2. Makkabeler 14

¹Üç yıl sonra, Selefkos'un oğlu Demetrius'un büyük bir ordu ve donanmayla Tripolis Limanı'na yelken açarak giriş yaptığı haberi Yahuda ve yanındakilere ulaştı.

²Demetrius, Antiyohus ile vasisi Lisias'ı ortadan kaldırarak bölgenin kontrolünü ele geçirmişti.

³Helenleşme ve yabancılarla kaynaşma döneminde bilerek kendini kirletmiş olan eski başkâhin Alkimus, kendisi için hiçbir kurtuluş yolunun kalmadığını ve kutsal sunağa bir daha asla yaklaşamayacağını anlayınca,

⁴yüz elli birinci yılda Kral Demetrius'a gitti; ona altın bir taç, bir palmiye dalı ve bunlarla birlikte tapınakta geleneksel olarak sunulan taze dallardan sundu. O gün sessizliğini korudu.

⁵Ancak Demetrius kendisini meclise çağırıp Yahudilerin nasıl bir tutum ve niyet içinde olduklarını sorduğunda, Alkimus kendi akılsızlığına hizmet edecek uygun bir fırsat bularak şöyle yanıt verdi:

⁶"Yahudiler arasında Hasidiler diye adlandırılan ve Yahuda Makabi'nin önderlik ettiği kesim, savaşı körüklüyor, isyan çıkarıyor ve krallığın huzura kavuşmasına izin vermiyor.

⁷Bu yüzden, atalarımdan kalan yüce onurdan, yani başkâhinlik görevimden mahrum bırakılmış olarak buraya geldim.

⁸İlk olarak, kralın çıkarlarını içtenlikle gözettiğim için; ikinci olarak da kendi yurttaşlarımı düşündüğüm için buradayım. Çünkü adı geçen kişilerin akılsızlığı yüzünden tüm soyumuz büyük bir yıkıma uğramaktadır.

⁹Ey kral, tüm bu gerçekleri öğrendiğinde, herkese karşı gösterdiğin o bilinen lütufkarlığınla ülkemize ve kuşatılmış olan soyumuza sahip çık.

¹⁰Çünkü Yahuda hayatta olduğu sürece, devlet işlerinin barışa kavuşması imkânsızdır."

¹¹Alkimus bu sözleri söyleyince, Yahuda'ya düşman olan kralın diğer dostları da Demetrius'u hemen kışkırttılar.

¹²Kral, daha önce fillerden sorumlu olan Nikanor'u hemen yanına çağırıp onu Yahudiye valisi atadı ve yola çıkardı.

¹³Ona Yahuda'yı öldürmesini, yanındakileri dağıtmasını ve Alkimus'u o en yüce tapınağın başkâhini yapmasını buyurdu.

¹⁴Yahudiye'de Yahuda'nın önünden kaçmış olan uluslar, Yahudilerin uğrayacağı felaketlerin kendi refahları olacağını düşünerek sürüler halinde Nikanor'a katıldılar.

¹⁵Yahudiler, Nikanor'un üzerlerine geldiğini ve ulusların kendilerine karşı birleştiğini duyunca, başlarına toprak saçarak kendi halkını sonsuza dek koruyan ve kendi payı olan halkına her zaman görkemli teofaniyle yardım eden Tanrı'ya yakardılar.

¹⁶Önderlerinin buyruğu üzerine hemen oradan göç ettiler ve Dessaou köyünde onlarla karşı karşıya geldiler.

¹⁷Yahuda'nın kardeşi Şimon, Nikanor'la çatışmaya girmişti; ancak düşmanın ani ve sessiz ilerleyişi karşısında kısa süreli bir sarsıntı geçirmişti.

¹⁸Yine de Nikanor, Yahuda ve adamlarının yiğitliğini, vatanları uğruna savaşırken gösterdikleri cesareti duyunca, konuyu kan dökerek çözmekten çekindi.

