may have confidence and happily go about their business.'	26 Bene igitur feceris, simiseris ad eos et dexteram dederis ut, cognita nostra voluntate, bono animo sintet libenter propriarum rerum instaurationi deserviant ”.
27 The king's letter to the Jewish nation was in these terms: 'King Antiochus to the Jewish Senate andthe rest of the Jews, greetings.	27 Ad gentem vero regis epistula talis erat: “ Rex Antiochus senatui Iudaeorumet ceteris Iudaeis salutem.
28 'If you are well, that is as we would wish; we ourselves are in good health.	28 Si valetis, sic est, ut volumus; sed et ipsi benevalemus.
29 'Menelaus informs us that you wish to return home and attend to your own affairs.	29 Manifestavit nobis Menelaus velle vos redire et in negotiis propriisversari.
30 Accordingly, al those who return before the thirtieth day of Xanthicus may rest assured that theyhave nothing to fear.	30 His igitur, qui commeant usque ad diem tricesimum mensis Xanthici,erit dextera cum securitate,
31 The Jews may make use of their own kind of food and their own laws as formerly, and none of themis to be molested in any way for any unwitting offences.	31 ut Iudaei utantur cibis et legibus suis sicut etprius, et nemo eorum ullo modo molestiam patietur de his, quae per ignorantiamgesta sunt.
32 I am in fact sending Menelaus to set your minds at rest.	32 Misimus autem et Menelaum, qui vos alloquatur.
33 Farewel . 'The fifteenth day of Xanthicus in the year one hundred and forty-eight.'	33 Valete. Annocentesimo quadragesimo octavo, Xanthici mensis quinta decima die ”.
34 The Romans also sent the Jews a letter, which read as follows: 'Quintus Memmius, Titus Manilius,Manius Sergius, legates of the Romans, to the people of the Jews, greetings.	34 Miserunt autem etiam Romani epistulam ita se habentem: “ Quintus Memmius,Titus Manius, legati Romanorum populo Iudaeorum salutem.
35 'Whatever Lysias, the king's Cousin, has granted you we also approve.	35 De his, quae Lysiascognatus regis concessit vobis, et nos consentimus.
36 As for the matters he decided to refer to the king, consider them careful y and send someone withoutdelay, if we are to interpret them to your advantage, because we are leaving for Antioch.	36 De quibus autem ad regemiudicavit referendum, confestim aliquem mittite inter vos conferentes de his, utproponamus, sicut congruit vobis; nos enim Antiochiam accedimus.
37 Lose no time, therefore, in sending us those who can tel us what your intentions are.	37 Ideoquefestinate et mittite aliquos, ut nos quoque sciamus cuius estis voluntatis.
38 Farewel . 'The fifteenth day of Dioscorus in the year one hundred and forty-eight.'	38 Bene valete. Anno centesimo quadragesimo octavo, quinta decima die mensisXanthici ”.