Judas hears of the great character of the Romans: he makes a league with them.
Iudas knowing the Romanes to be a most renowmed nation, reciting their worthie actes, 17. sendeth Embassaders to enter league with them: 21. Wherto they a greing confirme a perpetual amitie with mutual conditions.
1Now Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they are powerful and strong, and willingly agree to all things that are requested of them: and that whosoever have come to them, they have made amity with them, and that they are mighty in power.Allora Giuda ebbe contezza dei Romani, e come essi aveano gran possanza, e si prestavano a tutte quello che era lor domandato, e che con tutti quelli che si erano rivolti verso di loro avean fermato amicizia, e che erano grandemente potenti.AND Iudas heard of the name of the Romanes, that they are mightie of power, and agree vnto al thinges that are requested of them: and whosoeuer haue come vnto them, they haue made amitie with them, and that they are mightie of powre.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. 2And they heard of their battles, and their noble acts which they had done in Galatia, how they had conquered them, and brought them under tribute:E senti parlare delle loro guerre e delle azioni grandi fatte da loro nella Galazia, di cui eransi renduti padroni, e l'avean soggettata al tributo:And they heard of their battels, & goodlie acts, which they did in Galatia, that they ouercame them, and brought them vnder tribute:Et audierunt prælia eorum, et virtutes bonas, quas fecerunt in Galatia, quia obtinuerunt eos, et duxerunt sub tributum: 3And how great things they had done in the land of Spain, and that they had brought under their power the mines of silver and of gold that are there, and had gotten possession of all the place by their counsel and patience:E quanto grandi cose aveano operate nella Spagna, e come avean ridotta in lor potere quelle miniere d'argento e di oro, e avean conquistato tutto quel paese col consiglio e colla pazienza.& how great thinges they did in the countrie of Spaine, & that they brought into their powre the metalles of siluer and gold, that are there, and possessed euerie place by their counsel, & 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: 4And had conquered places that were very far off from them, and kings that came against them from the ends of the earth, and had overthrown them with great slaughter: and the rest pay them tribute every year.E aveano soggiogati dei paesi grandemente rimoti, e sconfitti de're, che si erano mossi contro di loro dagli ultimi confini del mondo, e gli aveano totalmente abbattuti: e che tutti gli altri pagavan ad essi tributo ogni anno:and destroyed the places that were very far of from them, & the kings that came vpon them from the ends of the earth, and stroke them with a greate plague: and the rest geue them tribute euerie yeare.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.
5And that they had defeated in battle Philip and Perses the king of the Ceteans, and the rest that had borne arms against them, and had conquered them:E che avean vinto in battaglia e soggiogato Filippo e Perseo re de' Cethei, e gli altri che avean prese l'armi contro di loro:And Philip and Perses the king of the Ceteans, and the rest that had borne weapon against them, they discomfited in battel, and ouercame them:Et Philippum et Persen Ceteorum regem, et ceteros qui adversum eos arma tulerant, contriverunt in bello, et obtinuerunt eos: 6And how Antiochus, the great king of Asia, who went to fight against them, having a hundred and twenty elephants, with horsemen, and chariots, and a very great army, was routed by them.E che Antioco il grande re di Asia, il quale era venuto a battaglia con essi, avendo cento venti elefanti e cavalleria e cocchi con un grandissimo esercito, era stato sconfitto da loro:and that Antiochus the great king of Asia, who made battel against them, hauing an hundred and twentie elephants, & horsemen, & chariottes an armie exceding great was discomfited 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: 7And how they took him alive, and appointed to him, that both he and they that should reign after him, should pay a great tribute, and that he should give hostages, and that which was agreed upon,E come lo ebber vivo in loro potere, e gli ordinarono, che dovesse pagare egli, e i suoi successori nel regno un forte tributo, e desse ostaggi secondo il convenuto.& that they tooke him aliue, and appointed him, that himself and they that should reigne after him, should geue a great tribute, and he should geue hostages, and the thing appointed him.et quia ceperunt eum vivum, et statuerunt ei ut daret ipse, et qui regnarent post ipsum, tributum magnum, et daret obsides, et constitutum, 8And the country of the Indians, and of the Medes, and of the Lydians, some of their best provinces: and those which they had taken from them, they gave to king Eumenes.E il paese degl'Indiani e i Medi e i Lidi, ottime provincie, le quali conquistate da essi le donarono al re Eumene:and the region of the Indes, & the Medes, & the Bydiains of their best countries: and the same being taken of them, they gaue to Eumenes the king.et regionem Indorum, et Medos, et Lydos, de optimis regionibus eorum: et acceptas eas ab eis, dederunt Eumeni regi,
9And that they who were in Greece, had a mind to go and to destroy them: and they had knowledge thereof,E come quelli, della Grecia fecer disegno di andare ad abbatterli, ed eglino lo seppero,And that they which were in Hellada, would haue gone to dispatch them: and the word was knowen to them,et quia qui erant apud Helladam, voluerunt ire, et tollere eos: et innotuit sermo his, 10And they sent a general against them, and fought with them, and many of them were slain, and they carried away their wives, and their children captives, and spoiled them, and took possession of their land, and threw down their walls, and brought them to be their servants unto this day.E mandarono contro di essi un condottiere, e venner con essi alle mani, e ne fecero strage, e si menarono in schiavitù le loro mogli e i figliuoli, e diedero il sacco al loro paese, e conquistare le loro terre, e gettaron per terra le loro mura, e li ridussero in servitù, come sono anche in oggi.and they sent vnto them one captayne, and they sought against them, & manie of them were slaine, and they led away their wiues captiue, and their children, and spoiled them, and possessed their land, and destroyed their walles, and brought them into bondage euen vntil 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: 11And the other kingdoms, and islands, that at any time had resisted them, they had destroyed and brought under their power.E come desolarono, e ridussero in lor potere gli altri regni e le isole, le quali una volta avean prese le armi contro di loro.and the residue of kingdoms, and iles that some time had resisted them, they spoyled, and brought vnder their powre.et residua regna, et insulas, quæ aliquando restiterant illis, exterminaverunt, et in potestatem redegerunt. 