¹⁹Bu nedenle barış anlaşması yapmak üzere Posidonius, Teodotus ve Mattatias'ı gönderdi.

²⁰Durum üzerinde uzunca düşünüldükten ve komutan konuyu halka danıştıktan sonra, herkesin aynı fikirde olduğu görülünce antlaşmayı kabul ettiler.

²¹Baş başa görüşmek üzere bir gün belirlediler; o gün geldiğinde her iki taraf için de karşılıklı koltuklar hazırlandı.

²²Yahuda, düşman tarafından ani bir hainlik yapılmasın diye stratejik noktalarda silahlı adamları hazır bulundurdu; böylece uygun koşullarda barışçıl bir görüşme gerçekleştirdiler.

²³Nikanor Yeruşalim'de kaldı ve hiçbir uygunsuz davranışta bulunmadı; etrafına toplanan kalabalıkları da evlerine gönderdi.

²⁴Yahuda'yı her an yanında tuttu, ona yürekten bağlandı.

²⁵Ona evlenmesini ve çocuk sahibi olmasını tavsiye etti; Yahuda da evlendi, huzurlu bir yaşama kavuştu ve hayatı paylaştı.

²⁶Ancak Alkimus aralarındaki bu dostluğu ve yapılan antlaşmayı görünce, antlaşmanın bir kopyasını alıp Demetrius'u ziyaret etti. Nikanor'un devletin çıkarlarına aykırı davrandığını, krallığın düşmanı olan Yahuda'yı kendi yerine halef tayin ettiğini söyledi.

²⁷Bunun üzerine kral öfkeden deliye döndü; bu kötü niyetli adamın iftiralarıyla kışkırtılarak Nikanor'a bir mektup yazdı. Antlaşmadan büyük rahatsızlık duyduğunu belirten kral, Makabi'yi derhal zincire vurulmuş olarak Antakya'ya göndermesini buyurdu.

²⁸Bu buyruk Nikanor'a ulaştığında büyük bir şaşkınlık ve üzüntü yaşadı; hiçbir suç işlememiş bir adamla yaptığı antlaşmayı bozmak ona çok ağır geliyordu.

²⁹Ancak kralın buyruğuna karşı gelmek imkânsız olduğundan, bu işi bir askeri taktikle gerçekleştirmek için uygun bir fırsat kollamaya başladı.

³⁰Makabi ise Nikanor'un kendisine karşı daha soğuk davrandığını, alışılmış karşılamalarının kabalaştığını fark etti. Bu sertliğin iyiye alamet olmadığını anlayarak yanındaki adamların birçoğunu topladı ve kendisini Nikanor'dan gizledi.

³¹Nikanor, Yahuda'nın zekice bir hamleyle kendisini atlattığını anlayınca, o en yüce ve kutsal tapınağa gitti; kâhinler geleneksel sunuları sunarken, onlara Yahuda'yı kendisine teslim etmelerini buyurdu.

³²Kâhinler ant içerek aranan adamın nerede olduğunu bilmediklerini söylediler.

³³Bunun üzerine Nikanor sağ elini tapınağa doğru uzatarak şöyle ant içti: "Eğer Yahuda'yı bana zincire vurulmuş olarak teslim etmezseniz, Tanrı'nın bu tapınağını yerle bir edip dümdüz edeceğim, sunağı yıkacağım ve burada Dionysos için görkemli bir tapınak kuracağım."

³⁴Bu sözleri söyledikten sonra çekip gitti. Kâhinler ise ellerini göğe doğru açarak, ulusumuzu her zaman savunan Tanrı'ya şöyle yakardılar:

³⁵"Ey her şeye gücü yeten ve hiçbir şeye ihtiyacı olmayan RAB, senin konutun olan bu tapınağın aramızda bulunmasından hoşnut oldun.

³⁶Şimdi de, ey her kutsallığın kaynağı olan kutsal RAB, yakın zamanda temizlenmiş olan bu evi sonsuza dek lekesiz koru."

