The Assyrians flee: the Hebrews pursue after them, and are enriched by their spoils.
The Assyrians flee for feare, 3. the Hebrewes pursue them, 7. and are enriched by the spoyles. 9. The high priest with others come from Ierusalem and prayse Iudith. 14. The goodes of Holofernes are genen so her.
1And when all the army heard that Holofernes was beheaded, courage and counsel fled from them, and being seized with trembling and fear they thought only to save themselves by flight.E quando tutto l'esercito fu informato, come era stato tagliato il capo ad Oloferne, rimasero senza ragione, e senza consiglio, e spinti sol dalla paura, e dallo sbigottimento, cercavano scampo col darsi alla fuga,AND when al the armie heard that Holofernes was beheaded, courage and counsel fel from them, and being shaken with trembling onlie and feare, they helpe them selues by flight,Cumque omnis exercitus decollatum Holofernem audisset, fugit mens et consilium ab eis, et solo tremore et metu agitati, fugæ præsidium sumunt, 2So that no one spoke to his neighbour, but hanging down the head, leaving all things behind, they made haste to escape from the Hebrews, who, as they heard, were coming armed upon them, and fled by the ways of the fields, and the paths of the hills.Di tal maniera, che nissuno fiatava col suo vicino, ma a capo chino, abbandonate tutte le cose loro si affrettavano per ischivare gli Ebrei, i quali sentivano venire armati sopra di loro, e fuggivano per le strade delle campagne, e pe' sentieri delle colline,so that none spake with his neighbour, but hanging the head, al thinges leaft behind, they made hast to escape the Hebrewes, whom they heard to come armed vpon them, fleing by the waies of the fieldes, and the pathes of the hilles.ita ut nullus loqueretur cum proximo suo, sed inclinato capite, relictis omnibus, evadere festinabant Hebræos, quos armatos super se venire audiebant, fugientes per vias camporum et semitas collium. 3So the children of Israel seeing them fleeing, followed after them. And they went down sounding with trumpets and shouting after them.Adunque i figliuoli d'Israele allorchè li videro in fuga, gli inseguirono, e calarono sonando le trombe, e urlando dietro ad essi.The children of Israel therfore seing them fleing, folowed them. And they went downe sounding with trumpettes, and shouting after them.Videntes itaque filii Israël fugientes, secuti sunt illos. Descenderuntque clangentes tubis, et ululantes post ipsos. 4And because the Assyrians were not united together, they went without order in their flight; but the children of Israel pursuing in one body, defeated all that they could find.E poichè gli Assiri sparpagliati fuggivano a rompicollo, e i figliuoli d'Israele gl'inseguivano uniti in un sol corpo, ne trucidavano quanti ne trovavano.And because the Assyrians were not vnited together, they went headlong into flight: but the children of Israel pursewing in one companie, discomfited al that they could find.Et quoniam Assyrii non adunati, in fugam ibant præcipites: filii autem Israël uno agmine persequentes debilitabant omnes quos invenire potuissent.
5And Ozias sent messengers through all the cities and countries of Israel.E Ozia spedì messi in tutte le città, e luoghi d'Israele:Ozias therfore sent messengers through al the cities and countries of Israel.Misit itaque Ozias nuntios per omnes civitates et regiones Israël. 6And every country, and every city, sent their chosen young men armed after them, and they pursued them with the edge of the sword until they came to the extremities of their confines.E da tutti i luoghi, e da tutte le città uscì dietro ai nemici la scelta gioventù in arme, e facendone strage gli inseguì sino agli ultimi confini del paese.Euerie countrie therfore, and euerie citie sent chosen youth armed after them, and they pursewed them in the edge of the sword, vntil they came to the extremetie of their borders.Omnis itaque regio, omnisque urbs electam juventutem armatam misit post eos, et persecuti sunt eos in ore gladii, quousque pervenirent ad extremitatem finium suorum. 7And the rest that were in Bethulia went into the camp of the Assyrians, and took away the spoils which the Assyrians in their flight had left behind them, and they were laden exceedingly,Quelli poi, che erano rimasi in Betulia entrarono nel campo degli Assiri, e ne portaron via la preda lasciata da gli Assiri quando si misero in fuga e si caricarono grandemente.And the rest that were in Bethulia, entered into the campe of the Assyrians, and tooke away the praye, which the Assyrians fleing had leaft, and were loden excedingly.Reliqui autem qui erant in Bethulia, ingressi sunt castra Assyriorum, et prædam quam fugientes Assyrii reliquerant, abstulerunt, et onustati sunt valde. 8But they that returned conquerors to Bethulia, brought with them all things that were theirs, so that there was no numbering of their cattle, and beasts, and all their moveables, insomuch that from the least to the greatest all were made rich by their spoils.Ma questi, i quali dalla sconfitta dei nemici tornarono a Betulia, portaron seco tutto quello, che era stato degli Assiri, talmente che non potea contarsi il bestiame minuto, i giumenti, e tutte le loro suppellettili per la qual cosa tutti e piccoli, e grandi si arricchirono delle spoglie di essi.But they that were returned conquerers to Bethulia, tooke away with them al thinges that were theirs, so that there was no number in cattel, and beastes, and al their moueables, that from the leaft vnto the greatest al were made rich of their prayes.Hi vero qui victores reversi sunt ad Bethuliam, omnia quæ erant illorum attulerunt secum, ita ut non esset numerus in pecoribus et jumentis et universis mobilibus eorum, ut a minimo usque ad maximum omnes divites fierent de prædationibus eorum.
