My LORD’s Bible3 Maccabees 5
1Then he called Hermon, who had charge of the elephants. Full of rage, altogether fixed in his furious design,
τότε προσκαλεσάμενος ἕρμωνα τὸν πρὸς τῇ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐπιμελείᾳ βαρείᾳ μεμεστωμένος ὀργῇ καὶ χόλῳ κατὰ πᾶν ἀμετάθετος
2he commanded him, with a quantity of unmixed wine with handfuls of incense infused, to drug the elephants early on the following day. These five hundred elephants were, when infuriated by the copious drinks of frankincense, to be led up to the execution of death upon the Jews.
ἐκέλευσεν 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
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.
ὁ μὲν τάδε προστάσσων ἐτρέπετο πρὸς τὴν εὐωχίαν συναγαγὼν τοὺς μάλιστα τῶν φίλων καὶ τῆς στρατιᾶς ἀπεχθῶς ἔχοντας πρὸς τοὺς ιουδαίους
4The master of the elephants, Hermon, fulfilled his commission punctually.
ὁ δὲ ἐλεφαντάρχης τὸ προσταγὲν ἀραρότως ἕρμων συνετέλει
5The servants appointed for the purpose went out about evening 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.
οἵ τε πρὸς τούτοις λειτουργοὶ κατὰ τὴν ἑσπέραν ἐξιόντες τὰς τῶν ταλαιπωρούντων ἐδέσμευον χεῖρας τήν τε λοιπὴν ἐμηχανῶντο περὶ αὐτοὺς ἀσφάλειαν ἔννυχον δόξαντες ὁμοῦ λήμψεσθαι τὸ φῦλον πέρας τῆς ὀλεθρίας
6The heathen believed the Jews to be destitute of all protection, for chains bound them.
οἱ δὲ πάσης σκέπης ἔρημοι δοκοῦντες εἶναι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ιουδαῖοι διὰ τὴν πάντοθεν περιέχουσαν αὐτοὺς μετὰ δεσμῶν ἀνάγκην
7They invoked the Almighty Lord, and ceaselessly implored with tears their merciful God and Father, Ruler of all, Lord of every power,
τὸν παντοκράτορα κύριον καὶ πάσης δυνάμεως δυναστεύοντα ἐλεήμονα θεὸν αὐτῶν καὶ πατέρα δυσκαταπαύστῳ βοῇ πάντες μετὰ δακρύων ἐπεκαλέσαντο δεόμενοι
8to overthrow the evil purpose which had gone out against them, and to deliver them by extraordinary manifestation from that death which was in store for them.
τὴν κατ' αὐτῶν μεταστρέψαι βουλὴν ἀνοσίαν καὶ ῥύσασθαι αὐτοὺς μετὰ μεγαλομεροῦς ἐπιφανείας ἐκ τοῦ παρὰ πόδας ἐν ἑτοίμῳ μόρου
9Their earnest entreaty went up to heaven.
τούτων μὲν οὖν ἐκτενῶς ἡ λιτανεία ἀνέβαινεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανόν
10Then Hermon, who had filled his merciless elephants with copious drinks of mixed wine and frankincense, came early to the palace to report on these preparations.
ὁ δὲ ἕρμων τοὺς ἀνηλεεῖς ἐλέφαντας ποτίσας πεπληρωμένους τῆς τοῦ οἴνου πολλῆς χορηγίας καὶ τοῦ λιβάνου μεμεστωμένους ὄρθριος ἐπὶ τὴν αὐλὴν παρῆν περὶ τούτων προσαγγεῖλαι τῷ βασιλεῖ
11He, however, who has sent his good creatures sleep from all time by night or by day thus gratifying whom he wills, diffused a portion of it now upon the king.
τὸ δὲ ἀπ' αἰῶνος χρόνου κτίσμα καλὸν ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἐπιβαλλόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ χαριζομένου πᾶσιν οἷς ἂν αὐτὸς θελήσῃ ὕπνου μέρος ἀπέστειλεν εἰς τὸν βασιλέα
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.