³⁷Yeruşalim'in ileri gelenlerinden Razis adında biri Nikanor'a ihbar edildi. Bu adam vatansever, adı çok iyi anılan ve iyilikseverliğinden ötürü Yahudilerin babası olarak çağrılan biriydi.

³⁸Ulusların birbirine karışmadığı eski dönemlerde Yahudilik inancına bağlılığıyla tanınmış, Yahudilik uğruna bedenini ve canını büyük bir gayretle tehlikeye atmıştı.

³⁹Nikanor, Yahudilere karşı beslediği düşmanlığı açıkça göstermek isteyerek onu tutuklamak üzere beş yüzden fazla asker gönderdi.

⁴⁰Çünkü onu tutuklamanın Yahudilere büyük bir darbe vuracağını düşünüyordu.

⁴¹Askerler kuleyi ele geçirmek üzereyken, avlu kapısını zorlayıp ateş getirilmesini ve kapıların yakılmasını buyurduklarında, Razis her taraftan kuşatıldığını görünce kılıcının üzerine atıldı.

⁴²Kötülerin eline düşüp asil soyuna yakışmayacak şekilde aşağılanmaktansa, onurlu bir şekilde ölmeyi yeğledi.

⁴³Ancak can havliyle acele ettiğinden darbeyi tam isabet ettiremedi; bu sırada kalabalık kapılardan içeri hücum ediyordu. Razis cesaretle duvara doğru koştu ve kendini yiğitçe kalabalığın ortasına aşağıya bıraktı.

⁴⁴Kalabalık hemen geri çekilip bir boşluk açınca, Razis boşluğun tam ortasına düştü.

⁴⁵Henüz canı çıkmamıştı; öfkeyle yanıp tutuşarak ayağa kalktı. Yaraları çok ağır olmasına ve kanı fışkırarak akmasına rağmen kalabalığın arasından koşarak geçti ve sarp bir kayanın üzerine çıktı.

⁴⁶Vücudunda hiç kan kalmadığı bir sırada, bağırsaklarını dışarı çıkarıp iki eliyle kavradı ve kalabalığın üzerine fırlattı. Yaşamın ve ruhun egemeni olan Tanrı'ya, bunları kendisine bir gün yeniden geri vermesi için yakararak can verdi.

¹ΜΕΤΑ δὲ τριετῆ χρόνον προσέπεσε τοῖς περὶ τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν Δημήτριον τὸν τοῦ Σελεύκου διὰ τοῦ κατὰ Τρίπολιν λιμένος εἰσπλεύσαντα μετὰ πλήθους ἰσχυροῦ καὶ στόλου

²κεκρατηκέναι τῆς χώρας ἐπανελόμενον ᾿Αντίοχον καὶ τὸν τούτου ἐπίτροπον Λυσίαν.

³῎Αλκιμος δέ τις προγενόμενος ἀρχιερεύς, ἑκουσίως δὲ μεμολυμμένος ἐν τοῖς τῆς ἐπιμειξίας χρόνοις, συννοήσας ὅτι καθ᾿ ὁντιναοῦν τρόπον οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτῷ σωτηρία, οὐδὲ πρὸς ἅγιον θυσιαστήριον ἔτι πρόσοδος,

⁴ἧκε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Δημήτριον πρώτῳ καὶ πεντηκοστῷ καὶ ἑκατοστῷ ἔτει προσάγων αὐτῷ στέφανον χρυσοῦν καὶ φοίνικα, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις τῶν νομιζομένων θαλλῶν τοῦ ἱεροῦ, καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην ἡσυχίαν ἔσχε.

