ΜΑΚΚΑΒΑΙΩΝ Α´ - 1 Maccabei - Maccabees I 8

GREEK BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 και ηκουσεν ιουδας το ονομα των ρωμαιων οτι εισιν δυνατοι ισχυι και αυτοι ευδοκουσιν εν πασιν τοις προστιθεμενοις αυτοις και οσοι αν προσελθωσιν αυτοις ιστωσιν αυτοις φιλιαν και οτι εισι δυνατοι ισχυι	1 Judas had heard of the reputation of the Romans. They were valiant fighters and acted amiably to all who took their side. They established a friendly alliance with all who applied to them.
2 και διηγησαντο αυτω τους πολεμους αυτων και τας ανδραγαθιας ας ποιουσιν εν τοις γαλαταις και οτι κατεκρατησαν αυτων και ηγαγον αυτους υπο φορον	2 He was also told of their battles and the brave deeds that they had performed against the Gauls, conquering them and forcing them to pay tribute.
3 και οσα εποιησαν εν χωρα σπανιας του κατακρατησαι των μεταλλων του αργυριου και του χρυσιου του εκει	3 They had gotten possession of the silver and gold mines in Spain,
4 και κατεκρατησαν του τοπου παντος τη βουλη αυτων και τη μακροθυμια και ο τοπος ην απεχων μακραν απ' αυτων σφοδρα και των βασιλεων των επελθοντων επ' αυτους απ' ακρου της γης εως συνετριψαν αυτους και επαταξαν εν αυτοις πληγην μεγαλην και οι επιλοιποι διδοασιν αυτοις φορον κατ' ενιαυτον	4 and by planning and persistence had conquered the whole country, although it was very remote from their own. They had crushed the kings who had come against them from the far corners of the earth and had inflicted on them severe defeat, and the rest paid tribute to them every year.
5 και τον φιλιππον και τον περσεα κιτιεων βασιλεα και τους επηρμενους επ' αυτους συνετριψαν αυτους εν πολεμω και κατεκρατησαν αυτων	5 Philip and Perseus, king of the Macedonians, and the others who opposed them in battle had been overwhelmed and subjugated.
6 και αντιοχον τον μεγαν βασιλεα της ασιας τον πορευθεντα επ' αυτους εις πολεμον εχοντα εκατον εικοσι ελεφαντας και ιππον και αρματα και δυναμιν πολλην σφοδρα και συνετριβη υπ' αυτων	6 Antiochus the Great, king of Asia, who had fought against them with a hundred and twenty elephants and with cavalry and chariots and a very great army, had been defeated by them.
7 και ελαβον αυτον ζωντα και εστησαν αυτοις διδοναι αυτον τε και τους βασιλευοντας μετ' αυτον φορον μεγαν και διδοναι ομηρα και διαστολην	7 They had taken him alive and obliged him and the kings who succeeded him to pay a heavy tribute, to give hostages and a section of
8 και χωραν την ινδικην και μηδιαν και λυδιαν απο των καλλιστων χωρων αυτων και λαβοντες αυτας παρ' αυτου εδωκαν αυτας ευμενει τω βασιλει	8 Lycia, Mysia, and Lydia from among their best provinces. The Romans took these from him and gave them to King Eumenes.
9 και οτι οι εκ της ελλαδος εβουλευσαντο ελθειν και εξαραι αυτους	9 When the men of Greece had planned to come and destroy them,
10 και εγνωσθη ο λογος αυτοις και απεστειλαν επ' αυτους στρατηγον ενα και επολεμησαν προς αυτους και επεσον εξ αυτων τραυματιαι πολλοι και ηχμαλωτισαν τας γυναικας αυτων και τα τεκνα αυτων και επρονομευσαν αυτους και κατεκρατησαν της γης και καθειλον τα οχυρωματα αυτων και κατεδουλωσαντο αυτους εως της ημερας ταυτης	10 the Romans discovered it, and sent against the Greeks a single general who made war on them. Many were wounded and fell, and the Romans took their wives and children captive. They plundered them, took possession of their land, tore down their strongholds and reduced them to slavery even to this day.
11 και τας επιλοιπους βασιλειας και τας νησους οσοι ποτε αντεστησαν αυτοις κατεφθειραν και εδουλωσαν αυτους μετα δε των φιλων αυτων και των επαναπαυομενων αυτοις συνετηρησαν φιλιαν	11 All the other kingdoms and islands that had ever opposed them they destroyed and enslaved;
12 και κατεκρατησαν των βασιλεων των εγγυς και των μακραν και οσοι ηκουον το ονομα αυτων εφοβουντο απ' αυτων	12 with their friends, however, and those who relied on them, they maintained friendship. They had conquered kings both far and near, and all who heard of their fame were afraid of them.
13 οις δ' αν βουλωνται βοηθειν και βασιλευειν βασιλευουσιν ους δ' αν βουλωνται μεθιστωσιν και υψωθησαν σφοδρα	13 In truth, those whom they desired to help to a kingdom became kings, and those whom they wished to depose they deposed; and they were greatly exalted.
14 και εν πασιν τουτοις ουκ επεθεντο αυτων ουδε εις διαδημα ουδε περιεβαλοντο πορφυραν ωστε αδρυνθηναι εν αυτη	14 Yet with all this, none of them put on a crown or wore purple as a display of grandeur.
