2 Macabees 12

Apo

1 When these covenants were made, Lysias went unto the king, and the Jews were about their husbandry.

2 But of the governours of several places, Timotheus, and Apollonius the son of Genneus, also Hieronymus, and Demophon, and beside them Nicanor the governor of Cyprus, would not suffer them to be quiet and live in peace.

3 The men of Joppa also did such an ungodly deed: they prayed the Jews that dwelt among them to go with their wives and children into the boats which they had prepared, as though they had meant them no hurt.

4 Who accepted of it according to the common decree of the city, as being desirous to live in peace, and suspecting nothing: but when they were gone forth into the deep, they drowned no less than two hundred of them.

5 When Judas heard of this cruelty done unto his countrymen, he commanded those that were with him to make them ready.

6 And calling upon God the righteous Judge, he came against those murderers of his brethren, and burnt the haven by night, and set the boats on fire, and those that fled thither he slew.

7 And when the town was shut up, he went backward, as if he would return to root out all them of the city of Joppa.

8 But when he heard that the Jamnites were minded to do in like manner unto the Jews that dwelt among them,

9 He came upon the Jamnites also by night, and set fire on the haven and the navy, so that the light of the fire was seen at Jerusalem two hundred and forty furlongs off.

10 Now when they were gone from thence nine furlongs in their journey toward Timotheus, no fewer than five thousand men on foot and five hundred horsemen of the Arabians set upon him.

11 Whereupon there was a very sore battle; but Judas' side by the help of God got the victory; so that the Nomades of Arabia, being overcome, besought Judas for peace, promising both to give him cattle, and to pleasure him otherwise.

12 Then Judas, thinking indeed that they would be profitable in many things, granted them peace: whereupon they shook hands, and so they departed to their tents.

13 He went also about to make a bridge to a certain strong city, which was fenced about with walls, and inhabited by people of divers countries; and the name of it was Caspis.

14 But they that were within it put such trust in the strength of the walls and provision of victuals, that they behaved themselves rudely toward them that were with Judas, railing and blaspheming, and uttering such words as were not to be spoken.

15 Wherefore Judas with his company, calling upon the great Lord of the world, who without rams or engines of war did cast down Jericho in the time of Joshua, gave a fierce assault against the walls,

16 And took the city by the will of God, and made unspeakable slaughters, insomuch that a lake two furlongs broad near adjoining thereunto, being filled full, was seen running with blood.

17 Then departed they from thence seven hundred and fifty furlongs, and came to Characa unto the Jews that are called Tubieni.

18 But as for Timotheus, they found him not in the places: for before he had dispatched any thing, he departed from thence, having left a very strong garrison in a certain hold.

19 Howbeit Dositheus and Sosipater, who were of Maccabeus' captains, went forth, and slew those that Timotheus had left in the fortress, above ten thousand men.

20 And Maccabeus ranged his army by bands, and set them over the bands, and went against Timotheus, who had about him an hundred and twenty thousand men of foot, and two thousand and five hundred horsemen.

21 Now when Timotheus had knowledge of Judas' coming, he sent the women and children and the other baggage unto a fortress called Carnion: for the town was hard to besiege, and uneasy to come unto, by reason of the straitness of all the places.

22 But when Judas his first band came in sight, the enemies, being smitten with fear and terror through the appearing of him who seeth all things, fled amain, one running into this way, another that way, so as that they were often hurt of their own men, and wounded with the points of their own swords.

23 Judas also was very earnest in pursuing them, killing those wicked wretches, of whom he slew about thirty thousand men.

24 Moreover Timotheus himself fell into the hands of Dositheus and Sosipater, whom he besought with much craft to let him go with his life, because he had many of the Jews' parents, and the brethren of some of them, who, if they put him to death, should not be regarded.

25 So when he had assured them with many words that he would restore them without hurt, according to the agreement, they let him go for the saving of their brethren.

26 Then Maccabeus marched forth to Carnion, and to the temple of Atargatis, and there he slew five and twenty thousand persons.

27 And after he had put to flight and destroyed them, Judas removed the host toward Ephron, a strong city, wherein Lysias abode, and a great multitude of divers nations, and the strong young men kept the walls, and defended them mightily: wherein also was great provision of engines and darts.

