Liber I Maccabaeorum, 15
1. et misit rex Antiochus filius Demetrii epistulas ab insulis maris Simoni sacerdoti et principi gentis Judæorum et universæ genti
1. And king Antiochus the son of Demetrius sent letters from the isles of the sea to Simon the priest, and prince of the nation of the Jews, and to all the people:
2. et erant continentes hunc modum rex Antiochus Simoni sacerdoti magno et genti Judæorum salutem
2. And the contents were these: King Antiochus to Simon the high priest, and to the nation of the Jews, greeting.
3. quoniam quidem pestilentes obtinuerunt regnum patrum nostrorum volo autem vindicare regnum et restituere illud sicut erat antea electum feci multitudinem exercitus et feci naves bellicas
3. Forasmuch as certain pestilent men have usurped the kingdom of our fathers, and my purpose is to challenge the kingdom, and to restore it to its former estate: and I have chosen a great army, and have built ships of war.
4. volo autem procedere per regiones ut ulciscar in eos qui corruperunt regionem nostram et qui desolaverunt civitates multas in regno meo
4. And I design to go through the country that I may take revenge of them that have destroyed our country, and that have made many cities desolate in my realm.
5. nunc ergo statuo tibi omnes oblationes quas remiserunt tibi ante me reges et quæcumque alia dona remiserunt tibi
5. Now therefore I confirm unto thee all the oblations which all the kings before me remitted to thee, and what other gifts soever they remitted to thee:
6. et permitto tibi facere percussuram proprii nomismatis in regione tua
6. And I give thee leave to coin thy own money in thy country:
7. Hierusalem autem sanctam esse et liberam et omnia arma quæ fabricata sunt et præsidia quæ struxisti quæ tenes maneant tibi
7. And let Jerusalem be holy and free, and all the armour that hath been made, and the fortresses which thou hast built, and which thou keepest in thy hands, let them remain to thee.
8. []
8. And all that is due to the king, and what should be the king's hereafter, from this present and for ever, is forgiven thee.
9. cum autem obtinuerimus regnum nostrum glorificabimus te et gentem tuam et templum gloria magna ita ut manifestetur gloria vestra in universa terra
9. And when we shall have recovered our kingdom, we will glorify thee, and thy nation, and the temple with great glory, so that your glory shall be made manifest in all the earth.
10. anno centesimo septuagesimo quarto exiit Antiochus in terram patrum suorum et convenerunt ad eum omnis exercitus ita ut pauci relicti essent cum Tryfone
10. In the year one hundred and seventy-four Antiochus entered into the land of this fathers, and all the forces assembled to him, so that few were left with Tryphon.
11. et insecutus est eum Antiochus rex et venit Doram fugiens per maritimam
11. And king Antiochus pursued after him, and he fled along by the sea coast and came to Dora.
12. sciebat enim quod congregata sunt in eum mala et reliquit eum exercitus
12. For he perceived that evils were gathered together upon him, and his troops had forsaken him.
13. et adplicuit Antiochus super Doram cum centum viginti milibus virorum belligeratorum et octo milibus equitum
13. And Antiochus camped above Dora with a hundred and twenty thousand men of war, and eight thousand horsemen:
14. et circuivit civitatem et naves a mari accesserunt et vexabant civitatem a terra et mari et neminem sinebant egredi
14. And he invested the city, and the ships drew near by sea: and they annoyed the city by land, and by sea, and suffered none to come in, or to go out.
15. venit autem Numenius et qui cum eo fuerant ab urbe Roma habentes epistulas regibus et regionibus scriptas in quibus continebantur hæc
15. And Numenius, and they that had been with him, came from the city of Rome, having letters written to the kings, and countries, the contents whereof were these:
16. Lucius consul Romanorum Ptolomeo regi salutem
16. Lucius the consul of the Romans, to king Ptolemee, greeting.
17. legati Judæorum venerunt ad nos amici nostri renovantes pristinam amicitiam et societatem missi a Simone principe sacerdotum et populo Judæorum
17. The ambassadors of the Jews our friends came to us, to renew the former friendship and alliance, being sent from Simon the high priest, and the people of the Jews.
18. adtulerunt autem et clypeum aureum minarum mille
18. And they brought also a shield of gold of a thousand pounds.
19. placuit itaque nobis scribere regibus et regionibus ut non inferant illis mala neque inpugnent eos et civitates eorum et regiones eorum et ut non ferant auxilium pugnantibus adversus eos
19. It hath seemed good therefore to us to write to the kings, and countries, that they should do them no harm, nor fight against them, their cities, or countries: and that they should give no aid to them that fight against them.
20. visum est autem nobis accipere ab eis clypeum
20. And it hath seemed good to us to received the shield of 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. If therefore any pestilent men are fled out of their country to you, deliver them to Simon the high priest, that he may punish them according to their law.
