Primo libro dei Maccabei 6

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Et rex Antiochus perambulabat superiores regiones et audivit esseElymaida in Perside civitatem gloriosam divitiis argento et auro	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,
2 templumque inea locuples valde et illic velamina aurea et loricae et scuta, quae reliquit ibiAlexander Philippi rex Macedo, qui regnavit primus in Graecia.	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.
3 Et venit etquaerebat capere civitatem et depraedari eam et non potuit, quoniam innotuitsermo his, qui erant in civitate.	3 He therefore went and attempted to take the city and pil age it, but without success, the citizens havingbeen forewarned.
4 Et restiterunt ei in proelium. Et fugit indeet abiit cum tristitia magna, ut reverteretur in Babyloniam.	4 They resisted him by force of arms. He was routed, and began retreating, very gloomily, towardsBabylon.
5 Et venit, quinuntiaret ei in Perside quia fugata sunt castra, quae iverant in terram Iudae,	5 But, while he was stil in Persia, news reached him that the armies which had invaded Judaea hadbeen routed,
6 et quia abiit Lysias cum virtute forti in primis et fugatus est a facie eorum,et invaluerunt armis et viribus et spoliis multis, quae ceperunt de castris quaeexciderunt,	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,
7 et quia diruerunt abominationem, quam aedificaverat super altare,quod erat in Ierusalem, et sanctificationem sicut prius circumdederunt murisexcelsis et Bethsuram civitatem eius.	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.
8 Et factum est, ut audivit rex sermonesistos, expavit et commotus est valde et decidit in lectum et incidit inlanguorem prae tristitia, quia non factum est ei, sicut cogitabat.	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.
9 Et eratillic per dies multos, quia renovata est in eo tristitia magna, et arbitratusest se mori.	9 And there he remained for many days, subject to deep and recurrent fits of melancholy, until herealised that he was dying.
10 Et vocavit omnes amicos suos et dixit illis: “ Recessit somnusab oculis meis, et concidi corde prae sollicitudine	10 Then, summoning al his Friends, he said to them, 'Sleep evades my eyes, and my heart is cowed byanxiety.
11 et dixi in corde meo:Quousque tribulationis deveni et tempestatis magnae, in qua nunc sum? Quiaiucundus eram et dilectus in potestate mea!	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.
12 Nunc vero reminiscor malorum,quae feci in Ierusalem, unde et abstuli omnia vasa aurea et argentea, quae erantin ea, et misi auferre habitantes Iudam sine causa.	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 .
13 Cognovi quia proptereainvenerunt me mala ista; et ecce pereo tristitia magna in terra aliena ”.	13 This, I am convinced, is why these misfortunes have overtaken me, and why I am dying of melancholyin a foreign land.'
14 Et vocavit Philippum, unum de amicis suis, et praeposuit eum super universumregnum suum;	14 He summoned Philip, one of his Friends, and made him regent of the whole kingdom.
15 et dedit ei diadema et stolam suam et anulum, ut adduceretAntiochum filium suum et nutriret eum, ut regnaret.	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.
16 Et mortuus est illicAntiochus rex anno centesimo quadragesimo nono.	16 King Antiochus then died, in the year 149.
17 Et cognovit Lysias quoniammortuus est rex, et constituit regnare Antiochum filium eius pro eo, quemnutrivit adulescentiorem; et vocavit nomen eius Eupatorem.	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.
18 Et hi, qui erant in arce, concluserant Israel in circuitu sanctorum etquaerebant eis mala semper et firmamentum gentium.	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.
19 Et cogitavit Iudasdisperdere eos et convocavit universum populum, ut obsiderent eos.	19 Judas decided that they must be destroyed, and he mobilised the whole people to besiege them.
20 Etconvenerunt simul et obsederunt eos anno centesimo quinquagesimo et feceruntballistas et machinas.	20 They assembled and laid siege to the Citadel in the year 150, building batteries and siege-engines.
21 Et exierunt quidam ex eis, qui obsidebantur, etadiunxerunt se illis aliqui impii ex Israel	21 But some of the besieged broke through the blockade, and to these a number of renegades fromIsrael attached themselves.