⁵καιρὸν δὲ λαβὼν τῆς ἰδίας ἀνοίας συνεργόν, προσκληθεὶς εἰς συνέδριον ὑπὸ τοῦ Δημητρίου καὶ ἐπερωτηθεὶς ἐν τίνι διαθέσει καὶ βουλῇ καθεστήκασιν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι, πρὸς ταῦτα ἔφη·

⁶οἱ λεγόμενοι τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων ᾿Ασιδαῖοι, ὧν ἀφηγεῖται ᾿Ιούδας ὁ Μακκαβαῖος, πολεμοτροφοῦσι καὶ στασιάζουσιν, οὐκ ἐῶντες τὴν βασιλείαν εὐσταθείας τυχεῖν.

⁷ὅθεν ἀφελόμενος τὴν προγονικὴν δόξαν, λέγω δὴ τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην, δεῦρο νῦν ἐλήλυθα,

⁸πρῶτον μὲν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀνηκόντων τῷ βασιλεῖ γνησίως φρονῶν, δεύτερον δὲ καὶ τῶν ἰδίων πολιτῶν στοχαζόμενος· τῇ μὲν γὰρ τῶν προειρημένων ἀλογιστίᾳ τὸ σύμπαν ἡμῶν γένος οὐ μικρῶς ἀκληρεῖ.

⁹ἕκαστα δὲ τούτων ἐπεγνωκώς σύ, βασιλεῦ, καὶ τῆς χώρας καὶ τοῦ περιϊσταμένου γένους ἡμῶν προνοήθητι, καθ᾿ ἣν ἔχεις πρὸς ἅπαντας εὐαπάντητον φιλανθρωπίαν.

¹⁰ἄχρι γὰρ ᾿Ιούδας περίεστιν, ἀδύνατον εἰρήνης τυχεῖν τὰ πράγματα.

¹¹τοιούτων δὲ ῥηθέντων ὑπὸ τούτου, θᾶττον οἱ λοιποὶ φίλοι δυσμενῶς ἔχοντες τὰ πρὸς τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν προσεπύρωσαν τὸν Δημήτριον.

¹²προσκαλεσάμενος δὲ εὐθέως Νικάνορα τὸν γενόμενον ἐλεφαντάρχην, καὶ στρατηγὸν ἀναδείξας τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας, ἐξαπέστειλε

¹³δοὺς ἐντολὰς αὐτὸν μὲν τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν ἐπαναλέσθαι, τοὺς δὲ σὺν αὐτῷ σκορπίσαι, καταστῆσαι δὲ ῎Αλκιμον ἀρχιερέα τοῦ μεγίστου ἱεροῦ.

¹⁴οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας πεφυγαδευκότες τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν ἔθνη συνέμισγον ἀγεληδὸν τῷ Νικάνορι, τὰς τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων ἀτυχίας καὶ συμφορὰς ἰδίας εὐημερίας δοκοῦντες ἔσεσθαι.

¹⁵᾿Ακούσαντες δὲ τὴν τοῦ Νικάνορος ἔφοδον καὶ τὴν ἐπίθεσιν τῶν ἐθνῶν, καταπασάμενοι γῆν ἐλιτάνευον τὸν ἄχρι αἰῶνος συστήσαντα τὸν ἑαυτοῦ λαόν, ἀεὶ δὲ μετ᾿ ἐπιφανείας ἀντιλαμβανόμενον τῆς ἑαυτοῦ μερίδος.

¹⁶προτάξαντος δὲ τοῦ ἡγουμένου ἐκεῖθεν εὐθέως ἀνέζευξαν καὶ συμμίσγουσιν αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ κώμην Δεσσαού.

¹⁷Σίμων δὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ᾿Ιούδα συμβεβληκὼς ἦν τῷ Νικάνορι, βραχέως δὲ διὰ τὴν αἰφνίδιον τῶν ἀντιπάλων ἀφασίαν ἐπταικώς.

¹⁸ὅμως δὲ ἀκούων ὁ Νικάνωρ ἣν εἶχον οἱ περὶ τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν ἀνδραγαθίαν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος ἀγῶσιν εὐψυχίαν, ὑπευλαβεῖτο τὴν κρίσιν δι᾿ αἱμάτων ποιήσασθαι.

