Primo libro dei Maccabei 9

NOVA VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Et audivit Demetrius quia ce cidit Nicanor et exercitus eius in proelioet apposuit Bacchidem et Alcimum rursum mittere in terram Iudaeae et dextrumcornu cum illis.	1 Demetrius, hearing that Nicanor and his army had fal en in battle, sent Bacchides and Alcimus asecond time into Judaea, and with them the right wing of his army.
2 Et abierunt viam, quae ducit in Galgala, et castra posueruntin Masaloth, quae est in Arbelis, et occupaverunt eam et peremerunt animashominum multas.	2 They took the road to Galilee and besieged Mesaloth in Arbela, and captured it, putting many people todeath.
3 Et mense primo anni centesimi et quinquagesimi secundiapplicuerunt ad Ierusalem;	3 In the first month of the year 152, they encamped outside Jerusalem;
4 et surrexerunt et abierunt in Bereth in vigintimilibus virorum et duobus milibus equitum.	4 they then moved on, making their way to Beer-Zaith with twenty thousand foot and two thousand horse.
5 Et Iudas posuerat castra in Elasa,et tria milia viri electi cum eo;	5 Judas lay in camp at Elasa, with three thousand picked men.
6 et viderunt multitudinem exercitus quiamulti sunt et timuerunt valde; et multi subtraxerunt se de castris, et nonremanserunt ex eis nisi octingenti viri.	6 When they saw the huge size of the enemy forces they were terrified, and many slipped out of thecamp, until no more than eight hundred of the force were left.
7 Et vidit Iudas quod defluxitexercitus suus, et bellum perurgebat eum; et confractus est corde, quia nonhabebat tempus congregandi eos,	7 With battle now inevitable, Judas realised that his army had melted away; he was aghast, for he had notime to ral y them.
8 et dissolutus est. Et dixit his, qui residuierant: “ Surgamus et ascendamus ad adversarios nostros, si poterimus pugnareadversus eos ”.	8 Yet, dismayed as he was, he said to those who were left, 'Up! Let us face the enemy; we may yet have the strength to fight them.'
9 Et avertebant eum dicentes: “ Non poterimus, sed liberemusanimas nostras modo et revertamur nos et fratres nostri et pugnabimus adversuseos; nos autem pauci sumus ”.	9 His men tried to dissuade him, declaring, 'We have no strength for anything but to escape with our livesthis time; then we can come back with our brothers to fight them; by ourselves we are too few.'
10 Et ait Iudas: “ Absit istam rem facere, utfugiamus ab eis; et si appropiavit tempus nostrum, et moriamur in virtutepropter fratres nostros et non inferamus crimen gloriae nostrae ”.	10 Judas retorted, 'That I should do such a thing as run away from them! If our time has come, at leastlet us die like men for our countrymen, and leave nothing to tarnish our reputation.'
11 Et movitexercitus de castris, et steterunt illis obviam; et divisi sunt equites in duaspartes, et fundibularii et sagittarii praeibant exercitum, et primi certaminisomnes potentes.	11 The army marched out of camp and drew up, facing the enemy. The cavalry was drawn up in twosquadrons; the slingers and archers marched in the van of the army, and al the best fighters were put in thefront rank;
12 Bacchides autem erat in dextro cornu; et proximavit legio exduabus partibus, et clamabant tubis; et clamaverunt hi, qui erant ex parteIudae, etiam ipsi in tubis;	12 Bacchides was on the right wing. The phalanx advanced from between the two squadrons, soundingthe trumpets; the men on Judas' side also blew their trumpets,
13 et commota est terra a voce exercituum; etcommissum est proelium a mane usque ad vesperam.	13 and the earth shook with the noise of the armies. The engagement lasted from morning until evening.
14 Et vidit Iudas quod Bacchides et firmior pars exercitus erat in dextris, etconvenerunt cum ipso omnes constantes corde;	14 Judas saw that Bacchides and the main strength of his army lay on the right; al the stout-heartedral ied to him,
15 et contrita est dextera pars abeis, et persecutus est eos usque ad montem Azoti.	15 and they crushed the right wing, pursuing them as far as the Azara Hil s.
16 Et, qui in sinistro cornuerant, viderunt quod contritum est dextrum cornu, et secuti sunt post Iudam eteos, qui cum ipso erant, a tergo.	16 But when the Syrians on the left wing saw that the right had been broken, they turned and followedhot on the heels of Judas and his men to take them in the rear.
17 Et ingravatum est proelium, et cecideruntvulnerati multi ex his et ex illis;	17 The fight became desperate, and there were many casualties on both sides.
