Liber I Maccabaeorum, 6

1. Et rex Antiochus perambulabat superiores regiones et audivit esse Elymaida in Perside civitatem gloriosam divitiis argento et auro

1. King Antiochus was going through the upper provinces when he heard that Elymais in Persia was a city famed for its wealth in silver and gold.

2. templumque in ea locuples valde et illic velamina aurea et loricae et scuta, quae reliquit ibi Alexander Philippi rex Macedo, qui regnavit primus in Graecia.

2. Its temple was very rich, containing golden shields, breastplates, and weapons left there by Alexander, the son of Philip, the Macedonian king who first reigned over the Greeks.

3. Et venit et quaerebat capere civitatem et depraedari eam et non potuit, quoniam innotuit sermo his, qui erant in civitate.

3. So he came and tried to take the city and plunder it, but he could not, because his plan became known to the men of the city

4. Et restiterunt ei in proelium. Et fugit inde et abiit cum tristitia magna, ut reverteretur in Babyloniam.

4. and they withstood him in battle. So he fled and in great grief departed from there to return to Babylon.

5. Et venit, qui nuntiaret ei in Perside quia fugata sunt castra, quae iverant in terram Iudae,

5. Then some one came to him in Persia and reported that the armies which had gone into the land of Judah had been routed;

6. et quia abiit Lysias cum virtute forti in primis et fugatus est a facie eorum, et invaluerunt armis et viribus et spoliis multis, quae ceperunt de castris quae exciderunt,

6. that Lysias had gone first with a strong force, but had turned and fled before the Jews; that the Jews had grown strong from the arms, supplies, and abundant spoils which they had taken from the armies they had cut down;

7. et quia diruerunt abominationem, quam aedificaverat super altare, quod erat in Ierusalem, et sanctificationem sicut prius circumdederunt muris excelsis et Bethsuram civitatem eius.

7. that they had torn down the abomination which he had erected upon the altar in Jerusalem; and that they had surrounded the sanctuary with high walls as before, and also Beth-zur, his city.

8. Et factum est, ut audivit rex sermones istos, expavit et commotus est valde et decidit in lectum et incidit in languorem prae tristitia, quia non factum est ei, sicut cogitabat.

8. When the king heard this news, he was astounded and badly shaken. He took to his bed and became sick from grief, because things had not turned out for him as he had planned.

9. Et erat illic per dies multos, quia renovata est in eo tristitia magna, et arbitratus est se mori.

9. He lay there for many days, because deep grief continually gripped him, and he concluded that he was dying.

10. Et vocavit omnes amicos suos et dixit illis: “Recessit somnus ab oculis meis, et concidi corde prae sollicitudine

10. So he called all his friends and said to them, "Sleep departs from my eyes and I am downhearted with worry.

11. et dixi in corde meo: Quousque tribulationis deveni et tempestatis magnae, in qua nunc sum? Quia iucundus eram et dilectus in potestate mea!

11. I said to myself, `To what distress I have come! And into what a great flood I now am plunged! For I was kind and beloved in my power.'

12. Nunc vero reminiscor malorum, quae feci in Ierusalem, unde et abstuli omnia vasa aurea et argentea, quae erant in ea, et misi auferre habitantes Iudam sine causa.

12. But now I remember the evils I did in Jerusalem. I seized all her vessels of silver and gold; and I sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judah without good reason.

13. Cognovi quia propterea invenerunt me mala ista; et ecce pereo tristitia magna in terra aliena”.

13. I know that it is because of this that these evils have come upon me; and behold, I am perishing of deep grief in a strange land."

14. Et vocavit Philippum, unum de amicis suis, et praeposuit eum super universum regnum suum;

14. Then he called for Philip, one of his friends, and made him ruler over all his kingdom.

15. et dedit ei diadema et stolam suam et anulum, ut adduceret Antiochum filium suum et nutriret eum, ut regnaret.

15. He gave him the crown and his robe and the signet, that he might guide Antiochus his son and bring him up to be king.