¹⁹διόπερ ἔπεμψε Ποσιδώνιον καὶ Θεόδοτον καὶ Ματταθίαν δοῦναι καὶ λαβεῖν δεξιάς.

²⁰πλείονος δὲ γενομένης περὶ τούτων ἐπισκέψεως καὶ τοῦ ἡγεμόνος τοῖς πλήθεσιν ἀνακοινωσαμένου καὶ φανείσης ὁμοψήφου γνώμης, ἐπένευσαν ταῖς συνθήκες.

²¹ἐτάξαντο δὲ ἡμέραν, ἐν ᾗ κατ᾿ ἰδίαν ἥξουσιν εἰς τὸ αὐτό· καὶ προῆλθε καὶ παρ᾿ ἑκάστου διαφόρους ἔθεσαν δίφρους·

²²διέταξεν ᾿Ιούδας ἐνόπλους ἑτοίμους ἐν τοῖς ἐπικαίροις τόποις, μή ποτε ἐκ τῶν πολεμίων αἰφνιδίως κακουργία γένηται· τὴν ἁρμόζουσαν ἐποιήσαντο κοινολογίαν.

²³διέτριβε δὲ ὁ Νικάνωρ ἐν ῾Ιεροσολύμοις, καὶ ἔπραττεν οὐθὲν ἄτοπον, τοὺς δὲ συναχθέντας ἀγελαίους ὄχλους ἀπέλυσε.

²⁴καὶ εἶχε τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν διαπαντὸς ἐν προσώπῳ, ψυχικῶς τῷ ἀνδρὶ προσεκέκλιτο.

²⁵παρακάλεσεν αὐτὸν γῆμαι καὶ παιδοποιήσασθαι· ἐγάμησεν, εὐστάθησεν, ἐκοινώνησε βίου.

²⁶῾Ο δὲ ῎Αλκιμος συνιδὼν τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους εὔνοιαν καὶ τὰς γενομένας συνθήκας, ἀναλαβὼν ἧκε πρὸς τὸν Δημήτριον καὶ ἔλεγε τὸν Νικάνορα ἀλλότρια φρονεῖν τῶν πραγμάτων· τὸν γὰρ ἐπίβουλον τῆς βασιλείας ᾿Ιούδαν διάδοχον ἀναδέδειχεν ἑαυτοῦ.

²⁷ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἔκθυμος γενόμενος καὶ ταῖς τοῦ παμπονήρου ἐρεθισθεὶς διαβολαῖς, ἔγραψε Νικάνορι φάσκων ὑπὲρ μὲν τῶν συνθηκῶν βαρέως φέρειν, κελεύων δὲ τὸν Μακκαβαῖον δέσμιον ἐξαποστέλλειν ταχέως εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν.

²⁸προσπεσόντων δὲ τούτων τῷ Νικάνορι συνεκέχυτο καὶ δυσφόρως ἔφερεν, εἰ τὰ διεσταλμένα ἀθετήσει μηδὲν τ᾿ ἀνδρὸς ἠδικηκότος.

²⁹ἐπεὶ δὲ τῷ βασιλεῖ ἀντιπράττειν οὐκ ἦν, εὔκαιρον ἐτήρει στρατηγήματι τοῦτ᾿ ἐπιτελέσαι.

³⁰ὁ δὲ Μακκαβαῖος αὐστηρότερον διεξάγοντα συνιδὼν τὸν Νικάνορα πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ τὴν εἰθισμένην ἀπάντησιν ἀγροικότερον ἐσχηκότα, νοήσας οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ βελτίστου τὴν αὐστηρίαν εἶναι, συστρέψας οὐκ ὀλίγους τῶν περὶ ἑαυτόν, συνεκρύπτετο τὸν Νικάνορα.

