Liber II Maccabaeorum, 14

1. Sed post triennii tempus co gnoverunt, qui cum Iuda erant, Demetrium Seleuci per portum apud Tripolim adnavigantem cum multitudine valida et navibus,

1. Three years later, word came to Judas and his men that Demetrius, the son of Seleucus, had sailed into the harbor of Tripolis with a strong army and a fleet,

2. tenuisse regionem, sublato Antiocho et procuratore eius Lysia.

2. and had taken possession of the country, having made away with Antiochus and his guardian Lysias.

3. Alcimus autem quidam, qui summus sacerdos fuerat, sed voluntarie coinquinatus temporibus seditionis, considerans nullo modo sibi esse salutem neque accessum ultra ad sanctum altare,

3. Now a certain Alcimus, who had formerly been high priest but had wilfully defiled himself in the times of separation, realized that there was no way for him to be safe or to have access again to the holy altar,

4. venit ad regem Demetrium, centesimo quinquagesimo primo anno, offerens ei coronam auream et palmam, super haec et thallos, qui templi esse videbantur; et ipsa quidem die siluit.

4. and went to King Demetrius in about the one hundred and fifty-first year, presenting to him a crown of gold and a palm, and besides these some of the customary olive branches from the temple. During that day he kept quiet.

5. Tempus autem opportunum dementiae suae nactus, convocatus a Demetrio ad consilium et interrogatus quo proposito et consilio Iudaei niterentur,

5. But he found an opportunity that furthered his mad purpose when he was invited by Demetrius to a meeting of the council and was asked about the disposition and intentions of the Jews. He answered:

6. ad haec respondit: “Ipsi, qui dicuntur Asidaei, Iudaeorum, quibus praeest Iudas Maccabaeus, bella nutriunt et seditiones movent nec patiuntur regnum esse quietum.

6. "Those of the Jews who are called Hasideans, whose leader is Judas Maccabeus, are keeping up war and stirring up sedition, and will not let the kingdom attain tranquillity.

7. Unde ego defraudatus parentum gloria, dico autem summo sacerdotio, huc nunc veni,

7. Therefore I have laid aside my ancestral glory -- I mean the high priesthood -- and have now come here,

8. primo quidem de his, quae pertinent ad regem, mera fide sentiens, secundo autem etiam civibus meis consulens; nam illorum praedictorum inconsiderantia universum genus nostrum non modice laborat.

8. first because I am genuinely concerned for the interests of the king, and second because I have regard also for my fellow citizens. For through the folly of those whom I have mentioned our whole nation is now in no small misfortune.

9. Sed his singulis, tu rex, cognitis, et regioni et obsesso generi nostro, secundum quam habes omnibus obviam humanitatem, prospice;

9. Since you are acquainted, O king, with the details of this matter, deign to take thought for our country and our hard-pressed nation with the gracious kindness which you show to all.

10. nam, quamdiu superest Iudas, impossibile est pacem esse negotiis”.

10. For as long as Judas lives, it is impossible for the government to find peace."

11. Talibus autem ab hoc dictis, velocius ceteri amici hostiliter se habentes adversus Iudam inflammaverunt Demetrium.

11. When he had said this, the rest of the king's friends, who were hostile to Judas, quickly inflamed Demetrius still more.

12. Qui statim assumens Nicanorem, qui fuit praepositus elephantorum, et ducem ostendens Iudaeae misit,

12. And he immediately chose Nicanor, who had been in command of the elephants, appointed him governor of Judea, and sent him off

13. datis mandatis, ut ipsum quidem Iudam occideret; eos vero, qui cum illo erant, dispergeret et constitueret Alcimum maximi templi summum sacerdotem.

13. with orders to kill Judas and scatter his men, and to set up Alcimus as high priest of the greatest temple.

14. Tunc gentes, quae de Iudaea fugerant Iudam, gregatim se Nicanori miscebant, miserias et clades Iudaeorum prosperitates rerum suarum existimantes fore.

14. And the Gentiles throughout Judea, who had fled before Judas, flocked to join Nicanor, thinking that the misfortunes and calamities of the Jews would mean prosperity for themselves.

15. Audito itaque Nicanoris adventu et conventu nationum, conspersi terra rogabant eum, qui populum suum constituit usque in aeternum quique suam portionem signis evidentibus protegit.

