3. Makkabeler 5

¹O zaman fillerin gözetiminden sorumlu olan Hermon'u yanına çağıran kral, derin bir öfke ve dindirilmez bir gazapla dolarak her bakımdan kesinlikle kararından dönmez bir halde şöyle buyurdu:

²Ertesi gün erkenden, sayıları beş yüzü bulan tüm fillere bol miktarda avuç dolusu günlük reçinesi ve daha çok miktarda seyreltilmemiş sert şarap içirilmesini, bu içkinin bol tedarikiyle vahşileştirilen hayvanların Yahudileri ölüme sürüklemek üzere içeri sevk edilmesini emretti.

³Bu emirleri veren kral, dostlarından ve ordudan Yahudilere karşı en çok nefret besleyenleri bir araya getirerek şölene koyuldu.

⁴Fil komutanı Hermon ise kendisine verilen buyruğu sarsılmaz bir şekilde yerine getiriyordu.

⁵Bu işe koşulan hizmetkarlar akşam vakti gelince o zavallıların ellerini bağladılar ve o gece bu soyun helak edici sonunu hep birlikte gerçekleştireceklerini düşünerek, onların etrafında diğer güvenlik önlemlerini aldılar.

⁶Her taraftan kendilerini saran zincirlerin zorunluluğu altında kalan Yahudiler ise ulusların gözünde her türlü korumadan tamamen yoksun görünmekteydiler.

⁷Hepsi birden gözyaşları içinde, dindirilmez bir feryatla her şeye gücü yeten Rab'be, her gücün üzerinde egemen olan merhametli Tanrılarına ve Babalarına seslenip yalvardılar;

⁸Kendilerine karşı kurulan bu haince planı bozmasını ve görkemli bir tecelliyle onları ayaklarının dibinde hazır bekleyen bu ani ölümden kurtarmasını dilediler.

⁹Böylece onların bu içten yakarışları göklere kadar yükseldi.

¹⁰Hermon ise acımasız fillere bol miktarda şarap içirip onları günlük reçinesiyle tamamen doldurduktan sonra, sabahın erken saatlerinde durumu krala bildirmek üzere saraya geldi.

¹¹Ancak, sonsuz zamandan beri gece ve gündüz içinde var olan iyi yaratılışı dilediği herkese lütfeden Tanrı, kralın üzerine uykudan bir pay gönderdi.

¹²Egemen'in bu etkisiyle kral en tatlı ve derin bir uykuya daldı; böylece o yasa dışı niyetinden tamamen saptırıldı ve sarsılmaz sandığı kararlılığında büyük bir yanılgıya düştü.

¹³Yahudiler ise belirlenen ölüm saatini kazasız atlatınca kendi kutsal Tanrılarını övdüler ve her an barışmaya hazır olan Tanrı'dan, yüce gücünün kudretini kibirli uluslara göstermesini yeniden dilediler.

¹⁴Günün onuncu saati neredeyse yarılanmıştı ki, davetleri düzenlemekle görevli olan memur, konukların toplandığını görünce kralın yanına gidip onu dürttü.

¹⁵Onu güçlükle uyandırarak, şölen vaktinin çoktan geçmekte olduğunu hatırlattı ve bu konuda açıklama yaptı.

¹⁶Bunu düşünen kral içki meclisine yöneldi ve şölene gelenlerin kendi karşısına oturmalarını emretti.

¹⁷Herkes yerini alınca, kendilerini eğlenceye vermelerini ve şölenin bu geç saatinde neşeyle coşmalarını istedi.

¹⁸Sohbet ilerledikçe kral Hermon'u yanına çağırdı ve sert bir tehditle, Yahudilerin neden hâlâ hayatta bırakıldığını sordu.

¹⁹Hermon, kendisine verilen emri geceleyin eksiksiz yerine getirdiğini açıklayınca, kralın dostları da buna tanıklık ettiler.

²⁰Phalaris'ten daha beter bir gaddarlık sergileyen kral şöyle dedi: "Bugünkü uykuma şükretsinler! Gecikmeksizin, yarınki gün için de filleri aynı şekilde hazırla ki bu yasa tanımaz Yahudileri tamamen ortadan kaldıralım."