³¹συγγνοὺς δὲ ὁ ἕτερος ὅτι γενναίως ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐστρατήγηται, παραγενόμενος ἐπὶ τὸ μέγιστον καὶ ἅγιον ἱερόν, τῶν ἱερέων τὰς καθηκούσας θυσίας προσαγόντων, ἐκέλευσε παραδιδόναι τὸν ἄνδρα.

³²τῶν δὲ μεθ᾿ ὅρκων φασκόντων μὴ γινώσκειν ποῦ ποτ᾿ ἔστιν ὁ ζητούμενος,

³³προτείνας τὴν δεξιὰν εἰς τὸν νεὼ ταῦτα ὤμοσε· ἐὰν μὴ δέσμιόν μοι τὸν ᾿Ιούδαν παραδῶτε, τόνδε τοῦ Θεοῦ σηκὸν εἰς πεδίον ποιήσω καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον κατασκάψω καὶ ἱερὸν ἐνταῦθα τῷ Διονύσῳ ἐπιφανὲς ἀναστήσω.

³⁴τοσαῦτα δὲ εἰπὼν ἀπῆλθεν· οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς προτείναντες τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν, ἐπεκαλοῦντο τὸν διαπαντὸς ὑπέρμαχον τοῦ ἔθνους ἡμῶν ταῦτα λέγοντες·

³⁵σὺ Κύριε, τῶν ὅλων ἀπροσδεὴς ὑπάρχων, εὐδόκησας ναὸν τῆς σῆς κατασκηνώσεως ἐν ἡμῖν γενέσθαι.

³⁶καὶ νῦν ἅγιε παντὸς ἁγιασμοῦ Κύριε, διατήρησον εἰς αἰῶνα ἀμίαντον τόνδε τὸν προσφάτως κεκαθαρισμένον οἶκον.

³⁷Ῥαζὶς δέ τις τῶν ἀπὸ ῾Ιεροσολύμων πρεσβυτέρων ἐμηνύθη τῷ Νικάνορι, ἀνὴρ φιλοπολίτης καὶ σφόδρα καλῶς ἀκούων καὶ κατὰ τὴν εὔνοιαν πατὴρ τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων προσαγορευόμενος.

³⁸ἦν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν χρόνοις τῆς ἀμειξίας κρίσιν εἰσενηνεγμένος ᾿Ιουδαϊσμοῦ, καὶ σῶμα καὶ ψυχὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ᾿Ιουδαϊσμοῦ παραβεβλημένος μετὰ πάσης ἐκτενίας.

³⁹βουλόμενος δὲ Νικάνωρ πρόδηλον ποιῆσαι, ἣν εἶχε πρὸς τοὺς ᾿Ιουδαίους δυσμένειαν, ἀπέστειλε στρατιώτας ὑπὲρ τοὺς πεντακοσίους συλλαβεῖν αὐτόν·

⁴⁰ἔδοξε γὰρ ἐκεῖνον συλλαβὼν τούτοις ἐργάσασθαι συμφοράν.

⁴¹τῶν δὲ πληθῶν μελλόντων τὸν πύργον καταλαβέσθαι καὶ τὴν αὐλαίαν θύραν βιαζομένων καὶ κελευόντων πῦρ προσάγειν καὶ τὰς θύρας ὑφάπτειν, περικατάληπτος γενόμενος ὑπέθηκε ἑαυτῷ ξίφος,

⁴²εὐγενῶς θέλων ἀποθανεῖν ἤπερ τοῖς ἀλιτηρίοις ὑποχείριος γενέσθαι καὶ τῆς ἰδίας εὐγενείας ἀναξίως ὑβρισθῆναι.

⁴³τῇ δὲ πληγῇ μὴ κατευθικτήσας διὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀγῶνος σπουδὴν καὶ τῶν ὄχλων εἴσω τῶν θυρωμάτων εἰσβαλόντων, ἀναδραμὼν γενναίως ἐπὶ τὸ τεῖχος, κατεκρήμνισεν ἑαυτὸν ἀνδρείως εἰς τοὺς ὄχλους.