12But with their friends, and such as relied upon them, they kept amity, and had conquered kingdoms that were near, and that were far off: for all that heard their name, were afraid of them.Ma col loro amici e con quelli che si fidavan di loro, mantenevan l'amicizia, e che si eran fatti padroni de' regni vicini e dei lontani, perché erano tumuli da tutti quelli, tra i quali giungeva la fama di essi:But with their freinds, and those that rested in them, they kept amitie, and obteyned the kingdoms, that were next, and that were far of: that whosoeuer heard their name, feared 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:
13That whom they had a mind to help to a kingdom, those reigned: and whom they would, they deposed from the kingdom: and they were greatly exalted.E che regnavano quelli, a quali volevan dare aiuto per giungere al regno; e scacciavan dal trono quei, che volevano; e che si eran sommamente ingranditi.But such as they would helpe to reigne, those reigned: and whom they would, they deposed from the kingdom: and they were exalted excedingly.quibus vero vellent auxilio esse ut regnarent, regnabant: quos autem vellent, regno deturbabant: et exaltati sunt valde. 14And none of all these wore a crown, or was clothed in purple, to be magnified thereby.E che con tutto questo nissuno portava il Diadema, né veste di porpora per grandeggiare.And in al these none bare a crowne, nor was clothed with purple, to be magnified therin.Et in omnibus istis nemo portabat diadema, nec induebatur purpura, ut magnificaretur in ea. 15And that they had made themselves a senate house, and consulted daily three hundred and twenty men, that sat in council always for the people, that they might do the things that were right:E aveano formato un Senato, e ogni giorno consultavano trecento venti persone, le quali ponderavano gli affari del popolo per far fare quello che era conveniente.And that they made them selues a court, and consulted dayly three hundred and twentie, that sate in counsel alwayes for the multitude, that they might doe the thinges that were conuenient:Et quia curiam fecerunt sibi, et quotidie consulebant trecentos viginti consilium agentes semper de multitudine, ut quæ digna sunt, gerant: 16And that they committed their government to one man every year, to rule over all their country, and they all obey one, and there is no envy nor jealousy amongst them.E ogni anno conferiscono la loro magistratura ad un uomo, affinchè governi lo stato loro, e tutti obbediscano a un solo, e non v'è invidia, ne gelosia tra loro.and they committe their gouerment to one man euerie yeare to rule ouer al their land, & al they obey one, & there is no enuie, nor emulation amongst 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. 17So 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 a league of amity and confederacy with them:E Giuda elesse Eupolemo figliuolo di Giovanni, figliuolo di Giacobbe, e Giasone figliuolo di Eleazaro, e mandogli a Roma per fare amicizia, e confederazione con essi:And Iudas chose Eupolemus the sonne of Iohn, the sonne of Iacob, and Iason the sonne of Eleazar, & he sent them to Rome to make amitie and societie with them:Et elegit Judas Eupolemum filium Joannis filii Jacob, et Jasonem filium Eleazari, et misit eos Romam constituere cum illis amicitiam et societatem:
18And that they might take off from them the yoke of the Grecians, for they saw that they oppressed the kingdom of Israel with servitude.Affinché eglino li liberassero dal giogo dei Greci, perocchè vedevano come questi riducevano in schiavitù il regna d'Israele.and that they should take from them the yoke of the Greeks, because they saw that they pressed the kingdom of Israel vnto bondage.et ut auferrent ab eis jugum Græcorum, quia viderunt quod in servitutem premerent regnum Israël. 19And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered into the senate house, and said:E quelli fecero il viaggio di Roma, che era assai lungo, ed entrarono nella curia, e dissero:And they went to Rome, a way exceding great, and they entered into the court, and sayd:Et abierunt Romam viam multam valde, et introierunt curiam, et dixerunt: 20Judas Machabeus, and his brethren, and the people of the Jews, have sent us to you to make alliance and peace with you, and that we may be registered your confederates and friends.Giuda Maccabeo e i suoi fratelli e il popolo Giudeo ci han mandati a voi a stabilire con voi confederazione e pace, e perché ci scriviate tra i confederati e amici vostri.Iudas Machabeus, and his bretheren, and the people of the Iewes haue sent vs vnto you to make societie and peace with you, and to write vs your felowes and freindes.Judas Machabæus, et fratres ejus, et populus Judæorum, miserunt nos ad vos statuere vobiscum societatem et pacem, et conscribere nos socios et amicos vestros. 21And the proposal was pleasing in their sight.E quelli gradirono la proposizione.And the word was liked in their sight.Et placuit sermo in conspectu eorum. 22And this is the copy of the writing that they wrote back again, graven in tables of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that it might be with them there for a memorial of the peace, and alliance.Ed ecco il rescritto, che fu inciso in tavole di bronzo, e mandato a Gerusalemme, affinché ivi fosse pe' Giudei monumento di questa pace e confederazione.And this is the rescript, that they wrote againe in tables of brasse, and sent into Ierusalem, that it might be with them there a memorial of peace, & societie.Et hoc rescriptum est quod rescripserunt in tabulis æreis, et miserunt in Jerusalem, ut esset apud eos ibi memoriale pacis et societatis: 23GOOD SUCCESS BE TO THE ROMANS, and to the people of the Jews by sea, and by land, for ever: and far be the sword and enemy from them.Felicità ai Romani e alla nazione dei Giudei nel mare e sulla terra in eterno, e sia lungi da essi la spada e l'inimico.BE IT WEL TO THE ROMANES, and to the nation of the Iewes by sea, & by land for euer: and sword and enemie be far from them.Bene sit Romanis, et genti Judæorum, in mari et in terra in æternum: gladiusque et hostis procul sit ab eis.
