Primus Machabaeorum 6

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Et rex Antiochus perambulabat superiores regiones, et audivit esse civitatem Elymaidem in Perside nobilissimam, et copiosam in 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 in ea locuples valde, et illic velamina aurea, et loricæ, et scuta, quæ reliquit Alexander Philippi rex Macedo, qui regnavit primus in Græcia.	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, et quærebat capere civitatem, et deprædari eam : et non potuit, quoniam innotuit sermo 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 insurrexerunt in prælium, et fugit inde, et abiit cum tristitia magna, et reversus est in Babyloniam.	4 They resisted him by force of arms. He was routed, and began retreating, very gloomily, towardsBabylon.
5 Et venit qui nuntiaret ei in Perside, quia fugata sunt castra quæ erant in terra Juda :	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 Judæorum, et invaluerunt armis, et viribus, et spoliis multis, quæ ceperunt de castris, quæ exciderunt :	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 ædificaverat super altare quod erat in Jerusalem : et sanctificationem, sicut prius, circumdederunt muris excelsis, sed et Bethsuram civitatem suam.	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 sermones istos, expavit, et commotus est valde : et decidit in lectum, et incidit in languorem præ 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 erat illic per dies multos, quia renovata est in eo tristitia magna, et arbitratus est 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 somnus ab oculis meis, et concidi, et corrui corde præ 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 : In quantam tribulationem deveni, et in quos fluctus tristitiæ, in qua nunc sum : qui jucundus 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 quæ feci in Jerusalem, unde et abstuli omnia spolia aurea et argentea quæ erant in ea, et misi auferre habitantes Judæam 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 ergo quia propterea invenerunt 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 præposuit eum super universum regnum 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 annulum, ut adduceret Antiochum filium suum, et nutriret eum, et 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 illic Antiochus rex anno centesimo quadragesimo nono.	16 King Antiochus then died, in the year 149.
17 Et cognovit Lysias quoniam mortuus est rex, et constituit regnare Antiochum filium ejus, quem nutrivit adolescentem : et vocavit nomen ejus Eupator.	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 Israël in circuitu sanctorum : et quærebant 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 Judas disperdere 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 Et convenerunt simul, et obsederunt eos anno centesimo quinquagesimo, et fecerunt ballistas 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 : et adjunxerunt se illis aliqui impii ex Israël,	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 judicium, et vindicas 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 decrevimus servire patri tuo, et ambulare in præceptis ejus, et obsequi edictis ejus :	23 We were content to serve your father, to comply with his orders, and to obey his edicts.
24 et filii populi nostri propter hoc alienabant se a nobis, et quicumque inveniebantur ex nobis, interficiebantur, et hæreditates nostræ diripiebantur.	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 fines nostros :	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 Jerusalem occupare eam, et munitionem 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 præveneris eos velocius, majora quam hæc facient, et non poteris obtinere 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 hæc audivit : et convocavit omnes amicos suos, et principes exercitus sui, et eos qui super equites 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 de insulis maritimis venerunt ad eum exercitus conductitii.	29 He recruited mercenaries from other kingdoms and the Mediterranean islands.
30 Et erat numerus exercitus ejus, centum millia peditum, et viginti millia equitum, et elephanti triginta duo, docti ad prælium.	30 His forces numbered a hundred thousand foot soldiers, twenty thousand cavalry and thirty-twoelephants with experience of battle conditions.
31 Et venerunt per Idumæam, et applicuerunt ad Bethsuram, et pugnaverunt dies multos : et fecerunt machinas, et exierunt, et succenderunt eas igni, 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 Judas ab arce, et movit 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 lucem, et concitavit exercitus in impetum contra viam Bethzacharam : et comparaverunt se exercitus in prælium, 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 ostenderunt sanguinem uvæ et mori, ad acuendos eos in prælium :	34 The elephants were given a syrup of grapes and mulberries to prepare them for the battle.
35 et diviserunt bestias per legiones, et astiterunt singulis elephantis mille viri in loricis concatenatis, et galeæ æreæ in capitibus eorum : et quingenti equites ordinati unicuique bestiæ electi erant.	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, et non discedebant ab ea.	36 The horsemen anticipated every move their elephant made; wherever it went they went with it, neverquitting it.
37 Sed et turres ligneæ super eos firmæ protegentes super singulas bestias : et super eas machinæ : et super singulas viri virtutis triginta duo, qui pugnabant desuper : et Indus magister bestiæ.	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 residuum equitatum hinc et inde statuit in duas partes, tubis exercitum commovere, et perurgere constipatos in legionibus ejus.	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 clypeos aureos et æreos, 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 Et distincta est pars exercitus regis per montes excelsos, et alia per loca humilia : 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 inhabitantes terram a voce multitudinis, et incessu turbæ, et collisione armorum : erat enim exercitus magnus 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 Judas et exercitus ejus in prælium, et ceciderunt de exercitu regis sexcenti viri.	42 Judas and his army advanced to give battle, and six hundred of the king's army were killed.
43 Et vidit Eleazar filius Saura unam de bestiis loricatam loricis regis : et erat eminens 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 dedit se ut liberaret populum suum, et acquireret sibi nomen æternum.	44 sacrificed himself to save his people and win an imperishable name.
45 Et cucurrit ad eam audacter in medio legionis, interficiens a dextris et a sinistris, et cadebant 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 pedes elephantis, et supposuit se ei, et 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 regis, et impetum exercitus ejus, diverterunt se ab eis.	47 The Jews however realising how strong the king was and how ferocious his army, retreated ahead ofthem.
48 Castra autem regis ascenderunt contra eos in Jerusalem, et applicuerunt castra regis ad Judæam, 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 in Bethsura : et exierunt de civitate, quia non erant eis ibi alimenta conclusis, quia sabbata erant terræ.	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 rex Bethsuram : et constituit illic custodiam servare eam.	50 Having occupied Beth-Zur, the king stationed a garrison there to hold it.
51 Et convertit castra ad locum sanctificationis dies multos : et statuit illic ballistas, et machinas, et ignis jacula, et tormenta ad lapides jactandos, et spicula, et scorpios ad mittendas sagittas, et 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, et pugnaverunt dies multos.	52 The defenders countered these by constructing their own engines and were thus able to prolong theirresistance.
53 Escæ autem non erant in civitate, eo quod septimus annus esset : et qui remanserant in Judæa de gentibus, consumpserant reliquias eorum, quæ repositæ fuerant.	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 eos fames : 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 adhuc viveret, ut nutriret Antiochum filium suum, et regnaret,	55 Meanwhile Philip, whom King Antiochus before his death had appointed to train his son Antiochus forthe throne,
56 reversus esset a Perside et Media, et exercitus qui abierat cum ipso, et quia quærebat suscipere 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 ire, et dicere ad regem, et duces exercitus : Deficimus quotidie, et esca nobis modica est ; et locus, quem obsidemus, est munitus, et incumbit nobis ordinare de regno.	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 Nunc itaque demus dextras hominibus istis, et faciamus cum illis pacem, et cum omni gente 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, quæ despeximus, irati sunt, et fecerunt omnia hæc.	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 eos pacem facere, et receperunt illam.	60 The king and his commanders approved this argument, and he offered the Jews peace terms, whichthey accepted.
61 Et juravit illis rex et principes, et 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 montem Sion, et vidit munitionem loci : et rupit citius juramentum quod juravit, et mandavit destruere murum in 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 invenit Philippum dominantem civitati : et pugnavit adversus eum, et occupavit civitatem.	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.