2 Maccabees 11

NEW JERUSALEM	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 post tempore, Lysias procurator regis et propinquus, ac negotiorum præpositus, graviter ferens de his quæ 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 congregatis octoginta millibus, et equitatu universo, veniebat adversus Judæos, existimans se civitatem quidem captam gentibus 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 pecuniæ quæstum, sicut cetera delubra gentium, habiturum, et per singulos annos venale sacerdotium :
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 nusquam recogitans Dei potestatem, sed mente effrenatus in multitudine peditum, et in millibus equitum, et in octoginta elephantis confidebat.
5 Invading Judaea, he approached Beth-Zur, a fortified position about twenty miles from Jerusalem, andbegan to subject it to strong pressure.	5 Ingressus autem Judæam, et appropians Bethsuræ, quæ erat in angusto loco, ab Jerosolyma intervallo quinque stadiorum, illud præsidium expugnabat.
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 Ut autem Machabæus et qui cum eo erant cognoverunt expugnari præsidia, cum fletu et lacrimis rogabant Dominum, et omnis turba simul, ut bonum angelum mitteret ad salutem Israël.
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 Machabæus, sumptis armis, ceteros adhortatus est simul secum periculum subire, et ferre auxilium fratribus suis.
8 They were stil near Jerusalem when a rider attired in white appeared at their head, brandishinggolden weapons.	8 Cumque pariter prompto animo procederent, Jerosolymis apparuit præcedens eos eques in veste candida, armis aureis hastam 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 Dominum, et convaluerunt animis : non solum homines, sed et bestias ferocissimas, et muros ferreos parati penetrare.
10 They advanced in battle order with the aid of their celestial al y, the Lord having had mercy on them.	10 Ibant igitur prompti, de cælo habentes adjutorem et miserantem super eos Dominum.
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 millia peditum, et equitum mille sexcentos :
12 Of those, the majority got away, wounded and weaponless. Lysias himself escaped only byignominious flight.	12 universos autem in fugam verterunt, plures autem ex eis vulnerati nudi evaserunt. Sed et 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 diminutionem, et intelligens invictos esse Hebræos, omnipotentis Dei auxilio innitentes, misit ad eos :
14 to persuade them to accept reasonable terms al round, and promised to compel the king to becometheir friend.	14 promisitque se consensurum omnibus quæ justa sunt, et regem compulsurum amicum fieri.
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 autem Machabæus precibus Lysiæ, in omnibus utilitati consulens : et quæcumque Machabæus scripsit Lysiæ de Judæis, ea rex concessit.
16 Here is the text of the letter Lysias wrote to the Jews: 'Lysias to the Jewish people, greetings.	16 Nam erant scriptæ Judæis epistolæ a Lysia quidem hunc modum continentes : Lysias populo Judæorum salutem.
17 'John and Absalom, your envoys, have delivered to me the communication transcribed below,requesting me to approve its provisions.	17 Joannes et Abesalom, qui missi fuerant a vobis, tradentes scripta, postulabant ut ea quæ per illos significabantur, implerem.
18 Anything requiring the king's attention I have put before him; whatever was possible, I have granted.	18 Quæcumque igitur regi potuerunt perferri, exposui : et quæ 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 fidem conservaveritis, et deinceps bonorum vobis causa esset, tentabo.
20 As regards the details, I have given orders for your envoys and my own officials to discuss thesewith you.	20 De ceteris autem per singula verbo mandavi et istis, et his, qui a me missi sunt, colloqui vobiscum.
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 Dioscori, die vigesima et quarta.
22 The king's letter ran as follows: 'King Antiochus to his brother Lysias, greetings.	22 Regis autem epistola ista continebat : Rex Antiochus Lysiæ fratri salutem.
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 in regno nostro sine tumultu agere, et rebus suis adhibere diligentiam,
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 audivimus Judæos non consensisse patri meo ut transferrentur ad ritum Græcorum, sed tenere velle suum institutum, ac propterea postulare a nobis concedi sibi 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 Volentes igitur hanc quoque gentem quietam esse, statuentes judicavimus templum restitui illis, ut agerent secundum suorum majorum 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, si miseris ad eos et dexteram dederis : ut cognita nostra voluntate, bono animo sint, et utilitatibus propriis 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 Judæos vero regis epistola talis erat : Rex Antiochus senatui Judæorum, et ceteris Judæis salutem.
28 'If you are well, that is as we would wish; we ourselves are in good health.	28 Si valetis, sic estis ut volumus : sed et ipsi bene valemus.
29 'Menelaus informs us that you wish to return home and attend to your own affairs.	29 Adiit nos Menelaus, dicens velle vos descendere ad vestros, qui sunt apud nos.
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 trigesimum mensis Xanthici, damus dextras securitatis,
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 Judæi utantur cibis et legibus suis, sicut et prius : et nemo eorum ullo modo molestiam patiatur de his quæ per ignorantiam gesta 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. Anno centesimo quadragesimo octavo, Xanthici mensis quintadecima 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 epistolam, ita se habentem : Quintus Memmius et Titus Manilius legati Romanorum, populo Judæorum salutem.
35 'Whatever Lysias, the king's Cousin, has granted you we also approve.	35 De his quæ Lysias cognatus regis concessit vobis, et nos concessimus.
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 regem judicavit referendum, confestim aliquem mittere, diligentius inter vos conferentes, ut decernamus, 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 Ideoque festinate rescribere, ut nos quoque sciamus cujus estis voluntatis.
38 Farewel . 'The fifteenth day of Dioscorus in the year one hundred and forty-eight.'	38 Bene valete. Anno centesimo quadragesimo octavo, quintadecima die mensis Xanthici.