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ΜΑΚΚΑΒΑΙΩΝ Β | 2 MACCABEES - Brenton|RSV | Reference |
| 1 | Ὁ δὲ προειρημένος Σιμων ὁ τῶν χρημάτων καὶ τῆς πατρίδος ἐνδείκτης γεγονὼς ἐκακολόγει τὸν Ονιαν, ὡς αὐτός τε εἴη τὸν Ἡλιόδωρον ἐπισεσεικὼς καὶ τῶν κακῶν δημιουργὸς καθεστηκώς, |
The previously mentioned Simon, who had informed about the money against his own country, slandered Onias, saying that it was he who had incited Heliodorus and had been the real cause of the misfortune. | Simon accused Onias. 2Mace.4.1-6 |
| 2 | καὶ τὸν εὐεργέτην τῆς πόλεως καὶ τὸν κηδεμόνα τῶν ὁμοεθνῶν καὶ ζηλωτὴν τῶν νόμων ἐπίβουλον τῶν πραγμάτων ἐτόλμα λέγειν. |
He dared to designate as a plotter against the government the man who was the benefactor of the city, the protector of his fellow countrymen, and a zealot for the laws. | |
| 3 | τῆς δὲ ἔχθρας ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον προβαινούσης ὥστε καὶ διά τινος τῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Σιμωνος δεδοκιμασμένων φόνους συντελεῖσθαι, |
When his hatred progressed to such a degree that even murders were committed by one of Simon's approved agents, | |
| 4 | συνορῶν ὁ Ονιας τὸ χαλεπὸν τῆς φιλονεικίας καὶ Ἀπολλώνιον Μενεσθέως τὸν Κοίλης Συρίας καὶ Φοινίκης στρατηγὸν συναύξοντα τὴν κακίαν τοῦ Σιμωνος, |
Onias recognized that the rivalry was serious and that Apollonius, the son of Menestheus and governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, was intensifying the malice of Simon. | |
| 5 | πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα διεκομίσθη οὐ γινόμενος τῶν πολιτῶν κατήγορος, τὸ δὲ σύμφορον κοινῇ καὶ κατ' ἰδίαν παντὶ τῷ πλήθει σκοπῶν· |
So he betook himself to the king, not accusing his fellow citizens but having in view the welfare, both public and private, of all the people. | |
| 6 | ἑώρα γὰρ ἄνευ βασιλικῆς προνοίας ἀδύνατον εἶναι τυχεῖν εἰρήνης ἔτι τὰ πράγματα καὶ τὸν Σιμωνα παῦλαν οὐ λημψόμενον τῆς ἀνοίας. |
For he saw that without the king's attention public affairs could not again reach a peaceful settlement, and that Simon would not stop his folly. | |
| 7 | Μεταλλάξαντος δὲ τὸν βίον Σελεύκου καὶ παραλαβόντος τὴν βασιλείαν Ἀντιόχου τοῦ προσαγορευθέντος Ἑπιφανοῦς ὑπενόθευσεν Ἰάσων ὁ ἀδελφὸς Ονιου τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην |
When Seleucus died and Antiochus who was called Epiphanes succeeded to the kingdom, Jason the brother of Onias obtained the high priesthood by corruption, | Jason introduces Greek customs. 2Mace.4.7-17 |
| 8 | ἐπαγγειλάμενος τῷ βασιλεῖ δι' ἐντεύξεως ἀργυρίου τάλαντα ἑξήκοντα πρὸς τοῖς τριακοσίοις καὶ προσόδου τινὸς ἄλλης τάλαντα ὀγδοήκοντα. |
promising the king at an interview three hundred and sixty talents of silver and, from another source of revenue, eighty talents. | |
| 9 | πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ὑπισχνεῖτο καὶ ἕτερα διαγράφειν πεντήκοντα πρὸς τοῖς ἑκατόν, ἐὰν ἐπιχωρηθῇ διὰ τῆς ἐξουσίας αὐτοῦ γυμνάσιον καὶ ἐφηβεῖον αὐτῷ συστήσασθαι καὶ τοὺς ἐν Ιεροσολύμοις Ἀντιοχεῖς ἀναγράψαι. |
