Secondus Machabaeorum 14

VULGATA	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Sed post triennii tempus, cognovit Judas et qui cum eo erant Demetrium Seleuci cum multitudine valida et navibus per portam Tripolis ascendisse ad loca opportuna,	1 In the year one hundred and fortynine, Judas understood that Antiochus Eupator was coming with a multitude against Judea,
2 et tenuisse regiones adversus Antiochum, et ducem ejus Lysiam.	2 And with him Lysias the regent, who had charge over the affairs of the realm, having with him a hundred and ten thousand footmen, five thousand horsemen, twenty-two elephants, and three hundred chariots armed with hooks.
3 Alcimus autem quidam, qui summus sacerdos fuerat, sed voluntarie coinquinatus est temporibus commistionis, considerans nullo modo sibi esse salutem neque accessum ad altare,	3 Menelaus also joined himself with them: and with great deceitfulness besought Antiochus, not for the welfare of his country, but in hopes that he should be appointed chief ruler.
4 venit ad regem Demetrium centesimo quinquagesimo anno, offerens ei coronam auream et palmam, super hæc et thallos, qui templi esse videbantur. Et ipsa quidem die siluit.	4 But the King of kings stirred up the mind of Antiochus against the sinner, and upon Lysias suggesting that he was the cause of all the evils, he commanded (as the custom is with them) that he should be apprehended and put to death in the same place.
5 Tempus autem opportunum dementiæ suæ nactus, convocatus a Demetrio ad consilium, et interrogatus quibus rebus et consiliis Judæi niterentur,	5 Now there was in that place a tower fifty cubits high, having a heap of ashes on every side: this had a prospect steep down.
6 respondit : Ipsi qui dicuntur Assidæi Judæorum, quibus præest Judas Machabæus, bella nutriunt, et seditiones movent, nec patiuntur regnum esse quietum :	6 From thence he commanded the sacrilegious wretch to be thrown down into the ashes, all men thrusting him forward unto death.
7 nam et ego defraudatus parentum gloria (dico autem summo sacerdotio) huc veni :	7 And by such a law it happened that Menelaus the transgressor of the law was put to death: not having so much as burial in the earth.
8 primo quidem utilitatibus regis fidem servans, secundo autem etiam civibus consulens : nam illorum pravitate universum genus nostrum non minime vexatur.	8 And indeed very justly, for insomuch as he had committed many sins against the altar of God, the fire and ashes of which were holy: he was condemned to die in ashes.
9 Sed oro his singulis, o rex, cognitis, et regioni et generi, secundum humanitatem tuam pervulgatam omnibus, prospice :
10 nam, quamdiu superest Judas, impossibile est pacem esse negotiis.	10 taste of the hardiness of the Jews, attempted to take the strong places by policy:
11 Talibus autem ab hoc dictis, et ceteri amici hostiliter se habentes adversus Judam, inflammaverunt Demetrium.	11 But the king, with his mind full of rage, came on to shew himself worse to the Jews than his father was.
12 Qui statim Nicanorem præpositum elephantorum ducem misit in Judæam :	12 Which, when Judas understood, he commanded the people to call upon the Lord day and night, that as he had always done, so now also he would help them:
13 datis mandatis ut ipsum quidem Judam caperet : eos vero qui cum illo erant, dispergeret, et constitueret Alcimum maximi templi summum sacerdotem.	13 Because they were afraid to be deprived of the law, and of their country, and of the holy temple: and that he would not suffer the people, that had of late taken breath for a little while, to be again in subjection to blasphemous nations.
14 Tunc gentes quæ de Judæa fugerant Judam, gregatim se Nicanori miscebant, miserias et clades Judæorum prosperitates rerum suarum existimantes.	14 So when they had all done this together, and had craved mercy of the Lord with weeping and fasting, lying prostrate on the ground for three days continually, Judas exhorted them to make themselves ready.
15 Audito itaque Judæi Nicanoris adventu, et conventu nationum, conspersi terra rogabant eum qui populum suum constituit, ut in æternum custodiret, quique suam portionem signis evidentibus protegit.	15 But he with the ancients determined, before the king should bring his army into Judea, and make himself master of the city, to go out, and to commit the event of the thing to the judgment of the Lord.
16 Imperante autem duce, statim inde moverunt, conveneruntque ad castellum Dessau.	16 So committing all to God, the creator of the world, and having exhorted his people to fight manfully, and to stand up even to death for the laws, the temple, the city, their country, and citizens: he placed his army about Modin.
17 Simon vero frater Judæ commiserat cum Nicanore : sed conterritus est repentino adventu adversariorum.	17 And having given his company for a watchword, The victory of God, with most valiant chosen young men, he set upon the king's quarter by night, and slew four thousand men in the camp, and the greatest of the elephants, with them that had been upon him,
18 Nicanor tamen, audiens virtutem comitum Judæ, et animi magnitudinem quam pro patriæ certaminibus habebant, sanguine judicium facere metuebat.	18 And having filled the camp of the enemies with exceeding greet fear and tumult, they went off with good success.
19 Quam ob rem præmisit Posidonium, et Theodotium, et Matthiam, ut darent dextras atque acciperent.	19 Now this was done at the break of day, by the protection and help of the Lord.