28 But when Judas and his company had called upon Almighty God, who with his power breaketh the strength of his enemies, they won the city, and slew twenty and five thousand of them that were within,

29 From thence they departed to Scythopolis, which lieth six hundred furlongs from Jerusalem,

30 But when the Jews that dwelt there had testified that the Scythopolitans dealt lovingly with them, and entreated them kindly in the time of their adversity;

31 They gave them thanks, desiring them to be friendly still unto them: and so they came to Jerusalem, the feast of the weeks approaching.

32 And after the feast, called Pentecost, they went forth against Gorgias the governor of Idumea,

33 Who came out with three thousand men of foot and four hundred horsemen.

34 And it happened that in their fighting together a few of the Jews were slain.

35 At which time Dositheus, one of Bacenor's company, who was on horseback, and a strong man, was still upon Gorgias, and taking hold of his coat drew him by force; and when he would have taken that cursed man alive, a horseman of Thracia coming upon him smote off his shoulder, so that Gorgias fled unto Marisa.

36 Now when they that were with Gorgias had fought long, and were weary, Judas called upon the Lord, that he would shew himself to be their helper and leader of the battle.

37 And with that he began in his own language, and sung psalms with a loud voice, and rushing unawares upon Gorgias' men, he put them to flight.

38 So Judas gathered his host, and came into the city of Odollam, And when the seventh day came, they purified themselves, as the custom was, and kept the sabbath in the same place.

39 And upon the day following, as the use had been, Judas and his company came to take up the bodies of them that were slain, and to bury them with their kinsmen in their fathers' graves.

40 Now under the coats of every one that was slain they found things consecrated to the idols of the Jamnites, which is forbidden the Jews by the law. Then every man saw that this was the cause wherefore they were slain.

41 All men therefore praising the Lord, the righteous Judge, who had opened the things that were hid,

42 Betook themselves unto prayer, and besought him that the sin committed might wholly be put out of remembrance. Besides, that noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves from sin, forsomuch as they saw before their eyes the things that came to pass for the sins of those that were slain.

43 And when he had made a gathering throughout the company to the sum of two thousand drachms of silver, he sent it to Jerusalem to offer a sin offering, doing therein very well and honestly, in that he was mindful of the resurrection:

44 For if he had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again, it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead.

45 And also in that he perceived that there was great favour laid up for those that died godly, it was an holy and good thought. Whereupon he made a reconciliation for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin.

Sep

1 γενομένων δὲ τῶν συνθηκῶν τούτων ὁ μὲν Λυσίας ἀπῄει πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα οἱ δὲ Ιουδαῖοι περὶ τὴν γεωργίαν ἐγίνοντο

2 τῶν δὲ κατὰ τόπον στρατηγῶν Τιμόθεος καὶ Ἀπολλώνιος ὁ τοῦ Γενναίου ἔτι δὲ Ἱερώνυμος καὶ Δημοφών πρὸς δὲ τούτοις Νικάνωρ ὁ Κυπριάρχης οὐκ εἴων αὐτοὺς εὐσταθεῖν καὶ τὰ τῆς ἡσυχίας ἄγειν

3 Ἰοππῖται δὲ τηλικοῦτο συνετέλεσαν τὸ δυσσέβημα παρακαλέσαντες τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς οἰκοῦντας Ιουδαίους ἐμβῆναι εἰς τὰ παρακατασταθέντα ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν σκάφη σὺν γυναιξὶν καὶ τέκνοις ὡς μηδεμιᾶς ἐνεστώσης πρὸς αὐτοὺς δυσμενείας

4 κατὰ δὲ τὸ κοινὸν τῆς πόλεως ψήφισμα καὶ τούτων ἐπιδεξαμένων ὡς ἂν εἰρηνεύειν θελόντων καὶ μηδὲν ὕποπτον ἐχόντων ἐπαναχθέντας αὐτοὺς ἐβύθισαν ὄντας οὐκ ἔλαττον τῶν διακοσίων

5 μεταλαβὼν δὲ Ιουδας τὴν γεγονυῖαν εἰς τοὺς ὁμοεθνεῖς ὠμότητα παραγγείλας τοῖς περὶ αὐτὸν ἀνδράσιν