18 et Iudas cecidit, et ceteri fugerunt.	18 Judas himself fel , and the remnant fled.
19 Et Ionathas et Simon tulerunt Iudam fratrem suum et sepelierunt eum in sepulcropatrum suorum in Modin.	19 Jonathan and Simon took up their brother Judas and buried him in his ancestral tomb at Modein.
20 Et fleverunt eum et planxerunt omnis populus Israelplanctu magno et lugebant dies multos	20 Al Israel wept and mourned him deeply and for many days they repeated this dirge.
21 et dixerunt: “ Quomodo ceciditpotens, qui salvum faciebat populum Israel! ”.	21 'What a downfall for the strong man, the man who kept Israel safe!'
22 Et cetera verborum Iudae et bellorum et virtutum, quas fecit, et magnitudiniseius non sunt descripta; multa enim erant valde.	22 The other deeds of Judas, the battles he fought, the exploits he performed, and all his titles togreatness have not been recorded; but they were very many.
23 Et factum est, post obitum Iudae emerserunt iniqui in omnibus finibus Israel,et exorti sunt omnes, qui operabantur iniquitatem.	23 After the death of Judas, the renegades came out of hiding throughout Israel and al the evil-doersreappeared.
24 In diebus illis facta estfames magna valde, et tradidit se regio cum ipsis.	24 At that time there was a severe famine, and the country went over to their side.
25 Et elegit Bacchides virosimpios et constituit eos dominos regionis;	25 Bacchides deliberately chose the enemies of religion to administer the country.
26 et exquirebant et perscrutabanturamicos Iudae et adducebant eos ad Bacchidem, et vindicabat in illos etilludebat.	26 These traced and searched out the friends of Judas and brought them before Bacchides, who il -treated and mocked them.
27 Et facta est tribulatio magna in Israel, qualis non fuit ex die,qua non est visus propheta illis.	27 A terrible oppression began in Israel; there had been nothing like it since the disappearance ofprophecy among them.
28 Et congregati sunt omnes amici Iudae et dixerunt Ionathae:	28 The friends of Judas then al united in saying to Jonathan,
29 “ Ex quofrater tuus Iudas defunctus est, et vir similis ei non est, qui exeat contrainimicos et Bacchidem et eos, qui inimici sunt gentis nostrae;	29 'Since your brother Judas died, there has been no one like him to head the resistance against ourenemies, people like Bacchides and others who hate our nation.
30 nunc itaque tehodie elegimus esse pro eo nobis in principem et ducem ad bellandum bellumnostrum ”.	30 Accordingly, we have today chosen you to take his place as our ruler and leader and to fight ourcampaigns.'
31 Et suscepit Ionathas tempore illo principatum et surrexit locoIudae fratris sui.	31 Whereupon, Jonathan took command, in succession to his brother Judas.
32 Et cognovit Bacchides et quaerebat eum occidere;	32 Bacchides, when he heard the news, made plans to kil Jonathan.
33 et cognovit Ionathas etSimon frater eius et omnes, qui cum eo erant, et fugerunt in desertum Thecue etconsederunt ad aquam lacus Asphar.	33 But this became known to Jonathan, his brother Simon and al his supporters, and they took refuge inthe desert of Tekoa, camping by the water-supply at Asphar storage-well.
34 Et cognovit Bacchides die sabbatorum etvenit ipse et omnis exercitus eius trans Iordanem.	34 (Bacchides came to know of this on the Sabbath day, and he too crossed the Jordan with his entirearmy.)
35 Et Ionathas misit fratremsuum ducem populi et rogavit Nabathaeos amicos suos, ut commodarent illisapparatum suum, qui erat copiosus.	35 Jonathan sent his brother, who was one of his commanders, to ask his friends the Nabataeans tostore their considerable baggage for them.
36 Et exierunt filii Iambri ex Medaba etcomprehenderunt Ioannem et omnia, quae habebat, et abierunt habentes ea.	36 The sons of Amrai, however, those of Medeba, intercepted them, captured John and everything hehad and made off with their prize.
37 Posthaec verba renuntiatum est Ionathae et Simoni fratri eius quia filii Iambrifaciunt nuptias magnas et ducunt sponsam ex Nadabath filiam unius de magnisprincipibus Chanaan cum ambitione magna.	37 Later, Jonathan and his brother Simon were told that the sons of Amrai were celebrating an importantwedding, and were escorting the bride, a daughter of one of the great notables of Canaan, from Nabata with alarge retinue.