9And Joachim the high priest came from Jerusalem to Bethulia with all his ancients to see Judith.E Joacim Sommo Sacerdote si portò da Gerusalemme a Betulia con tutti gli anziani per vedere Giuditta.And Ioachim the high Priest came from Ierusalem into Bethulia with al his ancientes to see Iudith.Joacim autem summus pontifex de Jerusalem venit in Bethuliam cum universis presbyteris suis ut videret Judith. 10And when she was come out to him, they all blessed her with one voice, saying: Thou art the glory of Jerusalem, thou art the joy of Israel, thou art the honour of our people:Ed essendo ella andata ad incontrarli, la benedissero tutti ad una voce dicendo: Tu gloria di Gerusalemme, tu letizia d'Israele, onore del popol nostro.Who when she was come out to him, they al blessed her with one voyce, saying: Thou art the glorie of Ierusalem, thou the ioy of Israel, thou the honour of our people:Quæ cum exisset ad illum, benedixerunt eam omnes una voce, dicentes: Tu gloria Jerusalem; tu lætitia Israël; tu honorificentia populi nostri: 11For thou hast done manfully, and thy heart has been strengthened, because thou hast loved chastity, and after thy husband hast not known any other: therefore also the hand of the Lord hath strengthened thee, and therefore thou shalt be blessed for ever.Perocchè virilmente hai operato, e hai avuto un cuore costante, perchè hai amata la castità, e dopo il tuo marito non hai conosciuto altro uomo: per questo ancora la mano del Signore ti ha fatta forte, e per questo sarai benedetta in eterno.because thou hast done manfully, and thy hart was strengthened, for that thou hast loued chastirie, and after thy husband not knowne any other: therfore also the hand of our Lord hath strengthened thee, and therfore shalt thou be blessed for euer.quia fecisti viriliter, et confortatum est cor tuum, eo quod castitatem amaveris, et post virum tuum, alterum nescieris: ideo et manus Domini confortavit te, et ideo eris benedicta in æternum. 12And all the people said: So be it, so be it.E tutto il popolo disse: Così sia, così sia.And al the people sayd: So be it, so be it.Et dixit omnis populus: Fiat, fiat. 13And thirty days were scarce sufficient for the people of Israel to gather up the spoils of the Assyrians.Or appena in trenta giorni potè il popolo d'Israele raccorre le spoglie degli Assiri.And for thirtie daies, scarse were the spoyles of the Assyrians gathered of the people of Israel.Per dies autem triginta, vix collecta sunt spolia Assyriorum a populo Israël.
14But all those things that were proved to be the peculiar goods of Holofernes, they gave to Judith in gold, and silver, and garments and precious stones, and all household stuff, and they all were delivered to her by the people.Ma tutte quelle cose, che si conobbe essere state proprie di Oloferne, oro, argento, vestimenta, gemme, e mobili di ogni specie, lo riserbarono per Giuditta, e tutte a lei furon date dal popolo.Moreouer al thinges, that were proued to be the peculiar goodes of Holofernes, they gaue to Iudith in gold, and siluer, and garmentes, and pretious stones, and al stuffe, and al the thinges were deliuered her of the people.Porro autem universa quæ Holofernis peculiaria fuisse probata sunt, dederunt Judith in auro, et argento, et vestibus, et gemmis, et omni supellectili: et tradita sunt omnia illi a populo. 15And all the people rejoiced, with the women, and virgins, and young men, playing on instruments and harps.E tutti gli uomini erano in festa colle donne, e colle vergini, e coi giovani, sonando organi, e cetre.And al the people reioysed with wemen, and virgins, and yongmen, on instrumentes and harpes.Et omnes populi gaudebant cum mulieribus, et virginibus, et juvenibus, in organis et citharis.
