Secondus Machabaeorum 6

VULGATA	NEW JERUSALEM
1 Sed non post multum temporis, misit rex senem quemdam Antiochenum, qui compelleret Judæos ut se transferrent a patriis et Dei legibus :	1 Shortly afterwards, the king sent Gerontes the Athenian to force the Jews to violate their ancestralcustoms and live no longer by the laws of God;
2 contaminare etiam quod in Jerosolymis erat templum, et cognominare Jovis Olympii : et in Garizim, prout erant hi qui locum inhabitabant, Jovis hospitalis.	2 and to profane the Temple in Jerusalem and dedicate it to Olympian Zeus, and the one on MountGerizim to Zeus, Patron of Strangers, as the inhabitants of the latter place had requested.
3 Pessima autem et universis gravis erat malorum incursio :	3 The advent of these evils was painful y hard for al the people to bear.
4 nam templum luxuria et comessationibus gentium erat plenum, et scortantium cum meretricibus : sacratisque ædibus mulieres se ultro ingerebant, intro ferentes ea quæ non licebat.	4 The Temple was fil ed with revel ing and debauchery by the gentiles, who took their pleasure withprostitutes and had intercourse with women in the sacred precincts, introducing other indecencies besides.
5 Altare etiam plenum erat illicitis, quæ legibus prohibebantur.	5 The altar of sacrifice was loaded with victims proscribed by the law as profane.
6 Neque autem sabbata custodiebantur, neque dies solemnes patrii servabantur, nec simpliciter Judæum se esse quisquam confitebatur.	6 No one might either keep the Sabbath or observe the traditional feasts, or so much as admit to being aJew.
7 Ducebantur autem cum amara necessitate in die natalis regis ad sacrificia : et cum Liberi sacra celebrarentur, cogebantur hedera coronati Libero circuire.	7 People were driven by harsh compulsion to take part in the monthly ritual meal commemorating theking's birthday; and when a feast of Dionysus occurred, they were forced to wear ivy wreaths and walk in theDionysiac procession.
8 Decretum autem exiit in proximas gentilium civitates, suggerentibus Ptolemæis, ut pari modo et ipsi adversus Judæos agerent, ut sacrificarent :	8 A decree was issued at the instance of the people of Ptolemais for the neighbouring Greek cities,enforcing the same conduct on the Jews there, obliging them to share in the sacrificial meals,
9 eos autem qui nollent transire ad instituta gentium, interficerent : erat ergo videre miseriam.	9 and ordering the execution of those who would not voluntarily conform to Greek customs. So it becameclear that disaster was imminent.
10 Duæ enim mulieres delatæ sunt natos suos circumcidisse : quas, infantibus ad ubera suspensis, cum publice per civitatem circumduxissent, per muros præcipitaverunt.	10 For example, two women were charged with having circumcised their children. They were paradedpublicly round the town, with their babies hung at their breasts, and then hurled over the city wal .
11 Alii vero, ad proximas coëuntes speluncas, et latenter sabbati diem celebrantes, cum indicati essent Philippo, flammis succensi sunt, eo quod verebantur propter religionem et observantiam manu sibimet auxilium ferre.	11 Other people, who had assembled in some near-by caves to keep the seventh day without attractingattention, were denounced to Philip, and were then al burnt to death together, since their consciences would notal ow them to defend themselves, out of respect for the holiness of the day.
12 Obsecro autem eos qui hunc librum lecturi sunt, ne abhorrescant propter adversos casus : sed reputent ea quæ acciderunt, non ad interitum, sed ad correptionem esse generis nostri.	12 Now, I urge anyone who may read this book not to be dismayed at these calamities, but to reflect thatsuch visitations are intended not to destroy our race but to discipline it.
13 Etenim multo tempore non sinere peccatoribus ex sententia agere, sed statim ultiones adhibere, magni beneficii est indicium.	13 Indeed, when evil-doers are not left for long to their own devices but incur swift retribution, it is a signof great benevolence.
14 Non enim, sicut in aliis nationibus, Dominus patienter exspectat, ut eas cum judicii dies advenerit, in plenitudine peccatorum puniat :	14 In the case of other nations, the Master waits patiently for them to attain the ful measure of their sinsbefore he punishes them, but with us he has decided to deal differently,
15 ita et in nobis statuit ut, peccatis nostris in finem devolutis, ita demum in nos vindicet.	15 rather than have to punish us later, when our sins come to ful measure.
16 Propter quod numquam quidem a nobis misericordiam suam amovet : corripiens vero in adversis, populum suum non dereliquit.	16 And so he never entirely withdraws his mercy from us; he may discipline us by some disaster, but hedoes not desert his own people.
