Primus Machabaeorum 15

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Et misit rex Antiochus filius Demetrii epistolas ab insulis maris Simoni sacerdoti, et principi gentis Judæorum, et universæ genti :	1 Antiochus, son of King Demetrius, sent a letter from the islands of the sea to Simon, the priest and ethnarch of the Jews, and to all the nation,
2 et erant continentes hunc modum : Rex Antiochus Simoni sacerdoti magno, et genti Judæorum salutem.	2 which read as follows: "King Antiochus sends greetings to Simon, the priest and ethnarch, and to the Jewish nation.
3 Quoniam quidem pestilentes obtinuerunt regnum patrum nostrorum, volo autem vendicare regnum, et restituere illud sicut erat antea : et electam feci multitudinem exercitus, et feci naves bellicas.	3 Whereas certain villains have gained control of the kingdom of my ancestors, I intend to reclaim it, that I may restore it to its former state. I have recruited a large number of mercenary troops and equipped warships
4 Volo autem procedere per regionem ut ulciscar in eos, qui corruperunt regionem nostram, et qui desolaverunt civitates multas in regno meo.	4 to make a landing in my country and take revenge on those who have ruined it and laid waste many cities in my realm.
5 Nunc ergo statuo tibi omnes oblationes, quas remiserunt tibi ante me omnes reges, et quæcumque alia dona remiserunt tibi :	5 "Now, therefore, I confirm to you all the tax exemptions that the kings before me granted you and whatever other privileges they conferred on you.
6 et permitto tibi facere percussuram proprii numismatis in regione tua :	6 I authorize you to coin your own money, as legal tender in your country.
7 Jerusalem autem sanctam esse, et liberam : et omnia arma, quæ fabricata sunt, et præsidia, quæ construxisti, quæ tenes, maneant tibi.	7 Jerusalem and its temple shall be free. All the weapons you have prepared and all the strongholds you have built and now occupy shall remain in your possession.
8 Et omne debitum regis, et quæ futura sunt regi, ex hoc et in totum tempus remittuntur tibi.	8 All debts, present or future, due to the royal treasury shall be canceled for you, now and for all time.
9 Cum autem obtinuerimus regnum nostrum, glorificabimus te, et gentem tuam, et templum, gloria magna, ita ut manifestetur gloria vestra in universa terra.	9 When we recover our kingdom, we will greatly honor you and your nation and the temple, so that your glory will be manifest in all the earth."
10 Anno centesimo septuagesimo quarto exiit Antiochus in terram patrum suorum, et convenerunt ad eum omnes exercitus, ita ut pauci relicti essent cum Tryphone.	10 In the year one hundred and seventy-four Antiochus invaded the land of his ancestors, and all the troops rallied to him, so that few were left with Trypho.
11 Et insecutus est eum Antiochus rex, et venit Doram fugiens per maritimam :	11 Pursued by Antiochus, Trypho fled to Dor, by the sea,
12 sciebat enim quod congregata sunt mala in eum, et reliquit eum exercitus :	12 realizing what a mass of troubles had come upon him now that his soldiers had deserted him.
13 et applicuit Antiochus super Doram cum centum viginti millibus virorum belligeratorum, et octo millibus equitum :	13 Antiochus encamped before Dor with a hundred and twenty thousand infantry and eight thousand horsemen.
14 et circuivit civitatem, et naves a mari accesserunt : et vexabant civitatem a terra et mari, et neminem sinebant ingredi vel egredi.	14 While he invested the city, his ships closed in along the coast, so that he blockaded it by land and sea and let no one go in or out.
15 Venit autem Numenius, et qui cum eo fuerant, ab urbe Roma, habentes epistolas regibus et regionibus scriptas, in quibus continebantur hæc :	15 Meanwhile, Numenius and his companions left Rome with letters such as this addressed to various kings and countries:
16 Lucius consul Romanorum, Ptolemæo regi salutem.	16 "Lucius, Consul of the Romans, sends greetings to King Ptolemy.
17 Legati Judæorum venerunt ad nos amici nostri, renovantes pristinam amicitiam et societatem, missi a Simone principe sacerdotum et populo Judæorum.	17 Certain envoys of the Jews, our friends and allies, have come to us to renew their earlier alliance of friendship. They had been sent by Simon the high priest and the Jewish people,
18 Attulerunt autem et clypeum aureum mnarum mille.	18 and they brought with them a gold shield worth a thousand minas.
19 Placuit itaque nobis scribere regibus et regionibus, ut non inferant illis mala, neque impugnent eos, et civitates eorum, et regiones eorum : et ut non ferant auxilium pugnantibus adversus eos.	19 Therefore we have decided to write to various kings and countries, that they are not to harm them, or wage war against them or their cities or their country, and are not to assist those who fight against them.
20 Visum autem est nobis accipere ab eis clypeum.	20 We have also decided to accept the shield from them.
21 Si qui ergo pestilentes refugerunt de regione ipsorum ad vos, tradite eos Simoni principi sacerdotum, ut vindicet in eos secundum legem suam.	21 If, then, any troublemakers from their country take refuge with you, hand them over to Simon the high priest, so that he may punish them according to their law."