²¹Kralın bu sözleri üzerine orada bulunan herkes sevinçle bunu onayladı ve her biri kendi evine döndü.

²²Geceyi uyuyarak geçirmek yerine, o zavallı görünenlere ne tür işkenceler ve maskaralıklar yapacaklarını tasarlamakla uğraştılar.

²³Sabah horozu henüz ötmüştü ki, Hermon hayvanları donatmış ve büyük sütunlu avluda onları harekete geçirmişti.

²⁴Kent halkı ise bu en acıklı gösteriyi izlemek üzere toplanmış, sabırsızlıkla sabahın olmasını bekliyordu.

²⁵Yahudiler ise bölünemez bir zaman diliminde canları çekiliyormuşçasına, gözyaşları içinde acıklı ağıtlarla feryat ederek ellerini göğe açtılar ve yüce Tanrı'dan kendilerine acilen yardım etmesini dilediler.

²⁶Güneş ışınları henüz yeryüzüne yayılmamıştı ve kral dosturlarını beklemekteydi; o sırada Hermon gelerek kralı dışarı çıkmaya çağırdı ve kralın arzusunun yerine getirilmesi için her şeyin hazır olduğunu belirtti.

²⁷Kral onu kabul ettiğinde, bu töreye aykırı hazırlık karşısında şaşkına döndü; zira zihnini tamamen kaplayan bir unutkanlıkla, bu telaşlı hazırlığın ne için yapıldığını sordu.

²⁸Bu durum, kralın daha önce tasarladığı her şeyi zihninden silip unutturan, her şeye egemen olan Tanrı'nın bir işiydi.

²⁹Hermon ve tüm dostları, "Ey kral, buyurduğun üzere hayvanlar ve askeri güçler hazırlandı" diyerek durumu açıkladılar.

³⁰Kral bu sözleri duyunca derin bir öfkeyle doldu; çünkü Tanrı'nın inayetiyle bu konudaki tüm düşünceleri altüst olmuştu. Hermon'a tehditkar bir şekilde dik dik bakarak şöyle dedi:

³¹"Eğer senin anne baban ya da çocukların burada olsaydı, bana ve atalarıma her zaman tam ve sarsılmaz bir sadakat göstermiş olan bu suçlanamaz Yahudilerin yerine onları bu vahşi hayvanlara bol bir yem ederdim!

³²Birlikte büyümemizin hatırı ve görevine olan ihtiyacım olmasaydı, onların canı yerine senin canını alırdım."

³³Hermon bu beklenmedik ve tehlikeli tehdit karşısında sarsıldı, bakışları ve yüzü kederle çöktü.

³⁴Kralın dostları da birer birer oradan uzaklaştılar ve toplanan kalabalığı kendi işlerine dönmeleri için dağıttılar.

³⁵Yahudiler kralın bu sözlerini duyunca, o görkemli Tanrı'ya ve kralların Kralı'na övgüler sundular; çünkü O'ndan bir kez daha yardım görmüşlerdi.

³⁶Kral aynı kurallara göre şöleni yeniden başlattı ve herkesi neşelenmeye çağırdı.

³⁷Hermon'u yanına çağırarak tehditkar bir sesle şöyle dedi: "Ey en sefil adam, sana aynı şeyi daha kaç kez emretmem gerekiyor?

³⁸Yahudileri yok etmek için filleri yarın sabah için bir kez daha hazırla."

³⁹Onunla birlikte sofrada oturan akrabaları kralın bu kararsızlığına şaşırarak şöyle dediler:

⁴⁰"Ey kral, bizi daha ne kadar akılsız yerine koyup sınayacaksın? Onları yok etmek için bu üçüncü kez emir verişin; ama iş uygulama noktasına gelince kararını değiştirip emirlerini geri alıyorsun.

⁴¹Bu beklenti yüzünden kent halkı huzursuz oluyor, sokaklar kalabalıklaşıp karışıyor ve kent her an yağmalanma tehlikesiyle karşı karşıya kalıyor."

⁴²Tam bir Phalaris gibi davranan kral, akılsızlıkla dolarak Yahudilerin korunması yönünde kendi ruhunda meydana gelen değişimleri hiçe saydı ve boş yere yemin ederek, onları kesinlikle fillerin dizleri ve ayakları altında ezdirip ölüler diyarına göndereceğini söyledi.

