2 Maccabees 5

2 Maccabees 5, Catholic Public Domain Version

1. At the same time, Antiochus prepared for a second journey into Egypt.

   Eodem tempore, Antiochus secundam profectionem paravit in Ægyptum.

2. 2

   But it happened, throughout the entire city of Jerusalem, that there were seen, for forty days, horsemen rushing through the air, having golden robes, and armed with spears, like a cohort of soldiers,

   Contigit autem per universam Jerosolymorum civitatem videri diebus quadraginta per aëra equites discurrentes, auratas stolas habentes et hastis, quasi cohortes armatos:

3. 3

   and horses, set in order by ranks, running, coming together to engage in close combat, and the shaking of shields, and a helmeted multitude stretching forth swords, and the casting of darts, and the splendor of golden armor, and all kinds of breastplates.

   et cursus equorum per ordines digestos, et congressiones fieri cominus, et scutorum motus, et galeatorum multitudinem gladiis districtis, et telorum jactus, et aureorum armorum splendorem, omnisque generis loricarum.

4. 4

   Because of this, everyone begged that these prodigies might be turned to good.

   Quapropter omnes rogabant in bonum monstra converti.

5. 5

   But when a false rumor went out, as though the life of Antiochus had expired, Jason, taking with him no less than one thousand men, suddenly assaulted the city. And, though the citizens together rushed to the wall, the city at last was taken, and Menelaus fled into the stronghold.

   Sed cum falsus rumor exisset, tamquam vita excessisset Antiochus, assumptis Jason non minus mille viris, repente agressus est civitatem: et civibus ad murum convolantibus ad ultimum apprehensa civitate, Menelaus fugit in arcem:

6. 6

   Truly, Jason did not spare his citizens from the slaughter; not realizing that success at the expense of kin is a very great evil, he considered those over whom he was victorious to be enemies, and not citizens.

   Jason vero non parcebat in cæde civibus suis, nec cogitabat prosperitatem adversum cognatos malum esse maximum, arbitrans hostium et non civium se trophæa capturum.

7. 7

   And so, he certainly did not obtain the leadership, but truly, in the end, received confusion for his betrayals, and he departed again to take refuge among the Ammonites.

   Et principatum quidem non obtinuit, finem vero insidiarum suarum confusionem accepit, et profugus iterum abiit in Ammanitem.

8. 8

   In the end, to his ruin, he was enclosed by Aretas, the sovereign of the Arabs. And then, fleeing from city to city, hated by all as a detestable fugitive from the laws, and as an enemy of his own nation and citizens, he was expelled into Egypt.

   Ad ultimum, in exitium sui conclusus ab Areta Arabum tyranno fugiens de civitate in civitatem, omnibus odiosus, ut refuga legum et execrabilis, ut patriæ et civium hostis, in Ægyptum extrusus est:

9. 9

   And he who had expelled many from their native land perished abroad, starting out toward the Lacedaemonians, as if, for the sake of kinship, he should have refuge there.

   et qui multos de patria sua expulerat, peregre periit, Lacedæmonas profectus, quasi pro cognatione ibi refugium habiturus:

10. 10

    And he who cast out many, unburied, was himself also cast out, both unlamented and unburied, and without having use of either foreign burial or a share of the sepulcher of his fathers.

    et qui insepultos multos abjecerat, ipse et illamentatus et insepultus abjicitur, sepultura neque peregrina usus, neque patrio sepulchro participans.

11. 11

    And so, when these things were done, the king suspected that the Jews would desert the alliance. And because of this, departing from Egypt with a raging soul, he indeed took the city by force.

    His itaque gestis, suspicatus est rex societatem deserturos Judæos: et ob hoc profectus ex Ægypto efferatis animis, civitatem quidem armis cepit.

12. 12

    Moreover, he ordered the military to execute, and not to spare, anyone they met, and to ascend through the houses to slay.

    Jussit autem militibus interficere, nec parcere occursantibus, et per domos ascendentes trucidare.

13. 13

    Therefore, a massacre occurred of youths and elders, an extermination of women and children, a killing of virgins and little ones.

    Fiebant ergo cædes juvenum ac seniorum, et mulierum et natorum exterminia, virginumque et parvulorum neces.

14. 14

    And so, over three whole days, eighty thousand were executed, forty thousand were imprisoned, and no small number were sold.

    Erant autem toto triduo octoginta millia interfecti, quadraginta millia vincti, non minus autem venundati.

