9 — 2 Maccabei

1At that time Antiochus returned with dishonour out of Persia.Nello stesso tempo Antioco tornò ignominiosamente dalla Persia.AT that time Antiochus returned out of Persis dishonourably.Eodem tempore, Antiochus inhoneste revertebatur de Perside. 2For he had entered into the city called Persepolis, and attempted to rob the temple, and to oppress the city, but the multitude running together to arms, put them to flight: and so it fell out that Antiochus being put to flight, returned with disgrace.Imperocché essendo entrato in quella che chiamasi Persepoli, tentò di spogliare il tempio, e di opprimere la città; ma il popolo corse all'armi, e i suoi furono sbaragliati, e in tal guisa fuggitosene Antioco tornò indietro con disonore.For he had entered into the citie which is called Persipolis, and he attempted to spoile the temple, and to oppresse the citie: but the multitude running together to armes, they were put to flight: and so it chanced that Antiochus after his flight returned with dishonour.Intraverat enim in eam quæ dicitur Persepolis, et tentavit expoliare templum, et civitatem opprimere: sed multitudine ad arma concurrente, in fugam versi sunt: et ita contigit ut Antiochus post fugam turpiter rediret. 3Now when he was come about Ecbatana, he received the news of what had happened to Nicanor and Timotheus.E giunto che fu verso Ecbatane intese quello, che era avvenuto a Nicanore, e a Timoteo.And when he was come about Ecbatana, he vnderstood the thinges that were done to Nicanor and Timothee.Et cum venisset circa Ecbatanam, recognovit quæ erga Nicanorem et Timotheum gesta sunt. 4And swelling with anger, he thought to revenge upon the Jews the injury done by them that had put him to flight. And therefore he commanded his chariot to be driven, without stopping in his journey, the judgment of heaven urging him forward, because he had spoken so proudly, that he would come to Jerusalem, and make it a common burying place of the Jews.E fuori di se per lo sdegno si pensò di sfogarsi sopra i Giudei degli oltraggi fattigli da quelli, che lo aveano messo in fuga; per la qual cosa ordinò, che il suo cocchio accelerasse, e camminava senza darsi riposo, spronato dalla vendetta del cielo, perché con tanta arroganza avea detto, che andava a Gerusalemme, e che volea farne una sepoltura de' Giudei.And swelling in anger, he thought that he might wreake the iniurie of them, that had put him to flight, vpon the Iewes. And therfore he commanded his chariorte to be driuen, iorneing without intermission, the heauenlie iudgement vrging him forward, because he spoke so proudly, that he would come to Ierusalem, & make it an heape of the sepulcher of the Iewes.Elatus autem in ira, arbitrabatur se injuriam illorum qui se fugaverant posse in Judæos retorquere: ideoque jussit agitari currum suum sine intermissione agens iter, cælesti eum judicio perurgente, eo quod ita superbe locutus est se venturum Jerosolymam, et congeriem sepulchri Judæorum eam facturum.

