¹Sed non post multum temporis,But not much time later,misit rex senem quemdam Antiochenum,the king sent a certain elder of Antioch,qui compelleret Judæos ut se transferrent a patriis et Dei legibus:who compelled the Jews to transfer themselves from the laws of God and of their fathers,

¹Sed non post multum temporis,But not much time later,misit rex senem quemdam Antiochenum,the king sent a certain elder of Antioch,qui compelleret Judæos ut se transferrent a patriis et Dei legibus:who compelled the Jews to transfer themselves from the laws of God and of their fathers,

²contaminare etiam quod in Jerosolymis erat templum,and also to contaminate the temple that was in Jerusalem,et cognominare Jovis Olympii:and to name it ‘Jupiter of Olympus,’et in Garizim,and in Garizim,prout erant hi qui locum inhabitabant,‘Jupiter of Hospitality,’Jovis hospitalis.exactly like those who inhabited the place.

²contaminare etiam quod in Jerosolymis erat templum,and also to contaminate the temple that was in Jerusalem,et cognominare Jovis Olympii:and to name it ‘Jupiter of Olympus,’et in Garizim,and in Garizim,prout erant hi qui locum inhabitabant,‘Jupiter of Hospitality,’Jovis hospitalis.exactly like those who inhabited the place.

³Pessima autem et universis gravis erat malorum incursio:Yet the worst and most grievous thing of all was the onrush of evils.

³Pessima autem et universis gravis erat malorum incursio:Yet the worst and most grievous thing of all was the onrush of evils.

⁴nam templum luxuria et comessationibus gentium erat plenum,For the temple was full of the luxuries and carousings of the Gentiles,et scortantium cum meretricibus:and of consorting with promiscuous women.sacratisque ædibus mulieres se ultro ingerebant,And the women hurried themselves unreservedly into the sacred buildings,intro ferentes ea quæ non licebat.bringing in things that were not lawful.

⁴nam templum luxuria et comessationibus gentium erat plenum,For the temple was full of the luxuries and carousings of the Gentiles,et scortantium cum meretricibus:and of consorting with promiscuous women.sacratisque ædibus mulieres se ultro ingerebant,And the women hurried themselves unreservedly into the sacred buildings,intro ferentes ea quæ non licebat.bringing in things that were not lawful.

⁵Altare etiam plenum erat illicitis,And even the altar was filled with illicit things,quæ legibus prohibebantur.which were prohibited by the laws.

⁵Altare etiam plenum erat illicitis,And even the altar was filled with illicit things,quæ legibus prohibebantur.which were prohibited by the laws.

⁶Neque autem sabbata custodiebantur,And also the Sabbaths were not kept,neque dies solemnes patrii servabantur,and the solemn days of the fathers were not observed,nec simpliciter Judæum se esse quisquam confitebatur.neither did anyone simply confess himself to be a Jew.

⁶Neque autem sabbata custodiebantur,And also the Sabbaths were not kept,neque dies solemnes patrii servabantur,and the solemn days of the fathers were not observed,nec simpliciter Judæum se esse quisquam confitebatur.neither did anyone simply confess himself to be a Jew.

⁷Ducebantur autem cum amara necessitate in die natalis regis ad sacrificia:And so, they were led by bitter necessity, on the birthday of the king,et cum Liberi sacra celebrarentur,to the sacrifices. And, when the holy things of Liber were celebrated,cogebantur hedera coronati Libero circuire.they were forced to go around crowned with the ivy of Liber.

⁷Ducebantur autem cum amara necessitate in die natalis regis ad sacrificia:And so, they were led by bitter necessity, on the birthday of the king,et cum Liberi sacra celebrarentur,to the sacrifices. And, when the holy things of Liber were celebrated,cogebantur hedera coronati Libero circuire.they were forced to go around crowned with the ivy of Liber.

⁸Decretum autem exiit in proximas gentilium civitates,Then a decree went out to the neighboring cities of the Gentiles,suggerentibus Ptolemæis,suggested by the Ptolemeans,ut pari modo et ipsi adversus Judæos agerent,that they too should act in a similar manner against the Jews,ut sacrificarent:to oblige them to sacrifice,

⁸Decretum autem exiit in proximas gentilium civitates,Then a decree went out to the neighboring cities of the Gentiles,suggerentibus Ptolemæis,suggested by the Ptolemeans,ut pari modo et ipsi adversus Judæos agerent,that they too should act in a similar manner against the Jews,ut sacrificarent:to oblige them to sacrifice,

⁹eos autem qui nollent transire ad instituta gentium,and that those who were not willing to conform to the institutions of the Gentiles should be executed.interficerent:Therefore,erat ergo videre miseriam.there was misery to be seen.

