1 Maccabees 8

1Now Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they are powerful and strong, and willingly agree to all things that are requested of them: and that whosoever have come to them, they have made amity with them, and that they are mighty in power.

2And they heard of their battles, and their noble acts, which they had done in Galatia, how they conquered them, and brought them under tribute:

3And how great things they had done in the land of Spain, and that they had brought under their power the mines of silver and of gold that are there, and had gotten possession of all the place by their counsel and patience:

4And had conquered places that were very far off from them, and kings that came against them from the ends of the earth, and had overthrown them with great slaughter: and the rest pay them tribute every year.

5And that they had defeated in battle Philip, and Perses the king of the Ceteans, and the rest that had borne arms against them, and had conquered them:

6And how Antiochus the great king of Asia, who went to fight against them, having a hundred and twenty elephants, with horsemen, and chariots, and a very great army, was routed by them:

7And how they took him alive, and appointed to him, that both he and they that should reign after him, should pay a great tribute, and that he should give hostages, and that which was agreed upon,

8And the country of the Indians, and of the Medes, and of the Lydians, some of their best provinces: and those which they had taken from them they gave to king Eumenes.

9And that they who were in Greece had a mind to go and to destroy them: and they had knowledge thereof,

10And they sent a general against them, and fought with them, and many of them were slain, and they carried away their wives and their children captives, and spoiled them, and took possession of their land, and threw down their walls, and brought them to be their servants unto this day.

11And the other kingdoms, and islands, that at any time had resisted them, they had destroyed and brought under their power.

12But with their friends, and such as relied upon them, they kept amity, and had conquered kingdoms that were near, and that were far off: for all that heard their name, were afraid of them.

13That whom they had a mind to help to a kingdom, those reigned: and whom they would, they deposed from a kingdom: and they were greatly exalted.

14And none of all these wore a crown, or was clothed in purple, to be magnified thereby.

15And that they made themselves a senate house, and consulted daily three hundred and twenty men, that sat in council always for the people, that they might do the things that were right.

16And that they committed their government to one man every year, to rule over all their country, and they all obey one, and there is no envy, nor jealousy amongst them.

17So Judas chose Eupolemus the son of John, the son of Jacob, and Jason the son of Eleazar, and he sent them to Rome to make a league of amity and confederacy with them.

18And that they might take off from them the yoke of the Grecians, for they saw that they oppressed the kingdom of Israel with servitude.

19And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered into the senate house, and said:

20Judas Machabeus, and his brethren, and the people of the Jews have sent us to you, to make alliance and peace with you, and that we may be registered your confederates and friends.

21And the proposal was pleasing in their sight.

22And this is the copy of the writing that they wrote back again, graven in tables of brass, and sent to Jerusalem, that it might be with them there for a memorial of the peace and alliance.

23GOOD SUCCESS BE TO THE ROMANS, and to the people of the Jews, by sea and by land for ever: and far be the sword and enemy from them.

24But if there come first any war upon the Romans, or any of their confederates, in all their dominions:

25The nation of the Jews shall help them according as the time shall direct, with all their heart:

26Neither shall they give them, whilst they are fighting, or furnish them with wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the Romans: and they shall obey their orders, without taking any thing of them.

27In like manner also if war shall come first upon the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall help them with all their heart, according as the time shall permit them.

28And there shall not be given to them that come to their aid, either wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, as it hath seemed good to the Romans: and they shall observe their orders without deceit.

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

30And if after this one party or the other shall have a mind to add to these articles, or take away anything, they may do it at their pleasure: and whatsoever they shall add, or take away, shall be ratified.

31Moreover concerning the evils that Demetrius the king hath done against them, we have written to him, saying: Why hast thou made thy yoke heavy upon our friends, and allies, the Jews?

32If therefore they come again to us complaining of thee, we will do them justice, and will make war against thee by sea and land.

1Et audivit Judas nomen Romanorum, quia sunt potentes viribus, et acquiescunt ad omnia quæ postulantur ab eis, et quicumque accesserunt ad eos, statuerunt cum eis amicitias: et quia sunt potentes viribus.