20 Et cum diu de his consilium ageretur, et ipse dux ad multitudinem retulisset, omnium una fuit sententia amicitiis annuere.	20 But the king having taken
21 Itaque diem constituerunt, qua secreto inter se agerent : et singulis sellæ prolatæ sunt, et positæ.	21 And he marched with his army to Bethsura, which was a strong hold of the Jews: but he was repulsed, he failed, he rest his men.
22 Præcepit autem Judas armatos esse locis opportunis, ne forte ab hostibus repente mali aliquid oriretur : et congruum colloquium fecerunt.	22 Now Judas sent necessaries to them that were within.
23 Morabatur autem Nicanor Jerosolymis, nihilque inique agebat : gregesque turbarum quæ congregatæ fuerant, dimisit.	23 But Rhodocus, one of the Jews' army, disclosed the secrets to the enemies, so he was sought out, and taken up, and put in prison.
24 Habebat autem Judam semper carum ex animo, et erat viro inclinatus.	24 Again the king treated with them that were in Bethsura: gave his right hand: took theirs: and went away.
25 Rogavitque eum ducere uxorem, filiosque procreare. Nuptias fecit : quiete egit, communiterque vivebant.	25 He fought with Jucias: and was overcome. And when he understood that Philip, who had been left over the affairs, had rebelled at Antioch, he was in a consternation of mind, and entreating the Jews, and yielding to them, he swore to all things that seemed reasonable, and, being reconciled, offered sacrifices, honoured the temple, and left gifts.
26 Alcimus autem, videns caritatem illorum ad invicem et conventiones, venit ad Demetrium, et dicebat Nicanorem rebus alienis assentire, Judamque regni insidiatorem successorem sibi destinasse.	26 He embraced Machabeus, and made him governor and prince from Ptolemais unto the Cerrenians.
27 Itaque rex exasperatus, et pessimis hujus criminationibus irritatus, scripsit Nicanori, dicens graviter quidem se ferre de amicitiæ conventione, jubere tamen Machabæum citius vinctum mittere Antiochiam.	27 But when he was come to Ptolemais, the men of that city were much displeased with the conditions of the peace, being angry for fear they should break the covenant.
28 Quibus cognitis, Nicanor consternabatur, et graviter ferebat, si ea quæ convenerant irrita faceret, nihil læsus a viro :	28 Then Lysias went up to the judgment seat, and set forth the reason, and appeased the people, and returned to Antioch: and thus matters went with regard to the king's coming and his return.
29 sed quia regi resistere non poterat, opportunitatem observabat qua præceptum perficeret.
30 At Machabæus, videns secum austerius agere Nicanorem, et consuetum occursum ferocius exhibentem, intelligens non ex bono esse austeritatem istam, paucis suorum congregatis, occultavit se a Nicanore.
31 Quod cum ille cognovit, fortiter se a viro præventum, venit ad maximum et sanctissimum templum : et sacerdotibus solitas hostias offerentibus, jussit sibi tradi virum.
32 Quibus cum juramento dicentibus nescire se ubi esset qui quærebatur, extendens manum ad templum,
33 juravit, dicens : Nisi Judam mihi vinctum tradideritis, istud Dei fanum in planitiem deducam, et altare effodiam, et templum hoc Libero patri consecrabo.
34 Et his dictis abiit. Sacerdotes autem protendentes manus in cælum, invocabant eum qui semper propugnator esset gentis ipsorum, hæc dicentes :
35 Tu, Domine universorum, qui nullius indiges, voluisti templum habitationis tuæ fieri in nobis.
36 Et nunc, Sancte sanctorum, omnium Domine, conserva in æternum impollutam domum istam, quæ nuper mundata est.
37 Razias autem quidam de senioribus ab Jerosolymis delatus est Nicanori, vir amator civitatis, et bene audiens : qui pro affectu pater Judæorum appellabatur.
38 Hic multis temporibus continentiæ propositum tenuit in Judaismo, corpusque et animam tradere contentus pro perseverantia.
39 Volens autem Nicanor manifestare odium quod habebat in Judæos, misit milites quingentos ut eum comprehenderent.
40 Putabat enim, si illum decepisset, se cladem Judæis maximam illaturum.
41 Turbis autem irruere in domum ejus, et januam dirumpere : atque ignem admovere cupientibus, cum jam comprehenderetur, gladio se petiit,
42 eligens nobiliter mori potius quam subditus fieri peccatoribus, et contra natales suos indignis injuriis agi.
43 Sed cum per festinationem non certo ictu plagam dedisset, et turbæ intra ostia irrumperent, recurrens audacter ad murum præcipitavit semetipsum viriliter in turbas :
44 quibus velociter locum dantibus casui ejus, venit per mediam cervicem.
45 Et cum adhuc spiraret, accensus animo, surrexit, et cum sanguis ejus magno fluxu deflueret, et gravissimis vulneribus esset saucius, cursu turbam pertransiit :
46 et stans supra quamdam petram præruptam, et jam exsanguis effectus, complexus intestina sua, utrisque manibus projecit super turbas, invocans dominatorem vitæ ac spiritus ut hæc illi iterum redderet : atque ita vita defunctus est.