6 καὶ ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸν δίκαιον κριτὴν θεὸν παρεγένετο ἐπὶ τοὺς μιαιφόνους τῶν ἀδελφῶν καὶ τὸν μὲν λιμένα νύκτωρ ἐνέπρησεν καὶ τὰ σκάφη κατέφλεξεν τοὺς δὲ ἐκεῖ συμφυγόντας ἐξεκέντησεν

7 τοῦ δὲ χωρίου συγκλεισθέντος ἀνέλυσεν ὡς πάλιν ἥξων καὶ τὸ σύμπαν τῶν Ιοππιτῶν ἐκριζῶσαι πολίτευμα

8 μεταλαβὼν δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἐν Ιαμνείᾳ τὸν αὐτὸν ἐπιτελεῖν βουλομένους τρόπον τοῖς παροικοῦσιν Ιουδαίοις

9 καὶ τοῖς Ιαμνίταις νυκτὸς ἐπιβαλὼν ὑφῆψεν τὸν λιμένα σὺν τῷ στόλῳ ὥστε φαίνεσθαι τὰς αὐγὰς τοῦ φέγγους εἰς τὰ Ιεροσόλυμα σταδίων ὄντων διακοσίων τεσσαράκοντα

10 ἐκεῖθεν δὲ ἀποσπάσαντες σταδίους ἐννέα ποιουμένων τὴν πορείαν ἐπὶ τὸν Τιμόθεον προσέβαλον Ἄραβες αὐτῷ οὐκ ἐλάττους τῶν πεντακισχιλίων ἱππεῖς δὲ πεντακόσιοι

11 γενομένης δὲ καρτερᾶς μάχης καὶ τῶν περὶ τὸν Ιουδαν διὰ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ βοήθειαν εὐημερησάντων ἐλαττονωθέντες οἱ νομάδες ἠξίουν δοῦναι τὸν Ιουδαν δεξιὰς αὐτοῖς ὑπισχνούμενοι καὶ βοσκήματα δώσειν καὶ ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ὠφελήσειν αὐτούς

12 Ιουδας δὲ ὑπολαβὼν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐν πολλοῖς αὐτοὺς χρησίμους ἐπεχώρησεν εἰρήνην ἄξειν πρὸς αὐτούς καὶ λαβόντες δεξιὰς εἰς τὰς σκηνὰς ἐχωρίσθησαν

13 ἐπέβαλεν δὲ καὶ ἐπί τινα πόλιν γεφύραις ὀχυρὰν καὶ τείχεσιν περιπεφραγμένην καὶ παμμειγέσιν ἔθνεσιν κατοικουμένην ὄνομα δὲ Κασπιν

14 οἱ δὲ ἔνδον πεποιθότες τῇ τῶν τειχέων ἐρυμνότητι τῇ τε τῶν βρωμάτων παραθέσει ἀναγωγότερον ἐχρῶντο τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ιουδαν λοιδοροῦντες καὶ προσέτι βλασφημοῦντες καὶ λαλοῦντες ἃ μὴ θέμις

15 οἱ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ιουδαν ἐπικαλεσάμενοι τὸν μέγαν τοῦ κόσμου δυνάστην τὸν ἄτερ κριῶν καὶ μηχανῶν ὀργανικῶν κατακρημνίσαντα τὴν Ιεριχω κατὰ τοὺς Ἰησοῦ χρόνους ἐνέσεισαν θηριωδῶς τῷ τείχει

16 καταλαβόμενοί τε τὴν πόλιν τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ θελήσει ἀμυθήτους ἐποιήσαντο σφαγὰς ὥστε τὴν παρακειμένην λίμνην τὸ πλάτος ἔχουσαν σταδίους δύο κατάρρυτον αἵματι πεπληρωμένην φαίνεσθαι

17 ἐκεῖθεν δὲ ἀποσπάσαντες σταδίους ἑπτακοσίους πεντήκοντα διήνυσαν εἰς τὸν Χάρακα πρὸς τοὺς λεγομένους Τουβιανοὺς Ιουδαίους

18 καὶ Τιμόθεον μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν τόπων οὐ κατέλαβον ἄπρακτον τότε ἀπὸ τῶν τόπων ἐκλελυκότα καταλελοιπότα δὲ φρουρὰν ἔν τινι τόπῳ καὶ μάλα ὀχυράν