15 και βουλευτηριον εποιησαν εαυτοις και καθ' ημεραν εβουλευοντο τριακοσιοι και εικοσι βουλευομενοι δια παντος περι του πληθους του ευκοσμειν αυτους	15 They had made for themselves a senate house, and every day three hundred and twenty men took counsel, deliberating on all that concerned the people and their well-being.
16 και πιστευουσιν ενι ανθρωπω αρχειν αυτων κατ' ενιαυτον και κυριευειν πασης της γης αυτων και παντες ακουουσιν του ενος και ουκ εστιν φθονος ουδε ζηλος εν αυτοις	16 They entrusted their government to one man every year, to rule over their entire country, and they all obeyed that one, and there was no envy or jealousy among them.
17 και επελεξατο ιουδας τον ευπολεμον υιον ιωαννου του ακκως και ιασονα υιον ελεαζαρου και απεστειλεν αυτους εις ρωμην στησαι φιλιαν και συμμαχιαν	17 So Judas chose Eupolemus, son of John, son of Accos, and Jason, son of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome to establish an alliance of friendship with them.
18 και του αραι τον ζυγον απ' αυτων οτι ειδον την βασιλειαν των ελληνων καταδουλουμενους τον ισραηλ δουλεια	18 He did this to get rid of the yoke, for it was obvious that the kingdom of the Greeks was subjecting Israel to slavery.
19 και επορευθησαν εις ρωμην και η οδος πολλη σφοδρα και εισηλθοσαν εις το βουλευτηριον και απεκριθησαν και ειπον	19 After making a very long journey to Rome, the envoys entered the senate and spoke as follows:
20 ιουδας ο και μακκαβαιος και οι αδελφοι αυτου και το πληθος των ιουδαιων απεστειλαν ημας προς υμας στησαι μεθ' υμων συμμαχιαν και ειρηνην και γραφηναι ημας συμμαχους και φιλους υμων	20 "Judas, called Maccabeus, and his brothers, with the Jewish people, have sent us to you to make a peaceful alliance with you, and to enroll ourselves among your allies and friends."
21 και ηρεσεν ο λογος ενωπιον αυτων	21 The proposal pleased the Romans,
22 και τουτο το αντιγραφον της επιστολης ης αντεγραψαν επι δελτοις χαλκαις και απεστειλαν εις ιερουσαλημ ειναι παρ' αυτοις εκει μνημοσυνον ειρηνης και συμμαχιας	22 and this is a copy of the reply they inscribed on bronze tablets and sent to Jerusalem, to remain there with the Jews as a record of peace and alliance:
23 καλως γενοιτο ρωμαιοις και τω εθνει ιουδαιων εν τη θαλασση και επι της ξηρας εις τον αιωνα και ρομφαια και εχθρος μακρυνθειη απ' αυτων	23 "May it be well with the Romans and the Jewish nation at sea and on land forever; may sword and enemy be far from them.
24 εαν δε ενστη πολεμος ρωμη προτερα η πασιν τοις συμμαχοις αυτων εν παση τη κυριεια αυτων	24 But if war is first made on Rome, or any of its allies in any of their dominions,
25 συμμαχησει το εθνος των ιουδαιων ως αν ο καιρος υπογραφη αυτοις καρδια πληρει	25 the Jewish nation will help them wholeheartedly, as the occasion shall demand;
26 και τοις πολεμουσιν ου δωσουσιν ουδε επαρκεσουσιν σιτον οπλα αργυριον πλοια ως εδοξεν ρωμη και φυλαξονται τα φυλαγματα αυτων ουθεν λαβοντες	26 and to those who wage war they shall not give nor provide grain, arms, money, or ships; this is Rome's decision. They shall fulfill their obligations without receiving any recompense.
27 κατα τα αυτα δε εαν εθνει ιουδαιων συμβη προτεροις πολεμος συμμαχησουσιν οι ρωμαιοι εκ ψυχης ως αν αυτοις ο καιρος υπογραφη	27 In the same way, if war is made first on the Jewish nation, the Romans will help them willingly, as the occasion shall demand,
28 και τοις συμμαχουσιν ου δοθησεται σιτος οπλα αργυριον πλοια ως εδοξεν ρωμη και φυλαξονται τα φυλαγματα ταυτα και ου μετα δολου	28 and to those who are attacking them there shall not be given grain, arms, money, or ships; this is Rome's decision. They shall fulfill their obligations without deception.
29 κατα τους λογους τουτους ουτως εστησαν ρωμαιοι τω δημω των ιουδαιων	29 On these terms the Romans have made an agreement with the Jewish people.
30 εαν δε μετα τους λογους τουτους βουλευσωνται ουτοι και ουτοι προσθειναι η αφελειν ποιησονται εξ αιρεσεως αυτων και ο αν προσθωσιν η αφελωσιν εσται κυρια	30 But if both parties hereafter decide to add or take away anything, they shall do as they choose, and whatever they shall add or take away shall be valid.
31 και περι των κακων ων ο βασιλευς δημητριος συντελειται εις αυτους εγραψαμεν αυτω λεγοντες δια τι εβαρυνας τον ζυγον σου επι τους φιλους ημων τους συμμαχους ιουδαιους	31 "Moreover, concerning the wrongs that King Demetrius has done to them, we have written to him thus: 'Why have you made your yoke heavy upon our friends and allies the Jews?
32 εαν ουν ετι εντυχωσιν κατα σου ποιησομεν αυτοις την κρισιν και πολεμησομεν σε δια της θαλασσης και δια της ξηρας	32 If they complain about you again, we will do them justice and make war on you by land and sea.'"