15. 15

    But, as if this were not enough, he even presumed to enter into the most holy temple in the entire world, with Menelaus, that traitor to the law and to his own nation, as his guide.

    Sed nec ista sufficiunt: ausus est etiam intrare templum universa terra sanctius, Menelao ductore, qui legum et patriæ fuit proditor:

16. 16

    And, taking in his wicked hands the holy vessels, which were given by other kings and cities for the adornment and glory of the place, he unworthily handled and contaminated them.

    et scelestis manibus sumens sancta vasa, quæ ab aliis regibus et civitatibus erant posita ad ornatum loci, et gloriam, contrectabat indigne, et contaminabat.

17. 17

    So Antiochus, having gone astray in mind, did not consider that, because of the sins of the inhabitants of the city, God had become angry for a while, and so, for this reason, contempt had fallen upon the place.

    Ita alienatus mente Antiochus, non considerabat quod propter peccata habitantium civitatem, modicum Deus fuerat iratus: propter quod et accidit circa locum despectio:

18. 18

    Otherwise, if it had not happened that they were involved in so many sins, as with Heliodorus, who was sent by king Seleucus to plunder the treasury, so also this one, as soon as he had arrived, certainly would have been scourged and driven away from his audacity.

    alioquin nisi contigisset eos multis peccatis esse involutos, sicut Heliodorus, qui missus est a Seleuco rege ad expoliandum ærarium, etiam hic statim adveniens flagellatus, et repulsus utique fuisset ab audacia.

19. 19

    Truly, God did not choose the people because of the place, but the place because of the people.

    Verum non propter locum, gentem: sed propter gentem, locum Deus elegit.

20. 20

    And therefore, the place itself also became a participant in the evils of the people. But afterwards, it shall be a companion to what is good. And she who was abandoned to the wrath of Almighty God shall be exalted again with the greatest glory, at the reconciliation of the great Lord.

    Ideoque et ipse locus particeps factus est populi malorum: postea autem fiet socius bonorum, et qui derelictus in ira Dei omnipotentis est, iterum in magni Domini reconciliatione cum summa gloria exaltabitur.

21. 21

    Therefore, when Antiochus had taken away from the temple one thousand eight hundred talents, he quickly returned to Antioch, thinking, in his arrogance, to navigate the earth, even by finding a passage leading across the open ocean: such was the elation of his mind.

    Igitur Antiochus mille et octingentis ablatis de templo talentis, velociter Antiochiam regressus est, existimans se præ superbia terram ad navigandum, pelagus vero ad iter agendum deducturum propter mentis elationem.

22. 22

    Yet he left behind rulers to afflict the people. In fact, at Jerusalem, Philip was by birth a Phrygian, but he was in manners more cruel than he who had appointed him.

    Reliquit autem et præpositos ad affligendam gentem: Jerosolymis quidem Philippum genere Phrygem, moribus crudeliorem eo ipso a quo constitutus est:

23. 23

    Yet Andronicus and Menelaus hung a heavier weight over the citizens at Garizim than the others.

    in Garizim autem Andronicum et Menelaum, qui gravius quam ceteri imminebant civibus.

24. 24

    And when he had been appointed over the Jews, he sent that hateful leader, Apollonius, with an army of twenty-two thousand, instructing him to execute all men in the prime of life, and to sell the women and the youths.

    Cumque appositus esset contra Judæos, misit odiosum principem Apollonium cum exercitu viginti et duobus millibus, præcipiens ei omnes perfectæ ætatis interficere, mulieres ac juvenes vendere.

25. 25

    When he had arrived at Jerusalem, feigning peace, he remained quiet until the holy day of the Sabbath. And then, when the Jews were taking rest, he instructed his own to take up arms.

    Qui cum venisset Jerosolymam, pacem simulans, quievit usque ad diem sanctum sabbati: et tunc feriatis Judæis arma capere suis præcepit.

26. 26

    And he slaughtered all those who were seen going out. And rushing throughout the city with armed men, he destroyed a vast multitude.

    Omnesque qui ad spectaculum processerant, trucidavit: et civitatem cum armatis discurrens, ingentem multitudinem peremit.

27. 27

    But Judas Maccabeus, who was the tenth, had withdrawn himself to a deserted place, and there he lived life among the wild beasts in the mountains, with his own. And they remained there, consuming herbs as food, lest they be partakers in the defilement.†

    Judas autem Machabæus, qui decimus fuerat, secesserat in desertum locum, ibique inter feras vitam in montibus cum suis agebat: et fœni cibo vescentes, demorabantur, ne participes essent coinquinationis.

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