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1 Maccabees 14

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1 καὶ ἐν ἔτει δευτέρῳ καὶ ἑβδομηκοστῷ καὶ ἑκατοστῷ συνήγαγεν Δημήτριος ὁ βασιλεὺς τὰς δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπορεύθη εἰς Μηδίαν τοῦ ἐπισπάσασθαι βοήθειαν ἑαυτῷ ὅπως πολεμήσῃ τὸν Τρύφωνα 2 καὶ ἤκουσεν Ἀρσάκης ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς Περσίδος καὶ Μηδίας ὅτι εἰσῆλθεν Δημήτριος εἰς τὰ ὅρια αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἕνα τῶν ἀρχόντων αὐτοῦ συλλαβεῖν αὐτὸν ζῶντα 3 καὶ ἐπορεύθη καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὴν παρεμβολὴν Δημητρίου καὶ συνέλαβεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν πρὸς Ἀρσάκην καὶ ἔθετο αὐτὸν ἐν φυλακῇ

1 The year following, what must Demetrius do but muster his army and betake himself to Media, where he would raise levies for the war against Tryphon? 2 When Arsaces, king of the Medes and Persians, had news of it, he gave orders to one of his chieftains, the invader must be taken alive and brought into his presence. 3 The order was obeyed; the Syrian king, routed and captured, was brought before Arsaces, who put him safely in prison.

1 Anno centesimo septuagesimo secundo, congregavit rex Demetrius exercitum suum, et abiit in Mediam ad contrahenda sibi auxilia, ut expugnaret Tryphonem. 2 Et audivit Arsaces rex Persidis et Mediæ, quia intravit Demetrius confines suos: et misit unum de principibus suis ut comprehenderet eum vivum, et adduceret eum ad se. 3 Et abiit, et percussit castra Demetrii: et comprehendit eum, et duxit eum ad Arsacem, et posuit eum in custodiam.

4 καὶ ἡσύχασεν ἡ γῆ Ιουδα πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας Σιμωνος καὶ ἐζήτησεν ἀγαθὰ τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ καὶ ἤρεσεν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτοῦ καὶ ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας 5 καὶ μετὰ πάσης τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ ἔλαβεν τὴν Ιοππην εἰς λιμένα καὶ ἐποίησεν εἴσοδον ταῖς νήσοις τῆς θαλάσσης 6 καὶ ἐπλάτυνεν τὰ ὅρια τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκράτησεν τῆς χώρας 7 καὶ συνήγαγεν αἰχμαλωσίαν πολλὴν καὶ ἐκυρίευσεν Γαζαρων καὶ Βαιθσουρων καὶ τῆς ἄκρας καὶ ἐξῆρεν τὰς ἀκαθαρσίας ἐξ αὐτῆς καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ἀντικείμενος αὐτῷ 8 καὶ ἦσαν γεωργοῦντες τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν με{T'} εἰρήνης καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐδίδου τὰ γενήματα αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ ξύλα τῶν πεδίων τὸν καρπὸν αὐτῶν 9 πρεσβύτεροι ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις ἐκάθηντο πάντες περὶ ἀγαθῶν ἐκοινολογοῦντο καὶ οἱ νεανίσκοι ἐνεδύσαντο δόξας καὶ στολὰς πολέμου 10 ταῖς πόλεσιν ἐχορήγησεν βρώματα καὶ ἔταξεν αὐτὰς ἐν σκεύεσιν ὀχυρώσεως ἕως ὅτου ὠνομάσθη τὸ ὄνομα τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ ἕως ἄκρου γῆς 11 ἐποίησεν εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ εὐφράνθη Ισραηλ εὐφροσύνην μεγάλην 12 καὶ ἐκάθισεν ἕκαστος ὑπὸ τὴν ἄμπελον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν συκῆν αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ ἐκφοβῶν αὐτούς 13 καὶ ἐξέλιπεν πολεμῶν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς συνετρίβησαν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις 14 καὶ ἐστήρισεν πάντας τοὺς ταπεινοὺς τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ τὸν νόμον ἐξεζήτησεν καὶ ἐξῆρεν πάντα ἄνομον καὶ πονηρόν 15 τὰ ἅγια ἐδόξασεν καὶ ἐπλήθυνεν τὰ σκεύη τῶν ἁγίων

