Secondus Machabaeorum 14

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
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 Three years after this, Judas and his men learned that Demetrius son of Seleucus had landed at theport of Tripolis with a strong army and a fleet,
2 et tenuisse regiones adversus Antiochum, et ducem ejus Lysiam.	2 and that he had occupied the country and had killed Antiochus and his tutor Lysias.
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 A certain Alcimus, a former high priest, had wilful y incurred defilement at the time of the insurrection;realising that whichever way he turned there was no security for him, nor any further access to the holy altar,
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 he went to King Demetrius in about the year one hundred and fifty-one and presented him with agolden crown and a palm, together with the traditional olive branches from the Temple; there, for that day, he letthe matter rest.
5 Tempus autem opportunum dementiæ suæ nactus, convocatus a Demetrio ad consilium, et interrogatus quibus rebus et consiliis Judæi niterentur,	5 Presently he found an opportunity to further his mad plan. When Demetrius cal ed him into his counciland questioned him about the dispositions and intentions of the Jews, he replied,
6 respondit : Ipsi qui dicuntur Assidæi Judæorum, quibus præest Judas Machabæus, bella nutriunt, et seditiones movent, nec patiuntur regnum esse quietum :	6 'Those Jews called Hasidaeans, who are led by Judas Maccabaeus, are war-mongers and rebels whoare preventing the kingdom from finding stability.
7 nam et ego defraudatus parentum gloria (dico autem summo sacerdotio) huc veni :	7 That is why, after being deprived of my hereditary dignity -- I mean the high priesthood -- I have comehere now,
8 primo quidem utilitatibus regis fidem servans, secundo autem etiam civibus consulens : nam illorum pravitate universum genus nostrum non minime vexatur.	8 first out of genuine concern for the king's interests, and secondly, out of a regard for our own fellow-citizens, because the irresponsible behaviour of those I have mentioned has brought no slight misery on ourentire race.
9 Sed oro his singulis, o rex, cognitis, et regioni et generi, secundum humanitatem tuam pervulgatam omnibus, prospice :	9 When your majesty has taken note of al these points, may it please you to make provision for thewelfare of our country and our oppressed nation, as befits the gracious benevolence you extend to al ;
10 nam, quamdiu superest Judas, impossibile est pacem esse negotiis.	10 for, as long as Judas remains alive, the State wil never enjoy peace.'
11 Talibus autem ab hoc dictis, et ceteri amici hostiliter se habentes adversus Judam, inflammaverunt Demetrium.	11 No sooner had he spoken thus than the rest of the King's Friends, who were hostile to Judas'activities, stoked Demetrius' anger.
12 Qui statim Nicanorem præpositum elephantorum ducem misit in Judæam :	12 The latter at once selected Nicanor, then commander of the elephants, promoted him to thecommand of Judaea and despatched him
13 datis mandatis ut ipsum quidem Judam caperet : eos vero qui cum illo erant, dispergeret, et constitueret Alcimum maximi templi summum sacerdotem.	13 with instructions to dispose of Judas, disperse his followers and instal Alcimus as high priest of thegreatest of temples.
14 Tunc gentes quæ de Judæa fugerant Judam, gregatim se Nicanori miscebant, miserias et clades Judæorum prosperitates rerum suarum existimantes.	14 The foreigners in Judaea, who had fled before Judas, flocked to join Nicanor, thinking that themisfortunes and troubles of the Jews would be to their own advantage.
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 When the Jews heard that Nicanor was coming and that the foreigners were about to attack, theysprinkled dust over themselves and made supplication to him who had established his people for ever and whonever failed to support his own heritage by direct manifestations.
16 Imperante autem duce, statim inde moverunt, conveneruntque ad castellum Dessau.	16 On their leader's orders, they at once left the place where they were and confronted the enemy atthe vil age of Dessau.
17 Simon vero frater Judæ commiserat cum Nicanore : sed conterritus est repentino adventu adversariorum.	17 Simon, brother of Judas, engaged Nicanor but, owing to the sudden arrival of the enemy, suffered aslight reverse.
18 Nicanor tamen, audiens virtutem comitum Judæ, et animi magnitudinem quam pro patriæ certaminibus habebant, sanguine judicium facere metuebat.	18 Nicanor, however, had heard how brave Judas and his men were and how resolutely they alwaysfought for their country, and he did not dare al ow bloodshed to decide the issue.
19 Quam ob rem præmisit Posidonium, et Theodotium, et Matthiam, ut darent dextras atque acciperent.	19 And so he sent Posidonius, Theodotus and Mattathias to offer the Jews pledges of friendship and toaccept theirs.
20 Et cum diu de his consilium ageretur, et ipse dux ad multitudinem retulisset, omnium una fuit sententia amicitiis annuere.	20 After careful consideration of his terms, the leader communicated them to his troops, and since theywere all clearly of one mind they agreed to the treaty.
21 Itaque diem constituerunt, qua secreto inter se agerent : et singulis sellæ prolatæ sunt, et positæ.	21 A day was fixed on which the respective leaders were to meet as individuals. A litter came out fromeither side and seats were set up.
22 Præcepit autem Judas armatos esse locis opportunis, ne forte ab hostibus repente mali aliquid oriretur : et congruum colloquium fecerunt.	22 Judas had posted armed men in strategic positions, in case of a sudden treacherous move by theenemy. The leaders held their conference and reached agreement.
23 Morabatur autem Nicanor Jerosolymis, nihilque inique agebat : gregesque turbarum quæ congregatæ fuerant, dimisit.	23 Nicanor took up residence in Jerusalem and did nothing out of place there; indeed, he sent away thecrowds that had flocked to join him.
