Secondus Machabaeorum 10

VULGATA	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Machabæus autem, et qui cum eo erant, Domino se protegente, templum quidem et civitatem recepit :	1 When Maccabeus and his companions, under the Lord's leadership, had recovered the temple and the city,
2 aras autem quas alienigenæ per plateas exstruxerant, itemque delubra demolitus est :	2 they destroyed the altars erected by the Gentiles in the marketplace and the sacred enclosures.
3 et purgato templo, aliud altare fecerunt, et de ignitis lapidibus igne concepto sacrificia obtulerunt post biennium, et incensum, et lucernas, et panes propositionis posuerunt.	3 After purifying the temple, they made a new altar. Then, with fire struck from flint, they offered sacrifice for the first time in two years, burned incense, and lighted lamps. They also set out the showbread.
4 Quibus gestis, rogabant Dominum prostrati in terram, ne amplius talibus malis inciderent : sed et, siquando peccassent, ut ab ipso mitius corriperentur, et non barbaris ac blasphemis hominibus traderentur.	4 When they had done this, they prostrated themselves and begged the Lord that they might never again fall into such misfortunes, and that if they should sin at any time, he might chastise them with moderation and not hand them over to blasphemous and barbarous Gentiles.
5 Qua die autem templum ab alienigenis pollutum fuerat, contigit eadem die purificationem fieri, vigesima quinta mensis qui fuit Casleu.	5 On the anniversary of the day on which the temple had been profaned by the Gentiles, that is, the twenty-fifth of the same month Chislev, the purification of the temple took place.
6 Et cum lætitia diebus octo egerunt in modum tabernaculorum, recordantes quod ante modicum temporis diem solemnem tabernaculorum in montibus et in speluncis more bestiarum egerant.	6 The Jews celebrated joyfully for eight days as on the feast of Booths, remembering how, a little while before, they had spent the feast of Booths living like wild animals in caves on the mountains.
7 Propter quod thyrsos, et ramos virides, et palmas præferebant ei qui prosperavit mundari locum suum.	7 Carrying rods entwined with leaves, green branches and palms, they sang hymns of grateful praise to him who had brought about the purification of his own Place.
8 Et decreverunt communi præcepto et decreto universæ genti Judæorum omnibus annis agere dies istos.	8 By public edict and decree they prescribed that the whole Jewish nation should celebrate these days every year.
9 Et Antiochi quidem, qui appellatus est Nobilis, vitæ excessus ita se habuit.	9 Such was the end of Antiochus surnamed Epiphanes.
10 Nunc autem de Eupatore Antiochi impii filio quæ gesta sunt narrabimus, breviantes mala quæ in bellis gesta sunt.	10 Now we shall relate what happened under Antiochus Eupator, the son of that godless man, and shall give a summary of the chief evils caused by the wars.
11 Hic enim suscepto regno, constituit super negotia regni Lysiam quemdam, Phœnicis et Syriæ militiæ principem.	11 When Eupator succeeded to the kingdom, he put a certain Lysias in charge of the government as commander-in-chief of Coelesyria and Phoenicia.
12 Nam Ptolemæus, qui dicebatur Macer, justi tenax erga Judæos esse constituit, et præcipue propter iniquitatem quæ facta erat in eos, et pacifice agere cum eis.	12 Ptolemy, surnamed Macron, had taken the lead in treating the Jews fairly because of the previous injustice that had been done them, and he endeavored to have peaceful relations with them.
13 Sed ob hoc accusatus ab amicis apud Eupatorem, cum frequenter proditor audiret, eo quod Cyprum creditam sibi a Philometore deseruisset, et ad Antiochum Nobilem translatus etiam ab eo recessisset, veneno vitam finivit.	13 As a result, he was accused before Eupator by the King's Friends. In fact, on all sides he heard himself called a traitor for having abandoned Cyprus, which Philometor had entrusted to him, and for having gone over to Antiochus Epiphanes. Since he could not command the respect due to his high office, he ended his life by taking poison.
14 Gorgias autem cum esset dux locorum, assumptis advenis, frequenter Judæos debellabat.	14 When Gorgias became governor of the region, he employed foreign troops and used every opportunity to attack the Jews.
15 Judæi vero qui tenebant opportunas munitiones, fugatos ab Jerosolymis suscipiebant, et bellare tentabant.	15 At the same time the Idumeans, who held some important strongholds, were harassing the Jews; they welcomed fugitives from Jerusalem and endeavored to continue the war.
16 Hi vero qui erant cum Machabæo, per orationes Dominum rogantes ut esset sibi adjutor, impetum fecerunt in munitiones Idumæorum :	16 Maccabeus and his companions, after public prayers asking God to be their ally, moved quickly against the strongholds of the Idumeans.
17 multaque vi insistentes, loca obtinuerunt, occurrentes interemerunt, et omnes simul non minus viginti millibus trucidaverunt.	17 Attacking vigorously, they gained control of the places, drove back all who manned the walls, and cut down those who opposed them, killing as many as twenty thousand men.
18 Quidam autem cum confugissent in duas turres valde munitas, omnem apparatum ad repugnandum habentes,	18 When at least nine thousand took refuge in two very strong towers, containing everything necessary to sustain a siege,
19 Machabæus ad eorum expugnationem relicto Simone, et Josepho, itemque Zachæo, eisque qui cum ipsis erant satis multis, ipse ad eas quæ amplius perurgebant pugnas conversus est.	19 Maccabeus left Simon and Joseph, along with Zacchaeus and his men, in sufficient numbers to besiege them, while he himself went off to places where he was more urgently needed.