4 Thus, during Simon’s days, the whole land of Juda was at peace. Ever his people’s good sought he, and ever by willing hearts was obeyed and honoured. 5 With great state he took possession of Joppe as a harbour,[1] and so found access to the islands out at sea. 6 How wide spread he the frontiers of Israel, how firmly held its possessions, 7 captured how many of its foes! Gazara and Bethsura he won, ay, and the Citadel itself, ridding it of all defilement; there was no resisting his power. 8 In his day, every man farmed his own lands in security, soil of Juda yielded its crops, and the trees their fruit; 9 sat old men in the market-place, busy over the common weal, and young men wore the livery of their glorious campaigning. 10 Never a city but he furnished it with store of provisions; a bulwark each of them should be of sturdy defence. What wonder if the story of his renown was noised to the world’s end? 11 Such peaceful times brought he to his country, when all Israel kept high holiday, 12 every man with his own vine and fig-tree for shade, and enemy was none to daunt them; 13 domestic malice undone, foreign tyranny shattered all around! 14 Among his own folk, what comfort he gave the friendless, how scrutinized the law, what short work made of traitor and malcontent; 15 how adorned the sanctuary, how increased the number of its treasures!

4 Et siluit omnis terra Juda omnibus diebus Simonis, et quæsivit bona genti suæ: et placuit illis potestas ejus et gloria ejus omnibus diebus. 5 Et cum omni gloria sua accepit Joppen in portum, et fecit introitum in insulis maris. 6 Et dilatavit fines gentis suæ, et obtinuit regionem. 7 Et congregavit captivitatem multam, et dominatus est Gazaræ, et Bethsuræ, et arci: et abstulit immunditias ex ea, et non erat qui resisteret ei. 8 Et unusquisque colebat terram suam cum pace: et terra Juda dabat fructus suos, et ligna camporum fructum suum. 9 Seniores in plateis sedebant omnes, et de bonis terræ tractabant, et juvenes induebant se gloriam, et stolas belli. 10 Et civitatibus tribuebat alimonias, et constituebat eas ut essent vasa munitionis quoadusque nominatum est nomen gloriæ ejus usque ad extremum terræ. 11 Fecit pacem super terram, et lætatus est Israël lætitia magna. 12 Et sedit unusquisque sub vite sua, et sub ficulnea sua: et non erat qui eos terreret. 13 Defecit impugnans eos super terram: reges contriti sunt in diebus illis. 14 Et confirmavit omnes humiles populi sui, et legem exquisivit, et abstulit omnem iniquum et malum: 15 sancta glorificavit, et multiplicavit vasa sanctorum.