24But if there come first any war upon the Romans, or any of their confederates, in all their dominions:Che se i Romani, o alcuno de' loro confederati in tutto il loro dominio, si troveranno i primi in guerra,But and if warre be toward the Romanes first, or al their felowes in al their dominion:Quod si institerit bellum Romanis prius, aut omnibus sociis eorum in omni dominatione eorum, 25The nation of the Jews shall help them according as the time shall direct, with all their heart:La nazione de' Giudei darà loro con pienezza di cuore soccorso, secondo che il tempo permetterà.the nation of the Iewes shal geue ayde, according as the time shal appoint, with ful hart:auxilium feret gens Judæorum, prout tempus dictaverit, corde pleno: 26Neither shall they give them, whilst they are fighting, or furnish them with wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the Romans: and they shall obey their orders, without taking any thing of them.E ai combattenti non daranno, e non somministreranno i Romani nè armi, ne danaro, ne navi, che così è parato ai Romani; e quegli obbediranno loro senza riceverne soldo.and to them fighting, they shal not geue nor allow wheate, armour, money, shippes, as it hath pleased the Romanes: and they shal keepe their charge, taking nothing of them.et præliantibus non dabunt, neque subministrabunt triticum, arma, pecuniam, naves, sicut placuit Romanis: et custodient mandata eorum, nihil ab eis accipientes. 27In like manner also if war shall come first upon the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall help them with all their heart, according as the time shall permit them:Parimente ancora se prima avverrà, che la nazione de' Giudei sia in guerra, i Romani la soccorreranno di buon cuore, secondo che il tempo ad essi il permetterà.In like maner also and if warre shal happen first to the nation of the Iewes, the Romanes shal helpe with al their hart, according as the time shal permitte them:Similiter autem et si genti Judæorum prius acciderit bellum, adjuvabunt Romani ex animo, prout eis tempus permiserit: 28And there shall not be given to them that come to their aid, either wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the Romans: and they shall observe their orders without deceit.E agli aiuti non daranno i Giudei grano, armi, denaro, navi, che così è paruto ai Romani; e quegli obbediranno ad essi senza frode:and to them helping shal not be geuen wheate, armour, money, shippes, as it hath pleased the Romanes: and they shal keepe their charge without guile.et adjuvantibus non dabitur triticum, arma, pecunia, naves, sicut placuit Romanis: et custodient mandata eorum absque dolo:
29According to these articles did the Romans covenant with the people of the Jews.Questa è la convenzione de' Romani coi Giudei.According to these wordes did the Romanes agree to the people of the Iewes.secundum hæc verba constituerunt Romani populo Judæorum. 30And, if after this, one party or the other shall have a mind to add to these articles, or take away any thing, they may do it at their pleasure: and whatsoever they shall add, or take away, shall be ratified.Che se in appresso o questi, o quelli brameranno o di aggiungere, o di levarne qualche cosa, lo faran di consenso scambievole, e sarà rato quello che aggiungeranno, o leveranno.And if after these wordes these or they wil adde to these, or take away any thing, they shal doe it at their pleasure: and whatsoeuer they shal adde, or take away, shal 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. 31Moreover, concerning the evils that Demetrius, the king, hath done against them, we have written to him, saying: Why hast thou made thy yoke heavy upon our friends and allies, the Jews?Oltre a ciò riguardo alle ingiurie fatte ad essi dal re Demetrio, gli abbiamo scritto in questi termini: Per qual motivo hai renduto più grave il tuo giogo ai Giudei amici e confederali nostri?Yea and concerning the euils, that Demetrius the king hath done against them, we haue writen to him, saying: Why hast thou aggrauated thy yoke vpon our freinds, and felowes the Iewes?Sed et de malis, quæ Demetrius rex fecit in eos, scripsimus ei, dicentes: Quare gravasti jugum tuum super amicos nostros, et socios Judæos ? 32If, therefore, they come again to us complaining of thee, we will do them justice, and will make war against thee by sea and land.Se adunque eglino ricorreran di bel nuovo a noi, farem loro giustizia, e ti farem guerra per mare e per terra.If therfore they come againe vnto vs against thee, we wil doe iudgement for them, and wil fight with thee by sea and land.si ergo iterum adierint nos, adversum te faciemus illis judicium, et pugnabimus tecum mari terraque.