19 Δοσίθεος δὲ καὶ Σωσίπατρος τῶν περὶ τὸν Μακκαβαῖον ἡγεμόνων ἐξοδεύσαντες ἀπώλεσαν τοὺς ὑπὸ Τιμοθέου καταλειφθέντας ἐν τῷ ὀχυρώματι πλείους τῶν μυρίων ἀνδρῶν

20 ὁ δὲ Μακκαβαῖος διατάξας τὴν περὶ αὐτὸν στρατιὰν σπειρηδὸν κατέστησεν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν σπειρῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Τιμόθεον ὥρμησεν ἔχοντα περὶ αὐτὸν μυριάδας δώδεκα πεζῶν ἱππεῖς δὲ δισχιλίους πρὸς τοῖς πεντακοσίοις

21 τὴν δὲ ἔφοδον μεταλαβὼν Ιουδου προεξαπέστειλεν ὁ Τιμόθεος τὰς γυναῖκας καὶ τὰ τέκνα καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἀποσκευὴν εἰς τὸ λεγόμενον Καρνιον ἦν γὰρ δυσπολιόρκητον καὶ δυσπρόσιτον τὸ χωρίον διὰ τὴν πάντων τῶν τόπων στενότητα

22 ἐπιφανείσης δὲ τῆς Ιουδου σπείρας πρώτης καὶ γενομένου δέους ἐπὶ τοὺς πολεμίους φόβου τε ἐκ τῆς τοῦ τὰ πάντα ἐφορῶντος ἐπιφανείας γενομένης ἐπ᾽ αὐτοὺς εἰς φυγὴν ὥρμησαν ἄλλος ἀλλαχῇ φερόμενος ὥστε πολλάκις ὑπὸ τῶν ἰδίων βλάπτεσθαι καὶ ταῖς τῶν ξιφῶν ἀκμαῖς ἀναπείρεσθαι

23 ἐποιεῖτο δὲ τὸν διωγμὸν εὐτονώτερον ὁ Ιουδας συγκεντῶν τοὺς ἀλιτηρίους διέφθειρέν τε εἰς μυριάδας τρεῖς ἀνδρῶν

24 αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Τιμόθεος ἐμπεσὼν τοῖς περὶ τὸν Δοσίθεον καὶ Σωσίπατρον ἠξίου μετὰ πολλῆς γοητείας ἐξαφεῖναι σῶον αὐτὸν διὰ τὸ πλειόνων μὲν γονεῖς ὧν δὲ ἀδελφοὺς ἔχειν καὶ τούτους ἀλογηθῆναι συμβήσεται

25 πιστώσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ διὰ πλειόνων τὸν ὁρισμὸν ἀποκαταστῆσαι τούτους ἀπημάντους ἀπέλυσαν αὐτὸν ἕνεκα τῆς τῶν ἀδελφῶν σωτηρίας

26 ἐξελθὼν δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ Καρνιον καὶ τὸ Ατεργατειον κατέσφαξεν μυριάδας σωμάτων δύο καὶ πεντακισχιλίους

27 μετὰ δὲ τὴν τούτων τροπὴν καὶ ἀπώλειαν ἐπεστράτευσεν καὶ ἐπὶ Εφρων πόλιν ὀχυράν ἐν ᾗ κατῴκει Λυσίας καὶ πάμφυλα πλήθη νεανίαι δὲ ῥωμαλέοι πρὸ τῶν τειχέων καθεστῶτες εὐρώστως ἀπεμάχοντο ἔνθα δὲ ὀργάνων καὶ βελῶν πολλαὶ παραθέσεις ὑπῆρχον

28 ἐπικαλεσάμενοι δὲ τὸν δυνάστην τὸν μετὰ κράτους συντρίβοντα τὰς τῶν πολεμίων ἀλκὰς ἔλαβον τὴν πόλιν ὑποχείριον κατέστρωσαν δὲ τῶν ἔνδον εἰς μυριάδας δύο πεντακισχιλίους

29 ἀναζεύξαντες δὲ ἐκεῖθεν ὥρμησαν ἐπὶ Σκυθῶν πόλιν ἀπέχουσαν ἀπὸ Ιεροσολύμων σταδίους ἑξακοσίους