16 καὶ ἠκούσθη ἐν Ῥώμῃ ὅτι ἀπέθανεν Ιωναθαν καὶ ἕως Σπάρτης καὶ ἐλυπήθησαν σφόδρα 17 ὡς δὲ ἤκουσαν ὅτι Σιμων ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ γέγονεν ἀρχιερεὺς ἀν{T'} αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπικρατεῖ τῆς χώρας καὶ τῶν πόλεων τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ 18 ἔγραψαν πρὸς αὐτὸν δέλτοις χαλκαῖς τοῦ ἀνανεώσασθαι πρὸς αὐτὸν φιλίαν καὶ συμμαχίαν ἣν ἔστησαν πρὸς Ιουδαν καὶ Ιωναθαν τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ 19 καὶ ἀνεγνώσθησαν ἐνώπιον τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐν Ιερουσαλημ 20 καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἀντίγραφον τῶν ἐπιστολῶν ὧν ἀπέστειλαν οἱ Σπαρτιᾶται Σπαρτιατῶν ἄρχοντες καὶ ἡ πόλις Σιμωνι ἱερεῖ μεγάλῳ καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις καὶ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν καὶ τῷ λοιπῷ δήμῳ τῶν Ιουδαίων ἀδελφοῖς χαίρειν 21 οἱ πρεσβευταὶ οἱ ἀποσταλέντες πρὸς τὸν δῆμον ἡμῶν ἀπήγγειλαν ἡμῖν περὶ τῆς δόξης ὑμῶν καὶ τιμῆς καὶ ηὐφράνθημεν ἐπὶ τῇ ἐφόδῳ αὐτῶν 22 καὶ ἀνεγράψαμεν τὰ ὑ{P'} αὐτῶν εἰρημένα ἐν ταῖς βουλαῖς τοῦ δήμου οὕτως Νουμήνιος Ἀντιόχου καὶ Ἀντίπατρος Ἰάσονος πρεσβευταὶ Ιουδαίων ἦλθον πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀνανεούμενοι τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς φιλίαν 23 καὶ ἤρεσεν τῷ δήμῳ ἐπιδέξασθαι τοὺς ἄνδρας ἐνδόξως καὶ τοῦ θέσθαι τὸ ἀντίγραφον τῶν λόγων αὐτῶν ἐν τοῖς ἀποδεδειγμένοις τῷ δήμῳ βιβλίοις τοῦ μνημόσυνον ἔχειν τὸν δῆμον τῶν Σπαρτιατῶν τὸ δὲ ἀντίγραφον τούτων ἔγραψαν Σιμωνι τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ

16 To Rome, to Sparta itself, came tidings of Jonathan’s death, and was heard right sorrowfully. 17 When they learned that his brother Simon had been made high priest instead, master now of the land and all its cities, 18 they wrote to him on tablets made of bronze, to renew the treaty of friendship they had with his brethren, Judas and Jonathan, before him;[2] 19 and their letters were read out before the whole assembly at Jerusalem. The Spartans wrote in these words following: 20 The rulers and commonalty of Sparta, to the high priest Simon, the elders and priests and all the people of the Jews, greeting. 21 Welcome news your ambassadors have brought us, of fame and credit and prosperity you enjoy. 22 And their errand stands recorded in our public annals; how Numenius son of Antiochus and Antipater son of Jason came on the Jews’ part to renew our old treaty of friendship with you; 23 how the people resolved to give them fair greeting, and to lay up a copy of their report in the public archives, that should preserve the memory of it among the Spartan people; and how an account of all this was sent to the high priest Simon.

16 Et auditum est Romæ quia defunctus esset Jonathas, et usque in Spartiatas: et contristati sunt valde. 17 Ut audierunt autem quod Simon frater ejus factus esset summus sacerdos loco ejus, et ipse obtineret omnem regionem, et civitates in ea, 18 scripserunt ad eum in tabulis æreis, ut renovarent amicitias et societatem quam fecerant cum Juda et cum Jonatha, fratribus ejus. 19 Et lectæ sunt in conspectu ecclesiæ in Jerusalem. Et hoc exemplum epistolarum, quas Spartiatæ miserunt: 20 Spartianorum principes et civitates, Simoni sacerdoti magno, et senioribus, et sacerdotibus, et reliquo populo Judæorum, fratribus, salutem. 21 Legati, qui missi sunt ad populum nostrum, nuntiaverunt nobis de vestra gloria, et honore, ac lætitia: et gavisi sumus in introitu eorum. 22 Et scripsimus quæ ab eis erant dicta in conciliis populi, sic: Numenius Antiochi, et Antipater Jasonis filius, legati Judæorum, venerunt ad nos, renovantes nobiscum amicitiam pristinam. 23 Et placuit populo excipere viros gloriose, et ponere exemplum sermonum eorum in segregatis populi libris, ut sit ad memoriam populo Spartiatarum. Exemplum autem horum scripsimus Simoni magno sacerdoti.