καὶ ἡδίστῳ καὶ βαθεῖ κατεσχέθη τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τοῦ δεσπότου τῆς ἀθέσμου μὲν προθέσεως πολὺ διεσφαλμένος τοῦ δὲ ἀμεταθέτου λογισμοῦ μεγάλως διεψευσμένος
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 arrogant Gentiles.
οἵ τε ιουδαῖοι τὴν προσημανθεῖσαν ὥραν διαφυγόντες τὸν ἅγιον ᾔνουν θεὸν αὐτῶν καὶ πάλιν ἠξίουν τὸν εὐκατάλλακτον δεῖξαι μεγαλοσθενοῦς ἑαυτοῦ χειρὸς κράτος ἔθνεσιν ὑπερηφάνοις
14The middle of the tenth hour had nearly arrived, when the person who sent invitations, seeing the guests who were invited present, came and shook the king.
μεσούσης δὲ ἤδη δεκάτης ὥρας σχεδὸν ὁ πρὸς ταῖς κλήσεσιν τεταγμένος ἀθρόους τοὺς κλητοὺς ἰδὼν ἔνυξεν προσελθὼν τὸν βασιλέα
15He gained his attention with difficulty, and hinting that the mealtime was getting past, talked the matter over with him.
καὶ μόλις διεγείρας ὑπέδειξε τὸν τῆς συμποσίας καιρὸν ἤδη παρατρέχοντα τὸν περὶ τούτων λόγον ποιούμενος
16The king listened to this, and then turning aside to his drinking, commanded the guests to sit down before him.
ὃν ὁ βασιλεὺς λογισάμενος καὶ τραπεὶς εἰς τὸν πότον ἐκέλευσεν τοὺς παραγεγονότας ἐπὶ τὴν συμποσίαν ἄντικρυς ἀνακλῖναι αὐτοῦ
17This done, he asked them to enjoy themselves, and to indulge in mirth at this somewhat late hour of the banquet.
οὗ καὶ γενομένου παρῄνει εἰς εὐωχίαν δόντας ἑαυτοὺς τὸ παρὸν τῆς συμποσίας ἐπὶ πολὺ γεραιρομένους εἰς εὐφροσύνην καταθέσθαι μέρος
18Conversation grew on, and the king sent for Hermon, and inquired of him, with fierce denunciations, why the Jews had been allowed to outlive that day.
ἐπὶ πλεῖον δὲ προβαινούσης τῆς ὁμιλίας τὸν ἕρμωνα προσκαλεσάμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς μετὰ πικρᾶς ἀπειλῆς ἐπυνθάνετο τίνος ἕνεκεν αἰτίας εἰάθησαν οἱ ιουδαῖοι τὴν περιοῦσαν ἡμέραν περιβεβιωκότες
19Hermon explained that he had done his bidding over night; and in this he was confirmed by his friends.
τοῦ δὲ ὑποδείξαντος ἔτι νυκτὸς τὸ προσταγὲν ἐπὶ τέλος ἀγειοχέναι καὶ τῶν φίλων αὐτῷ προσμαρτυρησάντων
20The king, then, with a barbarity exceeding that of Phalaris, said, “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.”
τὴν ὠμότητα χείρονα φαλάριδος ἐσχηκὼς ἔφη τῷ τῆς σήμερον ὕπνῳ χάριν ἔχειν αὐτούς ἀνυπερθέτως δὲ εἰς τὴν ἐπιτελοῦσαν ἡμέραν κατὰ τὸ ὅμοιον ἑτοίμασον τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν ἀθεμίτων ιουδαίων ἀφανισμόν
21When the king said this, the company present were glad, and approved. Then each man went to his own home.
εἰπόντος δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀσμένως πάντες μετὰ χαρᾶς οἱ παρόντες ὁμοῦ συναινέσαντες εἰς τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον ἕκαστος ἀνέλυσεν
22They didn’t employ the night in sleep, but in contriving cruel mockeries for those deemed miserable.