⁴³Ayrıca Yahudiye üzerine sefere çıkıp orayı ateş ve kılıçla yerle bir edeceğini, bizim için girilemez olan tapınaklarını yakıp yıkacağını ve orada bir daha asla kurban sunulmamasını sağlayacağını belirtti.

⁴⁴Bunun üzerine kralın dostları ve akrabaları büyük bir sevinçle dağıldılar ve onun kararlılığına güvenerek kentin en stratejik noktalarına nöbetçiler yerleştirdiler.

⁴⁵Fil bakıcısı ise hayvanları neredeyse delirecek bir duruma getirmiş, onları günlük kokulu şarapla sarhoş etmiş ve korkunç savaş donanımlarıyla donatmıştı.

⁴⁶Sabah vakti, kent halkı hipodromu hıncahınç doldurmuşken, saraya giren bakıcı kralı işe koyulması için kışkırttı.

⁴⁷Kral ise saygısız yüreğini ağır bir öfkeyle doldurarak, adı geçen Yahudilerin acı dolu ve zavallı sonunu katı bir yürekle ve kendi gözleriyle izlemek amacıyla tüm gücü ve fillerle birlikte yola çıktı.

⁴⁸Filler kapıdan çıkarken, arkalarından gelen silahlı gücü ve kalabalığın çıkardığı toz bulutunu gören, gürültüyü işiten Yahudiler,

⁴⁹bunun hayatlarının son anı olduğunu ve korkuyla bekledikleri sonun geldiğini düşündüler. Feryat figan ederek birbirlerine sarıldılar, akrabalarının boynuna atıldılar; babalar oğullarını, anneler genç kızlarını kucakladı, bazıları ise son kez süt emen bebeklerini bağırlarına bastı.

⁵⁰Ancak geçmişte göklerden kendilerine yapılan yardımları hatırlayarak hep birlikte yüzüstü yere kapandılar, bebekleri memeden ayırdılar ve

⁵¹her şeye gücü yeten Egemen'e, ölüler diyarının kapısına dayanmış olan kendilerine merhamet etmesi ve görkemini göstermesi için yüksek sesle feryat ettiler.

¹ΤΟΤΕ προσκαλεσάμενος ῞Ερμωνα τὸν πρὸς τῇ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐπιμελείᾳ, βαρείᾳ μεμεστωμένος ὀργῇ καὶ χόλῳ κατὰ πᾶν ἀμετάθετος

²ἐκέλευσεν ὑπὸ τὴν ἐπερχομένην ἡμέραν δαψιλέσι δράκεσι λιβανωτοῦ καὶ οἴνῳ πλείονι ἀκράτῳ ἅπαντας τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ποτίσαι, ὄντας τὸν ἀριθμὸν πεντακοσίους, καὶ ἀγριωθέντας τῇ τοῦ πόματος ἀφθόνῳ χορηγίᾳ εἰσαγαγεῖν πρὸς συνάντησιν τοῦ μόρου τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων.

³ὁ μὲν τάδε προστάσσων ἐτρέπετο πρὸς τὴν εὐωχίαν, συναγαγὼν τοὺς μάλιστα τῶν φίλων καὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἀπεχθῶς ἔχοντας πρὸς τοὺς ᾿Ιουδαίους·

⁴ὁ δὲ ἐλεφαντάρχης τὸ προσταγὲν ἀραρότως ῞Ερμων συνετέλει.

⁵οἵ τε πρὸς τούτοις λειτουργοὶ κατὰ τὴν ἑσπέραν ἀξιόντες τὰς τῶν ταλαιπώρων ἐδέσμευον χεῖρας τήν τε λοιπὴν ἐμηχανῶντο περὶ αὐτοὺς ἀσφάλειαν, ἔννυχον δόξαντες ὁμοῦ λήψεσθαι τὸ φῦλον πέρας τῆς ὀλεθρίας.