24 μετὰ ταῦτα ἀπέστειλεν Σιμων τὸν Νουμήνιον εἰς Ῥώμην ἔχοντα ἀσπίδα χρυσῆν μεγάλην ὁλκὴν μνῶν χιλίων εἰς τὸ στῆσαι πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὴν συμμαχίαν

24 Numenius was sent on a further mission to Rome, bearing a great target of gold, a thousand minas in weight, to renew the alliance there. And when all this reached the ears of the people …[3]

24 Post hæc autem misit Simon Numenium Romam, habentem clypeum aureum magnum, pondo mnarum mille, ad statuendam cum eis societatem.

Cum autem audisset populus Romanus

25 ὡς δὲ ἤκουσεν ὁ δῆμος τῶν λόγων τούτων εἶπαν τίνα χάριν ἀποδώσομεν Σιμωνι καὶ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτοῦ 26 ἐστήρισεν γὰρ αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ οἶκος τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπολέμησεν τοὺς ἐχθροὺς Ισραηλ ἀ{P'} αὐτῶν καὶ ἔστησαν αὐτῷ ἐλευθερίαν καὶ κατέγραψαν ἐν δέλτοις χαλκαῖς καὶ ἔθεντο ἐν στήλαις ἐν ὄρει Σιων

25 … Men began to ask, how they could shew their gratitude to Simon, and to his sons? 26 Here was one that had restored the fortunes of his race, and rid Israel of its foes. So they gave him exemption from public burdens, and inscribed their decree on tablets of bronze, fastened to pillars which were set up on mount Sion.

25 sermones istos, dixerunt: Quam gratiarum actionem reddemus Simoni, et filiis ejus? 26 restituit enim ipse fratres suos, et expugnavit inimicos Israël ab eis, et statuerunt ei libertatem, et descripserunt in tabulis æreis, et posuerunt in titulis in monte Sion.

27 καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἀντίγραφον τῆς γραφῆς ὀκτωκαιδεκάτῃ Ελουλ ἔτους δευτέρου καὶ ἑβδομηκοστοῦ καὶ ἑκατοστοῦ καὶ τοῦτο τρίτον ἔτος ἐπὶ Σιμωνος ἀρχιερέως μεγάλου ἐν ασαραμελ 28 ἐπὶ συναγωγῆς μεγάλης ἱερέων καὶ λαοῦ καὶ ἀρχόντων ἔθνους καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τῆς χώρας ἐγνώρισεν ἡμῖν 29 ἐπεὶ πολλάκις ἐγενήθησαν πόλεμοι ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ Σιμων δὲ υἱὸς Ματταθιου ἱερεὺς τῶν υἱῶν Ιωαριβ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ ἔδωκαν αὑτοὺς τῷ κινδύνῳ καὶ ἀντέστησαν τοῖς ὑπεναντίοις τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτῶν ὅπως σταθῇ τὰ ἅγια αὐτῶν καὶ ὁ νόμος καὶ δόξῃ μεγάλῃ ἐδόξασαν τὸ ἔθνος αὐτῶν 30 καὶ ἤθροισεν Ιωναθαν τὸ ἔθνος αὐτῶν καὶ ἐγενήθη αὐτοῖς ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ προσετέθη πρὸς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ 31 καὶ ἐβουλήθησαν οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτῶν ἐμβατεῦσαι εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐκτεῖναι χεῖρας ἐπὶ τὰ ἅγια αὐτῶν 32 τότε ἀντέστη Σιμων καὶ ἐπολέμησε περὶ τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐδαπάνησεν χρήματα πολλὰ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ὁπλοδότησεν τοὺς ἄνδρας τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὀψώνια 33 καὶ ὠχύρωσεν τὰς πόλεις τῆς Ιουδαίας καὶ τὴν Βαιθσουραν τὴν ἐπὶ τῶν ὁρίων τῆς Ιουδαίας οὗ ἦν τὰ ὅπλα τῶν πολεμίων τὸ πρότερον καὶ ἔθετο ἐκεῖ φρουρὰν ἄνδρας Ιουδαίους 34 καὶ Ιοππην ὠχύρωσεν τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τὴν Γαζαραν τὴν ἐπὶ τῶν ὁρίων Ἀζώτου ἐν ᾗ ᾤκουν οἱ πολέμιοι τὸ πρότερον καὶ κατῴκισεν ἐκεῖ Ιουδαίους καὶ ὅσα ἐπιτήδεια ἦν πρὸς τῇ τούτων ἐπανορθώσει ἔθετο ἐν αὐτοῖς