22 et abierunt ad regem et dixerunt:“ Quousque non facis iudicium et vindicabis fratres nostros?	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?
23 Nos decrevimusservire patri tuo et ambulare in praeceptis eius et obsequi edictis eius;	23 We were content to serve your father, to comply with his orders, and to obey his edicts.
24 etfilii populi nostri propter hoc obsederunt arcem et alienabant se a nobis, et,quicumque inveniebantur ex nobis, interficiebantur, et hereditates nostraediripiebantur.	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.
25 Et non ad nos tantum extenderunt manum sed et in omnes finessuos;	25 Nor is it on us alone that their blows have fal en, but on al your territories.
26 et ecce applicuerunt hodie ad arcem in Ierusalem occupare eam et sanctaet Bethsuram munierunt.	26 At this moment, they are laying siege to the Citadel of Jerusalem, to capture it, and they have fortifiedthe sanctuary and Beth-Zur.
27 Et, nisi praeveneris eos velocius, maiora quam haecfacient, et non poteris continere eos ”.	27 Unless you forestall them at once, they wil go on to even bigger things, and then you wil never beable to control them.'
28 Et iratus est rex, ut audivit, et convocavit omnes amicos suos et principesexercitus sui et eos, qui super vehicula erant;	28 The king was furious when he heard this and summoned al his Friends, the generals of his forcesand the marshals of horse.
29 sed et de regnis aliis et deinsulis maritimis venerunt ad eum exercitus conducticii.	29 He recruited mercenaries from other kingdoms and the Mediterranean islands.
30 Et erat numerusexercitus eius centum milia peditum et viginti milia equitum, et elephantitriginta duo docti ad proelium.	30 His forces numbered a hundred thousand foot soldiers, twenty thousand cavalry and thirty-twoelephants with experience of battle conditions.
31 Et venerunt per Idumaeam et applicuerunt adBethsuram. Et pugnaverunt dies multos et fecerunt machinas et exierunt etsuccenderunt eas igne et pugnaverunt viriliter.	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.
32 Et recessit Iudas ab arce etmovit castra ad Bethzacharam contra castra regis.	32 At this, Judas left the Citadel and pitched camp at Beth-Zechariah opposite the royal encampment.
33 Et surrexit rex ante lucemet excitavit exercitum in impetu suo contra viam Bethzacharam, et comparaveruntse exercitus in proelium et tubis cecinerunt	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.
34 et elephantis ostenderuntsanguinem uvae et mori ad acuendos eos in proelium.	34 The elephants were given a syrup of grapes and mulberries to prepare them for the battle.
35 Et diviserunt bestias perlegiones, et astiterunt singulis elephantis mille viri in loricis concatenatis,et galeae aereae in capitibus eorum, et quingenti equites ordinati unicuiquebestiae electi.	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.
36 Hi ante tempus, ubicumque erat bestia, ibi erant et,quocumque ibat, ibant; non discedebant ab ea.	36 The horsemen anticipated every move their elephant made; wherever it went they went with it, neverquitting it.
37 Et turres ligneae super eosfirmae, protectae super singulas bestias, praecinctae super eas machinis, etsuper singulas viri virtutis quattuor, qui pugnabant desuper, et Indus eius.	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.
38 Et residuos equites hinc et inde statuit in duas partes exercitus excitaturos etprotecturos in legionibus.	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.
39 Et, ut refulsit sol in clipeos aureos et aereos,resplenduerunt montes ab eis et resplenduerunt sicut lampades ignis.	39 When the sun glinted on the bronze and golden shields, the mountains caught the glint and gleamedlike fiery torches.
40 Etdistincta est pars exercitus regis super montes excelsos, et quidam per locahumilia; et ibant caute et ordinate.	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.
41 Et commovebantur omnes audientes vocemmultitudinis et incessum turbae et collisionem armorum; erat enim exercitusmagnus valde et fortis.	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.
42 Et appropiavit Iudas et exercitus eius in proelium,et ceciderunt de exercitu regis sescenti viri.	42 Judas and his army advanced to give battle, and six hundred of the king's army were killed.