5But the Lord, the God of Israel, that seeth all things, struck him with an incurable and an invisible plague. For as soon as he had ended these words, a dreadful pain in his bowels came upon him, and bitter torments of the inner parts.Ma il Signore Dio d'Israele, che tutto vede, lo percosse con piaga insanabile, e invisibile; perocché appena ebbe dette queste stesse parole, lo prese un terribile dolore di viscere, e un acerbo tormento negli intestini:But he that seeth al thinges our Lord the God of Israel, stroke him with an vncurable and inuisible plague. For as he ended this verie speach, a cruel plague of the bowels tooke him, and bitter torments of the inner parts:Sed qui universa conspicit Dominus Deus Israël, percussit eum insanabili et invisibili plaga. Ut enim finivit hunc ipsum sermonem, apprehendit eum dolor dirus viscerum, et amara internorum tormenta: 6And indeed very justly, seeing he had tormented the bowels of others with many and new torments, albeit he by no means ceased from his malice.E ciò molto giustamente, avendo egli con molti, e nuovi tormenti straziate le viscere altrui: né perciò rinunziava egli a' suoi malvagi disegni.and in dede very iustly, as who had tormented the bowels of others with manie and new torments, albeit he by no meanes ceased from his malice.et quidem satis juste, quippe qui multis et novis cruciatibus aliorum torserat viscera, licet ille nullo modo a sua malitia cessaret. 7Moreover, being filled with pride, breathing out fire in his rage against the Jews, and commanding the matter to be hastened, it happened as he was going with violence, that he fell from the chariot, so that his limbs were much pained by a grievous bruising of the body.Che anzi pieno d'arroganza spirando fiamme contro i Giudei, e pressando perché si accelerasse il viaggio, ne avvenne, che correndo furiosamente cadde egli dal cocchio, e per la grave percossa se gli scompaginaron tutte le membra.And beside this replenished with pride, breathing fire in his minde against the Iewes, and commanding the matter to be hastened, it chanced him going with violence to fal from the chariot, and his limmes to be vexed with a greeuous bruising of the bodie.Super hoc autem superbia repletus, ignem spirans animo in Judæos, et præcipiens accelerari negotium, contigit illum impetu euntem de curru cadere, et gravi corporis collisione membra vexari. 8Thus he that seemed to himself to command even the waves of the sea, being proud above the condition of man, and to weigh the heights of the mountains in a balance, now being cast down to the ground, was carried in a litter, bearing witness to the manifest power of God in himself:E quegli che con la superbia si alzava sopra la condizione di uomo, e si credea di comandare anche a' flutti del mare, e di pesare sulla stadera gli alti monti, umiliato adesso fino a terra era portato sopra una sedia, facendo nella propria persona conoscere la possanza di Dio:And he that seemed to himself to rule euen ouer the waues of the sea, replenished with pride aboue the measure of man, and to weye the heights of mountaines in a balance, now being humbled to the ground was caried in a portatiue seate, testifying the manifest power of God in himself:Isque qui sibi videbatur etiam fluctibus maris imperare, supra humanum modum superbia repletus, et montium altitudines in statera appendere, nunc humiliatus ad terram in gestatorio portabatur, manifestam Dei virtutem in semetipso contestans:

9So that worms swarmed out of the body of this man, and whilst he lived in sorrow and pain, his flesh fell off, and the filthiness of his smell was noisome to the army.Perocché scaturivano vermi dal corpo dell'empio, e di lui che vivea per soffrire cadevano a brani le carni, e il fetore ch'ei tramandava appestava l'esercito:so that out of the bodie of the impious man, wormes crawled abundantly, and his liue flesh fel of for paynes, with his smel also & stinke the armie was anoyed.ita ut de corpore impii vermes scaturirent, ac viventis in doloribus carnes ejus effluerent, odore etiam illius et fœtore exercitus gravaretur: 10And the man that thought a little before he could reach to the stars of heaven, no man could endure to carry, for the intolerable stench.E colui che poco prima credevasi di avere a toccar col dito le stelle, per l'insoffribil fetore nissuno potea portarlo.And he that a litle before thought to touch the starres of heauen, him no man could carie for the intolerable stinke.et qui paulo ante sidera cæli contingere se arbitrabatur, eum nemo poterat propter intolerantiam fœtoris portare. 11And by this means, being brought from his great pride, he began to come to the knowledge of himself, being admonished by the scourge of God, his pains increasing every moment.Caduto quindi dalla sua intollerabil superbia cominciò a venire in cognizione del suo essere, illuminato dal gastigo di Dio, accrescendosi di momento in momento i suoi dolori:Hereby therfore he begane, being brought from his great pride, to come to the knowlege of him self, admonished by the plague of God, his paines increasing euerie moment.Hinc igitur cœpit ex gravi superbia deductus ad agnitionem sui venire, divina admonitus plaga, per momenta singula doloribus suis augmenta capientibus. 12And when he himself could not now abide his own stench, he spoke thus: It is just to be subject to God, and that a mortal man should not equal himself to God.E non potendo più egli stesso sopportare il suo fetore, disse: Egli è giusto che l'uomo sia soggetto a Dio, e che un mortale non pretenda agguagliarsi a Dio.And when neither himself now could abide his owne stinke, thus he sayd: It is reason to be subiect to God, & a mortal man not to thinke of himself equally with God.Et cum nec ipse jam fœtorem suum ferre posset, ita ait: Justum est subditum esse Deo, et mortalem non paria Deo sentire. 13Then this wicked man prayed to the Lord, of whom he was not like to obtain mercy.Ma questo scellerato pregava il Signore, da cui non era per impetrare misericordia.And this wicked man prayed to our Lord, of whom he was not to obteyne mercie.Orabat autem hic scelestus Dominum, a quo non esset misericordiam consecuturus.

14And the city, to which he was going in haste to lay it even with the ground, and to make it a common burying place, he now desireth to make free:E quella città, verso la quale s'incamminava con tanta fretta per abbatterla fino a terra, e farne una sepoltura di ammontati cadaveri, desidera adesso di rimetterla in libertà:And the citie to the which he came in hast to haue brought it to the ground, & to haue made it a sepulchre of bodies heaped together, now wisheth to make it free:Et civitatem, ad quam festinans veniebat ut eam ad solum deduceret ac sepulchrum congestorum faceret, nunc optat liberam reddere: 15And the Jews, whom he said he would not account worthy to be so much as buried, but would give them up to be devoured by the birds and wild beasts, and would utterly destroy them with their children, he now promiseth to make equal with the Athenians.E que' Giudei, a' quali dicea di non volere neppur concedere sepoltura, ma di dargli in preda agli uccelli di rapina, e alle fiere, e di sterminargli anche co' lor bambini, promette di agguagliarli agli Ateniesi:And the Iewes whom he sayd he would not vouchsafe worthie, no not of burial, but would geue them to birds & wilde beastes to be spoiled, & destroy them with the litle ones, now he promiseth to make them equal with the Athenians.et Judæos, quos nec sepultura quidem se dignos habiturum, sed avibus ac feris diripiendos traditurum, et cum parvulis exterminaturum dixerat, æquales nunc Atheniensibus facturum pollicetur: 16The holy temple also, which before he had spoiled, he promised to adorn with goodly gifts, and to multiply the holy vessels, and to allow out of his revenues the charges pertaining to the sacrifices.E anche di ornare con ricchissimi doni quel tempio, che avea già spogliato, e che avrebbe accresciuto il numero de' vasi sacri, e avrebbe somministrate del suo le spese pei sagrifizj:The holie temple also, which before he had spoiled, he would adorne with goodlie donaries, and would multiplie the holie vessels, and of his reuenewes would allow the charges perteyning to the sacrifices.templum etiam sanctum, quod prius expoliaverat, optimis donis oranturum, et sancta vasa multiplicaturum, et pertinentes ad sacrificia sumptus de redditibus suis præstaturum: 17Yea also, that he would become a Jew himself, and would go through every place of the earth, and declare the power of God.E di più che si sarebbe fatto Giudeo, e sarebbe andato attorno per ogni parte della terra magnificando il potere di Dio.Besides these thinges, that he would be a Iew also, & would walke through euerie place of the earth, and would declare the power of God.super hæc, et Judæum se futurum, et omnem locum terræ perambulaturum, et prædicaturum Dei potestatem.

18But his pains not ceasing, (for the just judgment of God was come upon him) despairing of life, he wrote to the Jews, in the manner of a supplication, a letter in these words:Ma non facendo tregua i dolori (perocché la giusta vendetta di Dio stava sopra di lui), perduta ogni speranza, scrisse a' Giudei in forma di preghiera una lettera di questo tenore:But the paines ceasing not (for the iust iudgement of God was come vpon him) despayring he wrote to the Iewes by the maner of a supplication an epistle conteyning these words:Sed non cessantibus doloribus (supervenerat enim in eum justum Dei judicium), desperans scripsit ad Judæos in modum deprecationis epistolam hæc continentem: 19To his very good subjects the Jews, Antiochus, king and ruler, wisheth much health, and welfare, and happiness.A' Giudei ottimi cittadini salute, sanità, e felicità, il re, e principe Antioco.To HIS VERY GOOD SVBIECTES the Iewes the king & prince Antiochus, much health, & welfare, and to be happie.Optimis civibus Judæis plurimam salutem, et bene valere, et esse felices, rex et principes Antiochus. 20If you and your children are well, and if all matters go with you to your mind, we give very great thanks.Se voi, e i vostri figliuoli siete sani, e tutte le cose vostre camminan felicemente, noi ne rendiamo grazie.If you and your children farewel, & if thinges be with you to your mind, we geue very great thankes.Si bene valetis, et filii vestri, et ex sententia vobis cuncta sunt, maximas agimus gratias. 21As for me, being infirm, but yet kindly remembering you, returning out of the places of Persia, and being taken with a grievous disease, I thought it necessary to take care for the common good:E io trovandomi ammalato, avendo amorevole memoria di voi, sorpreso nel ritornare di Persia da questo grave malore ho stimato necessario di provedere alla comune utilità:And I being in infirmitie, and mindeful of you benignely, being returned out of the places of Persis, & taken with a grieuous infirmitie, haue thought it necessarie to haue a care for the common profite:Et ego in infirmitate constitutus, vestri autem memor benigne reversus de Persidis locis, et infirmitate gravi apprehensus, necessarium duxi pro communi utilitate curam habere: 22Not distrusting my life, but having great hope to escape the sickness.Non dandomi per disperato, ma confidando di scampare da questo male:not despayring of myself, but hauing great hope to escape the sicknes.non desperans memetipsum, sed spem multam habens effugiendi infirmitatem.

23But considering that my father also, at what time he led an army into the higher countries, appointed who should reign after him:E riflettendo, che anche il padre mio nel tempo che andava coll'esercito nelle provincie superiori dichiarò chi dovesse dopo la sua morte regnare;But considering that my father also, at what times he led his armie in the higher places, he shewed who should take the princedome after him:Respiciens autem quod et pater meus, quibus temporibus in locis superioribus ducebat exercitum, ostendit qui post se susciperet principatum: 24To the end that if any thing contrary to expectation should fall out, or any bad tidings should be brought, they that were in the countries, knowing to whom the whole government was left, might not be troubled.Affinchè ove qualche contrario accidente sopravvenisse, o accadesse qual che difficile affare, sapendo quelli, che stanno in questo, o in quel paese a chi fosse rimessa la cura delle cose più importanti, non si turbassero;that if any mishappe should chance, or hard tydings be told, they that were in the countries, knowing to whom the whole gouernement was committed, might not be trubled.ut si quid contrarium accideret, aut difficile nuntiaretur, scientes hi qui in regionibus erant, cui esset rerum summa derelicta, non turbarentur. 25Moreover, considering that neighbouring princes, and borderers, wait for opportunities, and expect what shall be the event, I have appointed my son, Antiochus, king, whom I often recommended to many of you, when I went into the higher provinces: and I have written to him what I have joined here below.E considerando ancora, come ciascuno dei confinanti, e vicini possenti sanno aver l'occhio alle opportunità, e stanno aspettando gli eventi, ho designato re il mio figliuolo Antioco, il quale io più volte nel portarmi verso le superiori provincie raccomandai a molti di voi, e a lui ho scritto quanto segue.Besides this, considering that al the potestates, and bordering neighboures wayte for times, and expect the euent, I haue appointed my sonne Antiochus king, whom, I hauing recourse oftentimes to the higher kingdoms did commend to manie of you: & I haue writen to him that which is set downe here beneath.Ad hæc, considerans de proximo potentes quosque et vicinos temporibus insidiantes, et eventum exspectantes, designavi filium meum Antiochum regem, quem sæpe recurrens in superiora regna multis vestrum commendabam: et scripsi ad eum quæ subjecta sunt. 26I pray you, therefore, and request of you, that, remembering favours both public and private, you will every man of you continue to be faithful to me and to my son.Io pertanto vi prego, e vi scongiuro, che ricordevoli de' benefizj e comuni, e privati ognuno di voi serbi fede a me, e al mio figliuolo.I pray you therfore, and desire you mindful of the benefits both publike and priuate, that euerie one keepe his fidelitie to me, and to my sonne.Ora itaque vos, et peto memores beneficiorum publice et privatim, ut unusquisque conservet fidem ad me et ad filium meum.

27For I trust that he will behave with moderation and humanity, and following my intentions, will be gracious unto you.Perocché ho fidanza, che egli si diporterà con moderazione, e umanità, e seguendo le mie intenzioni sarà vostro l'autore.For I trust that he wil deale modestly & gently, and folowing my purpose, and that he wil be common vnto you.Confido enim eum modeste et humane acturum, et sequentem propositum meum, et communem vobis fore. 28Thus the murderer and blasphemer being grievously struck, as himself had treated others, died a miserable death in a strange country, among the mountains.Così adunque quell'omicida, e bestemmiatore da orrenda piaga percosso, nella stessa guisa che avea trattati gli altri, in lontano paese sulle montagne finì con miseranda morte la vita.Therfore the murderer, and blasphemer being very sore strooken, and as himself had handled others, in a strange countrie among the mountaynes, with a miserable death departed this life.Igitur homicida et blasphemus pessime percussus, et ut ipse alios tractaverat, peregre in montibus miserabili obitu vita functus est. 29But Philip, that was brought up with him, carried away his body: and out of fear of the son of Antiochus, went into Egypt to Ptolemee Philometor.E Filippo suo fratello di latte trasportò il suo corpo, e temendo del figliuolo di Antioco se n'andò nell'Egitto da Tolomeo Filometore.But Philip his foster brother remoued his bodie: who fearing the sonne of Antiochus, went to Ptolomee Philometor into Aegypt.Transferebat autem corpus Philippus collactaneus ejus: qui, metuens filium Antiochi, ad Ptolemæum Philometorem in Ægyptum abiit.