Liber I Maccabaeorum, 15

1. Et misit rex Antiochus filius Demetrii epistulas ab insulis maris Simoni sacerdoti et principi gentis Iudaeorum et universae genti,

1. Antiochus, the son of Demetrius the king, sent a letter from the islands of the sea to Simon, the priest and ethnarch of the Jews, and to all the nation;

2. et erant continentes hunc modum: “Rex Antiochus Simoni sacerdoti magno et gentis principi et genti Iudaeorum salutem.

2. its contents were as follows: "King Antiochus to Simon the high priest and ethnarch and to the nation of the Jews, greeting.

3. Quoniam quidam pestilentes obtinuerunt regnum patrum nostrorum, volo autem vindicare regnum, ut restituam illud, sicut erat antea, delectumque feci multitudinis exercitus et feci naves bellicas;

3. Whereas certain pestilent men have gained control of the kingdom of our fathers, and I intend to lay claim to the kingdom so that I may restore it as it formerly was, and have recruited a host of mercenary troops and have equipped warships,

4. volo autem procedere per regionem, ut ulciscar in eos, qui corruperunt regionem nostram et qui desolaverunt civitates multas in regno meo.

4. and intend to make a landing in the country so that I may proceed against those who have destroyed our country and those who have devastated many cities in my kingdom,

5. Nunc ergo statuo tibi omnes oblationes, quas remiserunt tibi ante me reges, et quaecumque alia dona remiserunt tibi.

5. now therefore I confirm to you all the tax remissions that the kings before me have granted you, and release from all the other payments from which they have released you.

6. Et permisi tibi facere monetam propriam numisma regioni tuae;

6. I permit you to mint your own coinage as money for your country,

7. Ierusalem autem et sancta esse libera, et omnia arma, quae fabricatus es, et praesidia, quae construxisti, quae tenes, maneant tibi;

7. and I grant freedom to Jerusalem and the sanctuary. All the weapons which you have prepared and the strongholds which you have built and now hold shall remain yours.

8. et omne debitum regis, et quae futura sunt regi ex hoc et in totum tempus, remittantur tibi.

8. Every debt you owe to the royal treasury and any such future debts shall be canceled for you from henceforth and for all time.

9. Cum autem obtinuerimus regnum nostrum, glorificabimus te et gentem tuam et templum gloria magna, ita ut manifestetur gloria vestra in universa terra”.

9. When we gain control of our kingdom, we will bestow great honor upon you and your nation and the temple, so that your glory will become manifest in all the earth."

10. Anno centesimo septuagesimo quarto exiit Antiochus in terram patrum suorum, et convenerunt ad eum omnes exercitus, ita ut pauci relicti essent cum Tryphone.

10. In the one hundred and seventy-fourth year Antiochus set out and invaded the land of his fathers. All the troops rallied to him, so that there were few with Trypho.

11. Et insecutus est eum Antiochus rex, et venit Doram fugiens, quae est ad mare;

11. Antiochus pursued him, and he came in his flight to Dor, which is by the sea;

12. sciebat enim quod congregata sunt mala in eum, et reliquit eum exercitus.

12. for he knew that troubles had converged upon him, and his troops had deserted him.

13. Et applicuit Antiochus ad Doram cum centum viginti milibus virorum belligeratorum et octo milibus equitum

13. So Antiochus encamped against Dor, and with him were a hundred and twenty thousand warriors and eight thousand cavalry.

14. et circuivit civitatem, et naves a mari accesserunt; et vexabat civitatem a terra et mari et neminem sinebat ingredi vel egredi.

14. He surrounded the city, and the ships joined battle from the sea; he pressed the city hard from land and sea, and permitted no one to leave or enter it.

15. Venit autem Numenius et, qui cum eo fuerant, ab urbe Roma habentes epistulas regibus et regionibus scriptas, in quibus continebantur haec:

15. Then Numenius and his companions arrived from Rome, with letters to the kings and countries, in which the following was written:

16. “Lucius consul Romanorum Ptolemaeo regi salutem.

16. "Lucius, consul of the Romans, to King Ptolemy, greeting.

17. Legati Iudaeorum venerunt ad nos amici nostri et socii renovantes pristinam amicitiam et societatem, missi a Simone principe sacerdotum et populo Iudaeorum.

17. The envoys of the Jews have come to us as our friends and allies to renew our ancient friendship and alliance. They had been sent by Simon the high priest and by the people of the Jews,

18. Attulerunt autem et clipeum aureum minarum mille.

18. and have brought a gold shield weighing a thousand minas.

19. Placuit itaque nobis scribere regibus et regionibus, ut non exquirant illis mala neque impugnent eos et civitates eorum et regionem eorum et ut non ferant auxilium pugnantibus adversus eos.

19. We therefore have decided to write to the kings and countries that they should not seek their harm or make war against them and their cities and their country, or make alliance with those who war against them.

20. Visum autem est nobis accipere ab eis clipeum.

20. And it has seemed good to us to accept the shield from them.

21. Si qui ergo pestilentes refugerunt de regione ipsorum ad vos, tradite eos Simoni principi sacerdotum, ut vindicet in eos secundum legem suam”.

21. Therefore if any pestilent men have fled to you from their country, hand them over to Simon the high priest, that he may punish them according to their law."

