1 Maccabees 8

1 Maccabees 8, Catholic Public Domain Version

1. And Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they are powerful and strong, and that they willingly agree to all things that are asked of them; and that, whoever was agreeable to them, they established a friendship with them, and so they are powerful and resourceful.

   Et audivit Judas nomen Romanorum, quia sunt potentes viribus, et acquiescunt ad omnia quæ postulantur ab eis, et quicumque accesserunt ad eos, statuerunt cum eis amicitias: et quia sunt potentes viribus.

2. 2

   And they heard of their battles, and the successful works that they had accomplished in Galatia, how they had subdued them and brought them under tribute,†

   Et audierunt prælia eorum, et virtutes bonas, quas fecerunt in Galatia, quia obtinuerunt eos, et duxerunt sub tributum:

3. 3

   and what great things they had accomplished in the region of Spain, and that they had driven under their power the mines of silver and gold which are there, and that they had obtained possession of the entire place by their counsel and patience,

   et quanta fecerunt in regione Hispaniæ, et quod in potestatem redegerunt metalla argenti et auri, quæ illic sunt, et possederunt omnem locum consilio suo, et patientia:

4. 4

   and that they had overcome places that were very far from them, and kings, who came against them from the ends of the earth, and had crushed them and struck them with a great scourging, while the rest pay tribute to them every year,

   locaque quæ longe erant valde ab eis, et reges, qui supervenerant eis ab extremis terræ, contriverunt, et percusserunt eos plaga magna: ceteri autem dant eis tributum omnibus annis.

5. 5

   and that they had defeated in battle Philip, and Perses the king of the Ceteans, and the others who had taken up arms against them, and had crushed them in warfare and subdued them,†

   Et Philippum et Persen Ceteorum regem, et ceteros qui adversum eos arma tulerant, contriverunt in bello, et obtinuerunt eos:

6. 6

   and how Antiochus, the great king of Asia, who brought a fight against them, having one hundred and twenty elephants, with horsemen, and swift chariots, and a very great army, was crushed by them,

   et Antiochum magnum regem Asiæ, qui eis pugnam intulerat habens centum viginti elephantos, et equitatum, et currus, et exercitum magnum valde, contritum ab eis:

7. 7

   and how they had captured him alive and had decreed to him that both he and those who would reign after him would pay a great tribute, and that he should provide hostages bound to an agreement,

   et quia ceperunt eum vivum, et statuerunt ei ut daret ipse, et qui regnarent post ipsum, tributum magnum, et daret obsides, et constitutum,

8. 8

   and that regions from the Indians, and from the Medes, and from the Lydians, from among their best regions, with those whom they had taken from them, they gave to king Eumenes.†

   et regionem Indorum, et Medos, et Lydos, de optimis regionibus eorum: et acceptas eas ab eis, dederunt Eumeni regi,

9. 9

   And those who were in Greece wanted to go out and defeat them, but they became aware of this plan.

   et quia qui erant apud Helladam, voluerunt ire, et tollere eos: et innotuit sermo his,

10. 10

    And so they sent one general to them, and he fought against them, and many of them fell, and they led into captivity their wives, and their sons, and they despoiled them and took possession of their land, and they destroyed their walls and drove them into servitude, even to this day.

    et miserunt ad eos ducem unum, et pugnaverunt contra illos, et ceciderunt ex eis multi, et captivas duxerunt uxores eorum et filios, et diripuerunt eos, et terram eorum possederunt, et destruxerunt muros eorum, et in servitutem illos redegerunt usque in hunc diem:

11. 11

    And the remaining kingdoms and islands, which at any time had resisted them, they destroyed and drove under their power.

    et residua regna, et insulas, quæ aliquando restiterant illis, exterminaverunt, et in potestatem redegerunt.

12. 12

    But with their friends, and with those who remained at peace with them, they maintained friendship and conquered kingdoms: those that were near, and those that were far off. For all those who heard of their name were afraid of them.

    Cum amicis autem suis, et qui in ipsis requiem habebant, conservaverunt amicitiam, et obtinuerunt regna, quæ erant proxima, et quæ erant longe: quia quicumque audiebant nomen eorum, timebant eos:

13. 13

    In fact, whomever they wanted to help become ruler, these reigned, but whomever they wanted, they deposed from the kingdom. And they were greatly exalted.

    quibus vero vellent auxilio esse ut regnarent, regnabant: quos autem vellent, regno deturbabant: et exaltati sunt valde.

14. 14

    And of all these, none wore a diadem or was clothed in purple, to be magnified in this.

    Et in omnibus istis nemo portabat diadema, nec induebatur purpura, ut magnificaretur in ea.