27 And thus the inscription ran: On this eighteenth day of Elul, in the hundred and seventy-second year of the Greek empire, the third of Simon’s high priesthood, 28 there was a high assembly held at Saramel[4] of priests and people, clan-chiefs and elders of the whole nation, that had before them these considerations following. All through the long wars of our country, 29 Simon and his brethren, sons of Mattathias, of Jarib’s clan, put their lives in peril, and fought for law and sanctuary against the common enemy, much glory winning for their own nation. 30 When Jonathan, that had rallied the people and been their high priest, became a part of his race, 31 enemies thought to invade the country and crush the power of it, violate its holy places; 32 and Simon it was withstood them. Champion of his people’s cause, much he spent to arm its warriors, and furnish them with pay. 33 Juda’s cities he fortified, and others besides; Bethsura on the frontiers, once a stronghold of the enemy, garrisoned now by Jews, 34 Joppe on the sea-coast, and Gazara in the Azotus region; Gazara, too, once hostile, with Jewish troops manned he, and in each town made provision for repairs to be done.

27 Et hoc est exemplum scripturæ: Octavadecima die mensis Elul, anno centesimo septuagesimo secundo, anno tertio sub Simone sacerdote magno in Asaramel, 28 in conventu magno sacerdotum, et populi, et principum gentis, et seniorum regionis, nota facta sunt hæc: quoniam frequenter facta sunt prælia in regione nostra, 29 Simon autem Mathathiæ filius, ex filiis Jarib, et fratres ejus, dederunt se periculo, et restiterunt adversariis gentis suæ, ut starent sancta ipsorum, et lex: et gloria magna glorificaverunt gentem suam. 30 Et congregavit Jonathas gentem suam, et factus est illis sacerdos magnus, et appositus est ad populum suum. 31 Et voluerunt inimici eorum calcare et atterere regionem ipsorum, et extendere manus in sancta eorum. 32 Tunc restitit Simon, et pugnavit pro gente sua, et erogavit pecunias multas, et armavit viros virtutis gentis suæ, et dedit illis stipendia: 33 et munivit civitates Judææ, et Bethsuram, quæ erat in finibus Judææ, ubi erant arma hostium antea: et posuit illic præsidium viros Judæos. 34 Et Joppen munivit, quæ erat ad mare, et Gazaram, quæ est in finibus Azoti, in qua hostes antea habitabant: et collocavit illic Judæos, et quæcumque apta erant ad correptionem eorum, posuit in eis.