38 Et recordati sunt sanguinis Ioannisfratris sui et ascenderunt et absconderunt se sub tegumento montis;	38 Remembering the bloody end of their brother John, they went up and hid under cover of the mountain.
39 etelevaverunt oculos suos et viderunt: et ecce tumultus et apparatus multus, etsponsus processit et amici eius et fratres eius obviam illis cum tympanis etmusicis et armis multis.	39 As they were keeping watch, a noisy procession came into sight with a great deal of baggage, and thebridegroom, with his groomsmen and his family, came out to meet it with tambourines and a band, and rich,warlike display.
40 Et surrexerunt ad eos ex insidiis et occiderunt eos,et ceciderunt vulnerati multi; et residui fugerunt in montes, et acceperuntomnia spolia eorum.	40 The Jews rushed down on them from their ambush and killed them, inflicting heavy casualties; thesurvivors escaped to the mountain, leaving their entire baggage train to be captured.
41 Et conversae sunt nuptiae in luctum, et vox musicorumipsorum in lamentum.	41 Thus, the wedding was turned into mourning and the music of their band into lamentation.
42 Et vindicaverunt vindictam sanguinis fratris sui etreversi sunt ad ripam Iordanis.	42 Having in this way avenged in ful the blood of their brother, they returned to the marshes of theJordan.
43 Et audivit Bacchides et venit die sabbatorum usque ad oram Iordanis invirtute magna.	43 As soon as Bacchides heard this, he came on the Sabbath day with a considerable force to the steepbanks of the Jordan.
44 Et dixit ad suos Ionathas: “ Surgamus et pugnemus proanimabus nostris; non est enim hodie sicut heri et nudiustertius:	44 Jonathan said to his men, 'Up! Let us fight for our lives, for today it is not as in the old days.
45 ecce enimbellum ex adverso nostrum, aqua vero Iordanis hinc et inde, et paludes etsaltus, et non est locus divertendi.	45 You can see, we shall have to fight on our front and to our rear; we have the waters of the Jordan onone side, the marsh and scrub on the other, and we have no line of withdrawal.
46 Nunc ergo clamate in caelum, utliberemini de manu inimicorum vestrorum ”. Et commissum est bellum.	46 This is the moment to call on Heaven, to deliver you from the clutches of your enemies.'
47 Etextendit Ionathas manum suam percutere Bacchidem, et divertit ab eo retro.	47 The engagement was begun by Jonathan, who aimed a blow at Bacchides, but the Syrian disengagedhimself and withdrew,
48 Etdissiliit Ionathas et, qui cum eo erant, in Iordanem et transnataverunt inulteriora; et non transierunt ad eos Iordanem.	48 whereupon Jonathan and his men leapt into the Jordan and swam to the other bank; the enemy didnot, however, cross the Jordan in pursuit.
49 Et ceciderunt de parteBacchidis die illa mille viri. Et reversi sunt in Ierusalem.	49 That day, Bacchides lost about a thousand men.
50 Etaedificaverunt civitates munitas in Iudaea: munitionem, quae erat in Iericho, etEmmaus et Bethoron et Bethel et Thamnata et Pharathon et Tephon muris excelsiset portis et seris;	50 Bacchides went back to Jerusalem and began fortifying some of the Judaean towns: the fortresses ofJericho, Emmaus, Beth-Horon, Bethel, Timnath, Pharathon and Tephon, with high wal s and barred gates,
51 et posuit custodiam in eis, ut inimicitias exercerent inIsrael.	51 and stationed a garrison in each of them to harass Israel.
52 Et munivit civitatem Bethsuram et Gazaram et arcem et posuit in eisauxilia et apparatum escarum.	52 He also fortified the town of Beth-Zur, Gezer and the Citadel, and placed troops in them with suppliesof provisions.
53 Et accepit filios principum regionis obsides etposuit eos in arce in Ierusalem in custodia.	53 He took the sons of the leading men of the country as hostages, and had them placed under guard inthe Citadel of Jerusalem.
54 Et anno centesimo quinquagesimo tertio, mense secundo, praecepit Alcimusdestrui murum atrii sanctorum interioris et destruxit opera prophetarum. Etcoepit destruere.	54 In the year 153, in the second month, Alcimus ordered the demolition of the wall of the inner court ofthe sanctuary, destroying the work of the prophets. Alcimus had just begun the demolition
55 In tempore illo percussus est Alcimus, et impedita suntopera illius; et occlusum est os eius, et dissolutus est nec ultra poterat loquiverbum et mandare de domo sua;	55 when he suffered a stroke, and his work was interrupted. His mouth became obstructed, and hisparalysis made him incapable of speaking at al or giving directions to his household;
56 et mortuus est Alcimus in tempore illo cumtormento magno.	56 it was not long before he died in great agony.