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All. Greek, "Those who were in the tents heard, they were astonished at the fact; and fear and trembling fell upon them, and there was not a man remaining before his neighbour; but rushing out, with one accord, they fled through every path, in the plains and in the mountains; and those who were encamped in the high places around Bethulia, (Haydock; the Moabites, etc., Judith 7:8.; Calmet) fled. Then every warrior of Israel rushed out upon them, and Ozias," ver. 5.
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Haydock
Israel. Greek adds, "informing them of what had been accomplished, and that all might pour upon the enemies, to cut them off. But when the Israelites heard this, they all, unanimously, fell upon them, as far as Chobai: (Haydock; Hoba.; Calmet) in like manner those from Jerusalem came up, and from all the mountainous country; for they also were informed of what had happened in the camp of their enemies; and the men of Galaad and of Galilee scattered them with great slaughter, till they had passed Damascus and its boundaries." (Haydock)
Calmet
As the enemy fled without a leader, we may easily imagine what carnage would ensue. (Calmet)
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Haydock
The. Greek, "their spoils, and were greatly enriched." (Haydock)
Mariana suggests that we should read honestati, which is used in this sense, (Ecclesiasticus 11:23.) instead of onustati, loaded.
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They. Greek, "The Israelites, returning from the slaughter, took possession of the remainder, and the villages and cities, both in the mountains and champaign country, took many spoils; for there was great abundance. But Joachim," etc.
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Grotius
Came. Greek adds, "and the senate of Israel, residing at Jerusalem, came." This alludes to the sanhedrim. (Grotius)
Calmet
But, it seems, its institution was posterior to the captivity, and we may understand the principal men of the city, or of the priests. (Calmet)
Haydock
To see. Greek adds, "the good things (Complutensian; to confirm or lay a foundation for, the good things) which God had done to Israel, and to see Judith, and speak peace with her." Protestants, "to salute her." (Haydock)
Tirinus
Joachim is the same with Eliacim; El being only prefixed. (Tirinus)
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She. Greek, "They were gone into her apartment, they," etc.
Haydock
Art the. Greek adds, "great joy, and the great boast of our race; because thou hast done all these things with thy hand, thou hast procured the good of Israel, and God hath been pleased with them. Be thou blessed by the omnipotent Lord for ever." (Haydock)
Worthington
Judith was a figure of the blessed Virgin [Mary], to whom these praises chiefly belong. (Fulbert.) (Worthington)
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Calmet
Chastity, etc. This is not in Syriac, etc., and though, generally speaking, celibacy was not esteemed honourable among the Jews, yet chastity was so much the more admired, as it was more uncommon. A widow was deserving of praise for not lightly entering upon a second marriage. (Calmet)
Those who abstain from it, were respected, like virgins, by the Romans. (Val. Maxim. 2:1.)
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15:14
Haydock
But. Greek, "And they gave to Judith the tent of Holofernes, and all the silver plate, and beds and basins, and all his furniture, which she taking, place upon her mule, and put to her chariots, and heaped them thereon; and every woman of Israel ran to see her, and they blessed her, and danced in her honour. Then she took some thyrsus (Haydock; or branches entwined with ivy, etc.; Calmet) in her hands, and gave to those women who accompanied her; and they crowned with olive both her and her attendant; (maid, or Alexandrian Septuagint, "and she was crowned with olive, and her mule;" Grabe substitutes "female companions,") and she went before all the people, leading the dance of all the women; and every man of Israel followed in arms, with crowns, and with hymns in their mouth. Then," etc., Judith 16. (Haydock)
Pliny
The bearing of green branches, on such occasions, was very common, Leviticus 23:40., 2 Machabees 10:7., and Matthew 21:8. Hence Tacitus (Hist. v.) supposed that the Jews adored Bacchus. But there was nothing here of the immodesty, which generally attended the pagan festivals. We only find this instance of women being crowned with olive. But this tree was very proper, as it was used in rejoicings: Ramo felicis olivae; (Virgil vi.) on which Servius remarks, olivae, arboris festae. At certain races in Greece, women who gained the victory, were thus crowned; (Alex. Genial 5:8.) and it was used by the Roman cavalry on the ides of July, and in ovations. (Pliny, [Natural History?] 15:4.)