20 Hi vero qui cum Simone erant, cupiditate ducti, a quibusdam qui in turribus erant, suasi sunt pecunia : et septuaginta millibus didrachmis acceptis, dimiserunt quosdam effugere.	20 But some of the men in Simon's force who were money lovers let themselves be bribed by some of the men in the towers; on receiving seventy thousand drachmas, they allowed a number of them to escape.
21 Cum autem Machabæo nuntiatum esset quod factum est, principibus populi congregatis accusavit quod pecunia fratres vendidissent, adversariis eorum dimissis.	21 When Maccabeus was told what had happened, he assembled the rulers of the people and accused those men of having sold their kinsmen for money by setting their enemies free to fight against them.
22 Hos igitur proditores factos interfecit, et confestim duas turres occupavit.	22 So he put them to death as traitors, and without delay captured the two towers.
23 Armis autem ac manibus omnia prospere agendo in duabus munitionibus plus quam viginti millia peremit.	23 As he was successful at arms in all his undertakings, he destroyed more than twenty thousand men in the two strongholds.
24 At Timotheus, qui prius a Judæis fuerat superatus, convocato exercitu peregrinæ multitudinis, et congregato equitatu Asiano, advenit quasi armis Judæam capturus.	24 Timothy, who had previously been defeated by the Jews, gathered a tremendous force of foreign troops and collected a large number of cavalry from Asia; then he appeared in Judea, ready to conquer it by force.
25 Machabæus autem et qui cum ipso erant, appropinquante illo, deprecabantur Dominum, caput terra aspergentes, lumbosque ciliciis præcincti,	25 At his approach, Maccabeus and his men made supplication to God, sprinkling earth upon their heads and girding their loins in sackcloth.
26 ad altaris crepidinem provoluti, ut sibi propitius, inimicis autem eorum esset inimicus, et adversariis adversaretur, sicut lex dicit.	26 Lying prostrate at the foot of the altar, they begged him to be gracious to them, and to be an enemy to their enemies, and a foe to their foes, as the law declares.
27 Et ita post orationem, sumptis armis, longius de civitate procedentes, et proximi hostibus effecti, resederunt.	27 After the prayer, they took up their arms and advanced a considerable distance from the city, halting when they were close to the enemy.
28 Primo autem solis ortu utrique commiserunt : isti quidem victoriæ et prosperitatis sponsorem cum virtute Dominum habentes : illi autem ducem belli animum habebant.	28 As soon as dawn broke, the armies joined battle, the one having as pledge of success and victory not only their valor but also their reliance on the Lord, and the other taking fury as their leader in the fight.
29 Sed cum vehemens pugna esset, apparuerunt adversariis de cælo viri quinque in equis, frenis aureis decori, ducatum Judæis præstantes :	29 In the midst of the fierce battle, there appeared to the enemy from the heavens five majestic men riding on golden-bridled horses, who led the Jews on.
30 ex quibus duo Machabæum medium habentes, armis suis circumseptum incolumem conservabant : in adversarios autem tela et fulmina jaciebant, ex quo et cæcitate confusi et repleti perturbatione, cadebant.	30 They surrounded Maccabeus, and shielding him with their own armor, kept him from being wounded. They shot arrows and hurled thunderbolts at the enemy, who were bewildered and blinded, thrown into confusion and routed.
31 Interfecti sunt autem viginti millia quingenti, et equites sexcenti.	31 Twenty-five hundred of their foot soldiers and six hundred of their horsemen were slain.
32 Timotheus vero confugit in Gazaram præsidium munitum, cui præerat Chæreas.	32 Timothy, however, fled to a well-fortified stronghold called Gazara, where Chaereas was in command.
33 Machabæus autem et qui cum eo erant, lætantes obsederunt præsidium diebus quatuor.	33 For four days Maccabeus and his men eagerly besieged the fortress.
34 At hi qui intus erant, loci firmitate confisi, supra modum maledicebant, et sermones nefandos jactabant.	34 Those inside, relying on the strength of the place, kept repeating outrageous blasphemies and uttering abominable words.
35 Sed cum dies quinta illucesceret, viginti juvenes ex his qui cum Machabæo erant, accensi animis propter blasphemiam, viriliter accesserunt ad murum, et feroci animo incedentes ascendebant :	35 When the fifth day dawned, twenty young men in the army of Maccabeus, angered over such blasphemies, bravely stormed the wall and with savage fury cut down everyone they encountered.
36 sed et alii similiter ascendentes, turres portasque succendere aggressi sunt, atque ipsos maledicos vivos concremare.	36 Others who climbed up the same way swung around on the defenders, taking the besieged in the rear; they put the towers to the torch, spread the fire and burned the blasphemers alive. Still others broke down the gates and let in the rest of the troops, who took possession of the city.
37 Per continuum autem biduum præsidio vastato, Timotheum occultantem se in quodam repertum loco peremerunt : et fratrem illius Chæream et Apollophanem occiderunt.	37 Timothy had hidden in a cistern, but they killed him, along with his brother Chaereas, and Apollophanes.
38 Quibus gestis, in hymnis et confessionibus benedicebant Dominum, qui magna fecit in Israël, et victoriam dedit illis.	38 On completing these exploits, they blessed, with hymns of grateful praise, the Lord who shows great kindness to Israel and grants them victory.