57 Et vidit Bacchides quoniam mortuus est Alcimus et reversusest ad regem; et siluit terra Iudae annis duobus.	57 On the death of Alcimus, Bacchides went back to the king, and Judaea was left in peace for twoyears.
58 Et cogitaverunt omnes iniqui dicentes: “ Ecce Ionathas et, qui cum eo sunt,in silentio habitant confidentes; nunc ergo adducamus Bacchidem, et comprehendeteos omnes una nocte ”.	58 The renegades then al agreed on a plan. 'Now is the time,' they said, 'while Jonathan and hissupporters are living in peace and are ful of confidence, for us to bring back Bacchides, and he wil arrest the lotof them in one night.'
59 Et abierunt et consilium ei dederunt.	59 So they went to him and reached an understanding.
60 Etsurrexit, ut veniret cum exercitu multo, et misit occulte epistulas sociis suis,qui erant in Iudaea, ut comprehenderent Ionathan et eos, qui cum eo erant; etnon potuerunt, quia innotuit eis consilium eorum.	60 Bacchides at once set out with a large force, and sent secret instructions to al his allies in Judaea toseize Jonathan and his supporters. But they were unable to do this because their plan became known,
61 Et apprehenderunt de virisregionis, qui principes erant malitiae, quinquaginta viros et occiderunt eos.	61 and Jonathan and his men arrested some fifty of the men of the country who were ringleaders in theplot, and put them to death.
62 Et secessit Ionathas et Simon et, qui cum eo erant, in Bethbasi, quae est indeserto; et exstruxit diruta eius, et firmaverunt eam.	62 Jonathan and Simon then retired with their partisans to Beth-Bassi in the desert; they rebuilt theruinous parts of the place and fortified it.
63 Et cognovit Bacchideset congregavit universam multitudinem suam et his, qui de Iudaea erant,denuntiavit;	63 When Bacchides heard this, he mustered his whole force and notified his adherents in Judaea.
64 et venit et castra posuit ad Bethbasi et oppugnavit eam diesmultos et fecit machinas.	64 He then proceeded to lay siege to Beth-Bassi, the fighting was protracted, and he constructed siege-engines.
65 Et reliquit Ionathas Simonem fratrem suum incivitate et exiit in regionem et venit cum numero;	65 Jonathan, however, leaving his brother Simon in the town, broke out into the countryside with ahandful of men.
66 et percussit Odomera etfratres eius et filios Phasiron in tabernaculo ipsorum et coepit caedere etcrescere in virtutibus.	66 He launched a blow at Odomera and his brothers, and at the sons of Phasiron in their encampment;whereupon, these too came into the struggle, joining forces with him.
67 Simon vero et, qui cum ipso erant, exierunt decivitate et succenderunt machinas	67 Simon and his people, meanwhile, made a sortie from the town and set fire to the siege-engines.
68 et pugnaverunt contra Bacchidem, etcontritus est ab eis, et afflixerunt eum valde, quoniam consilium eius etadventus eius erat inanis.	68 Taking the offensive against Bacchides, they defeated him. He was greatly disconcerted to find thathis plan and his assault had come to nothing,
69 Et iratus est animo contra viros iniquos, qui eiconsilium dederant, ut veniret in regionem, et multos ex eis occiderunt; etcogitaverunt abire in regionem eius.	69 and vented his anger on those renegades who had induced him to enter the country, putting many ofthem to death; he then decided to take his own troops home.
70 Et cognovit Ionathas et misit ad eumlegatos componere pacem cum ipso et reddere ei captivitatem.	70 Discovering this, Jonathan sent envoys to negotiate peace terms and the release of prisoners withhim.
71 Et accepit etfecit secundum verba eius et iuravit se nihil facturum ei mali omnibus diebusvitae eius;	71 Bacchides agreed to this, accepting his proposals and swearing never to seek occasion to harm himfor the rest of his life.
72 et reddidit ei captivitatem, quam prius erat praedatus de terraIudae, et conversus abiit in terram suam et non apposuit amplius venire in fineseius.	72 Having surrendered to Jonathan those prisoners he had earlier taken in Judaea, he turned about andwithdrew to his own country, and never again came near their frontiers.
73 Et cessavit gladius ex Israel, et habitavit Ionathas in Machmas; etcoepit Ionathas ibi iudicare populum et exterminabat impios ex Israel.	73 The sword no longer hung over Israel, and Jonathan settled in Michmash, where he began to judgethe people and to rid Israel of the godless.