⁶οἱ δὲ πάσης σκέπης ἔρημοι δοκοῦντες εἶναι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ᾿Ιουδαῖοι διὰ τὴν πάντοθεν περιέχουσαν αὐτοὺς μετὰ δεσμῶν ἀνάγκην,

⁷τὸν παντοκράτορα Κύριον καὶ πάσης δυνάμεως δυναστεύοντα, ἐλεήμονα Θεὸν αὐτῶν καὶ πατέρα, δυσκαταπαύστῳ βοῇ πάντες μετὰ δακρύων ἐπεκαλέσαντο, δεόμενοι

⁸τὴν κατ᾿ αὐτῶν μεταστρέψαι βουλὴν ἀνοσίαν καὶ ῥύσασθαι αὐτοὺς μετὰ μεγαλομεροῦς ἐπιφανείας ἐκ τοῦ παρὰ πόδας ἐν ἑτοίμῳ μόρου.

⁹τούτων μὲν οὖν ἐκτενῶς ἡ λιτανεία ἀνέβαινεν εἰς οὐρανόν.—

¹⁰῾Ο δὲ ῞Ερμων τοὺς ἀνηλεεῖς ἐλέφαντας ποτίσας πεπληρωμένους τῆς τοῦ οἴνου πολλῆς χορηγίας καὶ τοῦ λιβάνου μεμεστωμένους, ὄρθροις ἐπὶ τὴν αὐλὴν παρῆν περὶ τούτων προσαγγεῖλαι τῷ βασιλεῖ.

¹¹τὸ δὲ ἀπ᾿ αἰῶνος χρόνου κτίσμα καλὸν ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιβαλλόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ χαριζομένου πᾶσιν, οἷς ἂν αὐτὸς θελήσῃ, ὕπνου μέρος ἀπέστειλε πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα,

¹²καὶ ἡδίστῳ καὶ βαθεῖ κατεσχέθη τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τοῦ Δεσπότου, τῆς ἀθέσμου μὲν προθέσεως πολὺ διεσφαλμένος, τοῦ δὲ ἀμεταθέτου λογισμοῦ μεγάλως διεψευσμένος.

¹³οἱ δὲ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι τὴν προσημανθεῖσαν ὥραν διαφυγόντες, τὸν ἅγιον ᾔνουν Θεὸν αὐτῶν καὶ πάλιν ἠξίουν τὸν εὐκατάλλακτον δεῖξαι τῆς μεγαλοσθενοῦς αὐτοῦ χειρὸς κράτος ἔθνεσιν ὑπερηφάνοις.

¹⁴μεσούσης δὲ ἤδη τῆς δεκάτης ὥρας σχεδόν, ὁ πρὸς ταῖς κλήσεσι τεταγμένος, ἀθρόους τοὺς κλητοὺς ἰδών, ἔνυξε προσελθὼν τὸν βασιλέα.

¹⁵καὶ μόλις διεγείρας ὑπέδειξε τὸν τῆς συμποσίας καιρὸν ἤδη παρατρέχοντα, τὸν περὶ τούτων λόγον ποιούμενος.

¹⁶ὃν ὁ βασιλεὺς λογισάμενος καὶ τραπεὶς εἰς τὸν πότον, ἐκέλευσε τοὺς παραγεγονότας εἰς τὴν συμποσίαν ἄντικρυς ἀνακλιθῆναι αὐτοῦ.

¹⁷οὗ καὶ γενομένου, παρῄνει εἰς εὐωχίαν δόντας ἑαυτούς, τὸ παρὸν τῆς συμποσίας ἐπιπολὺ γεραιρομένους εἰς εὐφροσύνην καταθέσθαι μέρος.

¹⁸ἐπὶ πλεῖον δὲ προβαινούσης τῆς ὁμιλίας, τὸν ῞Ερμωνα μεταπεμψάμενος ὁ βασιλεύς, μετὰ πικρᾶς ἀπειλῆς ἐπυνθάνετο, τίνος ἕνεκεν αἰτίας εἰάθησαν οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι τὴν παροῦσαν ἡμέραν περιβεβιωκότες;

¹⁹τοῦ δὲ ὑποδείξαντος ἐκ νυκτὸς τὸ προσταγὲν ἐπὶ τέλος ἀγηοχέναι καὶ τῶν φίλων αὐτῷ προσμαρτυρησάντων,

²⁰τὴν ὠμότητα χείρονα Φαλάριδος ἐσχηκὼς ἔφη τῷ τῆς σήμερον ὕπνῳ χάριν ἔχειν αὐτούς· ἀνυπερθέτως δὲ εἰς τὴν ἐπιτέλλουσαν ἡμέραν κατὰ τὸ ὅμοιον ἑτοίμασον τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν ἀθεμίτων ᾿Ιουδαίων ἀφανισμόν.