⁹eos autem qui nollent transire ad instituta gentium,and that those who were not willing to conform to the institutions of the Gentiles should be executed.interficerent:Therefore,erat ergo videre miseriam.there was misery to be seen.

¹⁰Duæ enim mulieres delatæ sunt natos suos circumcidisse:For two women were denounced for having had their boys circumcised.quas,These,infantibus ad ubera suspensis,with the infants suspended at their breasts,cum publice per civitatem circumduxissent,when they had publicly led them around the city,per muros præcipitaverunt.they cast down from the walls.

¹⁰Duæ enim mulieres delatæ sunt natos suos circumcidisse:For two women were denounced for having had their boys circumcised.quas,These,infantibus ad ubera suspensis,with the infants suspended at their breasts,cum publice per civitatem circumduxissent,when they had publicly led them around the city,per muros præcipitaverunt.they cast down from the walls.

¹¹Alii vero,Truly,ad proximas coëuntes speluncas,others,et latenter sabbati diem celebrantes,meeting together in nearby caves and celebrating the Sabbath day secretly,cum indicati essent Philippo,when they had been discovered by Philip,flammis succensi sunt,were burned with fire,eo quod verebantur propter religionembecause they showed reverence to the observances of religion,et observantiam manu sibimet auxilium ferre.deciding to help themselves by their own hand.

¹¹Alii vero,Truly,ad proximas coëuntes speluncas,others,et latenter sabbati diem celebrantes,meeting together in nearby caves and celebrating the Sabbath day secretly,cum indicati essent Philippo,when they had been discovered by Philip,flammis succensi sunt,were burned with fire,eo quod verebantur propter religionembecause they showed reverence to the observances of religion,et observantiam manu sibimet auxilium ferre.deciding to help themselves by their own hand.

¹²Obsecro autem eos qui hunc librum lecturi sunt,So then, I beg those who will read this Book,ne abhorrescant propter adversos casus:let them not be repelled by these adverse events,sed reputent ea quæ acciderunt,but let them consider that these things happened,non ad interitum,not for the destruction,sed ad correptionem esse generis nostri.but for the correction, of our people.

¹²Obsecro autem eos qui hunc librum lecturi sunt,So then, I beg those who will read this Book,ne abhorrescant propter adversos casus:let them not be repelled by these adverse events,sed reputent ea quæ acciderunt,but let them consider that these things happened,non ad interitum,not for the destruction,sed ad correptionem esse generis nostri.but for the correction, of our people.

¹³Etenim multo tempore non sinere peccatoribus ex sententia agere, sed statim ultiones adhibere,For it is also an indication of great benefits that sinners are not permitted to continue in their ways for a long time,magni beneficii est indicium.but are promptly brought to punishment.

¹³Etenim multo tempore non sinere peccatoribus ex sententia agere, sed statim ultiones adhibere,For it is also an indication of great benefits that sinners are not permitted to continue in their ways for a long time,magni beneficii est indicium.but are promptly brought to punishment.

¹⁴Non enim, sicut in aliis nationibus,For, as it is with other nations,Dominus patienter exspectat,(whom the Lord patiently awaits,ut eas cum judicii dies advenerit,so that, when the day of Judgment will arrive,in plenitudine peccatorum puniat:he may punish them according to the plentitude of their sins,)

¹⁴Non enim, sicut in aliis nationibus,For, as it is with other nations,Dominus patienter exspectat,(whom the Lord patiently awaits,ut eas cum judicii dies advenerit,so that, when the day of Judgment will arrive,in plenitudine peccatorum puniat:he may punish them according to the plentitude of their sins,)

¹⁵ita et in nobis statuit ut,not so does he also deal with us,peccatis nostris in finem devolutis,as if to put off our sins until the end,ita demum in nos vindicet.so as to punish us for them eventually.

¹⁵ita et in nobis statuit ut,not so does he also deal with us,peccatis nostris in finem devolutis,as if to put off our sins until the end,ita demum in nos vindicet.so as to punish us for them eventually.

¹⁶Propter quod numquam quidem a nobis misericordiam suam amovet:Because of this, he certainly would never take away his mercy from us. Yet truly,corripiens vero in adversis,chastising his people in adversity,populum suum non dereliquit.he does not abandon them.

¹⁶Propter quod numquam quidem a nobis misericordiam suam amovet:Because of this, he certainly would never take away his mercy from us. Yet truly,corripiens vero in adversis,chastising his people in adversity,populum suum non dereliquit.he does not abandon them.

¹⁷Sed hæc nobis ad commonitionem legentium dicta sint paucis.But these few things have been spoken by us as a reminder to the reader.Jam enim veniendum est ad narrationem.For now we have arrived at the narration.