15. When the Jews heard of Nicanor's coming and the gathering of the Gentiles, they sprinkled dust upon their heads and prayed to him who established his own people for ever and always upholds his own heritage by manifesting himself.

16. Imperante autem duce, statim inde profectus congreditur eis ad castellum Dessau.

16. At the command of the leader, they set out from there immediately and engaged them in battle at a village called Dessau.

17. Simon vero frater Iudae commiserat cum Nicanore, sed lente ob repentinum adversariorum silentium victus evaserat.

17. Simon, the brother of Judas, had encountered Nicanor, but had been temporarily checked because of the sudden consternation created by the enemy.

18. Nicanor tamen audiens quam virtutem haberent, qui cum Iuda erant, et animi magnitudinem pro patriae certaminibus, sanguine iudicium facere metuebat.

18. Nevertheless Nicanor, hearing of the valor of Judas and his men and their courage in battle for their country, shrank from deciding the issue by bloodshed.

19. Quam ob rem misit Posidonium et Theodotum et Matthathiam, ut darent dextras atque acciperent.

19. Therefore he sent Posidonius and Theodotus and Mattathias to give and receive pledges of friendship.

20. Et, cum diu de his consilium ageretur, et ipse dux ad multitudinem rettulisset, et paribus suffragiis pareret sententia, sponsionibus pacis annuerunt.

20. When the terms had been fully considered, and the leader had informed the people, and it had appeared that they were of one mind, they agreed to the covenant.

21. Itaque diem constituerunt, qua secreto convenirent eodem, et processit utrimque currus, posuerunt sellas;

21. And the leaders set a day on which to meet by themselves. A chariot came forward from each army; seats of honor were set in place;

22. disposuit Iudas armatos paratos locis opportunis, ne forte ab hostibus repente mali aliquid fieret; congruum colloquium fecerunt.

22. Judas posted armed men in readiness at key places to prevent sudden treachery on the part of the enemy; they held the proper conference.

23. Morabatur Nicanor Hierosolymis nihilque inique agebat gregesque turbarum, quae congregatae fuerant, dimisit.

23. Nicanor stayed on in Jerusalem and did nothing out of the way, but dismissed the flocks of people that had gathered.

24. Habebat autem Iudam semper in conspectu, ex animo erat viro inclinatus.

24. And he kept Judas always in his presence; he was warmly attached to the man.

25. Rogavit eum ducere uxorem filiosque procreare. Nuptias fecit, quiete egit, communiter vivebat.

25. And he urged him to marry and have children; so he married, settled down, and shared the common life.

26. Alcimus autem, videns mutuam illorum benevolentiam et factas conventiones, accipiens venit ad Demetrium et dicebat Nicanorem aliena sentire a rebus; Iudam enim regni insidiatorem socium sibi designavit.

26. But when Alcimus noticed their good will for one another, he took the covenant that had been made and went to Demetrius. He told him that Nicanor was disloyal to the government, for he had appointed that conspirator against the kingdom, Judas, to be his successor.

27. Itaque rex exasperatus et pessimi huius criminationibus irritatus, scripsit Nicanori dicens graviter quidem se ferre de conventionibus, iubere tamen Maccabaeum citius vinctum mittere Antiochiam.

27. The king became excited and, provoked by the false accusations of that depraved man, wrote to Nicanor, stating that he was displeased with the covenant and commanding him to send Maccabeus to Antioch as a prisoner without delay.

28. Quibus cognitis, Nicanor confusus erat et aegre ferebat, si ea, quae convenerant, irrita faceret, nulla a viro facta iniuria;

28. When this message came to Nicanor, he was troubled and grieved that he had to annul their agreement when the man had done no wrong.

29. sed, quia regi resisti non poterat, opportunitatem observabat, ut artificio illud perficeret.

29. Since it was not possible to oppose the king, he watched for an opportunity to accomplish this by a stratagem.

30. At Maccabaeus videns secum austerius agere Nicanorem et consuetum occursum ferocius exhibentem, intellegens non ex optimo esse austeritatem, non paucis suorum congregatis, occultavit se a Nicanore.

30. But Maccabeus, noticing that Nicanor was more austere in his dealings with him and was meeting him more rudely than had been his custom, concluded that this austerity did not spring from the best motives. So he gathered not a few of his men, and went into hiding from Nicanor.

31. Quod cum ille cognovit fortiter se a viro astutia praeventum, venit ad maximum et sanctum templum et sacerdotibus solitas hostias offerentibus iussit sibi tradi virum.