35 καὶ εἶδεν ὁ λαὸς τὴν πίστιν τοῦ Σιμωνος καὶ τὴν δόξαν ἣν ἐβουλεύσατο ποιῆσαι τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθεντο αὐτὸν ἡγούμενον αὐτῶν καὶ ἀρχιερέα διὰ τὸ αὐτὸν πεποιηκέναι πάντα ταῦτα καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἣν συνετήρησεν τῷ ἔθνει αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξεζήτησεν παντὶ τρόπῳ ὑψῶσαι τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ 36 καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ εὐοδώθη ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἐξαρθῆναι τὰ ἔθνη ἐκ τῆς χώρας αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει Δαυιδ τοὺς ἐν Ιερουσαλημ οἳ ἐποίησαν αὑτοῖς ἄκραν ἐξ ἧς ἐξεπορεύοντο καὶ ἐμίαινον κύκλῳ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ἐποίουν πληγὴν μεγάλην ἐν τῇ ἁγνείᾳ 37 καὶ κατῴκισεν ἐν αὐτῇ ἄνδρας Ιουδαίους καὶ ὠχύρωσεν αὐτὴν πρὸς ἀσφάλειαν τῆς χώρας καὶ τῆς πόλεως καὶ ὕψωσεν τὰ τείχη τῆς Ιερουσαλημ 38 καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Δημήτριος ἔστησεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην κατὰ ταῦτα 39 καὶ ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν τῶν φίλων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐδόξασεν αὐτὸν δόξῃ μεγάλῃ 40 ἤκουσεν γὰρ ὅτι προσηγόρευνται οἱ Ιουδαῖοι ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων φίλοι καὶ σύμμαχοι καὶ ἀδελφοί καὶ ὅτι ἀπήντησαν τοῖς πρεσβευταῖς Σιμωνος ἐνδόξως 41 καὶ ὅτι οἱ Ιουδαῖοι καὶ οἱ ἱερεῖς εὐδόκησαν τοῦ εἶναι αὐτῶν Σιμωνα ἡγούμενον καὶ ἀρχιερέα εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἕως τοῦ ἀναστῆναι προφήτην πιστὸν 42 καὶ τοῦ εἶναι ἐ{P'} αὐτῶν στρατηγόν καὶ ὅπως μέλῃ αὐτῷ περὶ τῶν ἁγίων καθιστάναι δ{I'} αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς χώρας καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ὅπλων καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ὀχυρωμάτων 43 καὶ ὅπως μέλῃ αὐτῷ περὶ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ ὅπως ἀκούηται ὑπὸ πάντων καὶ ὅπως γράφωνται ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ πᾶσαι συγγραφαὶ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ καὶ ὅπως περιβάλληται πορφύραν καὶ χρυσοφορῇ 44 καὶ οὐκ ἐξέσται οὐθενὶ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τῶν ἱερέων ἀθετῆσαί τι τούτων καὶ ἀντειπεῖν τοῖς ὑ{P'} αὐτοῦ ῥηθησομένοις καὶ ἐπισυστρέψαι συστροφὴν ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ ἄνευ αὐτοῦ καὶ περιβάλλεσθαι πορφύραν καὶ ἐμπορποῦσθαι πόρπην χρυσῆν 45 ὃς {D'} ἂν παρὰ ταῦτα ποιήσῃ ἢ ἀθετήσῃ τι τούτων ἔνοχος ἔσται

35 The people, seeing him so loyal a lover of his country’s renown, made him their ruler and high priest; no less was due to such exploits, public service so faithfully done, such constant ambition for his people’s honour. 36 In his days it was, and by his means, the land was rid at last of Gentile intruders; not least the garrison of David’s own Keep at Jerusalem, that by their sallying out profaned the sacred precincts, and much defiled their purity; 37 a Jewish garrison he set there, to guard both city and country-side, and built Jerusalem walls yet higher. 38 High priesthood of his, king Demetrius must needs acknowledge, 39 bestowing on him the title of king’s friend, and loading him with honours. What could he do else? 40 Here was Rome itself greeting the Jewish folk as allies, good friends, and kinsmen, welcoming the envoys of Simon with civic state. 41 Here were the Jews, priests and people both, agreed that he should rule them, granting him the high priesthood[5] by right inalienable, until true prophet they should have once more. 42 Their ruler he should be, and guardian of their temple; appoint officer and magistrate, master of ordnance and captain of garrison, 43 and have charge of the sanctuary besides. Him all must obey, in his name deeds be drawn up, all the country through; of purple and gold should be his vesture. 44 Of the rest, both priests and people, none should retrench these privileges, nor gainsay Simon’s will, nor convoke assembly in the country without him; garment of purple, buckle of gold none should wear; 45 nor any man defy or void this edict, but at his peril.