17 Sed hæc nobis ad commonitionem legentium dicta sint paucis. Jam enim veniendum est ad narrationem.	17 Let this be said simply by way of reminder; we must return to our story without more ado.
18 Igitur Eleazarus, unus de primoribus scribarum, vir ætate provectus, et vultu decorus, aperto ore hians compellebatur carnem porcinam manducare.	18 Eleazar, one of the foremost teachers of the Law, a man already advanced in years and of most nobleappearance, had his mouth forced open, to make him eat a piece of pork.
19 At ille gloriosissimam mortem magis quam odibilem vitam complectens, voluntarie præibat ad supplicium.	19 But he, resolving to die with honour rather than to live disgraced, walked of his own accord to thetorture of the wheel,
20 Intuens autem quemadmodum oporteret accedere, patienter sustinens, destinavit non admittere illicita propter vitæ amorem.	20 having spat the stuff out, as befits those with the courage to reject what is not lawful to taste, ratherthan live.
21 Hi autem qui astabant, iniqua miseratione commoti propter antiquam viri amicitiam, tollentes eum secreto rogabant afferri carnes quibus vesci ei licebat, ut simularetur manducasse sicut rex imperaverat de sacrificii carnibus,	21 The people supervising the ritual meal, forbidden by the Law, because of the length of time for whichthey had known him, took him aside and privately urged him to have meat brought of a kind he could properlyuse, prepared by himself, and only pretend to eat the portions of sacrificial meat as prescribed by the king;
22 ut hoc facto, a morte liberaretur : et propter veterem viri amicitiam, hanc in eo faciebant humanitatem.	22 this action would enable him to escape death, by availing himself of an act of kindness prompted bytheir long friendship.
23 At ille cogitare cœpit ætatis ac senectutis suæ eminentiam dignam, et ingenitæ nobilitatis canitiem, atque a puero optimæ conversationis actus : et secundum sanctæ et a Deo conditæ legis constituta, respondit cito, dicens præmitti se velle in infernum.	23 But having taken a noble decision worthy of his years and the dignity of his great age and the wel -earned distinction of his grey hairs, worthy too of his impeccable conduct from boyhood, and above al of theholy legislation established by God himself, he answered accordingly, telling them to send him at once to Hades.
24 Non enim ætati nostræ dignum est, inquit, fingere : ut multi adolescentium, arbitrantes Eleazarum nonaginta annorum transisse ad vitam alienigenarum,	24 'Pretence', he said, 'does not befit our time of life; many young people would suppose that Eleazar atthe age of ninety had conformed to the foreigners' way of life
25 et ipsi propter meam simulationem, et propter modicum corruptibilis vitæ tempus decipiantur, et per hoc maculam atque execrationem meæ senectuti conquiram.	25 and, because I had played this part for the sake of a paltry brief spel of life, might themselves be ledastray on my account; I should only bring defilement and disgrace on my old age.
26 Nam etsi in præsenti tempore suppliciis hominum eripiar, sed manum Omnipotentis nec vivus, nec defunctus, effugiam.	26 Even though for the moment I avoid execution by man, I can never, living or dead, elude the grasp ofthe Almighty.
27 Quam ob rem fortiter vita excedendo, senectute quidem dignus apparebo :	27 Therefore if I am man enough to quit this life here and now, I shal prove myself worthy of my old age,
28 adolescentibus autem exemplum forte relinquam, si prompto animo ac fortiter pro gravissimis ac sanctissimis legibus honesta morte perfungar. His dictis, confestim ad supplicium trahebatur.	28 and I shal have left the young a noble example of how to make a good death, eagerly andgenerously, for the venerable and holy laws.' So saying, he walked straight to the wheel,
29 Hi autem qui eum ducebant, et paulo ante fuerant mitiores, in iram conversi sunt propter sermones ab eo dictos, quos illi per arrogantiam prolatos arbitrabantur.	29 while those who were escorting him, recently so wel disposed towards him, turned against him afterthis declaration, which they regarded as sheer madness.
30 Sed cum plagis perimeretur, ingemuit, et dixit : Domine, qui habes sanctam scientiam, manifeste tu scis quia cum a morte possem liberari, duros corporis sustineo dolores : secundum animam vero propter timorem tuum libenter hæc patior.	30 He for his part, just before he died under the blows, gave a sigh and said, 'The Lord whose knowledgeis holy sees clearly that, though I might have escaped death, from awe of him I gladly endure these agonies ofbody under the lash, and that in my soul I am glad to suffer.'
31 Et iste quidem hoc modo vita decessit, non solum juvenibus, sed et universæ genti memoriam mortis suæ ad exemplum virtutis et fortitudinis derelinquens.	31 This was how he died, leaving his death as an example of nobility and a record of virtue not only forthe young but for the greater part of the nation.