Judith goeth out in the night to pray: she is invited to a banquet with Holofernes.
Iudith is brought into Holofernes treasurehouse, 2. hath leaue to abstaine from the Gentils meates, 5. and to goe forth in the night to pray. 10. The fourth day she cometh to Holofernes banket; 16, he is taken with concuspiscence, and drinketh very much wine.
1Then he ordered that she should go in where his treasures were laid up, and bade her tarry there, and he appointed what should be given her from his own table.Allora egli ordinò, che fosse condotta dove stavano i suoi tesori, e ordinò, che ivi ella stesse, e stabilì quello, che doveva esserle portato dalla sua mensa.THEN he bad her goe in where his treasures were layd vp, and bad her tarie there, and he appoynted what should be geuen her of his owne banket.Tunc jussit eam introire ubi repositi erant thesauri ejus, et jussit illic manere eam, et constituit quid daretur illi de convivio suo. 2And Judith answered him and said: Now I cannot eat of these things which thou commandest to be given me, lest sin come upon me: but I will eat of the things which I have brought.Ma Giuditta rispose a lui, e disse: Io non posso adesso mangiare di quello, che tu ordini, che mi sia dato, affinchè non venga l'ira sopra di me; mangerò di quelle cose, che meco ho portate.To whom Iudith answered, and said: Now I can not eate of these thinges, which thou commandest to be geuen me, lest there come displeasure vpon me: but I wil eate of these thinges, which I haue brought.Cui respondit Judith, et dixit: Nunc non potero manducare ex his quæ mihi præcipis tribui, ne veniat super me offensio: ex his autem quæ mihi detuli, manducabo. 3And Holofernes said to her: If these things which thou hast brought with thee fail thee, what shall we do for thee?E Oloferne disse a lei. E quando non avrai più di quelle cose, che hai portate, cosa faremo?To whom Holofernes said: If these thinges which thou hast brought with thee shal fayle thee, what shal we doe to thee.Cui Holofernes ait: Si defecerint tibi ista, quæ tecum detulisti, quid faciemus tibi ? 4And Judith said: As thy soul liveth, my lord, thy handmaid shall not spend all these things till God do by my hand that which I have purposed. And his servants brought her into the tent which he had commanded.E Giuditta disse: Giuro per la tua vita signore mio, che non consumerà la tua serva tutto quello, che ha portato, prima che Dio eseguisca per mezzo mio quello, che ho in mente. E i servi di lui la menarono al padiglione assegnatole.And Iudith said: Thy soule liueth my lord, that thy handmayde shal not spend al these thinges, til God doe by my hand these thinges, which I haue purposed. And his seruantes brought her into the tabernacle, which he had commanded.Et dixit Judith: Vivit anima tua, domine meus, quoniam non expendet omnia hæc ancilla tua, donec faciat Deus in manu mea hæc quæ cogitavi. Et induxerunt illam servi ejus in tabernaculum quod præceperat.
5And when she was going in, she desired that she might have liberty to go out at night and before day to prayer, and to beseech the Lord.E in entrando ella chiese la permissione di uscir fuora la notte, e avanti giorno adorare, e invocare il Signore.And whiles she went in, she desired that she might haue licence to goe forth, in the night and before day to prayer, and to besech our Lord.Et petiit dum introiret, ut daretur ei copia nocte et ante lucem egrediendi foras ad orationem, et deprecandi Dominum. 6And he commanded his chamberlains, that she might go out and in, to adore her God as she pleased, for three days.E quegli comandò agli uscieri, che la lasciassero andare, e venire come le era in grado ad adorare il suo Dio per tre giorni.And he commanded his chamberlaynes, that as it pleased her, she should goe out & come in to adore her God for three dayes.Et præcepit cubiculariis suis ut sicut placeret illi, exiret et introiret ad adorandum Deum suum per triduum: 7And she went out in the nights into the valley of Bethulia, and washed herself in a fountain of water.Ed ella andava la notte nella valle di Betulia, e si lavava a una fontana.And she went forth in the nightes into the vale of Bethulia, and washed her self in a fountaine of water.et exibat noctibus in vallem Bethuliæ, et baptizabat se in fonte aquæ. 8And as she came up, she prayed to the Lord the God of Israel, that he would direct her way to the deliverance of his people.E nel ritorno pregava il Signore Dio d'Israele, che dirigesse i suoi passi alla liberazione del popolo suo.And as she came vp, she prayed our Lord the God of Israel, that he would direct her way to the deliuerie of his people.Et ut ascendebat, orabat Dominum Deum Israël ut dirigeret viam ejus ad liberationem populi sui. 9And going in, she remained pure in the tent, until she took her own meat in the evening.E rientrata nel padiglione purificata, ivi si stava sino a tanto che si ristorava sulla sera.And going in, she remayned pure in the tabernacle, vntil she tooke her owne meate in the euening.Et introiens, munda manebat in tabernaculo usque dum acciperet escam suam in vespere. 10And it came to pass on the fourth day, that Holofernes made a supper for his servants, and said to Vagao his eunuch: Go, and persuade that Hebrew woman, to consent of her own accord to dwell with me.Ed avvenne, che il quarto di Oloferne diede una cena a suoi servi, e disse a Vagao, suo eunuco: Va, ed esorta quell'Ebrea, che spontaneamente si risolva a coabitare con me.And it came to passe in the fourth day, Holofernes made a supper to his seruantes, and sayd to Vagao his eunuch: Goe, and perswade that Hebrew woman, that she consent of her owne accord to dwel with me.Et factum est, in quarto die Holofernes fecit cœnam servis suis, et dixit ad Vagao eunuchum suum: Vade, et suade Hebræam illam ut sponte consentiat habitare mecum.