In addition to this he promised to pay one hundred and fifty more if permission were given to establish by his authority a gymnasium and a body of youth for it, and to enrol the men of Jerusalem as citizens of Antioch. | |
| 10 | ἐπινεύσαντος δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς κρατήσας εὐθέως πρὸς τὸν Ἑλληνικὸν χαρακτῆρα τοὺς ὁμοφύλους μετέστησε. |
When the king assented and Jason came to office, he at once shifted his countrymen over to the Greek way of life. | |
| 11 | καὶ τὰ κείμενα τοῖς Ιουδαίοις φιλάνθρωπα βασιλικὰ διὰ Ιωάννου τοῦ πατρὸς Εὐπολέμου τοῦ ποιησαμένου τὴν πρεσβείαν ὑπὲρ φιλίας καὶ συμμαχίας πρὸς τοὺς Ῥωμαίους παρώσας καὶ τὰς μὲν νομίμους καταλύων πολιτείας παρανόμους ἐθισμοὺς ἐκαίνιζεν. |
He set aside the existing royal concessions to the Jews, secured through John the father of Eupolemus, who went on the mission to establish friendship and alliance with the Romans; and he destroyed the lawful ways of living and introduced new customs contrary to the law. | |
| 12 | ἀσμένως γὰρ ὑπ' αὐτὴν τὴν ἀκρόπολιν γυμνάσιον καθίδρυσεν καὶ τοὺς κρατίστους τῶν ἐφήβων ὑποτάσσων ὑπὸ πέτασον ἤγαγεν. |
For with alacrity he founded a gymnasium right under the citadel, and he induced the noblest of the young men to wear the Greek hat. | |
| 13 | ἦν δ' οὕτως ἀκμή τις Ἑλληνισμοῦ καὶ πρόσβασις ἀλλοφυλισμοῦ διὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀσεβοῦς καὶ οὐκ ἀρχιερέως Ἰάσωνος ὑπερβάλλουσαν ἀναγνείαν |
There was such an extreme of Hellenization and increase in the adoption of foreign ways because of the surpassing wickedness of Jason, who was ungodly and no high priest, | |
| 14 | ὥστε μηκέτι περὶ τὰς τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου λειτουργίας προθύμους εἶναι τοὺς ἱερεῖς, ἀλλὰ τοῦ μὲν νεὼ καταφρονοῦντες καὶ τῶν θυσιῶν ἀμελοῦντες ἔσπευδον μετέχειν τῆς ἐν παλαίστρῃ παρανόμου χορηγίας μετὰ τὴν τοῦ δίσκου πρόσκλησιν, |
that the priests were no longer intent upon their service at the altar. Despising the sanctuary and neglecting the sacrifices, they hastened to take part in the unlawful proceedings in the wrestling arena after the call to the discus, | |
| 15 | καὶ τὰς μὲν πατρῴους τιμὰς ἐν οὐδενὶ τιθέμενοι, τὰς δὲ Ἑλληνικὰς δόξας καλλίστας ἡγούμενοι. |
disdaining the honours prized by their fathers and putting the highest value upon Greek forms of prestige. | |
| 16 | ὧν καὶ χάριν περιέσχεν αὐτοὺς χαλεπὴ περίστασις, καὶ ὧν ἐζήλουν τὰς ἀγωγὰς καὶ καθ' ἅπαν ἤθελον ἐξομοιοῦσθαι, τούτους πολεμίους καὶ τιμωρητὰς ἔσχον· |
For this reason heavy disaster overtook them, and those whose ways of living they admired and wished to imitate completely became their enemies and punished them. | |
| 17 | ἀσεβεῖν γὰρ εἰς τοὺς θείους νόμους οὐ ῥᾴδιον, ἀλλὰ ταῦτα ὁ ἀκόλουθος καιρὸς δηλώσει. |
For it is no light thing to show irreverence to the divine laws - a fact which later events will make clear. | |
| 18 | Ἀγομένου δὲ πενταετηρικοῦ ἀγῶνος ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως παρόντος |