Haydock
The processions of the Church often admit of similar ornaments in honour of God, (Tirinus) and to promote piety. (Haydock)
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The fourt part The prayses of Iudith, who with al the people praise God.
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Iudith was a special figure of the B. Virgine Marie, to whom these praises perteyne in more eminent sorte, then to anic other creature. S. 〈◊〉. bert•s Carnete•sis.
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 3.13
83. The Persians were terrified at her daring.
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1. MIND AND COUNSEL FLED FROM THEM, AND AGITATED BY TREMBLING AND FEAR ALONE, THEY TOOK TO FLIGHT FOR SAFETY, — both because they saw their leader Holofernes beheaded; and because God took from them mind and counsel, so that, as if bereft of sense, they knew not what they should do; otherwise indeed, if they had been in their right mind, they would have appointed another leader for themselves, who would have forced the few citizens of Bethulia to surrender; and because God sent upon them a panic terror, so that, with their leader slain, they thought they would likewise be slain by the Hebrews. Wherefore they precipitously took to flight: and so fleeing and pursued by a few Hebrews shouting, they were slain, just as a hundred thousand Midianites were slain by three hundred soldiers of Gideon, Judges VII.
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4. THEY WEAKENED ALL, — by killing some, wounding others, maiming still others, etc. For the Hebrew chalas signifies all these things.
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7. LADEN, — that is, burdened with spoils. Some think the reading should be "enriched," that is, they were made wealthy, as the Greek [versions] have: for honesty in Scripture often signifies riches, and to enrich is the same as to make wealthy.
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9. AND JOACIM THE HIGH PRIEST CAME FROM JERUSALEM TO BETHULIA WITH ALL HIS ELDERS (In Greek: with the Jerusalem senate, perhaps with the council of the Sanhedrin, which was the supreme [council], containing 70 distinguished Senators), TO SEE JUDITH, — and to bless her, and to congratulate her on so great a victory.
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10. WHEN SHE HAD COME OUT TO HIM, THEY ALL BLESSED HER WITH ONE VOICE, SAYING: THOU ART THE GLORY OF JERUSALEM, THOU ART THE JOY OF ISRAEL, THOU ART THE HONOR (honor and glory) OF OUR PEOPLE. — In Greek: Thou art the sublimity of Israel, thou art the great exultation of Israel, thou art the great glorying of our race. Vatablus: Thou art the excellence of the Jerusalemites, thou art the great joy of the Israelites, thou art the renowned glorying of our race, that is to say, in liberating Jerusalem from Holofernes thou hast conferred great glory upon it: in defending the Israelites from the same enemy, already worn down by fear and sorrow, thou hast given them immense joy and a new life, as it were: thou hast won great renown and honor for thy whole people among all nations, who, hearing of this deed of thine, shall be astonished and shall say: "A woman has been the leader of such a deed." Allegorically Judith was a type of the Blessed Virgin. For she is the exultation, honor and glory, not only of Jerusalem, but of the whole world; not only of Israel, but of all nations; not only of the Synagogue, but of the universal Church. Whence the Blessed Gregory of Nazianzus in the Tragedy, Christ Suffering, addresses her thus: Queen, Lady, good of the human race, be thou ever a friend to mortals, and be thou my greatest salvation in every place. Cyril of Alexandria, in his homily Against Nestorius: "Let there be to thee, holy Mother of God, praise; for thou art the precious pearl of the earth, thou art an inextinguishable lamp, the crown of virginity, the scepter of orthodox faith." St. John Chrysostom, in his homily On the Mother of God, greets her thus: "Hail, mother, heaven, throne of our Church, honor, glory, and firmament." St. Ephrem, in his sermon On the Praises of the Virgin, calls her "the sole hope of the Fathers, the glory of the Prophets, the proclamation of the Apostles, the honor of the Martyrs, the joy of the Saints, and the light of the most approved Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the honor of Aaron, the splendor of Moses, the fleece of Gideon and the assembly of the Hierarchies, and the crown of all the Saints and virgins, an immense radiance, and an inaccessible splendor." Damascene, in his first oration On the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin: "O daughter worthy of God," he says, "ornament of women, glory of the human race, thou art the eternal delight of the Patriarchs, the perpetual exultation of the Prophets."