11For it is looked upon as shameful among the Assyrians, if a woman mock a man, by doing so as to pass free from him.Perocchè è cosa vergognosa tra gli Assiri, che una donna si burli di un uomo, facendo in guisa che da lui se ne parta senza fare suo piacere.For it is a foule thing with the Assyrians, if a woman mocke a man in doing, that she passe free from him.Fœdum est enim apud Assyrios, si femina irrideat virum agendo ut immunis ab eo transeat. 12Then Vagao went in to Judith, and said: Let not my good maid be afraid to go in to my lord, that she may be honoured before his face, that she may eat with him and drink wine and be merry.Allora Vagao entrò da Giuditta, e disse: Non abbi ritrosìa, o buona fanciulla divenire al signore mio per essere onorata da lui, e per mangiare con lui, e bere in allegria.Then Vagao went in to Iudith, & said: Let not the good yong maide feare to goe in to my Lord, that she may be honoured before his face, that she may eate with him and drinke wine in ioyfulnes.Tunc introivit Vagao ad Judith, et dixit: Non vereatur bona puella introire ad dominum meum, ut honorificetur ante faciem ejus, ut manducet cum eo, et bibat vinum in jucunditate. 13And Judith answered him: Who am I, that I should gainsay my lord?E Giuditta a lui. Chi son io, che ardisca di contraddire al mio signore?To whom Iudith answered: Who am I, that I should gaynesay my lord?Cui Judith respondit: Quæ ego sum, ut contradicam domino meo ? 14All that shall be good and best before his eyes, I will do. And whatsoever shall please him, that shall be best to me all the days of my life.Io farò tutto quello, che buono, e meglio parrà a lui: e tutto quello, che piacerà a lui sarà il meglio per me per tutti i giorni della mia vita.Al that shal be good and best before his eies, wil I doe. And whatsoeuer shal please him, that shal be best to me al the dayes of my life.omne quod erit ante oculos ejus bonum et optimum, faciam. Quidquid autem illi placuerit, hoc mihi erit optimum omnibus diebus vitæ meæ. 15And she arose and dressed herself out with her garments, and going in she stood before his face.E si alzò, e si adornò delle sue vesti, e andò a presentarsi dinanzi a lui.And she arose, and decked herself with her garmentes, and going in she stood before his face.Et surrexit, et ornavit se vestimento suo, et ingressa stetit ante faciem ejus. 16And the heart of Holofernes was smitten, for he was burning with the desire of her.E il cuore di Oloferne si scosse: perocché egli ardeva di desiderio di possederla.And the hart of Holofernes was strooken: for he burnt in the concupiscence of her.Cor autem Holofernes concussum est: erat enim ardens in concupiscentia ejus.