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Worthington
Romans. Many historians, Livy, Plutarch, etc., record the same. (Worthington)
Haydock
Things. Greek, "people who join them." (Haydock)
Menochius
They comply with their just requests. (Menochius)
Calmet
The Scripture speaks of the fine times of the republic, and gives this temporal reward to the virtues of the Romans, which they so greatly sought, and to which alone they were entitled. (Calmet)
"Hitherto, says Florus, the Roman people was beautiful, noble, pious, holy, and magnificent." The Jews, first among the eastern nations, employed their friendship to secure their liberty. Facile tunc Romanis de alieno largientibus, Just. xxxvi.
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Year of the World 3816, Year before Christ 188.
Challoner
They heard, etc. What is here set down of the history and character of the ancient Romans, is not an assertion, or affirmation of the sacred writer; but only a relation of what Judas had heard of them. (Challoner)
Fame generally magnifies.
Calmet
Galatia, over which Volso triumphed. (Livy xxxviii.) (Calmet)
Harduin
The Gauls near Narbonne were then tributary to the Romans. (Harduin.)
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Strabo iii
Mines, for which Spain was most famous. (Pliny 3:3.) (Strabo iii.)
Menochius
The place, or every place in the world. (Menochius)
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Earth, little known to the Jews, like Syphax, etc.
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Challoner
Ceteans. That is, the Macedonians. (Challoner)
Flaminius subdued the former, and P. Emilius the latter.
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Year of the World 3815, Year before Christ 189.
Calmet
Twenty. Livy mentions only fifty-four. Florus allows that elephants were on both sides of the army, consisting of 300,000 foot. Appian admits but 70,000 men. (Calmet)
Worthington
Polybius (5.) asserts that Antiochus had 102 elephants against Ptolemy. In this war he might well have 120. (Worthington)
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Calmet
Alive. He was forced to submit to conditions, as hard as if he had been prisoner. (Calmet)
Polyd. xvii
He was present with the ambassabors at Lysimachia, to see the conditions put in execution. (Polyd. xvii.)
Tribute. He had to pay all the expenses of the war, 15,000 talents of Eubea, 350 to Eumenes, and 127 for wheat. Twenty hostages were required to be exchanged every three years.
Livy xxxviii
Upon. Greek, "the division," (Calmet) or all Europe, and from Halys as far as Mount Taurus. All his elephants at Apamea, and his ships of war, were also ceded. (Livy xxxviii.)
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Harduin
Indians. So the Ionians and Carians might be styled, from the Indus [River] or Kalbit, which flows through their country. The Midaei dwelt in those regions. (Harduin.)
Livy
Some think the Ionians and Mysians should be put for the Indians and Medes, (Grotius) as they were given up to Eumenes. (Livy)
Calmet
Yet the name of Indian was very vague, and denoted the Ethiopians, Arabs, etc. (Calmet)
Challoner
Eumedes. King of Pergamus. (Challoner)
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Salien
Greece, in league with Antiochus, (Grotius) or the Etolians, whom Glabrio conquered, may be meant. (Salien)
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Reigned, like Masinissa, Prusias, Eumenes, Eupator, and Phiolmetor.
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Crown, after the expulsion of the Tarquins.
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Calmet
Twenty. These latter were people in office, the two consuls, pretors, and questors, the four ediles, and ten tribunes. After Sylla the number of senators was augmented from 300 to 1000. (Alex. Genial 4:11.) (Calmet)
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Challoner
To one man. There were two consuls; but one only ruled at one time, each in his day. (Challoner)
Livy
Of this we have an example in the battle of Cannae. The first of the consuls wore the ornaments. (Livy)
Worthington
It would have been more dreadful to have two than one ruler. (Worthington)
Calmet
One of them governed at home; the other in the armies, and this latter alone was known to the Jews. They might also be falsely informed that a dictator was chosen every year. This was only done on great emergencies. (Calmet)
Challoner
No envy, etc. So Judas had heard; and it was so far true, with regard to the ancient Romans: that as yet no envy or jealousy had divided them into such open factions and civil wars, as they afterwards experienced in the time of Marius and Sylla, etc. (Challoner)
Sallust
Before they seemed all bent on promoting the public good. (Sallust, Catiline)
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Sight. The Romans expected they should soon be at war with Demetrius, and had heard of the exploits of Judas.
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Menochius
Shall they. The Jews and Romans shall pay their own forces. (Tirinus) (Menochius)
Grotius explains it, as if the former were to give no aid to the enemies of Rome.
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To them. Grotius adds, "to the enemies and to them," etc., which is the sense of the Syriac and Arabic and the most natural.
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Calmet
Jews. He and his predecessors had abused their power. Yet Rupert and Peter of Blois (ep. 146.) disapprove of the Jews having recourse to the Romans: they might flee away. It is not lawful to take arms against the sovereign. God had, however, sufficiently evinced by miracles that the conduct of the Machabees was pleasing to him, 2 Machabees 15:12. (Calmet)
Haydock
The Jews were not properly subjects, though tributary to foreign kings, whose design was to exterminate them, 1 Machabees 3:39. Self-preservation dictated that they should call in the aid of others. (Haydock)
Calmet
To die for religion was a great blessing. (Calmet)
Haydock
But God would not have his people thus entirely destroyed. The obligations of rulers and of the people are reciprocal. All nations have asserted their right to seek redress under oppression. Yet few have been treated so ill as the Jews. Few have acted with equal zeal and justice. (Haydock)
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They heard, etc.... What is here set down of the history and character of the ancient Romans, is not an assertion, or affirmation of the sacred writer: but only a relation of what Judas had heard of them.