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11. FOR THOU HAST ACTED MANFULLY (as a virago, and a woman above women, nay as a man surpassing all men) AND THY HEART HAS BEEN STRENGTHENED, BECAUSE THOU HAST LOVED CHASTITY. — Chastity therefore was the cause of Judith's fortitude, and this first, because chastity strengthens both body and soul. Whence in former times athletes contending in the Olympic games kept themselves entirely chaste, so that they might bring unimpaired strength to the wrestling ground, I Cor. IX, 24. For luxury pours out and exhausts the strength and vigor of the noblest spirits. Secondly, because God is accustomed to give this reward of fortitude to the chaste, and indeed gave it to Judith, namely fortitude both of body and of soul to dare great things: for God, who is the purest spirit, singularly loves purity and chastity, and destines the pure and chaste, as being like unto himself, for great things. Hear St. Jerome, in his preface to Judith: "Receive Judith the widow as an example of chastity, and declare her with perpetual praises in triumphal commendation. For he gave her not only to women, but also to men as one to be imitated, who, as the rewarder of her chastity, gave her such virtue that she conquered the unconquerable by all men, and overcame the insuperable." Thirdly, because it was fitting that the luxurious Holofernes should be overcome by the chaste Judith, so that chastity might triumph over lust. Whence Prudentius in the Psychomachia elegantly depicts chastity contending with lust through Judith triumphing over Holofernes: After the Assyrian had entered the chamber, and the neck of Holofernes was cut, she washed it in blood drenched with desire; and the jeweled couch of the adulterous leader harsh Judith spurned, and with her sword restrained uncertain passions: the woman bearing a famous trophy from the enemy, with hand unafraid, my avenger bold from heaven. Moreover, the chastity of Judith was extraordinary, and therefore she merited this extraordinary reward and trophy. For she was in the flower of youth, a wealthy widow, without children, as will appear in the following chapter, verse 28, beautiful, honored, glorious on account of so great a victory: wherefore all the leaders and princes also sought her as a bride: yet she, loving chastity, despised all these things, and remained unmarried until death; wherefore she triumphed more nobly and gloriously over the flesh and the world than over Holofernes. Hear St. Ambrose, in his book On Widows: "Yet she was not lifted up by these successes, to whom it was certainly permitted to rejoice and exult, but by right of victory she left the office of widowhood; but despising all who sought her in marriage, she put off the garment of gladness and resumed that of widowhood; nor did she love the ornaments of her triumphs, esteeming those triumphs better by which the vices of the flesh are conquered than those by which enemies are overcome."
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14. AND ALL THE PEOPLE REJOICED WITH THE WOMEN, AND VIRGINS, AND YOUNG MEN, IN ORGANS AND HARPS. — The Greek texts have more abundantly: And all the women of Israel ran together to see her, and they made a chorus of themselves for her; and she took thyrsi in her hands, and gave them to the women who were with her, and they were adorned with olive, she herself and those who were with her. And she went before all the people in the dance, leading all the women, and all the men of Israel followed armed with crowns and hymns in their mouth. For "they were crowned," the Complutensian edition has, "they crowned her with a crown of olive," that is, of olive. Thyrsi are branches of palms, citrons, etc. Hear Josephus, Antiquities XIII, chapter XXI: "Among the Jews it is a law that each one at the Feast of Tabernacles carries thyrsi (branches) from palms and citrons. The Gentiles dedicated thyrsi to Bacchus. But among them the θύρσος was a shaft clothed with leaves, especially from the vine, which they shook in the sacred rites of Bacchus, or a crown made from the same. Whence Virgil in the Eclogue: Daphnis instituted thyrsi to be brought to Bacchus, And to weave pliant shafts with soft leaves. There by pliant shafts he means thyrsi. Whence the Proverb: Many thyrsus-bearers, few true Bacchuses to see. For Bacchus was a thyrsus-bearer. Hence also Tacitus: Messalina, he says, with flowing hair shaking the thyrsus. And Diodorus writes that Dionysius had in his army women armed with thyrsi. Macrobius also says that Father Liber (Bacchus) holds the thyrsus, which is a hidden weapon, or a pointed shaft, whose point is protected by clinging ivy. This you may rightly adapt to Judith, who drew forth the scimitar of Holofernes against himself; thus she slew him drunk like Bacchus, and triumphed over drunkenness and the drunken. She therefore merited a thyrsian crown, and worthily bore it, she who snatched that same crown from Bacchus, that is, from the drunken Holofernes. Note that this solemn triumphal procession and pomp of Judith was given and renewed annually with a great retinue of men and women, as will appear in the following chapter, verse 27.
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.