15. 15

    And also, they had made themselves a senate house, and they consulted daily with three hundred and twenty men, continually acting as a counsel for the multitude, so that they would do the things that were right.

    Et quia curiam fecerunt sibi, et quotidie consulebant trecentos viginti consilium agentes semper de multitudine, ut quæ digna sunt, gerant:

16. 16

    And they commit their government to one man each year, to rule over their entire land, and they all obey this one, and there is no envy or jealousy among them.†

    et committunt uni homini magistratum suum per singulos annos dominari universæ terræ suæ, et omnes obediunt uni, et non est invidia, neque zelus inter eos.

17. 17

    And so Judas chose Eupolemus, the son of John, the son of Jacob, and Jason, the son of Eleazar, and he sent them to Rome to make an agreement of friendship and an alliance with them,

    Et elegit Judas Eupolemum filium Joannis filii Jacob, et Jasonem filium Eleazari, et misit eos Romam constituere cum illis amicitiam et societatem:

18. 18

    and so that they would take away from them the yoke of the Grecians, for they saw that they oppressed the kingdom of Israel with servitude.

    et ut auferrent ab eis jugum Græcorum, quia viderunt quod in servitutem premerent regnum Israël.

19. 19

    And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered the senate house, and they said,

    Et abierunt Romam viam multam valde, et introierunt curiam, et dixerunt:

20. 20

    “Judas Maccabeus, and his brothers, and the people of the Jews, have sent us to you to establish with you an alliance and peace, and so that we may be registered among your associates and friends.”

    Judas Machabæus, et fratres ejus, et populus Judæorum, miserunt nos ad vos statuere vobiscum societatem et pacem, et conscribere nos socios et amicos vestros.

21. 21

    And the word was pleasing in their sight.

    Et placuit sermo in conspectu eorum.

22. 22

    And this is a copy of the writing, which they rewrote on tablets of brass and sent to Jerusalem, so that it would be with them in that place as a memorial of the peace and alliance:

    Et hoc rescriptum est quod rescripserunt in tabulis æreis, et miserunt in Jerusalem, ut esset apud eos ibi memoriale pacis et societatis:

23. 23

    “May all be well with the Romans and with the nation of the Jews, at sea and on land, forever, and may sword and enemy be far away from them.

    Bene sit Romanis, et genti Judæorum, in mari et in terra in æternum: gladiusque et hostis procul sit ab eis.

24. 24

    But if a war is instituted against the Romans first, or against any of their allies in all their dominions,

    Quod si institerit bellum Romanis prius, aut omnibus sociis eorum in omni dominatione eorum,

25. 25

    the nation of the Jews will bring help to them, just as the situation shall direct, whole-heartedly.

    auxilium feret gens Judæorum, prout tempus dictaverit, corde pleno:

26. 26

    And those who do battle, they need not provide with supplies of wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, just as it seems good to the Romans, and they shall obey their orders, while taking nothing from them.

    et præliantibus non dabunt, neque subministrabunt triticum, arma, pecuniam, naves, sicut placuit Romanis: et custodient mandata eorum, nihil ab eis accipientes.

27. 27

    But in like manner also, if war will have fallen upon the nation of the Jews first, the Romans shall help them willingly, just as the situation permits them.

    Similiter autem et si genti Judæorum prius acciderit bellum, adjuvabunt Romani ex animo, prout eis tempus permiserit:

28. 28

    And those who give assistance will not be provided with wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, just as it seems good to the Romans. And they shall obey their orders without deceit.

    et adjuvantibus non dabitur triticum, arma, pecunia, naves, sicut placuit Romanis: et custodient mandata eorum absque dolo:

29. 29

    According to these words, the Romans have made an agreement with the people of the Jews.

    secundum hæc verba constituerunt Romani populo Judæorum.

30. 30

    And, if after these words, one or another would want to add anything to, or take anything from these, they may do as they propose. And whatever they add or take away, it shall be ratified.

    Quod si post hæc verba hi aut illi addere aut demere ad hæc aliquid voluerint, facient ex proposito suo: et quæcumque addiderint, vel dempserint, rata erunt.

31. 31

    Moreover, concerning the evils that king Demetrius did to them, we have written to him, saying, ‘Why have you made your yoke heavy upon our friends and allies, the Jews?

    Sed et de malis, quæ Demetrius rex fecit in eos, scripsimus ei, dicentes: Quare gravasti jugum tuum super amicos nostros, et socios Judæos?

32. 32

    If, therefore, they come again to us against you, we will render judgment for them, and we will make war against you by sea and by land.’”

    si ergo iterum adierint nos, adversum te faciemus illis judicium, et pugnabimus tecum mari terraque.

Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain · Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592)