31. When the latter became aware that he had been cleverly outwitted by the man, he went to the great and holy temple while the priests were offering the customary sacrifices, and commanded them to hand the man over.

32. Quibus cum iuramento dicentibus nescire se ubi esset, qui quaerebatur, extendens dexteram ad templum

32. And when they declared on oath that they did not know where the man was whom he sought,

33. iuravit haec: “Nisi Iudam mihi vinctum tradideritis, istud Dei fanum in planitiem deducam et altare effodiam et templum hic Libero illustre erigam”.

33. he stretched out his right hand toward the sanctuary, and swore this oath: "If you do not hand Judas over to me as a prisoner, I will level this precinct of God to the ground and tear down the altar, and I will build here a splendid temple to Dionysus."

34. Et, his dictis, abiit. Sacerdotes autem protendentes manus in caelum invocabant eum, qui semper propugnator fuit gentis nostrae, haec dicentes:

34. Having said this, he went away. Then the priests stretched forth their hands toward heaven and called upon the constant Defender of our nation, in these words:

35. “Tu, Domine universorum, qui nullius indiges, voluisti templum habitationis tuae fieri in nobis; 36 et nunc, Sancte, omnis sanctificationis Domine, conserva in aeternum impollutam domum istam, quae nuper mundata est”.

35. "O Lord of all, who hast need of nothing, thou wast pleased that there be a temple for thy habitation among us;

36.

36. so now, O holy One, Lord of all holiness, keep undefiled for ever this house that has been so recently purified."

37. Razis autem quidam de senioribus ab Hierosolymis delatus est Nicanori, vir amator civitatis et valde bene audiens, qui pro affectu pater Iudaeorum appellabatur.

37. A certain Razis, one of the elders of Jerusalem, was denounced to Nicanor as a man who loved his fellow citizens and was very well thought of and for his good will was called father of the Jews.

38. Hic enim pristinis temporibus seditionis iudicium pertulerat Iudaismi corpusque et animam pro Iudaismo tradiderat cum omni perseverantia.

38. For in former times, when there was no mingling with the Gentiles, he had been accused of Judaism, and for Judaism he had with all zeal risked body and life.

39. Volens autem Nicanor manifestare odium, quod habebat in Iudaeos, misit milites supra quingentos, ut eum comprehenderent;

39. Nicanor, wishing to exhibit the enmity which he had for the Jews, sent more than five hundred soldiers to arrest him;

40. putabat enim, si illum cepisset, se cladem istis illaturum.

40. for he thought that by arresting him he would do them an injury.

41. Turbis autem turrim iam occupaturis et atrii ianuae vim facientibus atque iubentibus ignem admovere et portas incendi, ipse undique comprehensus supposuit sibi gladium

41. When the troops were about to capture the tower and were forcing the door of the courtyard, they ordered that fire be brought and the doors burned. Being surrounded, Razis fell upon his own sword,

42. volens nobiliter mori potius quam subditus fieri peccatoribus et nobilitate sua indignis iniuriis affici.

42. preferring to die nobly rather than to fall into the hands of sinners and suffer outrages unworthy of his noble birth.

43. Sed, cum per contentionis festinationem non certo ictu plagam dedisset, et turbae intra ostia irrumperent, recurrens audacter ad murum praecipitavit semetipsum viriliter in turbas;

43. But in the heat of the struggle he did not hit exactly, and the crowd was now rushing in through the doors. He bravely ran up on the wall, and manfully threw himself down into the crowd.

44. quibus velociter locum dantibus intervallo facto, venit per medium spatium vacuum.

44. But as they quickly drew back, a space opened and he fell in the middle of the empty space.

45. Et, cum adhuc spiraret, accensus animis surrexit et, cum sanguis ad modum fontis deflueret, et gravissima essent vulnera, cursu turbas pertransiens et stans supra quandam petram praeruptam,

45. Still alive and aflame with anger, he rose, and though his blood gushed forth and his wounds were severe he ran through the crowd; and standing upon a steep rock,

46. prorsus exsanguis iam effectus, proferens intestina et sumens utrisque manibus proiecit super turbas et invocans Dominatorem vitae ac spiritus, ut haec ipsi iterum redderet, ita vita defunctus est.

46. with his blood now completely drained from him, he tore out his entrails, took them with both hands and hurled them at the crowd, calling upon the Lord of life and spirit to give them back to him again. This was the manner of his death.