2Et audierunt prælia eorum, et virtutes bonas, quas fecerunt in Galatia, quia obtinuerunt eos, et duxerunt sub tributum:

3et quanta fecerunt in regione Hispaniæ, et quod in potestatem redegerunt metalla argenti et auri, quæ illic sunt, et possederunt omnem locum consilio suo, et patientia:

4locaque quæ longe erant valde ab eis, et reges, qui supervenerant eis ab extremis terræ, contriverunt, et percusserunt eos plaga magna: ceteri autem dant eis tributum omnibus annis.

5Et Philippum et Persen Ceteorum regem, et ceteros qui adversum eos arma tulerant, contriverunt in bello, et obtinuerunt eos:

6et Antiochum magnum regem Asiæ, qui eis pugnam intulerat habens centum viginti elephantos, et equitatum, et currus, et exercitum magnum valde, contritum ab eis:

7et quia ceperunt eum vivum, et statuerunt ei ut daret ipse, et qui regnarent post ipsum, tributum magnum, et daret obsides, et constitutum,

8et regionem Indorum, et Medos, et Lydos, de optimis regionibus eorum: et acceptas eas ab eis, dederunt Eumeni regi,

9et quia qui erant apud Helladam, voluerunt ire, et tollere eos: et innotuit sermo his,

10et miserunt ad eos ducem unum, et pugnaverunt contra illos, et ceciderunt ex eis multi, et captivas duxerunt uxores eorum et filios, et diripuerunt eos, et terram eorum possederunt, et destruxerunt muros eorum, et in servitutem illos redegerunt usque in hunc diem:

11et residua regna, et insulas, quæ aliquando restiterant illis, exterminaverunt, et in potestatem redegerunt.

12Cum amicis autem suis, et qui in ipsis requiem habebant, conservaverunt amicitiam, et obtinuerunt regna, quæ erant proxima, et quæ erant longe: quia quicumque audiebant nomen eorum, timebant eos:

13quibus vero vellent auxilio esse ut regnarent, regnabant: quos autem vellent, regno deturbabant: et exaltati sunt valde.

14Et in omnibus istis nemo portabat diadema, nec induebatur purpura, ut magnificaretur in ea.

15Et quia curiam fecerunt sibi, et quotidie consulebant trecentos viginti consilium agentes semper de multitudine, ut quæ digna sunt, gerant:

16et committunt uni homini magistratum suum per singulos annos dominari universæ terræ suæ, et omnes obediunt uni, et non est invidia, neque zelus inter eos.

17Et elegit Judas Eupolemum filium Joannis filii Jacob, et Jasonem filium Eleazari, et misit eos Romam constituere cum illis amicitiam et societatem:

18et ut auferrent ab eis jugum Græcorum, quia viderunt quod in servitutem premerent regnum Israël.

19Et abierunt Romam viam multam valde, et introierunt curiam, et dixerunt:

20Judas Machabæus, et fratres ejus, et populus Judæorum, miserunt nos ad vos statuere vobiscum societatem et pacem, et conscribere nos socios et amicos vestros.

21Et placuit sermo in conspectu eorum.

22Et hoc rescriptum est quod rescripserunt in tabulis æreis, et miserunt in Jerusalem, ut esset apud eos ibi memoriale pacis et societatis:

23Bene sit Romanis, et genti Judæorum, in mari et in terra in æternum: gladiusque et hostis procul sit ab eis.

24Quod si institerit bellum Romanis prius, aut omnibus sociis eorum in omni dominatione eorum,

25auxilium feret gens Judæorum, prout tempus dictaverit, corde pleno:

26et præliantibus non dabunt, neque subministrabunt triticum, arma, pecuniam, naves, sicut placuit Romanis: et custodient mandata eorum, nihil ab eis accipientes.

27Similiter autem et si genti Judæorum prius acciderit bellum, adjuvabunt Romani ex animo, prout eis tempus permiserit:

28et adjuvantibus non dabitur triticum, arma, pecunia, naves, sicut placuit Romanis: et custodient mandata eorum absque dolo:

29secundum hæc verba constituerunt Romani populo Judæorum.

30Quod si post hæc verba hi aut illi addere aut demere ad hæc aliquid voluerint, facient ex proposito suo: et quæcumque addiderint, vel dempserint, rata erunt.

31Sed et de malis, quæ Demetrius rex fecit in eos, scripsimus ei, dicentes: Quare gravasti jugum tuum super amicos nostros, et socios Judæos?