καὶ οὐχ οὕτως εἰς ὕπνον κατεχρήσαντο τὸν χρόνον τῆς νυκτός ὡς εἰς τὸ παντοίους μηχανᾶσθαι τοῖς ταλαιπώροις δοκοῦσιν ἐμπαιγμούς
23The morning cock had just crowed, and Hermon, having harnessed the brutes, was stimulating them in the great colonnade.
ἄρτι δὲ ἀλεκτρυὼν ἐκέκραγεν ὄρθριος καὶ τὰ θηρία καθωπλικὼς ὁ ἕρμων ἐν τῷ μεγάλῳ περιστύλῳ διεκίνει
24The city crowds were collected together to see the hideous spectacle, and waited impatiently for the dawn.
τὰ δὲ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν πλήθη συνήθροιστο πρὸς τὴν οἰκτροτάτην θεωρίαν προσδοκῶντα τὴν πρωίαν μετὰ σπουδῆς
25The Jews, breathless with momentary suspense, stretched out their hands and prayed the Greatest God, in mournful strains, again to help them speedily.
οἱ δὲ ιουδαῖοι κατὰ τὸν ἀμερῆ ψυχουλκούμενοι χρόνον πολύδακρυν ἱκετείαν ἐν μέλεσιν γοεροῖς τείνοντες τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐδέοντο τοῦ μεγίστου θεοῦ πάλιν αὐτοῖς βοηθῆσαι συντόμως
26The sun’s rays were not yet shining 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.
οὔπω δὲ ἡλίου βολαὶ κατεσπείροντο καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως τοὺς φίλους ἐκδεχομένου ὁ ἕρμων παραστὰς ἐκάλει πρὸς τὴν ἔξοδον ὑποδεικνύων τὸ πρόθυμον τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν ἑτοίμῳ κεῖσθαι
27The king, receiving him, was astonished at his unusual invitation. Overwhelmed with a spirit of oblivion about everything, inquired about the object of this earnest preparation.
τοῦ δὲ ἀποδεξαμένου καὶ καταπλαγέντος ἐπὶ τῇ παρανόμῳ ἐξόδῳ κατὰ πᾶν ἀγνωσίᾳ κεκρατημένος ἐπυνθάνετο τί τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐφ' οὗ τοῦτο αὐτῷ μετὰ σπουδῆς τετέλεσται
28But this was the working of that Almighty God who had made him forget all his purpose.
τοῦτο δὲ ἦν ἡ ἐνέργεια τοῦ πάντα δεσποτεύοντος θεοῦ τῶν πρὶν αὐτῷ μεμηχανημένων λήθην κατὰ διάνοιαν ἐντεθεικότος
29Hermon and all his friends pointed out the preparation of the animals. They are ready, O king, according to your own strict injunction.
ὑπεδείκνυεν ὁ ἕρμων καὶ πάντες οἱ φίλοι τὰ θηρία καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις ἡτοιμάσθαι βασιλεῦ κατὰ τὴν σὴν ἐκτενῆ πρόθεσιν
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:
ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς ῥηθεῖσιν πληρωθεὶς βαρεῖ χόλῳ διὰ τὸ περὶ τούτων προνοίᾳ θεοῦ διεσκεδάσθαι πᾶν αὐτοῦ τὸ νόημα ἐνατενίσας μετὰ ἀπειλῆς εἶπεν
31“Your parents, or your children, were they here, would have given a large meal to these wild animals, not these innocent Jews, who have loyally served me and my forefathers.
ὅσοι γονεῖς παρῆσαν ἢ παίδων γόνοι τήνδε θηρσὶν ἀγρίοις ἐσκεύασα ἂν δαψιλῆ θοῖναν ἀντὶ τῶν ἀνεγκλήτων ἐμοὶ καὶ προγόνοις ἐμοῖς ἀποδεδειγμένων ὁλοσχερῆ βεβαίαν πίστιν ἐξόχως ιουδαίων
32Had it not been for familiar friendship, and the claims of your office, your life should have gone for theirs.”