²¹εἰπόντος δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀσμένως πάντες μετὰ χαρᾶς οἱ παρόντες ὁμοῦ συναινέσαντες, εἰς τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον ἕκαστος ἀνέλυσε.

²²καὶ οὐχ οὕτως εἰς ὕπνον κατεχρήσαντο τὸν χρόνον τῆς νυκτός, ὡς εἰς τὸ παντοίους μηχανᾶσθαι τοῖς ταλαιπώροις δοκοῦσιν ἐμπαιγμούς.—

²³῎Αρτι δὲ ἀλεκτρυὼν ἐκεκράγει ὄρθριος, καὶ τὰ θηρία καθωπλικὼς ὁ ῞Ερμων ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ περιστύλῳ διεκίνει.

²⁴τὰ δὲ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν πλήθη συνήθροιστο πρὸς τὴν οἰκτροτάτην θεωρίαν, προσδοκῶντα τὴν πρωΐαν μετὰ σπουδῆς.

²⁵οἱ δὲ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι κατὰ τὸν ἀμερῆ ψυχουλκούμενοι χρόνον, πολυδάκρυον ἱκετείαν ἐν μέλεσι γοεροῖς τείνοντες τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐδέοντο τοῦ μεγίστου Θεοῦ πάλιν αὐτοῖς βοηθῆσαι συντόμως.

²⁶οὔπω δὲ ἡλίου βολαὶ κατεσπείροντο, καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως τοὺς φίλους ἐκδεχομένου, ὁ ῞Ερμων παραστὰς ἐκάλει πρὸς τὴν ἔξοδον, ὑποδεικνύων τὸ πρόθυμον τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν ἑτοίμῳ κεῖσθαι.

²⁷τοῦ δὲ ἀποδεξαμένου καὶ καταπλαγέντος ἐπὶ τῇ παρανόμῳ ἐξόδῳ, κατὰ πᾶν ἀγνωσίᾳ κεκρατημένος ἐπυνθάνετο, τί τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἀφ᾿ οὗ τοῦτο αὐτῷ μετὰ σπουδῆς τετέλεσται·

²⁸τοῦτο δὲ ἦν ἡ ἐνέργεια τοῦ πάντα δεσποτεύοντος Θεοῦ, τῶν πρὶν αὐτῷ μεμηχανημένων λήθην κατὰ διάνοιαν ἐντεθεικότος.

²⁹ὁ δὲ ῞Ερμων ὑπεδείκνυε καὶ πάντες οἱ φίλοι τὰ θηρία καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις ἡτοιμάσθαι, βασιλεῦ, κατὰ τὴν σὴν ἐκτενῆ πρόθεσιν.

³⁰ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς ρηθεῖσι πληρωθεὶς βαθεῖ χόλῳ διὰ τὸ περὶ τούτων προνοίᾳ Θεοῦ διασκεδάσθαι πᾶν αὐτοῦ τὸ νόημα, ἐνατενίσας μετὰ ἀπειλῆς εἶπεν·

³¹εἴ σοι γονεῖς παρῆσαν ἢ παίδων γοναί, τήνδε θηρσὶν ἀγρίοις ἐσκεύασα ἂν δαψιλῆ θοῖναν ἀντὶ τῶν ἀνεγκλήτων ἐμοὶ καὶ προγόνοις ἐμοῖς ἀποδεδειγμένων ὁλοσχερῆ βεβαίαν πίστιν ἐξόχως ᾿Ιουδαίων.

³²καίπερ εἰ μὴ διὰ τὴν τῆς συντροφίας στοργὴν καὶ τῆς χρείας, τὸ ζῆν ἀντὶ τούτων ἐστερήθης.

³³οὕτως ὁ ῞Ερμων ἀπροσδόκητον καὶ ἐπικίνδυνον ὑπήνεγκεν ἀπειλὴν καὶ τῇ ὁράσει καὶ τῷ προσώπῳ συνεστάλη.