When the quadrennial games were being held at Tyre and the king was present, | Jerusalem under Seleucid influence. 2Mace.4.18-22 |
| 19 | ἀπέστειλεν Ἰάσων ὁ μιαρὸς θεωροὺς ὡς ἀπὸ Ιεροσολύμων Ἀντιοχεῖς ὄντας παρακομίζοντας ἀργυρίου δραχμὰς τριακοσίας εἰς τὴν τοῦ Ἡρακλέους θυσίαν, ἃς καὶ ἠξίωσαν οἱ παρακομίσαντες μὴ χρῆσθαι εἰς θυσίαν διὰ τὸ μὴ καθήκειν, εἰς ἑτέραν δὲ καταθέσθαι δαπάνην. |
the vile Jason sent envoys, chosen as being Antiochian citizens from Jerusalem, to carry three hundred silver drachmas for the sacrifice to Hercules. Those who carried the money, however, thought best not to use it for sacrifice, because that was inappropriate, but to expend it for another purpose. | |
| 20 | ἔπεσε μὲν οὖν ταῦτα διὰ μὲν τὸν ἀποστείλαντα εἰς τὴν τοῦ Ἡρακλέους θυσίαν, ἕνεκεν δὲ τῶν παρακομιζόντων εἰς τὰς τῶν τριηρέων κατασκευάς. |
So this money was intended by the sender for the sacrifice to Hercules, but by the decision of its carriers it was applied to the construction of triremes. | |
| 21 | Ἀποσταλέντος δὲ εἰς Αἴγυπτον Ἀπολλωνίου τοῦ Μενεσθέως διὰ τὰ πρωτοκλίσια τοῦ Φιλομήτορος βασιλέως μεταλαβὼν Ἀντίοχος ἀλλότριον αὐτὸν τῶν αὐτοῦ γεγονέναι πραγμάτων τῆς καθ' αὑτὸν ἀσφαλείας ἐφρόντιζεν· ὅθεν εἰς Ιοππην παραγενόμενος κατήντησεν εἰς Ιεροσόλυμα. |
When Apollonius the son of Menestheus was sent to Egypt for the coronation of Philometor as king, Antiochus learned that Philometor had become hostile to his government, and he took measures for his own security. Therefore upon arriving at Joppa he proceeded to Jerusalem. | |
| 22 | μεγαλομερῶς δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰάσωνος καὶ τῆς πόλεως ἀποδεχθεὶς μετὰ δᾳδουχίας καὶ βοῶν εἰσεδέχθη, εἶθ οὕτως εἰς τὴν Φοινίκην κατεστρατοπέδευσεν. |
He was welcomed magnificently by Jason and the city, and ushered in with a blaze of torches and with shouts. Then he marched into Phoenicia. | |
| 23 | Μετὰ δὲ τριετῆ χρόνον ἀπέστειλεν Ἰάσων Μενέλαον τὸν τοῦ προσημαινομένου Σιμωνος ἀδελφὸν παρακομίζοντα τὰ χρήματα τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ περὶ πραγμάτων ἀναγκαίων ὑπομνηματισμοὺς τελέσοντα. |
After a period of three years Jason sent Menelaus, the brother of the previously mentioned Simon, to carry the money to the king and to complete the records of essential business. | Menelaus becomes High Priest. 2Mace.4.23-29 |
| 24 | ὁ δὲ συσταθεὶς τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ δοξάσας αὐτὸν τῷ προσώπῳ τῆς ἐξουσίας εἰς ἑαυτὸν κατήντησεν τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην ὑπερβαλὼν τὸν Ἰάσωνα τάλαντα ἀργυρίου τριακόσια. |
But he, when presented to the king, extolled him with an air of authority, and secured the high priesthood for himself, outbidding Jason by three hundred talents of silver. | |
| 25 | λαβὼν δὲ τὰς βασιλικὰς ἐντολὰς παρεγένετο τῆς μὲν ἀρχιερωσύνης οὐδὲν ἄξιον φέρων, θυμοὺς δὲ ὠμοῦ τυράννου καὶ θηρὸς βαρβάρου ὀργὰς ἔχων. |