30 ἀπομαρτυρησάντων δὲ τῶν ἐκεῖ καθεστώτων Ιουδαίων ἣν οἱ Σκυθοπολῖται ἔσχον πρὸς αὐτοὺς εὔνοιαν καὶ ἐν τοῖς τῆς ἀτυχίας καιροῖς ἥμερον ἀπάντησιν

31 εὐχαριστήσαντες καὶ προσπαρακαλέσαντες καὶ εἰς τὰ λοιπὰ πρὸς τὸ γένος εὐμενεῖς εἶναι παρεγενήθησαν εἰς Ιεροσόλυμα τῆς τῶν ἑβδομάδων ἑορτῆς οὔσης ὑπογύου

32 μετὰ δὲ τὴν λεγομένην πεντηκοστὴν ὥρμησαν ἐπὶ Γοργίαν τὸν τῆς Ιδουμαίας στρατηγόν

33 ἐξῆλθεν δὲ μετὰ πεζῶν τρισχιλίων ἱππέων δὲ τετρακοσίων

34 παραταξαμένους δὲ συνέβη πεσεῖν ὀλίγους τῶν Ιουδαίων

35 Δοσίθεος δέ τις τῶν τοῦ Βακήνορος ἔφιππος ἀνὴρ καὶ καρτερός εἴχετο τοῦ Γοργίου καὶ λαβόμενος τῆς χλαμύδος ἦγεν αὐτὸν εὐρώστως καὶ βουλόμενος τὸν κατάρατον λαβεῖν ζωγρίαν τῶν ἱππέων τινὸς Θρᾳκῶν ἐπενεχθέντος αὐτῷ καὶ τὸν ὦμον καθελόντος διέφυγεν ὁ Γοργίας εἰς Μαρισα

36 τῶν δὲ περὶ τὸν Εσδριν ἐπὶ πλεῖον μαχομένων καὶ κατακόπων ὄντων ἐπικαλεσάμενος Ιουδας τὸν κύριον σύμμαχον φανῆναι καὶ προοδηγὸν τοῦ πολέμου

37 καταρξάμενος τῇ πατρίῳ φωνῇ τὴν μεθ᾽ ὕμνων κραυγὴν ἐνσείσας ἀπροσδοκήτως τοῖς περὶ τὸν Γοργίαν τροπὴν αὐτῶν ἐποιήσατο

38 Ιουδας δὲ ἀναλαβὼν τὸ στράτευμα ἧκεν εἰς Οδολλαμ πόλιν τῆς δὲ ἑβδομάδος ἐπιβαλλούσης κατὰ τὸν ἐθισμὸν ἁγνισθέντες αὐτόθι τὸ σάββατον διήγαγον

39 τῇ δὲ ἐχομένῃ ἦλθον οἱ περὶ τὸν Ιουδαν καθ᾽ ὃν χρόνον τὸ τῆς χρείας ἐγεγόνει τὰ σώματα τῶν προπεπτωκότων ἀνακομίσασθαι καὶ μετὰ τῶν συγγενῶν ἀποκαταστῆσαι εἰς τοὺς πατρῴους τάφους

40 εὗρον δὲ ἑκάστου τῶν τεθνηκότων ὑπὸ τοὺς χιτῶνας ἱερώματα τῶν ἀπὸ Ιαμνείας εἰδώλων ἀφ᾽ ὧν ὁ νόμος ἀπείργει τοὺς Ιουδαίους τοῖς δὲ πᾶσι σαφὲς ἐγένετο διὰ τήνδε τὴν αἰτίαν τούσδε πεπτωκέναι

41 πάντες οὖν εὐλογήσαντες τὰ τοῦ δικαιοκρίτου κυρίου τὰ κεκρυμμένα φανερὰ ποιοῦντος

42 εἰς ἱκετείαν ἐτράπησαν ἀξιώσαντες τὸ γεγονὸς ἁμάρτημα τελείως ἐξαλειφθῆναι ὁ δὲ γενναῖος Ιουδας παρεκάλεσε τὸ πλῆθος συντηρεῖν αὑτοὺς ἀναμαρτήτους εἶναι ὑπ᾽ ὄψιν ἑωρακότας τὰ γεγονότα διὰ τὴν τῶν προπεπτωκότων ἁμαρτίαν