³⁴ὁ καθεὶς δὲ τῶν φίλων σκυθρωπῶς ὑπεκρέων, τοὺς συνηθροισμένους ἀπέλυσαν ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀσχολίαν.

³⁵οἵ τε ᾿Ιουδαῖοι τὰ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀκούσαντες, τὸν ἐπιφανῆ Θεὸν καὶ βασιλέα τῶν βασιλέων ᾔνουν καὶ τῆσδε τῆς βοηθείας αὐτοῦ τετευχότες.—

³⁶Κατὰ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς νόμους ὁ βασιλεὺς συστησάμενος πάλιν τὸ συμπόσιον εἰς εὐφροσύνην τραπῆναι παρεκάλει.

³⁷τὸν δὲ ῞Ερμωνα προσκαλεσάμενος μετὰ ἀπειλῆς εἶπε· ποσάκις σοι δεῖ περὶ τούτων αὐτῶν προστάττειν, ἀθλιώτατε;

³⁸τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἔτι καὶ νῦν καθόπλισον εἰς τὴν αὔριον ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων ἀφανισμόν.

³⁹οἱ δὲ συνανακείμενοι συγγενεῖς τὴν ἄστατον διάνοιαν αὐτοῦ θαυμάζοντες, προεφέροντο τάδε·

⁴⁰βασιλεῦ, μέχρι τίνος ὡς ἀλόγους ἡμᾶς διαπειράζεις, προστάσσων ἤδη τρίτον αὐτοὺς ἀφανίσαι καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκ μεταβολῆς ἀναλύων τὰ σοὶ δεδογμένα;

⁴¹ὧν χάριν ἡ πόλις διὰ τὴν προσδοκίαν ὀχλεῖ καὶ πληθύουσα συστροφαῖς, ἤδη καὶ κινδυνεύει πολλάκις διαρπασθῆναι.

⁴²ὅθεν ὁ κατὰ πάντα Φάλαρις βασιλεὺς ἐμπληθυνθεὶς ἀλογιστίας καὶ τὰς γινομένας πρὸς ἐπισκοπὴν τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων ἐν αὐτῷ μεταβολὰς τῆς ψυχῆς παρ᾿ οὐδὲν ἡγούμενος, ἀτελέστατον ἐβεβαίωσεν ὅρκον, ὁρισάμενος τούτους μὲν ἀνυπερθέτως πέμψειν εἰς ᾅδην ἐν γόνασι καὶ ποσὶ θηρίων ᾐκισμένους,

⁴³ἐπιστρατεύσαντα δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ᾿Ιουδαίαν ἰσόπεδον πυρὶ καὶ δόρατι θήσεσθαι διὰ τάχους καὶ τὸν ἄβατον αὐτῶν ἡμῖν ναὸν πυρὶ πρηνέα ἐν τάχει τῶν συντελούντων ἐκεῖ θυσίας ἔρημον εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον καταστήσειν.

⁴⁴τότε περιχαρεῖς ἀναλύσαντες οἱ φίλοι καὶ συγγενεῖς μετὰ πίστεως διέτασσον τὰς δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τοὺς εὐκαιροτάτους τόπους τῆς πόλεως πρὸς τήρησιν.

⁴⁵ὁ δὲ ἐλεφαντάρχης τὰ θηρία σχεδὸν εἰπεῖν εἰς κατάστημα μανιῶδες ἀγηοχώς, εὐωδεστάτοις πόμασιν οἴνου λελιβανωμένου φοβεραῖς κατεσκευασμένα σκευαῖς,

⁴⁶περὶ τὴν ἕω, τῆς πόλεως ἤδη πλήθεσιν ἀναριθμήτοις κατὰ τοῦ ἱπποδρόμου καταμεμεστωμένης, εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον ὤτρυνε τὸν βασιλέα.

⁴⁷ὁ δὲ ὀργῇ βαρείᾳ γεμίσας δυσσεβῆ φρένα παντὶ τῷ βάρει σὺν τοῖς θηρίοις ἐξώρμησε, βουλόμενος ἀτρώτῳ καρδίᾳ καὶ κόραις ὀφθαλμῶν θεάσασθαι τὴν ἐπίπονον καὶ ταλαίπωρον τῶν προσεσημαμμένων καταστροφήν.