17And Holofernes said to her: Drink now, and sit down and be merry; for thou hast found favour before me.E disse a lei Oloferne: Bevi ora, e mangia allegramente; perocchè hai trovata grazia dinanzi a me.And Holofernes said to her: Drinke now, and sit downe in ioyfulnes, because thou hast found grace before me.Et dixit ad eam Holofernes: Bibe nunc, et accumbe in jucunditate, quoniam invenisti gratiam coram me. 18And Judith said: I will drink my lord, because my life is magnified this day above all my days.E Giuditta disse: Io berò o signore, perocchè in questo giorno io mi trovo glorificata più che in tutto il resto della mia vita.And Iudith said: I wil drinke my lord, because my soule is magnified this day aboue al my dayes.Et dixit Judith: Bibam, domine, quoniam magnificata est anima mea hodie præ omnibus diebus meis. 19And she took and ate and drank before him what her maid had prepared for her.E prese ella, e mangio, e bevve dinanzi a lui quello, che le era stato preparato dalla sua serva,And she tooke, and did eate, and dranke before him those thinges, which her handmayde had prepared her.Et accepit, et manducavit et bibit coram ipso ea quæ paraverat illi ancilla ejus. 20And Holofernes was made merry on her occasion, and drank exceeding much wine, so much as he had never drunk in his life.E Oloferne le fece gran festa, e bevve del vino for misura, quanto non avea mai bevuto a suoi giorni.And Holofernes was made pleasant toward her, and dranke wine exceeding much, so much as he had neuer drunke in his life?Et jucundus factus est Holofernes ad eam, bibitque vinum multum nimis, quantum numquam biberat in vita sua.
12:1
Menochius
And bade. Greek, "and ordered a bed (or table) to be prepared for her, to eat of his own meat, and drink of his wine," (Haydock) that her beauty might be enhanced, (Daniel i.) and to honour her. (Menochius)
12:2
12:3
Thee. Greek adds, "for there is none of thy race."
12:4
Which 1:Greek, "he."
Haydock
Which. Greek, "and she slept till midnight and she arose at the morning watch." (Haydock)
Calmet
The mode of counting by hours prevailed after the captivity. (Calmet)
12:5
Haydock
And. Greek, "and she sent to Holofernes, saying: May my lord please to order that thy handmaid may go out to pray. And," etc., ver. 6. (Haydock)
Calmet
She had prepared him to grant this request before: but out of civility, and that he may have greater confidence in her, she asks again. The choice of a retired place for prayer is very commendable, but she made choice of the fields, that she might go out of the camp afterwards without being suspected. (Calmet)
12:6
Haydock
Chamberlains. Greek, "life-guards, not to hinder her; and she remained in the camp three days." (Haydock)
12:7
Calmet
Water. Greek, "in the camp;" perhaps she washed only her hands and face. (Calmet)
12:9
Worthington
Pure, from forbidden food. (Worthington)
Calmet
Evening. Thus she continued to fast, to draw down the blessing of God. (Calmet)
12:10
Ovid
Servants. Greek adds, "only, and he did not call any of those whom he usually employed," (Haydock) that they might not witness his excesses. Vagao, or Bagoas, the Persian name for an "eunuch," or chief officer; though such were generally to wait on the ladies. Quem penes est Dominam servandi cura Bagoae. (Ovid, Amor. ii.)
Eunuch. Greek and Syriac add, "who was appointed over all his affairs. Persuade the Hebrew woman who is with thee to come to us, and to eat and drink with us. For we deem it shameful to dismiss such a woman, without having commerce with her; and if we do not attract her, she will deride us."
12:12
Calmet
Merry. This would pave the way for greater liberties. (Calmet)
Greek adds, "and to become this day as a daughter of the Assyrians, standing to wait in the house of Nabuchodonosor." He probably alludes to those courtezans (Calmet) who sung at night, before the palace, etc. (Athen. Dip. 12:2.) The Persians admitted women to their feasts, though they were generally excluded in the East, Esther 1:12. (Herodotus 5:18.)
12:14
Haydock
Best. Greek, "a boast, or matter of exultation." (Haydock)
Calmet
This answer seems to shock our delicacy. Did she not understand the meaning of the eunuch, which was sufficiently plain? She only passed a compliment, which always implies a tacit condition, if the thing be practicable and honest: as the words might have two meanings, she was bound in charity to interpret them in the best sense. (Calmet)
Menochius
It was surely lawful to be merry. (Menochius)
12:15
Haydock
Garments. Greek adds, "and all her female ornaments; and her servant came and spread on the ground, before Holofernes, the fleeces which she had received from Bagoas, for her daily use, to eat lying upon them. And coming in, Judith fell prostrate." (Haydock)
Heraclides
The custom of sitting on the ground, upon skins, to eat, is very ancient, (Targum, Esther i.) and is still observed by the Turks. The kings of Persia let none eat with them at the same table. (Heraclides; Athen. 5:10.)