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Ceteans.... That is, the Macedonians.
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Eumenes.... King of Pergamus.
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To one man.... There were two consuls: but one only ruled at one time, each in his day.—Ibid. No envy, etc.... So Judas had heard: and it was so far true, with regard to the ancient Romans, that as yet no envy or jealousy had divided them into such open factions and civil wars, as they afterwards experienced in the time of Marius and Sylla, etc.
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Of the renow med actes of the Romans, other Historiographers haue also vvritten largely: especially Liuius, Diodorus, Iustinus Florus Varre Plutarchus, and manie others.
d
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Vvhat places these vvere losephus expresseth. li. 12. c. 17.
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Polybius li. 5. vvriteth that Antiochus had 102. elephants in his vvarre against Prolemeus, & therfore it is not to be merueled that he had 120. against the Romans.
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Though Rome vvas then gouerned by tvvo consuls. Yet one only ruled euerie day in their course, not both in one day, for so saith Liuius (li. 2 hist.) it should haue bene more terror of tvvo rulers, then before it had bene of one king.
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Eusebius of Caesarea † AD 339 The Church History of Eusebius 6.13.7
7. He mentions also Tatian’s Discourse to the Greeks, and speaks of Cassianus as the author of a chronological work. He refers to the Jewish authors Philo, Aristobulus, Josephus, Demetrius, and Eupolemus,
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1. AND JUDAS HEARD THE NAME (the fame of the warlike strength and political virtues) OF THE ROMANS. — Note: The word "heard" signifies that the heroic deeds of the Romans, which are narrated afterwards, were brought to Judas and the Jews by hearing and report; nevertheless it does not follow from this that all those things are true. For fame is often greater than truth, and it enlarges or distorts the matter beyond truth, while each person adds something to or takes something away from the report, as we experience daily not only in the narratives of hearers, but also of eye-witnesses. This could be answered to the Novatians, who expunge the books of the Maccabees from the canon, objecting that they here attribute greater things to the Romans than Livy, Florus, Diodorus, and Plutarch attribute to them. Thus Serarius, Salianus, Sanchez and others. But truly if each of the things which are said of them here is examined carefully, nothing is found that can be argued to be false, or that cannot rightly be reconciled with profane historians, as I shall show individually. Thus in the Gospels many things are said by the Jews about Christ, as that he is a Samaritan, a drinker of wine, a demoniac, which were most false; but that the Jews said these things is most true, and Scripture wishes only this, as St. Augustine teaches, Questions VI to Orosius. THEY ACQUIESCE TO ALL THINGS WHICH ARE DEMANDED OF THEM, — if namely the things demanded are fair and just, and contrary neither to the interests nor to the rights of the Romans.
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2. And (Judas and the Jews) heard of THEIR WARS AND GOOD VIRTUES, — In Greek ἀνδραγαθίας, that is, manlinesses, strenuous deeds, things done bravely, fortitudes, glorious deeds; for ἀνδραγαθέω means the same as I act manfully, I conduct myself as a man, I act bravely, I show myself a strong and good man. WHICH THEY MADE IN GALATIA, — for the Romans subdued this region by arms at this time, as is evident from Livy, Josephus, Justin and others. By Galatians he means Gallo-Greeks, whom the Romans attacked in war, because they had aided Antiochus the Great fighting against the Romans, whence against them they sent Manius Vulso who conquered them, and after two years triumphed over them, as Livy testifies, book XXXVIII.
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3. AND HOW MUCH THEY DID IN THE REGION OF SPAIN (subjugating it to themselves through many and long wars); AND THAT THEY BROUGHT INTO THEIR POWER THE MINES OF SILVER AND GOLD WHICH ARE THERE. — For that the mines of gold and silver were most fertile in that age in Spain, Pliny, Strabo and others testify. That silver mines are still there, Mariana and other chronographers and historians testify. See Pinedan, book IV On the Affairs of Solomon, chapter IV, number 6. AND THEY POSSESSED THE WHOLE PLACE (all the cities and strongholds of Spain) BY THEIR COUNSEL AND PATIENCE, — In Greek μακροθυμίᾳ, that is, by long-suffering, which the Romans showed most especially in subduing Spain: for they did not subdue it all except after 231 years in which they continuously, but progressively advancing, waged wars with its inhabitants; for they occupied other provinces far more quickly. Thus Livy, Diodorus, Justin, Florus and others. Moreover in Spain they accomplished glorious deeds, Scipio Africanus, and his father and uncle. Learn morally here from the Romans that all enemies, both of the body and of the soul, and likewise all desires and passions of the mind, and all vices are to be overcome by counsel and patience, that is, by long-suffering, and by the constancy and perseverance of the long-suffering in vanquishing them; for nothing is so unusual, so powerful, so wild, that counsel and constancy do not tame it, as St. Basil, Cassian and others teach. Mystically Hugo says: The Saints, he says, possess heaven by counsel, namely while they follow the counsel of Christ: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," Matthew v; but they possess the earth by patience, according to that saying of Christ in the same place: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth." Again the Martyrs obtain heaven by patience, the Confessors by counsel.
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4. AND PLACES WHICH WERE VERY FAR FROM THEM (both in Asia and in Africa, and especially Carthage, the rival of Rome, etc.) THEY CRUSHED. — For the wars of the Romans with Hannibal and the Carthaginians through Q. Fabius Maximus and P. Scipio Africanus were waged at this time, whence Josephus explains this verse from them.