⁴⁴τῶν δὲ ταχέως ἀναποδισάντων γενομένου διαστήματος ἦλθε κατὰ μέσον τὸν κενεῶνα.

⁴⁵ἔτι δὲ ἔμπνους ὑπάρχων καὶ πεπυρωμένος τοῖς θυμοῖς, ἐξαναστὰς φερομένων κρουνηδὸν τῶν αἱμάτων καὶ δυσχερῶν ὄντων τῶν τραυμάτων, δρόμῳ τοὺς ὄχλους διελθὼν καὶ στὰς ἐπί τινος πέτρας ἀπορρωγάδος,

⁴⁶παντελῶς ἔξαιμος ἤδη γενόμενος, προβαλὼν τὰ ἔντερα καὶ λαβὼν ἑκατέραις ταῖς χερσίν, ἐνέσεισε τοῖς ὄχλοις καὶ ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸν δεσπόζοντα τῆς ζωῆς καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος, ταῦτα αὐτῷ πάλιν ἀποδοῦναι, τόνδε τὸν τρόπον μετήλλαξεν.

¹After three years was Judas informed, that Demetrius the son of Seleucus, having entered by the haven of Tripolis with a great power and navy,

²Had taken the country, and killed Antiochus, and Lysias his protector.

³Now one Alcimus, who had been high priest, and had defiled himself wilfully in the times of their mingling with the Gentiles, seeing that by no means he could save himself, nor have any more access to the holy altar,

⁴Came to king Demetrius in the hundred and one and fiftieth year, presenting unto him a crown of gold, and a palm, and also of the boughs which were used solemnly in the temple: and so that day he held his peace.

⁵Howbeit having gotten opportunity to further his foolish enterprise, and being called into counsel by Demetrius, and asked how the Jews stood affected, and what they intended, he answered thereunto:

⁶Those of the Jews that he called Assideans, whose captain is Judas Maccabeus, nourish war and are seditious, and will not let the rest be in peace.

⁷Therefore I, being deprived of mine ancestors’ honour, I mean the high priesthood, am now come hither:

⁸First, verily for the unfeigned care I have of things pertaining to the king; and secondly, even for that I intend the good of mine own countrymen: for all our nation is in no small misery through the unadvised dealing of them aforesaid.

⁹Wherefore, O king, seeing knowest all these things, be careful for the country, and our nation, which is pressed on every side, according to the clemency that thou readily shewest unto all.

¹⁰For as long as Judas liveth, it is not possible that the state should be quiet.

¹¹This was no sooner spoken of him, but others of the king’s friends, being maliciously set against Judas, did more incense Demetrius.

¹²And forthwith calling Nicanor, who had been master of the elephants, and making him governor over Judea, he sent him forth,

¹³Commanding him to slay Judas, and to scatter them that were with him, and to make Alcimus high priest of the great temple.

¹⁴Then the heathen, that had fled out of Judea from Judas, came to Nicanor by flocks, thinking the harm and calamities of the Jews to be their welfare.

¹⁵Now when the Jews heard of Nicanor’s coming, and that the heathen were up against them, they cast earth upon their heads, and made supplication to him that had established his people for ever, and who always helpeth his portion with manifestation of his presence.

¹⁶So at the commandment of the captain they removed straightways from thence, and came near unto them at the town of Dessau.

¹⁷Now Simon, Judas’ brother, had joined battle with Nicanor, but was somewhat discomfited through the sudden silence of his enemies.

¹⁸Nevertheless Nicanor, hearing of the manliness of them that were with Judas, and the courageousness that they had to fight for their country, durst not try the matter by the sword.

¹⁹Wherefore he sent Posidonius, and Theodotus, and Mattathias, to make peace.