43 Et vidit Eleazar Abaran unam de bestiis loricatam loricis regis, et erateminens super ceteras bestias, et visum est ei quod in ea esset rex;	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,
44 et deditse, ut liberaret populum suum et acquireret sibi nomen aeternum.	44 sacrificed himself to save his people and win an imperishable name.
45 Et cucurritad eam audacter, in medio legionis interficiens a dextris et a sinistris, etfindebantur ab eo huc atque illuc;	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,
46 et ivit sub elephantum et supposuit se eiet occidit eum; et cecidit in terram super ipsum, et mortuus est illic.	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.
47 Et videntes virtutem regni et impetum exercituum diverterunt se ab eis.	47 The Jews however realising how strong the king was and how ferocious his army, retreated ahead ofthem.
48 Qui autem erant de castris regis, ascenderunt obviam illis in Ierusalem, etapplicuit rex ad Iudaeam et montem Sion.	48 The royal army moved up to encounter them outside Jerusalem, and the king began to blockadeJudaea and Mount Zion.
49 Et fecit pacem cum his, qui erant inBethsura; et exierunt de civitate, quia non erant eis ibi alimenta, eo quodconclusi essent in ea, quia sabbatum erat terrae.	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.
50 Et comprehendit rexBethsuram et constituit illic custodiam servare eam.	50 Having occupied Beth-Zur, the king stationed a garrison there to hold it.
51 Et applicuit castra adlocum sanctificationis dies multos; et statuit illic ballistas et machinas etignis iacula et tormenta ad lapides iactandos et scorpios ad mittendas sagittaset fundibula.	51 He besieged the sanctuary for a long time, erecting batteries and siege-engines, flame-throwers andballistas, scorpions to discharge arrows, and catapults.
52 Fecerunt autem et ipsi machinas adversus machinas eorum etpugnaverunt dies multos;	52 The defenders countered these by constructing their own engines and were thus able to prolong theirresistance.
53 escae autem non erant in horreis, eo quod septimusannus esset, et, qui evaserant in Iudaeam de gentibus, consumpserant reliquiasrepositionis.	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.
54 Et remanserunt in sanctis viri pauci, quoniam obtinuerat eosfames, et dispersi sunt unusquisque in locum suum.	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.
55 Et audivit Lysias quod Philippus, quem constituerat rex Antiochus, cum adhucviveret, ut nutriret Antiochum filium suum ut regnaret,	55 Meanwhile Philip, whom King Antiochus before his death had appointed to train his son Antiochus forthe throne,
56 reversus esset aPerside et Media, et exercitus, qui abierat cum ipso, et quia quaerebatsuscipere regni negotia.	56 had returned from Persia and Media with the forces that had accompanied the king, and was planningto seize control of affairs.
57 Festinavit et significavit ire dixitque ad regem etduces exercitus et viros: “ Deficimus cotidie, et esca nobis modica est, etlocus, quem obsidemus, est munitus, et incumbunt nobis negotia regni.	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.
58 Nuncitaque demus dextras hominibus istis et faciamus cum illis pacem et cum omnigente eorum	58 Let us offer the hand of friendship to these men and make peace with them and with their wholenation.
59 et constituamus illis, ut ambulent in legitimis suis sicut prius;propter legitima enim ipsorum, quae dispersimus, irati sunt et fecerunt omniahaec ”.	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.'
60 Et placuit sermo in conspectu regis et principum, et misit ad eospacem facere, et receperunt illam.	60 The king and his commanders approved this argument, and he offered the Jews peace terms, whichthey accepted.
61 Et iuravit illis rex et principes. Hiscondicionibus exierunt de munitione.	61 The king and the generals ratified the treaty by oath, and the besieged accordingly left the fortress.
62 Et intravit rex in montem Sion et viditmunitionem loci et rupit iuramentum, quod iuravit, et mandavit destruere murumin gyro.	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.
63 Et discessit festinanter et reversus est Antiochiam; et invenitPhilippum dominantem civitati et pugnavit adversus eum et occupavit civitatemper vim.	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.