¹⁷Sed hæc nobis ad commonitionem legentium dicta sint paucis.But these few things have been spoken by us as a reminder to the reader.Jam enim veniendum est ad narrationem.For now we have arrived at the narration.

¹⁸Igitur Eleazarus,And so,unus de primoribus scribarum,Eleazar,vir ætate provectus,one of the chief scribes,et vultu decorus,a man advanced in years and of stately countenance,aperto ore hians compellebatur carnem porcinam manducare.was compelled to open his mouth wide to consume the flesh of swine.

¹⁸Igitur Eleazarus,And so,unus de primoribus scribarum,Eleazar,vir ætate provectus,one of the chief scribes,et vultu decorus,a man advanced in years and of stately countenance,aperto ore hians compellebatur carnem porcinam manducare.was compelled to open his mouth wide to consume the flesh of swine.

¹⁹At ille gloriosissimam mortem magis quam odibilem vitam complectens,Yet he, embracing a most glorious death as greater than a detestable life,voluntarie præibat ad supplicium.went forward voluntarily to the torments.

¹⁹At ille gloriosissimam mortem magis quam odibilem vitam complectens,Yet he, embracing a most glorious death as greater than a detestable life,voluntarie præibat ad supplicium.went forward voluntarily to the torments.

²⁰Intuens autem quemadmodum oporteret accedere,And so, thinking over the manner by which he ought to approach it,patienter sustinens,enduring patiently,destinavit non admittere illicita propter vitæ amorem.he was determined not to permit, due to a love for life, any unlawful things.

²⁰Intuens autem quemadmodum oporteret accedere,And so, thinking over the manner by which he ought to approach it,patienter sustinens,enduring patiently,destinavit non admittere illicita propter vitæ amorem.he was determined not to permit, due to a love for life, any unlawful things.

²¹Hi autem qui astabant,Yet those who stood near,iniqua miseratione commoti propter antiquam viri amicitiam,being moved by an iniquitous pity because of long friendship with the man,tollentes eum secreto rogabant afferri carnes quibus vesci ei licebat,taking him aside privately, asked that flesh be brought which was lawful for him to eat,ut simularetur manducasse sicut rex imperaverat de sacrificii carnibus,so that he could pretend to have eaten, just as the king had commanded, from the flesh of the sacrifice.

²¹Hi autem qui astabant,Yet those who stood near,iniqua miseratione commoti propter antiquam viri amicitiam,being moved by an iniquitous pity because of long friendship with the man,tollentes eum secreto rogabant afferri carnes quibus vesci ei licebat,taking him aside privately, asked that flesh be brought which was lawful for him to eat,ut simularetur manducasse sicut rex imperaverat de sacrificii carnibus,so that he could pretend to have eaten, just as the king had commanded, from the flesh of the sacrifice.

²²ut hoc facto,So then,a morte liberaretur:by doing this,et propter veterem viri amicitiam,he might be freed from death.hanc in eo faciebant humanitatem.And it was because of their old friendship with the man that they performed this kindness for him.

²²ut hoc facto,So then,a morte liberaretur:by doing this,et propter veterem viri amicitiam,he might be freed from death.hanc in eo faciebant humanitatem.And it was because of their old friendship with the man that they performed this kindness for him.

²³At ille cogitare cœpit ætatis ac senectutis suæ eminentiam dignam,But he began to consider the eminent dignity of his stage of life and old age,et ingenitæ nobilitatis canitiem,and the natural honor of gray hair,atque a puero optimæ conversationis actus:as well as his exemplary words and deeds from childhood.et secundum sanctæ et a Deo conditæ legis constituta, respondit cito,And he responded quickly, according also to the ordinances of the sacred law preserved by God,dicens præmitti se velle in infernum.saying, that he would first be sent to the underworld.

²³At ille cogitare cœpit ætatis ac senectutis suæ eminentiam dignam,But he began to consider the eminent dignity of his stage of life and old age,et ingenitæ nobilitatis canitiem,and the natural honor of gray hair,atque a puero optimæ conversationis actus:as well as his exemplary words and deeds from childhood.et secundum sanctæ et a Deo conditæ legis constituta, respondit cito,And he responded quickly, according also to the ordinances of the sacred law preserved by God,dicens præmitti se velle in infernum.saying, that he would first be sent to the underworld.

²⁴Non enim ætati nostræ dignum est,“For it is not worthy for those of our age,”inquit,he said,fingere:“to deceive,ut multi adolescentium,so that many adolescents might think that Eleazar,arbitrantes Eleazarum nonaginta annorum transisse ad vitam alienigenarum,at ninety years, had converted to the life of the foreigners.

²⁴Non enim ætati nostræ dignum est,“For it is not worthy for those of our age,”inquit,he said,fingere:“to deceive,ut multi adolescentium,so that many adolescents might think that Eleazar,arbitrantes Eleazarum nonaginta annorum transisse ad vitam alienigenarum,at ninety years, had converted to the life of the foreigners.