After receiving the king's orders he returned, possessing no qualification for the high priesthood, but having the hot temper of a cruel tyrant and the rage of a savage wild beast. | |
| 26 | καὶ ὁ μὲν Ἰάσων ὁ τὸν ἴδιον ἀδελφὸν ὑπονοθεύσας ὑπονοθευθεὶς ὑφ' ἑτέρου φυγὰς εἰς τὴν Αμμανῖτιν χώραν συνήλαστο. |
So Jason, who after supplanting his own brother was supplanted by another man, was driven as a fugitive into the land of Ammon. | |
| 27 | ὁ δὲ Μενέλαος τῆς μὲν ἀρχῆς ἐκράτει, τῶν δὲ ἐπηγγελμένων τῷ βασιλεῖ χρημάτων οὐδὲν εὐτάκτει· |
And Menelaus held the office, but he did not pay regularly any of the money promised to the king. | |
| 28 | ποιουμένου δὲ τὴν ἀπαίτησιν Σωστράτου τοῦ τῆς ἀκροπόλεως ἐπάρχου, πρὸς τοῦτον γὰρ ἦν ἡ τῶν διαφόρων πρᾶξις· δι' ἣν αἰτίαν οἱ δύο ὑπὸ τοῦ βασιλέως προσεκλήθησαν, |
When Sostratus the captain of the citadel kept requesting payment, for the collection of the revenue was his responsibility, the two of them were summoned by the king on account of this issue. | |
| 29 | καὶ ὁ μὲν Μενέλαος ἀπέλιπεν τῆς ἀρχιερωσύνης διάδοχον Λυσίμαχον τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἀδελφόν, Σώστρατος δὲ Κράτητα τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν Κυπρίων. |
Menelaus left his own brother Lysimachus as deputy in the high priesthood, while Sostratus left Crates, the commander of the Cyprian troops. | |
| 30 | Τοιούτων δὲ συνεστηκότων συνέβη Ταρσεῖς καὶ Μαλλώτας στασιάζειν διὰ τὸ Ἀντιοχίδι τῇ παλλακῇ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν δωρεᾷ δεδόσθαι. |
While such was the state of affairs, it happened that the people of Tarsus and of Mallus revolted because their cities had been given as a present to Antiochis, the king's concubine. | Murder of Onias. 2Mace.4.30-34 |
| 31 | θᾶττον οὖν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἧκεν καταστεῖλαι τὰ πράγματα καταλιπὼν τὸν διαδεχόμενον Ἀνδρόνικον τῶν ἐν ἀξιώματι κειμένων. |
So the king went hastily to settle the trouble, leaving Andronicus, a man of high rank, to act as his deputy. | |
| 32 | νομίσας δὲ ὁ Μενέλαος εἰληφέναι καιρὸν εὐφυῆ χρυσώματά τινα τῶν τοῦ ἱεροῦ νοσφισάμενος ἐχαρίσατο τῷ Ἀνδρονίκῳ καὶ ἕτερα ἐτύγχανεν πεπρακὼς εἴς τε Τύρον καὶ τὰς κύκλῳ πόλεις. |
But Menelaus, thinking he had obtained a suitable opportunity, stole some of the gold vessels of the temple and gave them to Andronicus; other vessels, as it happened, he had sold to Tyre and the neighbouring cities. | |
| 33 | ἃ καὶ σαφῶς ἐπεγνωκὼς ὁ Ονιας ἀπήλεγχεν ἀποκεχωρηκὼς εἰς ἄσυλον τόπον ἐπὶ Δάφνης τῆς πρὸς Ἀντιόχειαν κειμένης. |
When Onias became fully aware of these acts he publicly exposed them, having first withdrawn to a place of sanctuary at Daphne near Antioch. | |
| 34 | ὅθεν ὁ Μενέλαος λαβὼν ἰδίᾳ τὸν Ἀνδρόνικον παρεκάλει χειρώσασθαι τὸν Ονιαν· ὁ δὲ παραγενόμενος ἐπὶ τὸν Ονιαν καὶ πεισθεὶς ἐπὶ δόλῳ καὶ δεξιασθεὶς μεθ' ὅρκων δοὺς δεξιάν, καίπερ ἐν ὑποψίᾳ κείμενος, ἔπεισεν ἐκ τοῦ ἀσύλου προελθεῖν, ὃν καὶ παραχρῆμα παρέκλεισεν οὐκ αἰδεσθεὶς τὸ δίκαιον. |