35 Et vidit populus actum Simonis, et gloriam quam cogitabat facere genti suæ, et posuerunt eum ducem suum, et principem sacerdotum, eo quod ipse fecerat hæc omnia, et justitiam, et fidem, quam conservavit genti suæ, et exquisivit omni modo exaltare populum suum. 36 Et in diebus ejus prosperatum est in manibus ejus, ut tollerentur gentes de regione ipsorum, et qui in civitate David erant, in Jerusalem in arce, de qua procedebant, et contaminabant omnia quæ in circuitu sanctorum sunt, et inferebant plagam magnam castitati: 37 et collocavit in ea viros Judæos ad tutamentum regionis, et civitatis, et exaltavit muros Jerusalem. 38 Et rex Demetrius statuit illi summum sacerdotium. 39 Secundum hæc fecit eum amicum suum, et glorificavit eum gloria magna. 40 Audivit enim quod appellati sunt Judæi a Romanis amici, et socii, et fratres, et quia susceperunt legatos Simonis gloriose, 41 et quia Judæi et sacerdotes eorum consenserunt eum esse ducem suum, et summum sacerdotem in æternum, donec surgat propheta fidelis: 42 et ut sit super eos dux, et ut cura esset illi pro sanctis, et ut constitueret præpositos super opera eorum, et super regionem, et super arma, et super præsidia: 43 et cura sit illi de sanctis: et ut audiatur ab omnibus, et scribantur in nomine ejus omnes conscriptiones in regione: et ut operiatur purpura et auro: 44 et ne liceat ulli ex populo et ex sacerdotibus irritum facere aliquid horum, et contradicere his quæ ab eo dicuntur, aut convocare conventum in regione sine ipso, et vestiri purpura, et uti fibula aurea: 45 qui autem fecerit extra hæc, aut irritum fecerit aliquid horum, reus erit.

46 καὶ εὐδόκησεν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς θέσθαι Σιμωνι ποιῆσαι κατὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους 47 καὶ ἐπεδέξατο Σιμων καὶ εὐδόκησεν ἀρχιερατεύειν καὶ εἶναι στρατηγὸς καὶ ἐθνάρχης τῶν Ιουδαίων καὶ ἱερέων καὶ τοῦ προστατῆσαι πάντων 48 καὶ τὴν γραφὴν ταύτην εἶπον θέσθαι ἐν δέλτοις χαλκαῖς καὶ στῆσαι αὐτὰς ἐν περιβόλῳ τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τόπῳ ἐπισήμῳ 49 τὰ δὲ ἀντίγραφα αὐτῶν θέσθαι ἐν τῷ γαζοφυλακίῳ ὅπως ἔχῃ Σιμων καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτοῦ

46 The people’s pleasure it was to ennoble Simon after this sort; 47 and Simon, he would not say them nay; high priest, and of priests and people leader, governor and champion, he would be henceforward. 48 So they had the decree inscribed on tablets of bronze, and set up plain to view in the temple precincts; 49 and a copy of it they put by in the treasury, in the safe keeping of Simon and his heirs.[6]

46 Et complacuit omni populo statuere Simonem, et facere secundum verba ista. 47 Et suscepit Simon, et placuit ei ut summo sacerdotio fungeretur, et esset dux et princeps gentis Judæorum, et sacerdotum, et præesset omnibus. 48 Et scripturam istam dixerunt ponere in tabulis æreis, et ponere eas in peribolo sanctorum, in loco celebri: 49 exemplum autem eorum ponere in ærario, ut habeat Simon, et filii ejus.

[1] This is perhaps the best interpretation of a difficult phrase, ‘With all his glory he received Joppe to be a harbour’. For the language used, cf. 10.58, II Mac. 5.20. Joppe had been captured by Jonathan (10.76), and remained at least nominally in Jewish possession (12.33; 13.11); Simon’s achievement, according to verse 34 below, was to fortify it.

[2] The implication appears to be that both Rome and Sparta sent answers in the manner described.

[3] v. 24. It would be natural to assume that the end of this verse refers to the Roman people; and the Clementine Vulgate, without any manuscript authority, actually inserts the word ‘Roman’. But the proceedings of verses 25 sqq. are evidently those of the Jewish people. There is a want of sequence in the narrative as it stands, and it seems possible that verses 15-24 of chapter 15 originally stood here, and were accidentally misplaced; if so, ‘all this’ will refer to the Roman dispatches.

[4] This name is not found elsewhere, and probably conceals some error in the text.

[5] The Machabaean high priesthood seems to have been regarded as an emergency dispensation. For the mention of the prophet, cf. 4.46.

[6] vv. 45-49. We should perhaps take these verses as part of the decree itself; otherwise verse 48 seems a needless repetition of verse 26.

Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd