1 Maccabees 8

1 Καὶ ἤκουσεν Ἰούδας τὸ ὄνομα τῶν Ῥωμαίων, ὅτι εἰσὶ δυνατοὶ ἰσχύϊ· καὶ αὐτοὶ εὐδοκοῦσιν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς προστιθεμένοις αὐτοῖς, καὶ ὅσοι ἂν προσέλθωσιν αὐτοῖς, ἱστῶσιν αὐτοῖς φιλίαν, καὶ ὅτι εἰσὶ δυνατοὶ ἰσχύϊ·

2 καὶ διηγήσαντο αὐτῷ τοὺς πολέμους αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰς ἀνδραγαθίας ἃς ποιοῦσιν ἐν τοῖς Γαλάταις, καὶ ὅτι κατεκράτησαν αὐτῶν καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτοὺς ὑπὸ φόρον,

3 καὶ ὅσα ἐποίησαν ἐν χώρᾳ Ἱσπανιας, του κατακρατῆσαι τῶν μετάλλων τοῦ ἀργυρίου καὶ τοῦ χρυσίου τοῦ ἐκεῖ·

4 καὶ κατεκράτησαν τοῦ τόπου παντὸς τῇ βουλῇ αὐτῶν καὶ τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ, καὶ ὁ τόπος ἦν μακρὰν ἀπέχων ἀπʼ αὐτῶν σφόδρα· καὶ τῶν βασιλέων τῶν ἐπελθόντων ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἀπʼ ἄκρου τῆς γῆς ἕως συνέτριψαν αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐπάταξαν ἐν αὐτοῖς πληγὴν μεγάλην, καὶ οἱ ἐπίλοιποι διδόασιν αὐτοῖς φόρον κατʼ ἐνιαυτόν·

5 Καὶ τὸν Φίλιππον καὶ τὸν Περσέα Κιτιέων βασιλέα, καὶ τοὺς ἐπῃρμένους ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς, συνέτριψαν αὐτοὺς ἐν πολέμῳ, καὶ κατεκράτησαν αὐτῶν·

6 καὶ Ἀντίοχον τὸν μέγαν βασιλέα τῆς Ἀσίας, τὸν πορευθέντα ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς εἰς πόλεμον ἔχοντα ἑκατὸν εἴκοσι ἐλέφαντας καὶ ἵππον καὶ ἅρματα καὶ δύναμιν πολλὴν σφόδρα, καὶ συνετρίβη ἀπʼ αὐτῶν·

7 καὶ ἔλαβον αὐτὸν ζῶντα, καὶ ἔστησαν αὐτοῖς διδόναι αὐτόν τε καὶ τοὺς βασιλεύοντας μετʼ αὐτὸν φόρον μέγαν, διδόναι ὅμηρα καὶ διαστολήν,

8 καὶ χώραν τὴν Ἰνδικὴν, καὶ Μήδειαν, καὶ Αυδίαν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν καλλίστων χωρῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ λαβόντες αὐτὰς παρʼ αὐτοῦ ἔδωκαν αὐτὰς Εὐμένει τῷ βασιλεῖ.

9 Καὶ ὅτι οἱ ἐκ τῆς Ἑλλάδος ἐβουλεύσαντο ἐλθεῖν καὶ ἐξᾶραι αὐτούς,

10 καὶ ἐγνώσθη ὁ λόγος αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἀπέστειλαν ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς στρατηγὸν ἕνα, καὶ ἐπολέμησαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἔπεσον ἐξ αὐτῶν τραυματίαι πολλοὶ, καὶ ᾐχμαλώτευσαν τὰς γυναῖκας αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν, καὶ προενόμευσαν αὐτοὺς, καὶ κατεκράτησαν τῆς γῆς αὐτῶν, καὶ καθεῖλον τὰ ὀχυρώματα αὐτῶν, καὶ κατεδουλώσαντο αὐτοὺς ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης.

11 Καὶ τὰς ἐπιλοίπους βασιλείας, καὶ τὰς νήσους, ὅσοι ποτὲ ἀντέστησαν αὐτοῖς, κατέφθειραν, καὶ ἐδούλωσαν αὐτούς· μετὰ δὲ τῶν φίλων αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἐπαναπαυομένων αὐτοῖς συνετήρησαν φιλίαν,

12 καὶ κατεκράτησαν τῶν βασιλειῶν τῶν ἐγγὺς καὶ τῶν μακρὰν, καὶ ὅσοι ἤκουον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῶν ἐφοβοῦντο ἀπʼ αὐτῶν·

13 ὅσοις δʼ ἂν βούλωνται βοηθεῖν καὶ βασιλεύειν, βασιλεύουσιν· οὓς δʼ ἂν βούλωνται, μεθιστῶσι, καὶ ὑψώθησαν σφόδρα·

14 καὶ ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις οὐκ ἐπέθετο οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν διάδημα, καὶ οὐ περιεβάλοντο πορφύραν, ὥστε ἁδρυνθῆναι ἐν αὐτῇ.

15 Καὶ βουλευτήριον ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ καθʼ ἡμέραν ἐβουλεύοντο τριακόσιοι καὶ εἴκοσι βουλευόμενοι διαπαντὸς περὶ τοῦ πλήθους, τοῦ εὐκοσμεῖν αὐτούς·

16 καὶ πιστεύουσιν ἑνὶ ἀνθρώπῳ τὴν ἀρχὴν αὐτῶν κατʼ ἐνιαυτὸν, καὶ κυριεύειν πάσης τῆς γῆς αὐτῶν, καὶ πάντες ἀκούουσι τοῦ ἑνὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἔστι φθόνος οὐδὲ ζῆλος ἐν αὐτοῖς·

17 Καὶ ἐπέλεξεν Ἰούδας τὸν Εὐπόλεμον υἱὸν Ἰωάννου τοῦ Ἀκκὼς, καὶ Ἰάσονα υἱὸν Ἐλεαζάρου, καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς Ῥώμην, στῆσαι αὐτοῖς φιλίαν καὶ συμμαχίαν,

18 καὶ τοῦ ἆραι τὸν ζυγὸν ἀπʼ αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἴδον τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν Ἑλλήνων καταδουλουμένους τὸν Ἰσραὴλ δουλείαν.

19 Καὶ ἐπορεύθησαν εἰς Ῥώμην, καὶ ἡ ὁδὸς πολλὴ σφόδρα, καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὸ βουλευτήριον, καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν καὶ εἶπον,

20 Ἰούδας ὁ Μακκαβαῖος καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀπέστειλαν ἡμᾶς πρὸς ὑμᾶς, στῆσαι μεθʼ ὑμῶν συμμαχίαν καὶ εἰρήνην, καὶ γραφῆναι ἡμᾶς συμμάχους καὶ φίλους ὑμῶν.

21 Καὶ ἤρεσεν ὁ λόγος ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν.

22 Καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἀντίγραφον τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἧς ἀντέγραψεν ἐπὶ δέλτοῖς χαλκαῖς, καὶ ἀπέστειλεν εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ εἶναι παρʼ αὐτοῖς ἐκεῖ μνημόσυνον εἰρήνης καὶ συμμαχίας·

23 καλῶς γένοιτο Ῥωμαίοις καὶ τῷ ἔθνει Ἰουδαίων ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ξηρᾶς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ ῥομφαία καὶ ἐχθρὸς μακρυνθείη ἀπʼ αὐτῶν.

24 Ἐὰν δὲ ἐνστῇ πόλεμος ἐν Ῥώμῃ προτέρᾳ ἢ πᾶσι τοῖς συμμάχοις αὐτῶν ἐν πάσῃ κυρείᾳ αὐτῶν,

25 συμμαχήσει τὸ ἔθνος τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ὡς ἂν ὁ καιρὸς ὑπογραφῇ αὐτοῖς, καρδίᾳ πλήρει.

26 Καὶ τοῖς πολεμοῦσιν οὐ δώσουσιν οὐδὲ ἐπαρκέσουσι σῖτον, ὅπλα, ἀργύριον, πλοῖα, ὡς ἔδοξε Ῥωμαίοις· καὶ φυλάξονται τὰ φυλάγματα αὐτῶν οὐθὲν λαβόντες·

27 κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ δὲ ἐὰν ἔθνει Ἰουδαίων συμβῇ προτέροις πόλεμος, συμμαχήσουσιν οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι ἐκ ψυχῆς, ὡς ἂν αὐτοῖς ὁ καιρὸς ὑπογραφῇ.

28 Καὶ τοῖς συμμαχοῦσιν οὐ δοθήσεται σῖτος, ὅπλα, ἀργύριον, πλοῖα, ὡς ἔδοξε Ῥώμῃ· καὶ φυλάξονται τὰ φυλάγματα αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐ μετὰ δόλου.

29 Κατὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἔστησαν Ῥωμαῖοι τῷ δήμῳ τῶν Ἰουδαίων.

30 Ἐὰν δὲ μετὰ τοὺς λόγους τούτους βουλεύσωνται οὗτοι καὶ οὗτοι προσθεῖναι ἢ ἀφελεῖν, ποιήσονται ἐξ αἱρέσεως αὐτῶν, καὶ ὃ ἐὰν προσθῶσιν ἢ ἀφέλωσιν, ἔσται κύρια.

31 Καὶ περὶ τῶν κακῶν ὧν ὁ βασιλεὺς Δημήτριος συντελεῖται εἰς αὐτούς, ἐγράψαμεν αὐτῷ, λέγοντες, διατί ἐβάρυνας τὸν ζυγόν σου ἐπὶ τοὺς φίλους ἡμῶν τοὺς συμμάχους Ἰουδαίους;

32 Ἐὰν οὖν ἔτι ἐντύχωσιν κατὰ σοῦ, ποιήσομεν αὐτοῖς τὴν κρίσιν, καὶ πολεμήσομέν σε διὰ τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ διὰ τῆς ξηρᾶς.

1 Now Judas had heard of the fame of the Romans, that they were mighty and valiant men, and such as would lovingly accept all that joined themselves unto them, and make a league of amity with all that came unto them;

2 and that they were men of great valour. It was told him also of their wars and noble acts which they had done among the Galatians, and how they had conquered them, and brought them under tribute;

3 and what they had done in the country of Spain, for the winning of the mines of the silver and gold which is there;

4 and that by their policy and patience they had conquered all the place, though it were very far from them; and the kings also that came against them from the uttermost part of the earth, till they had discomfited them, and given them a great overthrow, so that the rest did give them tribute every year:

5 Beside this, how they had discomfited in battle Philip, and Perseus, king of the Citims, with others that lifted up themselves against them, and had overcome them:

6 how also Antiochus the great king of Asia, that came against them in battle, having an hundred and twenty elephants, with horsemen, and chariots, and a very great army, was discomfited by them;

7 and how they took him alive, and covenanted that he and such as reigned after him should pay a great tribute, and give hostages, and that which was agreed upon,

8 and the country of India, and Media, and Lydia, and of the goodliest countries, which they took of him, and gave to king Eumenes.

9 Moreover how the Grecians had determined to come and destroy them;

10 and that they, having knowledge thereof, sent against them a certain captain, and fighting with them slew many of them, and carried away captives their wives and their children, and spoiled them, and took possession of their lands, and pulled down their strong holds, and brought them to be their servants unto this day.

11 It was told him besides, how they destroyed and brought under their dominion all other kingdoms and isles that at any time resisted them;

12 but with their friends and such as relied upon them they kept amity: and that they had conquered kingdoms both far and nigh, insomuch as all that heard of their name were afraid of them:

13 also that, whom they would help to a kingdom, those reign; and whom again they would, they displace: finally, that they were greatly exalted:

14 yet for all this none of them wore a crown, or was clothed in purple, to be magnified thereby:

15 moreover how they had made for themselves a senate house, wherein three hundred and twenty men sat in council daily, consulting alway for the people, to the end they might be well ordered:

16 and that they committed their government to one man every year, who ruled over all their country, and that all were obedient to that one, and that there was neither envy nor emulation among them.

17 In consideration of these things, Judas chose Eupolemus the son of John, the son of Accos, and Jason the son of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome, to make a league of amity and confederacy with them,

18 and to intreat them that they would take the yoke from them; for they saw that the kingdom of the Grecians did oppress Israel with servitude.

19 They went therefore to Rome, which was a very great journey, and came into the senate, where they spake and said,

20 Judas Maccabeus with his brethren, and the people of the Jews, have sent us unto you, to make a confederacy and peace with you, and that we might be registered your confederates and friends.

21 So that matter pleased the Romans well.

22 And this is the copy of the epistle which the senate wrote back again in tables of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that there they might have by them a memorial of peace and confederacy:

23 Good success be to the Romans, and to the people of the Jews, by sea and by land for ever: the sword also and enemy be far from them.

24 If there come first any war upon the Romans or any of their confederates throughout all their dominion,

25 the people of the Jews shall help them, as the time shall be appointed, with all their heart:

26 neither shall they give any thing unto them that make war upon them, or aid them with victuals, weapons, money, or ships, as it hath seemed good unto the Romans: but they shall keep their covenants without taking any thing therefore.

27 In the same manner also, if war come first upon the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall help them with all their heart, according as the time shall be appointed them:

28 neither shall victuals be given to them that take part against them, or weapons, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the Romans; but they shall keep their covenants, and that without deceit.

29 According to these articles did the Romans make a covenant with the people of the Jews.

30 Howbeit if hereafter the one party or the other shall think meet to add or diminish any thing, they may do it at their pleasures, and whatsoever they shall add or take away shall be ratified.

31 And as touching the evils that king Demetrius doeth to the Jews, we have written unto him, saying, Wherefore hast thou made thy yoke heavy upon our friends and confederates the Jews?

32 If therefore they complain any more against thee, we will do them justice, and fight with thee by sea and by land.