16. Et mortuus est illic Antiochus rex anno centesimo quadragesimo nono.

16. Thus Antiochus the king died there in the one hundred and forty-ninth year.

17. Et cognovit Lysias quoniam mortuus est rex, et constituit regnare Antiochum filium eius pro eo, quem nutrivit adulescentiorem; et vocavit nomen eius Eupatorem.

17. And when Lysias learned that the king was dead, he set up Antiochus the king's son to reign. Lysias had brought him up as a boy, and he named him Eupator.

18. Et hi, qui erant in arce, concluserant Israel in circuitu sanctorum et quaerebant eis mala semper et firmamentum gentium.

18. Now the men in the citadel kept hemming Israel in around the sanctuary. They were trying in every way to harm them and strengthen the Gentiles.

19. Et cogitavit Iudas disperdere eos et convocavit universum populum, ut obsiderent eos.

19. So Judas decided to destroy them, and assembled all the people to besiege them.

20. Et convenerunt simul et obsederunt eos anno centesimo quinquagesimo et fecerunt ballistas et machinas.

20. They gathered together and besieged the citadel in the one hundred and fiftieth year; and he built siege towers and other engines of war.

21. Et exierunt quidam ex eis, qui obsidebantur, et adiunxerunt se illis aliqui impii ex Israel

21. But some of the garrison escaped from the siege and some of the ungodly Israelites joined them.

22. et abierunt ad regem et dixerunt: “Quousque non facis iudicium et vindicabis fratres nostros?

22. They went to the king and said, "How long will you fail to do justice and to avenge our brethren?

23. Nos decrevimus servire patri tuo et ambulare in praeceptis eius et obsequi edictis eius;

23. We were happy to serve your father, to live by what he said and to follow his commands.

24. et filii populi nostri propter hoc obsederunt arcem et alienabant se a nobis, et, quicumque inveniebantur ex nobis, interficiebantur, et hereditates nostrae diripiebantur.

24. For this reason the sons of our people besieged the citadel and became hostile to us; moreover, they have put to death as many of us as they have caught, and they have seized our inheritances.

25. Et non ad nos tantum extenderunt manum sed et in omnes fines suos;

25. And not against us alone have they stretched out their hands, but also against all the lands on their borders.

26. et ecce applicuerunt hodie ad arcem in Ierusalem occupare eam et sancta et Bethsuram munierunt.

26. And behold, today they have encamped against the citadel in Jerusalem to take it; they have fortified both the sanctuary and Beth-zur;

27. Et, nisi praeveneris eos velocius, maiora quam haec facient, et non poteris continere eos”.

27. and unless you quickly prevent them, they will do still greater things, and you will not be able to stop them."

28. Et iratus est rex, ut audivit, et convocavit omnes amicos suos et principes exercitus sui et eos, qui super vehicula erant;

28. The king was enraged when he heard this. He assembled all his friends, the commanders of his forces and those in authority.

29. sed et de regnis aliis et de insulis maritimis venerunt ad eum exercitus conducticii.

29. And mercenary forces came to him from other kingdoms and from islands of the seas.

30. Et erat numerus exercitus eius centum milia peditum et viginti milia equitum, et elephanti triginta duo docti ad proelium.

30. The number of his forces was a hundred thousand foot soldiers, twenty thousand horsemen, and thirty-two elephants accustomed to war.

31. Et venerunt per Idumaeam et applicuerunt ad Bethsuram. Et pugnaverunt dies multos et fecerunt machinas et exierunt et succenderunt eas igne et pugnaverunt viriliter.

31. They came through Idumea and encamped against Beth-zur, and for many days they fought and built engines of war; but the Jews sallied out and burned these with fire, and fought manfully.