⁴⁸ὡς δὲ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐξιόντων περὶ πύλην καὶ τῆς συνεπομένης ἐνόπλου δυνάμεως τῆς τε τοῦ πλήθους πορείας κονιορτὸν ἰδόντες, καὶ βαρυηχῆ θόρυβον ἀκούσαντες οἱ ᾿Ιουδαῖοι,

⁴⁹ὑστάτην βίου ροπὴν αὐτοῖς ἐκείνην δόξαντες εἶναι τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀθλιωτάτης προσδοκίας, εἰς οἶκτον καὶ γόους τραπέντες κατεφίλουν ἀλλήλους περιπλεκόμενοι τοῖς συγγενέσιν ἐπὶ τοὺς τραχήλους ἐπιπίπτοντες, γονεῖς παισὶ καὶ μητέρες νεάνισιν, ἕτεραι δὲ νεογνὰ πρὸς μαστοὺς ἔχουσαι βρέφη τελευταῖον ἕλκοντα γάλα.

⁵⁰οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν γεγενημένας ἀντιλήψεις ἐξ οὐρανοῦ συνιδόντες, πρηνεῖς ὁμοθυμαδὸν ρίψαντες ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τὰ νήπια χωρίσαντες τῶν μαστῶν,

⁵¹ἀνεβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ σφόδρα, τὸν τῆς ἁπάσης δυνάμεως δυνάστην ἱκετεύοντες, οἰκτεῖραι μετ᾿ ἐπιφανείας αὐτοὺς ἤδη πρὸς πύλαις ᾅδου καθεστῶτας.

¹Then he called Hermon, who had charge of the elephants. Full of rage, altogether fixed in his furious design,

²he commanded him, with a quantity of unmixed wine and handfuls of incense [infused] to drug the elephants early on the following day. These five hundred elephants were, when infuriated by the copious draughts of frankincense, to be led up to the execution of death upon the Jews.

³The king, after issuing these orders, went to his feasting, and gathered together all those of his friends and of the army who hated the Jews the most.

⁴The master of the elephants, Hermon, fulfilled his commission punctually.

⁵The underlings appointed for the purpose went out about eventide and bound the hands of the miserable victims, and took other precautions for their security at night, thinking that the whole race would perish together.

⁶The heathen believed the Jews to be destitute of all protection; for chains fettered them about.

⁷they invoked the Almighty Lord, and ceaselessly besought with tears their merciful God and Father, Ruler of all, Lord of every power,

⁸to overthrow the evil purpose which was gone out against them, and to deliver them by extraordinary manifestation from that death which was in store for them.

⁹Their litany so earnest went up to heaven.

¹⁰Then Hermon, who had filled his merciless elephants with copious draughts of mingled wine and frankincense, came early to the palace to certify the kind thereof.

¹¹He, however, who has sent his good creature sleep from all time by night or by day thus gratifying whom he wills, diffused a portion thereof now upon the king.

¹²By this sweet and profound influence of the Lord he was held fast, and thus his unjust purpose was quite frustrated, and his unflinching resolve greatly falsified.

¹³But the Jews, having escaped the hour which had been fixed, praised their holy God, and again prayed him who is easily reconciled to display the power of his powerful hand to the overweening Gentiles.

¹⁴The middle of the tenth hour had well nigh arrived, when the master- bidder, seeing the guests who were bidden collected, came and shook the king.

¹⁵He gained his attention with difficulty, and hinting that the mealtime was getting past, talked the matter over with him.

¹⁶The king listened to this, and then turning aside to his potations, commanded the guests to sit down before him.

¹⁷This done, he asked them to enjoy themselves, and to indulge in mirth at this somewhat late hour of the banquet.

¹⁸Conversation grew on, and the king sent for Hermon, and enquired of him, with fierce denunciations, why the Jews had been allowed to outlive that day.

¹⁹Hermon explained that he had done his bidding over night; and in this he was confirmed by his friends.

²⁰The king, then, with a barbarity exceeding that of Phalaris, said, That they might thank his sleep of that day. Lose no time, and get ready the elephants against tomorrow, as you did before, for the destruction of these accursed Jews.