²⁰So when they had taken long advisement thereupon, and the captain had made the multitude acquainted therewith, and it appeared that they were all of one mind, they consented to the covenants,

²¹And appointed a day to meet in together by themselves: and when the day came, and stools were set for either of them,

²²Judas placed armed men ready in convenient places, lest some treachery should be suddenly practised by the enemies: so they made a peaceable conference.

²³Now Nicanor abode in Jerusalem, and did no hurt, but sent away the people that came flocking unto him.

²⁴And he would not willingly have Judas out of his sight: for he love the man from his heart

²⁵He prayed him also to take a wife, and to beget children: so he married, was quiet, and took part of this life.

²⁶But Alcimus, perceiving the love that was betwixt them, and considering the covenants that were made, came to Demetrius, and told him that Nicanor was not well affected toward the state; for that he had ordained Judas, a traitor to his realm, to be the king’s successor.

²⁷Then the king being in a rage, and provoked with the accusations of the most wicked man, wrote to Nicanor, signifying that he was much displeased with the covenants, and commanding him that he should send Maccabeus prisoner in all haste unto Antioch.

²⁸When this came to Nicanor’s hearing, he was much confounded in himself, and took it grievously that he should make void the articles which were agreed upon, the man being in no fault.

²⁹But because there was no dealing against the king, he watched his time to accomplish this thing by policy.

³⁰Notwithstanding, when Maccabeus saw that Nicanor began to be churlish unto him, and that he entreated him more roughly than he was wont, perceiving that such sour behaviour came not of good, he gathered together not a few of his men, and withdrew himself from Nicanor.

³¹But the other, knowing that he was notably prevented by Judas’ policy, came into the great and holy temple, and commanded the priests, that were offering their usual sacrifices, to deliver him the man.

³²And when they sware that they could not tell where the man was whom he sought,

³³He stretched out his right hand toward the temple, and made an oath in this manner: If ye will not deliver me Judas as a prisoner, I will lay this temple of God even with the ground, and I will break down the altar, and erect a notable temple unto Bacchus.

³⁴After these words he departed. Then the priests lifted up their hands toward heaven, and besought him that was ever a defender of their nation, saying in this manner;

³⁵Thou, O Lord of all things, who hast need of nothing, wast pleased that the temple of thine habitation should be among us:

³⁶Therefore now, O holy Lord of all holiness, keep this house ever undefiled, which lately was cleansed, and stop every unrighteous mouth.

³⁷Now was there accused unto Nicanor one Razis, one of the elders of Jerusalem, a lover of his countrymen, and a man of very good report, who for his kindness was called a father of the Jews.

³⁸For in the former times, when they mingled not themselves with the Gentiles, he had been accused of Judaism, and did boldly jeopard his body and life with all vehemency for the religion of the Jews.

³⁹So Nicanor, willing to declare the hate that he bare unto the Jews, sent above five hundred men of war to take him:

⁴⁰For he thought by taking him to do the Jews much hurt.

⁴¹Now when the multitude would have taken the tower, and violently broken into the outer door, and bade that fire should be brought to burn it, he being ready to be taken on every side fell upon his sword;

⁴²Choosing rather to die manfully, than to come into the hands of the wicked, to be abused otherwise than beseemed his noble birth:

⁴³But missing his stroke through haste, the multitude also rushing within the doors, he ran boldly up to the wall, and cast himself down manfully among the thickest of them.

⁴⁴But they quickly giving back, and a space being made, he fell down into the midst of the void place.

⁴⁵Nevertheless, while there was yet breath within him, being inflamed with anger, he rose up; and though his blood gushed out like spouts of water, and his wounds were grievous, yet he ran through the midst of the throng; and standing upon a steep rock,

⁴⁶When as his blood was now quite gone, he plucked out his bowels, and taking them in both his hands, he cast them upon the throng, and calling upon the Lord of life and spirit to restore him those again, he thus died.