Calmet
The character of drunkenness, with which this nation has been branded, seems not unfounded. (Calmet)
12:16
Her. Greek adds, "company; and he had sought an opportunity of deluding her, from the day when he first beheld her." He justly, therefore, fell into the snare which he had laid.
12:20
Menochius
Life. Greek adds, "in any one day," (Haydock) at supper. (Menochius)
12:2
Concordance See chap. 10. v. 5.
12:9
This puritie confisted in abstaining from meates forbid by the Law, or offered to Idoles.
12:12
P•ell•.
12:20
St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 3.13
… At first she makes an impression on him by the grace of her form and the beauty of her countenance. Then she entraps him by the refinement of her speech. Her first triumph was that she returned from the tent of the enemy with her purity unspotted.
12:2
2. LET NOT AN OFFENSE COME UPON ME. — In Greek, scandal, that is to say, Let not, if I eat foods forbidden to the Jews by the Gentiles, offend God; and thus I acquire punishment and scandal, that is, a stumbling block and impediment, so that God through me may not accomplish what He has decreed to do for the common good.
12:5
5. AND SHE REQUESTED, WHEN SHE WENT IN, THAT LEAVE MIGHT BE GIVEN HER TO GO OUT AT NIGHT, AND BEFORE DAWN (whenever she wished), TO PRAY ABROAD. — Judith requested this both so that by prayer and fasting she might prepare and arm herself for the heroic fortitude of undertaking so great a deed, which she had determined in her mind: and so that she might draw the minds, ways, and reasons for carrying it out from God: and finally so that after the deed was accomplished, free passage might be given her to return to Bethuliah, because the guards would think that she was going out in her usual manner to pray.
12:7
7. AND SHE WASHED HERSELF (she washed her hands and feet) IN THE FOUNTAIN OF WATER. — It was the custom of the Jews before prayer to wash their hands, feet and sometimes the whole body, both so that with a pure body and soul they might approach God; for the purity of the body reminded them of the purity of the soul. The same the ancient Christians did, as I said on I Tim. II, 8, to those words: "Lifting up pure hands," both so that if they had touched anything unclean and had contracted legal irregularity, they might expiate it through washing. Moreover this fountain near Bethuliah still exists even now, and is visited by pilgrims, as Adrichomius testifies in Bethulia.
12:9
9. UNTIL SHE RECEIVED HER FOOD IN THE EVENING. — Judith therefore fasted from morning until evening; in the evening she took food, and after it she went out at night to prayer, spending the whole night in it. With these weapons she armed herself for her heroic deed. Hear St. Ambrose, in the book On Widows: "Why do I speak of sobriety? For temperance is indeed the virtue of women. When men were made drunk with wine and buried in sleep, the widow took away the sword, drew forth her hand, cut off the head of the warrior, and proceeded unharmed through the midst of the enemy's ranks. Do you see therefore how much drunkenness can harm women, when wines so dissolve men that they are conquered by women? Be therefore a temperate widow, first chaste from wine, so that you may be chaste from the adulterer: he will not tempt you at all, if wines do not tempt you. For if Judith had drunk, she would have slept with the adulterer. But because she did not drink, it was not difficult for her sobriety alone to conquer and elude the drunken army of one man."
12:10
10. HE SAID TO VAGAO HIS EUNUCH. — Vagao or Bagao is not so much a proper name, as Serarius wishes, as a common word among the Persians signifying Eunuch. Whence Pagninus in the Hebrew Names says: Vagao, he says, is the same as inner or innermost, namely eunuch or chamberlain; for ghava among the Chaldeans is interior or internal, or Vagao is the same as exalted or elevated from the root, גאה gaa, that is, to elevate. For eunuchs were first in the court with kings, indeed they were the chamberlains and confidants of secrets, and administrators of the lechery of mistresses; for, pandering to their lust, they brought beautiful women to them, as this Vagao did. That this is so Pliny teaches, lib. XIII, cap. IV, where he says that eunuchs among the Persians are called Bagou. And Ovid, lib. II Am. Eleg.: "He in whose care is the duty of guarding the Mistress, Bagoe, while I accomplish with you a few things, but fitting, be free." And in Esther cap. II, vers. 3, Egeus (or Vagao) was the eunuch of King Ahasuerus, prefect of the women's quarters. Thus, as Curtius testifies, lib. X, the most wicked eunuch of Alexander the Great was Bagoas, who by false accusations gave the Persian satrap Orsines to Alexander to be killed. Bagoas was also the eunuch of Herod. Moreover, Severus Sulpitius errs, who refers the history of Judith to the times of Artaxerxes Ochus, because he himself had a eunuch named Bagao.