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5. And Philip, and (his spurious son) PERSEUS (whom Livy and others call Perses) THE KING OF THE OTHERS (that is, of the Macedonians, as I said chapter 1, 1, and of Epirus) etc., THEY CRUSHED, — through L. Aemilius Paulus, who after a war of four years led Perseus captured to Rome in triumph, and subjected Macedonia and Epirus to the Romans, in the year of the city's founding 585.
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6. And Antiochus the Great (father of Seleucus and Antiochus Epiphanes, grandfather of Demetrius and likewise of Antiochus Eupator) CRUSHED BY THEM, — namely by the Romans through Scipio Asiaticus, brother of Scipio Africanus. For, as Livy says, book XXXVII: "Fifty thousand foot soldiers are said to have been slain that day, four thousand cavalry, one thousand four hundred captured, and fifteen elephants with their drivers:" nor is it surprising that Antiochus led one hundred twenty elephants against the Romans in battle, since he led one hundred two against Ptolemy Epiphanes, as Polybius testifies, book V.
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7. AND BECAUSE THEY TOOK HIM ALIVE. (This is not asserted by Appian, Livy and Justin, nor do they deny it, but rather they hint at it, while they narrate that Antiochus was so constrained and shut in by the Romans, that as if captured he surrendered his hands to Scipio the victor, and conceded all that he demanded, and especially) A GREAT TRIBUTE, (of two thousand talents yearly, to be paid both by himself and by his posterity); AND SHOULD GIVE HOSTAGES, — among whom the principal was Antiochus Epiphanes, his younger son. AND IT WAS DETERMINED, — In Greek διαγωγήν, that is a distinction and division, so that namely, his kingdom being divided into two parts, he should give the better one to Eumenes king of Pergamum, his rival and friend of the Romans; but the worse part he should keep for himself, and reign almost in Syria alone, and in places situated on this side of Mount Taurus: for Antiochus was forced to give to the Romans this as it were determined portion of his kingdoms; whence explaining he adds:
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8. And the region of the Indians, — thus he calls the provinces situated beyond Mount Taurus, occupied by Antiochus, as Serarius demonstrates from Procopius, Strabo and others. AND THE MEDES, AND THE LYDIANS OF THEIR BEST REGIONS, (that is to say, Antiochus was forced to cede to the Romans the regions beyond Mount Taurus, likewise Media and Lydia, which were the best regions of his, and of his fathers and posterity, which) RECEIVED FROM THEM (the Romans) GAVE TO EUMENES THE KING — friend of the Romans, but enemy of Antiochus. This was foretold by Daniel, chapter xi, verse 8. See the things said there.
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9. AND BECAUSE THOSE WHO WERE IN HELLAS (In Greek, "in Hellas," that is in Greece: for Ἕλληνες, that is Greeks), WISHED TO GO AND TAKE THEM — secretly, and by treachery to slay the legions of the Romans, dwelling in their vicinity. It also looks back to the Aetolians, who were the first of the Greeks to wage war with the Romans. For their leader Damocritus, when asked by T. Quinctius Flamininus for an answer, said that he would give it in Italy, when the Aetolians had pitched their camp at the Tiber.
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10. AND THE REPORT WAS MADE KNOWN (the matter, or the plot of slaughter) TO THESE (namely the Romans.) AND THEY SENT (the Romans) TO THEM (the Greeks) ONE LEADER, — Nabis, and then others, who by various conflicts gradually subdued and conquered all the Greeks, as Livy and others narrate.
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12. BUT WITH FRIENDS MOREOVER, AND THOSE WHO HAD REST IN THEM, (In Greek, those who acquiesced to the Romans, accommodating themselves faithfully to their commands or demands,) THEY PRESERVED FRIENDSHIP, — and raised them to great power and honors, as has already been said of Eumenes. The same happened to Gelo king of Syracuse and Masinissa king of Numidia, and to Ptolemy Philometor and Physcon, kings of Egypt.
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14. NOR DID HE WEAR PURPLE, — that is a purple cloak, as if he were king or emperor of the rest. For otherwise Roman Senators were adorned with a purple toga. Therefore there was one purple of the consul, another of the king; indeed consuls properly did not have purple togas, but purple only as a border, as Salianus teaches from Livy.
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15. And because (that) THEY MADE A SENATE, — that is a senate of old and wise men, namely Patricians, and they built for them a senate house, so that in it they might gather daily to bring their counsels and votes concerning the commonwealth. AND DAILY CONSULTED (consulted among themselves) 320 MEN, — senators, or patricians. Romulus at first established one hundred senators; then as the Roman Republic grew he increased their number to two hundred: then Tarquinius Priscus, as the Halicarnassian says, to three hundred, indeed 320, as is said here, but when Gracchus was stirring up tumults it grew to six hundred, then to 900 and 1000, as Livy, Florus and others narrate.