43 ποιησάμενός τε κατ᾽ ἀνδρολογίαν εἰς ἀργυρίου δραχμὰς δισχιλίας ἀπέστειλεν εἰς Ιεροσόλυμα προσαγαγεῖν περὶ ἁμαρτίας θυσίαν πάνυ καλῶς καὶ ἀστείως πράττων ὑπὲρ ἀναστάσεως διαλογιζόμενος

44 εἰ μὴ γὰρ τοὺς προπεπτωκότας ἀναστῆναι προσεδόκα περισσὸν καὶ ληρῶδες ὑπὲρ νεκρῶν εὔχεσθαι

45 εἶτε᾽ ἐμβλέπων τοῖς μετ᾽ εὐσεβείας κοιμωμένοις κάλλιστον ἀποκείμενον χαριστήριον ὁσία καὶ εὐσεβὴς ἡ ἐπίνοια ὅθεν περὶ τῶν τεθνηκότων τὸν ἐξιλασμὸν ἐποιήσατο τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀπολυθῆναι

Vul

1 His factis pactionibus, Lysias pergebat ad regem, Judæi autem agriculturæ operam dabant.

2 Sed hi qui resederant, Timotheus, et Apollonius Gennæi filius, sed et Hieronymus, et Demophon super hos, et Nicanor Cypriarches, non sinebant eos in silentio agere et quiete.

3 Joppitæ vero tale quoddam flagitium perpetrarunt: rogaverunt Judæos cum quibus habitabant, ascendere scaphas quas paraverant, cum uxoribus et filiis, quasi nullis inimicitiis inter eos subjacentibus.

4 Secundum commune itaque decretum civitatis, et ipsis acquiescentibus, pacisque causa nihil suspectum habentibus: cum in altum processissent, submerserunt non minus ducentos.

5 Quam crudelitatem Judas in suæ gentis homines factam ut cognovit, præcepit viris qui erant cum ipso: et invocato justo judice Deo,

6 venit adversus interfectores fratrum, et portum quidem noctu succendit, scaphas exussit, eos autem qui ab igne refugerant, gladio peremit.

7 Et cum hæc ita egisset, discessit quasi iterum reversurus, et universos Joppitas eradicaturus.

8 Sed cum cognovisset et eos qui erant Jamniæ, velle pari modo facere habitantibus secum Judæis,

9 Jamnitis quoque nocte supervenit, et portum cum navibus succendit: ita ut lumen ignis appareret Jerosolymis a stadiis ducentis quadraginta.

10 Inde cum jam abiissent novem stadiis, et iter facerent ad Timotheum, commiserunt cum eo Arabes quinque millia viri, et equites quingenti.

11 Cumque pugna valida fieret, et auxilio Dei prospere cessisset, residui Arabes victi petebant a Juda dextram sibi dari, promittentes se pascua daturos, et in ceteris profuturos.

12 Judas autem arbitratus vere in multis eos utiles, promsit pacem: dextrisque acceptis, discessere ad tabernacula sua.

13 Aggressus est autem et civitatem quamdam firmam pontibus murisque circumseptam, quæ a turbis habitabatur gentium promiscuarum: cui nomen Casphin.

14 Hi vero qui intus erant, confidentes in stabilitate murorum et apparatu alimoniarum, remissius agebant, maledictis lacessentes Judam et blasphemantes, ac loquentes quæ fas non est.

15 Machabæus autem, invocato magno mundi Principe, qui sine arietibus et machinis temporibus Jesu præcipitavit Jericho, irruit ferociter muris:

16 et capta civitate per Domini voluntatem, innumerabiles cædes fecit, ita ut adjacens stagnum stadiorum duorum latitudinis sanguine interfectorum fluere videretur.

17 Inde discesserunt stadia septingenta quinquaginta, et venerunt in Characa ad eos, qui dicuntur Tubianæi, Judæos:

18 et Timotheum quidem in illis locis non comprehenderunt, nulloque negotio perfecto regressus est, relicto in quodam loco firmissimo præsidio.

19 Dositheus autem et Sosipater, qui erant duces cum Machabæo, peremerunt a Timotheo relictos in præsidio, decem millia viros.