²⁵et ipsi propter meam simulationem, et propter modicum corruptibilis vitæ tempus decipiantur, et per hoc maculam atque execrationem meæ senectuti conquiram.And so, they, because of my pretense and for the sake of a brief time of a corruptible life, would be misled, and, through this stain and desecration, I would defile my last years.

²⁵et ipsi propter meam simulationem, et propter modicum corruptibilis vitæ tempus decipiantur, et per hoc maculam atque execrationem meæ senectuti conquiram.And so, they, because of my pretense and for the sake of a brief time of a corruptible life, would be misled, and, through this stain and desecration, I would defile my last years.

²⁶Nam etsi in præsenti tempore suppliciis hominum eripiar,But if, in the present time, I were rescued from the torments of men,sed manum Omnipotentis nec vivus,I would then not escape the hand of the Almighty,nec defunctus,neither in life,effugiam.nor in death.

²⁶Nam etsi in præsenti tempore suppliciis hominum eripiar,But if, in the present time, I were rescued from the torments of men,sed manum Omnipotentis nec vivus,I would then not escape the hand of the Almighty,nec defunctus,neither in life,effugiam.nor in death.

²⁷Quam ob rem fortiter vita excedendo,For this reason, by departing life with fortitude,senectute quidem dignus apparebo:I will show myself to be clearly worthy of my long life.

²⁷Quam ob rem fortiter vita excedendo,For this reason, by departing life with fortitude,senectute quidem dignus apparebo:I will show myself to be clearly worthy of my long life.

²⁸adolescentibus autem exemplum forte relinquam,And so, I will bequeath an example of fortitude to youths, if,si prompto animo ac fortiter pro gravissimis ac sanctissimis legibus honesta morte perfungar.with a ready soul and constancy, I carry out an honest death, for the sake of the most serious and most holy laws.”His dictis,And having said this,confestim ad supplicium trahebatur.he was immediately dragged away to execution.

²⁸adolescentibus autem exemplum forte relinquam,And so, I will bequeath an example of fortitude to youths, if,si prompto animo ac fortiter pro gravissimis ac sanctissimis legibus honesta morte perfungar.with a ready soul and constancy, I carry out an honest death, for the sake of the most serious and most holy laws.”His dictis,And having said this,confestim ad supplicium trahebatur.he was immediately dragged away to execution.

²⁹Hi autem qui eum ducebant,But those who led him,et paulo ante fuerant mitiores,and who were more mild a little before,in iram conversi sunt propter sermones ab eo dictos,were turned to anger because of the words spoken by him,quos illi per arrogantiam prolatos arbitrabantur.which they considered to have been brought forth by way of arrogance.

²⁹Hi autem qui eum ducebant,But those who led him,et paulo ante fuerant mitiores,and who were more mild a little before,in iram conversi sunt propter sermones ab eo dictos,were turned to anger because of the words spoken by him,quos illi per arrogantiam prolatos arbitrabantur.which they considered to have been brought forth by way of arrogance.

³⁰Sed cum plagis perimeretur,But when he was ready to perish by the scourges,ingemuit,he groaned,et dixit:and he said:Domine,“O Lord,qui habes sanctam scientiam,who holds all holy knowledge,manifeste tu scis quia cum a morte possem liberari,you clearly understand that, although I could be freed from death,duros corporis sustineo dolores:I suffer grievous pains in body. Truly,secundum animam vero propter timorem tuum libenter hæc patior.according to the soul, I willingly endure these things, because of your fear.”

³⁰Sed cum plagis perimeretur,But when he was ready to perish by the scourges,ingemuit,he groaned,et dixit:and he said:Domine,“O Lord,qui habes sanctam scientiam,who holds all holy knowledge,manifeste tu scis quia cum a morte possem liberari,you clearly understand that, although I could be freed from death,duros corporis sustineo dolores:I suffer grievous pains in body. Truly,secundum animam vero propter timorem tuum libenter hæc patior.according to the soul, I willingly endure these things, because of your fear.”

³¹Et iste quidem hoc modo vita decessit,And the way in which this man passed from this life,non solum juvenibus,bequeathed,sednot only to youths,et universæ genti memoriam mortis suæ ad exemplum virtutisbut also to the entire people,et fortitudinis derelinquens.the memory of his death as an example of virtue and fortitude.

³¹Et iste quidem hoc modo vita decessit,And the way in which this man passed from this life,non solum juvenibus,bequeathed,sednot only to youths,et universæ genti memoriam mortis suæ ad exemplum virtutisbut also to the entire people,et fortitudinis derelinquens.the memory of his death as an example of virtue and fortitude.