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16. AND THEY COMMIT THEIR GOVERNMENT TO ONE MAN,—for the Romans in times of danger created one dictator who presided over the entire Republic. Otherwise they created two consuls, but in such a way that one waged wars abroad; the other alone administered the Republic at home. And if several wars broke out in different places, one presided over one army and province, the other over another. Indeed, if both consuls were in the same camp, they presided over it on alternate days, so that one had the fasces on one day and commanded, the other on another, as is evident from the disaster at Cannae, which occurred at this time for this reason, that on that day the Consul Varro presided over the camp, who without consulting his colleague the Consul Paulus fought with Hannibal most unsuccessfully. Thus on alternate days the Strategoi in Greece, the Epistatae at Athens, and the Decemviri at Rome had the right of command: for these men on the tenth day returned the right to the people individually, as Livy says, lib. III, Diodorus, Plutarch and others. Emmanuel Sa thinks that Judas, deceived by the narrative of some, believed there was a single magistrate at Rome, to which opinion the Dictatorship had given occasion, although that was neither annual nor an ordinary magistrate, as the Consulship was. AND THERE IS NO ENVY, NOR ZEAL AMONG THEM.—There was no envy among the early Romans, who content with little, despised riches and honors, such as were Camillus, Cincinnatus, Curius, Fabius, etc., but their successors, coveting riches and dignities of the Republic, in the time of Judas Maccabaeus began to labor under ambition and envy, but internal: for they did not dare to display it outwardly, lest they be held to be proud, avaricious, and therefore be removed from government: wherefore outwardly there did not appear in them envy, or zeal, that is emulation and contention, as Judas says here; but shortly after internal ambition and envy broke forth into external conflict, when Marius contended against Sulla in civil war, Julius Caesar against Pompey, Augustus against Antony; and then their republic was utterly destroyed, and to aristocracy succeeded the monarchy of Augustus and the following emperors. Hear Cato in Sallust, On the Catilinarian Conspiracy cap. lii: "Do not think that our ancestors made the Republic great from small beginnings by arms. If that were so, we would have it far more excellent. For indeed we have a greater abundance of allies, and citizens, moreover of arms, and horses than they had; but there were other things which made them great, which we have none of: industry at home, just rule abroad, a mind in deliberation free, and not subject to lust, nor to crime. In place of these we have luxury, and avarice, public poverty, private wealth; we praise riches, we pursue idleness: between good and bad there is no distinction, ambition possesses all the rewards of virtue. Nor is it a wonder, when each of you separately takes counsel for himself, when at home you serve pleasures, here money, or favor. Hence it comes to pass that an assault is made upon an empty Republic."
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17. AND JUDAS CHOSE EUPOLEMUS, etc., AND JASON,—that is, Josue, or Jesus; for thus he was called in Hebrew; but because the Hebrews were subject to the Greeks from the time of Alexander the Great, they likewise assumed Greek names, so that for "Jesus," that is "savior," they were called "Jason," that is "healer," from ἰάω, that is I heal. Thus Eupolemus, Menelaus, Alcimus are Greek names, and such things the Apostates desired, like those of Antiochus, Demetrius and the Greeks, in order to gain their favor. SON OF ELEAZAR.—Some think this Jason was the son of Eleazar, brother of Judas Maccabeus, of whom cap. II, 5, others (think he was the son) of Eleazar the old man of ninety years, who for the law of Moses underwent a generous martyrdom, II Maccabees xviii; but nothing certain can be established here. AND HE SENT THEM TO ROME TO ESTABLISH FRIENDSHIP WITH THEM.—Judas was pressed on one side by the strong forces of Demetrius, on the other by the deceits of Menelaus, Jason and Alcimus, Pseudo-Pontiffs, and therefore apostates, rivals and enemies of his: and he saw that with few faithful Jews he could not long resist them. Prudently therefore he fled to the Romans, then masters of affairs, and implored their aid by entering into a treaty: which succeeded according to his wish. For the Romans wrote to Demetrius, and ordered him not to harass Judas and the Jews henceforth. Nor was there danger of idolatry or other evil in this treaty, because the Romans permitted all nations their own gods and ancestral religion. For they were political, and sought only to preserve and propagate their political rule, to which they well knew it would be very useful if they did not change the laws and gods of the nations, but allowed them to live by their ancestral laws and gods. It was otherwise with Josaphat king of Judah, who was rebuked by the Prophet, II Paralipomenons xix; because he contracted a treaty and marriage with Joram, an idolater king of Israel: for through this idolatry entered in and pervaded the kingdom of Judah. Thus David, sustaining persecution, fled from Saul to Achis king of Geth an idolater, I Kings xxvii. He likewise made a treaty with Naas king of Ammon, II Kings x; and with Tholmai king of Gessur, whose daughter he took as wife, II Kings III, verse 3. Thus Abraham, Isaac and Jacob made treaties with the Palestines and Syrians, idolaters, Gen. cap. xiv, and xxi and xxvi. Judas therefore licitly, nay piously and holily made a pact with the Romans, so that by their aid he might protect and defend his country, commonwealth, Church and true faith and religion, which Antiochus and the apostates were striving to overthrow; although Rupert, Blesensis and others think otherwise, as I shall say cap. seq. vers. 18. You will say: This treaty with the Romans was the occasion why the Romans shortly after subjugated Judea, and then destroyed it when it rebelled. I answer. The cause of this subjugation was not the treaty, but the contention of Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, grandsons of Simon Maccabeus, over the Principate. For they chose Pompey as arbiter, who rightly adjudicated the Principate to Hyrcanus, as the elder; but when Aristobulus resisted and took Jerusalem, Pompey conquered him and the city, and with Hyrcanus consenting, subjected Judea to the Romans, as Josephus narrates at length.