24 Habebat autem Judam semper carum ex animo, et erat viro inclinatus.	24 He kept Judas constantly with him, becoming deeply attached to him
25 Rogavitque eum ducere uxorem, filiosque procreare. Nuptias fecit : quiete egit, communiterque vivebant.	25 and encouraged him to marry and have children. Judas married, settled down and led a normal life.
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 When Alcimus saw how friendly the two men had become, he went to Demetrius with a copy of thetreaty they had signed and told him that Nicanor was harbouring thoughts against the interests of the State, andwas planning that Judas, an enemy of the realm, should fil the next vacancy among the Friends of the King.
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 The king flew into a rage; roused by the slanders of this villain, he wrote to Nicanor, tel ing him of hisstrong displeasure at these agreements and ordering him immediately to send Maccabaeus to Antioch in chains.
28 Quibus cognitis, Nicanor consternabatur, et graviter ferebat, si ea quæ convenerant irrita faceret, nihil læsus a viro :	28 When the letter reached Nicanor, he was very much upset, for he disliked the prospect of breakingan agreement with a man who had done nothing wrong.
29 sed quia regi resistere non poterat, opportunitatem observabat qua præceptum perficeret.	29 Since, however, there was no way of opposing the king, he waited for an opportunity to carry out theorder by a stratagem.
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.	30 Maccabaeus began to notice that Nicanor was treating him more sharply and that his manner ofspeaking to him was more abrupt than it had been, and he concluded that such sharpness could have no verygood motive. He therefore collected a considerable number of his fol owers and got away from Nicanor.
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.	31 The latter, realising that the man had wel and truly outmanoeuvred him, went to the greatest andholiest of Temples when the priests were offering the customary sacrifices, and ordered them to surrenderJudas.
32 Quibus cum juramento dicentibus nescire se ubi esset qui quærebatur, extendens manum ad templum,	32 When they protested on oath that they did not know where the wanted man could be,
33 juravit, dicens : Nisi Judam mihi vinctum tradideritis, istud Dei fanum in planitiem deducam, et altare effodiam, et templum hoc Libero patri consecrabo.	33 he stretched out his right hand towards the Temple and swore this oath, 'If you do not hand Judasover to me as prisoner, I shal rase this dwelling of God to the ground, I shal demolish the altar, and on this veryspot I shal erect a splendid temple to Dionysus.'
34 Et his dictis abiit. Sacerdotes autem protendentes manus in cælum, invocabant eum qui semper propugnator esset gentis ipsorum, hæc dicentes :	34 With these words he left them. The priests stretched out their hands to heaven, cal ing on him whohas at al times done battle for our nation; this was their prayer:
35 Tu, Domine universorum, qui nullius indiges, voluisti templum habitationis tuæ fieri in nobis.	35 'O Lord in need of nothing, it has pleased you that the Temple where you dwel should be here withus.
36 Et nunc, Sancte sanctorum, omnium Domine, conserva in æternum impollutam domum istam, quæ nuper mundata est.	36 Now, therefore, holy Lord of al holiness, preserve for ever from all profanation this House, so newlypurified.'
37 Razias autem quidam de senioribus ab Jerosolymis delatus est Nicanori, vir amator civitatis, et bene audiens : qui pro affectu pater Judæorum appellabatur.	37 Now, a man cal ed Razis, one of the elders of Jerusalem, was denounced to Nicanor. He was a manwho loved his countrymen and stood high in their esteem, and he was known as the father of the Jews becauseof his kindness.
38 Hic multis temporibus continentiæ propositum tenuit in Judaismo, corpusque et animam tradere contentus pro perseverantia.	38 In the earlier days of the insurrection he had been convicted of Judaism, and he had risked both lifeand limb for Judaism with the utmost zeal.
39 Volens autem Nicanor manifestare odium quod habebat in Judæos, misit milites quingentos ut eum comprehenderent.	39 Nicanor, by way of demonstrating the enmity he had for the Jews, sent over five hundred soldiers toarrest him,
40 Putabat enim, si illum decepisset, se cladem Judæis maximam illaturum.	40 reckoning that if he eliminated this man he would be dealing them a severe blow.
41 Turbis autem irruere in domum ejus, et januam dirumpere : atque ignem admovere cupientibus, cum jam comprehenderetur, gladio se petiit,	41 When the troops were on the point of capturing the tower and were forcing the outer door and cal ingfor fire to set the doors alight, Razis, finding himself completely surrounded, fel on his own sword,
42 eligens nobiliter mori potius quam subditus fieri peccatoribus, et contra natales suos indignis injuriis agi.	42 nobly resolving to die rather than fal into the clutches of these villains and suffer outrages unworthyof his noble birth.
43 Sed cum per festinationem non certo ictu plagam dedisset, et turbæ intra ostia irrumperent, recurrens audacter ad murum præcipitavit semetipsum viriliter in turbas :	43 But in the heat of conflict he missed his thrust, and while the troops swarmed in through thedoorways, he ran nimbly upstairs to the parapet and manfully threw himself down among the troops.
44 quibus velociter locum dantibus casui ejus, venit per mediam cervicem.	44 But, as they immediately drew back, he fell into the middle of the empty space.
45 Et cum adhuc spiraret, accensus animo, surrexit, et cum sanguis ejus magno fluxu deflueret, et gravissimis vulneribus esset saucius, cursu turbam pertransiit :	45 Stil breathing, and blazing with anger, he struggled to his feet, blood spurting in al directions, anddespite his terrible wounds ran right through the crowd; then, taking his stand on a steep rock,
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.	46 although he had now lost every drop of blood, he tore out his entrails and taking them in both handsflung them down on the crowd, cal ing on the Master of his life and spirit to give them back to him one day. Thushe died.