22 Hæc eadem scripta sunt Demetrio regi, et Attalo, et Ariarathi, et Arsaci,	22 The consul sent similar letters to Kings Demetrius, Attalus, Ariarthes and Arsaces;
23 et in omnes regiones : et Lampsaco, et Spartiatis, et in Delum, et in Myndum, et in Sicyonem, et in Cariam, et in Samum, et in Pamphyliam, et in Lyciam, et in Alicarnassum, et in Coo, et in Siden, et in Aradon, et in Rhodum, et in Phaselidem, et in Gortynam, et Gnidum, et Cyprum, et Cyrenen.	23 to all the countries--Sampsames, Sparta, Delos, Myndos, Sicyon, Caria, Samos, Pamphylia, Lycia, Halicarnassus, Rhodes, Phaselis, Cos, Side, Aradus, Gortyna, Cnidus, Cyprus, and Cyrene.
24 Exemplum autem eorum scripserunt Simoni principi sacerdotum, et populo Judæorum.	24 A copy of the letter was also sent to Simon the high priest.
25 Antiochus autem rex applicuit castra in Doram secundo, admovens ei semper manus, et machinas faciens : et conclusit Tryphonem, ne procederet :	25 When King Antiochus was encamped before Dor, he assaulted it continuously both with troops and with the siege machines he had made. He blockaded Trypho by preventing anyone from going in or out.
26 et misit ad eum Simon duo millia virorum electorum in auxilium, et argentum, et aurum, et vasa copiosa :	26 Simon sent to Antiochus' support two thousand elite troops, together with gold and silver and much equipment.
27 et noluit ea accipere, sed rupit omnia, quæ pactus est cum eo antea, et alienavit se ab eo.	27 But he refused to accept the aid; in fact, he broke all the agreements he had previously made with Simon and became hostile toward him.
28 Et misit ad eum Athenobium unum de amicis suis, ut tractaret cum ipso, dicens : Vos tenetis Joppen, et Gazaram, et arcem, quæ est in Jerusalem, civitates regni mei :	28 He sent Athenobius, one of his Friends, to confer with Simon and say: "You are occupying Joppa and Gazara and the citadel of Jerusalem; these are cities of my kingdom.
29 fines earum desolastis, et fecistis plagam magnam in terra, et dominati estis per loca multa in regno meo.	29 You have laid waste their territories, done great harm to the land, and taken possession of many districts in my realm.
30 Nunc ergo tradite civitates quas occupastis, et tributa locorum in quibus dominati estis extra fines Judææ :	30 Therefore, give up the cities you have seized and the tribute money of the districts outside the territory of Judea of which you have taken possession;
31 sin autem, date pro illis quingenta talenta argenti, et exterminii, quod exterminastis, et tributorum civitatum alia talenta quingenta : sin autem, veniemus, et expugnabimus vos.	31 or instead, pay me five hundred talents of silver for the devastation you have caused and five hundred talents more for the tribute money of the cities. If you do not do this, we will come and make war on you."
32 Et venit Athenobius amicus regis in Jerusalem, et vidit gloriam Simonis, et claritatem in auro, et argento, et apparatum copiosum : et obstupuit, et retulit ei verba regis.	32 So Athenobius, the king's Friend, came to Jerusalem and on seeing the splendor of Simon's court, the gold and silver plate on the sideboard, and the rest of his rich display, he was amazed. When he gave him the king's message,
33 Et respondit ei Simon, et dixit ei : Neque alienam terram sumpsimus, neque aliena detinemus : sed hæreditatem patrum nostrorum, quæ injuste ab inimicis nostris aliquo tempore possessa est.	33 Simon said to him in reply: "We have not seized any foreign land; what we took is not the property of others, but our ancestral heritage which for a time had been unjustly held by our enemies.
34 Nos vero tempus habentes, vindicamus hæreditatem patrum nostrorum.	34 Now that we have the opportunity, we are holding on to the heritage of our ancestors.
35 Nam de Joppe et Gazara quæ expostulas, ipsi faciebant in populo plagam magnam, et in regione nostra : horum damus talenta centum. Et non respondit ei Athenobius verbum.	35 As for Joppa and Gazara, which you demand, the men of these cities were doing great harm to our people and laying waste our country; however, we are willing to pay you a hundred talents for these cities."
36 Reversus autem cum ira ad regem, renuntiavit ei verba ista, et gloriam Simonis, et universa quæ vidit, et iratus est rex ira magna.	36 Athenobius made no reply, but returned to the king in anger. When he told him of Simon's words, of his splendor, and of all he had seen, the king fell into a violent rage.
37 Tryphon autem fugit navi in Orthosiada.	37 Trypho had gotten aboard a ship and escaped to Orthosia.
38 Et constituit rex Cendebæum ducem maritimum, et exercitum peditum et equitum dedit illi.	38 Then the king appointed Cendebeus commander-in-chief of the seacoast, and gave him infantry and cavalry forces.
39 Et mandavit illi movere castra contra faciem Judææ : et mandavit ei ædificare Gedorem, et obstruere portas civitatis, et debellare populum. Rex autem persequebatur Typhonem.	39 He ordered him to move his troops against Judea and to fortify Kedron and strengthen its gates, so that he could launch attacks against the Jewish people. Meanwhile the king went in pursuit of Trypho.
40 Et pervenit Cendebæus Jamniam, et cœpit irritare plebem, et conculcare Judæam, et captivare populum, et interficere, et ædificare Gedorem.	40 When Cendebeus came to Jamnia, he began to harass the people and to make incursions into Judea, where he took people captive or massacred them.
41 Et collocavit illic equites et exercitum, ut egressi perambularent viam Judææ, sicut constituit ei rex.	41 As the king ordered, he fortified Kedron and stationed horsemen and infantry there, so that they could go out and patrol the roads of Judea.