καίπερ εἰ μὴ διὰ τὴν τῆς συντροφίας στοργὴν καὶ τῆς χρείας τὸ ζῆν ἀντὶ τούτων ἐστερήθης
33Hermon, being threatened in this unexpected and alarming manner, was troubled in his eyes, and his face fell.
οὕτως ὁ ἕρμων ἀπροσδόκητον ἐπικίνδυνον ὑπήνεγκεν ἀπειλὴν καὶ τῇ ὁράσει καὶ τῷ προσώπῳ συνεστάλη
34The friends, too, stole out one by one, and dismissed the assembled multitudes to their respective occupations.
ὁ καθεῖς δὲ τῶν φίλων σκυθρωπῶς ὑπεκρέων τοὺς συνηθροισμένους ἀπέλυσαν ἕκαστον ἐπὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀσχολίαν
35The Jews, having heard of these events, praised the glorious God and King of kings, because they had obtained this help, too, from him.
οἵ τε ιουδαῖοι τὰ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀκούσαντες τὸν ἐπιφανῆ θεὸν κύριον βασιλέα τῶν βασιλέων ᾔνουν καὶ τῆσδε τῆς βοηθείας αὐτοῦ τετευχότες
36Now the king arranged another banquet in the same way, and proclaimed an invitation to mirth.
κατὰ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς νόμους ὁ βασιλεὺς συστησάμενος πᾶν τὸ συμπόσιον εἰς εὐφροσύνην τραπῆναι παρεκάλει
37He summoned Hermon to his presence, and said, with threats, “How often, O wretch, must I repeat my orders to you about these same persons?
τὸν δὲ ἕρμωνα προσκαλεσάμενος μετὰ ἀπειλῆς εἶπεν ποσάκις δὲ δεῖ σοι περὶ τούτων αὐτῶν προστάττειν ἀθλιώτατε
38Once more, arm the elephants for the extermination of the Jews tomorrow!”
τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἔτι καὶ νῦν καθόπλισον εἰς τὴν αὔριον ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν ιουδαίων ἀφανισμόν
39His kinsmen, who were reclining with him, wondered at his instability, and thus expressed themselves:
οἱ δὲ συνανακείμενοι συγγενεῖς τὴν ἀσταθῆ διάνοιαν αὐτοῦ θαυμάζοντες προεφέροντο τάδε
40“O king, how long do you test us, as of men bereft of reason? This is the third time that you have ordered their destruction. When the thing is to be done, you change your mind, and recall your instructions.
βασιλεῦ μέχρι τίνος ὡς ἀλόγους ἡμᾶς διαπειράζεις προστάσσων ἤδη τρίτον αὐτοὺς ἀφανίσαι καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκ μεταβολῆς ἀναλύων τὰ σοὶ δεδογμένα
41Because of this, the feeling of expectation causes tumult in the city. It swarms with factions, and is continually on the point of being plundered.”
ὧν χάριν ἡ πόλις διὰ τὴν προσδοκίαν ὀχλεῖ καὶ πληθύουσα συστροφαῖς ἤδη καὶ κινδυνεύει πολλάκις διαρπασθῆναι
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 immediately to send them to hades, crushed by the knees and feet of the elephants.
ὅθεν ὁ κατὰ πάντα φάλαρις βασιλεὺς ἐμπληθυνθεὶς ἀλογιστίας καὶ τὰς γινομένας πρὸς ἐπισκοπὴν τῶν ιουδαίων ἐν αὐτῷ μεταβολὰς τῆς ψυχῆς παρ' οὐδὲν ἡγούμενος ἀτελέστατον βεβαίως ὅρκον ὁρισάμενος τούτους μὲν ἀνυπερθέτως πέμψειν εἰς ᾅδην ἐν γόνασιν καὶ ποσὶν θηρίων ᾐκισμένους
43He would also invade Judea, level its towns with fire and the sword, destroy that temple which the heathen might not enter, and prevent sacrifices ever after being offered up there.