32. Et recessit Iudas ab arce et movit castra ad Bethzacharam contra castra regis.

32. Then Judas marched away from the citadel and encamped at Beth-zechariah, opposite the camp of the king.

33. Et surrexit rex ante lucem et excitavit exercitum in impetu suo contra viam Bethzacharam, et comparaverunt se exercitus in proelium et tubis cecinerunt

33. Early in the morning the king rose and took his army by a forced march along the road to Beth-zechariah, and his troops made ready for battle and sounded their trumpets.

34. et elephantis ostenderunt sanguinem uvae et mori ad acuendos eos in proelium.

34. They showed the elephants the juice of grapes and mulberries, to arouse them for battle.

35. Et diviserunt bestias per legiones, et astiterunt singulis elephantis mille viri in loricis concatenatis, et galeae aereae in capitibus eorum, et quingenti equites ordinati unicuique bestiae electi.

35. And they distributed the beasts among the phalanxes; with each elephant they stationed a thousand men armed with coats of mail, and with brass helmets on their heads; and five hundred picked horsemen were assigned to each beast.

36. Hi ante tempus, ubicumque erat bestia, ibi erant et, quocumque ibat, ibant; non discedebant ab ea.

36. These took their position beforehand wherever the beast was; wherever it went they went with it, and they never left it.

37. Et turres ligneae super eos firmae, protectae super singulas bestias, praecinctae super eas machinis, et super singulas viri virtutis quattuor, qui pugnabant desuper, et Indus eius.

37. And upon the elephants were wooden towers, strong and covered; they were fastened upon each beast by special harness, and upon each were four armed men who fought from there, and also its Indian driver.

38. Et residuos equites hinc et inde statuit in duas partes exercitus excitaturos et protecturos in legionibus.

38. The rest of the horsemen were stationed on either side, on the two flanks of the army, to harass the enemy while being themselves protected by the phalanxes.

39. Et, ut refulsit sol in clipeos aureos et aereos, resplenduerunt montes ab eis et resplenduerunt sicut lampades ignis.

39. When the sun shone upon the shields of gold and brass, the hills were ablaze with them and gleamed like flaming torches.

40. Et distincta est pars exercitus regis super montes excelsos, et quidam per loca humilia; et ibant caute et ordinate.

40. Now a part of the king's army was spread out on the high hills, and some troops were on the plain, and they advanced steadily and in good order.

41. Et commovebantur omnes audientes vocem multitudinis et incessum turbae et collisionem armorum; erat enim exercitus magnus valde et fortis.

41. All who heard the noise made by their multitude, by the marching of the multitude and the clanking of their arms, trembled, for the army was very large and strong.

42. Et appropiavit Iudas et exercitus eius in proelium, et ceciderunt de exercitu regis sescenti viri.

42. But Judas and his army advanced to the battle, and six hundred men of the king's army fell.

43. Et vidit Eleazar Abaran unam de bestiis loricatam loricis regis, et erat eminens super ceteras bestias, et visum est ei quod in ea esset rex;

43. And Eleazar, called Avaran, saw that one of the beasts was equipped with royal armor. It was taller than all the others, and he supposed that the king was upon it.

44. et dedit se, ut liberaret populum suum et acquireret sibi nomen aeternum.

44. So he gave his life to save his people and to win for himself an everlasting name.

45. Et cucurrit ad eam audacter, in medio legionis interficiens a dextris et a sinistris, et findebantur ab eo huc atque illuc;

45. He courageously ran into the midst of the phalanx to reach it; he killed men right and left, and they parted before him on both sides.

46. et ivit sub elephantum et supposuit se ei et occidit eum; et cecidit in terram super ipsum, et mortuus est illic.

46. He got under the elephant, stabbed it from beneath, and killed it; but it fell to the ground upon him and he died.

47. Et videntes virtutem regni et impetum exercituum diverterunt se ab eis.

47. And when the Jews saw the royal might and the fierce attack of the forces, they turned away in flight.

48. Qui autem erant de castris regis, ascenderunt obviam illis in Ierusalem, et applicuit rex ad Iudaeam et montem Sion.

48. The soldiers of the king's army went up to Jerusalem against them, and the king encamped in Judea and at Mount Zion.

49. Et fecit pacem cum his, qui erant in Bethsura; et exierunt de civitate, quia non erant eis ibi alimenta, eo quod conclusi essent in ea, quia sabbatum erat terrae.