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22. ON BRONZE TABLETS.—The Romans wrote their treaties equally as their laws on bronze tablets, which they publicly displayed for their perpetuity, lest anyone could tear them or abolish them.
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23. WELL BE IT TO THE ROMANS AND TO THE NATION OF THE JEWS.—From this (comes) the beginning and auspice of the treaty, by which they wish well for the treaty, and beseech happiness, as if to say: May it be fortunate and auspicious to the Romans, equally as to the Jews, we enter into this treaty on both sides wishing it well, so that it may be salutary to both against enemies, equally as perpetual.
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25. THE NATION OF THE JEWS SHALL RENDER AID (to the Romans if attacked by war) AS TIME SHALL DICTATE, WITH A FULL HEART,—that is sincere, whole, perfect, as if to say: Most sincerely, most wholly and most promptly the Jews shall help the Romans, if war should befall them: whence for "with a full heart," in verse 27, it is said "from the soul."
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26. AND TO THOSE FIGHTING (the Jews, the Romans) SHALL NOT GIVE, NOR SHALL SUPPLY WHEAT, ARMS, MONEY, SHIPS.—But the Jews shall provide all these things at their own expense, so that they may aid the Romans freely: otherwise indeed the Jews would be not so much confederates and friends of the Romans as mercenaries hired for a price. For friendship requires that free and liberal aid be rendered to a friend in need. AND THEY SHALL KEEP THEIR COMMANDS,—so that the Jews fighting for the Romans may be subject in all things to the Roman commander, just as if he were a Jew, and may fully execute his commands, as do the other Roman soldiers: otherwise indeed the aid of the Jews would be fruitless, if they themselves wished to follow their own counsels different from the Romans, nay sometimes contrary to them. For thus they would make schism in the army, and expose it to be slaughtered by the enemy.
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27. LIKEWISE ALSO, etc.—as if to say: Similar aid, wholly free, sincere and liberal, shall the Romans render to the Jews, if they are attacked by anyone in war.
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30. BUT IF, AFTER THESE WORDS, THESE OR THOSE (Romans, or Jews, the conditions of the treaty already mentioned) SHALL WISH TO ADD OR TAKE AWAY ANYTHING FROM THESE, THEY SHALL DO IT BY THEIR OWN DECISION,—namely by the common will and consent of both parties.
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31. WE HAVE WRITTEN TO HIM,—to Demetrius, that he cease to harass the Jews. But before these letters came to Demetrius, he had already sent Bacchides, with whom Judas, engaging in conflict, conquered indeed but fell, as we shall hear in the following chapter.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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I. ROME IN SACRED SCRIPTURE. - The Romans are perhaps spoken of in Dan. 11:30; of Rome or the Romans indirectly in 1 Macc. 1:11; 7:1, and directly in the account of the alliance requested (161 B.C.) by Judas Maccabeus to defend himself against the Syrian aggression (1 Macc. 8:1-32; 2 Macc. 4:11), later renewed (in 144 B.C.) by his brother Jonathan (1 Macc. 12:1-4, 16). Rome associated herself with the mourning of the Jews for the death of Jonathan and reconfirmed …
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Galatia is also mentioned in 1 Macc. 8:2 and in 2 Tim. 4:10; but, since the Greeks translated the Latin Gallia also with Γαλατία, in both texts it could be a question of Gaul; and the peoples conquered by the Romans according …
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Kittim (Kittijīm, in Jer. 2, 10)
… Alexander of Macedon is said to have come from K. (1 Macc. 1:1) and Perseus is presented as king of the K. (ibid. 8:5).
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— A. III the Great (mentioned in I Macc. 1:11; 8:6-8), succeeded his murdered brother Seleucus III in 223 at the age of nineteen. …
… In the books of Maccabees it indicates the kingdom of the Seleucids: the first to whom we find the title of "king of Asia" attributed is Antiochus III (223-187 B.C.: I Mach. 8, 6) and after him his successors also receive it (ibid. 11, 13; 12, 31; 13, 32; II Mach. 3, 3), although under Antiochus III the Seleucid kingdom retained, of the Asian provinces of Alexander …
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LYDIA. - 1. Heb. Lâdh, Gk. Λάδω (Gen. 10:22; 1 Chron. 11:17; 1 Macc. 8:8): a region of western Asia Minor on the coasts of the Aegean, situated between Mysia to the north, Phrygia to the east and Caria to the south, in a fertile and wealthy country, an …
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Eleazar (Heb. 'El'āzār, "God Has Helped")
6. - Father of Jason (1 Macc. 8:17), hardly identifiable with the son of Mattathias (v. MACCABEES).
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… Dan. 8:21 ff. and 11:2 describe the power of the ram, or Alexander "king of the Greeks" ("first king of the Greeks": 1 Macc. 1:1; 6:2). The Seleucids too are "kings of the Greeks" (Dan. 10:20; Zech. 9:13; 1 Macc. 1:11; 8:18: against them the Jews ask help from the Romans, that they may free them from the "yoke of the Greeks").
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Maccabees (Greek Μακκαβαῖοι, Vulgate Machabaei)
… kings of Persia were kept, and from which he may have drawn the eleven official documents that he inserts into the narrative: letters between heads of state (I Mach. 12:5; 14:20), edicts of kings (ibid. 10:17; 11:30; 13:36; 15:2), treaties of alliance (ibid. 8:22; 15:16), plebiscites (ibid. 14:27). The integrity of the book is by now beyond doubt. …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.