ἐπιστρατεύσαντα δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ιουδαίαν ἰσόπεδον πυρὶ καὶ δόρατι θήσεσθαι διὰ τάχους καὶ τὸν ἄβατον ἡμῖν αὐτῶν ναὸν πυρὶ πρηνέα ἐν τάχει τῶν συντελούντων ἐκεῖ θυσίας ἔρημον εἰς τὸν ἅπαντα χρόνον καταστήσειν
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.
τότε περιχαρεῖς ἀναλύσαντες οἱ φίλοι καὶ συγγενεῖς μετὰ πίστεως διέτασσον τὰς δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τοὺς εὐκαιροτάτους τόπους τῆς πόλεως πρὸς τὴν τήρησιν
45The master of the elephants urged the animals into an almost maniacal state, drenched them with incense and wine, and decked them with frightful devices.
ὁ δὲ ἐλεφαντάρχης τὰ θηρία σχεδὸν ὡς εἰπεῖν εἰς κατάστεμα μανιῶδες ἀγειοχὼς εὐωδεστάτοις πόμασιν οἴνου λελιβανωμένου φοβερῶς κεκοσμημένα κατασκευαῖς
46About early morning, when the city was filled with an immense number of people at the hippodrome, he entered the palace and called the king to the business in hand.
περὶ τὴν ἕω τῆς πόλεως ἤδη πλήθεσιν ἀναριθμήτοις κατὰ τοῦ ἱπποδρόμου καταμεμεστωμένης εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον ὤτρυνε τὸν βασιλέα
47The king’s heart teemed with impious rage; and he rushed forth with the mass, along with the elephants. With unsoftened feelings and pitiless eyes, he longed to gaze at the hard and wretched doom of the previously mentioned Jews.
ὁ 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
48The elephants went out at the gate, followed by the armed force. When the Jews saw the dust raised by the throng, and heard the loud cries of the crowd,
ὡς δὲ τῶν ἐλεφάντων ἐξιόντων περὶ πύλην καὶ τῆς συνεπομένης ἐνόπλου δυνάμεως τῆς τε τοῦ πλήθους πορείας κονιορτὸν ἰδόντες καὶ βαρυηχῆ θόρυβον ἀκούσαντες οἱ ιουδαῖοι
49they thought that they had come to the last moment of their lives, to the end that they had tremblingly expected. They gave way, therefore, to lamentations and moans. They kissed each other. Those nearest of kin to each other hung around one another’s necks—fathers hugging their sons and mothers their daughters. Other women held their infants to their breasts, which drew what seemed their last milk.
ὑστάτην βίου ῥοπὴν αὐτοῖς ἐκείνην δόξαντες εἶναι τὸ τέλος τῆς ἀθλιωτάτης προσδοκίας εἰς οἶκτον καὶ γόους τραπέντες κατεφίλουν ἀλλήλους περιπλεκόμενοι τοῖς συγγενέσιν ἐπὶ τοὺς τραχήλους ἐπιπίπτοντες γονεῖς παισὶν καὶ μητέρες νεάνισιν ἕτεραι δὲ νεογνὰ πρὸς μαστοὺς ἔχουσαι βρέφη τελευταῖον ἕλκοντα γάλα
50Nevertheless, when they reflected upon the help previously granted them from heaven, they prostrated themselves with one accord, removed even the sucking children from the breasts, and
οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν γεγενημένας ἀντιλήμψεις ἐξ οὐρανοῦ συνιδόντες πρηνεῖς ὁμοθυμαδὸν ῥίψαντες ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τὰ νήπια χωρίσαντες τῶν μαστῶν
51sent up an exceedingly great cry asking the Lord of all power to reveal himself, and have mercy upon those who now lay at the gates of hades.
ἀνεβόησαν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ σφόδρα τὸν τῆς ἁπάσης δυνάμεως δυνάστην ἱκετεύοντες οἰκτῖραι μετὰ ἐπιφανείας αὐτοὺς ἤδη πρὸς πύλαις ᾅδου καθεστῶτας