22. hæc eadem scripta sunt Demetrio regi et Attalo et Arahæ et Arsaci
22. These same things were written to king Demetrius, and to Attalus, and to Ariarathes, and to Arsaces,
23. et in omnes regiones et Samsamæ et Spartanis et Delo et Mydo et Sicyone et Cariæ et Samum et Pamphiliam et Lyciam et Alacarnasum et Rhodum et Faselida et Choo et Siden et Arado et Gortinam et Cnidum et Cyprum et Cyrenen
23. And to all the countries; and to Lampsacus, and to the Spartans, and to Delus, and Myndus, and Sicyon, and Caria, and Samus, and Pamphylia, and Lycia, and Alicarnassus, and Cos, and Side, and Aradus, and Rhodes, and Phaselis, and Gortyna, and Gnidus, and Cyprus, and Cyrene.
24. exemplum autem eorum scripserunt Simoni principi sacerdotum
24. And they wrote a copy thereof to Simon the high priest, and to the people of the Jews.
25. Antiochus autem rex adplicuit castra in Dora secundo admovens ei semper manus et machinas faciens et conclusit Tryfonem ne procederet
25. But king Antiochus moved his camp to Dora the second time, assaulting it continually, and making engines: and shut up Tryphon, that he could not go out.
26. et misit ei Simon duo milia virorum electorum in auxilium et argentum et aurum et vasa copiosa
26. And Simon sent to him two thousand chosen men to aid him, silver also, and gold, and abundance of furniture.
27. et noluit ea accipere sed inrupit omnia quæ pactus est cum eo antea et alienavit se ab eo
27. And he would not receive them, but broke all the covenant that he had made with him before, and alienated himself from him.
28. et misit ad eum Athenovium unum de amicis suis ut tractaret cum ipso dicens vos tenetis Joppen et Gazaram et arcem quæ est in Hierusalem civitates regni mei
28. And he sent to him Athenobius one of his friends, to treat with him, saying: You hold Joppe, and Gazara, and the castle that is in Jerusalem, which are cities of my kingdom:
29. fines earum desolastis et fecistis plagam magnam super terram et dominati estis per loca multa in regno meo
29. Their borders you have wasted, and you have made great havock in the land, and have got the dominion of many places in my kingdom.
30. nunc ergo tradite civitates quas occupastis et tributa locorum quibus dominati estis extra fines Judææ
30. Now therefore deliver up the cities that you have taken, and the tributes of the places whereof you have gotten the dominion without the borders of Judea.
31. sin autem date pro illis quingenta talenta argenti et exterminii quod exterminastis et tributorum civitatium alia talenta quingenta sin autem veniemus et expugnabimus vos
31. But if not, give me for them five hundred talents of silver, and for the havock that you have made, and the tributes of the cities other five hundred talents: or else we will come and fight against you.
32. et venit Athenovius amicus regis in Hierusalem et vidit gloriam Simonis et claritatem in auro et argento et adparatum copiosum et obstipuit et rettulit ei verba regis
32. So Athenobius the king's friend came to Jerusalem, and saw the glory of Simon and his magnificence in gold, and silver, and his great equipage, and he was astonished, and told him the king's words.
33. et respondit Simon et dixit ei neque alienam terram sumpsimus neque aliena detinemus sed hereditatem patrum nostrorum quæ ab inimicis nostris iniuste aliquo tempore possessa est
33. And Simon answered him, and said to him: We have neither taken other men's land, neither do we hold that which is other men's: but the inheritance of our fathers, which was for some time unjustly possessed by our enemies.
34. nos vero tempus habentes vindicamus hereditatem patrum nostrorum
34. But we having opportunity claim the inheritance of our fathers.
35. nam de Joppen et Gazara quæ expostulas ipsi faciebant in populo plagam magnam et in regione nostra horum damus talenta centum et non respondit illi verbum
35. And as to thy complaints concerning Joppe and Gazara, they did great harm to the people, and to our country: yet for these we will give a hundred talents. And Athenobius answered him not a word:
36. reversus autem cum ira ad regem renuntiavit ei verba ista et gloriam Simonis et universa quæ vidit et iratus est rex ira magna
36. But returning in a rage to the king, made report to him of these words, and of the glory of Simon, and of all that he had seen, and the king was exceeding angry.
37. Tryfon autem fugit navi in Orthosiada
37. And Tryphon fled away by ship to Orthosias.
38. et constituit rex Cendebeum ducem maritimum et exercitum equitum et peditum dedit illi
38. And the king appointed Cendebeus captain of the sea coast, and gave him an army of footmen and horsemen.
39. et mandavit illi movere castra contra faciem Judææ et mandavit ei ædificare Cædronem et obstruere portas civitatis et debellare populum rex autem persequebatur Tryfonem
39. And he commanded him to march with his army towards Judea: and he commanded him to build up Gedor, and to fortify the gates of the city, and to war against the people. But the king himself pursued after Tryphon.
40. et pervenit Cendebeus Jamniam et cœpit inritare plebem et conculcare Judæam et captivare populum et interficere et ædificare Cædronem
40. And Cendebeus came to Jamnia, and began to provoke the people, and to ravage Judea, and to take the people prisoners, and to kill, and to build Gedor.
41. et conlocavit illic equites et exercitum ut egressi perambularent viam Judææ sicut constituit ei rex
41. And he placed there horsemen, and an army: that they might issue forth, and make incursions upon the ways of Judea, as the king had commanded him.