²¹When the king said this, the company present were glad, and approved; and then each man went to his own home.

²²Nor did they employ the night in sleep, so much as in contriving cruel mockeries for those deemed miserable.

²³The morning cock had just crowed, and Hermon, having harnessed the brutes, was stimulating them in the great colonnade.

²⁴The city crowds were collected together to see the hideous spectacle, and waited impatiently for the dawn.

²⁵The Jews, breathless with momentary suspense, stretched forth their hands, and prayed the Greatest God, in mournful strains, again to help them speedily.

²⁶The sun’s rays were not yet shed abroad, and the king was waiting for his friends, when Hermon came to him, calling him out, and saying, That his desires could now be realized.

²⁷The king, receiving him, was astonished at his unwonted exit; and, overwhelmed with a spirit of oblivion about everything, enquired the object of this earnest preparation.

²⁸But this was the wroking of that Almighty God who had made him forget all his purpose.

²⁹Hermon, and all his friends, pointed out the preparation of the animals. they are ready, O king, according to your own strict injunction.

³⁰The king was filled with fierce anger at these words; for, by the Providence of God regarding these things, his mind had become entirely confused. He looked hard at Hermon, and threatened him as follows:

³¹Your parents, or your children, were they here, to these wild beasts a large repast they should have furnished; not these innocent Jews, who me and my forefathers loyally have served.

³²Had it not been for familar friendship, and the claims of your office, your life should have gone for theirs.

³³Hermon, being threatened in this unexpected and alarming manner, was troubled in visage, and depressed in countenance.

³⁴The friends, too, stole out one by one, and dismissed the assembled multitudes to their respective occupations.

³⁵The Jews, having heard of these events, praised the glorious God and King of kings, because they had obtained this help, too, from him.

³⁶Now the king arranged another banquet after the same manner, and proclaimed an invitation to mirth.

²⁷And he summoned Hermon to his presence, and said, with threats, How often, O wretch, must I repeat my orders to thee about these same persons?

²⁸Once more, arm the elephants against the morrow for the extermination of the Jews.

³⁹His kinsmen, who were reclining with him, wondered at his instability, and thus expressed themselves:

⁴⁰O king, how long dost thou make trial of us, as of men bereft of reason? This is the third time that thou hast ordered their destruction. When the thing is to be done, thou changest thy mind, and recallest thy instructions.

⁴¹For this cause the feeling of expectation causes tumult in the city: it swarms with factions; and is continually on the point of being plundered.

⁴²The king, just like another Phalaris, a prey to thoughtlessness, made no account of the changes which his own mind had undergone, issuing in the deliverance of the Jews. He swore a fruitless oath, and determined forthwith to send them to hades, crushed by the knees and feet of the elephants.

⁴³He would also invade Judea, and level its towns with fire and the sword; and destroy that temple which the heathen might not enter, and prevent sacrifices ever after being offered up there.

⁴⁴Joyfully his friends broke up, together with his kinsmen; and, trusting in his determination, arranged their forces in guard at the most convenient places of the city.

⁴⁵And the master of the elephants urged the beasts into an almost maniacal state, drenched them with incense and wine, and decked them with frightful instruments.

⁴⁶About early morning, when the city was now filled with an immense number of people at the hippodrome, he entered the palace, and called the king to the business in hand.

⁴⁷The king’s heart teemed with impious rage; and he rushed forth with the mass, along with the elephants. With feelings unsoftened, and eyes pitiless, he longed to gaze at the hard and wretched doom of the abovementioned [Jews].

⁴⁸But the [Jews,] when the elephants went out at the gate, followed by the armed force; and when they saw the dust raised by the throng, and heard the loud cries of the crowd,

⁴⁹thought that they had come to the last moment of their lives, to the end of what they had tremblingly expected. They gave way, therefore, to lamentations and moans: they kissed each other: those nearest of kin to each other hung about one another’s necks: fathers about their sons, mother their daughters: other women held their infants to their breasts, which drew what seemed their last milk.

⁵⁰Nevertheless, when they reflected upon the succour before granted them from heaven, they prostrated themselves with one accord; removed even the sucking children from the breasts, and

⁵¹sent up an exceeding great cry entreating the Lord of all power to reveal himself, and have mercy upon those who now lay at the gates of hades.