20 At Machabæus, ordinatis circum se sex millibus, et constitutis per cohortes, adversus Timotheum processit, habentem secum centum viginti millia peditum, equitumque duo millia quingentos.

21 Cognito autem Judæ adventu, Timotheus præmisit mulieres et filios, et reliquum apparatum, in præsidium quod Carnion dicitur: erat enim inexpugnabile, et accessu difficile propter locorum angustias.

22 Cumque cohors Judæ prima apparuisset, timor hostibus incussus est ex præsentia Dei, qui universa conspicit: et in fugam versi sunt alius ab alio, ita ut magis a suis dejicerentur, et gladiorum suorum ictibus debilitarentur.

23 Judas autem vehementer instabat puniens profanos, et prostravit ex eis triginta millia virorum.

24 Ipse vero Timotheus incidit in partes Dosithei et Sosipatris: et multis precibus postulabat ut vivus dimitteretur, eo quod multorum ex Judæis parentes haberet ac fratres, quos morte ejus decipi eveniret.

25 Et cum fidem dedisset restituturum se eos secundum constitutum, illæsum eum dimiserunt propter fratrum salutem.

26 Judas autem egressus est ad Carnion, interfectis viginti quinque millibus.

27 Post horum fugam et necem, movit exercitum ad Ephron civitatem munitam, in qua multitudo diversarum gentium habitabat: et robusti juvenes pro muris consistentes fortiter repugnabant: in hac autem machinæ multæ et telorum erat apparatus.

28 Sed cum Omnipotentem invocassent, qui potestate sua vires hostium confringit, ceperunt civitatem: et ex eis qui intus erant, viginti quinque millia prostraverunt.

29 Inde ad civitatem Scytharum abierunt, quæ ab Jerosolymis sexcentis stadiis aberat.

30 Contestantibus autem his, qui apud Scythopolitas erant, Judæis, quod benigne ab eis haberentur, etiam temporibus infelicitatis quod modeste secum egerint:

31 gratias agentes eis, et exhortati etiam de cetero erga genus suum benignos esse, venerunt Jerosolymam die solemni septimanarum instante.

32 Et post Pentecosten abierunt contra Gorgiam præpositum Idumææ.

33 Exivit autem cum peditibus tribus millibus, et equitibus quadringentis.

34 Quibus congressis, contigit paucos ruere Judæorum.

35 Dositheus vero quidam de Bacenoris eques, vir fortis, Gorgiam tenebat: et, cum vellet illum capere vivum, eques quidam de Thracibus irruit in eum, humerumque ejus amputavit: atque ita Gorgias effugit in Maresa.

36 At illis qui cum Esdrim erant diutius pugnantibus et fatigatis, invocavit Judas Dominum adjutorem et ducem belli fieri:

37 incipiens voce patria, et cum hymnis clamorem extollens, fugam Gorgiæ militibus incussit.

38 Judas autem collecto exercitu venit in civitatem Odollam: et cum septima dies superveniret, secundum consuetudinem purificati, in eodem loco sabbatum egerunt.

39 Et sequenti die venit cum suis Judas, ut corpora prostratorum tolleret, et cum parentibus poneret in sepulchris paternis.

40 Invenerunt autem sub tunicis interfectorum de donariis idolorum quæ apud Jamniam fuerunt, a quibus lex prohibet Judæos: omnibus ergo manifestum factum est, ob hanc causam eos corruisse.

41 Omnes itaque benedixerunt justum judicium Domini, qui occulta fecerat manifesta:

42 atque ita ad preces conversi, rogaverunt ut id quod factum erat delictum oblivioni traderetur. At vero fortissimus Judas hortabatur populum conservare se sine peccato, sub oculis videntes quæ facta sunt pro peccatis eorum qui prostrati sunt.

43 Et facta collatione, duodecim millia drachmas argenti misit Jerosolymam offerri pro peccatis mortuorum sacrificium, bene et religiose de resurrectione cogitans

44 (nisi enim eos qui ceciderant resurrecturos speraret, superfluum videretur et vanum orare pro mortuis),

45 et quia considerabat quod hi qui cum pietate dormitionem acceperant, optimam haberent repositam gratiam.

46 Sancta ergo et salubris est cogitatio pro defunctis exorare, ut a peccatis solvantur.