12:11
11. FOR IT IS SHAMEFUL AMONG THE ASSYRIANS, IF A WOMAN MOCK A MAN, ACTING SO THAT SHE PASS UNHARMED BY HIM. See here the most corrupt and impure customs of the Assyrians and Persians, by which lust was so honorable that it raged through all women, so much so that among them it was considered shameful to leave any woman untouched. O the times! Hear Ammianus Marcellus lib. XXIII concerning the Persians: "Most of them," he says, "are accustomed to indulge more freely in Venus, and scarcely content with a multitude of concubines and boyish debaucheries, each according to his wealth acquires several marriages or few. Whence among them through various lusts charity is dispersed and grows sluggish." The same thing Strabo relates, lib. XV at the end, and Cicero, oration V against Verres. Hear crimes more shameful. Theodoret, Question XXIV in Leviticus: "The Persians," he says, "even to this day mingle not only with sisters, but also with mothers and daughters, by the law of marriage." St. Jerome relates the same concerning the Medes, Indians and Ethiopians, lib. II Against Jovinian. Whence Euripides in Andromeda says: "Such," he says, "is the whole race of barbarians; Father mingles with daughter, son with mother, sister with brother." It is therefore not surprising that the Persians had several wives, and therefore Judith offered this bait of beautiful marriage to Holofernes, by which she might catch him like a fish on her hook and kill him.
12:14
14. WHATEVER SHALL PLEASE HIM (understand, if it be lawful, and not forbidden by my God) THIS SHALL BE BEST FOR ME, — as if he should wish me for a wife, I shall not refuse him as a husband, whom I know to be so great a prince, that I am to be raised from his chamber to be made a Duchess and Princess; he gives hope of marriage, so that he may deceive his lover, and as it were slay an enemy of his people (1). 18. I WILL DRINK, O LORD, — from wine not thine, but mine, which I brought with me from this Bethulia for this reason, lest I be polluted by the wine and food of the Gentiles. Whence it follows: AND SHE ATE AND DRANK BEFORE HIM THOSE THINGS WHICH HER HANDMAID HAD PREPARED FOR HER. — Whence it appears that Judith reclined at another table, which was near to the table of Holofernes, so that she might eat and drink before him; for it was not fitting for her to recline at the table of so great a prince with him. Whence the Greek texts have: And her handmaid came, and spread before Holofernes the skins which she had received from Bagoas for her daily use, that she might eat, reclining upon them. Thus even now some nations, and recently Mulcasses king of Tunis before Charles V, sitting on the ground, took his meal. Judith therefore drank before Holofernes, that she might remove from Holofernes all suspicion of slaughter and hatred, and that she might provoke him to drink more abundantly, and thus overcome by sleep from drink she might slay him, and that from wine she might draw forth spirit and courage and strength to undertake so arduous a deed. For she was fasting, and from fasting weak and languid. AND HE DRANK WINE EXCEEDING MUCH, MORE THAN HE HAD EVER DRUNK IN HIS LIFE. — In Greek, since he was born. By God's providence this was done, that being overcome by wine Holofernes should not touch Judith, but she remaining sober and chaste should slay him. See here how near to joys are sorrows, and how feasts and gluttony end in death and destruction, and "Sorrow occupies the extremity of joy." Behold Holofernes fattened with delights, immersed in wine, exulting in the harmony of musicians, drunk with loves, soon is beheaded by Judith, and is thrust down to the infernal regions, where he may digest his gluttony in eternal thirst amid perpetual flames. Hear St. Ambrose, in the book On Elias and Fasting: "They drank wine in drunkenness, those who were eager to deliver themselves to Holofernes the prince of the army of the king of the Assyrians; but the woman Judith did not drink, fasting all the days of her widowhood, except on the solemnities of feast days. Armed with these weapons she went forth, and circumvented all the army of the Assyrians. Sober in the vigor of counsel she took away the head of Holofernes, preserved her chastity, obtained the victory. For she, girded about with fasting, in foreign camps pretended otherwise: he buried in wine lay so that he could not feel the blow of the wound. And so the fasting of one woman laid low countless armies of the Assyrians." Excellently St. Basil, homily 14 On Drunkenness: "Drunkenness," he says, "is a voluntary demon inserted into our souls from pleasure. Drunkenness is the mother of malice, the enemy of virtue, renders a strong man slothful, makes the temperate man wanton, knows not justice, extinguishes prudence.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
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.