49. He made peace with the men of Beth-zur, and they evacuated the city, because they had no provisions there to withstand a siege, since it was a sabbatical year for the land.

50. Et comprehendit rex Bethsuram et constituit illic custodiam servare eam.

50. So the king took Beth-zur and stationed a guard there to hold it.

51. Et applicuit castra ad locum sanctificationis dies multos; et statuit illic ballistas et machinas et ignis iacula et tormenta ad lapides iactandos et scorpios ad mittendas sagittas et fundibula.

51. Then he encamped before the sanctuary for many days. He set up siege towers, engines of war to throw fire and stones, machines to shoot arrows, and catapults.

52. Fecerunt autem et ipsi machinas adversus machinas eorum et pugnaverunt dies multos;

52. The Jews also made engines of war to match theirs, and fought for many days.

53. escae autem non erant in horreis, eo quod septimus annus esset, et, qui evaserant in Iudaeam de gentibus, consumpserant reliquias repositionis.

53. But they had no food in storage, because it was the seventh year; those who found safety in Judea from the Gentiles had consumed the last of the stores.

54. Et remanserunt in sanctis viri pauci, quoniam obtinuerat eos fames, et dispersi sunt unusquisque in locum suum.

54. Few men were left in the sanctuary, because famine had prevailed over the rest and they had been scattered, each to his own place.

55. Et audivit Lysias quod Philippus, quem constituerat rex Antiochus, cum adhuc viveret, ut nutriret Antiochum filium suum ut regnaret,

55. Then Lysias heard that Philip, whom King Antiochus while still living had appointed to bring up Antiochus his son to be king,

56. reversus esset a Perside et Media, et exercitus, qui abierat cum ipso, et quia quaerebat suscipere regni negotia.

56. had returned from Persia and Media with the forces that had gone with the king, and that he was trying to seize control of the government.

57. Festinavit et significavit ire dixitque ad regem et duces exercitus et viros: “Deficimus cotidie, et esca nobis modica est, et locus, quem obsidemus, est munitus, et incumbunt nobis negotia regni.

57. So he quickly gave orders to depart, and said to the king, to the commanders of the forces, and to the men, "We daily grow weaker, our food supply is scant, the place against which we are fighting is strong, and the affairs of the kingdom press urgently upon us.

58. Nunc itaque demus dextras hominibus istis et faciamus cum illis pacem et cum omni gente eorum

58. Now then let us come to terms with these men, and make peace with them and with all their nation,

59. et constituamus illis, ut ambulent in legitimis suis sicut prius; propter legitima enim ipsorum, quae dispersimus, irati sunt et fecerunt omnia haec”.

59. and agree to let them live by their laws as they did before; for it was on account of their laws which we abolished that they became angry and did all these things."

60. Et placuit sermo in conspectu regis et principum, et misit ad eos pacem facere, et receperunt illam.

60. The speech pleased the king and the commanders, and he sent to the Jews an offer of peace, and they accepted it.

61. Et iuravit illis rex et principes. His condicionibus exierunt de munitione.

61. So the king and the commanders gave them their oath. On these conditions the Jews evacuated the stronghold.

62. Et intravit rex in montem Sion et vidit munitionem loci et rupit iuramentum, quod iuravit, et mandavit destruere murum in gyro.

62. But when the king entered Mount Zion and saw what a strong fortress the place was, he broke the oath he had sworn and gave orders to tear down the wall all around.

63. Et discessit festinanter et reversus est Antiochiam; et invenit Philippum dominantem civitati et pugnavit adversus eum et occupavit civitatem per vim.

63. Then he departed with haste and returned to Antioch. He found Philip in control of the city, but he fought against him, and took the city by force.