Therefore Menelaus, taking Andronicus aside, urged him to kill Onias. Andronicus came to Onias, and resorting to treachery offered him sworn pledges and gave him his right hand, and in spite of his suspicion persuaded Onias to come out from the place of sanctuary; then, with no regard for justice, he immediately put him out of the way. | |
| 35 | δι' ἣν αἰτίαν οὐ μόνον Ιουδαῖοι, πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐθνῶν ἐδείναζον καὶ ἐδυσφόρουν ἐπὶ τῷ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀδίκῳ φόνῳ. |
For this reason not only Jews, but many also of other nations, were grieved and displeased at the unjust murder of the man. | Punishment of Andronicus. 2Mace.4.35-38 |
| 36 | τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως ἐπανελθόντος ἀπὸ τῶν κατὰ Κιλικίαν τόπων ἐνετύγχανον οἱ κατὰ πόλιν Ιουδαῖοι συμμισοπονηρούντων καὶ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ὑπὲρ τοῦ παρὰ λόγον τὸν Ονιαν ἀπεκτονῆσθαι. |
When the king returned from the region of Cilicia, the Jews in the city appealed to him with regard to the unreasonable murder of Onias, and the Greeks shared their hatred of the crime. | |
| 37 | ψυχικῶς οὖν ὁ Ἀντίοχος ἐπιλυπηθεὶς καὶ τραπεὶς ἐπὶ ἔλεος καὶ δακρύσας διὰ τὴν τοῦ μετηλλαχότος σωφροσύνην καὶ πολλὴν εὐταξίαν |
Therefore Antiochus was grieved at heart and filled with pity, and wept because of the moderation and good conduct of the deceased; | |
| 38 | καὶ πυρωθεὶς τοῖς θυμοῖς παραχρῆμα τὴν τοῦ Ἀνδρονίκου πορφύραν περιελόμενος καὶ τοὺς χιτῶνας περιρρήξας περιαγαγὼν καθ' ὅλην τὴν πόλιν ἐπ' αὐτὸν τὸν τόπον, οὗπερ τὸν Ονιαν ἠσέβησεν, ἐκεῖ τὸν μιαιφόνον ἀπεκόσμησεν τοῦ κυρίου τὴν ἀξίαν αὐτῷ κόλασιν ἀποδόντος. |
and inflamed with anger, he immediately stripped off the purple robe from Andronicus, tore off his garments, and led him about the whole city to that very place where he had committed the outrage against Onias, and there he dispatched the bloodthirsty fellow. The Lord thus repaid him with the punishment he deserved. | |
| 39 | Γενομένων δὲ πολλῶν ἱεροσυλημάτων κατὰ τὴν πόλιν ὑπὸ τοῦ Λυσιμάχου μετὰ τῆς τοῦ Μενελάου γνώμης καὶ διαδοθείσης ἔξω τῆς φήμης ἐπισυνήχθη τὸ πλῆθος ἐπὶ τὸν Λυσίμαχον χρυσωμάτων ἤδη πολλῶν διενηνεγμένων. |
When many acts of sacrilege had been committed in the city by Lysimachus with the connivance of Menelaus, and when report of them had spread abroad, the populace gathered against Lysimachus, because many of the gold vessels had already been stolen. | Lysimachus killed. 2Mace.4.39-42 |
| 40 | ἐπεγειρομένων δὲ τῶν ὄχλων καὶ ταῖς ὀργαῖς διεμπιπλαμένων καθοπλίσας ὁ Λυσίμαχος πρὸς τρισχιλίους κατήρξατο χειρῶν ἀδίκων προηγησαμένου τινὸς Αυρανου προβεβηκότος τὴν ἡλικίαν, οὐδὲν δὲ ἧττον καὶ τὴν ἄνοιαν· |
And since the crowds were becoming aroused and filled with anger, Lysimachus armed about three thousand men and launched an unjust attack, under the leadership of a certain Auranus, a man advanced in years and no less advanced in folly. | |