32si ergo iterum adierint nos, adversum te faciemus illis judicium, et pugnabimus tecum mari terraque.

1And Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they are powerful and strong, and that they willingly agree to all things that are asked of them; and that, whoever was agreeable to them, they established a friendship with them, and so they are powerful and resourceful.

2And they heard of their battles, and the successful works that they had accomplished in Galatia, how they had subdued them and brought them under tribute,

3and what great things they had accomplished in the region of Spain, and that they had driven under their power the mines of silver and gold which are there, and that they had obtained possession of the entire place by their counsel and patience,

4and that they had overcome places that were very far from them, and kings, who came against them from the ends of the earth, and had crushed them and struck them with a great scourging, while the rest pay tribute to them every year,

5and that they had defeated in battle Philip, and Perses the king of the Ceteans, and the others who had taken up arms against them, and had crushed them in warfare and subdued them,

6and how Antiochus, the great king of Asia, who brought a fight against them, having one hundred and twenty elephants, with horsemen, and swift chariots, and a very great army, was crushed by them,

7and how they had captured him alive and had decreed to him that both he and those who would reign after him would pay a great tribute, and that he should provide hostages bound to an agreement,

8and that regions from the Indians, and from the Medes, and from the Lydians, from among their best regions, with those whom they had taken from them, they gave to king Eumenes.

9And those who were in Greece wanted to go out and defeat them, but they became aware of this plan.

10And so they sent one general to them, and he fought against them, and many of them fell, and they led into captivity their wives, and their sons, and they despoiled them and took possession of their land, and they destroyed their walls and drove them into servitude, even to this day.

11And the remaining kingdoms and islands, which at any time had resisted them, they destroyed and drove under their power.

12But with their friends, and with those who remained at peace with them, they maintained friendship and conquered kingdoms: those that were near, and those that were far off. For all those who heard of their name were afraid of them.

13In fact, whomever they wanted to help become ruler, these reigned, but whomever they wanted, they deposed from the kingdom. And they were greatly exalted.

14And of all these, none wore a diadem or was clothed in purple, to be magnified in this.

15And also, they had made themselves a senate house, and they consulted daily with three hundred and twenty men, continually acting as a counsel for the multitude, so that they would do the things that were right.

16And they commit their government to one man each year, to rule over their entire land, and they all obey this one, and there is no envy or jealousy among them.

17And so Judas chose Eupolemus, the son of John, the son of Jacob, and Jason, the son of Eleazar, and he sent them to Rome to make an agreement of friendship and an alliance with them,

18and so that they would take away from them the yoke of the Grecians, for they saw that they oppressed the kingdom of Israel with servitude.

19And they went to Rome, a very long journey, and they entered the senate house, and they said,

20“Judas Maccabeus, and his brothers, and the people of the Jews, have sent us to you to establish with you an alliance and peace, and so that we may be registered among your associates and friends.”

21And the word was pleasing in their sight.

22And this is a copy of the writing, which they rewrote on tablets of brass and sent to Jerusalem, so that it would be with them in that place as a memorial of the peace and alliance:

23“May all be well with the Romans and with the nation of the Jews, at sea and on land, forever, and may sword and enemy be far away from them.

24But if a war is instituted against the Romans first, or against any of their allies in all their dominions,

25the nation of the Jews will bring help to them, just as the situation shall direct, whole-heartedly.

26And those who do battle, they need not provide with supplies of wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, just as it seems good to the Romans, and they shall obey their orders, while taking nothing from them.

27But in like manner also, if war will have fallen upon the nation of the Jews first, the Romans shall help them willingly, just as the situation permits them.

28And those who give assistance will not be provided with wheat, or arms, or money, or ships, just as it seems good to the Romans. And they shall obey their orders without deceit.

29According to these words, the Romans have made an agreement with the people of the Jews.

30And, if after these words, one or another would want to add anything to, or take anything from these, they may do as they propose. And whatever they add or take away, it shall be ratified.

31Moreover, concerning the evils that king Demetrius did to them, we have written to him, saying, ‘Why have you made your yoke heavy upon our friends and allies, the Jews?

32If, therefore, they come again to us against you, we will render judgment for them, and we will make war against you by sea and by land.’ ”