22. Haec eadem scripsit Demetrio regi et Attalo et Ariarathae et Arsacae

22. The consul wrote the same thing to Demetrius the king and to Attalus and Ariarathes and Arsaces,

23. et in omnes regiones et Sampsacae et Spartiatis et in Delum et in Myndum et in Sicyonem et in Carida et in Samum et in Pamphyliam et in Lyciam et in Alicarnassum et in Rhodum et in Phaselidam et in Cho et in Siden et in Aradon et in Gortynam et Cnidum et Cyprum et Cyrenen.

23. and to all the countries, and to Sampsames, and to the Spartans, and to Delos, and to Myndos, and to Sicyon, and to Caria, and to Samos, and to Pamphylia, and to Lycia, and to Halicarnassus, and to Rhodes, and to Phaselis, and to Cos, and to Side, and to Aradus and Gortyna and Cnidus and Cyprus and Cyrene.

24. Exemplum autem eorum scripserunt Simoni principi sacerdotum et populo Iudaeorum.

24. They also sent a copy of these things to Simon the high priest.

25. Antiochus autem rex applicuit castra in Doram in secunda die admovens ei semper manus et machinas faciens et conclusit Tryphonem, ne exiret aut introiret.

25. Antiochus the king besieged Dor anew, continually throwing his forces against it and making engines of war; and he shut Trypho up and kept him from going out or in.

26. Et misit ad eum Simon duo milia virorum electorum in auxilium et argentum et aurum et vasa copiosa.

26. And Simon sent to Antiochus two thousand picked men, to fight for him, and silver and gold and much military equipment.

27. Et noluit ea accipere, sed rupit omnia, quae pactus est cum eo antea, et alienavit se ab eo.

27. But he refused to receive them, and he broke all the agreements he formerly had made with Simon, and became estranged from him.

28. Et misit ad eum Athenobium unum de amicis suis, ut tractaret cum ipso dicens: “Vos tenetis Ioppen et Gazaram et arcem, quae est in Ierusalem, civitates regni mei;

28. He sent to him Athenobius, one of his friends, to confer with him, saying, "You hold control of Joppa and Gazara and the citadel in Jerusalem; they are cities of my kingdom.

29. fines earum desolastis et fecistis plagam magnam in terra et dominati estis per loca multa in regno meo.

29. You have devastated their territory, you have done great damage in the land, and you have taken possession of many places in my kingdom.

30. Nunc ergo tradite civitates, quas occupastis, et tributa locorum, in quibus dominati estis extra fines Iudaeae;

30. Now then, hand over the cities which you have seized and the tribute money of the places which you have conquered outside the borders of Judea;

31. sin autem, date pro illis quingenta talenta argenti, et exterminii, quod exterminastis, et tributorum civitatum alia talenta quingenta; sin autem, veniemus et expugnabimus vos”.

31. or else give me for them five hundred talents of silver, and for the destruction that you have caused and the tribute money of the cities, five hundred talents more. Otherwise we will come and conquer you."

32. Et venit Athenobius amicus regis in Ierusalem et vidit gloriam Simonis et claritatem in auro et argento et apparatum copiosum et obstupuit et rettulit ei verba regis.

32. So Athenobius the friend of the king came to Jerusalem, and when he saw the splendor of Simon, and the sideboard with its gold and silver plate, and his great magnificence, he was amazed. He reported to him the words of the king,

33. Et respondit ei Simon et dixit ei: “Neque alienam terram sumpsimus neque aliena detinemus sed hereditatem patrum nostrorum, quae iniuste ab inimicis nostris aliquo tempore possessa est.

33. but Simon gave him this reply: "We have neither taken foreign land nor seized foreign property, but only the inheritance of our fathers, which at one time had been unjustly taken by our enemies.

34. Nos vero tempus habentes vindicamus hereditatem patrum nostrorum;

34. Now that we have the opportunity, we are firmly holding the inheritance of our fathers.

35. nam de Ioppe et Gazara, quae expostulas, ipsae faciebant in populo plagam magnam et in regione nostra: horum damus talenta centum”. Et non respondit ei verbum.

35. As for Joppa and Gazara, which you demand, they were causing great damage among the people and to our land; for them we will give you a hundred talents." Athenobius did not answer him a word,

36. Reversus autem cum ira ad regem renuntiavit ei verba ista et gloriam Simonis et universa, quae vidit; et iratus est rex ira magna.

36. but returned in wrath to the king and reported to him these words and the splendor of Simon and all that he had seen. And the king was greatly angered.

37. Tryphon autem ascendit in navem et fugit in Orthosiam.

37. Now Trypho embarked on a ship and escaped to Orthosia.

38. Et constituit rex Cendebaeum ducem maritimum et exercitum peditum et equitum dedit illi;

38. Then the king made Cendebeus commander-in-chief of the coastal country, and gave him troops of infantry and cavalry.

39. et mandavit illi movere castra contra faciem Iudaeae et mandavit ei aedificare Cedron et obstruere portas civitatis et ut debellaret populum. Rex autem persequebatur Tryphonem.

39. He commanded him to encamp against Judea, and commanded him to build up Kedron and fortify its gates, and to make war on the people; but the king pursued Trypho.

40. Et pervenit Cendebaeus Iamniam et coepit irritare plebem et conculcare Iudaeam et captivare populum et interficere.

40. So Cendebeus came to Jamnia and began to provoke the people and invade Judea and take the people captive and kill them.

41. Et aedificavit Cedron et collocavit illic equites et exercitum, ut egressi perambularent vias Iudaeae, sicut constituit ei rex.

41. He built up Kedron and stationed there horsemen and troops, so that they might go out and make raids along the highways of Judea, as the king had ordered him.