| 41 | συνιδόντες δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐπίθεσιν τοῦ Λυσιμάχου συναρπάσαντες οἱ μὲν πέτρους, οἱ δὲ ξύλων πάχη, τινὲς δὲ ἐκ τῆς παρακειμένης σποδοῦ δρασσόμενοι φύρδην ἐνετίνασσον εἰς τοὺς περὶ τὸν Λυσίμαχον· |
But when the Jews became aware of Lysimachus' attack, some picked up stones, some blocks of wood, and others took handfuls of the ashes that were lying about, and threw them in wild confusion at Lysimachus and his men. | |
| 42 | δι' ἣν αἰτίαν πολλοὺς μὲν αὐτῶν τραυματίας ἐποίησαν, τινὰς δὲ καὶ κατέβαλον, πάντας δὲ εἰς φυγὴν συνήλασαν, αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν ἱερόσυλον παρὰ τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον ἐχειρώσαντο. |
As a result, they wounded many of them, and killed some, and put them all to flight; and the temple robber himself they killed close by the treasury. | |
| 43 | περὶ δὲ τούτων ἐνέστη κρίσις πρὸς τὸν Μενέλαον. |
Charges were brought against Menelaus about this incident. | Menelaus brought to trial. 2Mace.4.43-50 |
| 44 | καταντήσαντος δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς Τύρον ἐπ' αὐτοῦ τὴν δικαιολογίαν ἐποιήσαντο οἱ πεμφθέντες τρεῖς ἄνδρες ὑπὸ τῆς γερουσίας. |
When the king came to Tyre, three men sent by the senate presented the case before him. | |
| 45 | ἤδη δὲ λελειμμένος ὁ Μενέλαος ἐπηγγείλατο χρήματα ἱκανὰ τῷ Πτολεμαίῳ Δορυμένους πρὸς τὸ πεῖσαι τὸν βασιλέα. |
But Menelaus, already as good as beaten, promised a substantial bribe to Ptolemy son of Dorymenes to win over the king. | |
| 46 | ὅθεν ἀπολαβὼν ὁ Πτολεμαῖος εἴς τι περίστυλον ὡς ἀναψύξοντα τὸν βασιλέα μετέθηκεν, |
Therefore Ptolemy, taking the king aside into a colonnade as if for refreshment, induced the king to change his mind. | |
| 47 | καὶ τὸν μὲν τῆς ὅλης κακίας αἴτιον Μενέλαον ἀπέλυσεν τῶν κατηγορημένων, τοῖς δὲ ταλαιπώροις, οἵτινες, εἰ καὶ ἐπὶ Σκυθῶν ἔλεγον, ἀπελύθησαν ἀκατάγνωστοι, τούτοις θάνατον ἐπέκρινεν. |
Menelaus, the cause of all the evil, he acquitted of the charges against him, while he sentenced to death those unfortunate men, who would have been freed uncondemned if they had pleaded even before Scythians. | |
| 48 | ταχέως οὖν τὴν ἄδικον ζημίαν ὑπέσχον οἱ περὶ πόλεως καὶ δήμων καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν σκευῶν προηγορήσαντες. |
And so those who had spoken for the city and the villages and the holy vessels quickly suffered the unjust penalty. | |
| 49 | δι' ἣν αἰτίαν καὶ Τύριοι μισοπονηρήσαντες τὰ πρὸς τὴν κηδείαν αὐτῶν μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἐχορήγησαν. |
Therefore even the Tyrians, showing their hatred of the crime, provided magnificently for their funeral. | |
| 50 | ὁ δὲ Μενέλαος διὰ τὰς τῶν κρατούντων πλεονεξίας ἔμενεν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀρχῇ ἐπιφυόμενος τῇ κακίᾳ μέγας τῶν πολιτῶν ἐπίβουλος καθεστώς. |
But Menelaus, because of the cupidity of those in power, remained in office, growing in wickedness, having become the chief plotter against his fellow citizens. | |
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